Stuck in someone else's frames? break free!

Welcome to Spike's & Jamie's "Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection Archives"!!  Here we store all the back issues of the original "Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection" and of the "Spike’s Jewish Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection". These newsletters were written by Spike (Jann McCormick) and published by Jamie from 2000 until Spike's death in 2008.  Spike loved to cook and share her cooking with those she loved.  Sharing her recipes was the next best thing.

[Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection]   [Spike’s Jewish Good Eatin’ Recipes

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·->Spike’s Good Eatin’ Recipe Collection Issue 15<-·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

from: Spike's and Jamie's Recipe Collection

Many of these recipes have not yet been added to the recipe web site, so you are getting a "sneak peak" of future additions. We hope you enjoy these recipes. You will need a still for one of them. Spike's comments are in {{Brackets}}.

Shalom, from 

Spike the Grate & Jamie the Webmistress

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

EGGPLANT PUREE

3 eggplants (aubergine)
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of 1 lemon or lime
salt and black pepper

The best way of preparing this puree is to grill the eggplants over charcoal, which gives them a distinctive flavor. However, it will probably be more convenient to grill them under a broiler or place them over a gas flame; either way is very successful. Sear them until the skins are black and start to blister, and the flesh soft and juicy. Rub the skins off under the cold tap, taking care to remove any charred particles. Gently squeeze out as much of the juice as possible, since it is very bitter.

Put the eggplants in a bowl and mash them with a fork, or pound them to a smooth paste in a mortar. An electric blender will give excellent results. Add the oil gradually, beating all the time. Add the remaining ingredients, mixing to blend into the puree. Taste and add more lemon juice, garlic, or seasoning to taste.

Serve as an appetizer or salad.

[[Spike found this recipe in a 1968 book titled “Middle Eastern Food,” by Claudia Roden. It shows us, in many different ways, that many people are willing to work hard at making something out of almost nothing and at using every possible food resource they can find. I really admire people who can do this; I also admire those who find a way to use every part of an animal they have obtained for food.

I have often wondered if people who catch sturgeon for the caviar will actually eat the fish itself. I have never seen filet of sturgeon in the grocery store, and I have never seen a recipe for sturgeon. That does not mean it isn’t used – it just means that I haven’t seen it. There are probably many things I’ve never seen.]]

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

ESHKENEH SHIRAZI
(Persian Yogurt Soup)

This is a specialty of the city of Shiraz. This soup is given texture with chopped walnuts, and gains an unusual flavor from the herb fenugreek, called “shanbalileh” in Iran.

2 1/2 tbsp butter
1-2 onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp fresh fenugreek or 1 tsp ground
5 cups hot water
salt and black pepper
2 1/2 cups yogurt

Melt butter in a large pan. Fry the onions in it until they are a pale golden color.

Add the flour and stir over very low heat for a few minutes, until will blended. Add the walnuts and fenugreek. Pour in a ladleful of the hot water and beat vigorously, then add the rest of the water gradually, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, bring to the boil slowly, and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the soup thickens a little and has lost its floury taste.

Beat the yogurt vigorously. Add a ladleful of the hot soup and beat well. Pour the mixture back into the soup gradually, stirring all the time. Leave over low heat until it comes to just below boiling point, but do not allow the soup to boil, or it will curdle. Serve immediately.

[[Spike thinks that yogurt should have a nicer name. Perhaps “silky soup” would be good. There are several food items that should have new names: fish and sour cream come to mind immediately. There is a little person living here, who does not like fish but loves orange roughy. She may or may not like silky soup.]

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

POP TARTS 
(From Kellogg’s)

From Top Secret Recipes:

Dough:

2 tbsp shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp buttermilk
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt, rounded
1/8 tsp baking powder, scant
1 2/3 cups flour
3 tbsp water

Filling:

3 tbsp dark brown sugar
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp flour
dash cinnamon
dash salt
1 egg white, beaten

Frosting:

1 tbsp dark brown sugar
4 tsp milk
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
dash salt
dash cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the shortening, powdered sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup, baking soda, salt, and baking powder, using an electric mixer.

Add the flour and mix by hand to incorporate.

Mix in the water by hand, then use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Cover and set aside.

To make the filling, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

To build the pastries, divide the dough in half, then roll one half out onto a floured surface, using additional flour on the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking. Roll the dough to no more than 1/16 inch thick. Use a knife or pizza wheel to cut the dough into four 3 x l8 inch rectangles.

Brush the beaten egg white over the entire surface f one half of each rectangle. Sprinkle a rounded 1/2 tbsp of the filling over the surface of the brushed half of the pastry, being sure to leave a margin of about 1/4 inch from the edge of the dough all of the way around. Fold the other side of the dough over onto the filling. Press down on the edge of the dough all of the way around with the tines of a fork to seal it. Use the fork to poke several holes in the top of the pastry. Fill the remaining three dough rectangles, and then repeat the process with the remaining half portion of the dough.

Arrange the pastries on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 deg. F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The pastries should be only very light brown, not dark brown (the pastries will be reheated and browned in a toaster before eating, like the real thing). Remove the pastries from the oven and cool completely.

Make the frosting by combining the brown sugar and milk in a small bowl. Microwave on half power for 10 to 20 seconds, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well until smooth.

Spread a thin layer of the frosting over the top of each pastry and allow it to dry. Now leave the pastries out so that they dry completely. Overnight is best.

To reheat the pastries, toast them in a toaster oven or toaster on the lightest setting only. Watch carefully so that the pastries do not burn. Serves 8

(Top Secret Recipes, by Todd Wilbur,1998)

[Spike believes that one could fill them with jam instead of the brown sugar stuff. Further, you could probably frost them with a glaze of lemon juice and powdered sugar. Some types of jam would not be compatible with brown sugar, and the glaze would be perfect for those types.]

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

“DIFFERENT” VEGGIE INFORMATION

Burdock Root:  Called ‘gobo’ in Japanese, this is a long, slender root veggie with a fine earthy flavor. Gobo should be scrubbed, but not necessary to peel. It is usually cut in thin strips. It is a bit tough, and needs about twice as much cooking time as carrots. It can be parboiled for ten minutes before being added to mixed veggie dishes. 

Kimpira

One burdock root per person
1/2 large carrot per person
toasted sesame seeds
corn and sesame oil
soy sauce

Wash the veggies then cut in long, thin pieces. Toast the sesame seeds. Put about 1/8 inch of oil into a fry pan and heat until almost smoking. Cook the burdock for 5 minutes, then add carrot, and continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes, until veggies begin to get tender. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Heat a wok or another fry pan and stir fry the veggies, adding the soy and sesame seeds.

Celery Root:

This is also called ‘celeriac,’ and comes from a slightly different variety of celery than the one into which we put peanut butter or cream cheese for a snack. Due to its irregular surface, it is hard to wash. Use a brush. Peel it or not. (The celery root, not the brush.) Slice it to sauté or cut in chunks to steam or boil. Cook it like carrots or turnips. Cooked and cut into matchsticks, it can be used as a salad ingredient.

Jerusalem Artichoke:

Wash and cook like potatoes – fried, boiled, steamed, baked, deep-fried. Mix with other veggies, use raw in salads, substitute for water chestnuts in oriental cookery. These are weird-looking, but really very good. I first expected them to taste like regular artichokes. Mistake. They have their own flavor.

Jicama:

This root veggie is imported from Mexico. It can be cooked like potatoes or used raw in salads or just eating out of hand, maybe dipped in a little lime juice. Our Mexican friends introduced them to me. Esmeralda brought a plastic bag with jicama (“HICK’-a-maa”) cut like French fries. I asked her what it is, and she made me taste it. I do not like to taste things, but I also do not like to reject people, so I tried it. I thought it tasted like some kind of radish, at first, only not as strongly flavored. At that point, she whipped out a whole jicama root so I could see what it looks like. It is shaped like a large onion. Easy to wash and to peel. I think the peelings would not be good to eat. Thanks, Esme!

Parsnips:

I didn’t think they would qualify as “unusual” but here they are. (This article that I am paraphrasing and embellishing is from Tassajara Cooking, published by the Zen Center in 1978.) 

Back to parsnips, they are also a root veggie. When they are raw, they smell rather like carrots. They are not good to eat while in a raw state, but can be cooked like carrots.

Parsnips, Turnips, & Mushrooms

parsnips
turnips
mushrooms
oil
salt
lemon
water

Cut parsnips into ovals. Cut turnips in quarters lengthwise, then in thick slices crosswise. Slice the mushrooms. Put 1/4 cup water and juice of 1/2 lemon in one pot on low heat, ready to receive the veggies as they are sautéed. Saute`

the turnips for three minutes and remove to the waiting pot. Saute the parsnips for three minutes and add to the turnips. Put a lid on this pot so they can steam. Brown the mushrooms and add to the veggie pot as soon as the veggies are tender. Probably some butter would round out the flavor.

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

Watch for the next newsletter for more weird veggies!

SHALOM FROM SPIKE & JAMIE


Any problems with this page?
Send the URL of this page & a description
of the problem to: webmaster (at) spike-jamie.com
Thank you!

You will have to type the email address - we are removing the clickable links because of spammers.

 


Search this site powered by FreeFind

Search for recipes in this website. 


Back to Spike's & Jamie's Recipe Collection

 

 


 

 


Disclaimer: These web site links are listed as a convenience to our visitors. If you use these links, we take no responsibility and give no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of these third-party sites.

Due to the number of recipes and tips we receive, it is impossible for us to personally test each one and therefore we cannot guarantee its success. Please let us know if you find errors in any of them.

We do not endorse or recommend any recipes, tips, products or services listed in our ezines or on our web pages. You use them and their contents at your own risk and discretion. If you do not agree to these terms, please don't continue to use them. If you do use them, it means you agree to these terms.

Copyright notice - No infringement of any text or graphic copyright is intended. If you own the copyright to any original image or document used for the creation of the graphics or information on this site, please contact the Webmaster with all pertinent info so that proper credit can be given. If you wish to have it removed from the site, it will be replaced ASAP.


 

 


 

 


 

Back to Top