Spiced Beer Battered Onion Rings

A tempura like batter with a little extra spice really makes this onion ring, and hey - who doesn't love cooking with beer??  Serve these with grilled steak or chicken.

1 cup lager
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large spanish onions, peeled
Oil for deep frying

1. Whisk together lager, flour paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and vegetable oil in a large bowl.
2. Cut onions into 1/4 inch rounds, separate into rings.
3. Heat oil in wok or deep fryer until thermometer reaches 350F.  Stir rings into batter and fry a few at a time until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.

Makes 4 servings.

Onions

My kitchen is rarely without onions and the smell of cooking onions is one of the most inviting aromas that I know.  Even my flower garden has a version of an onion in my Purple Allium.  Onions in my kitchen typically range from the basic cooking onion and green onion to the Red Onion, Spanish Onion, chives, garlic and shallots.  There is a wide variety of onions available and most meals will benefit from this versatile root.

Here is some information I found that may help you decide which onion to use.

COOKING ONIONS
These have a strong flavour and can be a bit dry….and they definitely make me cry.  They store well, are relatively inexpensive and excel in stews, soups and any dish where you want them for flavouring.  Add the skins to a stock to make the broth more golden in colour.

SPANISH ONIONS
Spanish Onions are large, round and contain more water than a cooking onion.  These onions are also much sweeter.  They have a shorter shelf life and a much milder flavour.  These are great for roasting…and make a great onion ring.

VIDALIA ONIONS
These onions are round with flattened tops.  They are sweet and have a high water content.  They are great in salads and caramelize well because of their high sugar content.

RED ONIONS
These have great colour and flavour in a salad, but be careful because they can sometimes have a strong sharp taste.  I use these on the grill as well - but be careful not to overcook as they can lose their flavour.

Cosmopolitan

Something for a celebration!

4 parts gin or vodka
2 parts Cranberry juice
1 part cointreau
1 splash fresh lime juice
Garnish with a lemon or orange twist

Roast Capon with Mushroom Onion Stuffing

A typical Seder chicken with a slight sweetness to it.  Serve with a green vegetable.  From Food and Drink Spring 2000.   I liked the addition of citrus juices to this and a bit of honey.  I was not able to find Matzo Meal around my home but did buy some Matzo crackers and just ground them up.  I did not buy the Kosher red wine but just used a very nice Italian red - which of course was served with dinner :)

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2.2 kg capon or roasting chicken
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Stuffing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped
375 g white mushrooms, sliced
125 g shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup matzo meal
1 cup chicken stock
1 egg
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sauce:
1/2 cup dry Kosher red wine
1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
3 cups chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Combine tarragon, honey, lemon juice, orange juice and olive oil.  Brush on to chicken.  Leave to marinate for 4 hours, refrigerated or overnight.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. For stuffing; add olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat.  Add onion and saute for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and mushrooms and saute until about 2 minutes.  Stir in matzo meal, chicken stock and egg.  Season with tarragon, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Place stuffing in casserole dish and cover with foil.  Bake alongside chicken for 1 hour.
4. Place chicken on rack over roasting pan.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of chicken, or until chicken skin is crisp and juices are clear.
5. Place chicken on serving platter and cover lightly with a tea towel while finishing sauce.
6. Pour out any fat from roasting pan, leaving any juice.  Add wine, orange juice, vinegar and honey.  Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes or until reduced by half.  Add stock and boil for another 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
7. Carve chicken and serve with stuffing and sauce.

Serves 8

Baked Ham with Bourbon Citrus Glaze

Love this glaze, from Food And Drink 2000.

4 kg bone-in smoked ham
2 tbsp coarsely grated orange zest
2 tbsp coarsely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup bourbon whisky, rye whiskey or amber rum
1/2 cup 3 fruit marmalade (I used a mango chutney)
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Remove skin and trim fat from ham leaving a 1/4 inch thick layer.  Score the fat to make a diamond pattern.  Place ham in a shallow roasting pan and bake, uncovered for 1 hour.  Drain off fat.
3. Meanwhile, blanch orange and lemon zest in a small saucepan of boiling water for 1 min to remove bitterness.  Drain and reserve.
4. Puree bourbon, marmalade, honey and mustard in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
5. Generously brush ham with bourbon glaze and sprinkle zests over top.  Bake, basting with glaze every 15 minutes for 1 hour or until nicely glazed and meat thermometer registers 140F (60C).  Add a small amount of water to bottom of pan if glaze begins to burn.  Transfer ham to a warm platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 minuter before carving.

Serves 8 to 10 with generous leftovers

Baked Ham with Cassis and Ginger Baste

I wasn't sure about this one but very glad I tried it!  I switched the Cassis for Chambord.  From Food and Drink Spring 2000

4kg bone in smoked ham, shank end
Whole cloves
1 cup Cassis (or Chambord)
1/3 cup minced candied ginger
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Remove skin and trim fat from ham leaving a 1/4 inch thick layer.  Score fat in a diamond pattern, about 1 inch in size, and insert a clove in each diamond.  Place ham in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold the ham.  Bake uncovered, for 1 hour.  Drain off any fat in pan.
3. Combine Cassis, candied ginger and vinegar in a food processor and puree until very smooth (I used a blender).  Pour over ham and bake, basting often, for 1 hour or until nicely glazed and meat thermometer register 140F (60C).
4. Remove ham to a warm platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Add chicken stock to roasting pan and bring to a boil, stirring, over medium heat.  Blend cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and add to pan, stirring, until sauce thickens and is smooth.  Cut ham into slices and serve accompanied with sauce.

Serves 8 to 10 with generous leftovers.

Dutch Pancake with Spiced Apples

For breakfast, brunch or dinner!  From Food and Drink 2000

4 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp butter, softened

SPICED APPLES
2 large apples, peeled and cored
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, salt and sugar until just mixed.
3. Place butter in a 10 inch skillet.  Heat on the stove until butter is sizzling, about 2 minutes.  Pour the batter into the skillet and place in oven.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden.
5. While pancake is baking, slice apples into 12 sections.
6. Melt butter over medium low heat.  Add sugar, cinnamon and ginger and stir together.  Add apples and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
7. Remove pancake from oven and serve immediately with warm spiced apples, the pancake will not stay puffed for more than a few minutes.

**Tip - when making pancake batter, don't overmix the wet and dry ingredients, it makes a rubbery pancake.  When frying pancakes, wait until the edges are bubbly and the bubbles start to burst, then turn over.  The first side takes about 2 minutes, the second side about 1 minute.

Pancakes don't have to be made and eaten immediately.   The batter will stand overnight in the refrigerator and cooked pancakes can be reheated successfully in a 350F oven for 3 to 5 minutes