Angel Food Cake

An Angel Food Cake is a great way to use up left over egg whites. This recipe is from Alton Brown. The cake is fluffy and light and flavored with a little bit of orange extract. It tastes great with a fruit compote or fruit sauce.  Make sure to cut it with a serrated knife so that it doesn't collapse.

Angel Food Cake

   (10 - 12 servings)

1 ¾ cups sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup cake flour, sifted 12 egg whites, the closer to room temperature the better ⅓ cup warm water 1 teaspoon orange extract = (or extract of your choice) 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar 1.Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. 2.In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt and the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside. 3.In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. 4.Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry). 5.Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan. Cook's Note: Since they're easier to separate, use the freshest eggs you can get.

Hong Kong Soy Sauce Fried Noodles

This is a classic and famous noodle dish from Hong Kong. Egg noodles are fried with bean sprouts, chives and premium soy sauces. It is a simple noodle dish that can be prepared in minutes but is still very satisfiying. Try to use high quality soy sauce and a Chinese wok if you own one.



Hong Kong Soya Sauce Fried Noodles
(adapted from kokken69.blogsppot.com)

• Dried Egg Noodle 200g (blanched quickly in hot water to soften. Drain and set aside)
• Premium light soya sauce 2 tbsp 
  •  (if you can't find light soya sauce, use dark soya sauce instead)
• Premium dark soya sauce 1 tbsp
• Oyster sauce 1/2 tbsp
• Sugar 1/8 tsp
• Pepper Generous dash
• Bean sprouts 1 loose cup
• Chives 1/2 loose cup 
• Toasted Seseame seeds Generous sprinkle.

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a heated wok.

2. Add bean sprouts and fry for 1 minute over medium heat. Add softened noodles and fry for 1/2 minute over high heat.

3. Add all seasoning and continue to fry noodles over high heat for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add in Chinese chives and fry for another 1/2 minute. Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds and dish out. Serve with chilli sauce.

Pulled Pork

Sometimes I am glad that I am not a real Vegetarian. A while ago I promised my son to make him pulled pork and I finally got around to making it last week. I had to find a recipe that I did not need an outdoor grill for, so I turned to Cooks Illustrated and found just the right recipe. I followed their advice and bought the piece of meat that they recommended. When I took a closer look at it I thought that I might not be able to eat it. It had a lot of fat and did not look appetizing at all. But I stuck to my plan and in the end I was glad I followed the directions. This was a perfect example of comfort food- juicy meat submerged in a sweet and tangy Barbecue Sauce. The recipe is made for 6 - 8 persons and I intended to freeze any leftovers. The next day the leftovers magically disappeared and there was nothing left to freeze...

Plan ahead, this dish is not difficult to make but it does need some time.

Indoor Pulled Pork
(from Cooks Illustrated)

SERVES 6 TO 8

Sweet paprika may be substituted for smoked paprika. Covering the pork with parchment and then foil prevents the acidic mustard from eating holes in the foil. Serve the pork on hamburger rolls with pickle chips and thinly sliced onion. Lexington Vinegar Barbecue Sauce or South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce (see related recipes) can be substituted for the Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce. Alternatively, use 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce thinned with ½ cup of the defatted pork cooking liquid in step 5. The shredded and sauced pork can be cooled, tightly covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• Pork
• 1cup plus 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1/2cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (available at amazon.com, if you can't find it)
• 1boneless pork butt (about 5 pounds), cut in half horizontally 
• 1/4cup yellow mustard
• 2tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2tablespoons smoked paprika (see note)
• 1teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce
• 1 1/2cups ketchup
• 1/4cup light or mild molasses
• 2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1tablespoon hot sauce
• 1/2teaspoon table salt 
• 1/2teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE PORK: Dissolve 1 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons liquid smoke in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge pork in brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. 2. While pork brines, combine mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons liquid smoke in small bowl; set aside. Combine black pepper, paprika, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and cayenne in second small bowl; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
3. 3. Remove pork from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub mustard mixture over entire surface of each piece of pork. Sprinkle entire surface of each piece with spice mixture. Place pork on wire rack set inside foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place piece of parchment paper over pork, then cover with sheet of aluminum foil, sealing edges to prevent moisture from escaping. Roast pork for 3 hours.
4. 4. Remove pork from oven; remove and discard foil and parchment. Carefully pour off liquid in bottom of baking sheet into fat separator and reserve for sauce. Return pork to oven and cook, uncovered, until well browned, tender, and internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1½ hours. Transfer pork to serving dish, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. 5. FOR THE SAUCE: While pork rests, pour 1/2 cup of defatted cooking liquid from fat separator into medium bowl; whisk in sauce ingredients.
6. 6. TO SERVE: Using 2 forks, shred pork into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 cup sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Mushroom and Chorizo Minestrone

Minestrone is a thick Italian Soup that is made with vegetables and often has pasta and/or rice.
This soup contains mushrooms, chorizo, potatoes and orzo pasta. The chorizo adds some spice and a very rich flavor to the soup. The mushrooms add a deep and earthy flavor and the the addition of pasta and potatoes makes this souop a full meal. This minestrone is utterly delicious and it is the perfect dish for a cold winter day.

Mushroom and Chorizo Minestrone

from britishlarder.co.uk

• 200 g / 7 oz peeled and sliced onions (approximately two medium sized onions)
• 375 g / 13.2 oz Desiree potatoes, peeled and cubed 2cm
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2tb s olive oil
• 200 g / 7 oz field mushrooms, sliced
• 100 g / 3.5 oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 160 g / 5.6 oz chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 100 g / 3.5 oz chorizo, cut into 1cm pieces (the hard kind) 
• 100 g / 3.5 oz orzo pasta
• 125ml / 0.5 cups white wine
• 1.2 L / 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1tbs chopped chives for serving

1.The most difficult task of this recipe is the preparation of the ingredients, it takes a bit of time, so pour yourself a glass of wine and take your time. Peel the onions and slice them through the root, like a cake, into thin slices. Peel and dice the potato into 2cm cubes and cut the chorizo sausage into 1cm pieces. Cut all the mushrooms into wedges as per the onions and crush the garlic.

2.Heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat and sauté the onions, diced potato, salt and pepper, smoked paprika, all the mushrooms, chorizo and the crushed garlic until golden brown. Cover the pan with the lid for a few minutes while sautéing so that it does not take on too much colour, stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Do not be tempted to add more oil, the sautéing process takes about 8 - 10 minutes.

3.Add the orzo pasta and mix well.

4.Once you are happy with the amount of colouring deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until all the wine is absorbed.

5.Add the stock, cover the pan with a lid and bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stir frequently to prevent the pasta sticking to the base of the pan and gently simmer for 25 minutes over low heat.

6.Serve the piping hot soup with a sprinkling of chopped chives and warm freshly baked bread on the side.