#43 (ENH) Freakin on Fricos!

The music for the opening and ending of the show is Fast Food Rampage by the The Touch Ups, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

Stuff you need to know for this show's recipe:

All the recipes here are an hour or less. Total preparation time for is less than 30 minutes.

Talk Back! We are a Snacking Community. Go to the End of these Shownotes and click on comments. Leave your thoughts and experiences. Or email me at [e-mail].

The podsafe music used in the show:

A set of cuts from Freedom Tracks Music's new CD Homeless in America, 21 tracks all dedicated to raising awareness about the plight of the homeless. These songs are written and performed by Nashville session musicians. The first one I want to play for you is call Slow Train. The second track is Willie's Song.

Here is the lead recipe I describe in the show:

PARMESAN WAFERS (adapted from Katie Brown's Weekends)

3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
fresh tarragon
fresh basil
fresh chervil
fresh sage

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spoon grated Parmesan onto a cookie sheet in 1-2-teaspoon-size mounds about 2 inches apart. Push down on the Parmesan mounds with the back of a spoon to slightly spread out the cheese.

3.Place an herb sprig on top of each Parmesan mound.

4. Bake until melted and golden (about 3-4 minutes).

CHEDDAR PECAN CRISPS (adaapted from Gourmet, January 2002)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz Cheddar, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat together butter and Cheddar in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, then beat in remaining ingredients.

Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and arrange 3 inches apart on buttered baking sheets. Flatten each ball into a 1 1/2-inch disk and bake in batches in middle of oven until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

SALAMI CRISPS (adapted from Gourmet, September 2004)

24 paper-thin slices (4-inch rounds) Genoa salami (1/4 lb)

Special equipment: parchment paper

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 325°F.

Arrange salami slices in 1 layer on 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are crisp and beginning to curl, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer slices to a rack to cool. (They will crisp as they cool.)

GRILLED WHITE CHEESE WITH OREGANO OIL (adapted from Gourmet, May 2005)

These skewers are traditionally made with Brazilian queijo de coalho, a dense, salty white cheese very similar in taste and texture to the Haloumi we use here. Soaking the cheese on the skewers removes some of the salt and prevents the skewers from burning.

1/2 lb Haloumi cheese, cut into 12 rectangular blocks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

Special equipment: 6 (6- to 8-inch) wooden skewers

Thread 2 blocks of cheese lengthwise onto each skewer, then cover skewers with cold water and soak 1 hour.

Stir together oil and oregano in a 13- by 9-inch shallow dish.

While cheese soaks, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.

Drain cheese skewers on paper towels and pat dry, then grill, covered only if using a gas grill, on a well-oiled grill rack, turning (use a metal spatula to scrape under cheese to loosen before turning each time), until evenly browned, 3 to 7 minutes total.

Add cheese skewers to oregano oil and turn to coat.

Here is the shopping list for next week:

Next week we are going to have some more fun with dough. You need 3 10 oz can flaky biscuit dough, a 10 oz can Crescent Roll dough, 2 pound of ground beef, pork, lamb, turkey, chicken, seitan or tofu, 3 medium onion, barbecue sauce, bottled or homemade, brown sugar, cheddar, Chihuahua or jack cheese, 5 slices american cheese, 2 5-inch links of firm chorizo sausage or 6 oz spicy tofu, 4 oz goat cheese, plain or herbed, 1/4 pound fresh thin green beans, a red onion, a red pepper, Nicoise olives (the oily, semi-dry, black type), Salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro, a bit of ketchup.