Daffyd's Diner

Subject: Popcorn Chicken

Here is a chicken recipe that also includes the use of popcorn
as a stuffing. Imagine that. When I found it, I thought it was
perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell
when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this
a try.

BAKED STUFFED CHICKEN
6-7 lb. Chicken
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good.)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S Low Fat)
Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush chicken well with
melted butter, salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and
popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the
oven. Listen for the popping sounds. When the chicken's #####
blows the oven door open and the chicken flies across the room,
it's done.

And you thought I couldn't cook.....

Hors D'Oeuvres innat.

Tzatziki (now there's a mouthful to start with....

Serves 4

A Half a cucumber, skinned and diced
Salt and Pepper
150ml/a quarter pint Natural firm set yoghurt
1 garlic clove crushed
15ml/1tbsp Chopped mint

Place the cucumber in a colander,sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Rinse, drain well and pat dry. Place in a serving bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill in the fridge before serving with warm pitta bread.

Mmmm!

More D'Oeuvres

Spicy Salami Dip

Serves 4

75g/3ozs Salami chopped
175g/6ozs Cream cheese
30ml/2tbsp Mayonnaise
15ml/1tbsp Tomato Ketchup
30ml/2tbsp Olive Oil
15ml/1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
5ml/1tsp Mustard powder
Salt Pepper.

Now all you have to do is puree all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, then chill.
Serve with savoury biscuits.

Anyone for a dip?

I'm going to try the Tzatziki because it's easy and I like cucumbers.
Thanks Daffy.

Oooooh! I just thought of a beauty.....
Ginger Melon and Parma Ham

Serves 4

1 Honeydew melon
100g/4ozs Parma Ham thinly sliced and cut into strips
25g/1 oz Stem Ginger, chopped
30ml/2tbsp Stem Ginger Syrup
5ml/tsp Lemon Juice
45ml/3tbsp Oil
Pepper

Quarter the melon length-ways and remove the seeds and skin.Cut into long slices and wind the ham around the melon slices. Arrange on a serving plate. Whisk the remaining ingredients together well and pour same over the melon. Cover and chill 1 hour before serving.

Bon Appetite

Stock as you know is the main ingredient of any good soup. So let us take a look at some stock we might prefer.....

Beef or Chicken Stock

Makes 1 litre/1.3/4pts

1kg/2lb Cooked or raw bones of meat or poultry and cooked or raw meat trimmings
5ml/1tsp salt
450g/1 lb vegetables (carrots,celery, leeks, onions, etc,) roughly chopped
1 Bay leaf
8 Black Pepper Corns.

Place the meat in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and add the remaining ingredients.Bring back to the boil and simmer very genly, uncovered, for about three hours ( I know, tedious, but it is stock remember and the basis of your soups) top up with water as necessary. Then strain and skim off any fat before using.

If you are going to freeze the stock, or if you need a concentrated stock, boil it until it has reduced to half quantity.
Brown Stock is made with beef. Leave the onion skins on to give a good color

I gotta try these daffyd.

Thank you!.

Stock is an ingredient that you should always have on hand when you are cooking in the kitchen. So you can't have too much, nor just one kind. We've mentioned Beef & Chicken, let us look at .....

Fish Stock

Makes 1 litre/1.3/4 pints

1kg/2lb Bones, skins and heads from filleted fish or other white fish trimmings. (I know, I know it does not sound too nice, but trust me, I'm a failed chef.)
1 litre/1.3/4 pints of water
5ml/1tsp salt
1 Onion, chopped
1 Celery stalk, chopped
6 white peppercorns
1 Bouquet garni

Wash the fish (and discard the eyes)
Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
Strain.

Hey Presto....Fish Stock!

Vegetable Stock

Makes 1 litre/1.3/4 pints

2 Carrots sliced
1 Onion Sliced
2 Celery Stalks, sliced
1 Medium Turnip, chopped
1 litre/1.3/4 pints water
6 Peppercorns
1 Bay leaf

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for two hours.
Strain.

(Or just make your stock the way your Grandma taught you!)

Then when we have all our stock to hand and our ingredients lined up and ready we can turn our attention to .....

Soups

(I'll just give you a minute to wash up in the kitchen and put those saucepans away)

Now that we have had our Hors D'Oeuvres (Finger food) how about.....

Bouillabaisse

Serves 4

450g/1 lb Fish bones and trimmings (You see we don't waste anything)
900ml/1.1/2 pints water
1 Onion, finely chopped
30ml/2tbsp Chopped parsley
1 Bouquet garni
600ml/1 pint Milk
Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk, beaten

Place the fish, water, onion, parsley and bouquet garni in a large saucepan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Strain and return the liquid to the pan. Add the milk, season to taste with the salt and pepper and stir in the egg yolk, but do not allow the sdoup to boil.

(Almost a fish stock on its own)

Soups up!

With this cold weather you may prefer a ....

Winter Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

15ml/1 tbsp Oil
1 Oinion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1 potato, chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 leek chopped
1 Celery Stalk, chopped
45ml/3tbsp Sherry (hic)
900ml/1.1/2 pints Chicken Stock (Told you that you would need it)
5ml/1tbsp Mixed herbs
Salt and Pepper.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions and garlic until soft but not browned. Stir in the potato, carrot leek and celery. Stir in the sherry (hic) and stock. Season to taste with the mixed herbs, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer gently for twenty minutes. Serve hot with grated cheese or croutons. (Ah just slipped that in as a suggestion)

That soup sounds very good and you can't
beat a hot bowl of soup on a cold day.

Are you going to be the Chef when we all get to heaven daffy?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaJhreglsU&feature=fvwrel

Nope Wuzfuz, sorry....

Ah reckon ah'm headed fer that kitchen with a Gas Mark 6,000,000.... so you'd better write all these receipes down.

wuzfuz wrote:Are you going to be the Chef when we all get to heaven daffy?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaJhreglsU&feature=fvwrel

LOL!!! Wuzfuz!!!......

Yes DaffyD...ya'd better be! Sure does sound like great cookin'! mmmmmm.....

Now it is time I sat down and had me a cup of coffee and a chocolate chip cookie.
Contemplation is a good thing, relax and let your mind wander...(not too far)
For instance... a chocolate cookie...makes me ask.. How do you stop fruit sinking to the bottom of cakes when baking?
Then ah hear mahself say, "Dusting raisins or your fruit with flour keeps them from sinking in the cake batter. before adding your ingredients to the cake batter, simply toss them in a couple of tablesoons of flour until they are coated. This technique also works for chocolate chips.

Wait! What is the best way to crck an egg?
Well in my experience I find it best to rap it (gently but firmly) on a flat surface, such as a worktop rather than the rim of your bowl. I find cracking eggs on a bowl rim more often than not causes more shell shatter and sometimes drives tiny shell shards...the kind that can be frustrating to get out... into the egg white.
Just my preference.

What to do if your cream won't whip'
When whipping cream be sure it is well chilled. Cold cream whips up more easily into soft peaks.

Here's a favourite of mine....
A handy way to freeze fresh herbs.
Chop the herbs and place them into an ice cube tray with a little chicken broth (I bet you are glad you saved some) Then freeze. The cubes will give a flavour lift to vegetable sautes, rice pilafs and soups. You can also do this with mint, using water instead of chicken broth, to add to ice tea.

Right, stand easy is over, time to get back to my day job.

Moving on to mah fish dish ah have chosen

Coquilles St Jacques

(Hmm..Sounds like a store on 5th Avenue)

Serves 4

50g/2oz Breadcrumbs
12 Scallops
50g/2oz Butter
2 shallots, chopped
15ml/1tbsp Pain flour
150ml/1/4pt White wine (Don't skimp)
150ml/1/4pt Double Cream
5ml/1tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper.

Spread half the breadcrumbs on the base of a greased ovenproof dish. Melt half the butter and fry the scallops, gently then lay them in the dish.
Fry the shallots until soft,then transfer them to the dish.Stir the flour into the pan and cook, stirring for one minute. Stir in the wine and cream, bring to the boil and season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens, then pour it over the scallops and top with the remaining breadcrumbs. Dot with the remaining butter and bake in a preheated oven at 190C/375F gas mark 5 for 20 minutes.

Alright my little angels?

On the other hand how about....

Shrimp Casserole Charleston

Serves 8 (Twice as much? O.K. you got guests!)

1/2 lb Mushrooms; sliced
2 tablespoon Butter
1 Onion; minced
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Half & Half
2 tablespoon Flour
1/4 cup Sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 lb Shrimp; cooked and peeled
1/4 cups Buttered bread crumbs
1 Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Paprika or to taste


Saute mushroom in butter. Add onion and tomatoes and simmer for ten minutes. Blend Half & Half and flour and add along with sherry, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste. Add shrimp, cooked and peeled, and put in large buttered casserole. Top with crumbs and bake at 350~ until brown, about 20 minutes.

Your Shrimp Casserole Charleston is ready. Bon appetit!

Is it me or is it hot in here?

OMG!!!

What a guy!! After you take a breather... you just keep on cookin'....and I'll do the clean-up!!!

Ah do like to treat the inner man now and again. So despite my loathing for shopping I fought the elements, the crowds, and the high cost of living and treated myself to a deserving meal of....

Brandy Peppered Steaks

Serves 4...

900g/1.1/2lb Fillet steak cut into four pieces
60ml/4tbsp Green peppercorns crushed
50g/2oz Butter
25g/1oz Plain flour
250ml/8fl oz Beef Stock (See earlier recipe)
30ml/2tbsp Brandy (Not the cheap stuff)
30ml/2tbsp Single Cream
Salt and Pepper.

(Salivating yet?)

Press the peppercorns into the steaks. Melt the butter and fry the steaks for four minutes until browned on both sides and cooked to your liking. Transfer them to a warm serving plate and keep them warm. Stir the flour into the pan and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the Brandy and cream (all of it....naughty) season to taste with salt and pepper and cook until heated through. Pour over the steak and serve.

Hey! That takes care of my steak, what would you recommend I have as side dish...oh no, not a salad!

New potatoes, green string beans, baby carrots...maybe?

I also like a nice piece of rump, (now,now, we are not talking Jo Lo here)...rump steak, come on get with the programme. How about....

Mushroom-stuffed Steak


Serves 4 (You ready?)

25g/1oz Butter
1 Onion chopped
100g/4oz Mushrooms, finely chopped
50g/2oz Bacon, rinded and chopped
25g/1oz Breadcrumbs
10ml/2tsp Chopped Parsley
5ml/1tsp Thyme
Salt and pepper

Here's the biggie....

900g/2lb Rump steak

Right, melt the butter and fry the onions until soft but not browned, stir in the mushrooms and bacon and cook for three minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, parsley and thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
Slit the steak in half length-ways and fill with the stuffing, then tie round with string. Roast in a preheated oven at 200c/400f gas mark 6 for 30 minutes.

Same question; "What do you propose we serve along with it?"

Sounds good Daffy. I'd like a garden salad
and baked potato with it.

What do you serve with it?

Hmm! Baked Potato, Spinnach, and Baby Courgettes stuffed with Sun dried Tomatoes.....

Yes, I think I like that.

Ironically I purchased steak today and plan to prepare them tomorrow. They are not large enough for stuffing so I will try to do them by simmering them with the above ingredients. Will let you know how they turn out.