Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Food Column – Carol Taylor – A – Z of Food – ‘E’ for Egg Plant, Escargot, Elephant Ears and many more Eezee recipes and foods

Welcome to the series from Carol Taylor, the wonderful A – Z of Food and I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge of wonderful ingredients across the food groups, spices and herbs over the year.

Welcome to my culinary tour of the alphabet it seems from the comments that you are enjoying it and for that, I thank you all…The letter E…I love this series as I have found much I didn’t or didn’t know I knew it has been no different while researching the letter E…

Escargot... The French love their snails and cooked in garlic and white wine I can understand why …

It is a very popular mollusc there are some 200 snail farms in France although some are still gathered from the wild.

Elephants Ears... They grew in Phuket by the Rai in the field near our house and the river that runs alongside had massive ones some of those leaves reached 3 feet long and 2 feet wide and the plants can grow 8 feet tall.

The elephant ears thirst for water is why they are so prolific in soggy areas and they are also popular here not only for landscaping but also near water features they are quite an impressive plant.

The corms or roots are also to be found on every market stall it’s Taro.

Egg Threads...Are lightly beaten eggs which can be dropped in a soup for example or used to make an egg netting to enclose a filling…This recipe is for one of my favourite soups…

Egg drop soup

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tbsp oil ( I use coconut)
• 3 spring onions
• 3/4 lb ripe tomatoes ( chopped and cored)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-2 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1/3 lb finely minced pork
• 1-2 chillies diced diagonally
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 sprigs of coriander or dill
• 5 1/2 cups water
• Black Pepper to taste

Let’s Cook!

1. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large pan. Add tomatoes and salt, cover and cook until soft about 4-6 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
2. Add fish sauce and chillies….I would add I tbsp of fish sauce and taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
3. Add the mince and move around to break up any big clumps.
4. Add water, bring to boil and skim off any scum that arises.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes add spring onions and simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. If you are not serving immediately then remove from heat and keep the lid on.

To Serve:

1. Bring soup to simmer, Taste and adjust seasoning, fish sauce or salt.
2. Pour beaten egg into a bowl in a wide circle; stir gently to break up into strings.
3. Ladle soup into a bowl, add a generous sprinkling of pepper and garnish with Coriander or Dill.

Enjoy!

Escalope...Is a steak which is cut from the rib section of a cow it is boneless and has a thin layer of fat often known as the Faux Fillet.

Effiler...A French culinary term meaning to prepare green beans for cooking by breaking off the ends with the fingers, as close as possible to the tip and removing the strings. When applied to almonds and pistachio nuts effiler means to cut into the thin slices lengthways, either with a knife or with a special instrument. The word is also used for slicing chicken or duck breast.

Some chefs use the term effilocher, particularly for cutting leeks into fine shreds.

Egg Wash…Eggs are beaten and used to brush the top of pastry and pies before cooking.

Edam Cheese…I think we are all familiar with that cheese with red/orange wax coating around it and although I really love a strong-tasting cheese I do quite like this mild tasting cheese. Often used for appetizers or as a fondue

Egg Plant…Also called aubergines come in many colours and sizes and are used in many cuisines here in Thailand they are also eaten raw…A species of the nightshade family it is grown for its edible fruit. It is also called Brinjal in Southern Asia and South Africa. It is an ingredient used in Thai Green Curry and also used in Mousakka.

Enoki... Popular in Japanese cuisine these fine white mushrooms are called Golden Needle mushrooms by the Chinese…Used in soups and stir-fries they barely need but a few minutes as they don’t respond too well to heat…They also take on the flavour of what the oil has been used to cook before..so if you cooked bacon they will take on that flavour.

Espresso… Coffee served with water to drink after your first sip this then cleanses your palate…Created in ‘80s Soho, London, by cocktail legend Dick Bradsell, the story goes that a delightful young lady entered his bar and asked Dick to make her a drink that “wakes me up and then. Thus, a legend was born, office parties and “Crimbo” get-togethers the nation over were drinking Martini Espresso.

The Espresso Martini is a sumptuous mix of vodka, coffee liquor and espresso that gets people giggling with excitement at its mere mention.

It’s rich, indulgent and creamy, and the shot of espresso will make sure you keep up with the pack if you find yourself flagging.

Escabeche…A marinade to flavour and preserve meat and fish is the name for a number of dishes in Mediterranean and Latin American cuisines which can refer to a dish of fish or meat escabeche of chicken, rabbit or pork is common in Spain marinated and cooked in an acidic mixture (vinegar) and sometimes coloured with pimento (Spanish paprika) or saffron.

That’s all for my culinary trawl through the letter E… I do hope that you enjoyed the post.

Thank you for reading I hope you have enjoyed this little trip through the Culinary alphabet…Until next time when it will be the letter F.

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology:  Amazon US

Connect to Carol

Blog: Carol Cooks 2
Twitter: @CarolCooksTwo
Facebook: Carol Taylor

My thanks to Carol for sharing this series with us as she also works on her cookbook and novel this year…As always we are delighted to receive your feedback and if you could share that would be great.. thanks Sally.