Fish & Chips revisited

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (CajunKing)

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:04:52 GMT

TAM

I am glad the trifle was well recieved. Sorry to hear about the shellfish allergy.

Thanks for including us in your adventure.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (EdSails)

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:55:33 GMT

Glad to hear it went well, Ancient Mariner!

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:04:37 GMT

To ----
Mr Cajun King and all other concerned adults in Roadfood Land.

The dinner was a huge success. So Far. Have had no reports of
any bad cases of indigestion or tomaine (don't know if this is
spelled correctly and can't find spelling check) so all's well
that ends well.

Could not make the fish and chips that I wanted to because the
house where I am staying has a poor ventilation system and after
the trial run the whole place smelled of greese for a month. Maybe
next year with all the doors and windows open !!!!

In place of the F&C I setted for another great English dish---
Zuppa de Pesce con Linguine. I took the recommendation of you
Roady's who told me that the English love sea food. When we sat
down at the beautifully decorated table the Lady from England said
"Oh I can't eat that I'm allergic to shell fish".
Holy Mackrel Batman, No one told me !!!!

Well anyhow in her honor we had a terrific TRIFLE---it got a
standing ovation almost. Looked great and tasted great.

So thank you, one and all, and may the Big Chef up in the sky
look down and be good to y'all !!!

you all be in Heaven an hour before the Devil knows your gone !

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (CajunKing)

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:17:52 GMT

TAM

Are you getting prepared for the fish & chips event??

Have you got your final menu planned, groceries bought??

I do hope your dinner goes well.

CajunKing

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (CajunKing)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:27:28 GMT

TAM

This cajun has been to the Creole side of NOLA a time or too

Nothing like fine wine and spirits after a hard day in the swamp or anywhere for that matter.

If it is treasonous......... I plead temporary insanity

I hope you dinner goes well.

Donald

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:37:16 GMT

Hey there Cajun King
Since when are Grand Marnier,Chambord and trifel cajun
food? I must have missed something somewhere. Does Paul Pru---
know about this ???? Sounds like treason to me !!!!

Paul when I saw the goose in California I was amazed also.
I was recently told that Howard Hughes designed a fighter
which was rejected by the war department prior to WW2.
The Japs bought the rights to the design and built their Zero.
I wonder how true that story is????

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (CajunKing)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:06:07 GMT

I will second Ed's suggestion of Chambord for the trifle.

I think a stop to the liquor store is in my future I need some grand marnier for my cranberry relish and chambord for a trifle.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (Sundancer7)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:22:58 GMT

I have visited the museum in Oregon and it is beyound beautiful. I was staying in Portland and I drove about an hour southwest to the museum. If you are ever in the area, I suggest you make a stop. I never expected such a beautiful place in such a remote location. The Spruce Goose is huge. Howard Huges certainly had a dream. It is so large that people can actually walk inside the wings almost to the end.

I was there this past April.

I have attached the website for you to visit. Please go there.

http://www.sprucegoose.org/

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:28:59 GMT

---Twin Willow

A friend of mine spent half a day in Egypt looking for----no not the Sphinx
or a pyramid but for a McDonald's. And I heard about a guy who drove 50 miles
to an ice cream store that had 50 flavors and then ordered vanilla. If it wern't
for strange happenings and strange people we would have nothing to talk about.

Thanks Ed, I won't look for the goose out there, but that was some plane !!!!

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (EdSails)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:34:01 GMT

The Queen Mary's still here. It does make a fun visit. The Spruce Goose has flown the coop and now resides in a warehouse somewhere in Oregon I think. The Spruce Goose's dome in now the Princess Cruises Long Beach Terminal.
Enjoy your guests, Ancient Mariner.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (Twinwillow)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:17:06 GMT

I have an English friend who lives in the south of Spain in an area that draws a large volume of holiday makers from England. He once told me that the "holiday Brits" seek out all the fish and chips joints rather than enjoy the wonderful local Spanish specialties.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:55:39 GMT

To mon amies La Chef 1st class and Button ---- After great thought and searching I am going back to a tried and true recipe that I have made many times and everyone loves. In it I will incorporate the seafood that y'all say is so expensive in England. Actually the problem lady is a vegetarian, and she has lived here in the colonies for 12 years----so the steaks or roast beef are out---but the scallops and shrimp are in.

After some stuffed mushroom appetizer and a little cheese or something I shall have seafood over linguine. Shrimp, scallops and mussels (in their shells,of course ) ----- with a green salad, simple but good and then the trifle.
Thanks for the tips---

Lisa --- how come there is no smoke with the cast iron ???? I use cast iron all the time but never paid any attention to the "no Smoke" business. Verrrrrry interesting !!!!!
And Ed the bubble and squeek and baked fish (whatever is on sale) will be on my own menu this week. Thank you one and all.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (cheesybellybutton)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:48:48 GMT

One of the favourite meals over here in England would have to be roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. Considering how good the beef in the US is, I think you could make a rather fantastic version of this. llechef is right -- seafood is very expensive over here (especially crab, lobster and scallops) so a starter of that would go down a treat.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (lleechef)

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:41:43 GMT

I dunno about all the English food. When my European friends come they want shrimp, scallops, crab, fish because it's unaffordable over there. How about a simple shrimp cocktail to start, then maybe individual ramekins of scallops and crab in a cream sauce with mushrooms. Make the day before and put in the fridge. With some rice pilaf and a green salad, she'll think she's in New England! Or grill up some steaks......the beef in Europe is nowhere as good as ours.

For breakfast I'd go with good old American stuff....corned beef hash with poached eggs, or just bacon (theirs is different than ours), eggs and potatoes, or blueberry pancakes.

If they really want fish and chips, do halibut chunks breaded in panko. Smaller pieces are easier to handle and you'll need less oil. Use a cast iron skillet or a deep pot. You won't have any smoke with the cast iron.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:56:07 GMT

That's it Ed----it's the menu I will put together. I might
even take some pics.

Looked your profile up and found that you are in Loooong Beach.
In 1990? or 91 I was in Anaheim for a conference and stayed over to visit
the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose. Worth the extra day at the
hotel and feeding 2 heavy eaters, my two protegies. Loved Calif when
I was in the Navy and loved it in 1990. Loved the Queen and the Goose too.

Let's pray they get that fire under control soon. Arny seems to be a
good Gov--------- who wood've thought it ????

When I was stationed at the Naval Base in San Diego they were asked
for volunteers to fight a fire up in the hills and I ---always looking
for adventure---joined up. If you want to know the rest of the story
you will have to read my book which will be published soon after I write
it. There were no houses up there in 1945, nothing important to burn,
but it was a scary day-----
God help those poor people now.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (EdSails)

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:14:09 GMT

Excellent ideas, AM. Baked cod sounds delicious especially with some bubble and squeak. Trifle is excellent, and easy to do. I typically take an angel food cake, cut it in half and dip the cut sides in a nice fruit wine (cherry or raspberry) or the equivalent in a Chambord or Framboise liquor. Top with a layer of whipped cream and fresh strawberries or raspberries. Put on the top, repeat the process and you're good.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:28:32 GMT

I am still working on it, as you can see so I looked up Bubble and Squeek
which has a name that intregued me---------What could it be. Found out it was
something similar to Colcannon which my Irish Mother cooked every once in a while.
So that led me to thinking of dinner with bubble and squeek along side breaded Cod
Fish (a la F & C) but baked instead of deep fried. Sounds good to me, but what
do you "guys" think ??? Is that good enough for a guest ?? I plan on a fantastic
dessert to top it off------no not Tiramisu ------ how about an English trifle ???
We will deliver it to the table while everyone sings God Save the Queen or something.

By the way, Cod Fish was considered the most important fish in the water.
It fed most of the people who bordered the Atlantic for years and years.
But, it has been over-fished and now it may be on it's last legs (or fins).
What a shame that a sea full of Cod is disappearing---------

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (EdSails)

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:59:49 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by the ancient mariner

Ed Sails---good question and now for my poor answer ---
she has not been back in 12 years and complained that she
could not get good F & C locally. Being a widow she doesn't
cook much for herself and also she is a vegetarian---other than
that she has very few faults that are obvious. The next
question is what do I make for a veggie widow from jolly
ol' England ????

Perfectly reasonable answer, AM. How about a mushroom pie, bubble and squeak or Welsh Rarebit. Or tea sandwiches----watercress, cucumber, etc. with a pot of nice English Breakfast tea?

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (cmarie)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 22:01:01 GMT

How about some sort of English Proper Tea, with finger sandwiches & pastries. and imported tea?

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (porkbeaks)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:55:30 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by the ancient mariner

..... The next
question is what do I make for a veggie widow from jolly
ol' England ???? ....

probably not the prime rib you mentioned earlier. pb

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:46:27 GMT

Ed Sails---good question and now for my poor answer ---
she has not been back in 12 years and complained that she
could not get good F & C locally. Being a widow she doesn't
cook much for herself and also she is a vegetarian---other than
that she has very few faults that are obvious. The next
question is what do I make for a veggie widow from jolly
ol' England ????

DavyDD---if I decide to make them more often I will buy a deep fryer,
I thank you for the thought. Hate to have too many gadgets though.

And Uncle Vic I had never made them before, but they were delish.
A chili dog in London just doesn't seem right does it---I agree !!!!

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (UncleVic)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:09:34 GMT

Not sure on AM's reasoning, but fish and chips sure do sound good about now!
But if I went to England, be more then happy to entertain a chili dog.. Be interesting to see how bad they screw them up!

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (EdSails)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:04:01 GMT

Excuse me, for asking, but why would you serve someone from England dishes they could find on almost every corner there? Why not serve them dishes from your area----key lime pie, stone crab claws, conch fritters and maybe a nice juicy grilled steak. I understand you might be trying to make them feel "at home", but I think you could still do that without serving them foods they can get any time at home.
Please correct me if I'm wrong-----I'm sure you have a reason.

RE: Fish & Chips revisited (Davydd)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:42:52 GMT

I gave up trying to fry on a stove top because I have electric and never could figure out how to control the temperature of oil. So I bought an electric deep fryer with a wire basket. With it I can control the temperature and the wire basket is easy to handle and put in and take out of the oil for precise control of the fry. With controlled temperature and a lid with a filter it doesn't smoke that much.

Fish & Chips revisited (the ancient mariner)

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:53:43 GMT

On Nov 11th I expect a group of English guests.

Well two anyhow, and if that ain't a group I'm not from Brook-a-lean.

So I planned on wearing my best bib and tucker and serving fish and chips. I even went so far as to order a copy of an English newspaper to wrap the fish in. I don't fool around !!!

In preparation for this momentous occasion I decided to try out the recipes I had put together well in advance.

Last night the lovely Mary Ann and I had a fantastic dinner of
FISH AND CHIPS.

Absolutely top drawer--don't you know. Never had better at my club, old chap !!!!

But I will not make it for guests.

The kitchen was smokie for an hour after the cooking. How come the alarms didn't go off, you ask ?? Because I disconnected them in advance.

I wasn't absolutely sure of the temperature of the cooking oil--had to play it by ear, but I can't take a chance with hi-class company.

Cooking for 2 is easier than cooking for 4 guests, two of whom happen (or not happen) to be British.

So we will have prime ribs with Yorkshire pudding because those things I am sure of.

Cheers (a great TV show)

The Ancient Mariner