Recipe Share

[Kenbushway]

I've gotten interested in growing my own vegetables, fruits, herbs. Raising goats and chicken. All in the name of eating healthier and better. I've had a tough time getting recipes that were made from things I could grow or make naturally. Until I found this perfect site: http://www.grandmaskitchen.com/recipes

Its great. But I am wondering, do any of you have family recipes that you are willing to share? Any cooking tips that has been taught to you?

[SmoothieX]

I'd love to! I just moved, so let me get situated and my notes off the moving truck, and I got a few I'd gladly share. My French onion soup is known in uh...one county in New York and maybe one in Vermont too.

If I weren't a civil engineer, I would have been a chef. But we seem to work more normal hours. Oh and I'm better at tons of pavement than tablespoons of salt.

[propita]

I make a pico de gallo that my Spanish class (most of whom spoke Spanish) and Chilean teacher all loved. The teacher said it was the best he had ever had and took a sample to his wife. I'm sure that went over well ("See, honey? This is what it's supposed to taste like!") A classmate asked, "How did a gringa learn to make such good pico de gallo?" Then said the process was longer than she'd do, despite liking it.

Tomatoes - however many required for the amount you want.
Red Onion
Green Onion
Cilantro
Jalapeño - the sliced kind in a jar, fresh is too strong, canned tastes tin-y
Lemon or Lime juice

1. Start with the tomatoes. Slice off the top and remove the liquid-y part with a small sharp knife--it adds too much liquid to the end product. Dice up the tomatoes to the size you want. Put the tomato in a fine-ish strainer to get more of the liquid out.

Now it gets trickier, because quantity all depends on how many tomatoes you used. Start with under-adding; you can always put more in if the ratios are off.

2. Red Onion. Dice up in a finer dice than the tomatoes, maybe half the physical size. You want to taste onion without it overpowering everything. Quantity? About 1/4 as much as the tomatoes, depending on how much you like onion, to start with.

3. Green Onion. Wash them well and cut the short way, all the way down to and including the white part. If the green onions are huge (I've seen some almost half the size of leeks!), cut them longways first. Add as much as you like the flavor, but an amount less than the red onion.

4. Cilantro. Wash them and really dry them well. Remove the leaves and chop them fine. You don't want to graze on leaves, you just want to taste the cilantro. If you don't want to waste the stems, trim the bottoms and cut them VERY fine. Add as much as you like the flavor.

5. Jalapeño. Use as much as you like, but really flatten them out with the side of your cutting knife. No little chunks left, practically pureed. All flavor, no surprise. Use as much as you like. I use less for Hubby, but I like slam-your-hand-on-the-table strength.

6. Lemon or Lime Juice. A few squirts to brighten the flavors.

Combine everything and give it a few stirs.

Now, I know people are gonna say it's too dry. Don't worry. The liquid will come out while it's in the fridge macerating. If it's too dry for you, add some of the vinegar from the jar of sliced jalapeño. TAKE THIS ADDED AMOUNT INTO ACCOUNT--it'll kick up the flavor!

It took me nine years to get it right--that is, the way Hubby likes it. He's particular. But since my Spanish class liked it, I'd say Hubby was right.

[Kenbushway]

SmoothieX wrote:

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I'd love to! I just moved, so let me get situated and my notes off the moving truck, and I got a few I'd gladly share. My French onion soup is known in uh...one county in New York and maybe one in Vermont too.

If I weren't a civil engineer, I would have been a chef. But we seem to work more normal hours. Oh and I'm better at tons of pavement than tablespoons of salt.

French Onion Soup sounds delicious and Vermonters have good tastes (I used to be one). I would much appreciate it thank you.

[Kenbushway]

propita wrote:

---

I make a pico de gallo that my Spanish class (most of whom spoke Spanish) and Chilean teacher all loved. The teacher said it was the best he had ever had and took a sample to his wife. I'm sure that went over well ("See, honey? This is what it's supposed to taste like!") A classmate asked, "How did a gringa learn to make such good pico de gallo?" Then said the process was longer than she'd do, despite liking it.

Tomatoes - however many required for the amount you want.
Red Onion
Green Onion
Cilantro
Jalapeño - the sliced kind in a jar, fresh is too strong, canned tastes tin-y
Lemon or Lime juice

1. Start with the tomatoes. Slice off the top and remove the liquid-y part with a small sharp knife--it adds too much liquid to the end product. Dice up the tomatoes to the size you want. Put the tomato in a fine-ish strainer to get more of the liquid out.

Now it gets trickier, because quantity all depends on how many tomatoes you used. Start with under-adding; you can always put more in if the ratios are off.

2. Red Onion. Dice up in a finer dice than the tomatoes, maybe half the physical size. You want to taste onion without it overpowering everything. Quantity? About 1/4 as much as the tomatoes, depending on how much you like onion, to start with.

3. Green Onion. Wash them well and cut the short way, all the way down to and including the white part. If the green onions are huge (I've seen some almost half the size of leeks!), cut them longways first. Add as much as you like the flavor, but an amount less than the red onion.

4. Cilantro. Wash them and really dry them well. Remove the leaves and chop them fine. You don't want to graze on leaves, you just want to taste the cilantro. If you don't want to waste the stems, trim the bottoms and cut them VERY fine. Add as much as you like the flavor.

5. Jalapeño. Use as much as you like, but really flatten them out with the side of your cutting knife. No little chunks left, practically pureed. All flavor, no surprise. Use as much as you like. I use less for Hubby, but I like slam-your-hand-on-the-table strength.

6. Lemon or Lime Juice. A few squirts to brighten the flavors.

Combine everything and give it a few stirs.

Now, I know people are gonna say it's too dry. Don't worry. The liquid will come out while it's in the fridge macerating. If it's too dry for you, add some of the vinegar from the jar of sliced jalapeño. TAKE THIS ADDED AMOUNT INTO ACCOUNT--it'll kick up the flavor!

It took me nine years to get it right--that is, the way Hubby likes it. He's particular. But since my Spanish class liked it, I'd say Hubby was right.

I've never really tried food like this, but I am all for trying new recipes thank you.

[teacake]

I make Pico all the time, but I only use spring onions and rarely use jalapeno since it's often on top of food already full of chillie. So it's the bitey refresher or garnish.

Spring onions
Coriander
Tomatoes

(all diced into little bits..)

Lime juice

So simple, so very delicious. VERY DELICIOUS. Put it on chicken or any kind of taco or just eat it with a spoon. Not to hijack you propita, I'm just agreeing that this stuff is fab.

[propita]

Oh yeah, the stuff is great! I like it chunky (pico de gallo) over the often more watery salsa. It doesn't run off chips (tortilla chips, that is) as much.

I used to make it as simply as you, teacake, but as I posted, Hubby is particular (read: he complains...a lot), which is why it took NINE years to get "right." He'd offer suggestions, some vague, some not-so-vague: "more tomato" or "too much onion" or "I'm not a cow" (the "grazing" of cilantro) or "I don't wanna bite into a chunk of onion or jalapeño"

Now, I just eyeball things, based on how much tomato. I mean, you usually have an entire onion, bunches of green onion and cilantro, and a whole jar of jalapeño, so you're not going to run out of those. As for the jalapeño vinegar, if it runs low in the jar, just add some white vinegar--so you can actually use that vinegar for other purposes, too.

Kenbushway...you've never tried pico de gallo? Oh, my! You have been missing out!

[teacake]

Well I am not very specific, if I only have one tomato then it's more green, if the coriander is half used then it's more red.. really it always tastes great to me. It is wonderful on chips. I do eat it like a salad for the most part though, because I like a huge amount. Years ago I used to make tabooley all the time but I only make pico de gallo now.. it's just that addictive.

[stoneroses]

Try this cooking web site free and very good http://www.deliaonline.com/

[auntiehill]

teacake wrote:

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Well I am not very specific, if I only have one tomato then it's more green, if the coriander is half used then it's more red.. really it always tastes great to me. It is wonderful on chips. I do eat it like a salad for the most part though, because I like a huge amount. Years ago I used to make tabooley all the time but I only make pico de gallo now.. it's just that addictive.

You mean "tabouli."

I also have lots of family recipes but none of them are in the least bit healthy and don't involve vegetables or fruit in any way.

[Captain Ice]

I have a ton of good recipes that I might be willing to share, but what are these "vegetables" that you speak of?

[M'Sharak]

auntiehill wrote:

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You mean "tabouli."

Or tabbouleh - kinda depends which method you use to transliterate from Arabic to Roman alphabet.

propita wrote:

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I make a pico de gallo...

One of the best foods ever invented, that.

Yours sounds pretty close to what I do, only I'll also use some fresh garlic (minced fine,) with a tiny bit of salt and a pinch of sugar. Getting the balance dialed in just right did take me while, but I'm getting pretty good at it now.

[Kenbushway]

Captain Ice wrote:

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I have a ton of good recipes that I might be willing to share, but what are these "vegetables" that you speak of?

I will take any recipes. I am not un-familiar with meat recipes.

[teacake]

Why don't you tell us what vegetables and meats you have in regular use?

[propita]

M'Sharak wrote:

---

One of the best foods ever invented, that.

Yours sounds pretty close to what I do, only I'll also use some fresh garlic (minced fine,) with a tiny bit of salt and a pinch of sugar. Getting the balance dialed in just right did take me while, but I'm getting pretty good at it now.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who took a while to get it right. And that you mince things fine, too! Great minds....