Chicken Satay & Toad-in-the-Hole

__________________________________________________

            FOOD FUNNY
__________________________________________________

Here another from Anna Welander:

The first woman recruit in the Army reported for duty and was told that
although her quarters would be in a separate building, she was to mess
with the men. It wasn't until four weeks later someone finally told her
that "mess" meant to eat her meals with them.

__________________________________________________

            TODAY'S RECIPES
__________________________________________________

I'm pretty sure that satay (also spelled "saté") is served in every
restaurant in Southeast Asia. At least, if there is a restaurant
that doesn't serve it, I never ate there. You can also use this
recipe on skewered shrimp or thinly sliced beef or pork.

Chicken Satay (Skewered Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce)

1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped garlic
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground white pepper
2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce
1 Tbs (15 ml) dark molasses (treacle)
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lime juice
2 lbs (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs,
cut into 1-inch (2 cm) cubes
2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil

Combine the garlic, salt and pepper in the bottom of a deep bowl and
with the back of a spoon mash them to a paste. Mix in the soy
sauce, molasses and lime juice. Add the chicken cubes and toss with
a spoon until they are evenly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator
for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from the
marinade and thread it tightly, 4 or 5 pieces at a time, on small
skewers (preferably bamboo skewers). Brush the oil evenly over the
chicken. Cook directly over hot coals for 5 to 10 minutes, turning
occasionally, until the chicken is crisp and brown. Serve at once,
with the meat still on the skewers, accompanied by katjang sauce.
Serves 4 to 6.

Katjang Sauce (Spicy Peanut Sauce)

2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped shallots or scallions
(white part only)
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped garlic
2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (125 ml) shelled peanuts (preferably Spanish
peanuts) finely ground in an electric blender
2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) dark molasses (treacle)
1 tsp (5 ml) lime juice
1/4 tsp (1 ml) finely grated ginger root
Finely chopped hot chiles or cayenne pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and cook the shallots and garlic 3
to 4 minutes, until tender but not brown. Add the chicken stock and
bring to a boil over high heat. Add the ground peanuts, soy sauce,
molasses, lime juice, ginger, and chiles or cayenne. Reduce the
heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to
cool slightly before serving.

**************************************************************

This classic British dish gets its name from the fact that it supposedly
looks a little like a toad in a hole. Lovers of English food will recognize
it as a Yorkshire pudding with sausages cooked in it.

Toad-in-the-Hole

1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound (900 g) small, fresh pork sausages

To make the batter in a blender, combine the flour, eggs, milk, salt and
a few grindings of pepper in the blender jar, and blend at high speed
for 2 or 3 seconds. Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the
jar, and blend again for 40 seconds. To make the batter by hand, beat
the eggs and salt with a whisk or a rotary or electric beater until
frothy. Slowly add the flour, beating constantly. Then pour in the milk
in a thin stream and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour. Place the sausages side by
side in a heavy 10 to 12 inch (25 to 30 cm) skillet, and prick them once
or twice with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons (30
ml) of water, cover the pan tightly, and cook over low heat for 3
minutes. Then remove the cover, increase the heat to moderate, and
continue to cook, turning the sausages frequently with tongs or a
spatula, until the water has completely evaporated and the sausages have
begun to brown in their own fat. Arrange the sausages in a single layer
in a baking tin or dish about 6 by 10 inches (15x25 cm) and 2 inches (5
cm) deep, and moisten them with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of their
drippings. Keep them at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Then pour the
batter over them and bake in the middle of a preheated 400F (200C) oven
for 30 minutes, or until the pudding has risen over the top of the pan
and is crisp and brown. Serve at once. Serves 4.
Received on Fri Apr 20 08:44:32 2007