Subj : Set It On Fire was: Real
To : Ruth Haffly
From : Dave Drum
Date : Sun Apr 28 2024 06:39:00
-=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=-
RH> I think it's more for the WOW! effect than anything else.
DD> I have noted that setting it alight is always "at table" never in the
DD> kitchen. So the "show biz" claim in the Wiki article is on-target. And
DD> it does look spectacular - especially in a dimly lit bistro. Lights up
DD> the room ... which is OK so long as it doesn't set off the sprinklers.
RH> It definatly is an eye catcher, especially if they dim the lights. Our
RH> last couple of cruises were on Princess line ((The Love Boat) ships;
RH> they did a Baked Alaska parade one night at dinner. Basically, get
RH> everyone seated, eating and almost ready for dessert. Then they dimmed
RH> the lights in the dining room and paraded around with about a dozen
RH> flaming Baked Alaskas. Not sure as I didn't get a close up look as to
RH> how they kept the flames going but it was quite the show, especially
RH> the night they did it on the Alaska trip--we'd spent the day cruising
RH> in Glacier Bay.
I prefer my restaurant lighting to be bright enough that I can see what
I'm about to put in my mouth. And bright enough that I can read the menu
without resorting to my cell phone's flashlight function.
DD> Here's a tasty dish for which I have recipes that call for setting
RH> it DD> on fire and recipes that leave well enough alone.
DD> It's from America's Test Kitchen which means it's in fine detail and
DD> fulll of minutae. I can almost see Mr. Bow Tie McPrissy (Christopher
DD> Kimball - not retired) presenting it on their PBS TV show. Be sure to
DD> read my note at the bottom. Bv)=
DD> Title: Steak Diane
DD> Categories: Beef, Vegetables, Herbs, Wine, Booze
DD> Yield: 6 Servings
RH> I've got the recipe as I've got several ATK compilation books and a
RH> couple of years of the magazine. IIRC, I've seen a (very) few of the
RH> shows but have enjoyed reading the magazine to find out just "how did
RH> they do that". Tried a few recipies from the magazine but most of them
RH> were not really to our taste.
I might catch an episode or two not the Mr. Prissy has gone off bothering
family members instead of the viewing public. Still, they remind me (or
did) that, like with Consumer Reports, what's important to them is nor
always important to me. They do get exhaustive sometimes.
And for all their nit-pickiness they still manage to forget that a
shepherd's pie is made with lamb/mutton. If it's made with beef or
pork it's a "cottage pie". This recipe is really for a cottage pie.
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
Title: Irish Comfort Classics Shepherd's Pie
Categories: Beef, Potatoes, Dairy, Vegetables, Mushrooms
Yield: 5 Servings
1 1/2 lb 93% lean ground beef (ground
- round) *
2 tb + 2 ts water
Salt & pepper
1/2 ts Baking soda
2 1/2 lb Russet potatoes; peeled,
- in 1" chunks
4 tb Unsalted butter; melted
1/2 c Whole milk
1 lg Egg yolk
8 Scallions; green only, thin
- sliced
2 ts Oil
1 lg Onion; peeled, chopped
4 oz White mushrooms; trimmed,
- chopped
1 tb Tomato paste
2 cl Garlic; minced
2 tb Madeira or ruby port
2 tb All-purpose flour
1 1/4 c Beef broth
2 ts Worcestershire sauce
2 Sprigs fresh thyme
1 Bay leaf
2 Carrots; peeled, chopped
2 ts Cornstarch
* Don't use ground beef that's fattier than 93% or the
dish will be greasy. (Drain the grease, doofus - UDD)
Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon salt,
1/4 teaspoon pepper, and baking soda in bowl until
thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, place potatoes in medium saucepan; add water
to just cover and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to boil over
high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
potatoes are soft and tip of paring knife inserted into
potato meets no resistance, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain
potatoes and return to saucepan. Return saucepan to low
heat and cook, shaking pot occasionally, until any
surface moisture on potatoes has evaporated, about 1
minute. Remove pan from heat and mash potatoes well.
Stir in melted butter. Whisk together milk and egg yolk
in small bowl, then stir into potatoes. Stir in scallion
greens and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover
and set aside.
Heat oil in broiler-safe 10" skillet over medium heat
until shimmering. Add onion, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon
salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stir occasionally,
until vegetables are just starting to soften and dark
bits form on bottom of skillet, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir
in tomato paste and garlic; cook until bottom of skillet
is dark brown, about 2 minutes. Add Madeira and cook,
scraping up any browned bits, until evaporated, about 1
minute. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add broth,
Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaf, and carrots; bring to
boil, scraping up any browned bits.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add beef in 2" chunks to
broth, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook until
beef is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and
breaking up meat chunks with 2 forks halfway through.
Stir cornstarch and remaining 2 teaspoons water together
in bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into filling and
continue to simmer for 30 seconds. Remove thyme and bay
leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Adjust oven rack 5" from broiler element and heat
broiler. Place mashed potatoes in large zipper-lock bag
and snip off 1 corner to create 1" opening.
Pipe potatoes in even layer over filling, making sure
to cover entire surface. Smooth potatoes with back of
spoon, then use tines of fork to make ridges over
surface. Place skillet on rimmed baking sheet and broil
until potatoes are golden brown and crusty and filling
is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes
before serving.
SHEPHERD'S PIE MAKEOVER: Between trimming, searing, and
braising chunks of stew meat and then mashing and piping
the potato topping, traditional shepherd's pie is an
all-afternoon project. Plus, it's hefty fare. Here's how
we freshened up the concept and got dinner on the table
in about an hour.
SWAP GROUND BEEF FOR STEW MEAT: Ground meat cooks in
less than half the time required by bigger chunks and
needs no butchering.
SERVES 4 TO 6
RECIPE FROM:
https://www.americastestkitchen.com
Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
MMMMM
... My friend's bakery burned down last night. Now his business is toast.
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