Good morning dear readers, and here are your challenges. My longtime friend MW wrote, “My daughter gave me a George Foreman grill, and it has no recipes in the accompanying booklet, so I am in the dark about how to use it so that meat is not tasteless. Really need some expert advice and suggestions from the culinary experts.”
She refers to you, of course, and we’re counting on you for that as well as an answer to this query from R.K.G., who just returned from California. “We were served a delicious meat dish called tri-tip beef; what is that cut of beef, and how should it be cooked?” Mr. G. is also asking, on behalf of a couple of friends, for sugar-free, gluten-free marinades for beef.
We had stored up a couple of recipes from our generous correspondent Barbara, and this week she sent another. Thank you for all three recipes that follow. The first recipe came in answer to last week’s request.
Coconut Rice
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup finely chopped red onion
4 cups water
4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
4 cups long-grain white rice
Salt and pepper to taste.
Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add water and milk. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce to a simmer and tightly cover the pan. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to rest and fluff with fork.
You may have a garden full of cucumbers, but if you don’t, Barbara said that this recipe could be easily cut in half.
Cucumber-Dill Salad With Asparagus
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoons water
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons dill weed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 small cucumber, quartered lengthwise, sliced
Place asparagus in microwaveable casserole dish. Add water; cover with a lid. Microwave on high for 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.
Mix next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add asparagus and cucumbers and toss to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Whatever tomatoes you are growing and buying in this delicious tomato season, Barbara’s recipe from Martha Stewart will adapt.
Tomato Cobbler
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil
4 cups small tomatoes such as cherry and grape, or large tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
11/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 homemade or store-bought pie crust (see note)
1 egg mixed with a little water
Grated cheese of your choice for topping
Lightly sauté garlic and onion in about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Put in bowl and mix with next five ingredients. Put in a 9-inch pie plate.
Put pie crust on top of tomato mixture and glaze with a mixture of egg and water to brown crust nicely. Sprinkle with your choice of grated cheese. Bake at 375 F until brown and bubbly.
Note: If you make your own crust, you can mix a little gruyere in with the dough.
These recipes were well chosen for the season, well seasoned … most welcome. Come back next week, you hear?
Mary of Birchwood has found this squash casserole to be a big favorite.
Squash Casserole
5 to 6 sliced yellow squash
1 small onion
2 beaten eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for top)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs (reserve 1/2 cup for the top)
Butter or margarine
Partially cook squash and chopped onion in a small amount of water. Drain twice. Combine eggs, mayonnaise, soup, 11/2 cups cheese, 1/2 cup cracker crumbs, squash and onion. Season with salt and pepper.
Place in an 8- by 8-inch casserole, cover with cracker crumbs and cheese and dots of butter. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour, until brown and bubbly. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
TO REACH US
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your rests. Be sure to include precise instructions and amounts of ingredients (including package size) for every recipe you send.
Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain GA 30750.
E-mail: janehenegar@tvn.net
Fax: 423-668-5092