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November 1, 2001

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


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SCRAPPLE 
(Pon Haus)
Makes 2 loaves

The author writes: “I have finally become a believer. I grew up in Pennsylvania with Scrapple, a popular breakfast meat, all around me. I just could not acquire a taste for it because of some seasoning to which I objected. Not to mention, I never really understood what was in scrapple and therefore bulked at the mushy consistency. Since I started the PA Dutch recipe page, I knew I would have to make it one day and get it posted, whether or not I liked it, using scrapple fans as the judges. So I found several recipes, gathered ideas from the combination and, lo and behold, the stuff is pretty good. And, much to my surprise, considerably healthier than I ever suspected. To describe it in terms you might better recognize, it is very much like fried polenta. It is mostly corn meal mixed with cooked lean meat and seasonings, poured into loaf pans and refrigerated overnight to stiffen, then sliced and fried in a little butter. Every recipe I found was
different in amounts, seasonings and some of the methodology. You will find some of the variations listed below:

One 3-pound pork butt, bone in
4 quarts water
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon ground savory
1/8 teaspoon allspice (start with less)
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (start with less)
1/8 teaspoon cloves
3 cups corn meal

Place the pork and water in an 8-quart stock pot. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until pork is tender, about 2 hours. Place the meat on a large plate; reserve the stock. When the meat is cool enough to handle, remove it from the bones and discard excess fat. Chop the meat very finely; set aside. Place 2-1/2 quarts of the stock in a 5-quart pot. Add the thyme, sage, savory, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. Bring to a boil and gradually add the corn meal, stirring or whisking rapidly until it is all combined. Reduce the heat 
to medium or medium-low and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture is very thick, so that a spoon almost stands up by its own, about 15 minutes. (If it gets too thick, just add a little more of the broth and stir well.) Add the meat and stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 15minutes, stirring occasionally. After a couple minutes, taste for 
seasoning and adjust as desired. Scrapple must be well-seasoned or it will taste very bland when fried. Place a piece of waxed paper into the bottom of two 9x5 loaf pans so that the ends extend over the two long sides. That will make it easier to lift the refrigerated loaf out of the pan later. Pour half the mixture into each pan. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight or until chilled and solid. To fry, remove the loaf from the pan and place on cutting surface. Slice into about 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add some butter and, as soon as it melts, add the scrapple slices. It is critical with scrapple to let each side brown thoroughly before attempting to turn it over or it will stick and fall apart, so be very patient. Serve as is or, as many PA Dutchmen would do, with ketchup or apple butter. 

Notes: You will have to learn, as I did, what degree of thickness to cook the corn meal. On my first attempt, it obviously was too thin because the chilled mixture did not get as stiff as expected. If that happens to you, don't panic. I was still able to slice and fry it, although it fell apart easily. You will need to play with the seasonings, tasting and adjusting until you get what you want. Many people dredge scrapple in a light coating of flour before frying. Scrapple freezes very well; just slice and wrap individually in waxed paper and then place in freezer bags. Take out as many slices as you want and fry them frozen, reducing the heat slightly to allow more cooking time. Remember, everything is previously cooked so it only needs to be browned and heated through. Serve instead of bacon, ham or sausage for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Variations: “Two of the recipes I used as sources were from a Jeff Smith cookbook and Grandma Born's Scrapple on my Recipes from Visitors page as submitted by William Cooper. One recipe uses pork neckbones, which I understand produces a more gelatinous texture which aids in holding the mixture together. The other uses boneless beef chuck in addition to the pork butt, but less broth to cook the corn meal. The seasonings are completely different, one using herbs and the other baking spices. Another difference is that, in one preparation you coarsely chop the meat, while in the other the meat is passed through a meat grinder. So you can see that, once you start making scrapple, there are many ways to conform it to your own tastes. I know that I plan to do some more experimenting.” (by the author)

[] Spike adds: This recipe came to me in another newsletter. There was not a name or a website to which to give credit. Additionally, my grandmother was a Pennsylvania Dutch person, who made Pon Haus with the turkey carcass. She added bits of dressing that may be left over from the dinner. (Perhaps she made extra dressing just for that purpose.) One would not want to use 
allspice, nutmeg, or cloves with anything but pork. I don’t know why it couldn’t be made with beef. Perhaps I’ll try that today.[]

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CUCUMBER MOUSSE

2 cucumbers
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 pkg (3 oz) lime Jello
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
2 tsp onion juice
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped

fish salad

Peel cucumbers, remove seeds and grate coarsely. Soften gelatin in cold water. Dissolve lime gelatin powder in boiling water, and stir in plain gelatin mixture, lemon juice, onion juice, salt, cayenne, and prepared cucumbers. Chill until thickened; then fold in celery, parsley and lastly, whipped cream. Pour into large oiled ring mold, and chill in fridge until set. Un-mold, and fill center with fish salad. Serves 6 -  8

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AWESOME BLACK BEANS
by Spike the Grate

1 cup black beans, rinsed well
2 cups water
bring to boil, turn off heat, cover, sit for one hour

2 cups water
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 slices center cut bacon (very lean), snipped into 1/2 inch lengths
1 tsp chili powder
1 vegetable bouillon cube

1/4 cup green bell pepper, sliced 1/4 inch thick, vertically

Bring beans to a boil with the added 2 cups water. Drop in the onion, bacon, chili powder, and vegetable bouillon cube. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Add sliced green bell pepper – about a half hour before cooking is finished, and remove the green pepper slices before serving. 

[]Larry has never liked black beans; however, he said these are “awesome.”[]

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TOO SIMPLE SALAD DRESSING

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp freeze-dried chives

Shake well, and hold at room temperature. Serve in a shaker bottle, because it needs to be vigorously shaken just before pouring onto the salad. 

[]Since Larry has recently been diagnosed as diabetic, I read labels of everything. All the salad dressings I have contain sugar, fructose, corn syrup, honey, and assorted other sweetening substances, all of which apparently are dangerous. Ergo, some non-sweetened dressing had 
to be devised. [] 

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BULGUR BAKING POWDER BISCUITS

2 cups sifted flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup cooked #2 medium or #3 coarse bulgur

In medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add 1/4 cup bulgur; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 to15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let it stand, while cutting shortening into dry ingredients.

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening (criss-cross two knives or use back of fork.)Stir in milk and bulgur. Turn out on lightly-floured board; knead 10 times. Pat or roll out about 1/2" in thickness. Cut with floured biscuit cutter or a knife into 2" squares. Bake on greased sheets in 375° oven about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

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BULGUR BREAD IN A BREAD-MAKER

1 pk (5/16-oz) yeast
2 Tbsp. Honey
1/4 cup # 2 Medium or #3 Coarse Bulgur wheat
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
1/4 cup Boiling water
1 Tbsp. Dry Milk
1 1/4 cup 50/50 flour (white and whole wheat, combined)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Bread flour
3/4 cup Water

Soak bulgur wheat in boiling water for 5 minutes. Add yeast, flours, salt, and dry milk into the bread pan. Add bulgur mixture, honey, oil, and water. On Bread-maker, select WHITE bread, and push Start.

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SPICY BLACK BEAN STEW

1/4 cup water 
1 large onion, chopped (1.5 cups) 
2 medium red bell peppers (2 cups) 
2 tbsp minced garlic 
1 stalk celery, diced 
1 cup diced carrots (1/2 cup) 
3 cups fresh or canned tomatoes 
1 cup V-8 or tomato juice 
15 oz. can black beans (or cook 2 cups dried black beans)
1/4 cup diced, canned green chilies 
3 tsp chili powder, or to taste 
1 tsp cumin 
1/2 tsp coriander 
Salt and pepper to taste 

In a skillet over medium high heat, bring water to simmering; add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cover and steam 3 minutes. Spoon into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except salt and pepper. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours, or until stew is thick. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice 
or potatoes or in a tortilla.

[] I think this would taste better with a little bacon in it – but then it would not be “vegetarian” and some would prefer it without the meat. []

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BULGUR AND BLACK BEAN SALAD 
WITH GRILLED CORN AND CHILIES

2-3 Anaheim chilies (Poblano chilies for a more piquant taste)
1 ear of corn, shucked and washed
1 tomato, sliced in half crosswise
6-7 sliced green onions
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 cup bulgur
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1-3/4 cups water
Fresh ground black pepper

Light a fire in the charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. When the fire is hot, lay the chilies, corn and tomato on the rack. Cover and grill, turning them occasionally. Leave corn on the grill until light charred marks are evenly distributed, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove tomato when it is softened and lightly charred on the edges, about 5 minutes. Set them aside to cool.

Leave the chilies on the grill until they are charred all over--about 8 minutes. Place the hot chilies in a plastic bag to steam until they are cool enough to touch.

In a medium saucepan, bring 1-3/4 cups of water to a boil. Add the bulgur and salt, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the bulgur has absorbed all the water. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, while preparing vegetables.

Remove the corn from the cob. Rub away the burned skin of the chilies and chop fine. Dice the tomato. Add all these vegetables to a large salad bowl. Add the bulgur, beans, green onions, olive oil, and vinegar. Season with a generous grinding of black pepper.

Toss all ingredients and set aside for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature. Garnish with a slice of avocado and/or spoonful of salsa.

[]This bulgur stuff is rather strange to me – I’m just learning about it. I under- stand that its use in recipes causes it to take longer to digest, thereby keeping the blood sugar on a more even keel. Not just bulgur – all of the more coarse grains used without milling. []

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BULGUR, LENTILS, AND SCALLIONS

2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup #3 coarse bulgur, soaked in 1 1/2 cups boiling water 30 minutes
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch ground cloves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 lb. cooked a ham, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup brown or green lentils, well rinsed with cold water
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In large heavy saucepan with cover heat oil over medium-low heat; add onion and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add cloves and, if using , ham; cook 5 minutes. Add lentils and stock and heat to boiling. Reduce to simmer and cook, covered, 30-40 minutes or until lentils are tender but retain 
their shape. Remove pan from heat, add bulgur and stir well. Uncover; add vinegar, parsley, scallions, salt and pepper. Fluff mixture with fork and serve either hot or cold.

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AWESOME BLACK BEANS
by Spike the Grate

1 cup black beans, rinsed well
2 cups water
bring to boil, turn off heat, cover, sit for one hour

2 cups water
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 slices center cut bacon (very lean), snipped into 1/2 inch lengths
1 tsp chili powder
1 vegetable bouillon cube

1/4 cup green bell pepper, sliced 1/4 inch thick, vertically

Bring beans to a boil with the added 2 cups water. Drop in the onion, bacon, chili powder, and vegetable bouillon cube. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Add sliced green bell pepper – about a half hour before cooking is finished, and remove the green pepper slices before serving. 

[]Larry has never liked black beans; however, he said these are “awesome.”[]

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TOO SIMPLE SALAD DRESSING

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp freeze-dried chives

Shake well, and hold at room temperature. Serve in a shaker bottle, because it needs to be vigorously shaken just before pouring onto the salad. 

[]Since Larry has recently been diagnosed as diabetic, I read labels of everything. All the salad dressings I have contain sugar, fructose, corn syrup, honey, and assorted other sweetening substances, all of which apparently are dangerous. Ergo, some non-sweetened dressing had 
to be devised. [] 

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GOD BLESS AMERICA ------- SHALOM

SHALOM FROM SPIKE & JAMIE

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