Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jdmessner]

Today is the day of Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas. It is the day we remember the wise men showing up to visit Jesus. It is also a feast day! We celebrated yesterday with an Egyptian meat pie,  figgy pudding, and wassail.

I have a lot of frozen phyllo dough leftover from Christmas. I had no idea of how much I needed and over bought by quite a bit. I figured a meat pie would be an appropriate way to use some of it up.

Started with 7 pounds of hamburger and three pounds of sausage. I just took the meat from the package, placed it into a pan and put it on the smoker for about an hour at 200 degrees. Then I chopped up the meat in the frying pan to finish browning it with onions and portabella mushrooms. I also added a little salt and North African seasoning to it.
 [ Invalid Attachment ]
 [ Invalid Attachment ]
 [ Invalid Attachment ]
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

I will post pictures of the finished product and the figgy pudding when I get pictures off of my wife's phone.

[Canadian John]

 Looks good so far.  Thanks for sharing.

[jdmessner]

 [ Invalid Attachment ]
Here is the end result. The thing I like about phyllo dough is that if it drys out, rips or tears, all you need to do is add a little more butter!



 [ Invalid Attachment ]
Figgy pudding is something I have wanted to do for a long time. It is not a pudding in a traditional sense, but a cake baked in a bunt pan. A king cake would have been more appropriate for Epiphany, but when I started comparing recipes, they were very similar. Both were round (which for the king cake is supposed to represent a crown) and had dried fruit. The figgy pudding was easier to make because it was not a yeast bread like the king cake.

To make the figgy pudding I started out by softening figs and dates in simmering buttermilk. That came out almost like a pudding. Added bread crumbs, white flour, orange zest and marmalade, vanilla, and sugar, along with salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Turned out quite nice, well worth singing for!!

[pmillen]

Superb thinking!

Superb meal!

[Kristin Meredith]

A true figgy pudding is steamed/boiled.  Did you steam/boil yours?  My Mom had actual figgy pudding molds with the lids and everything with handles so they could be lowered into the pot to steam. Hers were always very moist and delicious.  She made them with persimmons sometimes.

[rdsbucks]

I thought you meant you had a breakthrough or a new idea.   

[jdmessner]

A true figgy pudding is steamed/boiled.  Did you steam/boil yours?  My Mom had actual figgy pudding molds with the lids and everything with handles so they could be lowered into the pot to steam. Hers were always very moist and delicious.  She made them with persimmons sometimes.

The recipes I looked at did not call for that, then again the sites I went to were not all that authentic. Since I was starting later than anticipated, easy became the priority! That being said, I will do a little more digging and try a few different variations of it. I really liked it. While it was moist, I can see where steaming would make a big difference. I think persimmons would also be very good in it. Thanks for the heads up on your mom's technique.

I didn't really know what to expect when I started, but I am glad I looked into it. It may become a new family holiday tradition (especially since my mother-in-law and I seem to be the only ones who like fruitcake)!!

[jdmessner]

I thought you meant you had a breakthrough or a new idea.   

You are right; an epiphany is something made clear or a new way of understanding. I think that is basically what we are celebrating at Christmas!

When I was planning this meal and the activities around it, there were a lot of different things I wanted to incorporate. I was struggling to put them together in a logical and practical way. Then all of a sudden something clicked and everything started to connect and come together. What I wrestled with for days ended up becoming clear in a very short period of time. Because of that new understanding everything turned out quite well. So in a sense, the project was the result of an epiphany!

[Bentley]

I like the filo for the pies...Interesting take on it.

[Kristin Meredith]

jd -- found my Mom's old figgy pudding molds.  A bit rusty, but I am sure they would clean up.  If you want one, just pm me your address and I will send.  I think Mom would be pleased to know someone might use one!  If I remember correctly, I think the Brits bring it to the table flaming.  I think the pour a flaming brandy sauce over it.  Maybe someone knows more than me on this.  I have seen it on TV and it is very showy!!

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

[jdmessner]

jd -- found my Mom's old figgy pudding molds.  A bit rusty, but I am sure they would clean up.  If you want one, just pm me your address and I will send.  I think Mom would be pleased to know someone might use one!  If I remember correctly, I think the Brits bring it to the table flaming.  I think the pour a flaming brandy sauce over it.  Maybe someone knows more than me on this.  I have seen it on TV and it is very showy!!

Those pans look awesome! I just sent you a PM. Thank you for your most generous offer!!

[pmillen]

Two easy ways to remove rust without scratching the finish.

Oxalic acid....mix it with tap water and soak away the rust.

Evapo-Rust...just soak in it.

Electrolysis is another way to remove rust without scratching the surface, but it's a bit more complicated.