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strawberry-rhubarb ice cream

before I start, I want to remind everyone that the first post on this thread by phrag is for a recipe for strawberry shortcake cookies... bet would go very well with this ice cream!

First, open up your Fannie Farmer paperback cookbook to page 973. This recipe is adapted from the 'Philadelphia Ice Cream' recipe. The recipe in the book is scaled to make 1.5quarts frozen and my freezer holds a gallon, so I take the ratio of ingredients and just buy a little more than double. It is a 'fresh' recipe meaning it isn't a custard that requires cooking eggs, milk and flour on the stove and the ingredients called for can just be put in the freezing tin together and frozen.

Some of my extra ingredients I call for cooking a little before adding, but they should all be added chilled well before putting into the freezing container.

(Last note!) This was the first time I've tried this recipe which I just made up while I was making it. You may want to change the amount of whole to pureed fruit. If you don't like whole bits of rhubarb but love the flavor you might want to try pureeing all of the rhubarb after is has been cooked and cooled. You'll get a ton of the flavor mixed in and will still have strawberry pieces all through the ice cream. Experiment and let me know how it turns out! I've never heard of strawberry rhubarb ice cream anywhere before, let me know if you find someone somewhere else that makes it, and how they make it (if possible). Thanks and enjoy!

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Recipe calls for 4 cups of heavy cream, but I often mix heavy cream, light cream and half-and-half depending on if anyone I'm serving it to will have a problem if it is all heavy cream. Changes texture but it is your preference and it will all turn out great no matter which you put in.

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

I add a container of sweetened, condensed milk to the mix. Traditional custard ice cream requires cooking of most ingredients so you get a 'caramelized' taste; the condensed milk sort of adds this flavor.

Recipe calls for 3/4 cup of sugar; if you add sweetened condensed milk you can lower the amount of extra sugar to your tastes. If you add fruit that has been stood or cooked in sugar you can lower this amount even more. If you want to make sure you don't add more than this to the final product, you can stand/stew the fruit you're going to add in the 3/4 cup sugar. Make sure to test the flavor of the fruit after cooking to see if it needs a little bit more sugar. If you add a large amount of sugar (like over a cup or more) you may need to heat the milk/cream first so that the sugar will dissolve properly.

For the fruit, you will likely need about 1.5 cups per above recipe. You can adjust the proportions depending on how much you like either of the following fruits. Basic plan for the fruit - put whole or slightly sliced strawberries in a bowl and put sugar over the top, stir and let sit to draw out the juices. take about a third of what is in the bowl and put in a blender, puree. Take the desired amount of rhubarb, cut into pieces of size so that after cooking in sugar a little while they will still be slightly chunky after being added to the dairy mixture and frozen. Cook the rhubarb slowly with sugar over low heat until fruit taste tested doesn't have the raw flavor; when it is still tangy but has mellowed and taken on the sugar flavor you can let it cool. If you want, you can let it cook a while but still holding it's shape and add a little lemon juice to give it more zing, if desired. Take about a third of the cooked rhubarb and put in blender, puree.
Put the non-fruit ingredients into the freezing container, then add the pureed fruit. Add strawberry and rhubarb pieces into the freezing container until the mixture level reaches the 'fill to here' line. Put in dipper and top, freeze!

One thing I've found that helps a lot for freezing in salt/ice mixture is to just keep adding a ton of salt to the ice throughout the freezing process. I've had ice cream not freeze because I didn't add enough salt; after changing this it always freezes no matter how hot it is outside, as long as you let all ingredients cool well before trying to freeze. You can also add the calcium chloride deep cold ice melt with regular rock salt which will allow the ice cream to freeze even faster.

Good idea is to put the ice cream into a regular freezer for a while to 'mellow', if you can wait that long! ;) enjoy and let me know how you do it and how it turns out!
 
I made this yesterday...really simple. I just dredged some fresh, large scallops in crushed almonds. Melted some butter with a split clove of garlic, and just sauteed them a few minutes on each side. served them with a crusty baguette and a salad of homegrown arugula sylvatica...had a nice cold bottle of Torrontes with them..Great! (Torrontes is an Argentinian white wine....one of my favorite whites. Take care, Eric
 
Thai shrimp stir fry...this is what I did with my jolokia peppers...adjust to your taste....I got 1/2 lb whole shrimp, and used the heads for stock, and 1/2lb tiger shrimp...your choice...no shrimp head stock, add water/chicken broth/wine
Saute chopped lemongrass, galangal, shallots, garlic, hot pepper (I used a split jolokia pepper, seeds removed, removing the pepper after a few minutes...same procedure if you use habanero's...any other fresh hot peppers, just chop them up and add them) in peanut oil...
add a few kaffir lime leaves, bruised if fresh, and a little broth, and some fish sauce, and some toasted peanuts. When that simmers away, add the shrimp and a few shredded collard leaves (or any green you prefer...water cress would be good...or dandelion)...add more broth as needed (I do it a little at a time, to avoid making it too liquidy...) When just about ready, add some bruised or chopped basil leaves (preferably thai basil) and/or mint leaves, and some lime juice. Eat with rice or whatever you want.....................
 
A quick recipe for chicken I use that has plenty of flavour. This is for ONE fresh skinless & trimmed chicken breast.
Slice breast length wise to butterfly, lightly flatten to even out thickness and dust with corn flour.
In a good solid base fry pan, add a liberal amount of good oil.
Heat pan to medium temp, add 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 - 2 tbls Sweet Chilli sauce, 1 tbls good curry powder.
Cook off for 30 seconds. Add chicken breast, seal both sides and allow to cook through till just done. It will be too dry if left too long.
Serve with stir fry or regular vege's, salads, fries or your fancy.
Does make a mean filling in a good hamburger roll with mayo and salad.
The spice etc ingredients don't need to increased to cook more than one breast but can be.
 
help! I'm looking for something to take on Saturday. Here are the constraints:

- preparation on Friday evening (I can only cut or mix on Saturday)
- must be able to sit in the car/room on Sat from about 730am to noon. (I can dig up a cooler but would rather not.)
- serve at room temp or out of the cooler. I don't think we have use of the microwave this week.
- finger food is better
- vegetarian is better

I usually end up buying a pound cake or something but something less .... high in fat/calories might be good. I think I did a pasta salad not long ago.

The less time it takes the better - I'd totally love suggestions of what to BUY ready made :clap:

I started looking for a couscous salad (because I feel like it) but came up with really weird stuff (plus I don't think it can be made so far in advance, even if I keep the couscous separate from the rest and mix at the meeting). For example of weird, this recipe doesn't cook the couscous at all...? I guess if I'm stuck on couscous, I could find an electric kettle and go with instant cc....

Then again, I have such a craving for fried food, maybe I'll do that. :p

Ok, now I'm going to go back up through this thread....
 
While we're trying to think of some advice for Ki, here's a favorite recipe of mine, that I came up with a while back. My kids go nuts over it.

Cut a spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down on a tinfoil covered baking pan, bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or so.

While it's baking, make the sauce. Cut up and saute a sweet onion (like Vidalia) and a bell pepper. Add a jar of mushrooms (I get the exotic mixed mushrooms from Walmart, fresh would be even better) and (here's the secret ingredient--) 2 big spoonfuls of pesto (available in jars if you don't want to make it fresh). Mix a cup or so of red wine (I buy the cheap boxed red wine, excellent for cooking and stays fresh for a long time, not so good for drinking straight, lol) with a big spoonful of cornstarch (to make the sauce thick) and pour that in. Put a couple of big spoonfuls of fat free sour cream in to make it all nice and creamy. Salt, pepper, and Tabasco to taste (more is better!). Add a little water or chicken broth to thin it down a little, and let it simmer for a while. A few minutes before serving, add a big handful of fresh shrimp (always remove the tails -- who wants a shrimp tail in their dinner?) and let it cook just until they get pink.

When the spaghetti squash gets a little soft and squeezable, you'll know it's done, get them out -- hold a half squash in your left hand with a pot holder or kitchen towel, take a fork in your right hand, and scrape out the insides. The squash flakes out in strings like spaghetti, thus its name. It is delicately flavored, not mushy and not tough, i.e. al dente, and a much healthier alternative for the real pasta. Salt and pepper the spaghetti (squash), a little butter would be nice, too, then top with the shrimp sauce. To die for.
 
spaghetti squash with shrimp in pesto cream mushroom pepper onion sauce

It sounds delicious but please share the name your kids have for it. ... I'm putting it on the list of things to try but that's too many ingredients/steps for a weekday....

I'm now leaning towards Cubanesque saffron rice salad. I can cook the rice in the morning and it can cool to room temp during the morning. :rollhappy:
 
or maybe a bulgur and fava bean thing.... it says it travels well.... I've found good instructions for a Tunisian couscous salad which might work too.

I had an eggplant salad the other night which was wonderful because of the charred flavour of the eggplant. My best guess:

Grill medium or small eggplant, halved, skin on, until flesh is cooked and skin charred. (The other night, the skin charred before the flesh was done so they were finished in the microwave.) Dice and put in a dish.

Dice tomatoes and place on top of the eggplant.

Crumble feta cheese on top.

I think there may have been chopped onions or parsley but I don't recall. Maybe some olive oil.

Very simple but it was really good.
 
OK...some more recipes. I did this last week. My family loved it. Its basically a paella, but using potatoes instead of rice. Since potatoes don't absorb water like rice, its a little more liquidy...but still fantastic. You can mix or match the seafood from what I used, but I can't conceive it being good without some squid and clams/mussels.
Potato "Paella":
Saute some pieces of good spanish chorizo, along with some garlic, onion, and sweet red pepper....a little hot pepper is a great idea....
Add some diced potato....a little white wine, and some saffron soaked in a little hot water
Add littleneck clams, and sliced squid
Cover and let it simmer until the clams open...remove them as they open so that they don't overcook.
Boil off some of the liquid if there is too much....
When nearly ready, add shrimp and scallops.
When cooked, eat! With a nice Spanish wine like an Albarino or verdejo............
Tomorrow: Bluefish areganata...with the bluefish I caught today!!!!
 
Tomorrow: Bluefish areganata...with the bluefish I caught today!!!!

Whoa! :clap:

While going through this thread, I couldn't help but wonder if you are from Thailand or Spain. All the lemongrass and seafood.... but then the saffron and chorizo (and seafood).
 
I'm in Rego Park, Queens, NYC! All the access to Asian and Spanish ingredients that I want...not to mention that I grow a lot of stuff myself, like lemongrass, hot peppers, and Kaffir lime. So...as promised...Bluefish Areganata:
Use fillets of large bluefish...this one was 7 lbs...last week was a 10.5 lber...the larger blues have a stronger flavor (some say...I beg to differ...) that stands up to the seasonings. Make sure the fish is as fresh as possible....you don't want to mess with store bought bluefish. If you can't catch it yourself, get it from someone who did...within the past 24-36 hours. (Of course, you can use any good sized fish fillets you can get...but the dish is designed for bluefish.)
Briefly broil the fillets to partially cook them. Meanwhile saute loads of garlic with shallots and some fresh hot pepper in lots of butter and/or olive oil, along with a little anchovy. Today I added chorizo and crushed almond, but that is not the way I usually do it. Add some white wine and chicken stock, then some capers...the salted kind (rinsed, unless you have a heavy salt craving)..not the pickled kind. Add some parsley and enough bread crumbs to make a thick paste...moisten as needed with lemon or lime juice. Put the paste on the partly cooked fish, bake at 450 until nicely browned on top. Serve with your favorite veggies and wine! (Tonight was steamed collard greens with a little chorizo and olive oil, and home made salad dressing of garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, and sherry vinegar...). Take care, and don't skimp on the wine!!! Eric
Oh...here I am with last weeks bluefish...
 
sour cream blueberry crumb cake

I know this can't compete with fresh fish, but it is too good not to pass along! The recipe is as found on someone's blog

Sour Cream-Blueberry Crumb Cake
(From Tish Boyle's The Cake Book)

INGREDIENTS


Crumb Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Sour Cream Blueberry Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

Make the topping:

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork, stirring until the butter is absorbed and the dry ingredients are uniformly moistened. Set aside.

Make the Cake:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.

In a medium bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture until the berries are coated; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and vanilla extract; set aside.

Beat together the butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. At low speed, beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating it with the sour cream in two additions. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter, breaking up any large lumps with your fingers.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Place the cake in the pan on a wire rack and cool completely (Note that I never, EVER obey this last instruction).

Cut the cake into squares and serve from the pan.

Makes 9 servings.
 
I love anything with blueberries. I have two pints of fresh ones in the refrigerator right now. I just might be making a crumb cake tomorrow. One thing I like just as well as blueberries are dried cranberries.

--Allen--
 
I did this tonight......take 1 lb lamb stew meat, cut into 1" cubes...take lots of garlic, and 2 bunches of mint, blend it in the food processor, then mix it with a container of yogurt...the good Greek yogurt, whole milk...none of this low fat or no fat stuff. Marinate the lamb in the yogurt mixture for an hour, than cook the lamb and yogurt in a big skillet...only takes about 10 minutes...serve over brown basmati rice....Tasted great, and I'm not even a fan of lamb.....
 
I've been looking for recipes using saffron and discovered that saffron is actually a Masdevallia!

Saffron recipes, anyone? I'm thinking maybe something persian or turkish or somewhere in that direction might be nice...

 

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