In article .com>,
"Sheldon" > wrote:
> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > OK, I made a batch today. Pretty good. The recipe is from the Second
> > Avenue Deli and is on my web page. Pictures, too.
> >
> > OK, here's the recipe. I made half. And even measured (most of) it.
> >
> > Kasha Varnishkes
> > Second Avenue Deli recipe
> >
> > 1-1/2 cups uncooked kasha (buckwheat groats, coarse cut)
> > 2 eggs, beaten
> > 1/4 cup corn oil or schmaltz
> > 5 cups chopped onion
> > 3/4 pound (12 ounces) bow tie noodles (varnishkes)
> > 2-1/2 teaspoon salt
> >
> > Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix kasha and eggs thoroughly, and bake
> > mixture in a shallow pan for 20 minutes. (I spread it out on a pizza
> > pan. Those babies got very toasty but not burned. I was sweating
> > bullets for a few minutes.)
> > Heat corn oil (I used olive) in a large skillet, and saut onions,
> > stirring occasionally, until well browned. Remove to a bowl, retaining
> > cooking oil with onions (there wasn't any excess oil to retain).
> > Boil 6 cups of water in a large stockpot. Remove kasha from oven, stir
> > into the boiling water, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all water
> > has evaporated. (I used too much water, boiled for 20 minutes and
> > drained it. Too soft.) When you're through cooking the kasha, break up
> > clumps with a fork. (I broke it up before I put it in the water.)
> > While cooking the kasha, in a separate pot boil the bow ties in water
> > for 15-20 minutes, until fully cooked. Drain and rinse.
> > Mix everything together, including salt, and serve.
>
> That recipe will work but not nearly so well as the one I emailed you
> (and never heard if you received), along with all the kasha links.
I apologize for not acknowledging your message, Sheldon. My sister was
here with a boatload of questions about this, that, and the other ---
all consecutively, and then I broke the pepper shaker to my dishes and
had ground pepper all over hell and gone. I love her and I'm glad she's
home. Then I forgot about your info after I found my Second Avenue
Cookbook. Not an excuse, but an explanation of how it got lost in my
mental shuffles. Sorry. I haven't looked at any of the links yet.
>
> First thing I do is start the onions caramelizing in butter in a large
> heavy pot... and in a pasta pot start the bow ties, do not over cook,
> al dente is good... be sure they are egg bows, not cheapo dago bows.
> Then measure out the liquid in a large Pyrex measuring cup, covered
> with a saucer, and place in the nuker at the ready... this works for
> me.. you heat liquid your way. Then mix the kasha with the egg... two
> eggs to one entire box.... let set to absorb. When onions are nicely
> caramelized scrape out with a rubber spatula into a bowl and set aside.
> Then add butter to same pot (I typically use all butter), and over
> medium heat toast kasha, stiring constantly with a fork, don't let it
> burn... start liquid to heat... not necessry to break up every lump, in
> fact I enjoy the lumps. When nicely toasted add hot water, onions,
> mushrooms if disired, salt, pepper. Slap on lid and continue cooking
> on lowest heat for 12 minutes. Turn off heat but do not lift lid for
> ten minutes. Then lift lid and check that liquid is absorbed and kasha
> is cooked but not over cooked... if a bit wet turn on heat and cook
> slowly with lid off, a few minutes should do it. Then gently blend
> with bow ties and place into large caserole, what doe. sn't fit eat
> (simple solution). At this point it can be refrigerated for a day, or
> bake immediately in medium oven, uncovered, about 20-25 minutes. I
> wouldn't recommend toasting kasha in the oven, you got lucky, this
> time.
Funny you say that. That's about what I was thinking, too. I've a
feeling that if they'd been in there for only another minute, I'd have
been pitching them because they were burned. NO off flavor at all - God
watched out for fools and middle-age muddlers.
I think I'd have had better flavor if I'd used butter; Margaret
explained to me why they probably don't use butter - the laws of
kashruth (sp?) Did you look at my pics? My onions were really nice.
I'm thinking mushrooms wouldn't hurt, either.
I just came from the supermarket with a small box of Baby Bella
mushrooms. I might cook some of those and work it into the dish.
> Sheldon
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 11-9-05 finishing in four
parts the trip report from our vacation time in San Francisco
for Nephew Pat's wedding last weekend.