Recipes - Main & Side Dishes

[southendmd]

Why doesn't the lemon juice curdle the crème fraîche?

I think because it's essentially already curdled.  I think of it more like sour cream than yogurt.

[Ellemeno]

I think because it's essentially already curdled.  I think of it more like sour cream than yogurt.

Thanks Paul.  I guess I always thought creme fraiche (too lazy to go Google and get the accents) was more like whipped cream.

[southendmd]

Thanks Paul.  I guess I always thought creme fraiche (too lazy to go Google and get the accents) was more like whipped cream.

It's fermented, and actually thicker than our sour cream.

[Marge_Innavera]

You posted that recipe in the cookie thread last year, Marcia, but I say it bears repeating! Thank you!!

I also had a Senior Moment and posted it in the Recipes and Side Dishes thread.     I've edited that post to a link to the recipe in the Desserts thread.

[Front-Ranger]

I was perusing the Main and Sides thread and rediscovered the forgotten Comic Crispybread interlude in the middle!! A sideshow in the middle of the main event, so to speak!! And once again, John, happy birthday, you funny man!!

Excellent recipe, but I found it tedious to prepare.  I do have a toaster so a blowtorch wasn't needed, but I misread your instructions and buttered the toaster instead of the bread.  My second attempt didn't work out either, as I attempted to toast the butter, and then spread the bread on that.  Very unsatisfactory.  Phillip helped me with the third attempt where I held a piece of toasted bread, he held a knife with butter on it, and we ran towards each other.  That worked, and the scars should be healing soon.

But what I found worked best for me was not pretending I could cook and simply buying this in the grocery store.  I found that Kraft Foods now offers "K.C. McToasties."  It's pre-toasted and pre-buttered bread that you simply put in the microwave.  It's good, but I wish it came in more varieties.  They only have "Light" and "Dark  Their web site says "Medium" is also available, but only in select stores on the West coast.  I guess they're test marketing it now.

[southendmd]

I heard a great idea on NPR for dressing.  Of course, there's never enough stuffing, so you have to cook some extra outside the turkey.  But, how to get that turkey-juices flavor?

Chris Kimball from America's Test Kitchen suggested this:  cut the wings off the turkey, sauté in a little butter, and place on top of the dressing in a 9x13 glass dish, cover tightly with foil.  Voilà.  Easy turkey flavor. 

[Marge_Innavera]

This was published in last week's Parade as one of author Dean Koontz' favorite recipes, and it's already making the rounds.

Best Baked Corn

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
2 eggs, well beaten

Metric measurements:

237 ml milk
30 ml butter
15 ml sugar
30 ml flour
425 (grams? ? ) can corn, drained
2 eggs, well beaten


1 Boil 3/4 cup milk with butter and sugar.

2 Dissolve flour in 1/4 cup milk.

3 Pour flour mixture into milk mixture to make think white sauce.

4 Add to drained corn in a 1 -1.5 quart loaf pan.

5 Mix in eggs.

6 Bake 1 hour @ 400.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I love baked corn! 

[Front-Ranger]

I kept that recipe too, Marge and Jeff! Here's a side dish I just finished mixing up:

Semolina Pesto Cakes

3 cups milk
generous 1 cup semolina
3 T. pesto
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
tomato sauce, to serve
basil sprigs

Heat the milk until it is ready to start boiling and stir in the semolina until the mixture is smooth and thick. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste starts to come away from the side of the pan.

Remove from heat and stir in the pesto, tomatoes, half of the butter, and half of the cheese. Add the beaten eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a large shallow dish to a depth of 1/4 inch, level the surface, let cool, and then chill.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees or medium-hot. Grease a shallow baking dish. Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter or overturned glass, cut out rounds from the semolina paste. Arrange in overlapping circles on the greased dish. Melt the remaining butter, brushing it over the rounds, and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake for 30 to  40 minutes until golden. Garnish with basil and serve with tomato sauce. (You could also serve with mushroom sauce)

[Front-Ranger]

I'm just about to make my first side dish for Thanksgiving, sweet and sour onions!