Uncle Phaedrus, Finder of Lost Recipes (2024)

On 11 Sep 2005 at 19:25, Norman wrote:> Good Evening/ When I was young, a very popular gravy was called> giblet gravy. Typically served on thanksgiving it was a yellow gravy> and delicious. I havent seen it lately and cant find a receipe. I> suspect it might not have had anything to do with giblets. Any Ideas?> Norman

Hello Norman,

Sure. We've always had giblet gravy at Thanksgiving.

It does indeed usually involve giblets, which are the innards of a turkey or chicken - gizzard, liver, heart, etc. Basically, these are chopped and cooked and added to chicken or turkey broth, along with a chopped boiled egg or two and a bit of flour to thicken. Theactual giblets used vary from recipe to recipe - some call for justthe liver, some omit the liver, some use other parts such as the turkey neck instead of the actual giblets.

See below for a variety of recipes.

Phaed

Turkey Giblet Gravy Ingredients : 2 c. broth 1 gizzard, cooked & chopped 1 liver, cooked & chopped 1/4 tsp. black pepper 3 boiled eggs, chopped 1/4 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. self-rising flour Preparation : Combine all ingredients in heavy boiler and cook thick enough to serve.----------------------------------Chicken Giblet Gravy Ingredients : 2 tbsp. fat from roasting chicken 2 tbsp. flour 1 c. cold water (or more) Chicken giblets, cooked & finely chopped Salt & pepper to taste Preparation : Gravy should be made in the pan in which chicken was roasted. If there are more than 2 tablespoons fat in the pan, add a little more flour or drain off excess fat. If there is not as much as 2 tablespoons fat, add a little melted butter. Add flour; stir to mix thoroughly. Add water and giblets; cook over medium heat,stirring constantly until gravy boils. If too thick, add a little more water. Boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring and rubbing the spoon over the brown residue that has baked onto the pan. This will gradually dissolve and color and flavor the gravy. Season with salt and pepper.----------------------------------Giblet Gravy Ingredients : Turkey giblets and neck (except liver) 1 med. chopped onion and handful of chopped celery tops 1 tsp. salt and 1 bay leaf 4 c. water Preparation : Combine and simmer 1 hour (add liver last 20 minutes). Strain broth and add water, if necessary, to make 4 cups. Discard everything except meat; chop fine--add some to the broth, but use most of it in a bread dressing or stuffing recipe. Cool broth, then refrigerate until ready to make gravy. After turkey has been removed from roasting pan, tip pan and let fat rise in one corner. Pour fat into a cup, leaving juices in pan. Measure 16 tablespoons fat and return to pan; whisk in 1 cup flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Stir in 4 cups stock; continue cooking and stirring, scraping baked-on juices from pan, until gravy thickens and boils 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.----------------------------------Giblet Gravy Ingredients : 1 1/2 c. chopped stewed chicken 1/4 c. oil 1/4 c. flour Salt & pepper 2 boiled eggs 3 c. chicken broth Preparation : Combine oil, flour, salt and pepper in skillet and brown. Pour slowly the chicken broth in, add chopped chicken and grated boiled eggs. Let cook slowly until it attains the desired thickness. ----------------------------------Cajun Giblet Gravy Ingredients : 1 tsp. salt 1/4 to 1/3 tsp. cayenne 1 tsp. sage 1 tsp. thyme leaves 1/3 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. oregano leaves 1/4 tsp. black pepper 3 tbsp. unsalted butter 1/4 lb. gizzards, ground 1/2 c. onion, chopped 1/2 c. celery, chopped 1/2 c. green pepper, chopped 2 tsp. garlic, minced 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 3 1/2 c. chicken stock 1/2 lb. chicken livers, ground Preparation : Combine seasoning mix in small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in skillet on high heat. Add gizzards, onions, celery and green peppers; saute until gizzards browned (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, seasoning mix and flour; cook until flour is a rich brown color (about 3 minutes). Stir frequently and scrape pan bottom well. Add stock; bring to boil on high heat and simmer for about 5 minutes; keep stirring. Stir in livers and continue simmering until gravy reduced to about 3 cups (about 10 minutes). Continue to stir. 

On 13 Sep 2005 at 6:45, Liz wrote:> Hi, Years ago my grandmother made something in the fall called> "garden special" which consisted of fresh tomatoes, green peppers > and onions. She canned it for the winter. I loved it and cannot > find her recipe. I would really appreciate it if you could find > this old recipe. It was so good. Many thanks. Liz> 

Hi Liz,

See below.

Phaed

Garden Special Ingredients : 4 qt. ripe tomatoes 1 qt. celery 1 qt. onions 1 qt. water 6 sweet peppers 3 tbsp. salt 2 tbsp. sugar Preparation : Start by dicing peppers, onions, celery (coarse stalks and leaves may be used). Add water and cook together 20 minutes. Next add the tomatoes, peeled and cut, with the seasonings. After the mixture boils, put it into hot jars and process in a hot water bath 30 minutes for quarts, and 25 minutes for pints.---------------------------------- Garden Special Ingredients : 4 qt. tomatoes, peeled and cut 1 qt. onion, sliced 1 qt. celery, sliced 6 green peppers, chopped 1 qt. water Preparation : Cook onion, celery and green pepper in water for 20 minutes. To the prepared tomatoes in large bowl, add 1 tablespoon salt and 3 tablespoons sugar. Let stand until onion mixture is cooked. Then add tomatoes and bring to boil. Put in jars and seal. Process pints 25 minutes and quarts 30 minutes in hot water bath. ----------------------------------Garden Special Ingredients : 4 qt. peeled, cut up ripe tomatoes 1 qt. diced celery 1 qt. finely chopped onions 6 green peppers 3 tbsp. salt 2 tbsp. sugar 1 pt. water Preparation : Cook celery, onions, green peppers, and seasonings in the water for 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Process as for canned tomatoes - 15 minutes boiling water bath - or freeze.----------------------------------Garden Special Ingredients : 4 qt. ripe, peeled tomatoes 1 qt. diced celery 1 qt. diced onion 1 qt. water 6 diced green peppers 3 tbsp. salt 2 tbsp. sugar Preparation : Add peppers, celery, onion to water and cook 20 minutes. Add cut and peeled tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to boil. Put in hot jars and process in hot water bath. Quarts - 40 minutes. Pints - 30 minutes.

On 11 Sep 2005 at 11:20, Denise wrote:> Years ago I owned a old wartime Kerr canning cookbook. Included in the> recipe section along with hints for rationing your ration coupons was> the directions and techniques for canning tamales. Could you help me> regaing this recipe? Thank you Denise>

Hello Denise,

That old recipe isn't on the Internet, but you can buy the 1941 Kerr Canning book here:

1941 Kerr Canning Book

You might also look for it on E-Bay.

Phaed

On 12 Sep 2005 at 12:04, June wrote:> Hi There! > I wonder if you have ever hear of a recipe for Tomato Conserve. > My sister used to make it during the 30's and I would love to > make some. I remember it had Oranges or Marmalade, and walnuts, > along with the tomatoes.> > It would be wonderful if you could find it.> > Thank you,> June> 

Hello June,

See below for what I found that was close to what you describe.

Phaed

Ripe Tomato Conserve Ingredients : 3 lb. firm ripe tomatoes 3 c. sugar 3 c. corn syrup Grated rind and juice of 2 lemons 4 oranges, sliced thin 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 c. chopped walnuts (optional) Preparation : Scald and peel tomatoes; press out juice. Reserve juice for future use. Cut tomatoes into chunks; place in kettle. Cook for 35 minutes. Add sugar, syrup, lemons, oranges and cinnamon; simmer for about 1 hour or until thick and clear, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Stir in walnuts; place in sterilized jars. If canning, process 15 minutes in boiling water bath. Yields 3 pints.

On 10 Sep 2005 at 10:28, Fran wrote:> Hello Phaedrus,> You helped me last year in finding a special macaroni salad recipe, so> I'm hoping you'll be able to find this special scone recipe I tasted> today. A neighbor was selling these scones to help benefit the> people in the hurricane disaster (all proceeds to the American Red> Cross). They were simply mouth watering good. I didn't want to ask> her about the recipe, but I heard her tell someone that the recipes> for the Lemon and Current (and plain) scones came primarily from the> cookbook "The Pie And Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. It would> be wonderful if you could find the recipes for me in her cookbook as I> am having a brunch for my mother-in-law's 75th birthday and would love> to bake maybe 100 of them. Thanks so much for all your wonderful> work!> > Fran> 

Hello Fran,

Below are the currant scone and a ginger scone recipe from Ms Berenbaum. However, the lemon scone recipe does not appear to be on the Internet. You could, of course, buy the book. Amazon has it. See:

The Pie and Pastry Bible

Phaed

Currant SconesRecipe from: "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy BeranbaumThese scones are ample, warm, and comforting -- crisp on the outside, soft, moist, and layered inside with purely butter/flour flavor and just the right touch of sweet stickiness from the currants.I've tried many other recipes and discarded them all. These are the best. They are prepared by layering butter flakes into the dough much in the style of puff pastry, which gives the dough a slightly flakytexture, but since they contain only about one third butter to flour (in contrast to puff pastry, which employs equal parts) and heavy cream instead of water, they offer a far more substantial,soul-satisfying texture. If you want each scone to be a perfect even triangle, there will be some waster. Personally, I prefer to use every scrap of the delicious dough and embrace the rustic misshapen ones along with the more even variety.Makes: twelve to sixteen 4- by 1 1/2-inch-high scones Oven Temperature: 400 degrees F Baking Time: 15 to 20 minutes Internal Temperature: 200 degrees F Equipment: Two cookie sheets or inverted half-size sheet pans, lined with parchment1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold (8 ounces/227 grams) About 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, preferable Hecker's (21.25 ounces/608 grams) 1/2 cup sugar (3.5 ounces/100 grams) 2 teaspoons baking powder (9.8 grams) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 liquid cups heavy cream (16.3 ounces/464 grams) 1 cup currants (4.6 ounces/131 grams) Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes or freeze them for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and, with your fingertips, press the cubes into large flakes. (Or use an electric mixer on low speed and mix until the butter is the size of small walnuts.) Mix in the cream just until the flour is moistened and the dough starts to come together in large clumps. Mix in the currants. Knead the dough in the bowl just until it holds together and turn it out onto a lightly floured board. Lightly flour the top of the dough, or use a rolling pin with a floured pastry sleeve, and roll out the dough into a rectangle 1 inch thick and about 8 inches by 12 inches. Use a bench scraper to keep the edges even. Fold the dough in thirds, like a business letter. Lightly flour the board and rotate the dough so that the smooth side faces to the left. Roll it out again to an 8- by 12-inch rectangle and repeat the "turn" 3 times (for a total of 4 turns), refrigerating the dough, covered with plastic wrap, for about 15 minutes if it begins to soften and stick. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. at least 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack at the middle level before preheating. Roll out the dough once more and trim off the folded edges so that it will rise evenly.* Cut it lengthwise in half so you have 2 pieces, each about 4 inches by 12 inches. Cut each piece of dough on the diagonal to form triangles with about a 3-inch-wide base and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. (The dough rises but does not expand sideways.) Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and the tops are golden brown and firm enough so that they barely give when pressed lightly with a finger. Check the scones after 10 minutes of baking, and if they are not baking evenly, rotate the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Do not overbake, as the scones continue baking slightly after removal from the oven and are best when slightly moist and soft inside. Place a linen towel on each of two large racks and place the baked scones on top. Fold the towels over loosely and allow the scones to cool until warm or room temperature. (Since linen breathes, the scones will not become soggy, but they will have enough protection to keep from becoming dry and hard on the surface.)Variations Dried Cranberry Scones The same amount of dried cranberries can be substituted for the currants for more tang. Lemon Poppy Seed Scones Omit the currants and add 3 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) poppy seeds and 2 tablespoons (0.5 ounce/12 grams)finely grated lemon zest to the flour mixture. Store Airtight, room temperature, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months. To reheat frozen scones, heat in a preheated 300 degree F. oven for 20 minutes. A cake tester inserted in the center and removed will feel warm and the outside will be crunchy. Understanding Hecker's flour has a protein content somewhere between that of Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose and King Arthur all-purpose, which is slightly higher. Any of the three flours will produce excellent scones, but Hecker's is my preference because it results in the best compromise between tenderness and flakiness. A slightlystronger flour can be used for scones than for puff pastry because the sugar and baking powder tenderize the dough. ------------------------------------------------Ginger Scones"This recipe for ginger scones is from Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'The Bread Bible' and was posted on the Craigslist food forum by 'claymonkey'." 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 1 tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. ground ginger a dash of salt 1 tsp. grated lemon zest 12 tbsp. butter, cold 3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped 2/3 cup crystallized ginger, chopped ground ginger - 1 tsp 2 tsp. whipping cream 1 tbsp. sugar Preheat the oven to 400 F. Oil and flour a large baking sheet.In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, salt and lemon zest. Cut the butter into pats, add them and mix by hand until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in the crystallized ginger. Make a hole in the center and add the cream. Mix with a rubber spatula until the flour is moistened. Knead the dough inside the bowl until it holds together and then turn it onto a lightly floured working surface. Knead it into a smooth ball and chill it.Remove the dough from the fridge, divide in two and shape each half into a ball. Press each ball into a disk, about 3/4" high and 6" across. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes.With a sharp knife, cut each disk into 8 wedges. Brush with the cream and sprinkle with sugar. Place the wedges onto the baking sheet. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until the edges start to brown, about 15 minutes.