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2005

TODAY's CASES:

Pischinger Torte

On 25 Jul 2005 at 9:33, Fred wrote:

> This is one of the classical Viennese Torten. It uses oblatten with a
> chocolate (or cocoa) and hazelnut cream filling. I haven't had it for
> about 55 years so the details of my description may be faulty. I
> managed to obtain a package of Karlsbad oblatten and would like to try
> to re-create this torte. Thank you in advance for your help
> 
> Fred 
> Toronto, Ontario
> Canada
> 

Hello Fred,

See below for two recipes.

Phaed

 
Pischinger Torte

"Oblaten" wafers
6 tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 whole eggs
4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
1 cup roasted and finely ground filberts.

Roast filberts in oven at 350 F for 20 minutes, or in microwave oven 
at level 10 for 5 minutes.
Cream butter, with Mixmaster at speed 8.
Add sugar gradually.
Add eggs previously beaten with a fork.
Add nuts, then the melted, still hot chocolate.
Spread over several layers of wafers.

Icing
Melt 4 oz semisweet chocolate, in a double boiler.
When lukewarm spread over and at sides of cake.
---------------------
Pischinger Torte

This is the most popular dessert in Viennese Café's. 
1 cup hazelnuts
3/4 cup warm whipping cream
1 lb. good milk chocolate
6 Mocha-Chocolate Wine Wafers

Toast nuts in 300F oven for half hour. Cool and grind fine. Melt chocolate 
bar in a double boiler. Reserve 1 half cup for the topping [keep warm]. 
Mix whipping cream, ground nuts, and melted chocolate. Spread 3 tablespoons 
of mixture across first wafer. 
Put another wafer on the side. Add the spread. Place it on top of the first. 
Repeat process up to the last cookie which receives no "filling" on top. 
Refrigerate for 1 hour. 
Pour reserved chocolate across top of cooled torte. Use a spatula to spread 
evenly across top and sides. Allow topping to harden at room temperature 
for a glossy sheen. Ready to serve next day.

Salt Crusted Chicken

On 26 Jul 2005 at 13:24, Jacqui wrote:

> Phaedrus;  I am looking for a chicken recipe that is baked with crust
> that encases the herb, onion , stuffed bird.  The "crust" I believe is
> made out of a salt and flour concoction and is then baked.  You put
> the ball of crust covered chicken on the table and break it open to
> the delight of the grandchildren or whoever with a hammer?  I saw this
> many years ago and before I could make it I lost the recipe.  People
> look at me strangely if I ask if they've ever tried this and have a
> recipe.  It sounds like fun and thank you if you can find the recipe. 
> Jacqui from the Northwoods. 7/25/05
> 

Hi Jacqui,

See below for several recipes.

Phaed

salt chicken

It would seem like cooking a chicken completely buried in salt would 
result in a salty chicken. oh no! the salt solidifies into a crust 
and does *not* penetrate the chicken. Instead you have the most tender 
delicate moist chicken ever.. and healthy too!

This technique can be used on whole fish as well.

1 clove garlic
1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves preserves in salt, 
or dried and blanched
1 chicken, about 3 pounds
about 2 pounds coarse salt (I use rock salt)

1. Clean the chicken, stuff it with the herbs and garlic. Make a 1 inch 
layer of coarse grained salt on the bottom a terra cotta casserole dish. 
Place chicken on salt. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. pour remaining salt over chicken. 

Cover casserole dish with its lid and place in the oven. bake for 
10 minutes, then raise temperature to 400 and bake for 1-1/2 hours 
longer. remove casserole from oven and let rest for two minutes

3. A solid crust should have formed. Crack the crust with a wooden 
meat pounder or a heavy wooden spoon 
4. Transfer to a serving dish. The chicken should be golden brown and 
very juicy. Brush off any loose salt and serve immediately.
---------------------------
Salted Chicken 

This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver's Happy Days cookbook. Surprisingly 
enough the chicken is not overly salty, just moist because the salt crust 
keeps all the juices inside. 

3  kg coarse rock salt  
1/2  cup fennel seeds, cracked  
2  eggs, beaten  
2  lemons, halved  
1  tablespoon peppercorns  
1  bunch fresh thyme  
 olive oil  
1 (2  kg) whole chicken  
1  bunch parsley, chopped  
8  cloves garlic, skins left on,squashed  

Preheat the oven to 200 C or 400 degrees F. 
Put all the salt into a bowl with the fennel seeds, eggs, lemon juice 
(save the juiced lemon skins), peppercorns and a wineglass of water 
and mix together. 
Crush the thyme in a pestle and mortar and add a couple good glugs of 
olive oil. Rub this flavoured oil all over your chicken, pushing any 
extra inside the cavity along with the parsley, garlic and squeezed 
lemon halves. 
You want the cavity so full that no salt will be able to get in. 
Get four long pieces of tinfoil and put them on top of each other 
to make a sheet around a metre square. 
Lay on a third of the salt, spreading until it is about 1/4 inch thick. 
Put your chicken on top, then pack the rest of the salt around it, making 
sure not to pierce the skin. 
Carefully fold up the sides of the tinfoil and scrunch it at the top. 
You can rip off any extra tinfoil. 
Place the chicken in the preheated oven and cook for two hours. 
Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes. 
Take it to the table, rip open the tinfoil and crack the salt crust. 
It will fall apart easily and you will have a juicy chicken ready to serve. 
A nice side dish is some horseradish, mixed with creme fraiche or some 
homemade mayonnaise and basil. 
-------------------------------------------
Salt Crusted Chicken - Chef Haru, The Observatory Hotel

Serving size: Serves 4
Cooking time: More than 1 hour

Ingredients:

11/2 bunches thyme, chopped coarsely
11/2 bunches rosemary, chopped coarsely
1 bulb garlic, chopped coarsely
900g salt
900g plain flour
egg whites of 7 x 60g eggs (250g)
300ml water
1 size 16 whole chicken
1 egg yolk, combined with a little water

Method
Blend thyme, rosemary, garlic and salt in processor. Combine with 
egg white and flour in large bowl of electric mixer. Beat to combine. 
Gradually add water until a smooth dough forms.
Divide the dough in half. Place first piece of dough on a sheet of 
lightly floured baking paper. Roll the dough out to 5mm in thickness.
Place a sheet of baking paper on top of rolled out dough. Place 
remaining dough on top and roll out to 5mm in thickness.
Place 1 sheet dough flat on a greased baking tray.
Place trussed chicken, breast side up, in the centre.
Cover chicken with remaining piece of rolled dough. 
Crimp edges to seal, brush with egg yolk mixture.
Bake at 190°C or 1700°C fan-forced for 1hr.
Once cooked, cut around base of salt crust. (DO NOT EAT CRUST). 
Remove the top crust. Lift chicken onto chopping board, and cut into 
serving size portions.

Serve garnished with mixed salad leaves.
----------------------------------------
Salt crusted chicken  

Here are two recipes to achieve the same objective. A tender flavorsome 
roast chicken that you won't believe you have cooked in salt.

Method 1

1 kg strong Flour
700 g salt (natural sea)
4 egg whites
250 ml water

Mix flour and salt and liquids. Roll out thinly and wrap a whole 
stuffed chicken in the pastry and bake in the oven for 1-1/2 hours 
depending on the size of the chook. Serve at the table by breaking 
the top off and letting people help themselves 

Method 2

4 kg Rock Salt

In a casserole dish place 1/2 kg salt and then place your whole stuffed 
chicken on top. The dish needs to snugly fit the chicken. Pour the 
remaining salt over the top and firm down. Bake in the oven for 1/2 hours 
and then rest for 20 mins. Break open the top (hammer is good) and brush 
off any salt with a pastry brush 

Pear Brandy

>   On 29 Jul 2005 at 11:13, gail wrote:
> 
>   > Hi,
>   > I hope you can help me with a recipe for pear brandy........
>   > thanks so much. Gail
> 

Hello Gail, Is this what you mean? Phaed

 
>   Pear Brandy
> 
>   Ingredients:
>   1 firm, ripe pear 
>   3 cups (750 ml.) brandy 
> 
>   Directions:
>   Rinse pear, dry and place in a wide-mouthed decorative glass jar (at
>   least 1 quart). Pour brandy over pear (pear must be covered). Seal
>   airtight. (If seal is rubber or synthetic rubber, cover glass top
>   with plastic wrap to protect seal from alcohol, which can soften
>   it.) Store at least one week or up to one year at room temperature.
> 
>   Makes 3 cups 
> 

On 29 Jul 2005 at 13:51, gail wrote:

> I'm sorry I didn't make myself very clear........I'd like to make pear
> brandy with vodka and fresh pears.......thanks so much

Hi Gail,

Gail, vodka is vodka and brandy is brandy. You do not make brandy of any kind with vodka. What you really want is a recipe for pear liqueur. A pear liqueur (not liquor - "liqueur") may be made with vodka, rum, brandy, or even grain alcohol, but - it's not a "pear brandy" unless the alcohol used to make it is brandy. (Or unless you start with pears, make pear wine or mash, and then distill the pear wine or mash to make pear brandy.) See below for two pear liqueur recipes made with vodka.

Phaed

Homemade Pear Liqueur Recipe

2 big pears, sliced 
1 pinch cinnamon (or 1/2" cinnamon stick) 
1 clove 
3 cups vodka 
1 cup sugar syrup 
Steep 2 weeks, strain and filter, add syrup, age 2 months

Note: Very light, subtle taste
----------------------------------
Pear Liqueur

Categories: Alcohol, Beverages

Yield: 3 pints

1 lb Pears
3 c Vodka 
1 c Sugar Syrup
2 pinch Cinnamon, nutmeg
2 Clove
2 Coriander seed
2 Apple (optional)

The Bartlett pear is the best to use for liqueur making. It is juicy, 
sweet, and smooth. 
Season is July to Nov. Avoid ones with cuts, bruises, dark spots, or decay. 

Slice pears (and apple if desired) and add to other ingredients, adding 
sugar syrup last. Stir gently and steep 3 weeks. Strain and filter. 
Taste and adjust flavor by adding more fruit or sugar syrup if needed. 
Steep 3-4 weeks, then strain. Ready for use.

Other fruits can be combined with pears to create a different taste.
Yield: 3 pints Container: Wide mouth 1/2 gallon jar

Aussie Fries

Try this:

1 lb frozen french fries, cooked and drained
1/2 cup colby, jack or taco cheese, shredded
6 pieces bacon, cooked and diced

Salt the french fries, sprinkle on the shredded cheese and diced bacon.  
Place in warm oven until cheese begins to melt.

Something similar is served in French Canada where the fries are lashed 
with beef gravy and sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese!

Brandied Peaches

On 26 Jul 2005 at 7:09, Yvette wrote:

> I'm looking for a recipe for brandied peaches- home canned.
> 
> I made them several years ago from a book checked out of the library
> (sorry, I don't remember which one- or I'd look there)
> 
> Here's what I remember:
> Skin the peaches- slice & pack in sterile jars
> Make a syrup to pour over peaches and add brandy on the top of the
> syrup. Hot water bath  canning method.
> 
> Thanks
> Yvette

Hi Yvette,

Below are the recipes that I have.

Phaed

Brandied  Peaches

 Preparation :
    Delicious with lamb or chicken or as a dessert.  Dip perfect
 peaches in hot water and peel.  If peaches have thin skins, you may
 prefer not to peel them.  Rub off the fuzz and prick each peach with
 a fork.  For each 6 peaches, boil 3 cups water with 2 cups sugar 10
 minutes.  Cook the peaches in the syrup, a few at a time, until
 tender when tried with a toothpick, about 5 minutes.  Pack into
 jars.  Add 2 tablespoons brandy to each pint jar and fill the jars
 with syrup.  Store a month before using.
----------------------------------
Brandied  Nectarines  (Or  Peaches)

 Ingredients :
 6 nectarines (or peaches)
 3/4 c. sugar
 1 c. water
 3 tbsp. brandy
 Fresh blueberries (optional)
 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
 1 c. sour cream
 1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
 2 tbsp. brandy

 Preparation :
    Blanch and peel nectarines, pit and cut into quarters.  In large
 saucepan combine nectarines, sugar and water.  Bring t a boil and
 simmer 1 minute.  Stir in 3 tablespoons brandy and vanilla.  Let
 stand until room temperature, then chill.  Just before serving,
 arrange fruit in individual dish and if desired add some fresh
 blueberries to each dish.  Combine sour cream, confectioners' sugar,
 and remaining brandy.  Spoon over nectarines.  NOTE:  When making a
 larger amount, I triple the number of nectarines and double the
 amount of all other ingredients.
----------------------------------
Brandied  Peaches

 Ingredients :
 3 lbs. Freestone peaches
 2 c. water
 12 tbsp. apricot brandy
 2 c. sugar
 6 whole cloves

 Preparation :
    Dip peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds.  Peel, half, and
 pit. Combine sugar, water, and cloves in pan.  Heat to boiling.
 Simmer 5 minutes.  Add half the peaches to syrup; simmer 5 minutes.
 Remove with slotted spoon into 3 jars.  Cover loosely.  Repeat with
 remaining peaches.  Boil syrup to reduce volume to 1 1/2 cups.  Add
 2 tablespoons Brandy to each jar.  Spoon in syrup, discarding
 cloves. Fill jars to within 1/2 inch of top.  Hold peaches with fork
 to dislodge bubbles.  Seal, cool, label, and date.

""


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