Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard, Horseradish and Dill

I cannot put up a picture of this dish. It does not look nice. But . . . ooooh! the taste.

2 pounds waxy potatoes
3/4 cup or more Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)
1 bunch scallions, white only, minced
1 bell pepper, seeded, peeled somewhat and diced
3/4 cup finely chopped dill
4 tbs. Dijon mustard
2 to 3 tbs. horseradish (extra hot or not, your choice)
1/4 cup malt vinegar
1 fl. oz. dill pickle juice from a jar.
2 tsp. salt for the salad
1 tbs. salt for the 'tater boiling water
1/2 tsp. white pepper
6 hardboiled eggs, well chilled

The malt vinegar gave the 'taters a brown-ish cast. Not at all appetizing looking.

Using a sharp pin (I use a push pin) make a pinprick in the top (wide side) of each egg. Bring a pot of water to a boil that covers the 6 eggs by 2 inches. Add the eggs with a slotted spoon. Return the pot of water to a boil. Watch carefully. The moment the water returns, remove from the heat, cover and set a count down timer for 18 minutes. When done, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon run the eggs under a cold water bath (at the sink) for 5 minutes. Return the pot of still hot water to a boil. After the eggs have chilled for the 5 minutes, put the eggs back in the boiling water for 90 seconds. Again remove them to the cold water bath for another 5 minutes, whence crack the eggs under running water, put in a bowl and refrigerate overnight, covered. Alternatively, if you have cooked the eggs on the day you are making the salad, put the eggs in the freezer, having previously dried them individually in a paper towel. They won't be completely dry, but the moisture won't cause them to stick and break the whites, either.

Mix the malt vinegar, dill pickle liquid and salt in a cup. Allow to stand, reserved, to give time for the salt to dissolve.

Bring the 'taters to a boil in salted water, lower the flame to a simmer and cook them 25 minutes. Remove the 'taters with a slotted spoon and drain them in a colander so the skins dry. That takes but a minute or two.

In a large bowl, put one of the hot potatoes. Mash it with a potato masher and add the vinegar liquid. Stir well to make a puree. Add the remaining potatoes and mash them and stir it well to incorporate the vinegar into the rest of the mashed 'taters. Next, add the mayonnaise and stir well to mix thoroughly, add the mustard and horseradish and stir thoroughly to incorporate. Add the dill and white pepper, mix in thoroughly then add the scallions and bell pepper. Mix. Slice the eggs and decorate the top of the salad with them. Allow the bowl to sit on the counter until the bottom is cool to the hand, about 1 hour. (This is a judgment call, I don't put warm food in the refrigerator.)  Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve.

Goes well with barbecued meats and hamburgers.

Peppadew Mustard with Malt Vinegar

At the risk of seeming cheap, I save the brine my Peppadew chiles come packaged in.

I had wanted to make some mustard with this brine for some time and yesterday, with Thanksgiving (US Holiday) far behind, I strained the brine and started adding mustard flour.

From the GS Dunn webpage:

Mustard Flour
Mustard flour is achieved by successive grinding and sifting to remove the bran of the mustard seed and produce a fine powder comprising the heart (kernel) of the seed. Mustard flours are used primarily to give mustard flavour to a product and for their functionality as emulsifiers. We have a wide range of flour blends of differing heat and flavour, and we produce many custom blends. 

Ground Mustard
Ground mustard is the whole seed ground as a powder (bran and kernel). Our range includes ground yellow, brown and oriental seed plus blends of yellow and oriental. Ground mustard is used as a vegetable protein in meat products, and to produce mustard sauces. 

Crushed Mustard Seed
Crushed mustard seeds are exactly that – mustard seeds which have had the outer layer cracked open to expose the flour inside. They are primarily used for appearance and texture in country-style mustards and salad dressings. Yellow, oriental and brown mustard seeds can be crushed, but by far the most popular is the brown which has a good contrast between the yellow interior and the brown exterior of the seed. 

Mustard Bran
Mustard Bran is the outer husk of the seed which has been removed during flour production. It is shipped in its raw state, coarse flakes, or it is ground to a fine powder. Yellow bran is highly functional having the ability to hold up to 9 times its weight in water, and is widely used as a natural thickener in sauces. 

Deactivated Yellow Mustard

World-wide trends toward a healthier lifestyle prompted us to develop a unique process of enzyme deactivation in a natural, non-chemical environment. Deactivated mustard retains the functional properties of mustard and is used as an emulsifier and protein source in various food applications such as meat products, dressings, mayonnaise, sauces, tomato based products, batters and baked goods. 

I added some of the Mustard Flour I had and started adding it to the chile brine. Then I added some malt vinegar, salt, a 1/2 tsp. of sugar and 1-2 tbs. each of yellow and black mustard seeds. Then I added some more mustard flour. When the heated liquid contact the mustard they thicken pretty quick. I stopped as soon as I could as I like spicy mustard. I left the pot on the porch to cool overnight and bottled the next day.

I know this isn't a recipe with quantities, but it's better if you adjust the flavors and thickness to your own liking.

Malt Vinegar Cole Slaw

More of a rant than a recipe this time. You, dear reader, are warned.

Heinz, Cross & Blackwell, and London Pub are all malt vinegars. In the United States, they may all be nothing more than brand names. That is to say: they are all made by only one company, possibly in more than one location in the US.

I saw I was running low on my gallon of Four Monks Malt Vinegar a few days ago. I had asked the manager of my local Smart & Final market if he had (or could order some). I was told it was no longer made. The last time I purchased a gallon, the other three gallons sat on the condiments shelf for a long time. I know they don't like that. But I can't cook without some malt vinegar, so, I found the gallon jug and learned that it was made by Mizkan. I called Mizkan and got nothing but confusion for my trouble. At first I was told that the Four Monks brand was no longer available. I was told that I had to buy Holland House (comes in 5 fl. oz. bottles). Yet, when I told the lady that I would have to buy "thousands" of them, she changed her story back to the Four Monks name.

I went through all this years ago, trying to find a gallon of malt vinegar. Fleischmann's vinegar is what is in a Heinz malt vinegar bottle. Probably the Four Monks brand as well. For some inexplicable reason, Southern California doesn't use the stuff.

Enough rant

1 head of cabbage (about 2 pounds)

2 carrots

1 red bell pepper - skin peeled off

1 green bell pepper - skin peeled off

8 scallions - white part mostly

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

4 tbs olive oil

2 fl. ozs. malt vinegar
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Additional ingredient (added 8-7-15) much later than the original post)

1 tbs. lemon juice (optional)

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I used a food processor shredding blade on the cabbage and carrots. I minced the white part of the scallions in the food processor with the chopping blade. I diced the bell peppers by hand and into 1/8" cubes.


Mix all, season with the salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Add the olive oil and vinegar. Stir. Refrigerate a while before serving.

My Mom's way with this style of cole slaw was to throw a handful of ice cubes into the bowl. They seem to cause the cabbage to wilt faster. The bowl of slaw was refrigerated even with the ice cubes in it.

Mashed Potato Salad a Pallative for Spicy BBQ

Mashed Potato Salad

During 1965 and 1966, I had a friend, Carmen Hall. He, an African-American boy and I, had some pleasant adventures together. One of the them was having barbecued rib sandwiches near his home in downtown St. Louis. The fall of 1966 he and I parted ways for college, and lost track of each other. Carmen, if you read this, drop me a comment, at this blog.


I give the approximate location I first had the best bbq of my life. I have circled the place where I stood. It is now sacred ground. Do Not Laugh, or I will impel the God of Hot Sauce to send a plague upon your tongue and you will never taste food again, as long as you live! The north east building should have a liquor store in it. Even though I was only 17 or 18 at the time, we drank Falstaff. It's quite necessary to have beer with bbq.

Please note that where I use bbq in the past tense, I use the word spelled out, otherwise I'll use the more common: bbq.

This isn't a post about bbq sauce. I've accepted the fact that I'll never duplicate it as I was only 16 or so at that time and didn't pay attention to it so as to be able to replicate it some 50 years or so later. This is a post about potato salad. Or more poetically: Mashed Potato Salad.

The sandwich I ate with Carmen was soooooo good. The meat was chewy, the sauce was hot and smokey and the potato salad was the palative against the heat of the sauce. WOW!

The potato salad on that sandwich had a mashed potato character. The smoothness helped quell the fire of the sauce, as I said, and it's the inspiration for this recipe.

2 to 3 pounds of red potatoes, all nearly the same size (skins left on after cooking)
1 bell pepper, peeled as best you can and diced
3 to 4 ribs of celery, peeled and sliced (see Cook's Note, below)
6 eggs, hardboiled, sliced
6 green onions, whites stemmed cut in 1/2 inch slices and greens sliced into chiffonade
1 tbs. celery seeds (optional)
4 fl. ozs. malt vinegar (no substitutions)
1/2 cup pickle relish
1 to 2 cups mayonnaise
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white pepper
2 tbs. of horseradish (from a jar) OPTIONAL

Timing of this dish's cooking is somewhat important. The eggs must be ready when the potatoes are finished. I used to make the eggs in the same boiling water as the potatoes, but have discontinued this practice as it is impractical.

Rinse the potatoes under running water and remove any blemishes. You should have selected better at the market, but that' s another post. Get the eggs from the 'frig. They must be cold at the when they go into the water. Prick each egg shell with a pin to allow the albumen to expand without cracking the egg shell. Put the eggs in a pan and cover by 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, covered. Remove from the heat. Set a timer for 17 minutes. At the end of the time, remove the now hardboiled eggs to an ice water bath. Chill the eggs until the potatoes are finished cooking. The eggs will have no grey or greyish-green layer. Yolks, perfectly yellow.

After getting the eggs onto a boil, in a larger pot to hold all the potatoes or most of the potatoes in one layer, cover with water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, covered, uncover, adjust the heat to a constant low boil and cook another 25 minutes, uncovered. The pot must be uncovered or the skins will split. Also, the heat must not be too high or the skins will split with the pot uncovered.

Meanwhile, peel the skin from the bell pepper. Dice the bell pepper and reserve. Do the same for the onions. The celery should be sliced in thin slices. Reserve.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain the cooking liquid. I reserve mine for making bread. Put the potatoes in a colander or bowl. Remember they are HOT. Take one potato and mash it with a spoon or potato ricer. Add the malt vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix this thoroughly until you have a slurry or thin liquid. Add the remaining potatoes, and all the other ingredients, except the mayo. Using a spoon or spatula, fold the mixture together. The remaining potatoes should be broken into bite size bits as you incorporate the remaining ingredients. When well mixed, add the mayo until you have the consistency you like. Slice the hardboiled eggs, layer them on top of the potato salad, cover and chill until ready to use. Remove from the 'frig 20 minutes before serving, turning the sliced eggs into the salad, just before serving.

This keeps very well due to the addition of so much vinegar. I've been able to keep this recipe two weeks in the refrigerator with no loss of flavor or texture.

Cook's Note: Put 2 tbs. of celery seeds in 8 fl. ozs. of malt vinegar. Close tightly, rest for 6 months. Strain seeds through a paper coffee filter, reserve liquid and use for this recipe.

Corned Beef - braised in Beer & Malt Vinegar

Below is cribbed from:

http://homecooking.about.com/od/beefrecipes/r/blbeef156.htm

The photo is leftovers - corned beef hash, it's pink due to the chopped up beets.

This is a hearty meal in one pot with corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in a savory broth. Feeds a dozen hungry guests or plan on leftovers.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours,

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 pounds onions, divided use
• 2-1/2 pounds carrots, divided use
• 6 pounds corned beef brisket or round, spiced or unspiced
• 1 cup malt vinegar
• 6 ounces Irish stout beer
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon dill seed
• 1/2 tablespoon whole allspice
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pounds cabbage, rinsed
• 2-1/2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup coarse grain mustard, optional
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, optional

Preparation:

You'll need a heavy-duty pot large enough to hold 4 gallons for this large quantity recipe.
Divide onions and carrots and chop enough to fill 1 cup of each, reserving the rest. Place the corned beef in the stockpot. Add the chopped onions, carrots, malt vinegar, stout beer, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, dill seeds, whole allspice, and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover the corned beef, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 3 hours until meat is fork-tender.

While the corned beef is cooking, cut the reserved onions into eight wedges and the carrots into 2-inch chunks. (Larger carrots should be halved first.) Slice each head of cabbage into 8 wedges.

Add onions, carrots and red potatoes to the cooked corned beef, with the cabbage on top. Cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes and cabbage are fork-tender.

To serve, cut corned beef against the grain into thin slices and accompany with the cooked vegetables. Dijon mustard and/or coarse-grained mustard complement the corned beef as optional condiments.

Yield: 12 hearty servings

Chiles Trompita en Escabeche

As of August 2008, I still cannot find HAVE FOUND a picture or image of the fabled chile trompita (trompa)


It is like a chile güero, but more ball shaped. Don't confuse the trompo or trompita with the GÜERO, or, as it is termed in English: yellow wax chile. I first heard of this in Arturo Lomeli Escalante's El Arte De Cocinar con Chile, published in Mexico by Contenido in 1991. I bought the book in Juarez in 1993. On page 199 is a recipe titled:

CHILES GUEROS o TROMPITAS AL JEREZ

I attached a small image of the book above. I also used Google's translation service to put this recipe into English and I give that below and then my variating version of this recipe.

Chiles Gueros o Tropmitas al Jerez

Esta sencilla receta puede prepararse con cualquier chile fresco pero de preferencia deben usarse chiles gueros o trompitas, que son en cierto modo una variedad de chiles queros. Se requieren tambien aproximadamente 250 mililitros de jerez seco, una pizca de eneldo y sal. Se envasan my bien lavados con el eneldo y el jerez, se dejan reposar a la temperatura ambiente en un frasco bien tapado durante por los menos 10 dias. Depues de pasado ese tiempo estan lists para acompanar cualquier platillo.

Google's translation

This simple recipe can be prepared with any fresh chile but preferably should be used or trompitas or trompo chilies, which are somehow a variety of chilies want. Required are also approximately 250 milliliters of dry sherry, dill weed (not seed or dried, fresh only) and a pinch of salt. It was packed my well washed with dill and sherry, are left to stand at room temperature in a jar well covered for at least 10 days. Depues past that time are lists to accompany each dish.

Mark's Translation

This easily prepared dish can be made with any fresh chile, but the preference is for trompitas, which are a type of yellow chile that are sold around the Mexico City area. To a bunch of dill in a large jar or bowl, add the chiles and 250 milliters of dry sherry and a pinch of salt. Allow to stand at room temperature for a minimum of 10 days. Then the chiles are ready to be served with any dish.

From the amount of dry Sherry, about 1 cup, I think the quantity of chiles is no more than 4 or 5 ounces.

From time to time I have tried to make contact with the author and this time, August 2008, I'm saddened to see that Sr. Lomeli has died. (sometime in 2006). In his honor and memory I give you my güero (white boy) version

1 lb. chiles güeros (yellow chiles) - which are not trompos or trompitas per Lomeli's recipe.
1 bunch fresh dill
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon of salt
a few bay leaves
2 tbs. coriander seed
2 tbs. mustard seed
1 tbs. black peppercorns (whole)
Malt Vinegar
White Vinegar

Wash the chiles, slice into the end about 3/8 of an inch to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Wash the dill. Put the dill in a jar or bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add the chiles and all other ingredients. Fill the receptacle to half full with the malt vinegar and fill the other half with white vinegar. Cover and set aside 10 days before using.

Suggested use: Huachinango a la veracruzana

Gracias y Adios, Arturo.

=======================

Gracias por el photo del Internet a Chile Trompo

26-August-2010 - I have only now learned that trompo mean top, like the child's toy.

Jalapeños Stuffed & My Twist of Malt Vinegar

Some years ago, while in Tijuana, I was shopping at the Plaza Rio Tijuana, B.C. While waltzing down the aisle, I spotted some canned tuna stuffed chile jalapeños. I bought a can and a can of the sardine stuffed jalapeños. I can recommend the tuna stuffing. The sardines are too dense and the chiles don't break up the sardines as well. The tuna is also a better flavor with the chiles. The Koreans also make tuna with crushed chiles in the can. Also good, but it's better to open a can of tuna in oil, drain the oil and sprinkle the chile caribe on it. I save the oil from the tuna fish cans and once I have enough, I like to use it to fry fish.


The recipe for making stuffed jalapeños isn't hard to make. The trick is in aging the chiles a day or two before eating them. Allowing the flavors to meld.


Title: Stuffed Jalapeños
Servings: 16
Cooking Time: 8 to 15 minutes
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Category: Appetizers
Cuisine: Mexican


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Ingredients
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16 oz. Chiles jalapeños (green, big & firm)
10-12 fl. ozs. Vinegar -- I would use malt vinegar, it goes well with fish. I'm unsure whether Mexicans use malt vinegar in their culinary cannon.
1 tbs. each of Orégano, marjoram and bay leaf
1 tsp. black pepper, crushed
2 tsp. salt
1 whole onion, half-moon sliced, (i.e, sliced Mexican style, from top to bottom)
1 head garlic, peeled (a good 10 to 12 cloves)
1/2 tsp. cloves, ground


---
Instructions
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You can stuff the chiles with tuna, cheese, sardines, shripm, salt cod, ham or what-have-you.




With the tines of a fork, prick the chiles and simmer them in a brine made of water, vinegar, oregano, marjoram, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, cloves, and garlic, onion and salt to taste. Once the chiles are almost fully cooked, remove them, reserving
the liquor, cut a slice along the length and remove the seeds and veins carefully, so as to not break the chile open, a tomato shark would work well. Next add the stuffing. Return the stuffed chiles to the pot they were cooked in, add a little olive oil to cover and refirgerate until use. It is advisable to make the stuffed chiles one or two days in advance of use, to allow flavors to blend well. If you want to make the chiles a little less hot, once the chiles have slits in them simmer them a minute or two in sufficient water and baking soda. Rinse in several changes of water to remove all traces of the baking soda and stuff as directed above.