PATES AND BREAD (DARING COOKS CHALLENGE FOR JUNE 2010)

Our hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz and Valerie of The Chocolate Bunny, chose delicious pate with freshly baked bread as their June Daring Cook’s challenge! They’ve provided us with 4 different pate recipes to choose from and are allowing us to go wild with our homemade bread choice.

This may sound cliche but really, i was hitting two birds w/ one stone for this challenge. The DC challenge and my own challenge which i started January of this year- challenge myself to bake a yeast based bread at least once a month until i will get comfortable or lets just say not intimidated w/ bread baking. So thank you Evelyne and Valerie, you saved me sometime and for this wonderful challenge.

Speaking of time, much as i wanted to make all the pate's, i just didn't have enough time to make all of them. I will definitely make them in the near future. I'm glad i made the Three Spice Liver Pâté first.

I made 2 sizes for this pate' i made little ones by using ramekins and a bigger pate' using an oval mold. This pate' was really good, perfect on bread w/ cheese and of course "heaven" on the banh mi, it was spot on, just like the authentic banh mi i had years ago.

Now for my bread, i used the Red Star French Bread recipe. I may not have the perfect shaped french bread but i'm proud to say, it came out pretty good. It was that good that i made the "happy dance" ha!ha!ha!.

THREE SPICE LIVER PATE;
Yields one 25 by 12,5 cm (10 by 5 inch) terrine or loaf pan

1 lb / 454 grams pork liver (or beef or combination)

1/2 lb / 227 grams ground pork

1/2 lb / 227 grams pork fat (or pork belly)

2 cloves garlic

2 shallots

1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp / 2 ml cinnamon

1/2 tsp / 2 ml coriander (ground or crushed)

1/2 tsp / 2 ml cumin

3/4 tsp / 3 ml salt

1 tbps / 15 ml coarse freshly cracked peppercorns

2 tbps / 30 ml cognac

2 bay leaves

1 package of bacon

Preheat oven to to 350ºF (180ºC).

Cut liver and pork fat into small pieces and add to food processor. Add ground pork, garlic, shallots, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Grind until smooth.

In mixing bowl, incorporate the meat and liver mixture with the cognac and eggs.

Line bottom of baking or ceramic pan with overlapping pieces of bacon. Place a bay leaf on the bottom and then fill with meat/liver mixture. Cover top with another bay leaf and then overlapping pieces of bacon.

Place in oven in the larger baking pan and add enough water to cover 2/3rds of the pan containing the meat/liver mixture. Bake for about 1-1.5 hrs.

The pâté will contract and the juices will be on the bottom. Allow to cool and soak up the juices. Remove any excess bacon and discard the bay leaves.

French baguette (store bought), 3 spice pate and gorgonzola..delicious.

I paired the pate w/ another wonderful combination..french baguette, ham and fresh radish

These are my lame loaves=;)

See how beautiful the inside is!! You can get the recipe HERE

BANH MI (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SAMMY)

You'll need the following:

FRENCH BREAD/VIETNAMESE BREAD
PATE' (3 SPICED PATE')
MAYO
CARROT AND DAIKON RELISH

CILANTRO

JALAPENO (OPTIONAL)

SLICEs OF HAM FOR THIS SPECIFIC BANH MI BUT YOU CAN PUT ANYTHING YOU LIKE, I'VE DONE FISH ,  GRILLED HONEY PORK THEY ARE ALL GOOD.

I TRIED TO RECREATE THE FIRST BANH MI I'VE EVER EATEN. THE FLAVOR IS SPOT ON, THE PRESENTATION ALMOST...WHAT I HAD BEFORE WAS WRAPPED W/ A PHONEBOOK PAGE. MY VERSION..I WRAPPED W/ A DELICATESSEN PAPER.=;)

Preserved Meyer Lemons

This is really easy to make, all you need is patience, a clean glass jar and lots of salt. No need for exact measurements. You can use eureka (regular lemons) or Meyer lemons.

Prep time: 10 -15 minutes
Shelf Life: 6 mos. or more

Make two cuts but not all the way in each lemon so that the lemon remains attached.

Stuff kosher salt into the crevices of each lemon.

Place salted lemons tightly into the glass jar.

Squeeze the juice of leftover lemons into the jar before closing it.

Place the jar on a counter top, and watch and wait and document each progress if you want.

In about 2 weeks, the lemons will get very soft and the brining liquid will be clear.

This is now ready to use. Pick a lemon with clean fork.

If you still have fresh lemons replace the lemon you took out from the jar and add little salt on top of the new lemon.

I don't rinse the preserved lemon, I prefer using everything from peel to flesh.

Since the preserved lemon is already salty, you will have to adjust the salt you will add into the dish.
I have blogged 2 dishes using preserved lemons, pls. check Shrimp Piri Piri under African Fare and Moroccan Beef Stew under Moroccan Fare

MOROCCAN BEEF STEW WITH PRESERVED LEMON

Beef, lamb or goat with olives and preserved lemons is a classic Moroccan dish flavored with onion, ginger and saffron. Traditionally prepared by using a tagine w/c I don’t have so this recipe is adapted for cooking in a pressure cooker or pot.

This dish is usually served w/ crusty bread on the side for scooping the meat and the sauce but I prefer serving this w/ rice. I consider this a comfort and a hearty dish; I hope you will give this a try.

Preserved lemons can be substituted w/ fresh lemon but really the preserved lemons gives texture and flavor to the dish.Making preserved lemons is easy! I’ll blog it next.

Serves: 4

Cook time: 45 minutes (I used pressure cooker)


Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. beef or lamb, cut into pieces1 large onion, chopped fine or grated
3 cloves of garlic, chopped very fine or pressed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 T butter
½ t each of S&P
½ t ginger minced
½ t turmeric
½ t saffron threads,
¼ C chopped parsley and cilantro
1 medium carrot cut ½ inch
1 sweet pepper cut
2 ½ C water
1 handful red or green olives
2 preserved lemon, chopped and seeds removed

Mix the meat with salt, pepper ginger and turmeric.
Heat the oil and butter; brown the meat on all sides over med. high,Transfer browned meat on to the pot or pressure cooker.


Add water, saffron, parsley and cilantro.



PRESSURE COOKER:Cook the meat w/ pressure over med. heat for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender.Add the olives and lemon.Reduce the liquids until it thickens.

POT :
Simmer the meat, covered, over medium heat for 1 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.Stir occasionally and add little water if necessary to prevent the meat from scorching.
When meat is cooked, add the olives and lemon.
Reduce the liquids until it thickens.

PRESERVED MEYER LEMON

SAFFRON THREADS

MOROCCAN BEEF STEW

SHRIMP PIRI PIRI

I saw Chef Marcus cooking this at Martha Stewarts Show, it looked so easy and delicious. This is an Ethiopian Appetizer but my family considers dish as our main entree. This dish is a must do/try if you haven't tried this yet.

The Ingredients: Lemon, Birds Eye Chilies, Cilantro, Parley and Garlic

Meyer Lemon Preserved

Piri Piri Sauce

Shrimp Piri Piri Wrap

Shrimp Piri Piri With Rice

My version of Marcus Samuelsson’s Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ C or more Piri Piri sauce, divided

2 T olive oil (I used butter)

½ t salt

1 lemon quartered

Romaine lettuce hearts or bibb lettuce leaves

Toss the shrimp with ½ cup of the piri piri in a large bowl.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Heat the butter or olive oil in a sauté pan over med. heat.

Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side.

Plate and sprinkle w/ salt.

Squeeze the lemon over the shrimp.

Spread ½ t of the remaining piri piri sauce on each lettuce leaf.

Place a shrimp on each leaf and fold to form a wrap and serve.

PIRI PIRI SAUCE:

Y: 1 ½ Cup

4 red bird’s eye chilies, take out seeds and ribs on two. (Original calls for 8 but I find it too much)½ C fresh lemon juice

1 preserved Meyer lemon **

Cilantro (few bunches)

Parsley (few bunches)

3 garlic cloves

½ C olive oil (add more if needed)

Puree the ingredients until smooth. Add oil in a slow and steady stream until you get the right sauce consistency.

**I added 1 whole homemade preserved Meyer lemons.

**Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

** I’m planning to use the remaining sauce w/ chicken but my daughter suggested adding them as a spread to a burger.