recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-01-30
From: calliope,.NY

From Calliope for my good friends, with affection....a bunch of tips and ideas...some I came up with, some I’ve collected...some new ones for you all, I hope!

Tip 1-Always use whole bay leaf when cooking and fish them out when done...especially before pureeing anything!...never buy the cracked ones, you will be forced to strain them out as they can stick and get caught in the throat causing a serious hazard for choking!!!

Same goes for whole cloves and whole peppercorns...use them, yes, but remove them before serving as they can cause problems too.

Tip 2-Ever try serving your grilled or fried kielbasa with a drizzle of maple syrup or a dusting of brown sugar? It balances the flavor beautifully!

Tip-3 Thought I’d share my tip on cream soups with you all today.
Mostly, its onions......and tons of ‘em!!! ...which are so good for you too! Also, I make my proportions of solid ingredients to the amount of liquid such that when it is all pureed, it has a “creamy” texture. Then if it’s called for, I’ll add some milk, or if the flavor is called for, buttermilk. This not only reduces the fat content, but also the heavy, sometimes pasty quality that flour and cornstarch can impart.

Now, if you want some solids in the soup as well, just remove some of them after sauteing and before pureeing and then add them back afterwards.

Another thing you can try...and it would be good for all of us, even men and kids, is to add some Silken Tofu to the puree. With all the other flavors in your soup, I swear...no one will ever know! Also try pureeing a can of rinsed and drained cannelini beans or chic peas. And of course their is always the potato!...pureed in for body and thickness and protein. Happy, healthy eating folks!

Tip-4 I want to share with you a great way to grill, especially when using briquettes, that will keep your meats and fish moist and even help keep things like onion rounds and veggies from falling through the grill top and from scorching.

As you work in the kitchen, save all of the tops of things that you might usually throw away or use for soup stock like; leek tops, onion skins, scallion tops, the frond top from fennel (anise) bulb and parsley stems. I even buy a big bunch of mustard greens and sacrifice them, they’re cheap after all. Don’t chop them up, leave them long, soak them in water and when the fire has become medium hot, lay them all over the top of the grill and place your food on top. Close the lid and let the food smoke. You will not believe how moist and flavorful your chicken and fish are in particular!!! Enjoy!

Tip-5 For people that don’t eat meat...or at least red meat, use “gutsy” (i.e. porcini, portabello, shiitake, any kind), mushrooms as a stock...to give depth of flavor and then go from there...to make soups/and/or sauces that call for beef...if you don’t want the mushroom “bodies” themselves in the final product.. just puree them fine in a stock or with wine...or both