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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 2 Issue 96 - May 13, 2002 Automatic system commands and instructions: End of Message Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Good Morning Recipe Club. This week I'd like you to get to know my friend Patricia Rain, AKA "The Vanilla Queen". "People ask me all the time how - and why - I became the Vanilla Queen. There's a simple answer and there's a longer story. The simple answer: I've always loved vanilla and, as I have an inquiring mind, I wanted to learn everything possible about vanilla. What began as curiosity eventually led to devoting my life to the promotion of this incredible tropical treasure and the people who grow it. And for that, I became known as the Vanilla Queen. For those of you who are interested in learning more, here's the whole story". http://www.vanilla.com/html/about-queen.html -------------------------------------------------- Here's a personal note about this weeks recipes from Patricia: When I do special events on vanilla, we frequently have a buffet or a three-course sit down meal at the end of the program featuring a menu of vanilla-flavored foods. The food is always well received. Vanilla's flavor carries so well in dishes, and the flavor itself is so delicate, that it's not like serving a meal created around rosemary or sage or, for that matter, chocolate. Instead, the marriage of flavors of vanilla and the other ingredients carries the theme without overpowering your taste buds. The following week of recipes isn't really designed for you to make and serve all of these recipes over a week's time, though you could. Instead, I've chosen recipes that work well together for an entire meal, something you might prepare for friends. And, sprinkled throughout a month of meals, these recipes will enliven your repertoire. In fact, you will probably be surprised at vanilla's versatility and its almost remarkable way of bringing new sparkle to old standards. -------------------------------------------------- MONDAY Ginger-Vanilla and Carrot Soup This is a wonderful way to "eat your carrots" -- and enjoy them. Ingredients: 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 cups peeled carrots, coarsely chopped 5 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup light or regular sour cream, or more Instructions: Heal oil in a 3-4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and cook for 3 - 5 minutes. Add carrots and stir to coat with oil and onions. Add stock, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer until carrots are tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Run ingredients through blender or food processor until well pureed. Add sour cream, vanilla, and ginger, and mix well or run through processor again. If soup is too thick, add more stock until it reaches the desired thickness. Adjust seasonings to taste. This soup is good hot or cold. Garnish with more sour cream, herbs, or another sprinkle of crystallized ginger. -------------------------------------------------- Vanilla.com Discover the enchanting world of vanilla and learn how everyone's favorite flavor performs culinary magic! Finely crafted recipes and tips from the Vanilla Queen and name chefs tempt both palate and imagination. Enjoy fascinating facts, lore, legends, travel information and stories about the versatile bean. The boutique offers premium vanilla extracts, beans, foods, perfumes and more. The Vanilla.COMpany provides a memorable journey into the realm of familiarity, comfort and pleasure, and offers a fresh look at an often-used and under-valued ingredient. You'll never see vanilla as plain again! http://www.vanilla.com -------------------------------------------------- Grilled Or Pan-Fried Pork Chops With Vanilla-Scented Apples Ingredients: 4 loin or rib pork chops 3 large Fuji or other firm, sweet apples, cored, peeled and sliced into 12 slices 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 cup apple juice or cider 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or to taste) Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: Grill or pan cook pork chops until barely done. Place on a platter in a warm oven. Add butter and brown sugar to pan used to cook pork chops and set over medium heat. Stir butter and sugar to blend well and to allow to caramelize slightly and to loosen small pieces of the pork chops. Add apple juice or cider and apple slices. Cook apples just until done, then remove with a slotted spoon and set apples aside. Reduce the pan juices to two to three tablespoons. Remove from heat and add vanilla, salt and pepper. Add apple slices and return to heat until the apples are hot. Pour over the pork chops. Serve with rice or potatoes. Serves 4 -------------------------------------------------- CLUB MEMBERS! GET 4 COOKBOOKS FOR $1 EACH! Turn any meal into a magnificent feast with the help of world famous chefs like Julia Child and Emeril Lagasse. Learn how to make tempting treats, dazzling dinners and decadent deserts--fantastic foods that will make dining a delight! Discover a great selection of quick and easy recipes, techniques, and tips for both beginners and experts alike. Start now with 4 cookbooks for $1 each from The Good Cook. Click for details. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=86 -------------------------------------------------- Vanilla Sugar Cookies Ingredients: 4 cups sifted unbleached flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 cup unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 2 eggs, separated 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk or sour cream Vanilla sugar Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Sift flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter with sugar, egg yolks and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Blend well. In another bowl beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into cookie batter. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Spread and shape cookie on back of spoon into a 2-inch circle, 1/2 inch high. Sprinkle generously with vanilla sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Immediately remove to rack; sprinkle again with vanilla sugar and cool completely. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies. -------------------------------------------------- Shopping Lists: 1 medium onion Olive oil 6 cups peeled carrots 5 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock Ground cinnamon Crystallized ginger Pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup light or regular sour cream 4-loin or rib pork chops 3 large Fuji or other firm, sweet apples Butter Brown sugar Apple juice or cider Pure vanilla extract (or to taste) Salt and pepper to taste 4 cups sifted unbleached flour Baking soda Salt (optional) Unsalted butter Sugar 2 eggs Pure vanilla extract Buttermilk or sour cream Vanilla sugar -------------------------------------------------- CLUB MEMBERS, WIN FREE HOT STUFF! Our newest sponsor is FireBreath.com Register to win this gift crate of hot and spicy goodies by clicking the link below. Offer ends at the end of the month. You need to keep open flames away from this crate. Comes with Galena Blasting Powder BBQ Rub, Spontaneous Combustion Peanuts, Hot Sauce Harry's Dynamite Hot Sauce, and Galena Basting Sauce. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=93 -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE or Unsubscribe Requests: http://chef2chef.net/forms/form-entry.htm or reply to this E-Mail by typing into the SUBJECT line: remove club or subscribe club -------------------------------------------------- ARCHIVE: All Club e-mails are archived each Friday at: http://chef2chef.net/news/club/ -------------------------------------------------- LIST PURGE: We attempt to send email for 24 hours. If not successful, your address is removed. Re-subscribe if in doubt. -------------------------------------------------- |