membrillos

Instruction from ianandluis.blogspot.com membrillos

To make membrillos is a two stage process.

Firstly the quince are cooked for 20 minutes whole, in a pressure cooker. When cool enough to handle they are chopped up into smallish chunks ready to be be cooked like you would cook a jam. Sugar is added to the fruit, in a ratio of 1kg of fruit to 750g of sugar.

Some people skin the fruit but we choose not to. We also add a touch of mixed spice which gives the finished membrillo a lightly spiced undertone.

The mixture is cooked until thickened and transparent (less transparent if you did not skin the fruit), 1hour or longer depending on the amount of juice. It is crucial to constantly stir otherwise you will burn the mixture and taint the taste. Glass dishes are ideal for setting the membrillo. Lightly oil the glass dishes and poor the hot mixture into them and allow to completely cool. When cool divide into squares appropriate to your needs.

We wrap ours in cling film then take them to our local Butcher who vacuum packs them for us. As she never accepts payment, we try and give her some home-baked bread or similar in return. The vacuum packed membrillo will last for over a year and can be enjoyed with cheese and wine, a nice home-baked loaf, oat cakes or by itself.

Homemade bouillon cube

ianandluis.blogspot.com bouillon

We have also started to make our own stock cubes comprising of parsley, red and green pepper, onion and garlic, blitzed in a processor and then frozen as quenelles to add to sauces, soups and casseroles as required. With salt, pepper, herbs and spices to taste they are a convenient and healthier option to the bought cubes.

How to make Balsamic Vinegar

ianandluis.blogspot.com on making your own balsamic vinegar

Decant a third of the 750ml bottle of vinegar to make space. Add, a generous sprig of sage, thyme and rosemary. Place 15 black peppercorns, 20 coriander seeds, 12 cloves and 15 cardamom seeds in the bottle along with 30 raisins. Top up the bottle with the remaining vinegar, seal and store in a cool dark place for 2 months. The colour will change slightly as the herbs and spices infuse with the vinegar. Decant and discard the herbs and spices and use as required. We make about 3-4 litres a year for personal use and occasionally a few extra bottles for gifts to friends and family.

Basic Kimchi Recipe

Basic Kimchi recipe -

Ingredients:

2 large napa or savoy cabbage

1 thinly sliced red pepper

6 cups of cold water

3 tablespoons of sea salt

1 tablespoon of fresh garlic, finely diced

1 - 2 tablespoon of fresh ginger, finely diced or grated

1/4 cup of fresh green onions, thinly sliced into 2" pieces

2 teaspoon of dried red chili pepper flakes

2 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoon of sugar



Directions:

1. Chop cabbage into 2" pieces
2. Mix salt in cold water

3. Place cabbage in gallon zip lock bags or tightly sealed glass jars, fill with salt water brine and place in refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight flipping occasionally

4. Drain and reserve brine

5. Mix all other ingredients with cabbage

6. Pack 1 gallon jar with mixture leaving 2" space at top. Pour reserved brine over the cabbage to cover.

7. Push a small freezer bag into the mouth of the jar and pour the remaining brine into the bags (you may need the extra brine later). Better yet, use another glass jar that will fit inside your gallon jar.

8. Let kimchi ferment in a cool place no higher than 70° for 3-6 days. The longer the stronger.

9. Remove the brine weight, add more brine to jar if neccesary and cap tightly. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for a couple months.

No Fat Banana Bread recipe

Recipe from Domesblissity Blog


No Fat Banana Cake

(based on Quick Banana Cake recipe on www.calorieking.com.au)
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour, sifted

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup lowfat milk

2 eggs


Preheat oven to 180°C.
Beat eggs and add sugar, mashed banana, milk and self raising flour. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Pour mixturePour mixture into a 10cm x 20cm loaf tin that has been sprayed with oil spray. Bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool in tin for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To be cut in 12 slices. Suitable to freeze.

AMISH RECIPES - MOCK DUCK
* 1 thick round steak
* 2 cups bread crumbs
* 1 tblsp. onion minced
* 2 eggs
* ½ cup milk
* 1 tblsp. butter
* 1 tsp. salt
* poultry seasoning

To make dressing beat eggs, add milk and pour over bread crumbs. Add the onion, seasoning and work in the butter mixing thoroughly. Spread the dressing over the meat and roll up carefully. Fasten with skewers or tie with string. Place in a greased pan and bake in medium hot oven (375-f) for 1½ hours. Slice to serve.

Souse

AMISH RECIPES -SOUSE
Use 3 pigs feet or about 2 lbs. Scrape, wash and clean thoroughly. Place in stew pan with 1 chopped onion, ½ cup chopped celery and cover with cold water. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender and comes easily from the bone. Pick meat from the bones, strain liquid, which should measure a scant 3 cups. (If less add water). Put meat and liquid into a bowl. Add 3 tblsp. strong cider vinegar, ¾ tsp. salt, black pepper and several thin slices of lemon. Chill overnight, remove surplus fat from the top. Turn out on a platter and serve with lemon slices and parsley.

Baked spare ribs & sauerkraut with dumplings

AMISH RECIPES - BAKED SPARERIBS AND SAUERKRAUT WITH DUMPLINGS

* Spareribs
* sauerkraut
* 2 cups flour
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 cup milk

Cut spareribs into serving portions and place in the bottom of roasting pan. Add the sauerkraut and a little liquid. Cover and bake in moderate oven (350-f) 1½ hours. Make dumplings by combining flour, baking powder, milk and egg. Drop by spoonfuls on sauerkraut, cover tightly and bake for 20 minutes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

AMISH RECIPES - STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
* 3 acorn squash
* ⅓ cup molasses
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 lb. pork sausage
* 1 tsp. sage
* bread crumbs

Wash squash and cut in halves, remove seeds. Put a tablespoon of molasses in each half, sprinkle with salt and a pinch of powdered sage (if the sausage does not contain sage). Fill the cavity with sausage and top with bread crumbs. Place the squash halves in a baking pan, add about an inch of water to the pan. Cover and bake in hot oven (400-f) for 40 minutes. Remove cover and brown.

Meat Pie - Amish recipe

AMISH RECIPES - MEAT PIE
* 1½ cups leftover meat
* 3 tblsp. flour
* ¼ cup drippings
* 1 cup milk
* 1 tblsp. grated onion
* ⅓ cup chopped pepper
* salt
* pepper

Add flour to drippings and blend, add milk gradually and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens. Stir in the salt, onion and green pepper. Mix cut-up meat into the gravy and pour it into pastry lined baking dish. Top with crust and bake in hot oven (425-f) for 25 minutes.

Stuffed Pepper

AMISH RECIPES -STUFFED PEPPERS
* 1½ lbs. ground beef and pork
* 6 green peppers
* 1 can tomato soup
* 3 tblsp. rice, uncooked
* 2 eggs, beaten
* ½ tsp. salt

Mix the meat, rice, eggs and seasoning together. Cut tops off the peppers and soak in hot water for a couple of minutes. Scoop out seeds and fill with the meat mixture. Stand them in baking pan, pour the tomato soup over them and bake in slow oven (300-f) for 1 hour.

Liver noodles

AMISH RECIPES - LIVER NOODLES (Leberknoedel)
* 1 lb. calf’s liver
* 1 onion
* 1 tablespoon butter
* salt and pepper
* 2 eggs
* ½ cup flour
* ¼ teaspoon cloves
* ¼ teaspoon marjoram

Simmer the liver in boiling water for 30 minutes. Then trim off any skin or ligaments and grind the liver fine. Season. Mince the onion, add the butter, beat the eggs and add them. Work into this paste the flour, using enough to make the paste quite stiff. Form into small balls and poach them in any meat soup for 15 minutes. Serve them swimming in the soup.

Chicken baked in cream

AMISH RECIPES - CHICKEN BAKED IN CREAM
* 1 young chicken, cut up
* ½ cup flour
* 1½ tsp. salt
* ⅛ tsp. pepper
* 3 tblsp. butter
* 1½ cups cream, sweet or sour

Sprinkle the pieces of chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Melt butter and fry chicken until a golden brown on all sides. Place the chicken in a casserole, pour the cream over it. Cover and bake in a moderate oven (350-f) for 2 hours. Serve with gravy made from the pan fryings left after frying the chicken.

Dutch meatloaf

AMISH RECIPES - DUTCH MEAT LOAF
* 2½ lbs. hamburg
* 2½ cups bread crumbs
* 1 cup cheese (cubed small)
* salt and pepper
* ½ green pepper, chopped
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup catsup

Mix all ingredients, form into two loaves. Pour some catsup over top of loaves. Bake at 350 until done.

Hamburger dinner

AMISH RECIPES - HAMBURGER DINNER
* 1 lb. hamburger
* 3 cups potatoes, sliced
* salt
* 1 small head cabbage
* 1 cup milk
* pepper

Shred cabbage and put ½ of it in a greased casserole. Add ½ of the sliced potatoes and half of the hamburger a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add remaining half in the same manner. Pour on the milk and bake in a moderate oven (350-f) for 2 hours.

Wiener Schnitzel

AMISH RECIPES - WIENER SCHNITZEL (Veal Cutlet)
* 2 lbs. veal steak
* 1 egg, beaten
* salt
* bread crumbs
* lemon juice
* pepper

Veal should be about ½ inch thick and cut into serving portions. Season with salt and pepper. Dip pieces in bread crumbs, then into the beaten egg and again in the crumbs. Let stand in the refrigerator a while before cooking. Brown in hot fat on both sides, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Beef pot pie

AMISH RECIPES - BEEF POT PIE
* 2 lbs. stewing beef
* 6 medium potatoes
* pot pie dough
* 2 onions
* chopped parsley
* salt and pepper

Cut the beef into 1" cubes cover with water, season and boil until tender. Peel potatoes, cut in ¼" slices and slice the onion. Into the hot broth drop layers of potatoes, onions, a sprinkling of parsley and dough squares alternately, ending with dough on top. Cover and boil for 20 minutes. Stir meat thru pot pie.

For the pot pie dough:

To 2 cups of flour add a little salt, 1 egg, beaten and enough milk to make a stiff dough. Roll out thin (⅛") on floured board and cut into 2" squares. Equally good with veal or pork.

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH BEEF WITH ONIONS

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH BEEF WITH ONIONS
* 1½ lbs. boiled beef
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 onion
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 1 pinch of pepper
* ½ cup meat stock
* salt

Mince the onion. Simmer in butter until soft. Add flour and simmer until brown. To this add vinegar, salt, pepper and meat stock and let come to a boil. Cut the meat in slices and serve hot, with the onion sauce.

Ham & noodles

AMISH RECIPES - HAM AND NOODLES IN CASSEROLE
* ½ lb. noodles
* 1½ cups cooked ham, diced
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1½ cups milk

Cook noodles in salted boiling water until soft. Pour into colander, drain and wash. Into a well greased casserole put alternate layers of noodles and ham. Beat eggs with the milk and pour over noodles and ham. Set casserole in pan of hot water and bake in moderate oven (350-f) for 30 minutes.

AMISH RECIPES - CHICKEN FRICASSEE
* chicken cut up
* butter for frying
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 tablespoons butter
* boiled rice
* 2 cups water
* 12 small white onions
* small pinch each of thyme,
* celery salt and sage

Roll chicken pieces in flour and brown in butter. Add remaining ingredients and cook until tender, adding water so that there are 2 cups at end of cooking. Make gravy by adding 3 tablespoons of hot liquid to yolk of an egg. Stir thoroughly, then return to rest of liquid and cook five minutes. Pour over steamed rice.

Schnitzel meat

AMISH RECIPES - SCHNITZEL MEAT RECIPE
* 1½ lbs. veal steak cut in cubes
* 2 tblsp. shortening
* 2 tblsp. flour
* 1 cup tomato juice
* 2 carrots, diced
* 1 small onion, chopped fine
* Salt and pepper
* Flour

Dredge meat with flour and season. Melt shortening (preferably bacon fat) and brown the meat in it. Remove meat from the pan, stir in the flour and blend. Add the tomato juice and stir well until mixture thickens. Add meat, carrots and onion. Cover closely and simmer for 45 minutes.