Braised rice yields a texture and chew similar to rice cookers and pot-in-pot pressure cooked rice. While more work, braised rice does not scorch or burn, minimizing waste.
Ingredients
2 cups Jasmine or basmati rice, washed and drained
3 tbsp peanut oil
1-2 tbsp salt
3 bay leaves
2½ cups water, approximately
Directions
Preheat oven to 235°F.
Rinse rice under cold water in a fine sieve until water runs clear. Set aside to drain.
In an oven-safe, lidded pot, heat 3 tbsp peanut oil until shimmering. Add drained rice and toss in hot oil until coated. Saute rice u til aromatic, and rice grains look like little ice cubes. Top up with water until rice is covered to a depth of the first index finger joint above the rice. Season with salt, and stir to combine. Add bay leaves and raise to a simmer. Cover tightly and transfer to oven.
Cook rice, covered, 30-35 minutes at 235°F. Remove rice from oven, discard bay leaves, fluff and let stand uncovered for 5-10 minutes until slightly cooled and sticky.
Serve stew over rice, garnished with green onion or chive.
1 to 2 lb andouille sausage, split and cut into 1″ lengths
½ cup flour
½ cup peanut oil
2 tbsp rendered bacon fat
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 oz Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
3 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp clover honey
1 tbsp fish sauce
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Cayenne powder
1 tbsp ground oregano
1 tbsp ground thyme
1 tbsp ground sage
½ tbsp ground clove
½ tbsp ground allspice
½ tbsp white pepper
fresh, cracked black.pepper (50-ish cranks)
salt to taste
Directions
Prepare and assemble vegetables, chicken stock and canned goods.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, brown off andouille sausage in bacon fat. Remove to a heatproof bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add peanut oil and allow to heat to shimmering and barely smoking. Add flour and whisk continuously, combining into a roux. Heat roux over medium-high flame, stirring continuously to a dark caramel, light chocolate color. Add celery and a generous pinch of salt, stirring to cool roux and halt cooking. When celery is tender add peppers and combine, stirring occasionally. When peppers are tender add onion and combine stirring constantly until tender. Add garlic and stir to combine until fragrant. Add tomato paste and combine, stirring occasionally until fragrant and tinged brick red.
Add whiskey 2 oz at a time and deglaze, scraping all burned bits from pot sides and bottom.
Add beans with their can liquid, chicken stock, spices, cider vinegar, honey and bay leaves. Raise to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.
This is a 3-layer cake as written above, but there is also a version using a bundt pan, with the center filled using chopped hazelnuts tossed in honey syrup.
Similar in texture to the Haribo brand gummies, this recipe calls for unflavored gelatin, light corn syrup and sugar. Gummies must be cold cured 24-48 hours to achieve desired texture.
Requires significant preparation. Candy will release easily from coated surfaces. Use silicone coated utensils and molds where possible. Lightly coat silicone and glass surfaces with cooking spray.
Orange gummies
Ingredients
260g light corn syrup
260g granular sugar
170g cool water (200ml, 40-75°F)
50g unflavored gelatin
8g citric acid
4g corn starch
2g xanthan gum*
2g unsweetened powder drink mix for flavor**
* Optional, an emulsifier for added waxes or oils
** Approximately ¼ sachet of Kool-aid flavoring, or equivalent brand
Directions
Add 200ml cold water to a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, add gelatin powder, citric acid, corn starch, xanthan gum and powder flavoring to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Slowly pour powder mixture into 200ml cool water while stirring vigorously to avoid clumping. Set aside and allow mixture to set.
Prepare candy equipment. Lightly coat spatulas, measuring cups and molds with cooking spray. With a clean paper towel, wipe excess oil from surfaces to ensure an even coating, and minimize surface foam and bubbles.
Add corn syrup and sugar to a medium saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, heat over a low flame to 300°F, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. Reduce heat.
Add gelatin to sugar mixture in chunks, gently stirring constantly to avoid the candy seizing. Stir gently, and do not incorporate air. Slowly add alcohol or oil based flavorants as mixture begins to cool, stirring constantly to avoid seizing.
Note: If candy starts to seize, raise heat gently and keep stirring to break up and dissolve clumps. Do not overheat.
Transfer hot mixture to a heat resistant dispenser. Allow to settle for clarity and skim off any foam.
Working quickly, dispense candy liquid to molds, pouring slowly to avoid bubbles, and minimizing agitation.
Allow to cool 10 minutes, then transfer molds to refrigerator. Chill 1 to 3 hours, until set and firm. Extract candies and arrange on a lined sheet pan. Refrigerate candies uncovered 24 hours until cold cured and quite firm.
Coat candies in sanding sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking while packaged. Alternatively, bathe in strong, neutral alcohol 1 hour to form a nonstick skin.
80/20 ground beef and chicken schmaltz give an unctuous and glossy texture to this rich and savory interpretation of an Irish pub classic. While the recipe only calls for carrot and corn, any vegetables may be added or substituted.
Ingredients
1½ lbs ground beef, 80/20
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 large mushroom caps, coarsely diced
1 large carrot, coarsely diced
1 cup chicken pan drippings, with fat (substitute concentrated, low sodium chicken stock)
1½ inches ginger root, minced. About 2 tablespoons
4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced. About 2 tablespoons
2 sprigs fresh thyme, destemmed and minced
1 sprig oregano, destemmed and minced
1 sprig rosemary, destemmed and minced
1 bunch parsely, destemmed and minced
1 small bunch dill, destemmed and minced
3 tablespoons flour
8 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
2 oz Kentucky Straight Bourbon or Irish Whiskey (house preference)
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F, and prepare a 9×13 baking dish.
In a large skillet, sear brown ground beef, and then break up and brown off. Move the meat to one side and add the diced onion and mushroom. Saute separately from the beef until tender. Add minced garlic and ginger, and saute until aromatic, about 45 seconds. Add tomato paste, and combine with vegetables until brick red. Combine with meat and add diced carrot and minced herbs. Saute until water is reduced by three quarters, and dust with flour. Stir flour into the meat and vegetable mixture, and ensure no dry flour remains.
Deglaze pan with 2-4 oz of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey or Irish whisky.
Add chicken pan drippings, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and Gravy Master, and stir to combine. Simmer 5 minutes until the carrot begins to soften. Add frozen corn and stir to combine. Reduce heat.
Prepare 8 cups of instant mashed potatoes, per directions on the carton. Season with white pepper and granulated garlic.
Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a 9×13 baking dish and spread to an even thickness. Top with mashed potatoes. Using a fork, draw a criss-cross pattern in the mashed potatoes and dress lightly with olive oil using a brush or spray bottle.
Bake uncovered 30 minutes at 400°F. Optionally, broil on high to toast the top of the mashed potatoes.
Sour, soft gummy candies formed in a silicone mold.
Ingredients
Gummy syrup
1 package flavored gelatin (3oz)
1 packet unflavored gelatin
¼ cup sugar*
1 tsp guar gum
½ tsp citric acid
½ tsp corn starch
⅓ cup room temperature water
¼ cup corn syrup
* substitute green sugar
Sour sanding sugar
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon citric acid
Directions
Prepare a silicon candy mold on a sheet tray. Lightly coat the mold with cooking spray or a neutral cooking oil. Wipe excess oil frpm the mold with a paper towel and set aside.
Whisk unflavored gelatin packet into ⅓ cup room temperature water, and allow to bloom for 10 minutes.
Whisk together flavored gelatin, sugar and citric acid to combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl combine guar gum and cornstarch with 2 tbsp cool water to make a slurry.
Combine unflavored gelatin, dry powders, corn syrup and guar gum/corn starch slurry in a small sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a slightly bubbling the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid is smooth and all sugars have completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
Allow the mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a heat proof, spouted measuring cup or squeeze bottle. Distribute the hot liquid into the mold and refrigerate 45 minutes to several hours, until the gummies are set.
Remove cold gummies to a parchment lined sheet. Set aside in a cool place with adequate air flow and allow to air cure for 24 hours. Gummies will desiccate slightly and form a tacky skin. Do not use a warm air dehydrator or gummies may melt.
Prepare a sanding sugar by combining 1 part citric acid with 4 parts granulated sugar. Working in batches, toss the gummies in the sanding sugar to thoroughly coat. The sugar will help to keep the gummies from sticking. Adjust the ratio of citric acid in the sanding mix, being g careful not to exceed 3:2 sugar to citric acid or gummies may dissolve.
Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Add potassium sorbate to the dry ingredients in ratio to shelf stabilize for longer term, unrefrigerated storage.
