MacGourmet News


MacGourmet news, recipes and announcements


Monday, October 24, 2005

Recipe of the Week: Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Curried Prawns


Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Curried Prawns
Jerusalem artichokes have a mild ginger flavor which gives this soup a creamy, rich flavor. Great as a starter or good lunch with Naan bread and your favorite salad. -- EclecticCooking.com


Ingredients:

1/2 lb scrubbed or peeled Jerusalem artichokes*
1 Tbsp butter plus 1 tsp olive oil
1 leek
1 medium baking potato*
3-4 sprigs or thyme
2 rashers bacon or Parma ham
2 Cups (4 dl) chicken stock
1 1/4 Cups (2 1/2 dl) regular milk
1 Cup (2 dl) light cream (13 percent cream)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra butter and a little curry
Freshly chopped chives for garnish.

Directions:

Scrub or peel the Jerusalem artichokes and cut them into quarters. Peel the baking potatoes and cut into small cubes. Wash the leek and cut julienne. Chop the bacon or Parma ham. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil and saute the artichokes for a couple of minutes. Add the leek, potatoes, thyme and bacon or Parma ham and saute for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and milk, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft. Let the soup cool a little, then put through a blender or food processor, and pour back into the saucepan; add the cream and stir through. Season with salt and pepper.

In a heavy skillet, heat the butter and curry powder and saute the prawns until they turn opaque. Heat the soup and serve, garnished with the curried prawns and a little freshly chopped chives.

*If you want a very thick soup, use 1 lb. Jerusalem artichokes and 2 medium baking potatoes.

(Serves 4)

MacGourmet downloadJerusalem Artichoke Soup with Curried Prawns. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.

MacGourmet for OS X, which is free to download and try, features lots of great features like drag and drop import, clipping recipes from web pages, publishing recipes to your .Mac account and much more. Give it a try today!

Read the latest Recipe of the Week.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

MacGourmet 1.1.6 Released, Resolves Web Clipping Issues


MacGourmet 1.1.6 is now available.

You can find a full list of the changes here.

This free update is available from the MacGourmet download page.

This release primarily resolves a few timing issues related to making web clippings that cropped up. The problems had existed for a while (even though I rolled back a clipping fix made for 1.1.5, the problems still occurred), but were hard to track down, as they weren't happening frequently enough for me to get a good fix on where they actually were. Well, for some reason, 1.1.5 made these issues surface more often, which was good because I was able to nail down the problems and fix them. Problems launching MacGourmet when a clipping is made should now be solved.

Monday, October 17, 2005

Recipe of the Week: Prawns in Tomato and Chili


Prawns in Tomato and Chili
The recipe is best when using green prawns, however, other types of prawns can be used. If you are a true prawn lover, you might want to increase the recipe or double it. -- EclecticCooking.com


Ingredients:

20-26 large green prawns
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Shells from the prawns
1/4 Cup (1/2 dl) good olive oil
1 lb ripe cherry tomatoes
1 small onion
4-6 cloves of garlic
1/2-1 fresh chili pepper
Small bunch fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 Cup (1 dl) dry white wine
Little freshly grated lemon peel

Directions:

Peel the prawns leaving the tails on. Cut open the backs of the prawns and remove the black intestinal thread. Lightly sprinkle the prawns with freshly ground black pepper and set aside. In a wok, heat the olive oil and roast the prawn shells, remove the prawn shells and discard, reserving the oil.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Cut the onions in half and then into very thin slices, cut the garlic in thin slices. Trim the chili pepper, remove most of the seeds (remove all of the seeds if you want a mild chili flavor) and cut into thin slices. Saute the onions in the olive oil until transparent. Add the tomatoes and heat through. Add the white wine, chili and half of the chopped oregano and cook gently for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat, add the prawns, freshly ground black pepper and white wine. Let the mixture simmer gently until the prawns turn opaque and the sauce has thickened. Do not overcook the prawns or they will become rubbery. Season with lemon rind, and add the rest of the fresh oregano.

Serve immediately with cooked rice or as a starter with French bread.

(Serves 4-6)

MacGourmet downloadPrawns in Tomato and Chili. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.

MacGourmet for OS X, which is free to download and try, features lots of great features like drag and drop import, clipping recipes from web pages, publishing recipes to your .Mac account and much more. Give it a try today!

Read the latest Recipe of the Week.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

MacGourmet 1.1.5 Released


MacGourmet 1.1.5 is now available: "Today Advenio updated MacGourmet, its recipe, wine and cooking note organizer, to version 1.1.5. This free update includes support for .Mac's Backup 3 application, adding a QuickPick for easily backing up your MacGourmet database. Also included are many fixes for problems users have found. MacGourmet is priced at US$24.95."

You can find a full list of the changes here.

This free update is available from the MacGourmet download page.

For those wondering when new features will be available, development is continuing, but in another branch, which allows for things to be fixed in the 1.1.x version which is available now, while work continues on the next major update. This allows small problems in the 1.1.x version to be fixed sooner rather than later. The next major update looks like it will be a bigger update than originally intended, which is why there has been no recent 1.2 or 2.0 releases. The plan is to continue providing fixes and small enhancements to 1.1.x, while working on bigger changes for the next major release.

Monday, October 10, 2005

Start Your Christmas Shopping Early! Check Out Upcoming and Recent Cookbook Releases


I know it's early, but before you know it, Christmas will be here. Start shopping for others, or even yourself, by checking out some of the new and upcoming cookbook releases at Amazon.com. (Please consider doing all of your Amazon.com Christmas shopping through MacGourmet.com, it really helps us out.) In addition to some recommendations, you'll find some recipes to import into MacGourmet as well. Enjoy!

The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook : 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

From Publishers Weekly
"The 30-minute time limit for preparing dinner, popular with Rachael Ray and a host of other cookbook authors, has finally been South Beachified. It's just in time for dieters who've grown bored (or impatient) with The South Beach Diet Cookbook and offers easy recipes that help dieters stay on track. The recipes span all courses, including desserts. Most impressive are the entrees and salads, particularly in their ability to riff on familiar dishes: witness Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce, Chicken and Avocado Salad, and South Beach Classic Burger. Even more inventive fare, such as Thai Shrimp Soup with Lime and Cilantro, is still homey. Adding to the book's unthreatening feel is its idiosyncrasies. It favors certain spices (cilantro, black pepper), vegetables (asparagus, zucchini) and meats and fish (chicken and shrimp)."

Download these sample recipes, in both PDF and MacGourmet formats!

Black Bean & Goat Cheese Tostada (PDF)MacGourmet download(MacGourmet)
Tempeh Dagwood Sandwich (PDF)MacGourmet download(MacGourmet)
Turkey Parmesan (PDF)MacGourmet download(MacGourmet)

To import into MacGourmet, drag recipe image to your recipe box.


New Cook Book, Limited Edition "Pink Plaid" : For Breast Cancer Awareness (Better Homes & Gardens)

From Booklist
"When the more-than-75-year-old cooking bible, Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, pays homage to breast cancer research, it's definitely become a mainstream cause. In addition to the 1,200 recipes and 700 color photographs, on top of the detailed information and illustrated charts that the publication's editors are known for, the newest feature of this limited-edition guide is its "pink plaid" section devoted to directions on how to eat for life--that is, instructions on miracle foods, like antioxidants, and the best low-fat, health-filled recipes to tempt anyone's taste buds, from a southwestern spinach omelet to reduced-calorie creamy mocha custards. Arrayed in a ready-to-use ringed binder, this thirteenth edition stands rightfully as a cooking reference book, to have and to hold."

Download these sample recipes in MacGourmet format. You'll find these and more in the book!

MacGourmet downloadBerry-mango Smoothie
MacGourmet downloadCreamy Mocha Custards
MacGourmet downloadFlaxseed Rolls
MacGourmet downloadMediterranean Marinated Baby Vegetables
MacGourmet downloadPineapple-pear Crisp
MacGourmet downloadSesame Chicken with Mixed Greens

To import, drag recipe image to your MacGourmet recipe box.


Rachael Ray is on a TEAR. How on Earth does she find the time? Four shows on Food Network, a new magazine, a new syndicated talk show, upcoming marriage and these FOUR recent and upcoming cookbooks.

Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals : Eat Healthy Without Going to Extremes

Book Description
No pasta? No dessert? No way! Everything in moderation, says Rachael Ray. After all, some days only chocolate or spaghetti will hit the spot.

With more than 150 new dishes, plenty of time-saving tips, and a generous serving of Rachael's "you can do it" attitude, 30-Minute Get Real Meals proves you don't have to go to extremes to eat healthy."

Download these sample recipes in MacGourmet format. You'll find these and more in the book!

MacGourmet downloadBacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
MacGourmet downloadHam and Cheese Mini Frittatas
MacGourmet downloadHazelnut Crusted Chicken with Gorgonzola Sauce
MacGourmet downloadIndian Summer Turkey Chili
MacGourmet downloadChocolate Banana "Eggrolls" with Cinnamon Cream

To import, drag recipe image to your MacGourmet recipe box.


Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats : A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners

"Even your favorite dinner can lose its appeal when it's in constant rotation, so mix it up! With her largest collection of recipes yet, Food Network's indefatigable cook Rachael Ray guarantees you'll be able to put something fresh and exciting on your dinner table every night for a full year... without a single repeat!

Based on the original 30-Minute Meal cooking classes that started it all, these recipes prove that you don't have to reinvent the wheel every night. Rachael offers dozens of recipes that, once mastered, can become entirely new dishes with just a few ingredient swaps. Learn how to make a Southwestern Pasta Bake and you'll be able to make a Smoky Chipotle Chili Con Queso Mac the next time. Try your hand at Spring Chicken with Leeks and Peas and you're all set to turn out a rib-sticking Rice and Chicken Stoup that looks and tastes like an entirely different dish."


Comfort Food : Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minutes Meals

Description
"Curl up in front of the fire with the delicious homespun fare of Rachael's comfort food. Treat yourself with these Top 30 meals, a collection of her greatest hits. The perfect way to unwind after a busy day--you deserve it!"

From the publisher
"When only that special soul-filling dish will do. Wintry nights call for hearty soups and satisfying pastas, not to overlook lighter seafood dishes or childhood favorites."


Guy Food : Rachael Ray's Top 30 30-Minute Meals

Description
"Rachael says, Guys who cook are hot! Step into the kitchen with these Top 30 meals with guy appeal. This collection of greatest hits features simple recipes with big flavors, perfect for date nights, game nights, or just hangin' out."

From the publisher
"For guys who love to cook and eat! Simple, hearty meals packed with big flavors are on the menu. No fuss; only easy-to-find ingredients."


The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook: Featuring More Than 1,200 Kitchen-Tested Recipes

Book Description
"Many years in the making, this comprehensive cookbook delivers more than 1,200 foolproof recipes for classic American family fare in a clear, accessible style. Beautiful step-by-step photos illuminate every conceivable technique from chopping shallots and skinning salmon to cutting up a chicken and tying a roast. In fact, just about anything you want (or need) to do in the kitchen will be explained in these pages in the test kitchen's approachable, no-nonsense voice. In addition, the recipes will keep you busy (and your friends and family happy) for years to come since we've included hundreds of easy weeknight dishes (like Skillet Lasagna and One-Pot Chicken and Rice), company and holiday-worthy dinners (like Beef Burgundy, Roast Leg of Lamb, and Fresh Fruit Trifle), dozens of menus, shopping tips, equipment ratings and more."


The Best Recipes in the World

From Publishers Weekly
"Mark Bittman thinks big, as we saw in his Great Wall of Recipes, How to Cook Everything. That doorstop of a title sold big, too; there are now more than 1.7 million copies in print. This volume, in the same I-can't-believe-I-wrote-the-whole-thing vein, collects recipes from 44 countries. Bittman successfully avoids the usual suspects, drawing as heavily from places like North Africa (home of Harira, a satisfying soup traditionally used to end Ramadan fasting) and India (Marinated Lamb "Popsicles" with Fenugreek Cream) as he does from easy targets like Italy and France. The recipes are terrific in both their variety and execution. Bittman, who writes the New York Times's "Minimalist" column, has a steady authorial voice and a knack for offering clear instructions, and he smoothly makes the exotic seem easy, or at least familiar (e.g., he compares Moroccan Chicken B'stilla to chicken pot pie). The everything-in-one-place format works differently here than it did in his earlier book, which was, ultimately, about technique, not individual recipes, so while there are more than 1,000 recipes here, the reader doesn't acquire quite the same "take-away." Still, for one-stop-shopping on the world's cuisine, it'd be tough to find a better book."



Sunday, October 09, 2005

Recipe of the Week: Braised Swedes (Rutabagas) Natural


Braised Swedes Natural
Swedes, also known as kohlrabi in Europe (and rutabagas in the U.S. - ed.), are a root vegetable which is well suited in stews and soups, as well as pureed or served as a side dish. It’s a bit different, but good. Try it. -- EclecticCooking.com


Ingredients:

1 lb Swedes, peeled
3 oz bacon (90 g)
Olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic
3 sprigs thyme
Lemon juice
Honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut the Swedes in small cubes and cut the bacon in thin strips, across the grain. Fry the bacon, remove, pour off the bacon grease, add a little olive oil and braise the Swedes (add a little water if necessary), minced garlic, and thyme for about 20 minutes over medium heat.

The vegetables should be soft, but not mushy. Season the vegetables with a little lemon, honey, salt and pepper, add the bacon and stir through before serving. Good with beef or pork.

(Serves 4-6)

MacGourmet downloadBraised Swedes Natural. To import, drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box.

MacGourmet for OS X, which is free to download and try, features lots of great features like drag and drop import, clipping recipes from web pages, publishing recipes to your .Mac account and much more. Give it a try today!

Read the latest Recipe of the Week.

MacGourmet Recipe Pack Reminder


Just in case some of the more recent users of MacGourmet aren't aware of them, we have two special recipe packs available to MacGourmet users.

RealCajunRecipes.comOne sample pack, from the RealCajunRecipes.com, includes a bunch of recipes selected from their site, which incidentally also supports MacGourmet. Their site allows you to import recipes the same way you can from here, by simply dragging and dropping them from a web page into MacGourmet.


TheOtherWhiteMeat.comThe other sample pack comes from The National Pork Council and contains a selection of great pork recipes from their web site, TheOtherWhiteMeat.com. It also includes a nice PDF eBook as well.


If you haven't yet, download these packs today!


Saturday, October 01, 2005

If You Have .Mac and Use Backup 3, Protecting Your MacGourmet Database Just Got Easier


The latest version of Backup 3, available with your .Mac account, lets you select "QuickPicks" and easily backup things with one click. Now, you can add a QuickPick to the list in Backup for MacGourmet. If you store your database in the default location, installing the MacGourmet QuickPick for Backup 3 will allow you to easily and safely backup your entire database.

The download page has two downloads, one that is a package installer which will install the QuickPick for you, allowing anyone on your computer to use it. The second download is for those who'd like to install the QuickPick themselves, in their own user account.

Order the Apple .Mac 3.0 Retail Boxed version from amazon.com and get it for only $77.99, that's 22% off! Just add it to your cart to get the special price. Available for a limited time.




For help or comments: macgourmet [at] advenio.com.