'It's all about lokshen and fe....'

‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’ # 41     It’s all about Lokshen and Fettuccine…

And what do you think I DO  with all that food that is photographed for ‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’, huh?

It takes some creative juggling to decide what-to-make-when, and when-to-make-what!   

After all, how much can ‘ My M’  and ‘Me’ – yes, “We”,  consume, without  being hospitable? …Huh?

And so!

For the past many weeks, that brain-of-mine   has been overworking  “a-hundred-to-the-dozen”, as to whether or not, ‘You’   might enjoy a lokshen pudding?  ….....Welllll, truth-be-told, ‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’ was  challishing (Pronounced:  that first syllable being a guttural, rasping noise, as if clearing the back of the throat)  for a darn lokshen pudding !

There I  said it !  I admitted to my cravings, and submitted to my whim!

And as the taste of that lokshen pudding   grew stronger in ‘My Mind ‘  and overtook all notion of sensibility, the yearning grew unbearable until I  just put-my-foot-down!

I  said to that ‘Mind of Mine’ :   “Why not traipse to BloodyPack’nPiyClaremont  supermarket  and search the kosher section for some perfectly flat fettuccine-type egg noodles” - in Yiddish, called “Lokshen”.    

Yes – the “lokshen”, to make a stunning pudding…but alasssssss, no lokshen in that kosher section was there, as it seems that no-one kosher stocks that section…but *%#* lightbulbs #*+!^*  and !!exclamations!  !!  went “z i n g”!  in that brain , and VOILA! ...

A true epiphany! ...why not search the pasta aisle of BloodyPack’nPiyClaremont  supermarket ?    - after all, “Lokshen” really is just flat, wide  * *   >>?   EGG NOODLES…**& #!  * **   AKA:  “F-E-T-T-U-C-C-I-N-E”

And what do you know:  I glanced upon the ONLY option available…and a lot of glancing was done before I  was quite sure that the Italian egg-fettuccine was too, just like Katz’s Lokshen!  And bought it, I  did!

A quandary was next in ‘The Mind’ ,  that very, very same Mind of Mine  that forced that craving  -   as to what I  would do with a pudding that serves 12 to 14 generous portions?  And so Sunday lunch for family and friends,  was enjoyed by us all, culminating in my own delectably delumptious recipe of baked Lokshen Pudding…but not before Sweet Sister-in-Law , without my realizing, loaded some pics onto Facebook – she telling All, to find that recipe on “…‘Mavis”!

So, now I  am sQueezed  into sharing with you, LOKSHEN PUDDING….

And so to recipes…. 

LOKSHEN PUDDING…

INGREDIENTS:

500g egg noodles (Fettuccine)

4 ‘jumbo’-size(or extra-large) eggs

3 teaspoons finely grated orange rind

1 cup orange juice

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

½ cup seedless raisins (optional) - I prefer without.

125g butter

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Sprinkle the top with cinnamon

Golden Syrup/ or Maple Syrup / or honey  - to serve

THAT BOWL OF LOKSHEN...
...OR IS IT A BOWL OF FETTUCCINE ?

METHOD:

1) Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.

2) Add the egg noodles/fettuccine, and cook till still firm - ‘al dente’  - just follow the cooking time instructions on the packet.

3) Remove from heat and drain, then leave this in the pot.

4) Dot blobs of butter onto the hot cooked noodles.......

FRESHLY COOKED AND DRAINED LOKSHEN
DOTTED WITH BLOBS OF BUTTER

5) Meanwhile have ready some freshly squeezed orange juice, and the grated orange rind.

6) In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, add the sugar, beat well, then add the orange juice, orange rind, vanilla essence, ground ginger.  

7) Pour this egg mixture into the pot with the cooked, warm, buttered noodles and gently mix well.

8) Add the raisins (optional)

9) Pour this final mixture into a buttered casserole ovenproof baking dish (not a deep dish).

10) Sprinkle with a little cinnamon

11) Bake at 150*C  for 35 to 40 minutes – until golden brown , and the noodles begin to be crisp on top.

 LOKSHEN PUDDING
 - BAKED UNTIL THE TOP IS CRISP AND GOLDEN BROWN

NOTE:

This should be nice and slightly crisp on the sides, as you do not  use a Bain Marie to bake this in!

Bain  Marie?   

 - a  ‘Bain Marie’  is a shallow water bath in which you place your filled dishes to bake – you would use an oven baking tray with enough water to reach ⅓ up the sides of the dish or ramekins.

A ‘Bain Marie’  is always used when baking egg&milk mixture desserts, to prevent a crust forming around the sides.

To SERVE:

Yields at least 12 to 14 portions

YUM!   - A PORTION OF WARM LOKSHEN PUDDING

Serve warm

Cut into generous squares.

When serving each guest, pour a spoonful of Golden Syrup or Maple Syrup….or a drizzle of honey over each serving.

…and I hope to see you sneak back after midnight to steal some  leftover cold pudding out of the fridge!


* Have you read my Blog # 17  "an Education..." I REALLY  enjoyed that!

So as usual - ‘til next week,

    ‘COOKINGWITHMAVIS’