Kedgeree - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Grandma Maude was not an Anglophile. Famine Irish had long memories and the only good thing she would attribute to the British was the Magna Carta. She did, however, love to cook and tell tales - some tall, some true - that were sure to make us smile. She'd let novel bits of England into her kitchen to assure those smiles. Bubble and Squeak was a favorite of hers and she, of course, had a tale to match the dish. For the uninitiated, Bubble and Squeak is a homely dish made mostly of potatoes and cabbage. It is twice cooked. The bubble represents the boiling of vegetables and the squeak is the noise made when they are turned into a skillet and fried. This was heady information for five year olds. Almost as good as Bangers and Mash and Kedgeree. In our world, Kedgeree was an exotic dish that set us apart from those who had tuna casserole on Friday nights. In truth, Kedgeree is a lightly curried breakfast dish made from rice, smoked fish, boiled eggs, parsley and some lemon juice. While its considered an English dish, it roots are Indian and it is probably an adaption of a rice and lentil dish called Khichari. The British altered the dish to suit their tastes and Grandma Maude altered it to suit hers. She dropped the eggs and the curry and created a thirty minute meal that would make the most harried of cooks smile. This is not company fare, but it is wonderful for a family lunch or supper. Here's the recipe we use.

Kedgeree...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup long grain rice
1-3/4 cup fish stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces salmon fillet, skinned and chopped
3 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 scallions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Garnish: dill sprigs and lemon slices

Directions:
1) Combine butter and oil in a large saucepan. Cook until butter melts. Add onion and cook over low heat until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2) Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it is transparent, about 3 minutes. Add stock and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover pan, and simmer gently, for 10 minutes.
3) Add fresh and smoked salmon. Stir well. If rice seems dry add more stock. Cook until fish and rice are tender and all liquid has been absorbed, about 6 minutes.
4) Remove pan from heat. Stir in cream, dill, and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Yangzhou Fried Rice - One Perfect Bite
Shrimp Risotto - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus and Lemon Grass Risotto - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Carrot Timbales

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When Julia Child first captured the culinary airways she taught her viewers how to make timbales of spinach and mushrooms. The timbales were delicious and easy to make, and that first venture led many of us to explore other varieties. Timbales became popular at dinner parties and holiday celebrations. Then food styles changed and they seemed to disappear from the culinary scene. While there are many types, the most common timbale is a savory custard or pudding that is baked in a drum shaped mold. It is heartier than a souffle and has the consistency of a rich pudding. I use to make them on a regular basis. Now before you start to roll your eyes and think I'm putting on airs, I must quickly add that I had a sick child who didn't eat a lot and need to be coaxed - bribed - to eat. There was a period when the only thing she would touch was pudding. I very quickly learned how to make egg-enriched vegetables look like pudding. This recipe survived that era and I still serve these timbales for an occasional guest dinner. Their great advantage is that they can be made ahead of time, unmolded and reheated before serving. A true timbale uses copious quantities of heavy cream and is usually served with an additional dollop of sauce. This recipe has been pared way back and uses buttermilk or yogurt in place of cream and is served without an additional sauce. These are lovely with roast pork or ham and are as easy to assemble as the parent recipe from which they sprung. I no longer have timbale molds, so I use my popover pans to achieve a drum-like shape. If you have neither, feel free to use custard cups. Here's the recipe for a pretty dish that is simple to make but worthy of your guests.

Carrot Timbales...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite with inspiration provided by the Vegetable Gardene

Ingredients:
1-1/4 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of nutmeg
1/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
Parsley or scallion for garnish

Directions:
1) Heat oil or butter in a heavy saucepan. When oil shimmers or butter has melted, add carrots and toss to coat. Cook, covered, over medium heat until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.
2) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease or spray four (6-oz.) molds. Set aside.
3) Scrape carrots into bowl of food processor. Add eggs, salt, paprika, nutmeg and yogurt. Puree for 1 minute or until mixture is perfectly smooth. Spoon carrot purée into molds until they are 7/8th full. Place timbales into a roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Pour water into roasting pan until it comes 2/3 of the way up the sides of molds. Bake in hot water bath for 30 to 35 minutes. Unmold gently by running a knife around sides of timbales. Serve warm or slightly chilled. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Moroccan Carrots - One Perfect Bite
Braised Carrots and Shallots - One Perfect Bite
Herb Roasted Carrots - One Perfect Bite