Text 18522, 139 rader
Skriven 2007-08-04 17:52:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av DAVE SACERDOTE
Ärende: Re: Road trip 910
=========================
-=> Quoting Dave Sacerdote to Jim Weller <=-

 ML> I presume she has other redeeming qualities?
 ML> As Roslind's sister, she must.
 
 JW> I haven't discovered them yet. (She is not my favourite SIL.)

 DS> Heh.  If we all chose our mates on the basis of what kind of in-laws
 DS> we'd be stuck with, we'd all still be single. [g]
 
I've got quite a mix: Aletha the rodeo/ranch/oil field lady with the
organic turkeys, pet colt, and coffee cream cow is way cool. Neekha
used to call her the raspberry lady after a gift of especially tasty
homemade jam.


Random new stuff:

MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Beef Wrapped In Grape Leaves
Categories: Vietnamese, Beef, Appetizers
  Servings: 6 servings

    1/2 c  lemongrass, finely minced
      1 md onion, chopped
      2    garlic cloves, finely
           minced
  1 1/2 lb ground beef
      1 ts ordinary salt
    1/2 ts freshly ground black pepper
      1 ts ordinary sugar
      1 TB oyster sauce
      1 TB cornstarch
      1 ts peanut or neutral flavor
           vegetable oil
      2    scallions, white and green
           parts, finely sliced
      1    jar grape leaves, rinsed and
           spread out
     12    bamboo skewers, soaked in
           water for at least 20
           minutes
           Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce

I've only ever eaten this as an appetizer, or as a party dish.  It
can be cooked in an oven, or a gas grill, but this is SO much better
grilled over real wood charcoal.

This is a recipe/instructions I put together a couple years ago for
a non-cook, who I did not know at the time would one day be my
fiance.

It is a recipe for Bo Cuon La Nho, beef wrapped in Grape Leaves,
which is virtually identical to Bo La Lot (Piper leaves) and Bo Tia
To (Perilla leaves).  Grape leaves out of a jar are a perfectly
suitable substitute when other leaves aren't available.  If your
market carries only the small Tia To leaves, too small to make into
rolls, just buy the grape leaves.

I omitted something important in the recipe, one should toast and
then chop up peanuts while the beef rolls are grilling.  Plate the
rolls on top of any fresh leaves, and with the chopped peanuts
sprinkled all over them.  

Additional information I could add, if you can grind your own beef,
then some coarsely-ground beef is better than the typical
supermarket ground beef.  Some people *add* pork fat to the mixture,
because they feel beef is too lean.  I don't do that, I just prefer
to use the 70% or 75% lean ground beef.  

If you are using fresh lemon grass, whack off the upper green part
and the root end; you only cook with the pale white lower half of
the grass.  Discard the tough, outer leaves and just use the more
tender, fresher core leaves.  

The lemongrass, onion, and garlic have to be finely minced, and
that's easiest to do with a mini-food processor.  Otherwise, you
will have to slice and mince with a knife for a very long time.

In a large bowl, using your really clean hands, knead together the
minced lemongrass mixed with the garlic and onion, ground beef,
salt, pepper, sugar, oyster sauce, cornstarch, oil and scallions.
Set this aside and let the flavors mix together for 15 minutes.

Spoon about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling on each grape
leaf, putting it in the center of the leaf about one inch from the
edge closest to you.  Use your fingers to form the filling into a 2
inch long sausage shape.  Roll up the leaf as if you are making a
spring roll.  Fold both sides of the leaf inward a bit, and pressing
down on the meat mixture, fold the top of the leaf over and roll it 
up.  Repeat this with the rest of the beef filling and grape leaves.
Cover them carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until
just before you are ready to grill them.

When almost ready to cook the beef rolls, thread them from end to
end on the bamboo skewers.  You should be able to get 3 rolls on
each skewer.  

Grill the skewers over hot coals, or in a 400 degree oven, turning
them frequently for about 10 minutes.  They do not need to be served
right from the grill, and it is a good idea to let them "rest" for
about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve them with other appies,
and with sweet and sour fish sauce.

NOTES

In Phila it can sometimes be difficult to get good quality fresh
lemongrass. But you can always get frozen pre-minced lemongrass that
is just fine.  

The ground beef can be as lean as you want, but the leaner the meat
the less flavor it has when you charcoal grill it. I would not use
anything leaner than 80% for this.

Don't try to reduce the fat by using ground turkey or chicken.  Even
to me that is inconceivable.  Go ahead and use leaner ground beef.

We have made this with ground bison.  It was GREAT.  It was a little
dry, because the meat is so lean.  Even so, I'd make this with
ground bison again the next time ShopRite has some.

The grape leaves might be a problem if you don't live in a city. You
can buy them in jars in Vietnamese markets, and in Greek and Italian
markets. 

From: Simon Bao
 
MMMMM-------------------------------------------------


Cheers

YK Jim


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