Sour Cream Donut Holes

Sour Cream Donut Holes

yield: approximately 4 dozen

DONUTS:

2 1/4 c. cake flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. butter, softened

2 large egg yolks

1/2 c.sour cream

Vegetable oil, for frying

In a bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.

In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until sandy. Add the egg yolks and mix until light and thick. Alternately add dry ingredients and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  The dough will be very thick and very sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Lightly flour your hands and shape dough into 3/4-1" balls.  Drop onto lightly floured surface until all donut holes have been formed (should make about 4 dozen).

Pour 2 inches of oil into a sturdy pot and heat to 325°F.  (or use your FryDaddy!)  Drop donut holes into the hot oil and fry, being careful not to overcrowd the pot.  Fry for 3-4 minutes until surface is cracking and dark brown.  Place fried donut holes onto paper towels to absorb excess oil.  

When finished frying, dip each donut hole into the glaze, coating all sides, then drain on a cooling rack.  

GLAZE:

1/3 c. butter, melted

1 1/2 t. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

6 T. very hot water 

Stir together all ingredients.  Add more hot water, if necessary to achieve a heavy broth-like consistency, keeping it thick enough to coat each donut hole.

Nectar of the Gods

Nectar of the Gods
AKA: Vanilla-Almond Punch

Flavored Syrup:

5 c. sugar

2 c. water

2 T. clear vanilla extract

2 T. almond extract

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in  the vanilla and almond extracts. Let mixture cool, then chill or freeze until ready to serve.

To serve, combine 1 c. of chilled or frozen syrup with 2 liters of very cold Sprite Zero.

Simple and delicious!

Galangal Tilapia

Galangal Tilapia

serves 4

In baking dish, melt:
4 T. coconut oil
4 T. butter

Coat both sides of 4 frozen tilapia fillets with the following rub:

3 T. ground galangal
1 1/2 T. dill
3 t. ground ginger
1 t. ground coriander

Lay coated fillets in the baking dish with the oil-butter combination.  Sprinkle generously with pepper and salt.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.  Turn fillets and cook for another 8-10 minutes until slightly flaky in the center.

When done, remove fillets from baking dish.  Add more of each spice to the oil-butter-drippings and drizzle over fillets.  OR...serve with this tartar sauce.  This sauce takes the palate party up a notch!  Soooo good!

Galangal Tartar Sauce

1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. Splenda
1 T. ground galangal
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground coriander
1 t. dill
2 T. lime juice

As you might suspect, this dish has a very *bright* taste.  I hope you like it!

Caprese on a Stick

The combination of flavors in Caprese salad is fairly popular these days, but it doesn't have to be limited to the salad plate.  Here's a quick and easy appetizer version:

Caprese on a Stick

Fresh Mozzarella

Cherry Tomatoes

Fresh Basil

Italian Dressing

Cut mozzarella and basil leaves into bite-size pieces (about 1").  

Layer on a toothpick: 1 tomato, basil leaf, mozzarella 

Drizzle with Italian dressing. (I strongly prefer the Good Seasons Italian dry packet.  Make according to directions, using balsamic vinegar.)

Simple.  Beautiful.  Delicious.

Creamed Sweet Rice

Creamed Rice

In small pan, bring to boil:

2-3 T. butter

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. brown sugar

When sugar is dissolved, stir in:

1 c. cooked white rice

Simmer for another minute, until rice is heated through.

NOTE: This is how I use the rice that Pad Thai sends in my carry-out orders!  Dessert...breakfast...snack...SO GOOD!!

Calcutta Cooler

India's Rasoi serves up a wonderful cocktail by this name. My attempts to duplicate theirs have been unsuccessful, but here's my knock-off version that provides a perfect complement to this week's spicy Thai recipes:

Lori's Calcutta Cooler

1 shot cucumber-infused vodka (recipe following)

1 shot ginger syrup (recipe following)

1/2 shot lime juice

Dash of creme-de-menthe

4 oz. Sprite-Zero

Mix first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Pour over ice in a 12 oz. glass...should be about 1/2 full. Pour Sprite over top to fill glass. Stir and enjoy!

Cucumber-Infused Vodka

1 c. vodka

1 cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

Put vodka and cucumber in non-metal container and refrigerate for 1 hour. Strain. Discard cucumber - and by the way, don't taste the cucumber...it's NOT good, trust me! Keeps for up to 2 days.

Ginger Syrup

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

1 piece fresh ginger - about 4 oz. - peeled and thinly sliced

Combine water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil until sugar is dissolved. Add ginger, remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour. Strain. Discard ginger - and by the way, taste the ginger...it's AWESOME, trust me! Keeps for up to 1 month.

Quick-Prep Red Curry Shrimp

Red Curry Shrimp

2.5 oz. Red Curry paste
2 T. lime juice

1-2 T. fish sauce

1/4 c. fresh grated ginger

Mix all ingredients in a 1 gallon ziploc bag. 

Add:

1 lb. cold, cooked, jumbo shrimp

Marinate for 1-3 hours. EAT!  

Don't forget that lime juice changes the texture of fish, so if you marinate it too long the shrimp *may* assume a rubbery texture.

NOTE: Can also be served over greens tossed in oil and vinegar for a simple lunch entree.

Thai Bisque w/ Blackened Salmon

Thai Bisque w/ Blackened Salmon
serves 8-12

In a large stockpot, melt:
1 c. butter

Whisk in:
8-10 T. flour
6 cubes chicken boullion
5-6 T. roasted vegetable base
4 T. red curry paste
2 T. crushed garlic
2 T. Gourmet Garden Cilantro-herb mix
2 T. Gourmet Garden Ginger
2 T. Gourmet Garden Lemon Grass
1 T. fish sauce

Bring to a boil and blend well before adding:
2 (15 oz.) cans coconut milk
5 c. heavy cream
3-4 c. milk

Stir in:
5 blackened salmon fillets, medium rare and crumbled

This big-flavored soup has a slight kick and pairs wonderfully with Roasted Beet & Mandarin Goat Cheese Salad!   

NOTE:  This bisque can be frozen for future use, if desired.  

St. Louis Food Scene Favorites

15 Faves as outlined by Kristin Norton over at Movoto.  Here's a "taste" of her selections, but you'll have to follow the link to explore the rest.  It's worth your time!

1. Calzones Fit For A King At Sauce On The Side

Source: Sauce On The Side Facebook

Calzones are usually just a side note on a menu dominated by pizzas, but at Sauce On The Side they are the star. And, doing what stars do best, these calzones shine. The 14 unique almost-gourmet selections create a new experience every time.

The Meat Me In St. Louis is a popular choice, loaded with pepperoni, mouth-watering Italian sausage, provel, a mascarpone-ricotta blend in meat sauce, dazzled with garlic oil. Or put your surfboard down for a minute while you enjoy the Five-O, stuffed to the brim with pancetta, pineapple, peppers, smoked cheddar, mozzarella, mascarpone, ricotta, smoked chili and barbecue sauce.

Sauce On The Side
903 Pine St
(314) 241-5667Yelp: 4.5 stars, 311 reviews

3. The Shaved Duck Is The Place You Bring Your Friends

Source: The Shaved Duck Facebook

Sauce magazine billed The Shaved Duck as “the most underrated restaurant in town,” but after being featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives,” it’s safe to say that title no longer holds true. The Shaved Duck has quite the reputation in St. Louis and the lines to order from this quaint hotspot can sometimes start forming before the doors even open, so get there early.

They’re well-known and beloved for their barbecue and soul food, but it’s the Smothered Fries everybody leaves talking about. Crispy, hand-cut fries loaded with pulled rib meat with a homemade cheese sauce that will keep you thinking about them for weeks to come. Order a plate of these, which really is big and delicious enough to double as your meal if you want it to, but definitely get yourself an order of the burnt ends.

The Shaved Duck
2900 Virginia Ave
(314) 776-1407Yelp: 4.5 stars, 522 reviews

Red Curry Dipping Sauce

This savory, and slightly sweet, sauce pairs well with a variety of meats and can be served either hot or cold (with cold meat).

Our preferred use is to fill the fondue pot for dipping  shrimp, chicken tikka, and naan.

  Red Curry Dipping Sauce

In skillet on med heat, melt:

4-5 T. butter

Stir in until aromatic:

2 oz. red curry paste (1/2 jar)

1 T. lemon grass herb blend (Gourmet Gardens)

1-1/2 T. ginger spice blend (Gourmet Gardens)

2-3 T. roasted vegetable bouillon base

Add and blend:

(1) 15 oz. can coconut milk

1/2 c. Splenda

It may not be "authentic" but it's quick, easy, AND delicious!  

Red Curry Bisque

Red Curry Bisque

serves 12

4 lbs. pork roast, coated in a rub of:

2 T. chili powder

6 T. garlic powder

2 T. ginger powder

4 t. coriander

4 t. cumin

3 t. turmeric

2 t. cardamom

1 t. salt

Large pinch of clove

Large pinch of cinnamon

Coat all sides of the pork roast, then cover and bake at 200 degrees overnight or for 6 hours.  While still warm, shred.  

In soup pot, make a roux:
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. flour

Incorporate:
1 1/2 T. red curry paste (use up to 2 whole jars for a heartier, spicier flavor!)
4 heaping T. vegetable base (or 5 boullion cubes)
3 cans coconut milk (full fat)
1 can vegetable broth
3 T. fish sauce
2 T. soy sauce
3 T. fresh minced garlic
2 T. fresh minced ginger
1/4 c. minced crystallized ginger
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced

Optional:
1 c. portabellas, sliced
Green vegetable (beans, snow peas, broccoli)
Couple dashes each of:
Cumin
Cardamom
Coriander
Turmeric

Simmer about 30 minutes, until flavors are blended and vegetables are tender.  

Just before serving, add:
Shredded pork
3 pints heavy cream

Heat through.  Serve as soup, or upgrade to main course by serving over basmati.  Garnish with cilantro or a dollop of coconut cream.

NOTE:  substitute leftover chicken, beef, or pork.  Also really good with a combination of shrimp/crab/lobster.

Pad Thai Curry

It's curry celebration week on SnootyCook.Com!  

There's no better place to acquire a taste for really good curry than Pad Thai, located in the Lamplighter Square in South County.  The owners and staff are friendly and the food is consistently par excellence!  The venue is fresh, inviting, and clean too!  

If you haven't been there yet...GO!  You'll have no regrets, I promise.  

Sweet N Salty Fried Pecans

Sweet N Salty Fried Pecans

1 c. pecans
2 T. sugar
Oil for deep frying
Salt

In medium pot, boil 3 c. water.  Add pecans and return to boil for 1 minute.  Drain nuts.  

Place hot nuts in a bowl and add sugar, stirring until dissolved.

Heat 1" of oil to 360 degrees.  Or, as I do, until it is "hot enough!"  Carefully add nuts and stir lightly until golden...about 3 minutes.  

Transfer nuts to collander and season to taste with salt.  Coarse sea salt and regular table salt give different results, but both are equally good!  The table salt sticks a little bit better, but the coarse salt provides an extra crunch.  Lightly stir nuts as they cool to keep them from sticking together. 

Cool completely.  These can be stored in an airtight container for a couple of weeks, even frozen for 3-4, but if anyone knows they're around, you'll never be able to independently verify this.  They're that good.

Chocolate Martinis for Two

Here is a liquid dessert that even non-martini drinkers find palatable:

Chocolate Martini

For 2 martinis, pour 1 shot each into an ice-filled shaker:

Vanilla vodka

Creme de Cacao

Godiva Chocolate Liquer

Heavy cream

Shake vigorously, strain into martini glasses.

If desired, before pouring, dampen rim of glass and dip in a mixture of cocoa and sugar.  Enjoy!

Swedish Pancake Roll-Ups

For some inexplicable reason, I find this little pancake/crepe  absolutely irresistible, which is why I don't make them very often!

Swedish Pancake Roll-Ups

3 c. favorite pancake mix

1/2 c. oil

4 c. milk

Thoroughly blend all ingredients with wire whip until no lumps remain. Mixture will be VERY thin.

Preheat large skillet to Med-High. Pour 1/2-3/4 c. batter into pan, tilting to distribute thinly. Cook until edges are dry, much like you would a pancake. Loosen edges, then flip, cooking other side until brown. Remove from pan.

Immediately, spread generously with butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and roll-up the cake, jelly-roll style. This recipe makes approximately 10-12 "cakes."

As you can imagine, these are good all by themselves, but can also be served with fresh berries or peaches. 

NOTE: I have used several types of store-bought pancake mix (including original and complete mixes), as well as my own homemade concoction. Each has worked really well!

Rustic Artisan Bread

You might guess that "rustic" and "artisan" are code for rough-looking and heavy.  And they are.  This is not a bad thing if that's the sort of bread you like.   And I do.  They also happen to be trendy buzzwords that increase blog traffic-flow.    Yes...I am that shallow. 

Rustic Artisan Bread

6 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 T. yeast

1 1/2 T. course salt

3 1/2 c. lukewarm water

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine with fork.  Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 2 or more hours.  2 worked just fine for me.  

Divide dough into 3 lumps.  The dough will seem almost too wet to work with, but if you wet your hands, it will prevent the dough from sticking to them and will allow you to form them into mounds.

Place an oven proof bowl/dish with 1-2 cups of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven, and preheat to 450 degrees.  Place loaves on a lightly greased baking sheet, score tops with a knife, and bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes.   

I was very satisfied with the ease of preparation and the relatively quick and successful result. 

Cream of Leek Soup

Cream of Leek Soup

4-6 medium leeks
6 T. butter
3 T. flour
2 t. chopped chives
6 c. heavy cream 
6 cubes or t. chicken bouillon

Thinly slice leeks, discarding top green portions.  In medium saucepan, cook links in butter 8-10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Whisk in flour, then add remaining ingredients.  .Cook over medium heat until boiling.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring until slightly thickened.  

NOTE: To make this soup suitable for drinking, add only 1-2 c. of cream, then puree in a food processor before adding the remaining liquid.  Use a turkey baster to dispense into shot glasses, sprinkle with chopped chives and wah-lah!  You have an elegant appetizer! 

Perfect Indoor Filet

Perfect Indoor Filet Mignon

Many of us assume that the only way to do a steak right is to grill it, but the most surefire way I've discovered to reach filet perfection, is to cook it in indoors:

1)  Heat oil on high in skillet

2)  Turn oven to 450 degrees

3)  Coat each filet heavily with salt and pepper

4)  Brown filet in the hot oil - about 2-3 minutes each side

5)  Place browned filets in baking dish; bake at 450 for 8-12 minutes for a medium rare finish (depending on thickness - 1-1 1/2" closer to 8...increase as thickness increases)

6)  Remove from oven, tent, and let meat rest for 5-10 minutes

You will end up with a gorgeous filet bursting with flavor...EVERY TIME.  

For an added treat, lightly sauté asparagus spears in the same skillet with the drippings.  Superb.

Additional perk: dinner ready in 30...start to finish.

Bill's Sweet N Tangy Baked Beans

Kudos to Bill Mare for creating and sharing this recipe:

Bill's Sweet N Tangy Baked Beans

In skillet, fry:
1/2 lb. bacon - when crisp, remove from pan, drain, and break into pieces

In same pan, fry:
1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped

Drain fat from beef and onions.

Combine bacon, beef, and onion with the following ingredients:

1/2 c. ketchup
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 t. spicy brown mustard
1 T. vinegar
1 (16oz) can baked beans
1 (16oz) can kidney beans
1 (16oz) can butter beans

Bake in a 9x13 baking dish at 350 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered...OR cook in the crockpot on low for 4 hours.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Highly recommend for those days when a simple apology won't buy you a ticket out of The Dog House.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

In a large stock pot, boil until cooked through:

8 lg. chicken thighs

Water to cover

8 chicken bouillon cubes 

I used bone-in, skin-on thighs b/c it's what was in the store tonight.  Any equivalent 3-4 c. of chicken would suffice, though these make a particularly flavorful broth.

When chicken is done through, remove from stock and place in the fridge or freezer until cool enough to handle.  When cooled, remove and discard skin and bones, tearing meat into bite size pieces.

To stock, add and boil until tender:

1/2 extra large onion, diced

1/2 - 3/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves

Change to low heat and add:

2 c. Franks hot sauce

16 oz. block sharp cheddar, grated

8 oz. cream cheese

3/4 c. Ranch dressing

I suggest blending the cream cheese and Ranch in a processor for easier incorporation into the broth.  I didn't do this and it turned out fine, but the cream cheese didn't want to blend in very well.

Do not boil from this point on.  When cheeses are melted, add the following and heat through:

Cooked chicken

1 can black beans, drained (optional)

1 can white sweet corn, drained (optional)

1 (8oz) can creamed corn (optional)

The final 3 ingredients add some interest, but are not necessary to the soup's overall taste, so make your choice.  

This version is quite mild by my standards and would probably be safe to serve to most people.  Those who like it SPICIER can add more Franks to their bowl...I know I will!  

Very flavorful but not at all overwhelming.