Miscelleanous Recipes

Miscellaneous Recipes

Apple Crisp
Biscuits & Gravy
Bloody Bull Mix
Bloody Mary Mix
Breakfast Burrito
Caesar Salad
Caesar Salad Dressing
Carolina Barbecue
Cobb Salad
Cobb Salad With Avocado
French Toast with Cinnamon Syrup
Giblet Gravy
Giblet Stock
Hawaiian Coconut Pudding
Huevos Con Salsa Aguacate
Huevos Rancheros
Italian Gravy
Jalapeño Vodka
Key Lime Pie
Lahaina Layered Salad
Longhorn Baked Beans
Muffuletta
Pickled Eggs
Pie Crust
Po'Boy
Reuben Sandwich
Roux
Russian Dressing
Sausage and Herb Stuffing
Spatzle
Spicy Jalapeño Muffins
Strawberries Elegante
Veal Scaloppini with Marsala
Yorkshire Pudding

Muffuletta

The muffuletta is a signature sandwich in New Orleans, much like the po'boy. The ingredients are simple but the key is high-quality round Italian bread and olive salad.

Olive Salad:
1 cup each:
Chopped carrots
Diced celery
Diced red onion
Chopped green olives
Chopped black olives
½ cup diced pepperoncini
2 cups chopped roasted bell peppers
¼ cup capers
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large round loaf Italian bread, halved
2 cups mixed lettuce
6 sun-dried tomatoes
¼ pound mortadella, sliced
¼ pound provolone, sliced
¼ pound hard salami, sliced

Make olive salad, cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

Drain olive mixture, reserve marinade. Brush inside surface of bread with marinade, add half the olive salad. Add half of the lettuce and sun-dried tomatoes, all of the mortadella, provolone and salami. Add remaining lettuce and olive salad. Cover with bread top, wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate, with weight on top of sandwich, at least one-half hour.

Cut into six wedges and serve.

Po'Boy

The name, an abbreviation of "poor boy," was created when this New Orleans sandwich was a staple in lunch counters across the city, an inexpensive way to get a good meal. Fillings vary from luncheon meats to sausage to French fries, depending on your liking. Today, roast beef and shrimp are the most popular fillings for po'boys.

What makes a po'boy different from a grinder or a hoagie? It's the bread, a French bread with a crunchy crust and a light center that's about three feet long and six inches in circumference.

Reuben Sandwich

2 pieces Jewish Rye bread
½ pound corned beef, thinly sliced
¼ pound Swiss cheese, sliced
4 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
4 ounces Russian dressing (recipe follows)

Place ½ of corned beef and ½ of cheese on bread. Broil until corned beef is hot and cheese is melted. Add another layer corned beef, and cheese; add sauerkraut and Russian dressing, top with remaining bread slice, reheat.

Russian Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, drained
1 tablespoon sweet and sour pickles, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients until blended.

Yorkshire Pudding

2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 egg white, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Blend the eggs, salt, flour and milk with a wire whisk for 30 seconds. Chill the mixture, covered, for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450, and place a muffin pan in the oven so that it is hot when the batter is ready. In a small bowl, beat the egg white to soft peaks, and fold into chilled mixture. Grease the hot muffin pan with melted butter or beef drippings. Pour in the batter, filling cups about half full. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pudding is puffed and browned.

Giblet Stock

Reserved giblets
1 clove garlic
1 onion, quartered
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
Water to cover

In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until giblets are cooked and tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Giblet Gravy

2 cups giblet stock
3 tablespoons fat from roasting pan
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce

Remove cooked giblets from stock. Chop them and set aside. Strain the rest of the giblet stock into a 2-cup measuring cup or a bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat add fat from roasting pan and flour. With a whisk make a roux and whisk constantly until roux bubbles. Add giblet stock ½ cup at a time, whisking. Allow gravy to thicken each time before adding more stock. Add the wine in the same manner. Add the reserved chopped giblets. Season with Worcestershire, salt, pepper and hot sauce.

Sausage and Herb Stuffing

1½ pounds bulk sausage
3 cups minced onions
2 cups minced celery
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups stale bread cubes
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
½ cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper
1½ cups chicken stock

Heat oven to 325. Butter a large baking dish. Heat sausage over medium heat in a large, deep skillet, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Transfer sausage to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add onions, celery and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Spoon vegetables into bowl with sausage and add remaining ingredients, tossing to combine well. Add just enough stock to moisten stuffing mixture. Spoon stuffing mixture into casserole dish, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking, 20 minutes until golden brown.

Pickled Eggs

6 hard-boiled jumbo or large eggs
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup beet juice
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves

Place eggs in glass jar or bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least two days.

Jalapeño Vodka

2 cups Vodka
6 Jalapeño peppers, sliced into rings
10 black peppercorns, cracked

Combine ingredients in mason jar, cover and refrigerate at least two weeks. Strain, reserving Jalapeños. Use vodka in Bloody Mary or Bloody Bull. Use Jalapeños as desired.

Bloody Bull Mix

2 cups spicy tomato or V-8® juice
1 cup beef consommé or strong broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 green onions, for garnish
¾ cup pepper vodka

Similar to its cousin, the Bloody Mary, this mixture gets its kick from the beef consommé and lime juice.

Mix ingredients together in cocktail pitcher. Pour over ice cubes in 12-ounce glasses. Garnish with green onion.

Bloody Mary Mix

3 cups spicy tomato or V-8® juice
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, drained
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1½ teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce
Salt
Black pepper

Combine first five ingredients together. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with the hot sauce, salt and pepper. Store the mixture in a non-reactive container and refrigerate the mixture for a least 6 hours before serving. Serve alone or mixed with vodka.

Roux

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup flour

A roux is used often in Louisiana cooking, most notably for gumbos and sauces.

In a heavy pan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring continuously over low to medium heat. Do not allow the roux to burn or it will become bitter tasting. Continue to stir until the roux is the color of a penny for a blonde or light roux or until it is the color of chocolate for a dark roux. The darker the roux, the more intense the flavor.

(Don't feel like making a lot of roux?
For one cup of stock, use 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour)

Caesar Salad

1½ heads Romaine lettuce
3 cloves garlic, pressed
½ tablespoon dry mustard
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
Juice of ½ lemon
4 anchovies
2½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2/3 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup croutons
Black pepper

Rinse, dry and tear Romaine into bite-size pieces. Chill in refrigerator. In large wooden bowl, mash together garlic cloves, mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, anchovies and vinegar until smooth. Pour in olive oil while whisking and mix until smooth. Mix in cheese. Add lettuce and croutons. Toss well and serve on chilled salad plates. Sprinkle with freshly-ground pepper.

Caesar Salad Dressing

¼ cup lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 to 4 dashes hot pepper sauce
¾ cup olive oil

Blend first five ingredients in processor until smooth. Gradually add oil until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Avocado Cobb Salad

1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped
2 cups tomatoes, diced
4 hard-boiled eggs, whites only, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
8 ounces turkey breast, diced
2 slices cooked bacon, diced
4 cups Iceberg lettuce, torn
4 cups Romaine lettuce, torn

Toss the avocado with the lemon juice. Combine the lettuces in a large salad bowl. Arrange the turkey, bacon, egg whites, tomatoes and avocado on top of the lettuce. Drizzle with selected dressing just before serving.

Huevos Rancheros

6 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Tabasco^® sauce
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
½ cup water

In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion and green pepper, cook until tender. Add tomato, garlic, oregano, salt, Tabasco sauce, tomato sauce and water. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover. Break eggs, one at a time, into cup and slip into sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat until eggs are set, about 5 minutes. Serve over tortillas or English muffins, topped with sauce.

Breakfast Burrito

2 flour tortillas
½ cup grated Monterey Jack Cheese
2 eggs
Hot pepper sauce
Salt
Black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons salsa

Heat pan large enough to accommodate one tortilla. Warm tortilla for about 1 minute. Heated side should begin to brown slightly. Flip and sprinkle ¼ cup cheese evenly over surface. Cover for about 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Keep warm while preparing second tortilla in same way.

When tortillas are nearly ready, beat eggs with several drops of hot pepper sauce and salt and pepper as desired. Heat butter in separate pan, add green onions, stir for a few seconds and add eggs. Over medium heat, scramble eggs. Add salsa and stir briefly. Divide egg mixture between 2 tortillas, distributing egg along 1/3 of each tortilla. Roll up and serve.

Huevos Con Salsa Aguacate

½ small onion, diced
2 avocados, peeled and cubed
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 large or jumbo eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
2½ tablespoons butter, divided
Salsa

Sauté the onion in a medium skillet in 1 tablespoon butter until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gently stir in the avocado, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, milk and peppers. Simmer, stirring gently, until some of the avocado blends into a sauce, leaving only small chunks. Beat the eggs with the ¼ teaspoon salt and the water. Scramble softly in 1½ tablespoons butter. Spoon the avocado sauce over each serving of eggs. Garnish with the salsa.

Biscuits & Gravy

1 pound bulk sausage
2 tablespoons chopped onion
6 tablespoons flour
1 quart milk
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
12 biscuits

Crumble sausage into large sauté pan. Cook over medium heat until done. Add onion and cook until transparent. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons fat. Add flour, stir until golden brown. Gradually add milk and seasonings. Stir until thickened. Serve over biscuits.

Longhorn Baked Beans

2 16-ounce cans pork and beans
¼ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ small onion, minced
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a pan. Bake at 350° for about 1½ hours or cook on top of smoker.

Standard Pie Crust

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening or 2/3 cup lard
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

For Two-Crust 8-or-9 inch Pie:

Mix together flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour and salt mixture until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons additional water may be added if dough is still too dry).

Divide pastry in half and shape each into flattened rounds on a lightly floured cloth-covered board. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one round of pastry 2 inches larger than the inverted pie plate. Fold pastry into quarters; place in ¼ of the pie plate. Unfold and ease into the plate, pressing firmly against bottom and sides.

Pour desired filling into pastry-lined pie plate. Trim overhanging edge of pastry ½ inch from rim of plate. Roll the second round of pastry using the same method for the first round. Place over filling and unfold. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal - flute either by hand or with a fork. With a sharp knife, cut slits in the top pie crust to allow steam to escape. Cover edge of crust with 2 to 3-inch wide strips of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking. Bake as directed in pie recipe.

For a One-Crust 8- or 9-inch Pie:

Cut all ingredients by half, and use the same mixing and placement method as used for the first round of dough in the two-crust pie above. Trim overhanging dough to 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with the plate; flute by hand or with a fork. Fill and bake as directed in recipe.

For a 8-or-9 inch Baked Pie Shell:

Use the same instruction for ingredients, mixing, and placement for one-crust pie. Instead of filling crust, use a fork to thoroughly prick the bottom and sides of pastry. Bake at 475 until lightly brown, about 8 to 10 minutes; cool. Fill as desired.

Strawberries Elegante

6 cups strawberry slices
3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice, divided
1 8-ounce container cream cheese
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon skim milk
Fresh mint leaves

Toss strawberries with 2 tablespoons liqueur in small bowl. Place cream cheese, sugar, 1 tablespoon liqueur and milk in food processor or blender container. Process until well blended. Serve over strawberries. Garnish with mint.

Key Lime Pie

1 baked pastry pie shell
4 large eggs
½ cup Key lime juice
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks in a bowl until thick. Add the condensed milk to the yolks and beat again. Add the Key lime juice and beat until thick. Using an electric mixer at moderate speed, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating while adding sugar, one tablespoon at a time. When all of the sugar has been incorporated, add vanilla and beat on high until whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. Add about ¼ of the egg white mixture to the filling. Pour the filling into the baked and cooled pie shell. Top the pie with the remaining meringue. Seal the meringue all around the crust. Bake in a preheated oven, 350° for about 15 minutes until the meringue is golden. Allow to cool for 2 hours before refrigerating.

Eastern North Carolina Style Barbecue

Get some pork shoulders or Boston Butt roasts, as many as your smoker will hold comfortably. The key is providing a moist, smoky, indirect heat for a long period of time.

Put a bag of charcoal in the firebox, open the vents, light it, and let it burn down to coals. Then add wood - two parts wet (soaked) wood to one part dry - regulate the dampers, and put the shoulders or butts, fat side up, in the cooking chamber. Beneath the meat, put a drip pan half-filled with apple cider vinegar. Keep the heat between 180° to 240° throughout the smoking process; the optimum range is 200° to 220°. Add between 5 to 7 whole heads of garlic. Keep the firebox fed and a good smoke going for between 8 to 10 hours. Do not open the cooking chamber to baste the meat - the only time the cooking chamber should be opened is if the temperature spikes above 240°. Open it only long enough to bring the temperature back in the proper range. By the time the smoking period is finished, the outside of the pork will have a golden amber to dark brown crust.

Take the meat and put it in a covered Dutch oven and raise the temperature in the cooking chamber to about 300°. Fill a quart-sized measuring cup halfway with apple cider vinegar, add two teaspoons of red pepper flakes, and fill the rest of the cup with water. Pour into the Dutch oven with the pork, cover, and cook about 2 more hours.

When the meat is done, let it cool enough to handle and pull it into thumb-sized chunks, discarding as much fat as possible. Place about three pounds of meat into a large frying pan. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt into 2½ cups of warm water and pour it into the pan. Add about 12 ounces of the apple cider vinegar and red pepper mixture, turn the heat to medium, and let the liquid slowly simmer off, stirring frequently, until the sauce barely oozes over the top of a spatula when pressed.

Veal Scaloppini with Marsala

2 pounds Veal scaloppini
¼ cup butter
½ cup flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
¾ cup dry Marsala wine or sherry

Place scaloppini between two pieces of waxed paper or in a plastic food bag and pound until thin. Place scaloppini on aluminum foil. Coat meat lightly with flour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt 3 tablespoons butter with oil in a large heavy skillet. When butter foams, add veal. Cook over high heat about 1 minute on each side. Veal should be light golden outside and pink inside. Remove veal from skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter and Marsala or sherry. Deglaze skillet by stirring to dissolve meat juices attached to bottom of skillet. When wine is reduced by half, return veal to skillet. Mix gently with sauce. Place meat on a warm platter. Spoon sauce over meat. Serve immediately.

Cobb Salad

For 2 salads:
1 Chicken breast, cooked and chopped
¼ head iceberg washed and dried
1 large tomato, chopped
6 leaves Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
10 stalks watercress
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
½ avocado, chopped
2 ounces Bleu cheese, crumbled
6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

Tear lettuce leaves until bite-sized. Mound in the center of a large bowl. Put all other ingredients in layers around the lettuce. Before serving, ladle on a little dressing (a straight vinaigrette made with a little garlic) and toss everything together.

Lahaina Layered Salad

1 medium head lettuce, sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped sweet onion (Maui or Vidalia)
½ cup chopped green onions
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, sliced
1 10-ounce pkg. frozen peas, blanched
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 tomatoes

A different presentation for a fresh salad where the ingredients are layered and not tossed.

Layer lettuce, bell pepper, onion, celery, water chestnuts and peas on a large serving dish. Sprinkle with sugar. Combine sour cream and mayonnaise, spread over salad. Combine cheese, garlic powder and black pepper, sprinkle over salad. Sprinkle with bacon and eggs. Cut tomatoes into small wedges, arrange around salad.

Apple Crisp

4 cups peeled and sliced apples
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter
¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar

Place apples and water in baking dish. In mixing bowl, add other ingredients and blend until crumbly. Top apples with mix. Bake in 375° oven for 40 minutes.

French Toast with Cinnamon Syrup

1 large egg
2 large egg whites
¾ cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch baking powder
8 slices Texas Toast or French bread, sliced ½-inch thick
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon butter
Cinnamon syrup:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup evaporated skim milk

French Toast: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together egg, egg whites, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and baking powder until well blended. Place bread slices in a large, shallow baking dish and pour egg mixture over the top; turn to coat evenly. Press a piece of wax paper directly on the bread to cover it, then cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Cinnamon syrup: In a small saucepan, stir together sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon and ¼ cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in evaporated skim milk. Let cool; transfer to a small pitcher.

To cook French Toast: Heat 1 teaspoon oil and ½ teaspoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add four of the soaked bread slices to the pan and cook until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in a pre-heated low oven. Cook the remaining slices in the same manner, using the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and ½ teaspoon butter. Serve with cinnamon syrup.

Spicy Jalapeño Muffins

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten lightly
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
4 fresh Jalapeño peppers, stemmed and diced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup grated Pepperjack cheese
2 - 4 drops Tabasco^® sauce
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

These muffins are hot and spicy and may be made hotter by adding extra Jalapeños, more ground cayenne pepper and more Tabasco to taste.

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 12-cup muffin pan. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cornmeal together in a bowl. Add eggs, butter, milk, Jalapeños, red pepper flakes, Tabasco and ground cayenne pepper. Mix enough to dampen the dry ingredients.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheese and return to over for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and cool ten minutes. Serve hot.

Italian Gravy

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups red wine
¼ cup olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
½ pound mushrooms, chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 whole cloves
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Place the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and wine in a large stock pot. Heat a large sauté pan, add olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms, and celery until lightly browned. Add to stock pot with remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for two hours.

Spatzle

4 cups flour
3 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
Butter

Sift flour. Make a well into the middle and pour in eggs, beaten up with the salt. Starting from the middle, mix eggs into the flour, gradually adding liquid until you have a very soft dough. Beat and knead the dough until it forms blisters. Place it onto a chopping board and scrape thin strips of dough straight into boiling salted water with the broad side of the knife. Only put enough dough to cover top of water. Let them swell up for 3 minutes, remove with sieve, rinse in hot water and place them in a bowl. Repeat until all dough is used up. Heat butter in a large frying pan, add noodles, and let sit until the noodles are browned. Stir noodles and continue to brown.

Haupi (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding)

3 cups coconut milk
4 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
Dash of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cornstarch

In a saucepan, heat all but ¼ cup milk over a low heat (do not boil). Add sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix remaining coconut milk with cornstarch, and gradually add to the pan, stirring until mixture thickens. Pour into a square cake pan and chill until firm.

Cut into small squares and serve on Ti leaves.