Cooking Game of the Week #54 06/14/12

[cookieee]

FINALLY


1. COOKBOOK - STARTS WITH U V OR W

2. TO-TRY FOLDER - RECIPE STARTS WITH U V OR W

3. CHEF - LAST NAME STARTS WITH U V OR W

4. INGREDIENT -STARTS WTH U V OR W

5. WHAT ARE YOU DOING OR MAKING FOR FATHER'S DAY?


DON'T FORGET TO POST WHAT CATEGORY YOU ARE USING.

THE GAME IS OPEN TO EVERYONE


HAPPY COOKING

DARN, CAN'T ADJUST SIZE

[RebelYell18]

Whew! There she is! You had us worried, cookieee!!

[LakeMartinGal]

I'm first, this week!

I used the Big Book of Casseroles, by Maryana Vollstedt. I was fortunate enough to score some wild-caught Alaskan halibut from a friend. She has a summer home in Alaska, and cleans out her freezer every year, so she can bring more home!!!

"Halibut is known for its firm flesh and mild flavor. Here it is prepared simply with fresh spinach and baked wit Parmesan cheese on top. Serve with a potato dish"

I made
Halibut and Fresh Spinach

1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
12 oz fresh spinach, lightly rinsed and stems removed, if desired
3 or 4 halibut steaks (1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
lime wedges for garnish

Preheat oven to 425F. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and saute 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook, covered, until spinach wilts, tossing once with a fork, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Spread spinach in the bottom of a 7 x 11-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray or oil. Place halibut on top, sprinkle with lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, until fish flakes, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve garnished with lime wedges.

Serves 4 to 6

WINNER!!!
We both really liked this -- we had almost 1 lb of halibut, and we had 3 servings from it. We didn't do potatoes, though I had intended to, but thought the spinach would be better for us. (I will cook spinach this way, again -- it was yummy!) I did serve fresh pineapple and strawberries with it. With the potatoes, it probably would have served 4, but I'd add more spinach, if I served 4!

It was easy to put together, and didn't heat up the kitchen too badly, since it wasn't in the oven that long!

[cookieee]

Bob, our computer man, just called to see if it is working now. YES!!!!! Thank you Bob. What am I to do? He is moving to S.C in 7/10

Thank you Kay and Reb for worrying about me. I could have sworn I posted that last night

Kay, congratulations on posting so soon. Guess a heads up does help. Glad you enjoyed it, sounds really fast and easy and delicious.

[cookieee]

Now I am worried about Phoebe. WHERE ARE YOU?

[RebelYell18]

Bob, our computer man, just called to see if it is working now. YES!!!!! Thank you Bob. What am I to do? He is moving to S.C in 7/10

Thank you Kay and Reb for worrying about me. I could have sworn I posted that last night

Kay, congratulations on posting so soon. Guess a heads up does help. Glad you enjoyed it, sounds really fast and easy and delicious.

Uh oh! Better find a new one quick, in case!

Its pathetic but I really feel lost when I'm without a working computer!

[cookieee]

Uh oh! Better find a new one quick, in case!

Its pathetic but I really feel lost when I'm without a working computer!

It was a really weird experience, but I was surprised how much housework I got done

I forgot to ask. You all haven't said what you think of the name of the new thread OR if you even like the new thread

[LakeMartinGal]

It was a really weird experience, but I was surprised how much housework I got done

So, that's my problem!!!LOL! I always marvel at how much time I spend in this chair, and not much (except recipes) to show for it!

Cookieee, I think the title for the new thread is fine -- I hope some people post on it, but I'm afraid it'll be just us -- lots of people don't pay attention to which thread they got the recipe from, I fear. But that's ok, too -- we'll keep it going.

[cookieee]

So, that's my problem!!!LOL! I always marvel at how much time I spend in this chair, and not much (except recipes) to show for it!

Cookieee, I think the title for the new thread is fine -- I hope some people post on it, but I'm afraid it'll be just us -- lots of people don't pay attention to which thread they got the recipe from, I fear. But that's ok, too -- we'll keep it going.

I guess everyone is not as organized as us It would be sad if we were the only ones making the recipes from the games. LOOK AT ALL THE GOOD FOOD THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON Thanks AGAIN for your support

We had a bad electrical rain storm with hail here, turned everything off and took a nap. Tried turning the computer back on and it is back to yesterday.. Yep, got a call in to Bob.

[RebelYell18]

It was a really weird experience, but I was surprised how much housework I got done

I forgot to ask. You all haven't said what you think of the name of the new thread OR if you even like the new thread

I'm also likin' the new thread's title! Looking forward to adding to it, once I make something

[Ohioan]

Now I am worried about Phoebe. WHERE ARE YOU?

Tsk. Oh, ye of little faith....

Tonight I made something so simple that it may hardly qualify as a recipe. (But it is, it is, I swear.) It's a broccoli dish from Sarah Fritschner's Vegetarian Express Lane Cookbook, a book that's absolutely dripping with "try this" flags but somehow got lost in the bookcase. (I love this game. Have I mentioned that lately?)

Anyway, it was really good. I also took the author's advice in the notes, "for a more substantial dish, toss the broccoli with curly egg noodles," except that I used (wavy) bow ties instead. Oh, and I scaled the recipe down for one as usual.

Cheers,
Phoebe

Broccoli with Lemon-Caper Sauce
Servings: 4

1-1/2 lb broccoli
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon (I used the lemon.)
1 Tbsp capers (or 1 Tbsp minced green olives) (I used the capers.)
Dash cayenne

Trim broccoli to make florets, peel stems, if using, and cut stems into 1/2-inch pieces. Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until bright green and barely tender. Mix remaining ingredients. Drain broccoli, drizzle with caper sauce, and serve immediately.

[cookieee]

I'm also likin' the new thread's title! Looking forward to adding to it, once I make something

Hi Reb, I hope you are joking Glad you like the name

[cookieee]

Tsk. Oh, ye of little faith....

Tonight I made something so simple that it may hardly qualify as a recipe. (But it is, it is, I swear.) It's a broccoli dish from Sarah Fritschner's Vegetarian Express Lane Cookbook, a book that's absolutely dripping with "try this" flags but somehow got lost in the bookcase. (I love this game. Have I mentioned that lately?)

Anyway, it was really good. I also took the author's advice in the notes, "for a more substantial dish, toss the broccoli with curly egg noodles," except that I used (wavy) bow ties instead. Oh, and I scaled the recipe down for one as usual.

Cheers,
Phoebe

Broccoli with Lemon-Caper Sauce
Servings: 4

1-1/2 lb broccoli
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon (I used the lemon.)
1 Tbsp capers (or 1 Tbsp minced green olives) (I used the capers.)
Dash cayenne

Trim broccoli to make florets, peel stems, if using, and cut stems into 1/2-inch pieces. Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until bright green and barely tender. Mix remaining ingredients. Drain broccoli, drizzle with caper sauce, and serve immediately.

Ah, there she is. I BELIEVE YOU I like how you always make recipes that I can make

[sunnyshine]

I'm doing both chef and Father's Day.
This past school year my daughter was fortunate enough to be a part of her school's garden. She was experimenting on organic versus non organic gardens. A few weeks ago I was reading the local magazine that comes in the mail and there was a picture of my daughter with Alice Waters. Apparently Alice Waters started an Edible Schoolyard Project and she went around touring schools that participated. I asked my daughter why she never mentioned meeting Alice Waters and she said, "I did. She was the person I told you said that my kale was growing good." Hmmm, I remembered the conversation but apparently my daughter didn't realize I would know who Alice Waters was so she didn't mention her by name. So anyways I knew when the W chef choice came up I needed to pick out one of her recipes so that my daughter could help me make it. So this is what we are making (with the cheese of course!):


Potato Gratin
4
SERVINGS

I like this best when the potatoes are sliced quite thin (a mandoline makes this easy):that way the potato slices are less likely to curl up and burn on the edges. Yukon Goldand other waxy, yellow-fleshed potatoes keep their texture in a gratin; floury potatoeslike russets fall apart.Rub a 9- by 12-inch gratin dish with:
Butter
Peel and slice about 1/16 inch thick:
4 large yellow potatoes(about 11/2 pounds)
Make a layer of potato slices in the gratin dish, overlapping them slightly, like shingles.Sprinkle with:
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Continue to layer the potato slices, seasoning each layer, until the potatoes are usedup. You should have two or, at the most, three layers. Carefully pour over the potatoes:
1 cup milk
The liquid should come up to the bottom of the top layer of potatoes. Add more ifnecessary. Generously dot the top of the potatoes with:
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Bake in a 350°F oven until browned and bubbling, about 1 hour. Halfway through thebaking, take the gratin dish out of the oven and press the potatoes flat with a metalspatula to keep the top moist. Return to the oven and keep checking. The gratin is donewhen the potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.
VARIATIONS

•
Peel and smash a garlic clove and rub it all over the inside of the gratin dish beforebuttering it.
•
Use duck fat instead of butter.
•
Use heavy cream or a mixture of half-and-half and cream. Omit the butter.
•
Substitute celery root, parsnip, or turnip slices for up to half the potatoes.
•
Add chopped herbs such as thyme, parsley, chives, or chervil between the layers.
•
Sauté mushrooms, sorrel, spinach, or leeks, and layer them between the potatoslices.
•
Sprinkle grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese on each layer and sprinkle more on topfor the last 15 minutes of baking.
Excerpted from
The Art of Simple Food
by Alice Waters Copyright © 2007 by Alice Waters. Excerpted by permission of ClarksonPotter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted withoutpermission in writing from the publisher.

[cookieee]

Hi sunnyshine, looks like you will be having a good time. I'm very happy for you.

[cookieee]

Just in case he might visit the bb today, I would like to wish Ham a HAPPY FATHERS DAY Anyone else like to add their wishes?

[catbatty]

3. CHEF - LAST NAME STARTS WITH U V OR W -- WONG, WONG, WONG!!!

AHA! I found my old Madame Wong cookbook and tried a few sauces. I'm including a recipe for one common ingredient to many of her recipes -- the hot oil -- but I didn't have the peppers, so I kludged. I had a sugar/pepper syrupy sauce in fridge, so I reduced the sugar called for and over--added some of my sauce. Here are the recipes in book. My husband really liked the sesame sauce. (We used it on some fried pot stickers..frozen/store-bought.) We also tested two other sauces from her book, doing same kludge...but the sesame one is the one we both liked best. Catbatty (Brenda) (she who is FINALLY jumping in to a CGW! 'Bout time!!)

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chinese - Sesame Seed Paste Sauce (for cooked meat or blanched vegetables)

Recipe By age 241
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sauce

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tablespoons sesame seed paste (or 2 tablespoons peanut butter diluted in 2 tablespoons water)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon pepper oil (recipe pg. 239)

Mix ingredients into a smooth, thin sauce.

May be refrigerated. Do not freeze.

Comment: I didn't use hot pepper oil, instead kludged by reducing sugar (at first, then adding more to taste at finish) and in place of hot oil, I used a sugar-syrup-pepper sauce that I had on hand.

Source:
"Madame Wong's Long-Life Chinese Cookbook by S. T. Ting Wong and Sylvia Schulman"
Copyright:
"Contemporary Books (1978); ISBN-10: 0809275635; ISBN-13: 978-0809275632"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : Serve with cooked meat or blanched vegetables (excellent with Mongolian Hot Pot).

-----------
Here is the hot oil recipe from book (that I didn't use because I had no peppers) PS: In restaurants, we've had this oil made with red pepper flakes that almost blacken in the oil. LOVE the stuff!! I think I'd prefer to use pepper flakes instead of ground pepper, but maybe ground peppers are more authentic?

* Exported from MasterCook *

Szechwan Pepper Oil (for seasoning or use as a dip)

Recipe By age 239
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sauce

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red chile peppers -- coarsely ground (approximately 1 ounce)

Heat oil in wok to 325°F. Add chili peppers. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until oil becomes red.

Cool. Store in covered jar indefinitely in refrigerator.

Source:
"Madame Wong's Long-Life Chinese Cookbook by S. T. Ting Wong and Sylvia Schulman"
Copyright:
"Contemporary Books (1978); ISBN-10: 0809275635; ISBN-13: 978-0809275632"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[cookieee]

[QUOTE=catbatty;1659923]3. CHEF - LAST NAME STARTS WITH U V OR W -- WONG, WONG, WONG!!!

AHA! I found my old Madame Wong cookbook and tried a few sauces. I'm including a recipe for one common ingredient to many of her recipes -- the hot oil -- but I didn't have the peppers, so I kludged. I had a sugar/pepper syrupy sauce in fridge, so I reduced the sugar called for and over--added some of my sauce. Here are the recipes in book. My husband really liked the sesame sauce. (We used it on some fried pot stickers..frozen/store-bought.) We also tested two other sauces from her book, doing same kludge...but the sesame one is the one we both liked best. Catbatty (Brenda) (she who is FINALLY jumping in to a CGW! 'Bout time!!)

QUOTE]

Brenda (I love it when we have real names we can use) Gee, after posting on the other thread, I feel like you are an ol' time player by now. I want to thank you for playing and hope you will stick around for more. Maybe some day you might see one of your recipes on the "home away from home thread

[Anne]

3. CHEF - LAST NAME STARTS WITH U V OR W -- WONG, WONG, WONG!!!


Szechwan Pepper Oil (for seasoning or use as a dip)

Recipe By age 239
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Sauce

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red chile peppers -- coarsely ground (approximately 1 ounce)

Heat oil in wok to 325°F. Add chili peppers. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until oil becomes red.

Cool. Store in covered jar indefinitely in refrigerator.

Source:
"Madame Wong's Long-Life Chinese Cookbook by S. T. Ting Wong and Sylvia Schulman"
Copyright:
"Contemporary Books (1978); ISBN-10: 0809275635; ISBN-13: 978-0809275632"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Are the chili peppers fresh or dried?

Also, in the Sesame seed paste sauce - is sesame seed paste the same thing as tahini or does tahini have extra ingredients?

[catbatty]

Anne:
Madame Wong doesn't say anywhere in book. I figured she meant Tahini, so that's what I used.
Red chile peppers, I figured she meant the dried kind (like chili flakes are made from). I know there are various kinds of red chilies used around the world, but the kind I've seen used in Chinese food looks like these.

http://www.spicesforless.com/new/chi...-red-bulk.html

Catbatty

Are the chili peppers fresh or dried?

Also, in the Sesame seed paste sauce - is sesame seed paste the same thing as tahini or does tahini have extra ingredients?

[Anne]

Thanks catbatty. I guessed it must be the dried if it keeps forever in the fridge. Good to have that confirmed.

[RebelYell18]

Dinner tonight knocked out out a couple of recipes from the bulging to try folder! And, both the letters U and W. Guess I'll hafta try for V in the next few days.

Can't believe that I hadn't made this before - it was super delicious! The marinade itself was excellent...I feel like it'd be a good dressing, too. This WILL be a regular around here!

Unbelievable Chicken
CLBB - sfarler

1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons prepared coarse-ground mustard
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large glass bowl, mix the cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover, and marinate 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the prepared grill, and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Discard marinade.


This salad was really good, too. Nothing out of this world but a great, solid recipe.

Wild and Brown Rice Salad
MSL September 2001

For the Dressing:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the Salad:
1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice, made according to package directions; 3 cups cooked brown and/or brown basmati rice, made according to package directions
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 seedless cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
6 ounces red cherry tomatoes, quartered

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard; set aside.
2. Place the wild rice, brown rice, yellow pepper, red onion, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Add the dressing, and toss well to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl.

[Choctini]

Hi there. I'm a game of the week lurker but I think this recipe fits the requirements (Food and Wine magazine, not cookbook though).

Cheddar-Cheese Grits with Spicy Black Beans


Food and Wine Magazine

• ACTIVE:
• TOTAL TIME:
• SERVINGS: 4

• FAST

Southern and Southwestern ingredients unite in this sustaining meal of beans, peppers, and tomatoes over the best grits you will ever eat. If you don't have the quick-cooking variety, use regular and follow the instructions on the package.

1. 2 1/2 cups water
2. 1 cup milk
3. 2 tablespoons butter
4. 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
5. 1/8 teaspoon paprika
6. 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
7. Cayenne
8. 3/4 cup quick-cooking grits (actually used polenta)
9. 1/4 pound cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
10. 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch squares
11. 1 green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch squares
12. 6 scallions including green tops, sliced thin
13. 2 cups drained and rinsed canned black beans (one 19-ounce can)
14. 1/4 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
15. 3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, 1 tablespoon of the butter, the Tabasco, paprika, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the grits in a slow stream, whisking. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the grits are very thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheese. Cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over moderate heat. Add the bell peppers and scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, broth, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes. Serve over the cheese grits.

This was pretty good and fast. My seven year liked it which is always a plus.

[sunnyshine]

I'm doing both chef and Father's Day.
This past school year my daughter was fortunate enough to be a part of her school's garden. She was experimenting on organic versus non organic gardens. A few weeks ago I was reading the local magazine that comes in the mail and there was a picture of my daughter with Alice Waters. Apparently Alice Waters started an Edible Schoolyard Project and she went around touring schools that participated. I asked my daughter why she never mentioned meeting Alice Waters and she said, "I did. She was the person I told you said that my kale was growing good." Hmmm, I remembered the conversation but apparently my daughter didn't realize I would know who Alice Waters was so she didn't mention her by name. So anyways I knew when the W chef choice came up I needed to pick out one of her recipes so that my daughter could help me make it. So this is what we are making (with the cheese of course!):


Potato Gratin
4
SERVINGS

I like this best when the potatoes are sliced quite thin (a mandoline makes this easy):that way the potato slices are less likely to curl up and burn on the edges. Yukon Goldand other waxy, yellow-fleshed potatoes keep their texture in a gratin; floury potatoeslike russets fall apart.Rub a 9- by 12-inch gratin dish with:
Butter
Peel and slice about 1/16 inch thick:
4 large yellow potatoes(about 11/2 pounds)
Make a layer of potato slices in the gratin dish, overlapping them slightly, like shingles.Sprinkle with:
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Continue to layer the potato slices, seasoning each layer, until the potatoes are usedup. You should have two or, at the most, three layers. Carefully pour over the potatoes:
1 cup milk
The liquid should come up to the bottom of the top layer of potatoes. Add more ifnecessary. Generously dot the top of the potatoes with:
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Bake in a 350°F oven until browned and bubbling, about 1 hour. Halfway through thebaking, take the gratin dish out of the oven and press the potatoes flat with a metalspatula to keep the top moist. Return to the oven and keep checking. The gratin is donewhen the potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown.
VARIATIONS

•
Peel and smash a garlic clove and rub it all over the inside of the gratin dish beforebuttering it.
•
Use duck fat instead of butter.
•
Use heavy cream or a mixture of half-and-half and cream. Omit the butter.
•
Substitute celery root, parsnip, or turnip slices for up to half the potatoes.
•
Add chopped herbs such as thyme, parsley, chives, or chervil between the layers.
•
Sauté mushrooms, sorrel, spinach, or leeks, and layer them between the potatoslices.
•
Sprinkle grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese on each layer and sprinkle more on topfor the last 15 minutes of baking.
Excerpted from
The Art of Simple Food
by Alice Waters Copyright © 2007 by Alice Waters. Excerpted by permission of ClarksonPotter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted withoutpermission in writing from the publisher.

Some of the simplest looking recipes are hidden treasures. A lot of enthusiastic thumbs up on this one. I used an Italian cheese blend between the layers and parmesan on top. I wanted all parm but I wouldn't have had enough. With my mandoline this took no time to put together but it did have to bake for a little longer than an hour.

[RebelYell18]

I actually did it! I got a V recipe in this week too!

I made the Vietnamese Pork Tenderloin from the July issue of CL. I rarely grill pork for whatever reason so I was glad to give it a go. The flavor was wonderful and, as terrytx pointed out on the recipe's review thread, while it was a bit more time-consuming than other recipes, it was definitely worth it. The only change I had to make was not using the mint because I do not like it.

Another one that'll be making the rotations around here!

Vietnamese Pork Tenderloin

2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot, halved
1 (4-inch) piece fresh lemongrass, halved
1 (1-inch) piece peeled ginger, halved
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Thai or serrano chile, thinly sliced and divided
2 ounces rice vermicelli
Cooking spray
16 Bibb lettuce leaves (about 2 heads)
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 cup sliced English cucumber
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup finely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
16 basil leaves
16 mint leaves
2 Thai chiles, thinly sliced

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a mini food processor; pulse until coarsely ground. With processor on, add soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and oil; process until blended. Combine mixture and pork in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.
2. Combine carrot and sugar in a medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Add juice, vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, minced garlic, and 1 sliced chile; stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.
4. Preheat grill to high heat.
5. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Thread pork evenly onto 6 (12-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly charred.
6. Top each lettuce leaf evenly with pork, noodles, and remaining ingredients. Serve with dipping sauce.

Steven Raichlen, Cooking Light
JULY 2012

[erin elizabeth]

I'm playing this week. I was supposed to make this last night, but it was sidelined to today. This is an Alice Waters recipe from her Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook. In the cookbook, it is served with a cold, boiled beef, but I recently had it at a restaurant on a grilled flank steak so that is how I am going to try it.

Salsa Verde
¼ cup scallions or chives, thinly sliced
¼ cup basil leaves, tightly packed, chopped
½ cup parsley, flat leaf, tightly packed, chopped
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 large shallot
Zest of half a lemon
2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons wine vinegar or lemon juice

In a small bowl mix together the parsley, scallions, basil, capers, anchovies, shallot, and lemon zest. Stir in olive oil and season with salt and fresh cracked pepper. The sauce may be prepared several hours ahead up to this point. Just before serving, add the vinegar or lemon juice.

Makes about 2 cups

[cookieee]

Hi there. I'm a game of the week lurker but I think this recipe fits the requirements (Food and Wine magazine, not cookbook though).

Cheddar-Cheese Grits with Spicy Black Beans


Food and Wine Magazine


This was pretty good and fast. My seven year liked it which is always a plus.

Hi Choctini, so glad you decided to come out of lurkdom. Would you mind telling me what category you are using?

[cookieee]

Some of the simplest looking recipes are hidden treasures. A lot of enthusiastic thumbs up on this one. I used an Italian cheese blend between the layers and parmesan on top. I wanted all parm but I wouldn't have had enough. With my mandoline this took no time to put together but it did have to bake for a little longer than an hour.

So glad it turned out to be so good. Thanks sunnyshine for playing

[cookieee]

I actually did it! I got a V recipe in this week too!

I made the Vietnamese Pork Tenderloin from the July issue of CL. I rarely grill pork for whatever reason so I was glad to give it a go. The flavor was wonderful and, as terrytx pointed out on the recipe's review thread, while it was a bit more time-consuming than other recipes, it was definitely worth it. The only change I had to make was not using the mint because I do not like it.

Another one that'll be making the rotations around here!

Vietnamese Pork Tenderloin

Steven Raichlen, Cooking Light
JULY 2012

Whoo hooo!!! CONGRATULATIONS REB!!!!!! Not only did you cover all 3 letters, BUT, you made a Raichlen recipe also. Good going

[carmor]

As we were eating dinner tonight, I realized that I made recipes from two categories this week without even realizing what I was doing (one was planned, one wasn't)

Tonight's recipe is very, very simple, but it was quite tasty. This one was from category #1. COOKBOOK - STARTS WITH U V OR W

Since it's the first day of summer, and suddenly nice here in the rainy northwest, we decided to do a little grilling and I needed a quick recipe for some pork chops. I perused through the Weber's Real Grilling book and found a new rub that sounded tasty. I was not disappointed, this was excellent on the pork chops.

Caribbean Rub from Weber's Real Grilling by Jamie Purviance

1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp granulated garlic
1 Tbsp dried thyme
2 1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp ground allspice

Makes 1/4 cup

As I said, super easy but really tasty - and a very nice change from the usual rubs that we use. This was my unintentional game recipe, I'd planned to do something else with the pork chops when I thought it was going to rain this week, but I'm sure glad I changed my mind

The other recipe is a little longer and I need to go get DD ready for bed. I'll be back a little later with my 2nd recipe.