On 2/7/2011 5:31 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>
> I am going to assume that, if it is possible for good tempura to be
> really good, that it must be particularly finicky to make. I realize
> that this is probably not a good place to find a good Japanese r
> restaurant, but I have had it in Japanese and other restaurants and was
> never impressed. It tended to be limp, soggy and greasy..... everywhere
> i tried it.
>
> Fact is, I have never been anywhere near enough to suitably impressed
> with tempura that I would consider it to be worth seeking out a superior
> version of it. We have lots of |Greeks in the restaurant business. They
> can do wonders with deep fried food, so Japanese tempura is a waster of
> grease.

Not too persnickety. As long as the oil is very very hot, and you don't
crowd everything in it at once, and dredge the item to be battered in
cornstarch first.

On 2/7/2011 2:38 PM, George wrote:
> The batter needs to be made properly and kept cold and the oil needs to
> be at the right temperature.

Actually most of the recipes I've seen say to let the mixed batter sit
at room temperature for an hour at least before dipping and frying the
food. It stays on the food better than when cold. And I made mine
beer-battered.

On 07/02/2011 6:35 PM, sf wrote:

>> Sweet potato fries seem to be a growing trend around here. It is
>> surprising because sweet potatoes don't seem to be very popular. I base
>> that on it being something that most people do not eat, do not serve
>> guests, and which is not usually on menus.
>
> I love sweet potatoes and am eating them more than ever, so maybe I'm
> in a minority. You can't prove it by me that people don't eat them or
> serve them to guests because IMO they (sweet, garnet and yam) get as
> much space as the other types of potatoes do.

They sure don't get as much shelf space as other types of potatoes...
around here. I can tell you that in our local grocery store there are at
least 4 bins of different varieties of potatoes and on the other side of
the bunker there are even more varieties of bagged potatoes in several
size bags. I don't remember there ever being many sweet potatoes for sale.
>

On Feb 8, 12:14*am, axelstrong <axelstrong.
> wrote:
> . . . Only top grade vegetable oils are used in Fryers.

And beef dripping - as used by my local fish and chip shop - which
makes the best fish and chips. And clarified butter, which must be
the best of all frying media, if you want to pay for it.

LW

On Feb 7, 5:27*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
> On 07/02/2011 2:26 PM, sf wrote:> On Mon, 7 Feb 2011 08:12:36 -0500, "James Silverton"
> > > *wrote:
>
> >> I will admit that my favorite tempura food is sweet potato.
>
> > Me too!
>
> * *Sweet potato fries seem to be a growing trend around here.

Sweet potato fries are one of those fads that eventually migrate
everywhere. Those of us who grew up on fries but need extra
fiber in our diets like 'em for that (plus, they're tasty). I find
them
more filling than white fries, so I end up eating less.

Last time I went to Zingerman's Roadhouse, I got a seat facing
the (open) kitchen and watched a young man cut up a case of fresh
sweet potatoes into wedges for fries. I imagine a lot of restaurants
buy frozen sweet potato fries.

> It is
> surprising because sweet potatoes don't seem to be very popular. *I base
> that on it being something that most people do not eat, do not serve
> guests, and which is not usually on menus.

Well, a lot of people (me included, up until recently) only
experienced
candied sweet potatoes (with or without mini-marshmallows on top).
No wonder we had to be taught to like them. My husband won't eat
sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or cooked carrots, but I'll sometimes buy
a sweet potato and make oven fries with it (usually when he's out
of town on business). Still, I don't have any sweet potato recipes
that I'd serve to guests.

Cindy Hamilton

On Tue, 8 Feb 2011 06:24:22 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

> Still, I don't have any sweet potato recipes that I'd serve to guests.

That's sad. Is it because you haven't looked? Would you like a
couple of recipes? I have quite a few recipes where sweet potatoes
are an ingredient. Some I've tried and liked, others I haven't tried
for one reason or another but they look good.

You could try borrowing this book from the library:
Sweet Potatoes With Nary a Marshmallow in Sight
By Regina Schrambling, November 14, 2001

Here are some examples of what I have in my computer's recipe files -
in no particular order

Acorn Squash And Sweet Potato
Autumn Casserole (sweet potatoes and butternut squash)
Aloha Sweet Potatoes (with coconut)
Sweet Potatoes Anna (NYT)
Sweet Potatoes with Apple Slices
Sweet Potato Ravioli With Brown Butter
Sweet Potato Gaufrettes with Duck Confit and Cranberry Black Pepper
-Chutney
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach
Sweet Potato Corn and Black Bean Hash
Sweet Potato Souffle
Chicken Peanut Stew (sweet potato is an ingredient)
Sweet Potato and Carrot Puree (Silver Palate Cookbook)
Swiss Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin
Chicken, Sweet Potato and Coconut Curry
Malay Style Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew with Coconut Milk, Ginger,
-and Chiles
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes


--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

On Feb 8, 12:40*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Tue, 8 Feb 2011 06:24:22 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton
> Acorn Squash And Sweet Potato
> Autumn Casserole (sweet potatoes and butternut squash)
> Aloha Sweet Potatoes (with coconut)
> Sweet Potatoes Anna (NYT)
> Sweet Potatoes with Apple Slices
> Sweet Potato Ravioli With Brown Butter
> Sweet Potato Gaufrettes with Duck Confit and Cranberry Black Pepper
> * -Chutney
> Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach
> Sweet Potato Corn and Black Bean Hash
> Sweet Potato Souffle
> Chicken Peanut Stew (sweet potato is an ingredient)
> Sweet Potato and Carrot Puree * *(Silver Palate Cookbook)
> Swiss Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin

They all sound good to me!! My favorite is to mash sweet potatoes,
add warmed heavy cream, mango chutney and crystallized ginger....so
good!

On Tue, 8 Feb 2011 09:55:01 -0800 (PST), "Mr. Bill" >
wrote:

> My favorite is to mash sweet potatoes,
> add warmed heavy cream, mango chutney and crystallized ginger....so
> good!

I have one of your sweet potato recipes too, but I didn't post any I'd
gathered from rfc. My reasoning was the people who'd posted them
could say something about them or repost. I have your mango
chutney recipe and this one for sweet potato

Fall Vegetables Roasted
by: Mr. Bill > rec.food.cooking 9-26-2010

1 small butternut squash; cubed
2 red bell peppers; seeded and diced
1 sweet potato; peeled and cubed
3 med Yukon Gold potatoes; cubed
1 med red onion; quartered
1 tablespoon fresh thyme; chopped
2 tablespoons rosemary; chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper; to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato,
and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces,
and add them to the mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar,
salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread
evenly on a large roasting pan.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10
minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.

`````````
My variation is no bell pepper or vinegar and either thyme or rosemary
(not both), plus granulated garlic. Other Fall vegetables can be
added too.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.