Maggie's Farm

We're making a Clootie Pudding in advance for a Bobbie Burns party. These sorts of "puddings" can last a year in the closet.

We'll make a real brandy-flavored pudding to go with it. 

That was Tiny Tim on Christmas Day. We got into a chat today at brunch with a Brit friend about Christmas Pudding. 

Whether you like it or not (it's like Fruitcake), it is a necessary Brit tradition.

How to make it is below (recipe and video). Ideally served with flaming brandy, then something creamy on top.  Funny thing about Christmas Pudding is that you can make it months in advance.

Even a year or two in advance. Just put it on a shelf. Even mice won't bother it.

1 lb. Dried Porcini

Things with truffles 

Britain is, rightly, not known for their cuisine. It's no wonder they prefer Indian cuisine. However, is there anything better than Roast Beast with Yorkshire Pudding?

A Brit classic: Cheese and Pickle Sandwich.

 This sandwich must feature thick, almost steaklike slices of aged cheddar. Cheddar cutlets, if you will. The aging adds tangy sharpness and a more crumbly rather than creamy texture. Then, a thick layer of Branston pickle, made from sweet gherkins, cauliflower, carrots, onions and rutabaga in a thick, sweet sauce which tastes somewhat like ketchup. We definitely don’t have an equivalent stateside, but plenty of supermarkets stock the most ubiquitous British foods — malt vinegar, Cadbury’s chocolate, tea biscuits and the like — and Branston pickle can often be found. Try the Indian store as a last resort, no joke.  

Refrigerator Pickles

Easy, and ready in two days. 

It's one of my favorite fishes. I happen to have plenty of favorite fishes though. Halibut has been overfished in the North Atlantic, like Cod and most other things. Atlantic vs Pacific Halibut.

This old photo of a handliner is from our favorite seafood cookbook, Howard Mitcham's The Provincetown Seafood Cookbook.   As is typical of P'town, lots of Portuguese recipes.

 "It's a true classic, one of the most influential of my life." --Anthony Bourdain, from the new introduction

Choose a fish:

Pan seared Cod
Grilled Swordfish
Sesame Pan Seared Tuna
Grilled Salmon
Scallop Skewers

Then choose your sauce:

Lemon Beurre Blanc
Sweet and Spicy Plum
Lobster Aioli
Jerk Pineapple Salsa
Lime Cilantro Dill Crema 

Viruses hate rhubarb. Do not scoff. Did you ever hear of a rhubarb with a + test? That's scientific proof. 

Damn is it good, with some vanilla ice cream on top. So good, it adjusts the brain to a positive outlook. Trust me.

Useful detail: 6 cups of roughly-chopped (1" or less) rhubarb stems = 2 lbs. 

Bruce and his team like this: This Protein-Packed Stew Is the Comfort Food Recipe You Need Now

It's not exactly Moroccan, but I can tell you from experience that Moroccan stews are amazing. 

This recipe is good enough, but don't mix the beans with the rice.  Make lots more of the beans, and dump them on top of the rice. The beans are the food, the rice is the vehicle. 

I think I lived on this in college, and I still like it. Beans from the cans, as we always recommend. If anybody wants to spend the time to soak dried beans, God bless ya. That ain't me.

Plenty of salt, and hot sauce of your choice on the side, of course.  Salad on the side if you like that stuff, but I think salad causes cancer, and maybe corona too. A Conona beer, on the other had, goes well with this supper.

I get the impression that people are making home-cooked meals during this so-called quarantine.  This weekend, I made this: Marcella's beef braised in red wine.  Not bad at all, an Italian pot roast I guess. 

My photo is before the 3 hrs of cooking. 

Are y'all cooking at home more now? 

6 Fun Facts About Maple Syrup (and Sugar, too)

Seems like the middle-eastern version of Huevos Rancheros. 

Huevos Heartburn for me.

Bruce and his kids love this: Shakshuka recipe 

Readers know that I am not a pasta fan, but a little Bolognese as a primi - if it's really good - is ok. Just not too much.

Bolognese is a northern Italian meat sauce. Marinara is southern Italian tomato sauce. Spaghetti and meatballs is an American thing, marinara with meatballs.

Bolognese is not a meat sauce really - it's a meat-flavored sauce. Mrs. BD made a double recipe yesterday for friends tonite. Always better the next day.  

The only recipe we endorse is Marcella Hazan's.  The bit of nutmeg, and the milk, make it perfect.

Remember the rule: Toss the almost fully-cooked pasta in the hot saucepan with the sauce. Don't dump sauce on top of pasta. Some parmesan shavings on top is nice, and maybe a little parsley. Almost any sort of pasta works.

Salmon With Whole Lemon Dressing

Sounds good, but I am salmoned-out. 

It's been a few years since I made this thing, so we made some yesterday for practice before I begin to serve it to friends for supper. Planning a bunch of suppers before Spring. Tried my version out on my father-in-law. He likes food.

If you asks him what restaurant he wants to go to tonight, he says one with food. But especially one with oysters, which is for tonight. 

I use Julia Child's recipe, but I modify it a bit. My modifications: 3x as much garlic, lots of thyme sprigs from the garden, 1/2 cup of Port or some sugar, and a small handful of dried porcinis. Also, to keep it simple, I just throw in a bag of frozen pearl onions for the last 30 minutes of cooking. I do brown the fresh mushrooms and throw them in the pot for the last 30 minutes. I don't use the oven at all, just 3 hrs simmering on the stove.

Traditional ways to serve this is in a shallow bowl with french bread, or on a plate with (white) rice or roasted potatoes.  

(Tip for those who like rich, earthy sauces: You can buy dried porcinis online, much cheaper than at the store. I buy them by the pound, but it doesn't take many to provide the flavor. You use the water you soak them in, too.)