In a rash moment, I agreed to cook dinner for a couple of friends next week.
Here's the menu I came up with:


* Mixed-Greens Salad with Strawberries, Pine Nuts, and Honey Vinaigrette
(This was posted here as "Strawberry Spring Salad" some time ago.)

* Cardoons au Gratin

* Ham Steak Glazed with Spiced Lemon Marmalade

* Jasmine Rice with Peas and Caramelized Onions

* Lychee Tea Creme Anglaise with Fresh Blackberries


There's nothing really *challenging* there except that "Glazed with Spiced
Lemon Marmalade" part: The problem is that I've never made a lemon
marmalade, and I'm not sure whether adding spice would be feasible. Here's
the basic recipe I intend to follow, only I'll be cutting it WAY down:

Lemon Marmalade (from Cook's Magazine)

3 pounds lemons
8-10 cups granulated sugar

Slice the lemons as thin as possible. Discard ends. Remove all seeds and
tie them in a square of doubled cheesecloth. Put lemons and seed bag in a
nonreactive bowl with enough water to cover. Let stand overnight. Measure
the lemons and water into a wide, shallow, nonreactive pan. Add an equal
volume of sugar and cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Raise
heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently and skimming off the
foam as it rises, until temperature reaches 220°F., about 1/2 hour.

Remove marmalade from heat. To test for consistency, drop a little
marmalade on a saucer and put the saucer into the freezer until marmalade
is cold, about 5 minutes. Tip the saucer: the marmalade should just barely
run. If too thin, return marmalade to medium-high heat and cook, testing
often, until it has reached the right consistency.


I intend to add ground cloves, powdered ginger, and dry mustard to the
marmalade. Maybe I'll use part brown sugar instead of the white sugar.

Is there any reason this shouldn't be okay? (In case it makes a difference,
we'll be drinking a Gewurztraminer with dinner.)

Bob

On 6 Oct 2005 01:17:02 -0500, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>In a rash moment, I agreed to cook dinner for a couple of friends next week.
>Here's the menu I came up with:
>

>* Ham Steak Glazed with Spiced Lemon Marmalade
>

>Lemon Marmalade (from Cook's Magazine)
>
>3 pounds lemons
>8-10 cups granulated sugar
>
>Slice the lemons as thin as possible. Discard ends. Remove all seeds and
>tie them in a square of doubled cheesecloth. Put lemons and seed bag in a
>nonreactive bowl with enough water to cover.

Bob, what do the seeds do? I have made marmalade a number of times and
never seen this use of seeds.

On Thu 06 Oct 2005 01:25:24a, Kathy in NZ wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On 6 Oct 2005 01:17:02 -0500, "Bob Terwilliger"
> > wrote:
>
>>In a rash moment, I agreed to cook dinner for a couple of friends next
>>week. Here's the menu I came up with:
>>
>
>>* Ham Steak Glazed with Spiced Lemon Marmalade
>>
>
>>Lemon Marmalade (from Cook's Magazine)
>>
>>3 pounds lemons
>>8-10 cups granulated sugar
>>
>>Slice the lemons as thin as possible. Discard ends. Remove all seeds and
>>tie them in a square of doubled cheesecloth. Put lemons and seed bag in
>>a nonreactive bowl with enough water to cover.
>
> Bob, what do the seeds do? I have made marmalade a number of times and
> never seen this use of seeds.

The seeds add considerable pectin.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________

http://tinypic.com/dzijap.jpg

Popie-In-The-Bowl

"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote

> * Cardoons au Gratin

I'm jealous, I don't think I know where to get cardoons. Even
if I did, I'm not sure I remember how they were prepared.
Perhaps I'll remember to look next time I'm in Whole Foods.

nancy

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> In a rash moment, I agreed to cook dinner for a couple of friends next
> week.
> Here's the menu I came up with:
>
> * Mixed-Greens Salad with Strawberries, Pine Nuts, and Honey
> Vinaigrette
> (This was posted here as "Strawberry Spring Salad" some time ago.)

I don't know about the strawberries but the honey vinaigrette with maybe
just a touch of mustard?

>
>
> * Cardoons au Gratin

Never developed a taste for thistles or olive oil.

>
>
> * Ham Steak Glazed with Spiced Lemon Marmalade

I have never liked the pairing of sweet and meat. Animal flesh, i know
glazed hams are nice but i would not make one for myself. Have you
considered an "Jambon Soufflé"? Jambon de Prague is a champagne braised
ham stuffed with foie gras and truffles. En gelee and served with thin
slices of ham taken from inside.

Cotes de Porc, Sauce Piquante or Sauce Robert or Sauce Charcutiere, a
egg and breaded port steak shallow fried in butter and served with a
white, brown or tomato sauce. But "Marmalade"? I once actually tried
James Beards Duck a l'orange with orange marmalade, was not that bad.

>
>
> * Jasmine Rice with Peas and Caramelized Onions
>

Have you considered saffron basmati & toss a few chopped green onions in
& over just before serving.?

> * Lychee Tea Creme Anglaise with Fresh Blackberries

Have not tried cooking with tea yet, but i occasionally make a coffee
cake.

I can only admire your willingness to make the marmalade from scratch.
I have a few preserved lemons but im not going to start making jam.
---
JL

>
>
> There's nothing really *challenging* there except that "Glazed with
> Spiced
> Lemon Marmalade" part: The problem is that I've never made a lemon
> marmalade, and I'm not sure whether adding spice would be feasible.
> Here's
> the basic recipe I intend to follow, only I'll be cutting it WAY down:
>
> Lemon Marmalade (from Cook's Magazine)
>
> 3 pounds lemons
> 8-10 cups granulated sugar
>
> Slice the lemons as thin as possible. Discard ends. Remove all seeds
> and
> tie them in a square of doubled cheesecloth. Put lemons and seed bag
> in a
> nonreactive bowl with enough water to cover. Let stand overnight.
> Measure
> the lemons and water into a wide, shallow, nonreactive pan. Add an
> equal
> volume of sugar and cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
> Raise
> heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently and skimming off the
>
> foam as it rises, until temperature reaches 220°F., about 1/2 hour.
>
> Remove marmalade from heat. To test for consistency, drop a little
> marmalade on a saucer and put the saucer into the freezer until
> marmalade
> is cold, about 5 minutes. Tip the saucer: the marmalade should just
> barely
> run. If too thin, return marmalade to medium-high heat and cook,
> testing
> often, until it has reached the right consistency.
>
> I intend to add ground cloves, powdered ginger, and dry mustard to the
>
> marmalade. Maybe I'll use part brown sugar instead of the white sugar.
>
> Is there any reason this shouldn't be okay? (In case it makes a
> difference,
> we'll be drinking a Gewurztraminer with dinner.)
>
> Bob

Nancy wrote:

> I'm jealous, I don't think I know where to get cardoons. Even
> if I did, I'm not sure I remember how they were prepared.
> Perhaps I'll remember to look next time I'm in Whole Foods.

There's ONE market in my area which carries cardoons. In fact, that's what's
prompting the dinner I'm making; I mentioned that the market carried
cardoons, and now I'm on the hook to make them!

They require some pre-preparation: You have to pull out the threads and boil
the cardoons in salted water before commencing other recipes.

This is another case where I can recommend Elizabeth Schneider's excellent
book _Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables: A Commonsense Guide_. The book gives a
description of cardoons, tells how to handle and store them, gives some
pointers on how to best use them, and gives some recipes using them.

Bob

Joseph replied:

>> * Mixed-Greens Salad with Strawberries, Pine Nuts, and Honey
>> Vinaigrette
>> (This was posted here as "Strawberry Spring Salad" some time ago.)
>
> I don't know about the strawberries but the honey vinaigrette with maybe
> just a touch of mustard?

Here's the recipe, which has gotten very positive responses from everybody I
know who's tried it (including the people on this newsgroup). I'm not sure
who the originator was; I think it might have been Jack Schidt:

Strawberry Spring Salad
Yield: 4 Servings

3 tb White wine vinegar
3 tb Water
1 tb Honey
2 tb Extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 ts Salt
1/8 ts Pepper
3 c Strawberries, quartered
10 oz Italian Blend salad greens
4 ts Pine nuts, roasted

Combine first 6 ingredients and stir well with a whisk. Combine strawberries
and greens. Add the vinegar mix; toss to coat. Sprinkle with nuts.


>> * Jasmine Rice with Peas and Caramelized Onions
>
> Have you considered saffron basmati & toss a few chopped green onions in
> & over just before serving.?

Yes, I considered it, but I'm happy with the choice I made.


> I can only admire your willingness to make the marmalade from scratch.
> I have a few preserved lemons but im not going to start making jam.

Here's the thing: I'm only going to be using about three lemons, so it won't
take all that long to make. And since I'm going to be using it immediately
to glaze the ham, it doesn't have to be canned.

Bob

On 6 Oct 2005 16:19:01 -0500, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>There's ONE market in my area which carries cardoons. In fact, that's what's
>prompting the dinner I'm making; I mentioned that the market carried
>cardoons, and now I'm on the hook to make them!

Which market is this?

I am in Fairfield for an assignment, and I come over to the Sacramento
area on occasion.. will probably be over thataway for the Sunday
market under the freeway. Then after that, over to Corti Bros....

Christine

Christine replied:

>> There's ONE market in my area which carries cardoons. In fact, that's
>> what's prompting the dinner I'm making; I mentioned that the market
>> carried cardoons, and now I'm on the hook to make them!
>
> Which market is this?
>
> I am in Fairfield for an assignment, and I come over to the Sacramento
> area on occasion.. will probably be over thataway for the Sunday
> market under the freeway. Then after that, over to Corti Bros....

Well, it's kind of out-of-the-way for you: The market which carries cardoons
is the Raley's in Lincoln. When you reach Sacramento, you're only halfway to
Lincoln. Go to www.mapquest.com and enter "state highway 65 & sterling
parkway" in Lincoln, California to see exactly where it is.

Bob