Topic: American Cookery

[GillE]

I'm a huge fan of American cookery.  It's not all Big Macs - there's some food with big flavours and good nutritional value too.  Mind, you've got to admit that the 'Murricans know how to make mud pie, pecan pie, muffins, cheesecake...

Here's a recipe I hope everyone will try.  It's Lynette Baxter's barbecue sauce from her book, "The Best Of American Cookery".  It can be used as a fabulous marinade too:

110g (4oz) golden syrup
110g (4oz) tomato ketchup
1 onion, grated or finely chopped
30 ml (2tbspn) soy sauce
Juice of one lemon
5ml (1tspn) dry mustard powder
5ml (1tspn) cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
15ml (1tbspn) sesame oil

Place all the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, stirring well to ensure they are well mixed.

Couldn't be simpler!

[Simon]

Sounds yummy! 

[Clive]

I have all the ingredients too!   

[GillE]

I have all the ingredients too!   

The reason I bought the book is that Lynette Baxter is a Home Economics graduate from a British University who has gone on to see how American food can be made accessible to the British market.  The ingredients for all her recipes are readily available over here.  It's sad that such a very good book is so little known.

Here's another - children have great fun making these and they're lovely:

Snickerdoodles

Makes about 50 biscuits

350g (12oz) plain flour
5ml (1tspn) bicarbonate of soda
225g (8oz) butter, softened
250g (9oz) soft brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
75ml (5tbspn) caster sugar
15ml (1tbspn) ground cinnamon

Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda

Cream together the butter and sugar and then gradually beat in the eggs.  Add the flour and work into the butter mixture to make a smooth dough.  Wrap in cling film and chill for thirty minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the caster sugar and cinnamon and tip on to a plate or tray.

Take small pieces of the dough and roll into sausages,about the thickness of a pencil and 10cm (4 inches) long.  Roll these in the sugar and cinnamon mix until well coated and then shape into rings, S-shapes and crescents.  Place on greased baking trays.

Bake at 190C/375F/ Gas Mark 5 for 10 -12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown at the edges.  Transfer to cooling racks and store in an airtight container when quite cold.

[Rik]

Thanks, Gill, duly copied.

[Simon]

One for the school summer holidays. 

[GillE]

Cajun Spice

1 tbsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
1½ tsp paprika
1½ tsp barbecue seasoning powder


Simply mix all the ingredients together! This spice mixture comes in useful for all sorts of Cajun recipes, such as...



Blackened Cajun Fish

4 fish fillets (the Cajuns use whatever's in the nets, but bass or red snapper work well )
60g/2 oz butter, melted
Cajun spice


Slowly heat a heavy cast iron pan until it is very hot.  If you heat it too quickly, the heat will not be evenly distributed.  Test by placing your hand just above the surface of the pan, but don't touch it!  Your hand should feel uncomfortably hot above all parts of the pan.

Dip the fish fillets in the melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with Cajun spice.

Press the fillets firmly onto the pan with a fish slice.  There will be a great deal of smoke and steam, so be prepared!  Cook for 1-2 minutes until blackened on one side.

Use the slice to turn the fish and cook on the other side.

Serve hot with plain boiled rice, over which any remaining butter can be poured.

[Rik]

Thanks, Gill. 

[Simon]

Sounds delicious!

[GillE]

If I ever found myself on Saturday Kitchen, Chicken Etouffe would be a strong contender for my 'food heaven'.  Try it - it's gorgeous!

Chicken Etouffe

Serves 4 -6

60g / 2oz butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green capsicum pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 red capsicum pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp Cajun spice mixture (see previous post)
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp flour
475ml / 16 fl oz rich chicken stock
450g / 1 lb skinless, boned chicken breasts cut into strips or bite-sized pieces
4 spring onions, chopped

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy-base pan.  Add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, celery and chilli and cook over a gentle heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the Cajun spice mixture, basil and salt to taste and cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan, add the flour and cook slowly until a rich red/brown roux is formed.  Whisk constantly to prevent the roux from scorching and becoming bitter.
• Gradually add the stock and whisk well to make a smooth thickened sauce.  Pour the sauce over the vegetable mixture and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add the chicken strips and the spring onions, then cook for a further ten minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked and tender.
• Serve with cooked long-grain rice or freshly cooked fluffy couscous.

This recipe is great with prawns too, but don't cook it for too long if you use prawns otherwise they will become tough.

[Clive]

That looks like something my Thai daugher-in-law would rustle up Gill!   

[GillE]

Then your son is a very lucky man!

[Clive]

Yes, in more ways than one Gill.   

[Simon]

Sounds very nice, Gill.