The Restaurant at the End of the Internet

New recipes are here!

... have a cup o' java and check back next week for more recipes (yeah, you're gonna have to cook for yourself, it's the end of the internet remember, nobody else is here)

Have a good recipe you want to share? post it in the comments - if it's good I'll give its very own post here with a link back if you like.

Recipe #1 - Cold Cucumber Soup
Recipe#2 - Sopa de Lima
Recipe #3 - Homemade Crusty French Bread
Recipe #4 - New Orleans Style Steak PoBoy Sandwich
Recipe #5 - Best Biscuits - Southern Style
::

BEST Biscuit Recipe

2010-01-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

The holiday season and leading up to it was a crazy busy time so I haven't had a chance to post any new recipes until now. Thought I'd start out the New Year right. -- Winter, snow - definitely the time for comfort food, and I had a hankering for fresh warm biscuits last week. I've not had much luck myself with other recipes, even the usually reliable Bisquik way. So I searched diligently and tried the recipe below - it worked perfect first time thanks to the careful and thoughtful instructions. This is definitely a fav now. I served the biscuits with a western omelette and gravy (ok the gravy was a mix I bought down in Texas last year - hope I can find more, it was rich, thick and tasty. Almost as good as Bob Evans')

This recipe is courtesy of the nice folks at Joy of Baking.com definitely worth a visit or follow on Twitter

"To make a good biscuit, the correct mixing of the ingredients is crucial. Although you could use an electric mixer I prefer to mix the dough by hand using either a pastry blender, two knives or just my fingertips. Mixing by hand helps to prevent over mixing of the dough. To begin, the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder/baking soda, and salt) are whisked or sifted together in a large bowl. Next the butter is cut into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. It is important that the butter be cold so when it is worked into the flour mixture it becomes small, flour- coated crumbs, not a smooth dough. This method is similar to how a pie dough is made and gives the biscuit a wonderful delicate and flaky texture. The wet ingredients are then added to the flour mixture. Only mix the dough until it comes together. I cannot stress enough that this dough should not be overworked and that a light hand is needed. If you end up with a hard and doughy biscuit, you will know to mix the dough less the next time. When the dough is mixed, gather it up in your hands and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times to make it a cohesive mass and then roll to 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Use a lightly floured cookie cutter and cut into rounds. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with the egg wash. Using an egg wash gives the biscuits a nice appearance and helps with browning.

Biscuits need to be baked in a hot oven so the dough sets quickly thereby producing a light biscuit with a golden brown top and bottom with white sides. They are done when they are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of the scone comes out clean. The texture of the interior should be light and soft, and white in color. Cool on a wire rack. If you want crusty biscuits, cool them uncovered. If a softer crust is desired, then wrap the hot biscuits in a clean dish towel

Recipe -

2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar (optional)

1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup (180 ml) milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Topping: 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (use pastry blender, two knives, or fingertips). Add the milk and slightly beaten egg and stir until just combined. (The texture should be sticky, moist and lumpy.)

Place mixture on a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently until it comes together and is a smooth dough.

Roll out dough to 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thickness. Cut out biscuits with a lightly floured round cookie cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg and milk mixture and bake for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the biscuit comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter. Makes about 12 3-inch (7.5 cm) biscuits".

I'll be testing some homemade biscuit gravy recipes to post soon and right now there is a vegetarian pot of chile in the crockpot so I'll let you know how it turned out soon. Support your local food banks and homeless shelters.
Happy New Year

~ @canayjun
::

New Orleans Style Steak Po-Boy Sandwich Recipe

2009-09-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

This recipe is my own developed from many attempts at re-creating the famous New Orleans style Po-Boy sandwiches. Served on a crusty french roll, they far surpass what others might call Hoagies, Philly sandwiches or hot subs /submarine sandwiches. I think it's just because everything just tastes better in New Orleans. Must be that Cajun culture (or canayjun? Les Acadiens). My favorite Po Boy was the hot roast beef smothered in a rich gravy. I used to have it regular for lunch in the Lower 9th and across the river in Gretna. For this recipe instead of making a whole roast, I've chosen steak to make a smaller portion. I hope you like it.

The best I ever had was at Stewart's Diner, on North Claiborne Ave. in the central New Orleans St. Roch neighborhood - one of the first restaurants to re-build and re-open after Katrina in that area just across the lift bridge from the Lower 9th. I remember going with good friends I'd made who were rebuilding their homes in the 9th- Herbert Gettridge Sr. and Lionel Worthy, two wonderful gentlemen, true survivors.

Ingredients:

1 pound of steak (see note)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Flour - enough for a roux or gravy
Butter
Stock - vegetable or beef broth, mine is home-made veg, unsalted
Red wine - a generous splash 1/4 cup + please don't use "cooking" wine,
use whatever good red wine you like to drink
1 or 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
3-4 medium onions, halved and sliced
1 -2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup or so of fresh parsley, minced
Green onions, sliced thinly
Ground cayenne pepper - to taste (I used about 1/8th teaspoon)
Red chilli pepper flakes - to taste (mine are in a pepper mill with sea salt)
this receipe is not meant to be "hot & spicy"
Spices, other - by all means if you have some Chef Paul Steak Spice, use it or...
Spices, other - sparingly some paprika, cumin or chili powder
Crusty French bread stick / baguette * recipe here

Note - on the steak: I used two New York Strip Loins,
because they were on sale half price, but you could use
a less expensive cut cooked lower & slower.
It will tenderize when it is placed back in the gravy to simmer.

Yield - two (or more) Po Boy Sandwiches. You can increase the ingredients easily to make more, but then you might as well start with an oven or pot roast of beef. It depends on the size of your French bread baguette, whether it is a smaller individual sandwich size or longer that needs slicing. Myself, a serving is probably close to 1/2 pound. I love Po Boys!

Preparation:

Season the steak sparingly. ( A good cut of steak like I used won't need marinating, but some cheaper cuts could benefit from spending a couple hours in a mildly spiced marinade first). A little kosher or sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and a share of the spices listed above. Add one or two tablespoons of good quality vegatable cooking oil to a large frying pan - no-stick is OK, but a seasoned cast iron is better. Heat to high, just before smoking, and add the steak to sear in the flavor. Turn down to med-high to prevent burning and cook two or three minutes a side, or longer depending on thickness. You just want to cook a good cut of steak rare or medium rare - we'll be using those great sealed in juices later.

Remove the steak to a warming platter. Reduce the heat to medium and immediately in the same pan add a tbsp or so of butter and fry the sliced onions. Scrape up the pan to get the brownings and spices from cooking the steak. When the onions are soft and translucent add the minced garlic and reduce to med-low and continue cooking til just browned. We don't want it blackened or burnt. I often put a lid on the pan to keep in the moisture. Add the cayenne, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and other spices to taste too. As I said, this is not meant to be hot n spicy, but savory and flavorful. Add the chopped parsley. Quickly increase the heat to high again stirring to avoid burning and add about 2 cups of the stock (or more, we're making a gravy sauce here and it will reduce as it simmers so adjust the liquid accordingly). Simmer med-high, then lower to reduce.

Meanwhile, slice the steak that's set aside on the warming platter. If you can slice it on the platter, that's good, because the goal here is we want to save the juices that have already accumulated and as we slice the meat. Slice the steak as thinly as you find easy in pieces a couple of inches long so that they fit in a sandwich easily. Turn up the heat on the pan again a little so it's simmering quickly and add the sliced steak and all those juices. Add that splash of red wine now too. Simmer med-low for a few minutes, taste and adjust spices if necessary - we're looking a for a rich, savory, beef gravy flavour - not too salty. I add a little Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce too, you might want to add some of your favorite steak sauce. Combine about 2 tbsp of flour with the same of butter (I melt this quickly in the microwave for about 10 secs. and stir to smooth and combine) and slowly add, a little at a time, to the simmering pan while stirring to thicken the natural gravy. Simmer again as it thickens, adjust liquid if necessary - the goal is until the steak is tender. With a good cut, it won't take long, a cheaper cut sliced thinly that way and cooked lower and longer, will be tender with a little patience.

Slice the French stick for the sandwich and put it on serving plates. With a slotted spoon, take out enough of steak for each serving and ladle onto one half of the bread. Add enough of the gravy on top to make it messy and juicy. Top with a little of the green onion (and shredded lettuce if you like). A nice variation is to add some shredded jack, swiss or mozzerella cheese on top of the steak.

Enjoy your first "Canayjun" Po Boy Sandwich!

Have a good recipe you want to share? Post it in the comments - if it's good I'll give its very own post here with a link back if you like. Feedback on the recipe welcomed - I'm no expert, just like home cookin'. Come back soon for the next recipe. Join the #Whyhomeless Movement on Twitter and help the homeless.
::
:: photo credits - c2006 by @canayjun Creative Commons Licence - use em... gimme credit.
::

Hurricane Katrina 8 29 05 Remember New Orleans - Video

2009-08-29T16:14:00.001-07:00

Hurricane Katrina: Rain to Renaissance – YouTube Video

I couldn’t let August 29th go by without posting some remembrance for our many friends in New Orleans. Four years ago today Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast and devastated New Orleans. I went down and volunteered with Project417, staying until October ‘06 working in relief centers and hosting volunteers helping gut out and repair flood ravaged homes in the Lower 9th ward. [any other Lower 9th volunteers out there? comment here and let us know] I put the video together from photos we took, news shots, NASA photos and other YouTube videographers. It still needs an ending that shows the spirit of revival and community caring that continues to grow today. Worth watching? You tell me – I will never forget New Orleans. Re-tweet it @canayjun to let me know you watched. Thx!

So why is this video posted on The Restaurant at the End of the Internet blog? Simple, during my stay there I was introduced to some of the best home-cooking in the world: Nawlin's style, Southern, Louisiana Kitchen cookin', Cajun, Creole and more. If you've ever had a real Po-Boy or tasted home made Chess Pie you know what I mean - so come back to the blog soon for the next recipe.

Homemade Crusty French Bread

2009-06-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

OK - this one is tested by yours truly. Just wish I had big honkin' ovens so I could make more at one time. This recipe will make two or three loaves. I use Oetker instant yeast packets, but feel free to use your own prep method, I've made it with regular yeast before too.

Yield - 2 to 3 narrow loaves of bread.

Ingredients:

1 packet (1/4 oz.) instant yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour -see note*
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup lukewarm water / or milk
( I use half of each)

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon honey

Preparation:

Mix the 2 cups all purpose flour, instant yeast, salt, and sugar in a large enough bowl for about 3x the contents. Add the lukewarm liquid and shortening and mix well. I mix by hand with wooden spoon, but by all means use a mixer on low speed. Add and mix in the 1 cup of whole wheat flour a little at a time (*note - or enough to make a stiff dough, it should fall away from your hand, not too sticky)

Turn out dough on a floured board and let rest for 10 minutes.
Knead well and let rise in a lightly greased bowl until doubled in bulk about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
Turn out on lightly floured board. Divide the dough into two or three parts and let rest for 10 minutes.
Flatten each part with a rolling pin until about 1/4" thick. Roll up each flattened part into a long slender loaf - press firmly along the edges to seal up. Sprinkle corn meal on the baking sheet, lay each loaf on the sheet, leaving enough room for the second rising. Cut diagonal gashes about 1/2" deep in the loaves. Mix the egg white mixture and brush it on the loaves. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and sesame seeds if you like. Let rise again until doubled.

Pre-heat oven to 425 d. Put a pan in the bottom of the oven filled with boiling water. Place loaves on sheet on top rack , bake for 10 minutes, then remove and brush with remaining egg white mixture. Turn oven down to 375 and bake until bread sounds hollow when tapped - about 25 minutes.

Cool on a rack.

Eat some while it is still warm! Enjoy.

::
::

This week's recipe - Sopa de Lima (Lime Soup)

2009-06-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sopa de Lima (Lime Soup with shredded chicken, tostadas and chili sauce)

Portions 6-8

Ingredients
2 quarts of water
1 chicken cut into pieces
1 head of garlic, roasted
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
juice of 1/2 lime
1 stem of epazote (Mexican herb), or 1 stem of mint can substitute
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cubes or 2 teaspoons chicken bullion

Condiment
2 tablespoons oil
4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 or 2 avacados, peeled and diced
1 or 2 habanero chiles (optional, because they are VERY HOT)
juice of 1/2 lime
Crisp tortillas (also sold in stores here as "tostadas")

Instructions
In a large kettle, place chicken pieces in about 2 quarts of water. Add sliced onion, roasted garlic, thinly sliced lime, juice from 1/2 a lime, epazote/mint, bay leaves, oregano, and chicken bullion. Cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour until chicken is tender.
While the soup is cooking, you can make the "condiment". Pour the oil into a hot frying pan. Quickly add tomatoes and onion and cook until soft. Set aside to cool. Add diced avacado and chile (if desired). Fold in juice from other lime half.
Remove chicken pieces from soup. Remove and discard skin and bones, and shred remaining meat.
Break crispy tortillas/tostadas into 1 to 2 inch pieces. For each serving, place a few tortilla/tostada pieces in bottom of soup bowl. Cover with a handful of shredded chicken and fill the bowl with the soup broth. Serve condiment on the side, but could also be used as a topping for the soup.

Comments: We fell in love with this soup while working with A Promise Of Health, a nonprofit organization that provides free everyday health-care to the small, remote Mayan villages in Yucatan, Mexico. We hope you will enjoy it as much as we do!

Contributor Linda Couoh - to techsoup.org
Source Yucatan Cookbook, Recipes & Tales by Lyman Morton

Contributions to http://recipes.wiki.techsoup.org are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 License.

Submit your favorite recipes here, follow the blog, visit often - thx!
::
::

Recipe - Cold Cucumber Soup

2009-06-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Cold Cucumber Soup - courtesy Techsoup

Contributor Susan Goldstein
Source: a friend, about 15 years ago
Portions 4-6

Ingredients
6 small-med. pickling cucumbers, washed, but not necessarily peeled, and cut into chunks
1 cup sour cream (can use nonfat or low fat)
1 cup buttermilk (low fat)
1 tsp. dried dillweed
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions
Place all ingredients in blender and process.
May need to do this in smaller batches and recombine. Serve cold.

Comments
Great source of calcium, and can be low fat or fat free, depending on choice of ingredients.

Thanks to
Recipe licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 License. - published on TechSoup.ca.

TechSoup.org offers nonprofits a one-stop resource for technology needs by providing free information, resources, and support. In addition to online information and resources, we offer a product philanthropy service called TechSoup Stock. Here, nonprofits can access donated and discounted technology products, generously provided by corporate and nonprofit technology partners.

Come back for new recipes here at The Restaurant at the End of The Internet.
::
::

A Cup of Cold Water in Concert - Toronto - May 23rd in support of meals for the hungry

2009-05-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Bloor Lansdowne Community Dinner presents -

A Cup of Cold Water

in concert, Saturday May 23rd at 7:00 pm

[Editor's note - just wanted to give you an update, the concert was a big success with more than $1200 dollars raised to keep the community dinner going. Thanks to all who came and donated!]

Where: 1307 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario

South side of Bloor Street, just west of Lansdowne, steps from the Lansdowne TTC subway stop, extra parking at the Value Village next door

Why?

A “Pay What You Can” benefit concert with all proceeds going to support the weekly Wednesday night community dinner. For over a year BLCF has been hosting a free meal program for residents of the neighbourhood – homeless or under-housed, lonely seniors, young single parent families, residents of nearby transitional housing and the working poor. Every week we have more than sixty guests, some nights serving over one hundred home-cooked meals.

This is not a “soup kitchen’ program. It’s more like inviting neighbours over for dinner. Developed and operated in partnership with Project417. The tables are set, the ambiance is friendly and we serve our guests at the table restaurant style – hearty and homemade meals and tasty desserts. Dinner is served fr0m, 6 to 8pm. All night there is live music – folk, roots rock, acoustic – often featuring our friend Terry, guitarist / vocalist and songwriter of the duo A Cup of Cold Water.

::

Bloor Lansdowne CommunityDinner is hosted by the Bloor Lansdowne Christian Fellowship at the church located at 1307 Bloor Street West, where they have been serving the local area for more than 70 years.

::

Come on down for a great night out and help feed the hungry right in our neighborhood. Questions, call (416)535-9578
On the web at blcf.info

Visit the Facebook group