RECIPE: REC: Pecan Pralines

RECIPE:
gayle-mo

gayle-mo

Well-known member
These candies are soooooo good! Traditional Mexican style candy.

Pecan Pralines

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (light)

1/2 cup evaporated milk (or half and half)

1/2 cup Karo syrup

Place ingredients in heavy sauce pan. (butter sides first) Cook over medium

heat, stirring often. At 220 degrees, stir in 2 cups pecan halves.

Continue cooking to 240 degrees on thermometer.

Take from heat, add and mix well:

1/3 stick real butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

dash of salt Mix well.

Cool for 10 minutes, then stir until mixture thickens and begins to lose

transparency. Quickly drop onto waxed paper with serving spoon, making

patties.

Let cool. Store airtight.

 
Sundried Tomato Anchovies and Capers

Sundried Tomato Anchovies and Capers
Recipe courtesy David Rocco

Yield:4 servings
INGREDIENTS

40 sundried tomatoes
20 anchovy fillets, halved
40 capers
5 basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano, optional

DIRECTIONS

Lay your sundried tomatoes flat and top each one with an anchovy half and a caper. Fold over the other sides of the tomatoes to cover the anchovies and capers and transfer to a serving dish. Finish with the basil, olive oil and oregano, if using. (We used rosemary leaves instead of basil and oregano.)

 
Ricotta-stuffed Fried Squash Blossoms

Fried Squash Blossoms
Recipe courtesy Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar, Extra Virgin, 2011

Yield:4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS

16 zucchini flowers
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 12-ounce bottle lager beer
Vegetable oil, for frying
DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

Use your fingers to carefully dig a hole on the side of the zucchini flower, opening it enough to dig out with you pointer the pollen stem that is inside. Gently rinse the flowers under a sprinkle of cold water, paying attention not to damage the thin petals, then lay on a rag and pat dry.

Fill a piping bag with the ricotta cheese and pipe 2 to 3 teaspoons of the ricotta into each flower. Twist the petals to close tightly so the cheese doesn't escape during frying.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, parsley, a couple of generous pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Slowly start pouring the beer into the mix, using a whisk or a fork to make the batter; mix to eliminate any lumps.

Add the vegetable oil to the bottom of a heavy skillet until it comes up the sides 2 inches, making sure the oil is not more than halfway up the sides. Heat the vegetable oil until hot.

Dip the filled flowers through the batter then carefully add to the hot oil. Fry, flipping halfway through frying, until the blossoms are golden and crisp, 2 minutes.

Remove and place on a large dish lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt to taste while still hot.

(Online recipe calls for 2-3 Tablespoons of ricotta for each flower. It has to be a misprint. Next time I will probably add an egg to the batter, but the parsley was a nice touch)

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/search/delegate?searchString=squash+blossoms&searchType=context&cookType=talent&cookId=3962

 
Escabeche

ESCABECHE

(This is a combination of several recipes. I'm not sure if the brining is essential but since I had beginner's luck I will probably stick with it.)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
1 lb fish fillets, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
Flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, sliced into half-moons
2 mashed garlic cloves, sliced
1 hot chile, cut in half (I used a jalapeno but you could use something stronger)
2 bay leaves
1 t. black peppercorns
1/2 t. cumin seeds
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1 t. coriander seed
1 T. dried oregano leaves
1 cup white wine
1 cup white wine vinegar
The grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup green olives


Preparation:

Combine the 1/4 cup salt with 4 cups of water, stir to combine and brine the fish in this mixture for 30-45 minutes.

Place flour in a plate and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet on fairly high heat. Drain and dry fish, dredge in flour and sear on both sides in the hot oil. Don't overcook! Drain on paper towels, then arrange in a shallow serving dish.

Add the onion to the skillet and saute until soft. Add the garlic and chile and saute until fragrant

Now add all the remaining ingredients, turn the heat up to high and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce by half, turn off the heat and let cool.

When everything is at room temperature, pour the sauce over the fish. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.

 
Cucumber Salad

Slice cucumbers. Toss with a pinch each of salt and sugar and a dash vinegar. Let steep a half hour. Drain, taste for seasoning and add chopped dill and freshly ground pepper.

Optional: Fold in some sour cream and/or plain yogurt.

 
Crostata Di Ricotta

Crostata di Ricotta
Recipe courtesy David Rocco

Yield:8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS

Pastry:
1 pound 1 1/2 ounces/500 g all-purpose flour
7 ounces/200 g sugar
7 ounces/200 g unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
Zest of 1 lemon
Filling:
3 egg whites
8 3/4 ounces/250 g sugar
Scant 2 pounds/900 g fresh ricotta cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

For the pastry: Sift together the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Combine the butter, egg yolks, whole egg and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then knead into a dough. Let rest 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the filling: Whip the egg whites with 1/2 of the sugar to stiff peaks in a mixing bowl. Whip the remaining sugar, ricotta and lemon zest together in a separate bowl, and then gently fold into the egg whites.

Roll out the pastry and fit into a pie plate. Spread the ricotta filling into the crust, sealing with more pastry as you would a pie. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

(On the show the butter for the crust was soft. The pie was also unmolded--inverted out of the pie plate--for serving.)

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/david-rocco/crostata-di-ricotta-recipe/index.html

 
Hi Charlotte, I wouldn't say they're actually brittle...kind of crumbly if you break one, but

they are not soft and chewy. I think if you cooked them to a lower temp they might be chewy but I never tried it. This recipe is really good.

Sorry I can't be of more help!

Gayle

 
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