[Jean B.[_1_]]

I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....

This is a bit embarrassing, because the whole thing was based on a
misconception, but I thought the end result was tasty. I created
this back in the days when I was reading a lot of African lit. I
think what I was reading at the time was from Nigeria, and there
were numerous mentions of yam stew. I started fantasizing about
that, not really thinking, first of all, that by "yam" they do not
mean what we mean by either that or "sweet potato". They probably
used little or none of the other ingredients either. Still, this
came out of my own mind....

Jean B's Lamb Stew with Yams

2 1/2 lbs lamb riblets [probably hard to find; I’d sub bone-in
stew meat if possible]
1 1/2 large onions, chopped
3 small green peppers, chopped [I'd use yellow now--maybe yellow
and green]
2 Tbsps oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
28-oz can tomatoes (I doubt I drained them—probably just hacked
them a bit in the pot)
1 c white wine
1 c water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/16 tsp cayenne (obviously, this would depend on its strength)
1/16 tsp allspice
2 bay leaves
3 yams, peeled and cubed
juice of 1 lemon [I use juicy lemons!]
[I have jotted something about black beans and chard but don’t
remember whether I ever tried adding those]

Cook all but yams and lemon juice for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add
yams and cook for another 40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

I hope this doesn't kill anyone! :-)

Now what have you dreamed up?

--
Jean B.

[koko]

On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:51:49 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:

>I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
>here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
>would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
>benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
>up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....
>
snippage

>I hope this doesn't kill anyone! :-)
>
>Now what have you dreamed up?

Having you come cook for me ;-)

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 07/19

[Cheryl[_5_]]

"Jean B." > wrote in message
...
>I was thinking about this because of something that has been said here more
>than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I would love to see
>some posts of recipes you have created without benefit of any recipes to
>start with--something you just dreamed up, which you think has no precedent
>whatsoever. I'll start....

<snip>

I rarely follow a recipe for main dishes, but sometimes I do use them as a
concept. One I made up I'm sure has been done either the same way I did or
similar, but I didn't consciously copy it from anywhere.

In a crock pot, pour in spaghetti sauce, either homemade or jarred, or
doctored up jarred. Add boneless chicken pieces and a couple of bags of
spinach leaves. Slow cook on low for 6 hours. Don't overcook or chicken
will dry out; don't stir, let spinach wilt over everything. Serve over
noodles, mashed tators or rice.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

koko wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:51:49 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
>> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
>> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
>> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
>> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....
>>
> snippage
>
>> I hope this doesn't kill anyone! :-)
>>
>> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
> Having you come cook for me ;-)
>
> koko
> --
>
> There is no love more sincere than the love of food
> George Bernard Shaw
> www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
> updated 07/19

LOL! Some recipe. And I'd better hone my skills!

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Cheryl wrote:
>
> "Jean B." > wrote in message
> ...
>> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said here
>> more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I would love
>> to see some posts of recipes you have created without benefit of any
>> recipes to start with--something you just dreamed up, which you think
>> has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....
>
> <snip>
>
> I rarely follow a recipe for main dishes, but sometimes I do use them as
> a concept. One I made up I'm sure has been done either the same way I
> did or similar, but I didn't consciously copy it from anywhere.
>
> In a crock pot, pour in spaghetti sauce, either homemade or jarred, or
> doctored up jarred. Add boneless chicken pieces and a couple of bags of
> spinach leaves. Slow cook on low for 6 hours. Don't overcook or chicken
> will dry out; don't stir, let spinach wilt over everything. Serve over
> noodles, mashed tators or rice.
>
An easy meal!

--
Jean B.

[bob in NZ]

On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:51:49 -0400, "Jean B." > shouted
from the highest rooftop:

>I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
>here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
>would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
>benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
>up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....

Not really. But I have attempted to recreate a number of dishes
without the benefit of a recipe or knowing the complete list of
ingredients ... and some of those attempts have been successful and
led to me using the recipes again.

For example: Pescado Vera Cruz; refried beans; a baked casserole dish
that started out as alternating layers of potato, tomato, eggplant,
cheese and ended up as layers of penne pasta, a spicy tomato salsa,
eggplant, cheese.

The only things I've really created from scratch a

1. The dipping/topping sauce I use for avos, veges and, sometimes, for
fish or prawns.

It consists of a one inch squeeze of wasabi from the tube mixed into
some Heinz ketchup (to taste) with a half to 3/4 of a cup of plain
lowfat yogurt mixed in once the ketchup and wasabi are blended. Very
tasty and very low in fat.

2. The fresh salsa I make from scratch to my own recipe:

Serves 8 to 10

- 3x large ripe, juicy tomato
- 1x red pepper
- 1x yellow or orange pepper (for a smoky taste)
- 5 - 6cms of cucumber (sliced for dicing)
- 1x large red onion
- ½x bunch spring onions (3 - 4 stalks)
- 1x giant, 2x large or 4x medium sized cloves of garlic (if
starting to grow from centre remove centre bit - bitter and ruins
taste)
- 1x large stalk of celery + handful of leaves (to chop)
- 1x mildish chilli pepper (seeds & membrane removed)
- half a cup of fresh lemon juice (proper lemons, *not* Meyer
lemons - which will spoil the taste) - white wine vinegar will do if
no lemons available
- fresh coriander leaves (about a tablespoon's worth when
chopped - I love the stuff, but too much can overwhelm other tastes)

dice tomato, peppers, celery, cucumber, onion & garlic (not too finely
or perfectly to give the salsa some texture) - add enough lemon juice
to just reach the top- remove seeds and seed membrane from chilli,
finely dice and add to mixture - add coarsely chopped coriander leaves
to final mixture, adding salt & sugar to taste - best made 12 hours
before serving - cover & refrigerate (add more salt and/or sugar to
taste and mix in before serving) note: you can also use some white
wine vinegar if you don't have enough lemon juice (I recommend that
you don't use Meyer lemons)


--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

[Mark Thorson]

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....

It does resemble other things, but it was not
directly inspired by anything. I used to make
Indian-style curries, but this isn't anything
like the curries I used to make. Those had a
consistency more like a porridge. This has much
more texture than that. It's still evolving.

It's vegan.

Ingredients:

2 cans Companion brand vegetarian curry chicken
filets (or whatever they call them)

2 large yellow onions

1/2 package of fresh Shiitake mushrooms
(I forget how much this is, probably about
four ounces)

6 oz. can of whole oil-roasted cashews

5 oz. of dried Zante currants (1/2 package)

vegetable oil

Equipment:

large heavy pot with lid

Instructions:

Slice the onion with cuts parallel to its
axis, resulting in onion spears about 1/4
inch wide (4 mm). Separate the spears from
each other.

Heat up the pot over medium heat. When it's
hot, add a slosh of vegetable oil and immediately
add the onions. Stir. Every few minutes, stir
it again. Once the water is mostly driven off
and they start to brown, throttle back to
medium-low. Keep stirring every few minutes
while doing something else like reading Usenet.

De-stem the Shiitake mushrooms, cut in half,
slice into slabs about 1/8 inch thick.

Once the onions are close to being seriously
browned, add the mushrooms and stir. Keep
stirring every few minutes.

Open the cans of curried vegetarian chicken
(actually seitan). Dump all the contents into
a bowl. Manually shred each piece into three
or four pieces. Any extra sauce in the cans
is to be added to the shreds.

When the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked,
add the seitan, currants, and nuts. Stir.
Turn the heat off and cover. Leave covered
for at least 15 minutes. If it's a heavy pot
or you put a dishrag on top of the lid to
help keep the heat in, you could let it go
for 30 minutes or an hour. It's very flexible
on time at this point.

I did not originally use nuts or currants.
I've tried oil-roasted cashews, dry-roasted
cashews, raw walnut pieces, and oil-roasted
Marcona almonds. Oil-roasted cashews were
best, and oil-roasted Marcona almonds were
second best.

I specify Zante currants rather than true
currants because true currants have gritty
seeds. Zante currants are also gritty, but
not nearly to the same degree. I've considered
raisins, but never tried them. I'm planning
to use chopped dried Turkish apricots next
time. I think the color would complement
the curry very well, as would the flavor and
texture.

Serve with rice. I use Indian basmati rice.
Once the rice has steamed, I added finely
minced lemon and orange zest from organic
fruit. I use organic here, because citrus
are commonly treated with fungicide, applied
with the implicit understanding that you're
going to eat the inside of the fruit not the
rind. Organic fruit are not treated, so the
rind is safe. These tiny bits of yellow and
orange are both a visual accent and a flavor
accent. I originally used them just for a
garnish when bringing food to a potluck, but
they do pack enough flavor to be noticed,
and it's a good counterpoint to the curry.

[Janet Wilder[_1_]]

I throw stuff together all the time. Never think of it as a "recipe."

Last night, for instance, I had defrosted a package of my less than
stellar first-time-smoking-a-brisket meat. I cut it into small dice and
put it in a skillet with my own blend of taco seasoning and some water
and cooked it for a little while. Then I made some fresh pico de gallo,
shredded some lettuce, chopped some sweet onion and peeled and diced an
avocado. I also snipped some small stems of cilantro and warmed some
low-carb flour tortillas.

I put the meat, the pico, avocado, onions, cilantro and some shredded
jack cheese in each tortilla. We both added a bit of sour cream at the
table. They were wonderful. Two each were an entire meal.

I did not measure a thing. I haven't a clue, at this point in time, how
much of anything I used. Could I possibly call this a recipe? Don't
think so.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

[Andy[_15_]]

Jean B. said...

> Now what have you dreamed up?


I invented:

The "Mexcellent Cheeseburger" (submitted to the $50,000 Sutter Homes
Hamburger contest). Failed. I think it was the English muffin.

The "Green Death Tuna Salad Sandwich" (Widely published across the internet).

Andy

[ChattyCathy]

Cheryl wrote:
>
> I rarely follow a recipe for main dishes, but sometimes I do use them
> as a
> concept. One I made up I'm sure has been done either the same way I
> did or similar, but I didn't consciously copy it from anywhere.

I think you've hit the nail on the head... With all the gazillion
cookbooks/on-line recipes out there alaready it's highly likely that
it's been 'done before'. But it's still fun when something you 'think
up yourself' turns out well.

>
> In a crock pot, pour in spaghetti sauce, either homemade or jarred, or
> doctored up jarred. Add boneless chicken pieces and a couple of bags
> of
> spinach leaves. Slow cook on low for 6 hours. Don't overcook or
> chicken
> will dry out; don't stir, let spinach wilt over everything. Serve
> over noodles, mashed tators or rice.

This sounds good to me
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

[Giusi]

"Jean B." ha scritto nel messaggio

>I was thinking about this because of something that has been said > here
>more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I > would love to
>see some posts of recipes you have created without > benefit of any recipes
>to start with--something you just dreamed > up, which you think has no
>precedent whatsoever.

That sounds really good. Can't actually buy yams here, but when I find some
I'll try it.

It is of course not true that there's nothing new under the sun. New
ingredients pop up all the time. And even if some mom in Calabria once made
something I develop on my own as a recipe, I don't know that, and I
carefully keep records, test, get people to taste and codify before
publishing. I believe that makes it my recipe.

I am working on one this week that will be a savory pie using mascarpone,
Gorgonzola, tomatoes and chives. I'll publish it here when it is done if
you like.

[Bob Terwilliger[_1_]]

Jean B. wrote:

> Now what have you dreamed up?

Chicken-Sunchoke Soup

Back, neck, and giblets from a butterflied chicken
Olive oil (NOT extra-virgin)
Carcass from a roasted butterflied chicken
2 medium onions
3 cups chicken stock
3 medium potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
5 medium sunchokes
1 1/2 cups soymilk
Salt
White pepper
2 lemons

Start heating a soup pot over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to coat
the bottom, and add the raw chicken pieces. (Chop up the back if it doesn't
fit.)

While the chicken pieces are browning, chop the onions, and add them to the
pot. Sprinkle with some salt, but not too much.

If the chicken carcass still has meat on it, pull the meat off and set it
aside.

Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are well past translucent, then
add the chicken carcass and the chicken stock.

Cook the mixture for about 45 minutes to develop the flavors. While it's
cooking, peel and quarter the potatoes. Strain the stock through a colander,
pressing down on the solids in the colander to squeeze out all the goodness
from the bones. Return the stock to the pot, add the potatoes, and simmer
about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. While the potatoes
are cooking, peel the sunchokes, halve them lengthwise, then cut them into
slices. The slices shouldn't be too thin. Drop them into water which has
been acidulated with the juice of 1 lemon.

Puree the soup, either with a stick blender or a "normal" blender, working
in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the stove, and lower the heat
to "medium-low." Add the sunchoke pieces and cook for about 20 minutes, or
until the pieces are tender.

Stir in the soymilk and just heat through. If you set aside meat from the
carcass, add it in now. Add the juice from the remaining lemon, and then
season to taste with salt and white pepper.


Asian Chicken Two Ways

I had a big can of Swanson chicken broth and two chicken thighs. The broth
was NOT the low-sodium stuff, so I didn't want to reduce it significantly.

I poured the broth into a pot along with a half-handful each of star anise,
ginger slices, and slightly smashed peeled garlic cloves. I brought the
liquid's temperature up to just below the boiling point and steeped those
aromatics for about an hour. Then I raised the heat and added the two
chicken thighs, bringing the liquid up to a very low simmer, then lowering
the heat to keep it below the boiling point again. After 20 minutes, I took
out the chicken and strained the broth.

I had a little jar of jasmine rice that I wanted to use up; I measured it
and found out that it was 200 ml. So I put that into a rice cooker with 400
ml of the broth, one of the chicken thighs, a chopped manzano pepper, and a
light drizzle of sesame oil.

There was a lot of broth remaining, and the other chicken thigh. I returned
the broth and the chicken back to the pot and once again brought the liquid
up to just below the boiling point. I added a bunch of bean-thread
(cellophane) noodles, turned off the heat, and let the noodles and chicken
soak in the hot liquid for another 20 minutes. When it was done, I added
some cilantro, fish sauce, lime juice, and a little spoonful of brown sugar.

The soup was dinner, because it got done first. :-) I tasted the rice when
it got done, added some hoisin sauce, and packed it up to take to work with
me.


I created a golden beet and celery-root soup for my "Proposal Day" dinner
this year.


I invented all the dishes from my last birthday dinner:

* dok bok gi (Korean rice sticks) with asparagus, snow crab, and blanched
leeks with a Meyer-lemon vinaigrette

* corn cake with a thin bacon sheet flavored with black pepper and
coriander, topped with a tiny bit of maple foam and shredded crispy
deep-fried onions. Pickled chiles on side.

* fresh tomato-garlic soup with grilled eggplant and zucchini.

* Orange-juniper sous vide elk tenderloin with blueberry Cumberland sauce
accompanied by vegetable quenelles: turnips, parsnips, carrots, and pattypan
squash all cut into spheroids and caramelized in butter

* chocolate truffle flavored with raisin-infused brandy

* panna cotta with coffee and cardamom, topped with a pistachio gelée

* pot de creme flavored with cinnamon and mahleb


This year's birthday dinner will also have some newly-created dishes:

* Cucumber-mint-dill gelée

* Smoked tomato soup with cheddar croutons and watercress oil

* Pork ribs braised with plums, honey, and habañero chiles

* Compressed watermelon with shiso and balsamic vinegar

* Apricot "anti-lava" dessert


Bob

[Jean B.[_1_]]

bob in nz wrote:
> Not really. But I have attempted to recreate a number of dishes
> without the benefit of a recipe or knowing the complete list of
> ingredients ... and some of those attempts have been successful and
> led to me using the recipes again.
>
> For example: Pescado Vera Cruz; refried beans; a baked casserole dish
> that started out as alternating layers of potato, tomato, eggplant,
> cheese and ended up as layers of penne pasta, a spicy tomato salsa,
> eggplant, cheese.

That last sounds like an interesting transmogrification!
>
> The only things I've really created from scratch a
>
> 1. The dipping/topping sauce I use for avos, veges and, sometimes, for
> fish or prawns.
>
> It consists of a one inch squeeze of wasabi from the tube mixed into
> some Heinz ketchup (to taste) with a half to 3/4 of a cup of plain
> lowfat yogurt mixed in once the ketchup and wasabi are blended. Very
> tasty and very low in fat.

What color is the result????
>
> 2. The fresh salsa I make from scratch to my own recipe:
>
> Serves 8 to 10
>
> - 3x large ripe, juicy tomato
> - 1x red pepper
> - 1x yellow or orange pepper (for a smoky taste)
> - 5 - 6cms of cucumber (sliced for dicing)
> - 1x large red onion
> - ½x bunch spring onions (3 - 4 stalks)
> - 1x giant, 2x large or 4x medium sized cloves of garlic (if
> starting to grow from centre remove centre bit - bitter and ruins
> taste)
> - 1x large stalk of celery + handful of leaves (to chop)
> - 1x mildish chilli pepper (seeds & membrane removed)
> - half a cup of fresh lemon juice (proper lemons, *not* Meyer
> lemons - which will spoil the taste) - white wine vinegar will do if
> no lemons available
> - fresh coriander leaves (about a tablespoon's worth when
> chopped - I love the stuff, but too much can overwhelm other tastes)
>
> dice tomato, peppers, celery, cucumber, onion & garlic (not too finely
> or perfectly to give the salsa some texture) - add enough lemon juice
> to just reach the top- remove seeds and seed membrane from chilli,
> finely dice and add to mixture - add coarsely chopped coriander leaves
> to final mixture, adding salt & sugar to taste - best made 12 hours
> before serving - cover & refrigerate (add more salt and/or sugar to
> taste and mix in before serving) note: you can also use some white
> wine vinegar if you don't have enough lemon juice (I recommend that
> you don't use Meyer lemons)
>
Does that last recipe count? If one has made salsa/even read
salsa recipes, then one has a basic understanding of the
ingredients. That being said, this does sound different from the
norm!

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Mark Thorson wrote:
> "Jean B." wrote:
>> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
>> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
>> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
>> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
>> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....
>
> It does resemble other things, but it was not
> directly inspired by anything. I used to make
> Indian-style curries, but this isn't anything
> like the curries I used to make. Those had a
> consistency more like a porridge. This has much
> more texture than that. It's still evolving.
>
> It's vegan.
>
> Ingredients:
>
> 2 cans Companion brand vegetarian curry chicken
> filets (or whatever they call them)
>
> 2 large yellow onions
>
> 1/2 package of fresh Shiitake mushrooms
> (I forget how much this is, probably about
> four ounces)
>
> 6 oz. can of whole oil-roasted cashews
>
> 5 oz. of dried Zante currants (1/2 package)
>
> vegetable oil
>
> Equipment:
>
> large heavy pot with lid
>
> Instructions:
>
> Slice the onion with cuts parallel to its
> axis, resulting in onion spears about 1/4
> inch wide (4 mm). Separate the spears from
> each other.
>
> Heat up the pot over medium heat. When it's
> hot, add a slosh of vegetable oil and immediately
> add the onions. Stir. Every few minutes, stir
> it again. Once the water is mostly driven off
> and they start to brown, throttle back to
> medium-low. Keep stirring every few minutes
> while doing something else like reading Usenet.
>
> De-stem the Shiitake mushrooms, cut in half,
> slice into slabs about 1/8 inch thick.
>
> Once the onions are close to being seriously
> browned, add the mushrooms and stir. Keep
> stirring every few minutes.
>
> Open the cans of curried vegetarian chicken
> (actually seitan). Dump all the contents into
> a bowl. Manually shred each piece into three
> or four pieces. Any extra sauce in the cans
> is to be added to the shreds.
>
> When the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked,
> add the seitan, currants, and nuts. Stir.
> Turn the heat off and cover. Leave covered
> for at least 15 minutes. If it's a heavy pot
> or you put a dishrag on top of the lid to
> help keep the heat in, you could let it go
> for 30 minutes or an hour. It's very flexible
> on time at this point.
>
> I did not originally use nuts or currants.
> I've tried oil-roasted cashews, dry-roasted
> cashews, raw walnut pieces, and oil-roasted
> Marcona almonds. Oil-roasted cashews were
> best, and oil-roasted Marcona almonds were
> second best.
>
> I specify Zante currants rather than true
> currants because true currants have gritty
> seeds. Zante currants are also gritty, but
> not nearly to the same degree. I've considered
> raisins, but never tried them. I'm planning
> to use chopped dried Turkish apricots next
> time. I think the color would complement
> the curry very well, as would the flavor and
> texture.
>
> Serve with rice. I use Indian basmati rice.
> Once the rice has steamed, I added finely
> minced lemon and orange zest from organic
> fruit. I use organic here, because citrus
> are commonly treated with fungicide, applied
> with the implicit understanding that you're
> going to eat the inside of the fruit not the
> rind. Organic fruit are not treated, so the
> rind is safe. These tiny bits of yellow and
> orange are both a visual accent and a flavor
> accent. I originally used them just for a
> garnish when bringing food to a potluck, but
> they do pack enough flavor to be noticed,
> and it's a good counterpoint to the curry.

That's very different! Perhaps for others it should be noted that
one sees Companion brand canned items in Asian stores.... Not
specifically Indian stores. I think it emanates from Japan.

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Janet Wilder wrote:
> I throw stuff together all the time. Never think of it as a "recipe."
>
> Last night, for instance, I had defrosted a package of my less than
> stellar first-time-smoking-a-brisket meat. I cut it into small dice and
> put it in a skillet with my own blend of taco seasoning and some water
> and cooked it for a little while. Then I made some fresh pico de gallo,
> shredded some lettuce, chopped some sweet onion and peeled and diced an
> avocado. I also snipped some small stems of cilantro and warmed some
> low-carb flour tortillas.
>
> I put the meat, the pico, avocado, onions, cilantro and some shredded
> jack cheese in each tortilla. We both added a bit of sour cream at the
> table. They were wonderful. Two each were an entire meal.
>
> I did not measure a thing. I haven't a clue, at this point in time, how
> much of anything I used. Could I possibly call this a recipe? Don't
> think so.
>

That sounds yummy. I don't know whether it's a recipe or not.
Good question. What would make this or something else a recipe?

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Andy wrote:
> Jean B. said...
>
>> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
>
> I invented:
>
> The "Mexcellent Cheeseburger" (submitted to the $50,000 Sutter Homes
> Hamburger contest). Failed. I think it was the English muffin.
>
> The "Green Death Tuna Salad Sandwich" (Widely published across the internet).
>
> Andy
>
Oh, you remind me of my special grilled cheese sandwich that is
looking for a contest. (That is why I haven't yet posted the
details.)

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Giusi wrote:
> "Jean B." ha scritto nel messaggio
>
>> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said > here
>> more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I > would love to
>> see some posts of recipes you have created without > benefit of any recipes
>> to start with--something you just dreamed > up, which you think has no
>> precedent whatsoever.
>
> That sounds really good. Can't actually buy yams here, but when I find some
> I'll try it.
>
> It is of course not true that there's nothing new under the sun. New
> ingredients pop up all the time. And even if some mom in Calabria once made
> something I develop on my own as a recipe, I don't know that, and I
> carefully keep records, test, get people to taste and codify before
> publishing. I believe that makes it my recipe.
>
> I am working on one this week that will be a savory pie using mascarpone,
> Gorgonzola, tomatoes and chives. I'll publish it here when it is done if
> you like.
>
>
Yes, that is how I have this recipe I dreamed up--I always write
things down as I do them. Thinking about this last night, I can't
recall how I came to put allspice in that--which I almost never
use. Odd.

Your current endeavor sounds promising!

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>
>> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
> Chicken-Sunchoke Soup
>
> Back, neck, and giblets from a butterflied chicken
> Olive oil (NOT extra-virgin)
> Carcass from a roasted butterflied chicken
> 2 medium onions
> 3 cups chicken stock
> 3 medium potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
> 5 medium sunchokes
> 1 1/2 cups soymilk
> Salt
> White pepper
> 2 lemons
>
> Start heating a soup pot over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to coat
> the bottom, and add the raw chicken pieces. (Chop up the back if it doesn't
> fit.)
>
> While the chicken pieces are browning, chop the onions, and add them to the
> pot. Sprinkle with some salt, but not too much.
>
> If the chicken carcass still has meat on it, pull the meat off and set it
> aside.
>
> Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are well past translucent, then
> add the chicken carcass and the chicken stock.
>
> Cook the mixture for about 45 minutes to develop the flavors. While it's
> cooking, peel and quarter the potatoes. Strain the stock through a colander,
> pressing down on the solids in the colander to squeeze out all the goodness
> from the bones. Return the stock to the pot, add the potatoes, and simmer
> about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. While the potatoes
> are cooking, peel the sunchokes, halve them lengthwise, then cut them into
> slices. The slices shouldn't be too thin. Drop them into water which has
> been acidulated with the juice of 1 lemon.
>
> Puree the soup, either with a stick blender or a "normal" blender, working
> in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the stove, and lower the heat
> to "medium-low." Add the sunchoke pieces and cook for about 20 minutes, or
> until the pieces are tender.
>
> Stir in the soymilk and just heat through. If you set aside meat from the
> carcass, add it in now. Add the juice from the remaining lemon, and then
> season to taste with salt and white pepper.
>
>
> Asian Chicken Two Ways
>
> I had a big can of Swanson chicken broth and two chicken thighs. The broth
> was NOT the low-sodium stuff, so I didn't want to reduce it significantly.
>
> I poured the broth into a pot along with a half-handful each of star anise,
> ginger slices, and slightly smashed peeled garlic cloves. I brought the
> liquid's temperature up to just below the boiling point and steeped those
> aromatics for about an hour. Then I raised the heat and added the two
> chicken thighs, bringing the liquid up to a very low simmer, then lowering
> the heat to keep it below the boiling point again. After 20 minutes, I took
> out the chicken and strained the broth.
>
> I had a little jar of jasmine rice that I wanted to use up; I measured it
> and found out that it was 200 ml. So I put that into a rice cooker with 400
> ml of the broth, one of the chicken thighs, a chopped manzano pepper, and a
> light drizzle of sesame oil.
>
> There was a lot of broth remaining, and the other chicken thigh. I returned
> the broth and the chicken back to the pot and once again brought the liquid
> up to just below the boiling point. I added a bunch of bean-thread
> (cellophane) noodles, turned off the heat, and let the noodles and chicken
> soak in the hot liquid for another 20 minutes. When it was done, I added
> some cilantro, fish sauce, lime juice, and a little spoonful of brown sugar.
>
> The soup was dinner, because it got done first. :-) I tasted the rice when
> it got done, added some hoisin sauce, and packed it up to take to work with
> me.
>
>
> I created a golden beet and celery-root soup for my "Proposal Day" dinner
> this year.
>
>
> I invented all the dishes from my last birthday dinner:
>
> * dok bok gi (Korean rice sticks) with asparagus, snow crab, and blanched
> leeks with a Meyer-lemon vinaigrette
>
> * corn cake with a thin bacon sheet flavored with black pepper and
> coriander, topped with a tiny bit of maple foam and shredded crispy
> deep-fried onions. Pickled chiles on side.
>
> * fresh tomato-garlic soup with grilled eggplant and zucchini.
>
> * Orange-juniper sous vide elk tenderloin with blueberry Cumberland sauce
> accompanied by vegetable quenelles: turnips, parsnips, carrots, and pattypan
> squash all cut into spheroids and caramelized in butter
>
> * chocolate truffle flavored with raisin-infused brandy
>
> * panna cotta with coffee and cardamom, topped with a pistachio gelée
>
> * pot de creme flavored with cinnamon and mahleb
>
>
> This year's birthday dinner will also have some newly-created dishes:
>
> * Cucumber-mint-dill gelée
>
> * Smoked tomato soup with cheddar croutons and watercress oil
>
> * Pork ribs braised with plums, honey, and habañero chiles
>
> * Compressed watermelon with shiso and balsamic vinegar
>
> * Apricot "anti-lava" dessert
>
>
> Bob
>
>
>
Wow! I think you must win a prize for creativeness. I am in awe!!!!!

--
Jean B.

[Andy[_15_]]

Jean B. said...

> Andy wrote:
>> Jean B. said...
>>
>>> Now what have you dreamed up?
>>
>>
>> I invented:
>>
>> The "Mexcellent Cheeseburger" (submitted to the $50,000 Sutter Homes
>> Hamburger contest). Failed. I think it was the English muffin.
>>
>> The "Green Death Tuna Salad Sandwich" (Widely published across the
>> internet).
>>
>> Andy
>>
> Oh, you remind me of my special grilled cheese sandwich that is
> looking for a contest. (That is why I haven't yet posted the
> details.)


Jean B,

A grilled cheese sandwich waiting for a contest?

What's your secret?

You can tell us!

Andy

[Nancy2]

On Jul 21, 5:51*pm, "Jean B." > wrote:
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. *I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. *I'll start....
>
> This is a bit embarrassing, because the whole thing was based on a
> misconception, but I thought the end result was tasty. *I created
> this back in the days when I was reading a lot of African lit. *I
> think what I was reading at the time was from Nigeria, and there
> were numerous mentions of yam stew. *I started fantasizing about
> that, not really thinking, first of all, that by "yam" they do not
> mean what we mean by either that or "sweet potato". *They probably
> used little or none of the other ingredients either. *Still, this
> came out of my own mind....
>
> Jean B's Lamb Stew with Yams
>
> 2 1/2 lbs lamb riblets [probably hard to find; I’d sub bone-in
> stew meat if possible]
> 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
> 3 small green peppers, chopped [I'd use yellow now--maybe yellow
> and green]
> 2 Tbsps oil
> 3 cloves garlic, minced
> 28-oz can tomatoes (I doubt I drained them—probably just hacked
> them a bit in the pot)
> 1 c white wine
> 1 c water
> 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
> 1 Tbsp sugar
> 1 tsp salt
> 1 tsp sweet paprika
> 1 tsp hot paprika
> 1 tsp thyme
> 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
> 1/16 tsp cayenne (obviously, this would depend on its strength)
> 1/16 tsp allspice
> 2 bay leaves
> 3 yams, peeled and cubed
> juice of 1 lemon [I use juicy lemons!]
> [I have jotted something about black beans and chard but don’t
> remember whether I ever tried adding those]
>
> Cook all but yams and lemon juice for 1 hour and 20 minutes. *Add
> yams and cook for another 40 minutes. *Stir in lemon juice and serve.
>
> I hope this doesn't kill anyone! *:-)
>
> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
> --
> Jean B.

My huge claim is: Chocolate Treats

1 box of C.W. Post cereal (do they even make it any more?)
1 large bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (24 oz. or more)

Melt the chips in the top of a double boiler (or microwave) - pour
over the cereal and spread quickly in a jelly-roll pan. Put in
refrigerator until set - take out and break into chunks - store in
refrigerator. The stuff is delicious.

I have some others, like Canneloni San Remo, but they're much more
complicated. ;-)

N.

[Giusi]

"Jean B." > Your current endeavor sounds promising!
>
> --
> Jean B.

Here it is. Tested, photographed and will be published tomorrow.
Tomato and Blue Cheese Pie or Pasticcio di Gorgonzola e Pomodori

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 200°C or 400°F

8 ounces of pizza or bread dough-mine was homemade this time, but readymade
is fine

9 small tomatoes, peeeled and partly juiced

3 tablespoons chives cut small (or dried and reconstituted with water)

1 cup or 4 ounces mascarpone

¾ teaspoon salt

1 egg

100 g or 3 ½ ounces sharp blue cheese cut in small cubes of 1 cm or ¼"

olive oil for the pan

Boil some water and put the tomatoes into it for a minute or so, then remove
to cold water. The skin should come very easily with a paring knife. Use the
knife to remove the stem/core and then cut a shallow cross inside the
tomato, and upend it squeezing gently to get rid of some of the water.

Use a whisk to beat the egg, 2 tablespoons of chives and the salt into the
mascarpone, then stir in the tiny cubes of cheese.

Press out a circle with the dough and use it to line an oiled pan of about
9" or 24 cm in diameter-I used a cake tin again. Scatter about a tablespoon
of chives over the bottom, then arrange the tomatoes like the picture. Pour
the filling over all, perhaps being more careful than I about coating the
tomatoes. Make sure the cheese gets to all parts, because if you just pour
it, the liquid part will go everywhere, but the cheese will remain pretty
much in the center. Cover the edges with foil so they won't become too hard
in the cooking.

Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes and test by inserting a table knife
near the center. It should come out clean when the pie is done. Remove the
foil and allow the pie to cool a few mintes so the center will be firm.

The recipe I made (yesterday) for the pastry was 500 g or 1 pound plain
flour, a largeish teaspoon of salt, a packet of dried yeast, 1 tablespoon of
good olive oil and 1.5 cups (500 ml) warm water. This makes enough for a
large pizza and this pie crust. I used my hands to press it out on a floury
Silpat and there were only scraps remaining.

I later decided that 1 teaspoon salt goes in the mixture and the other 1/2
teaspoon gets sprinkled on the raw tomatoes.

[Bob Terwilliger[_1_]]

Christine wrote:

>>* Apricot "anti-lava" dessert
>
> Okay, this has me intrigued. When you say anti-lava dessert, I assume
> you are referring to the infamous lava cakes, with the molten insides?
> I am trying to envision what an apricot anti-lava dessert might be..

It's going to be a cube of concentrated flavored apricot purée which is
frozen on the outside but still liquid inside. I plan to serve it alongside
hot milk chocolate spiked with cinnamon.

Bob

[Bob Terwilliger[_1_]]

Jean B. wrote:

> Wow! I think you must win a prize for creativeness. I am in awe!!!!!

Why thank you! I start planning my "special occasion" dinners MONTHS in
advance, so I have plenty of time to come up with novel dishes. I also make
an effort not to repeat the same menu twice, so that every such dinner is
unique: That way they don't all run together in my memory.

Bob

[Denise in NH]

I really like sweet/sour recipes so I created this and liked it very
much

Sweet & Sour Pork

2 or 3 lb. pork

1 can Italian Plum tomatoes, pulvarized in processor or can of tomato
puree

1/2 C Karo Syrup
1/2 C herbal vinegar (I make my own)
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C chopped green onion
1/4 C chopped green peppers
1/4 C brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 sliced carrots
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 or 3 C shredded cabbage

Brown pork first, set aside.
Put shredded cabbage in the bottom of a crockpot, add all other
ingredients, place pork on top, cover, and cook for 3 or 4 hours, or
till pork falls apart.

After removing everything from crockpot, thicken the sauce a little with
cornstarch or thickener of your choice.

I serve this with rice.

Denise

[Andy[_15_]]

Jean B. said...

> something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....


I'll add, I have dreamed up disasters a handful of times.

How I dreamed them up is a distant memory. Thank God it's not recurring
dreams!

I think.

Andy
He's so FOS!!! --Andy's Evil Twin
It was half YOUR idea!
Was not!
Was so!
....

[aem]

On Jul 21, 3:51*pm, "Jean B." > wrote:
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. *I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. *I'll start....
>
> This is a bit embarrassing, because the whole thing was based on a
> misconception, but I thought the end result was tasty. *I created
> this back in the days when I was reading a lot of African lit. *I
> think what I was reading at the time was from Nigeria, and there
> were numerous mentions of yam stew. *I started fantasizing about
> that, not really thinking, first of all, that by "yam" they do not
> mean what we mean by either that or "sweet potato". *They probably
> used little or none of the other ingredients either. *Still, this
> came out of my own mind....
>
> Jean B's Lamb Stew with Yams
>
> 2 1/2 lbs lamb riblets [probably hard to find; I’d sub bone-in
> stew meat if possible]
> 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
> 3 small green peppers, chopped [I'd use yellow now--maybe yellow
> and green]
> 2 Tbsps oil
> 3 cloves garlic, minced
> 28-oz can tomatoes (I doubt I drained them—probably just hacked
> them a bit in the pot)
> 1 c white wine
> 1 c water
> 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
> 1 Tbsp sugar
> 1 tsp salt
> 1 tsp sweet paprika
> 1 tsp hot paprika
> 1 tsp thyme
> 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
> 1/16 tsp cayenne (obviously, this would depend on its strength)
> 1/16 tsp allspice
> 2 bay leaves
> 3 yams, peeled and cubed
> juice of 1 lemon [I use juicy lemons!]
> [I have jotted something about black beans and chard but don’t
> remember whether I ever tried adding those]
>
> Cook all but yams and lemon juice for 1 hour and 20 minutes. *Add
> yams and cook for another 40 minutes. *Stir in lemon juice and serve.
>
> I hope this doesn't kill anyone! *:-)
>
> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
> --
> Jean B.

[aem]

On Jul 21, 3:51*pm, "Jean B." > wrote:
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. *I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. *I'll start....
> [snip]

"No precedent whatsoever" is a very trick condition. Perhaps this one
I posted back in 2002 qualifies:

"Cooking for one tonight, don't want anything heavy, let's see what I
have....
Half a package of firm tofu, some ground pork in the freezer, that's
about
it plus the staples. Okay,

Soak 5 med. shiitakes in very hot water till soft, slice.
Get the rice started.
Chop a couple cloves of garlic, slice a couple of scallions.
Thaw 1/4 lb. ground pork in the microwave.
Melt about a cup's worth of frozen chicken stock cubes in the
microwave.
Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Get the wok hot, stir fry the mushrooms in hot oil flavored with a
slice
of ginger for about two minutes.
Add the pork and half the garlic. Stir fry until all the pink is
gone.
Add a heaping TB of brown bean sauce, stir well, add the chicken
broth,
about a TB of soy sauce, about 2 TB of rice wine, the rest of the
garlic,
about a tsp. of chili bean curd, stir well again, then add the tofu.
Turn
the heat down and let it all simmer until the rice is done. Add the
scallions about a minute before serving.

Very tasty, though I have no name for it. " -aem

[James Silverton[_2_]]

Denise wrote on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:56:53 -0400:

> Sweet & Sour Pork

> 2 or 3 lb. pork

> 1 can Italian Plum tomatoes, pulvarized in processor or can of
> tomato puree

> 1/2 C Karo Syrup
> 1/2 C herbal vinegar (I make my own)
> 1/4 C soy sauce
> 1/4 C chopped green onion
> 1/4 C chopped green peppers
> 1/4 C brown sugar
> 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
> 3 sliced carrots
> 1 can sliced water chestnuts
> 2 or 3 C shredded cabbage

> Brown pork first, set aside.
> Put shredded cabbage in the bottom of a crockpot, add all
> other ingredients, place pork on top, cover, and cook for 3 or
> 4 hours, or till pork falls apart.

> After removing everything from crockpot, thicken the sauce a
> little with cornstarch or thickener of your choice.

I don't know that I have ever made anything really original. Most of
mine are variations on known recipes. I like my Chikin Katsu, which is
an oven-fried version of Tonkatsu (Japanese deep fried pork cutlet) and
also Dal Alajim, my preferred version of Dal but I I am embarrassed to
claim originality. I will only post the recipes if anyone asks.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

[bob in NZ]

On Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:44:22 -0400, "Jean B." > shouted
from the highest rooftop:

>bob in nz wrote:

<snip>

>> The only things I've really created from scratch a
>>
>> 1. The dipping/topping sauce I use for avos, veges and, sometimes, for
>> fish or prawns.
>>
>> It consists of a one inch squeeze of wasabi from the tube mixed into
>> some Heinz ketchup (to taste) with a half to 3/4 of a cup of plain
>> lowfat yogurt mixed in once the ketchup and wasabi are blended. Very
>> tasty and very low in fat.
>
>What color is the result????

Similar to a good Thousand Island dressing.

>> 2. The fresh salsa I make from scratch to my own recipe:
>>
>> Serves 8 to 10

<snip>

>>
>Does that last recipe count? If one has made salsa/even read
>salsa recipes, then one has a basic understanding of the
>ingredients. That being said, this does sound different from the
>norm!

I don't know if anyone else would count it, but since I'd never tried
to make salsa before I tried this, had never seen a recipe for salsa
and had to guess at the ingredients I count it as an original recipe.

BTW - it has developed over the years. My first efforts were nowhere
near as tasty as the one I'm using now. When we go to summer parties,
I get requests for both my salsa and my guacamole and usually make up
extra salsa for a young relative who is a vegan.


--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

[brooklyn1]

"aem" > wrote in message
...
On Jul 21, 3:51 pm, "Jean B." > wrote:
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....
> [snip]

"No precedent whatsoever" is a very trick condition. Perhaps this one
I posted back in 2002 qualifies:

"Cooking for one tonight, don't want anything heavy, let's see what I
have....
Half a package of firm tofu, some ground pork in the freezer, that's
about
it plus the staples. Okay,

Soak 5 med. shiitakes in very hot water till soft, slice.
Get the rice started.
Chop a couple cloves of garlic, slice a couple of scallions.
Thaw 1/4 lb. ground pork in the microwave.
Melt about a cup's worth of frozen chicken stock cubes in the
microwave.
Slice the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Get the wok hot, stir fry the mushrooms in hot oil flavored with a
slice
of ginger for about two minutes.
Add the pork and half the garlic. Stir fry until all the pink is
gone.
Add a heaping TB of brown bean sauce, stir well, add the chicken
broth,
about a TB of soy sauce, about 2 TB of rice wine, the rest of the
garlic,
about a tsp. of chili bean curd, stir well again, then add the tofu.
Turn
the heat down and let it all simmer until the rice is done. Add the
scallions about a minute before serving.

Very tasty, though I have no name for it. " -aem


Sounds good... but far from original. Except for the rice (I've only
occsionally used rice) I've used those ingredients in similar dishes about
once every week... I call it doctored ramen... you may all it Dr. Subaru...
I prefer ramen noodles to rice, and it's quicker. Oriental stir fry has got
to be the most difficult dish to come up with an original, with rice yet...
do you have any idea how many orientals who have ever cooked with a wok
there have been ... probably the only number on this planet that approaches
are the number of the dollars Obama San would put us into debt... in 3 1/2
years he'd have us all on acupuncture and begging for a bowl of rice...
Pearl S. Buck never saw the likes of it... it's time to cut that dumbo
earred dreamer's kite string.

[Mark Thorson]

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> That's very different! Perhaps for others it should be noted that
> one sees Companion brand canned items in Asian stores.... Not
> specifically Indian stores. I think it emanates from Japan.

No, it's from Taiwan.

[jmcquown[_2_]]

"Jean B." > wrote in message
...
>I was thinking about this because of something that has been said here more
>than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I would love to see
>some posts of recipes you have created without benefit of any recipes to
>start with--something you just dreamed up, which you think has no precedent
>whatsoever. I'll start....
>
> This is a bit embarrassing, because the whole thing was based on a
> misconception, but I thought the end result was tasty. I created this
> back in the days when I was reading a lot of African lit. I think what I
> was reading at the time was from Nigeria, and there were numerous mentions
> of yam stew. I started fantasizing about that, not really thinking, first
> of all, that by "yam" they do not mean what we mean by either that or
> "sweet potato". They probably used little or none of the other
> ingredients either. Still, this came out of my own mind....
>
> Jean B's Lamb Stew with Yams
>
> 2 1/2 lbs lamb riblets [probably hard to find; I’d sub bone-in stew meat
> if possible]
> 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
> 3 small green peppers, chopped [I'd use yellow now--maybe yellow and
> green]
> 2 Tbsps oil
> 3 cloves garlic, minced
> 28-oz can tomatoes (I doubt I drained them—probably just hacked them a bit
> in the pot)
> 1 c white wine
> 1 c water
> 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
> 1 Tbsp sugar
> 1 tsp salt
> 1 tsp sweet paprika
> 1 tsp hot paprika
> 1 tsp thyme
> 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
> 1/16 tsp cayenne (obviously, this would depend on its strength)
> 1/16 tsp allspice
> 2 bay leaves
> 3 yams, peeled and cubed
> juice of 1 lemon [I use juicy lemons!]
> [I have jotted something about black beans and chard but don’t remember
> whether I ever tried adding those]
>
> Cook all but yams and lemon juice for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add yams and
> cook for another 40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve.
>
> I hope this doesn't kill anyone! :-)
>
> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
> --
> Jean B.



Can't say I've "created" anything, although I probably have. I like to
re-create recipes I've had in restaurants. I'm pretty good at it You
might say I have a good palate. My roasted butternut squash soup is an
example. I tasted it years ago. I'd never had it before and have never had
it in a restaurant again. I have no idea whether or not it's in a cookbook
(other than the RFC cookbook). I simply liked it, went back home and
re-created it. Same thing with the Catfish Acadian I replicated from the
Bayou Bar & Grill in midtown Memphis. I had the permission of the chef to
share that one since I guessed the ingredients

Jill

[Arri London]

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....
>
> This is a bit embarrassing, because the whole thing was based on a
> misconception, but I thought the end result was tasty. I created
> this back in the days when I was reading a lot of African lit. I
> think what I was reading at the time was from Nigeria, and there
> were numerous mentions of yam stew. I started fantasizing about
> that, not really thinking, first of all, that by "yam" they do not
> mean what we mean by either that or "sweet potato". They probably
> used little or none of the other ingredients either. Still, this
> came out of my own mind....


Was going to ask if you used real yams or ordinary sweet potatoes? The
stew would taste good with proper yams in any event.

Couldn't say if I've ever 'created' something genuinely original or not.
Every time we throw something together, it stands to reason someone else
somewhere in the world would have done something similar.

As an example: in my university student housing in the US, we had
several visiting Chinese scholars. Went with them to a local Chinese
restaurant. We had great food they wouldn't have served me on my own. My
neighbours gave me (the starving student) the leftovers. Just small
amounts of several dishes. Next evening, put them all in a pot with a
little extra water and made soup out of the lot. One of the Chinese
neighbours came into the kitchen and saw what my concoction. She wanted
to know who had taught me how to do that. Said no one had, it was just a
way to use leftovers. She said that was what they did 'at home' all the
time. So even tossing together a random assortment of leftovers isn't
being creative LOL.


>
> Jean B's Lamb Stew with Yams
>
> 2 1/2 lbs lamb riblets [probably hard to find; I’d sub bone-in
> stew meat if possible]
> 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
> 3 small green peppers, chopped [I'd use yellow now--maybe yellow
> and green]
> 2 Tbsps oil
> 3 cloves garlic, minced
> 28-oz can tomatoes (I doubt I drained them—probably just hacked
> them a bit in the pot)
> 1 c white wine
> 1 c water
> 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
> 1 Tbsp sugar
> 1 tsp salt
> 1 tsp sweet paprika
> 1 tsp hot paprika
> 1 tsp thyme
> 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
> 1/16 tsp cayenne (obviously, this would depend on its strength)
> 1/16 tsp allspice
> 2 bay leaves
> 3 yams, peeled and cubed
> juice of 1 lemon [I use juicy lemons!]
> [I have jotted something about black beans and chard but don’t
> remember whether I ever tried adding those]
>
> Cook all but yams and lemon juice for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add
> yams and cook for another 40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve.
>
> I hope this doesn't kill anyone! :-)
>
> Now what have you dreamed up?
>
> --
> Jean B.

[Mark Thorson]

"Jean B." wrote:
>
> I was thinking about this because of something that has been said
> here more than once--that nothing new is created, etc., etc. I
> would love to see some posts of recipes you have created without
> benefit of any recipes to start with--something you just dreamed
> up, which you think has no precedent whatsoever. I'll start....

I have another recipe I'm quite proud of,
although it is remotely based on something
I had at a very nice Japanese restaurant,
but it has since mutated so far as to become
a new species.

What I had was cold buckwheat noodles with
soy sauce and nori in the Japanese fashion.

Ingredients:

koma soba (I use half of an 8.8 oz package of
the koma soba distributed in the U.S. by the
Mutual Trading Company -- if you don't use that,
look for the widest buckwheat noodles you can get)

soy sauce

1 avocado

Tobasco sauce

Japanese ajitsuke nori or Korean-style nori

Instructions:

Boil the noodles per the directions on the package.

Rinse the cooked noodles in cold water. Once
they're cooled, cool them further in an ice-water
bath.

Get the flesh out of the avocado and beat it into
a smooth paste, as you would do for guacamole.

Drain the noodles and work the avocado into them
with your hands, so all the noodles are coated.

Serve with soy sauce and Tobasco. I use generous
amounts of both. I pick up a few noodles, lay them
down on a sheet of nori, wrap them up, and pop it
into my mouth. This is very much finger food, and
among the sloppiest finger foods. It's probably
not really suitable for adults. It's more for the
under-8 set. In which case, omitting (or carefully
regulating) the Tobasco would be wise. Like one
drop per mouthful, for kids. For me, I use so much
that I sometimes overuse it, resulting in excessive
vinegarness.

[Janet Wilder[_1_]]

Jean B. wrote:
> Janet Wilder wrote:
>> I throw stuff together all the time. Never think of it as a "recipe."
>>
>> Last night, for instance, I had defrosted a package of my less than
>> stellar first-time-smoking-a-brisket meat. I cut it into small dice
>> and put it in a skillet with my own blend of taco seasoning and some
>> water and cooked it for a little while. Then I made some fresh pico de
>> gallo, shredded some lettuce, chopped some sweet onion and peeled and
>> diced an avocado. I also snipped some small stems of cilantro and
>> warmed some low-carb flour tortillas.
>>
>> I put the meat, the pico, avocado, onions, cilantro and some shredded
>> jack cheese in each tortilla. We both added a bit of sour cream at the
>> table. They were wonderful. Two each were an entire meal.
>>
>> I did not measure a thing. I haven't a clue, at this point in time,
>> how much of anything I used. Could I possibly call this a recipe?
>> Don't think so.
>>
>
> That sounds yummy. I don't know whether it's a recipe or not. Good
> question. What would make this or something else a recipe?
>
I think that measured ingredients and step by step instructions would
make it a recipe.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

[ViLco]

Giusi wrote:

> Here it is. Tested, photographed and will be published tomorrow.
> Tomato and Blue Cheese Pie or Pasticcio di Gorgonzola e Pomodori

Hi, is the recipe and picture already on your webpage? Could you please
remember me the address? I lost it somewhere...
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano

[Giusi]

"ViLco" ha scritto nel messaggio
> Giusi wrote:
>
>> Here it is. Tested, photographed and will be published tomorrow.
>> Tomato and Blue Cheese Pie or Pasticcio di Gorgonzola e Pomodori
>
> Hi, is the recipe and picture already on your webpage? Could you please >
> remember me the address? I lost it somewhere...
> --
> Vilco

http://www.judithgreenwood.com/think...nd-tomato-pie/

Try it, Vilco. It's rich, but really nice with no more than a salad and a
glass or two of red.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Andy wrote:
> Jean B. said...
>
>> Andy wrote:
>>> Jean B. said...
>>>
>>>> Now what have you dreamed up?
>>>
>>> I invented:
>>>
>>> The "Mexcellent Cheeseburger" (submitted to the $50,000 Sutter Homes
>>> Hamburger contest). Failed. I think it was the English muffin.
>>>
>>> The "Green Death Tuna Salad Sandwich" (Widely published across the
>>> internet).
>>>
>>> Andy
>>>
>> Oh, you remind me of my special grilled cheese sandwich that is
>> looking for a contest. (That is why I haven't yet posted the
>> details.)
>
>
> Jean B,
>
> A grilled cheese sandwich waiting for a contest?
>
> What's your secret?
>
> You can tell us!
>
> Andy

No. I need to find an appropriate contest first. Hmmm. I hope I
didn't already post it in a weak moment.

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Giusi wrote:
> "Jean B." > Your current endeavor sounds promising!
>> --
>> Jean B.
>
> Here it is. Tested, photographed and will be published tomorrow.
> Tomato and Blue Cheese Pie or Pasticcio di Gorgonzola e Pomodori
>
> Serves 6
>
> Preheat oven to 200°C or 400°F
>
> 8 ounces of pizza or bread dough-mine was homemade this time, but readymade
> is fine
>
> 9 small tomatoes, peeeled and partly juiced
>
> 3 tablespoons chives cut small (or dried and reconstituted with water)
>
> 1 cup or 4 ounces mascarpone
>
> ¾ teaspoon salt
>
> 1 egg
>
> 100 g or 3 ½ ounces sharp blue cheese cut in small cubes of 1 cm or ¼"
>
> olive oil for the pan
>
> Boil some water and put the tomatoes into it for a minute or so, then remove
> to cold water. The skin should come very easily with a paring knife. Use the
> knife to remove the stem/core and then cut a shallow cross inside the
> tomato, and upend it squeezing gently to get rid of some of the water.
>
> Use a whisk to beat the egg, 2 tablespoons of chives and the salt into the
> mascarpone, then stir in the tiny cubes of cheese.
>
> Press out a circle with the dough and use it to line an oiled pan of about
> 9" or 24 cm in diameter-I used a cake tin again. Scatter about a tablespoon
> of chives over the bottom, then arrange the tomatoes like the picture. Pour
> the filling over all, perhaps being more careful than I about coating the
> tomatoes. Make sure the cheese gets to all parts, because if you just pour
> it, the liquid part will go everywhere, but the cheese will remain pretty
> much in the center. Cover the edges with foil so they won't become too hard
> in the cooking.
>
> Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes and test by inserting a table knife
> near the center. It should come out clean when the pie is done. Remove the
> foil and allow the pie to cool a few mintes so the center will be firm.
>
> The recipe I made (yesterday) for the pastry was 500 g or 1 pound plain
> flour, a largeish teaspoon of salt, a packet of dried yeast, 1 tablespoon of
> good olive oil and 1.5 cups (500 ml) warm water. This makes enough for a
> large pizza and this pie crust. I used my hands to press it out on a floury
> Silpat and there were only scraps remaining.
>
> I later decided that 1 teaspoon salt goes in the mixture and the other 1/2
> teaspoon gets sprinkled on the raw tomatoes.
>
>
That sounds interesting, and you obviously found it worthy.

Re mascarpone cheese... Should it have a clean taste like cream,
or should it taste a bit cheesy? I have been using the former (I
think imported), and I really like it. I tried on from New
England, and it tasted a bit cheesy, which I didn't like in the
context I was using it in. How should it taste?

--
Jean B.

[Jean B.[_1_]]

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Jean B. wrote:
>
>> Wow! I think you must win a prize for creativeness. I am in awe!!!!!
>
> Why thank you! I start planning my "special occasion" dinners MONTHS in
> advance, so I have plenty of time to come up with novel dishes. I also make
> an effort not to repeat the same menu twice, so that every such dinner is
> unique: That way they don't all run together in my memory.
>
> Bob
>
I wish I had your energy for such things. Come to think of it,
we've seen a lot of innovative things from you.

--
Jean B.