Sunday night supper club: Greece

Hosted this month by the lovely Kingsley family. 

 Souvlaki from How to Cook a Lamb.  First brine the pork overnight with water, salt and sugar.  Then rinse and put in a marinade of 1/2 cup olive oil, bay leaf, dried thyme and rosemary, 3 smashed garlic cloves, chopped, 1/2 cup finely chopped onions, salt and pepper.  Leave in brine overnight.  Thread pork cubes on skewers and grill.

                                 Sanford loving on Sammy.

After dinner with Laura and Lise.

and Sammy and Trixie

and a little basketball with Olive.

Dri's delicious walnut cake, but I don't have a recipe...

Kurt's zucchini cakes, with the recipe below.

Kingsley's spanokopita

The Werth's brought a delicious Greek salad.

 Kurt's pita bread:
Mix 1 tbsp yeast with 1 1/2 cups warm water.  Mix in 3 tbsp honey.  Let sit a couple of minutes.  Stir in 1 cup whole wheat flour and enough white flour to make it a dough.  Knead until elastic.  Let rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).  Roll out and grill.

Eggplant Moussaka brought by Richard and Lise.

 Sammy's meatballs.  Greek Lemon/Egg meatballs.  For balls mix ground beef, parsley, mint, white rice, salt and pepper, eggs, garlic and chicken broth.  Cook meatballs in chicken stock for 45 minutes on low (crock pot).  For sauce:  mix lemon juice, eggs, and flour to thicken.  Temper sauce and add it to the meatballs.  Cook on low until thickend and meatballs and rice are cooked through.

Mary Beth's potatoes can be found at the link below:

 http://greek.food.com/recipe/ellinikos-lemoni-patatas-greek-lemon-potatoes-90822

Sunday night supper club: Brazil

This month's supper club was at the McGarity's.  The theme - Brazil.  It was one of my favorites so far!  The food was delicious.  I failed in a couple of ways.  I don't have recipes for most of the dishes and I didn't change the setting on my camera from food to people, so not very many good people pictures. 

Feijoada.  I loved this.  I am eagerly awaiting the recipe.  I watched Sanford have 3 helpings of this, then take home a large bowl.  Made by Dri's mom. 

Dri's roast pork to have along side her porky feijoada and topping of farofa with bacon.  Ahh, pork on pork with pork on the side.

The toppings:  a lovely tomato relish and farofa.  I need these recipes too Dri.

The secret flour for the cheese bread.

And the cheese balls, which were gone very quickly.  I don't think the recipe will ever make it to the general public.

Jill's empanadas.  The small ones with the crust from the recipe.  The big ones, my empanada dough from earlier in the blog.  Recipe can be found :  http://www.cookbrasil.com/empada.htm

 I loved this drink.  So much that I bought a bottle of the cachaca.  Mixed with lime.

I regret to say that I don't know who made the above food or have the recipes.  (I was a little late to the party).    First there was a cooked banana dish.  Then some cookies that were eaten quickly by the kids, then filled crepes, the bottom 2 were a similar soup with shrimp, cilantro and coconut milk, both very good.  Please put your recipes on here if you made the dish.

Sam's beautiful and tasty Brigadeiro.  

In a med saucepan over med heat, combine 2 tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp butter and 1 can condensed milk.  Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Let cool enough to handle.  For small balls and roll in various toppings (cocoa, nuts, sprinkles,etc)

Mary Beth and Pete's Empadinha.

The Wilson's amazing flan.  Dri also pulled out a Tres Leches cake that was wonderful.  No pictures.  Too full to get up and get the camera.

The Werth's chicken pie.  This photo doesn't do the dish justice.  It was delicious.

Tracy and Alex brought this tasty salad.

Ribollita

I realized that when I made ribollita earlier in the year, I posted a picture, but no recipe.  I checked out "Essentials of Italian", found the recipe and I am making it again now.  Now I will post the recipe, so I don't have to go back to the library.

Ribollita:

Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a large pot.  Add 1 chopped yellow onion, 2 chopped and peeled carrots, and 1 chopped celery rib.  Saute 4 minutes.  Add 1 cup coarsely chopped cauliflower.  Stir.  Add, stirring after each addition, 1 bunch sliced kale, 1 bunch sliced Swiss chard, 2 chopped zucchini, 1 large peeled and diced boiling potato.  Stir.  Add 3-4 cups cooked white beans.  Stir.  Add 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp dried sage, and 1 tsp dried rosemary.  Add 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Preheat oven to 425.

Ladle enough soup into a 91/2x13 pan to cover bottom.  Top with thinly sliced day old ciabatta.  Add another layer of soup, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, then lay more bread , soup, cheese and repeat for a 3rd layer.

Bake 20 minutes.  Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Italian sausage with little Italian hot pockets.

 I decided to have another go at Italian sausage.  I liked the last one I made from the Charcuterie book, but I wanted more oomph.  Since I am not adding fat back to my sausage, just using pork shoulder steaks, I felt like I needed to up the seasoning.  I also used pork steaks from the MU meat lab which had more fat along the edges than the steaks at the grocery store.  The result was just what I was looking for! 

 

Cut up 2 1/2 pounds of pork shoulder steaks.  It is easier to do if they are semi-frozen still.  Then season with 4 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds, a bunch of ground black pepper (I didn't measure from the pepper mill), 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 tsp oregano, 1 1/2 tsp sage, 2 tsp thyme.

 Put through meat grinder.  There will be extra spices in the bowl.  Add them to the ground pork.  Attach the paddle to the kitchen aid.  Stir, adding 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup cold water.  Mix for about 2 minutes.  Cook a little in a pan and taste for seasoning.   At this point you can stuff them or I just divided them into 1/4 pound patties and froze them.

But first I had to cook with it.  I decided to make an "Italian empanada" since I am in love with those little hot pockets.  I don't think that I can call this a calzone, because I think that needs pizza dough which is a yeast dough.  Anyway, whatever you want to call this is fine.  I loved it.

"Italian hot pocket"    

The dough:  Basically the same as the empanada but I substituted semolina flour for the masa and olive oil for canola oil.

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina flour

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

Stir while adding:

1/4 olive oil.

1/2 cup hot water.

Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerator 20-30 minutes.

Filling:  Saute the 1 cup of italian sausage.  Add 4 chopped scallions, chopped red and yellow bell pepper, 5 thinly sliced mushrooms, 4 minced garlic cloves.  Saute til soft.  Add a couple of handfuls of thinly sliced spinach.  Saute til wilted.  Season with salt and pepper.  Turn off heat.  Stir in several leaves of basil, thinly sliced and some parmesan cheese.  ( I was going to add ricotta, but when I opened the container it was moldy.  Still good without it.)  Let cool.

Divide the dough into 10 balls.  Roll out into 4 inch diameter.  Put filling on 1/2.  Fold over and crimp with fork.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Poke a few holes in the top of the dough.  Use an egg wash of 1 egg and a tbsp of water to brush on the top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

My plan is to make quite a few of these and freeze them for snacks for the boys.  So far they haven't lasted long enough to make it to the freezer.

Ribolitta and steak, biscotti

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Sunday night supper club: New Orleans.

This month's supper club was hosted by Aaron and Josie.  The theme - New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras.  I think this might have been one of the tastier months. 

Tracy showing off her delicious hurricane made by Kurty.

 Sam's red beans and rice.  

Sweat the following in a large pot with oil and butter:  1/2 cup each celery, onion, and green pepper.  Add garlic, bay leaves, red beans (soaked overnight), ham shanks, andouille sausage and approx 8 cups of water.  Cook for 3 hours or until thickened.

 Alex and Tracy's Cajun Corn Maque Choux

Saute 1 small chopped onion and 1/4 cup green bell pepper in 1-2 tbsp olive oil over med heat 8 min or until tender.  Add 3 cups frozen shoepeg corn (thawed), 2 diced plum tomatoes, and 1/4 pound diced andouille sausage.  Cook, stirring often, 15 min.  Stir in 1/4 cup chopped green onion tops.  Season with salt and pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

Lise's pressure cooked okra and tomatoes

Sanford's shrimp and grits

 I think Jack might have eaten about 1/4 of this!  Kurt's Chicken Picante.

Make a rub with 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp black pepper, 2 tsp cayenne, ad 1 tsp thyme.  Rub it along with 1 tsp salt onto 10 chicken thighs (cut into 20 pieces).    Dredge in one cup of flour (keep remaining flour).  Brown in 1 stick of butter and remove.  Add 2 chopped bell peppers, 5 chopped celery ribs, 1 diced onion, and 5 minced garlic cloves.  Saute.  Add remaining flour and stir.  Add 1 can 28oz diced tomatoes and 1 14 oz can of tomato sauce, along with 14 oz chicken stock.  Add chicken back to pan and simmer for 45 min or until chicken is done.

 Jennifer's bread pudding.  Recipe can be found at:  http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/02/17/bourbon-bread-pudding-recipe/

 Dri's delicious Jambalaya.

 Josie and Aaron's cornbread.

 And their tasty shrimp and grits

 Ellen and Katie's Muffaletta

 My first taste of King Cake, made by Dri.  I think she should be bring it to all of the brunches!

Mary Beth and Pete's jalepeno's stuffed with andouille and battered and fried.  Need I say more.

 Pam made shrimp etouffe, one of my favorites  

Make a roux by combining 1/4 c unsalted butter, 1/2 c all purpose flour, and 1/4 c peanut oil and cook over low heat until a dark caramel color, about 15 minutes.  Add 1 chopped onion, 4 chopped celery ribs, 1 chopped green pepper, 4 tbsp minced garlic and cook until soft.  Add 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.  Slowly whisk in 4 cup chicken stock.  Cover over low heat and simmer 1 hour.  Add 2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined and 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream.  Mix.  Season with salt and pepper and dashes of tobasco sauce and cook another 5 minutes.  Serve over rice and garnish with scallions.

 And this Bourbon pecan pie

Crust:  In food processor, process 2 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar until combined.  Add 1/2 cup chilled veg shortening and process about 10 seconds.  Scatter 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (cut into 1/4 inch pieces) and process with 1 second pulses (about 10).  Sprinkle 6 tbsp ice water over mixture.  Use a rubber spatula and fold to mix.  Add 2 more tbsp as needed.  Form into a disk and cover in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator at least 30 min.  Then roll out as required.  (This makes 2 pie crusts)

Filling:   Whisk 3 large eggs.  Add 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 cup dark karo syrup, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cup pecans (a mix of halves and pieces) and 1/4 tsp salt.  Mix. 

Pie:  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.  Bake 15 minutes.  Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 40 minutes.  When removed from oven, immediately cover pie with aluminum foil to avoid a hard top crust.  (From Pam's Grandma Baker. 1964)

I apologize for not knowing who made the deviled eggs with shrimp.

The next supper club will be March 10th.  Place and country to be determined.  Remind me to take more people pictures next time.