Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s – Culinary A – Z Rewind – ‘L’ is for Lamb, Lavender, Lemon/ Lime Meringue Pie, Liquorice and Liver…

Welcome to a repeat of the series from Carol Taylor, the wonderful Culinary A – Z and a reminder, not only of the amazing variety of food we have available to us today from around the world, but delicious recipes to showcase them. Carol also introduces to cooking methods and kitchen equipment that assist in creating meals for all occasions.

Welcome once again to Carols Cooking Column and today in my culinary trawl we have the letter L.

Welcome to the next letter of the alphabet and I am starting with Lamb which is one of my favorite meats although not so easily available here.

Egyptian Lamb Flatbreads

Cold lamb is not very nice so we decided to make some flatbreads..a first for me and I was really pleased with how they came out..very quick and easy to make and a great use for the leftover lamb they made a change to shepherds pie. I now make my own bread and flatbreads all the time.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water.
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 2 cups flour.
• 1 tbsp. Baking Powder.
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt.

Filling Mix

• 300 gm leftover cooked lamb…or you can use beef, pork or chicken.
• 1 lemon/lime finely zested.
• The juice half lemon/lime.
• 2 tsp. black pepper.
• 1 tsp. oregano or marjoram.
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• I tsp. Paprika.
• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds, toasted.
• 2 eggs beaten.
• 1 tsp. sea salt…
• 4 Spring onions finely sliced.

Let’s Cook!

To make flatbreads.

Sift dry ingredients together. Add liquids and mix thoroughly…I used my food processor and it took literally 2 mins…. if that and formed a ball. If it is too sticky add little more flour. Divide into 8 pieces. Flatten with the heel of the hand and roll out very thin.
My first attempt at this and I didn’t roll mine out thin enough to start with.

Heat pan and cook 2/3 minutes each side turn over with tongs or fish slice and done… finito…ready to fill…easy peasy.

Lamb Filling.

Chop lamb into rough little chunks and pieces. Put in large bowl with lemon zest and squeeze half of the lemon juice into the mix. Add all your spices, the eggs, salt and pepper and most of the spring onions and retain some for garnishing. Mix together thoroughly.

Lay out the flatbreads and cover half with filling, then fold over and press together. You get half-moon shape.

Get 2 large baking trays and rub one with Olive oil. Lay the flatbreads on the oiled tray, lightly rub other tray and pop this on top of flatbreads. Put trays into the preheated hot oven and cook 6-8 minutes. This way the flatbread will get lovely and crispy on top. If you have small trays you may need to do in batches.

Depending on the size of the flatbreads cut in two …I left mine whole as I served individually (see picture) and not on a large serving plate but for a party or just because you want to….. serve on one dish with Humous.

Larding.

Larding is the cooking technique of inserting strips or pieces of fat into a piece of meat that doesn’t have much fat of its own.

Fat is important in cooking, as it melts and keeps the meat from drying out.

Back in the last half of the 1900s, people didn’t need to do larding very much, as farmers had worked to breed animals with better marbling in their meat. No sooner had that been achieved, however, than consumers changed their minds and wanted “fat-free” meat, and wouldn’t purchase meat that had much or any marbling in it. Consequently, farmers are going back to breeding meat that doesn’t have much fat of its own, and we have almost reached the point that we have to start larding again.

Some meats, such as venison, have always been larded as Venison is very lean meat.

Often lard (pork fat) is used, but if you are doing beef you would want to use beef fat to “lard” your beef with.

Lemon/ Lime Meringue Pie

I seemed to be making a lot of recipes lately which require egg yolks thus leaving me with a glut of egg whites. I haven’t made a lime meringue pie before but as we get more limes here than lemons it made sense to do so… Make a pastry case using either your own tried and tested recipes or following mine.

Make the shortcrust pastry.

I use half fat to flour so for example for 8oz of flour I use 4oz of fat.

The flour is not same here and very recently when I was comparing items from the UK against the US….I made some startling discoveries of the differences and it has made an instant difference to my cooking especially my pastry…. I will say no more but I had a silent rant!

Again I cannot get the same cooking fat so I use an olive oil based fat and crispo. For this sort of pastry when I want a nice soft pastry I used 1/3 olive oil fat and 2/3 crispo.

And cake flour, not all purpose flour, and the difference was remarkable…….mmmm I am still silently ranting…lol

Prepare your pastry making sure you use ice cold water from the fridge and wrap in clingfilm and put in the chiller for at least 20 minutes.

Roll out and line a pie plate or dish.

Some prebake at this point and some don’t …I have done both depending on the time I have or just how I feel.

If I don’t prebake I stand the dish on a baking tray so as to make sure there are no “soggy bottoms”

For this pie, I pre-bake the pie case…I cook the pie case on 190 degrees for about 25-30 mins if you just lightly scrape the edge of the pie it should just flake away.

Now let’s make the filling…

• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice or lemon juice
• 2tsp butter at room temperature
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2tsp lime zest.

Let’s Cook!

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, water, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth.
2. Stir in butter and egg yolks. Then gradually add boiling water.
3. Bring mix to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins.
4. The mix should be fairly thick and glossy, if you want to add green coloring at this point then you can. I didn’t so add so my filling was a lemon color because of egg yolks.
5. Pour into the pre-baked pastry case.

Meringue Topping

• 3 Egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar.

Let’s Cook!

1. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks.
2. Add half of the sugar and beat until stiff and then fold in rest of sugar.
3. Put on top of lime/lemon filling and make sure edges are sealed.
4. Bake in preheated oven on 175 until top is golden. About10 mins.

Liver.

This lovely spicy chicken liver dish is very easy and quick to make…. In Thai, it translates to Pad Ped Kuang Nai Gai Tua Fuk Yaao. Try saying that after a few glasses of wine.

This dish is a family favorite, even hubby eats it and he doesn’t really do spicy but I think his love of liver takes over.

Ingredients:

• 350 gm Chicken Livers
• 4 or 5 long green beans.
• 1 tsp. Red curry paste….. depending on the red curry paste you use you may need to add more…I use a locally made one which blows your head off …so only use a tsp. and it is still hot!
• 1-2 tbsp. Fish Sauce.
• 6/8 Lime leaves very finely sliced.
• 4 tbsp. Coconut Milk.
• A small amount of coconut oil.

N.B You can use oil of your choice I just always cook with Coconut oil.

Let’s Cook!

1. Clean and cut up chicken livers…I do bite-size pieces.
2. Cut up long beans into half-inch long pieces.
3. Finely shred lime leaves…..I roll them and shred.
4. Heat Pan over fairly high heat, add a small amount of oil, add chili paste and 1 tbsp Fish sauce stir until paste is liquid, add finely sliced lime leaves and chicken livers, stir until the liver is just cooked.
5. Add the green beans and coconut milk and cook gently for 2/3 mins.
6. Taste and add more fish sauce if required…I generally add about another half tbsp.
7. It is now ready to serve..this is quite a dry dish so can be served with a small bowl of miso soup with chopped spring onions if liked.
8. Serve with steamed rice.

Lassi.

Lassi is a popular traditional dahi-based drink that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is a blend of yogurt, water, spices and sometimes fruit. Traditional lassi is a sweet-savory drink, sometimes flavored with ground and roasted cumin.

Lemongrass.

A tall tropical grass the fresh stalks and leaves have a clean lemonlike odor because they contain an essential oil, which is also present in lemon peel. Used extensively in Asian cooking and it is a spice which I love Lemongrass is a long thick grass with leaves at the top and a solid portion several inches long at the root end. The lower portion is sliced or pounded and used in cooking. As a spice, fresh lemongrass is preferred for its vibrant flavor but is also sold in dried form. The dried spice is available in several forms: chopped in slices, cut and sifted, powdered,

Longan.

A popular fruit here in Thailand in season Longan is sold everywhere markets and street corners…Thais love it…

Longan fruit also referred to as “euphoria fruit,” grows on an evergreen tree and is related to the lychee. Both are a translucent white beneath a somewhat soft and nut-like exterior. The longan, however, has a light brown shell and a central hard, glossy black seed that has the appearance of an eye. The Chinese call this fruit “dragon eye.”

The flavor of the longan is described as being somewhat like that of the lychee only sweeter and more grape-like. Longan Honey is also very nice and healthy and honey I buy fresh whenever I can.

Liaison.

A liaison in cooking is a binding agent. It could be bread or flour but generally, it is almost always especially in professional kitchen cream and egg yolks. Classically it is 3 egg yolks per cup/8oz/250ml of cream which are mixed together and then a small amount of the hot soup.stew is added a little at a time (we don’t want) scrambled eggs do we? then once the temperature of the liaison has raised which is called ” tempering” the mixture is poured into the soup or stew.

If using flour then mix the flour with a little cold water first before you add the hot mix and temper it.

Leeks.

Leeks, like garlic and onions, belong to a vegetable family called the Allium vegetables. Since leeks are related to garlic and onions, they contain many of the same beneficial compounds found in these well-researched, health-promoting vegetables.

Fresh leeks should be stored unwashed and untrimmed in the refrigerator, where they will keep fresh for between one and two weeks. Wrapping them loosely in a plastic bag will help them to retain moisture.

Tips for preparing Leeks.

Cut off green tops of leeks and remove outer tough leaves. Cut off the root and cut leeks in half lengthwise. Fan out the leeks and rinse well under running water, leaving them intact. Cut leeks into 2-inch lengths. Holding the leek sections cut side up, cut lengthwise so that you end up with thin strips, known as the chiffonade cut, slicing until you reach the green portion.

Make sure slices are cut very thin to shorten cooking time. Let leeks sit for at least 5 minutes before cooking.

Leeks can be used in soups, stews, they can be stuffed there are numerous recipes using leeks…Just make sure that you wash them thoroughly as they tend to have their growing soil between each layer.

Liquorice.

Liquorice (British English) or licorice (American English) is the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra from which a sweet flavor can be extracted. The liquorice plant is a herbaceous perennial legume native to southern Europe and parts of Asia, such as India.

Liquorice flavours are used as candies or sweeteners, particularly in some European and Middle Eastern countries.

Liquorice is a chewy, dark-brown or black sweet flavored with liquorice root extract. Common variations include bootlaces, all-sorts (which are bound by colored sugar paste) and regional confections such as Pontefract cake and Yorkshire pennies (shiny black discs that are distinguished by the small castle and owl image stamped on one side).

In Denmark and Norway, salted liquorice is more common than the sweet variety popular in Britain. I remember as a kid we used to get very small liquorice sweets like little pips…called imps I think? and also one which I am assuming was the root and it was really chewy…Does anyone else remember those???

I know many chefs are now using liquorice in cakes and savory dishes I haven’t tried it…I love the sweet liquorice but do think it is a bit like Marmite you either love or hate it…

Licorice extracts have been used in herbalism and traditional medicine.

Lavender.

Lavender is a herb native to northern Africa and the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean and is also grown for the production of its essential oil, which comes from the distillation of the flower spikes of certain lavender species.

The lavender essential oil is toxic when swallowed.

The oil has cosmetic uses, and it is believed to have some medicinal uses.

Can you use lavender in cooking?

Lavender flowers are most commonly used in dessert recipes, but some professional cooks are finding it is also an outstanding addition to savoury recipes. Like rosemary, lavender can add a robust flavor to roasted meats and is especially good with lamb.

Again I haven’t used lavender in cooking but I think maybe I will soon…Has anyone else used lavender in cooking?

Lotus Root

A popular vegetable here in Thailand …with a creamy and starchy texture that’s similar to taro root. Lotus seeds can be boiled and added to dessert soups or ground to make lotus seed paste, a common ingredient in sweets like mooncakes and daifuku. Though not as widely available, even the petals and leaves of the lotus plant are edible.

The first time I came across the seeds were when we visited the Red Lotus Lake here where I live I was then able to join the dots as I had seen the seed pods being sold at the roadside and on the markets but didn’t know what they were…

The lotus root can be found sunk into the mud of a pond or river bottom and the lotus root is actually the stem of the plant. Growing as long as four feet, the stems rise out of the water and ends in the elegant flowers that are so revered in Buddhist and Hindu cultures. Even in harsh temperatures, lotus flowers maintain a fairly precise temperature range, which is perhaps why the Chinese call lotus root a “cooling” food, consumed to restore balance to the body.

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 M.

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 creating this wonderful series and we hope that you have enjoyed. As always we are delighted to receive your feedback and if you could share that would be great.. thanks Sally.