Text 13798, 147 rader
Skriven 2007-04-07 22:12:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av DAVE SACERDOTE
Ärende: The Great Wasteland 328
===============================
 DS> In '05, Lynn and I found a feral Concord grapevine behind
 DS> the local Stop & Shop that was loaded with grapes the diameter of
 DS> nickels.  There would be plenty of clippings from that vine.

One presumes that some jelly was made? Funny thing is that
the store might well have been selling Concords in funny
little cardboard boats for $1.50 a pound.

 DS> (We couldn't do any gethering there in '06 because Stop & Shop
 DS> is under construction and they closed off the area behind the
 DS> store.  We're hoping the vines are still there when we look 
 DS> this coming September.)

I'm not betting on it.

 -=> Dave Sacerdote said to Jim Weller <=-

 JW>  I avoid Jello . . .
 DS> [Not being snarky.] How come?  Cold, jiggly, yummy...I don't find
 DS> much not to like about Jello, except maybe the sugar but you can
 DS> get sugar-free nowadays.  Or do you prefer to make gelatin treats
 DS> with plain gelatin and your own juices etc.?

Blue Jell-O is wonderful to behold. I'm not so enthusiastic
about green, yellow, or orange flavors though. Some of the
berry varieties have had this wonderful artificial je ne sais
quoi about them.

 JW> fake whipped cream, liquid smoke . . .
 DS> I concur with my esteemed Canadian colleague.  Especially re: the
 DS> bongwater sold as "liquid smoke."

Mmm ... bongwater might add a new dimension to soups and stews.

 JW> Bisquick. 
 DS> I'm of mixed feelings about Bisquick.  On the one hand, there isn't
 DS> anything in Bisquick you wouldn't find in an ordinary batch of
 DS> from-scratch baking powder biscuits.  On the other hand, I find that
 DS> other products made from it also taste exactly like baking-powder
 DS> biscuits.  So: muffins (as in your message)? No.  Pancakes? No.
 DS> Waffles? Pie crust? Nope.  But biscuits?  Yes, and they always turn
 DS> out exactly right.

The first pancakes I ever had were from Bisquick, so I'm used
to that flavor.

 JW> We started buying cake mixes when Neekha was 2 and wanted 
 JW> to bake but are weaning her off them and now make cakes 
 JW> from scratch again.
 DS> My cakes from scratch always turn out crappy, so I'm happy to
 DS> have boxed mixes on the infrequent occasions when I want a cake.
 DS> Luckily, Lynn will soon be a professional caketeer (caketrix? 
 DS> heh heh) So I'll let her back the damned things.

Something that Clean Dave isn't good at? Must be because of
years of lack of practice owing to no oven.

 DD> Remember a can of cream of
 DD> mushroom  soup is often a bachelor's best friend.
 DS> Only if your favorite foods require a gloppy casserole 
 DS> preparation. ...
 DS> Anyone who can open a can and heat up processed cream of mushroom
 DS> soup can as easily whip up a quick and delicious real bechamel
 DS> in about the same amount of time.

For a true bachelor, the simple word bechamel causes fear
and trembling. It's harder to say than "mushroom soup," too,
despite having the same number of syllables and fewer consonants.

 DD> I commend to you the TeeVee Food Network's program called
 DD> Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee.
 JW> I've heard of her. I'm not sure I want to delve into it deeper.
 DS> You should check it out at least a couple times for the trainwreck
 DS> factor.

Pretty sure I answered this before, but the dog ate my homework.
I managed to get through part of one show of Semi-Homemade, and
that was it. It should be called Epsilon Minus Semi-Homemade.

--mm
Lasagna rustica com besciamella - peasant lasagna
cat: main, Massachusetts
serves: 6 to 8

h - Part 1, Pasta all'uova fatto in casa
3 c flour
6 eggs
2 T olive oil
salt to taste
water (if it's not humid enough, add up to 1 T)
h - Part 2, Besciamella
1/2 lb butter
2 c flour (scant)
3 qt milk
1 pt heavy cream
1 pn nutmeg
h - Part 3, Vegetable filling
4 oz olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 md eggplant, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 lb spinach, picked over, de-stemmed, rinsed, dried
2 T fresh basil, minced
s & p to taste
h - Part 4, Assembly
2 lb tomatoes, sliced
grated Parmesan, optional

Part 1. Pasta all'uova fatto in casa
Make a well in the flour and add the eggs, oil, salt, water. Mix
with a fork and then knead lightly until a dough is formed. Let
it rest for 15-20 min. Roll out in thirds. Set aside.

Part 2. Besciamella
Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook to a blond roux.
Add milk and cream slowly, whisking constantly. Sprinkle nutmeg on.
Set aside. Frank's note: "Some chefs are taught to warm the cream and
milk prior to adding it to the roux, however, I prefer not to."
Michael's note: "Warm the milk."

Part 3. Vegetable filling
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Wilt onions, peppers, peppers, and
eggplant in the oil. [Michael's note: I'd add about 17 cloves of garlic
around here ... well, maybe 1 clove of garlic.] Add zucchini and mushrooms
and cook a couple minutes. Add spinach and basil and salt and pepper to
taste. Continue cooking until all vegetables are done. Set aside.

Part 4. Assembly
Spread a little besciamella in the bottom of a lasagna pan, about 10x9"
rectangle. Put down one pasta sheet, then half the remaining besciamella
and half the vegetable filling. Layer half the tomatoes and a bit of
Parmesan if desired. Repeat - pasta, sauce, filling, tomatoes, Parmesan.

Set this pan in a larger pan and fill the space between the pans at least
halfway with hot water.

Bake until done, 60 to 90 min at 400F. Let set awhile before slicing
and serving.

Pellino's Trattoria, Peabody, Mass.
---

___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30
 * Origin: Doc's Place BBS Fido Since 1991 docsplace.tzo.com (1:123/140)