What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[hypatia]

When I cook fiddlehead's {bracken or ostrich} I always boil them twice, with a change of water inbetween. I find they taste sweeter. In Japan they roast them with other spring veggies and ginger. It has a very savory taste.

 

[turbo]

We've tried fiddleheads a lot of ways, including casseroles, and have also par-boiled them until still crispy and tossed them in a stir fry.

 

[arunbg]

Just like mathwonk said, wow this thread really is popular and its even listed in the classics!
Yeah, I keep popping in every 10 pages or so to check if everything is allright.
And now I'm back at home, eating my favourite food, the mom special.

I thought I should share an experience I had long back, it reminds me of the good old days.
One fine day, my dad told me that we were all going crab hunting. Now, we were in a middle-east asian country and the sea was miles away, and so I took it as a joke. Whoever heard of "crab hunting" anyway ?

A few hours later I found myself in a car with my whole family, on the highway along with other family friends heading for the nearby coastal town. Needless to say I was excited, I had never even gone fishing before. When we finally got there it was already twilightish. The shoreline glimmered in the setting sun (am I being too romantic here?). Initially, I thought that we had come late, but when everybody waded into the water I joined in too. Now the only light available came from the night sky and the bright torches in the hands of the company's adults.

I was quite wary stepping into those dark uncertain waters but after some time the fear vanished. Then I think my dad shone his flashlight into the water. Initially, I couldn't see anything except the murky waters, a few fish and the vegetation on the seabed. Then I saw them - crabs running away from the light, lurking in crevices, they were everywhere.
Us kids had a jolly good time spotting them while the adults scooped them up with their nets. At the end of the hunt, I think we managed at least 30-40kgs of the crustascean. We took our share and went home.

Then it struck me that we had to kill them before we could eat them, I was so used to getting crab meat on my plate served with mom's wonderful gravy.
So I watched as my mom put them in the freezer, I felt so sorry for the guys. Next day when I was served crab, I took one look at the plate and couldn't bring myself to eating, conjured up images of them dying were stuck in my head now. So my parents had to finish it all up on their own

Now that I think about it, I don't think that such unauthorized "fishing" was even legal in those parts.

 

[Astronuc]

This restaurant has a great menu and is not too far from where I grew up in Houston.

Masraff's - on Post Oak Lane

http://208.106.136.226/mas/menu.asp?mcid=3

 

[Evo]

Then it struck me that we had to kill them before we could eat them, I was so used to getting crab meat on my plate served with mom's wonderful gravy.
So I watched as my mom put them in the freezer, I felt so sorry for the guys. Next day when I was served crab, I took one look at the plate and couldn't bring myself to eating, conjured up images of them dying were stuck in my head now. So my parents had to finish it all up on their own

Now that I think about it, I don't think that such unauthorized "fishing" was even legal in those parts.

I know, my mom took us crabbing when we were little, but then when it came time to boil them, they would scream. I'm still traumatized by it.

 

[mathwonk]

i was pretty surpized at the idea carbonara has cream in it, as that makes me think of alfredo recipes, but i did find some recipes with cream on the net.

my recipe was that of a family in Rome we knew and lived with for a few months. apparently some recipes have cream, some have white wine, or whatever. the one i gave is pretty rich without the cream though, especially if you grate in enough parmeggiana reggiano.

 

[turbo]

we also enjoy the worlds most expensive blackberries once a year, by picking them from a view lot we own in washington, facing the olympic peninsula. that's all we use the lot for, so that why the berries cost tens of thousands of dollars a pound, so far.

I have probably the cheapest blackberries around. They grow wild on our property and on the vacant woodlot across from us. I can usually get around a gallon or so every time I go out picking, and apart from those that we ate or those that we juiced and drank, we froze at least 20 gallons last summer. There is a black bear out back that gets his share of them, too. I don't mind him eating berries, but he often tramples canes to get to good clumps of berries, and I wish he'd learn to be more careful.

 

[Evo]

i was pretty surpized at the idea carbonara has cream in it, as that makes me think of alfredo recipes, but i did find some recipes with cream on the net.

my recipe was that of a family in Rome we knew and lived with for a few months. apparently some recipes have cream, some have white wine, or whatever. the one i gave is pretty rich without the cream though, especially if you grate in enough parmeggiana reggiano.

My recipe is from my ex-fiance that is Sicilian (lives in Sicily) and there it is made with that special thick cream that you can only get there. :!)

 

[mathwonk]

well our neighbors seem to have cheap berries too, from the vacant lot (ours) across from them, as the easy ones always look culled when we go there.

 

[Evo]

I need to hack a chicken apart. :grumpy:

I used to be an expert at this, but it's been years since I've done it and last week I hacked one apart and it was embarrassing.

I need to do it again. I plan to sautee the pieces with several chopped onions and then plate it over hot couscous.

I just can't see paying $3-$5 per pound for cut up chicken when I can buy an entire 5 lb chicken for $3.45.

 

[lunarmansion]

I need to hack a chicken apart. :grumpy:

I used to be an expert at this, but it's been years since I've done it and last week I hacked one apart and it was embarrassing.

I need to do it again. I plan to sautee the pieces with several chopped onions and then plate it over hot couscous.

I just can't see paying $3-$5 per pound for cut up chicken when I can buy an entire 5 lb chicken for $3.45.

Not a live chicken I bet! If you hack a live one you have to hold it for a while otherwise it flies away as the muscles are still twitching.
One of my grandparents had a Dairy Farm. We had fresh milk, butter and yogurt. It was not mechanized like here and everything was done by hand.
Have you ever tasted butter churned by hand? Or drank milk straight from a cow? Ymmmm! And playing with the baby calves and goats or kids as they are called. Seeing a cow give birth...
My other grandmother owned a lot of land---in her house everything was from her land- the oil, the meat, the grain, the fruits and vegetables. I was very young then but I still remember those lazy summer days when you could sit outside and eat fruit all day from the trees. I was lucky to witness life on the land on such a large scale in my early years--such a lifestyle is not possible these days. Everything is getting ugly and mechanized everywhere. And the food how good it was even with very little seasonings!

 

[omega_M]

Hot Scrambled Egg

Things you need :

Eggs, Jalapeño, Ranch, cumin seeds, salt, oil

Heat some oil in a pan.
Put cumin seeds in the hot oil and let them sputter for about 10 sec.
Cut small pieces of jalapeños and put them in the oil. Fry for about a min or two.
Break 2/3 eggs in a bowl. Squeeze some Ranch and mix everything thoroughly.
Add Salt to taste
Put the egg mix in the pan and stir everything until cooked.

Enjoy ! This is my own recipe.

 

[turbo]

Not a live chicken I bet! If you hack a live one you have to hold it for a while otherwise it flies away as the muscles are still twitching.
One of my grandparents had a Dairy Farm. We had fresh milk, butter and yogurt. It was not mechanized like here and everything was done by hand.
Have you ever tasted butter churned by hand? Or drank milk straight from a cow? Ymmmm! And playing with the baby calves and goats or kids as they are called. Seeing a cow give birth...
My other grandmother owned a lot of land---in her house everything was from her land- the oil, the meat, the grain, the fruits and vegetables. I was very young then but I still remember those lazy summer days when you could sit outside and eat fruit all day from the trees. I was lucky to witness life on the land on such a large scale in my early years--such a lifestyle is not possible these days. Everything is getting ugly and mechanized everywhere. And the food how good it was even with very little seasonings!

My sisters, cousins and I grew up in a very rural environment, and my uncle and great-uncle had farms, and all of us had big vegetable gardens. We collected eggs, slaughtered chickens, hogs, and cows, incubated eggs, attended the births of all kinds of animals, etc. We had cream for berries, hand-churned butter, home-made ice cream, home-made blood sausages, spiced pork sausage links, head cheese, pickled tripe... Nothing went to waste. We kept bags of bones in the freezer that were broken/sawed up to add nutrients to soups. My family would be classed today as "working poor" but in some ways we were rich beyond belief.

 

[Astronuc]

Any thoughts on cooking fresh cod?

My neighbor came over while I was mowing the lawn and gave me a bag of cod fillets, fresh from the ocean off Maine.

I could bread and bake it, but thought I'd ask for any favorite recipes.

 

[turbo]

I could bread and bake it, but thought I'd ask for any favorite recipes.

That's absolutely the best way to prepare cod. Seal it with an egg wash and roll it in cracker crumbs with a little salt and pepper and serve with wedges of lemon.

 

[Evo]

For something different, this recipe sounds good.

Bacon wrapped cod

ingredients
1 pound (500g) fresh cod fillet
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces (90g) thinly sliced slab bacon, rind removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
For the sauce:
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 shallot
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons capers

preparation

1. Season the cod all over lightly with salt and pepper. Roll or fold the cod so that it looks like a small roast, and wrap the bacon around it, securing the pieces of bacon with a skewer or toothpick, so the cod is almost completely covered with the bacon (except at the "corners").
2. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the fish and brown it on all sides, which will take about 6 minutes. Cover the skillet and continue cooking the cod until it is cooked through, about 16 minutes, turning it occasionally so it doesn't burn.

3. While the cod is cooking, make the sauce. Mince together the parsley and the shallot and place in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil. Coarsely chop the capers and whisk them into the sauce.

4. When the fish is cooked, transfer it to a warmed serving platter and let it sit for about 4 minutes. Remove the skewers or the toothpicks and drain away any liquid that comes from the fish. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve

http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/menus/cooknow/recipes/104533

 

[Astronuc]

The bacon wrapped cod sounds good, but a bit challenging for me today. I do have breadcrumbs, so that is what I'm doing this afternoon - bread and bake. I'll need to buy a shallot (although I might be able to find a wild onion), and I need to buy capers.

Most of the cod fillets are small, probably a few ounces each, so I guess I'll have to improvise on the recipe, which I tend to do with recipes anyway. I could make sushi :rofl:

I still have half the cod, which I'll freeze. I hope that holds it until I get back from a trip this week.

Thanks for those ideas.

I also have Progresso Tomato Basil soup, so I was thinking about using that.

 

[turbo]

I also have Progresso Tomato Basil soup, so I was thinking about using that.

Maybe on the side... :yuck: Fresh cod has such a nice delicate flavor that it is a shame to overdo the sauce/seasoning thing. :tongue2:

As a Mainer (maineiac!) I grew up using my nose to buy fish. If you go to a store and they claim the fish is fresh, ask to smell it. If it does not have a heady rich aroma (especially ground-fish), just walk away. It is either too old or has been frozen and thawed and it is not worth the price. There is an exception. Tuna that has been flash-frozen at sea will yield very flavorful steaks if thawed and cooked promptly. Tuna is one of the very few fishes that can taste wonderful after freezing.

 

[Evo]

As a Mainer (maineiac!) I grew up using my nose to buy fish. If you go to a store and they claim the fish is fresh, ask to smell it. If it does not have a heady rich aroma (especially ground-fish), just walk away.

Wait, I thought fresh fish was supposed to be non-smelly, i.e. smell like the water it lived in. THAT'S WHAT ALTON BROWN SAID AND HE KNOWS!

Besides not smelling, my mother always told me that if I didn't know from whom I was buying the fish, to buy it with the head on so I could see if the eyes were clear. If the eyes were cloudy, the fish had been dead too long. Anyone selling the fish will be happy to then fillet it if you want.

Nowdays most ocean fish is frozen onboard ship and is fresher than ever. If the fish smells of ammonia, don't buy it!

 

[turbo]

Wait, I thought fresh fish was supposed to be non-smelly, i.e. smell like the water it lived in. THAT'S WHAT ALTON BROWN SAID AND HE KNOWS!

Alton knows a lot about food, but if he said that fresh fish should not smell sweet, like a bouquet of fresh flowers, he is in over his head. I cannot describe the smell of freshly-shucked Atlantic scallops or newly-filleted sole to you, but if you had ever smelled them, you would know how to identify FRESH seafood. If you live more than 100-200 miles from the fish piers, you may never have experienced fresh seafood. Seafood that has no smell is probably safe to eat, but it certainly will not be a great treat.

 

[Evo]

I grew up in Houston, TX, we would actually buy all of our fish/shellfish on the fishing boats in Keemah when they docked. My mother was so adamant that we get the freshest seafood that we boarded the boats and bought them even before they made it to the stalls at the pier. Everyone knew my mom. They knew they couldn't mess with her either, all 5' of her.

 

[turbo]

Smell is paramount. If the fish/shellfish no longer has a distinctive sweet, rich, bouquet, it has been dead too long and/or improperly stored and is not fit to eat.

If the fish has a pungent odor (even a little) it is probably spoiling, and this can take as little as 2-3 days under the right conditions even if it was refrigerated. If you are buying fish off trawlers in warm waters without adequate refrigeration, chances are you bought fish that was caught several days ago and was not fresh. If it has no smell or a neutral smell, the fish is no good. Even more delicate (and toothsome) is fresh-caught brook trout pan-fried in butter with salt and pepper. Nothing compares. I have a couple of sweet nieces that love my cooking and they would kill for my brook trout. Fish needs to be fresh, and it demands a light touch.

 

[Evo]

Smell is paramount. If the fish/shellfish no longer has a distinctive sweet, rich, bouquet, it has been dead too long and/or improperly stored and is not fit to eat.

If the fish has a pungent odor (even a little) it is probably spoiling, and this can take as little as 2-3 days under the right conditions even if it was refrigerated. If you are buying fish off trawlers in warm waters without adequate refrigeration, chances are you bought fish that was caught several days ago and was not fresh. If it has no smell or a neutral smell, the fish is no good. Even more delicate (and toothsome) is fresh-caught brook trout pan-fried in butter with salt and pepper. Nothing compares. I have a couple of sweet nieces that love my cooking and they would kill for my brook trout. Fish needs to be fresh, and it demands a light touch.

These boats only went out in the bay and left and returned same day, they were not deep ocean.

The worst fish was freshly caught bluefish in Chesapeke Bay, they smelled and tasted like motor oil.

 

[Astronuc]

The worst fish was freshly caught bluefish in Chesapeke Bay, they smelled and tasted like motor oil.

Well, it does smell like the water it lived in! :rofl:

 

[turbo]

Chesapeake bay is not exactly a standard to which I would adhere. Even Gulf-caught oysters in New Orleans were just marginally better. This country has NO appreciation for fresh seafood, nor any standards to ensure that consumers get any honesty or accountability. If you were here in Maine, and could enjoy some butter-fried Atlantic scallops, some fresh baked cod, or a nice brook trout, you would know.

 

[Math Is Hard]

check out this multi-course meal!
http://www.howithappened.com/2007/05/underground-menu-at-lenclume.html
one of the courses:

This is "Lollipop 'perigourdine' and pickled onion turkish". The lollipop was a hard caramel of foie gras and truffles, reminiscent of fleur de sel and foie gras creme brulee, which is almost a standard on the Ile de Re. The turkish delight was really excellent too, with the sharp vinegar of the pickled onion cutting through the cloying powdery nature of the turkish delight.

 

[Moonbear]

The worst fish was freshly caught bluefish in Chesapeke Bay, they smelled and tasted like motor oil.

Can't speak for that caught in the Chesapeake, but I've had bluefish from off the Jersey coast, and absolutely LOVE it. But, most people I know don't like it because it tastes too strong for them (they're the sort of people who only want flounder and cod). It has a dark meat, so like dark meat vs light meat on chicken, it has a distinctly different taste from fish that have very light meats. And, it is an oily fish, but that just meant it could withstand my mom's cooking and still be moist. I miss having freshly caught fish. Even when we froze it, it still tasted better than store bought. I've found one Japanese restaurant in NYC that has excellent fresh fish (for sushi and sashimi) that has that wonderful fresh smell (when it's fresh, you can tell each different fish's scent and flavor from the others...when it isn't fresh, you can't tell one from the other because they either have no flavor or a "fishy" not-so-fresh flavor). When I was a kid, you could have blindfolded me and served me the fish we caught, and I could have told you what each kind was by the flavor. If you tried that with me in most restaurants or with most store-bought fish, I couldn't tell you at all, they all taste rather flavorless at best, or fishy and rotten at worst (if it smells or tastes "fishy" send it back to the kitchen, it's old and they shouldn't be serving it).

 

[turbo]

Mmmm, bluefish! They run up the rivers here feeding on pogies, shad, etc, and they can get pretty big. You have to use stainless steel leaders to catch them because their sharp teeth will cut nylon. They have a distinctive smell both fresh and cooked, and the flavor is strong enough to put off some people, as you mentioned. That is one variety of fish that can withstand a heavy hand with seasonings and still come out tasting great. Not so with cod, haddock and other white fish.

My favorites are brook trout, landlocked salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout - all with their own distinctive flavors. We also have white perch in some of the warmer ponds, with a delicate white flesh that makes great chowders or butter-fried filets.

 

[Astronuc]

5 Foodie Sites You'll Tell Your Friends About

http://food.yahoo.com/blog/dailyolive/652/5-foodie-sites-you-ll-tell-your-friends-about

5 Grills for 5 Personality Types
http://food.yahoo.com/blog/dailyolive/638/5-grills-for-5-personality-types

 

[Evo]

Trying to decide what to eat tonight. I have 5 lbs of yukon gold potatoes, I was think potato salad. I've been told that I make the world's best, I agree.

But I want to make something exciting tonight in addition to it, but not be too complicated.

Any suggestions?

 

[Evo]

check out this multi-course meal!
http://www.howithappened.com/2007/05/underground-menu-at-lenclume.html
one of the courses:

This is "Lollipop 'perigourdine' and pickled onion turkish". The lollipop was a hard caramel of foie gras and truffles, reminiscent of fleur de sel and foie gras creme brulee, which is almost a standard on the Ile de Re. The turkish delight was really excellent too, with the sharp vinegar of the pickled onion cutting through the cloying powdery nature of the turkish delight.

Pickled onion and turkish delight? :yuck:

That lollipop looks like it has dead flies in it. ZERO points for appeal.

 

[Astronuc]

Trying to decide what to eat tonight. I have 5 lbs of yukon gold potatoes, I was think potato salad. I've been told that I make the world's best, I agree.

But I want to make something exciting tonight in addition to it, but not be too complicated.

Any suggestions?

Besides potato salad? What else do you have in the pantry or fridge? You could make scalloped potatoes with ham, but that takes a while. We also do sausage and potatoes, in which we more or less boil the potatoes and sliced sausage, with carrots and celery, and seasonings.

or

GERMAN POTATO SALAD WITH SAUSAGE
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1938,148190-245199,00.html

Or something like a potato omlet or pancake with vegetables and cheese.

 

[Evo]

I meant something without potatoes since I'm making the potato salad. It doesn't have to go well with potato salad either.

 

[Astronuc]

Coleslaw? Carrot or carrot, raisin and pineapple.

Do you have fish, poultry, pork, sausage, bacon, beef, lamb?

Shiskabobs? Vegetarian, or meat + veggies?

 

[wolram]

I meant something without potatoes since I'm making the potato salad. It doesn't have to go well with potato salad either.

Shredded crispy beef?