BuddyRoadhouse wrote:Here is the recipe for the Maque Choux, as interpreted from James McNair's Corn Cookbook.
Maque Choux (Smothered Cajun Corn)

...
6 cups drained canned or thawed frozen corn
6 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
...
½ cup Heavy cream or evaporated milk
...

Aww, that's not nearly as much butter as you'd led us to believe, even with the cream added.

Yeah, but I tripled the recipe. Plus there was some additional butter, not listed as part of the ingredient list, that I used to saute the corn. If you use fresh, stripped from the cob corn you don't need to pre-cook it. Because I couldn't see myself shucking and stripping 24-36 ears of corn, I used frozen. I made an improvisational call to saute the corn separately in order to add another layer of flavor.

All told, including the extra butter for the corn, there was more than a half pound of butter and nearly two cups of cream lolling about in that casserole pan.

Buddy

BuddyRoadhouse wrote:Here is the recipe for the Maque Choux, as interpreted from James McNair's Corn Cookbook.

Thanks for this. I made a scaled-down version of this tonight (with some extra leftover corn I had grilled the night before) as a side and it was delightful.

Sounds like it was a terrific picnic as well - great thread.

I am looking for the honey lavender ice cream recipe. The one I made was too dense and heavy. The one I had at the BBQ was nice and light.

Mario wrote:I am looking for the honey lavender ice cream recipe. The one I made was too dense and heavy. The one I had at the BBQ was nice and light.

Hopefully geno55 will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the chocolate sorbet and honey-lavender ice cream came from David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop".

The recipe is here at Google Books.

gleam wrote:Hopefully geno55 will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the chocolate sorbet and honey-lavender ice cream came from David Lebovitz's "The Perfect Scoop".

The recipe is here at Google Books.

Yes, that's correct, we didn't make any alterations from that recipe.

Even though it looks like the whole book is on there for "preview" (nice find, gleam!), it's worth the cash. It's always nicer to have the book at your side when you're making something, and it makes for a nice coffee table fixture as well.

btw, i subscribe to david lebovitz's blog. i think the arrival of his emails is random- maybe 2 a week. they are very enjoyable. he lives in paris and writes about life there-always including a recipe or two. it's a very laid back, short, amusing email. i've only recently heard of the man and now know he's someone i would thoroughly enjoy meeting and sharing a meal with. justjoan

So, the picnic and posted recipes have been my muse(s) this week. Tuesday I made Ramon's Goi Ga from an earlier picnic thread. Last night I made Miang Kam (red leaf lettuce instead of endive, since that's what I had). Delicious! I was actually thinking that a tupperware filled with the filling and bowl of the sauce in the fridge would make for a nice week of snacks.

Miang Kam (and Thai crab cakes a la Mark Bittman's most recent article in the NY times--the mayo-based sauce went on the crab cakes)

thaiobsessed wrote:
Miang Kam (and Thai crab cakes a la Mark Bittman's most recent article in the NY times--the mayo-based sauce went on the crab cakes)

nice looking crab cakes there.

Hey...I'm still waiting for some recipes!

razbry wrote:Hey...I'm still waiting for some recipes!

I guess I fit into the group to whom this post is directed.
Here ya go . . .

Appetizer: Baba Ghannouj

Poke holes in two medium size globe eggplant and grill over hot coals using a smoking wood (I used apple) until well cooked and somewhat charred, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to touch, scoop the pulp into a colander and allow to drain for 30 minutes. Place in a food processor and add

¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
2 cloves of garlic (more if you are like me)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Blend until smooth. Then add a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley and pulse until it is rough chopped.

Cool overnight in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld. Let warm to near room temperature before serving with chips or sliced veggies.

* Adapted from ‘The Complete Middle East Cookbook’ by Tess Mallos, 1979, p. 185.


Main: Lechon Asado*

Purchase one large Boston Butt pork roast, bone-in (about 8 pounds) and trim off most of the exterior fat. Make certain the roast will fit in a non-reactive roaster that will fit in your smoker. I use a Le Creuset 6.75 qt. oval French oven that fits in my Large Big Green Egg.

Rub/Marinade

Make a paste of the following using a mortar and pestle:
1 head garlic, broken into cloves, and peeled
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoon dried cumin (toasted and ground fresh)
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 - 4 bay leaves, chopped coarse
1 tablespoon olive oil

Make slits all over the roast and rub paste over the roast, pushing it into the slits.

Thinly slice two large white onions. Add one cup fresh squeezed sour orange juice (in place of the difficult to find fresh sour orange I used the juice of one grapefruit, one orange with the balance to one cup of fresh lime) and ¼ cup dry sherry.

Place the roast in a 2 gallon baggie, distribute the onions around the roast and pour in the liquid. Place in a bowl in the refrigerator, massaging and turning occasionally for 12 to 24 hours.

Set up your cooker for a sear (ie. Cast iron grate near glowing charcoal). Remove the pork from the marinade, clean off and reserve all of the sliced onion, and pat the roast dry. Sear over high heat for a few minutes on all sides.

Reconfigure your charcoal smoker for indirect cooking. When your smoker has equilibrated to 225°F, add several large chunks of your favorite smoke wood (I used apple). Oil the inside of your roaster. Settle the roast in the pan, pouring in all of the liquid and onions. Distribute the onions on and around the roast.



Roast uncovered at 225° until the internal temperature of the pork reads 195°F and wiggling the bone frees the bone easily (about 10 – 12 hours. Ours was cooked overnight).

Remove the roasting pan from the cooker and shut down the cooker (close all air vents). Transfer the pork roast to a foil pan, cover the pan with heavy duty aluminum foil and place back in the cooker or wrap in towels and place in a warmed ice chest to keep warm.

Strain the contents of the roasting pan, reserving both the onions and liquid. Separate and discard the fat from the cooking liquid. Replace the pork roast in the roasting pan and add the onions and remaining liquid.



Cover and place in the warmed ice chest to rest for one or two hours (as you drive to your picnic or prepare the rest of your meal).

When ready to serve, remove the bone and any large piece of fat that might be remaining. Shred the meat, and serve the meat, onions and juices with white rice, black beans and toppings of chopped white onion and cilantro and a tablespoon of fresh Mojo.

(If you don’t have a smoker, place a foil tent over the roasting pan and place the pan in a very slow oven, 225°, overnight. Pork will be ready by the morning)

*Adapted from ‘Miami Spice’ by Steven Raichlen, 1993, p. 223.

Side: Cuban Black Beans*

Pick over a pound of dried black beans and remove any stones or debris. Rinse the beans and place in a solution of 3 tablespoons of salt dissolved in 4 quarts of cold water. Allow the beans to brine on the counter top overnight.

When you are ready to cook, set up your smoker for indirect cooking and bring the cooker to 300°F. Add two or three chunks of smoking wood to the coals (I used apple).

Remove the beans from the brine and rinse well. Add the beans to a large non-reactive vessel and add a combination of chicken stock and water (1:2) to cover by about an inch or two. To this add

1 small onion, halved
4 – 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 – 4 bay leaves
½ small green bell pepper, cored and seeded
½ small red bell pepper, cored and seeded
1 teaspoon cumin, seeds toasted and fresh ground
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Bring the beans to a boil over high heat and skim off any foam. Remove the beans from the stove and place in your smoker, lid off. Simmer for about an hour, at which time the beans should be firm and slightly undercooked. Remove the onion, garlic, bay leaves and peppers and discard.

Sofrito

Heat a tablespoon of pure olive oil (not EVOO) in a fry pan and sauté

½ onion, finely chopped
2 – 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ green bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 – 4 green onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt

Cook until the onion is translucent but does not brown. Stir into the beans and add

2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Allow the beans to continue to simmer until they are soft to you liking, about 20 – 30 minutes. Correct the seasoning (wine, vinegar, salt & pepper) just before serving. These beans benefit from an overnight in the refrigerator.

*Adapted from ‘Miami Spice’ by Steven Raichlen, 1993, p. 270.

Yea! Thank you DRC1379! I'm still looking for these recipes: Mrs. GWiv’s potato salad, Candied Chicken (please…from my son), and Meat from Heaven.

razbry wrote:Mrs. GWivs potato salad

Razbry,

MsWiv did not bring potato salad. I brought buttermilk brined chicken and she, Ellen, came early and helped Cathy and crew with setup.

You may be mixing the picnic with Ellen's mother's potato salad recipe, Grandma Schuler's Potato Salad, from Low & Slow. I will include the potato salad recipe in this post.

Grandma Schulers Potato Salad
From Low & Slow

From my lovely bride Ellens mother, this straightforward potato salad is a delicious mainstay at family picnics. The Kraft mayo is more tradition than tastemaker. Feel free to substitute your favorite mayonnaise.

SERVES 6 TO 8

2 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed, but not peeled
1/2 tablespoon salt
4 eggs, hard-cooked and coarsely chopped
1/2 medium onion, grated
1 1/2 cups Kraft RealMayo
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Paprika, for garnish
Parsley, for garnish

Place potatoes, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and water to cover in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat; and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes; a toothpick or fork should slide easily into the flesh. Drain and quarter the potatoes. Place the potato, egg, and grated onion in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir the mayonnaise, relish, garlic, and salt and pepper together. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and gently fold to combine.

Cover and refrigerate the potato salad until cold, about 1 hour. After cooling, taste and reseason as needed. To serve, mound the potato salad in a bowl and garnish with a dusting of paprika and a topknot of parsley. Store in the refrigerator for up to two days

Enjoy,
Gary

Thanks Gary
I will try that recipe. However, I wonder who made the potato salad with the bits of apple and poppyseed in it!

My wife's friend (LTH screename porkphat) brought a big aluminum pan of potato salad, which I believe had apple chunks and chopped bacon in it, among other things...I didn't get to eat as much of it as I would have liked, because they came to the picnic around 1:30 and I was already pretty stuffed by that point.

If this is the one you had in mind, I can definitely ask about the recipe.

The chicken I brought was nothing special, but it all disappeared, so unless someone threw it out while I wasn't looking, it just proves that people will eat just about anything at a picnic that they can hold in one hand.

Half of the chicken pieces were cooked using the Joy of Cooking recipe for oven-fried chicken, after an overnight brine in seasoned buttermilk, coating in seasoned flour, and suatéing to brown the crust before going in the oven.

The other half of the chicken pieces were cooked using the Cook's Illustrated recipe for spice-rubbed picnic chicken, except that I left the chili powder and cayenne pepper out of the spice rub. They make it hot enough to make your lips burn after eating one piece ... if you like that sort of thing.

Katie, your chicken recipe sounds great. However I believe I am looking for the recipe by Heather22 called: "Korean Style Chicken Wings, that I affectionately call candied chicken".

Khaopaat....yes, that is the potato salad recipe I'm looking for. I thought it was great! I'll be looking for her recipe!

razbry, I know, I loved those candied wings too!

Katie wrote:The chicken I brought was nothing special...

Don't sell yourself short - I thought your oven-fried picnic chicken was great!

A picnic just ain't a picnic without some cold fried chicken.

I cut out the Palm Beach Brownies recipe from the Trib years ago. They are an adaptation from a Maida Heatter recipe. For the picnic, I took some liberties from the original ingredient list, mainly because I didn't have unsweetned chocolate. The bittersweet seemed to work okay, but I did reduce the sugar to compensate. I also have never used espresso powder. Powdered instant coffee has worked for me. The recipe as I made it is below:

Palm Beach Brownies with Chocolate-covered Mints

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% cocao)
• 8 ounces unsalted butter
• 5 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered instant coffee (crush if necessary to make into fine powder)
• 3-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-2/3 cups sifted unbleached flour
• 2 (14- or 15.4-ounce) bags chocolate-covered peppermint patties, unwrapped

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan with aluminum foil and brush with melted butter.

Melt the butter and chocolate in double boiler, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Beat the eggs with the extracts, salt, coffee powder, and sugar at high speed for 10 minutes. Reduce mixer to low speed and add the chocolate mixture (which may still be warm.) Beat only until mixed. Add the flour and again mix on low only until flour is just blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

Pour half the mixture (about 3-1/2 cups) into the lined pan and smooth the top. Place a layer of the mints, touching each other and the edges of the pan. Cut some mints to fill in large spaces on the edges. (There will be some mints left over – bonus!) Pour the remaining chocolate mixture all over the pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 35 minutes. It is done when the cake has a firm crust on top, but if you insert a toothpick in the center it will come out wet and covered with chocolate. Do not think it needs to bake longer.

Remove the pan from the oven; let stand until cool.

Cover the pan with a cookie sheet and invert the pan and the sheet. Remove the pan and the foil lining. Cover the cake with a length of wax paper and another cookie sheet and turn over again leaving the cake right side up. Refrigerate the cake several hours or overnight before cutting. The brownies must be cold before cutting.

Cut with a long, heavy knife with a sharp blade either serrated or straight.

Pack in an airtight box or wrap individually in wax paper or foil. These freeze perfectly and can be served very cold or at room temperature.

I still wish I could try making Heather22's recipe for Korean-style chicken wings. Did I miss it posted somewhere? Does anyone have the recipe or a similar one?

I've been looking for it as well. I looked up a recipe on line, and made it. It was quite as good as what was offered at the picnic.

by request here is the Kolace recipe. Teresa (mrs. laikom) made the prune and cottage cheese ones. We got the recipe when we attended czech days in tabor SD. Teresa is somehow related to one of the ladies doing the demonstration, so i guess these are family recipes! Here is is!

Kolace Baking Demonstration
60th Annual Czech Days
Tabor, South Dakota

June 20 and 21, 2008

Demonstrated by Ann Beran of Tabor, SD
Rita Varilek of Tabor, SD

Assisted by Brenda Beran of Sioux Falls, SD
Amy Beran of Tabor, SD

KOLACES

2 c. warmed milk
¾ c. potato flakes (instant potatoes)
1 tbsp. salt
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
½ c. oil
4 to 5 c. flour
2 pkgs. Dry yeast or 2 tbsp. yeast
¾ c. warm water
1 tsp. sugar


Method:

• Dissolve yeast into ¾ c. warm water and 1 tsp. sugar. Set aside.
• Disolve potato flakes into warmed milk & put into blender with all other ingredients, except flour and yeast mixture. Blend well.
• Measure 4 c. flour into bowl. Add blended ingredients. Mix. Add risen yeast and last cup of flour or additional flour if dough is too sticky. Cover and let rise until double in size.
• Shape into small balls and place on greased pan. Brush with oil and let rise. Make indentations and fill with kolace filling.
• Add streusel on top of filling and bake at 400 degrees for 11 to 12 minutes. After baking, brush with 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 3 tbsp. hot water or brush with melted margarine.


Toppings:
Poppy seed Kolace Filling
1 c. poppy seed, ground
1 ½ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. Karo Syrup
½ c. sugar
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. flour
Pinch of salt
Mix together and cook over low heat for ½ hour, stirring occasionally because it likes to burn.
Cottage Cheese Kolace Filling
24 oz. low fat cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
¾ c. sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Few drops of lemon extract
Sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg
2 tbsp. instant tapioca
Mix all together and refrigerate overnight.

Cream Cheese Kolace fillinge
8 oz. cream chees
½ to ¾ c. sugar
1 egg yolk
Mix thoroughly until smooth.

Cherry Kolace Filling
One 20 oz. can of cherry pie filling
½ c. sugar
2 ½ tbsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. almond extract
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
Heat, cook slowly until thickened. Cool.

Prune Kolace Filling
12 oz. prunes (cover with water and cook until tender)
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
Mash prunes and add other ingredients.

Rhubarb Kolace Filling
3 c. rhubarb cut up
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. Jello
1 ½ c. sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch (mix with sugar)
Mix all ingredients and cook until thick. Add red food coloring if desired.

Streusel Topping for Kolaces
½ c. flour
¼ c. butter or margarine
½ c. sugar
* ½ c. finely chopped coconut (optional)
Use pastry blender, blend until crumbly. Add coconut, spoon topping over kolace filling before baking.

Well, since Happy Stomach taught me that it was possible to make your own marshmallows at the last picnic, I, and more to the point my kids, have pretty much been possessed by the idea. One suggestion in an online version of the Thomas Keller recipe I found was to add peppermint oil. Seemed very Christmasy, so I did it, and had the notion at the last minute to drip a few drops of red food coloring at the very last moment and just let the last few turns of the mixer swirl it through the marshmallow...



They're so adorable I could plotz.

nancy wrote:Daikon Radish Pickles

This is the marinate that the black cod is marinated in at Nobu. I make the marinade and then either use some for the fish, some for some pickles or I use some for a pickle batch and stash the rest in my fridge in a sealed glass container. It keeps long and well.

Get some nice firm daikon radishes, peel them and slice them into about 1/4 inch slices. Cover with cool marinade in a sealed container and refrigerate. They will be pickled the within 12-24 hours, but if you give them a few days--they are better. I usually rinse them off before serving but today's batch were made last night and were too mild to rinse.

Marinade:

1/2 c. Sake
3/4 c. Mirin (make sure you get the original and not the "seasoned" kind
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 c. miso

Enjoy!

When you say "cool" marinade, does that mean it's supposed to be cooked first? I hope not, I've got a batch of daikon pickling right now (and the marinade tastes great as-is). I'm thinking of making it into a salad with some scallions and shrimp, or I may just bring the radish as-is to a party tomorrow.