Fiber crackers

This is adapted from googling "psyllium crackers".

• 8 Tbsp psyllium husk powder
• 6 Tbsp flax seed meal
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp (more or less) sesame seeds (if you have them)
• 1 tsp (more or less) seasonings, including salt
• 3 cups (or a touch more) water

Mix dry ingredients. Add 3 cups of water while stirring with a fork. You'll get a gloopy mess. If the mixture seems stiff, add more water. You're going for something with a consistency like applesauce cups.  This will thicken while resting, so don't worry about it looking like it's too thin. Let mixture rest 5-10 minutes while you do the next step:

Preheat oven to 275 F (convection bake). Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper lightly with Pam. Spread about 1 gloopy forkful of the mixture on the parchment paper at a time, and work it flat on the paper with the fork (roughly 1/8" to 1/4" thick, no thicker than 1/4"). Repeat until all done.

Bake at 275 F (convection) for 1:30. Take out of oven, flip each cracker, put back in oven. Increase temperature to 300 F, and cook another 30 minutes. Top and bottom of each cracker will be dull looking & crackers will be dry.  Take out of oven, let cool, and store in a dry place (cookie jar, ziplock bag, etc.)

This makes about 18+ crackers (about 2"x4" each).

Salmon (or other fish) en papillote

Using aluminum foil, and whole fillets, rather than individual serving pieces.

Preheated 400 F oven; 17 minutes is slightly overdone for fully defrosted salmon.  Try 14 minutes next time.

o mai cam thao

From the youtube video of Uyen Thy's Vietnamese cooking show:

• 3 lbs craisins (sweetened dried cranberries)
• 1 c lemon juice
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 lb fresh ginger
• 1 c ground cam thao (licorice root), divided into 2 parts

Stir sugar & salt into the lemon juice; add water; mix together with dry ingredients & half the licorice.  Let soak overnight in a covered container to let the dried fruit rehydrate.  Pour out into a foil-lined pan; dehydrate in a 200 F oven (door ajar) for ~6 hrs, stirring every couple of hours.  (Food dehydrator is probably ideal)  At the end of the dehydration, there should be no free liquid--it should have evaporated, but the dried fruit should still be soft.  Stir in the remainder of the licorice root.

Attempt #1, 5/9/2013:

• 2 lbs Trader Joe's unsulfured dried apricots
• 1/2 c sugar
• juice from 2 limes
• 1/2 c sliced licorice root, rehydrated with 1/2 c hot water, then, ground in food processor (next time, try the vitamix, and don't rehydrate)
• Water made up to 1/2 c, added to 1/2 c sugar
• 2 large ginger roots; when ground, comes to 2 cups
• 2/3 tbsp salt

170 F convection to dehydrate.

Almond cream for tarte; tarte aux pommes

• 6 tbsp butter
• 2/3 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp rum

Use a food processor; beat almonds, sugar, & butter together.  Add eggs, then, rum & vanilla.

Pour out into a container & refrigerate until ready to use.

Peel & slice apples that hold their shape:  Golden delicious, granny smith, fuji

Line a pan with pate brisee; spread a layer of almond cream.  Layer slices of apples.  Cook in a preheated 350 oven for 40-50 minutes (convection--also try 325 F for 40 minutes, up to 375 or 400 last 5-10 minutes).

Red chile sauce (vitamix) and carne adovada

Put into the vitamix:

• 10 dried red chile pods (break off the stems)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• About 2 cups hot water

Mix on slow a bit, then, move to high.  Mix on "high" for 3-4 minutes.  That's it.

For the Carne Adovada:

• Use 6 pods.  (8 pods was a bit too spicy)
• Replace salt with bouillon (enough for 2-3 cups)
• Add 2-3 tbsp flour before blending

For about 3 lbs of meat in a crockpot:  Use the above amount of red chile sauce, + 1 chopped onion, some oregano, 2 14-oz cans of hominy.  Cook in crockpot on low for 8 hrs.

No-knead pizza dough

2.5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp yeast
1 cup water

Mix dry ingredients.  Add water, stir until water is all absorbed.  You may need 1 more tbsp of water if the humidity is low.  The dough will be sticky.  Maybe coat the dough with a spoon of olive oil at the end of all the stirring.

Cover, let rise 18-24 hrs.

Preheat the oven with the pizza stones (convection 450 or 475 F).  Scrape out the dough on a floured surface.  Divide and form balls (fold the dough into balls).  Set seam down; cover and let rest about 30 minutes.  Roll out gently; place on pizza peel (flour & cornmeal on peel).  Add toppings.  Slide on stone; bake 8-9 minutes.

Makes about 4 personal-sized thin-crust pizzas.

Basic brine

Basic brine, for turkey (or other poultry), or pork tenderloin:

4 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar (minus a bit)

Reduce the salt a bit, and add some soy sauce if you want to change the color.  Substituting some honey for the sugar is also good.  Substituting about 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce is a good substitution for pork tenderloin & boneless chicken thighs.

Easy method:  Take 2 cups of water and heat.  Dissolve salt and sugar.  Add spices/herbs as desired (hot pepper flakes, garlic, thyme, rosemary, etc.).  Add ice to come up to 4 cups volume.

Whole turkey takes at least 1 gallon of brine (multiply above by 4), and 12-18 hrs to brine.  Pork tenderloin takes about 5-6 hrs.  Boneless chicken thighs (for grilling) take 2-4 hrs of brining.