Christmas Hot Tamales

This Christmas, I decided to follow-up with TAMALES.  I find it very interesting that many families have their famility traditions during Christmas holidays to bake Cuccidatti or make Tamales together.  While living in Cholon /Saigon, S. Viet-Nam our family tradition was to hold a large Christmas Dancing Party.  In-spite of the fact that there is war going on and curfews enforced, we get this "permit" to hold  the party.  But not anymore, after we left Viet-Nam, we have a "Good Eats" party.  While we decided on CIOPPINO for Christmas eve dinner, I got busy and made 60 TAMALES to bring down from Sacramento in my sleigh to San Jose... well, in my mini-van.  We had a good eats of TAMALES for lunch on the Christmas Day.

I will post the detail recipe later, but here is my photo journal of BEEF and PORK TAMALES (Click on the photo to read annotation on the image better):

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Drying Persimmons Progress Rpt #4 - Air Circulation with Fan

12/21/09 Monday, Hang Air Drying Persimmons are really lots of fun.  Watching those persimmons getting dried and anticipation of the result is kind of exciting.  The 1st batch I collected are in their 6th weeks now.  They have been sitting quietly in the paper bag for 2-1/2 weeks now.  There are more sugar crystaline covering its body.  The second group is doing quite well, except I had to discard two of them due to mold discovery.  I am glad I spotted them right away.  Three weeks ago, it started to rain heavily in Sacramento area.  My garage felt a bit stuffy. That's when I discovered the mold spots.  I discarded them right away.  While I was talking to other persimmon enthusiasts at the office, one mentioned how his friend got a 'fan' going in the garage to keep air circulation.  That make sense, I thought.  With rain pouring every few days, air circulation definitely make sense.  I just so happened to have a low wattage mini fan that would do the job.  Since I started to use the fan, all persimmons are quite happy with the environment.  My new experiment is to dry the whole peeled persimmons on the tray without hanging.  I hope they will turn out okay.
Since I want to get the rest of the persimmons processed - 100 some left as of yesterday.  I processed 45 last night in the NESCO Dehydrator.  One of the recipe is drying a group of quite soft persimmons, sliced into halves, sprinkled with lemon juice and chili peppers.  After 16 hours, they turned out delicious.
Tonight, as timely as the UPS delivery can be, I got my new NESCO 700 watt FD-75 PR dehyrator.  Wonderful.  It came with two fruit roll trays and fine comb trays for the small items.  So I made my first Persimmon Fruit Rolls with some of these ripened HACHIYA persimmons that is quite challenging to slice and dry.  Hope they will turn out delicious.  As for the FD-75 PR, I am very happy for the price and how quiet it is compared to its counterpart 500 watt without the temp control I got for my mom.  It is so loud that it is confined in one of the room to do its job.
My persimmon drying experience are almost done.  I just have 20 more to go.  I think I am going to let them go ripe all the way and make fruit rolls and or bake with them.

My Dutch Baby

This is my Dutch Baby breakfast.

Alton Brown is one of my favorite in the FoodNetwork.  I watched him make this Dutch Baby and couldn't resist in trying.  It Puffs up like a hat in the oven.   It tastes like a large combo of pancake and alien pastry brought together by surprisingly refreshing tart taste from the lemon juice.   If you have never had one before, it is well worth the time to enjoy it.   I think the children will enjoy it with whip cream and fresh fruits on top.

Here is the link to Alton Brown's recipe at the FoodNetwork. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/good-eats/dutch-baby-recipe/index.html  However, I maybe wrong, but this recipe looks tidbit different in the amount...can't quite remember.  I wrote down the recipe while watching his telecast recording in my VHS.

So, here is recipe to the best of my knowledge that I jotted correctly - and it turned out deliciously for me..

Preheat oven to 375'F with Cast Iron Skillet with Butter and Bake for 30-35 min.

Place oven rack in the middle rack.

Ingredients:

+2 Tbsp Melted Butter in Cast Iron Skillet - Place the Cast Iron Skillet with Butter to Preheat with the Oven

2 Large Eggs

1/2 C Milk

2-3/8 oz (1/2 C, but weigh it for the best result) All Purpose Flour

1 T Butter Melted

1/2 tsp Salt

3 Tbsp Vanilla Sugar 

Lemon Juice

Blend all Ingredients, EXCEPT for Lemon Juice, in a "Blender" and run for 30 sec

Pour into the Pre-Heated  Cast Iron Skillet with Melted Butter in It.

Bake for 30 - 35 Min.

The Dutch Baby would look like a Puffed Up Hat of some sort.

To Serve:  Slice and sprinkle with Lemon Juice and Sugar - Really Yummy!!