What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[OmCheeto]

A work in progress: gravlax! Did this yesterday; it should be ready by Thanksgiving.
...

Have you done this?:

During the Middle Ages, gravlax was made by fishermen, who salted the salmon and lightly fermented it by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line.

Do you live near a sea shore?

And I think fermenting takes more than a day.

You might want to order pizza...

 

[Evo]

Love the pictures Ben!

 

[turbo]

My wife and I decided to delve into sour-dough breads. The trick is that you have to leaven the dough with naturally-occurring yeasts in the air and make batches of "starter" to save and preserve the character of these basic breads. Sour-dough pizza crust is to die for.

 

[OmCheeto]

Love the pictures Ben!

ditto.

I was so jealous/hungry after I saw those...

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Have you done this?:

Not the medieval way, no. My fish aren't fermenting, just curing in sugar and salt. It takes 2-4 days, depending on what flavor you want.

 

[gravenewworld]

Apple strudel attempt. Definitely NOT the easiest thing in the world to make without a lot of practice. Dough has to be super, super thin so that you can see through it. Much easier probably if you have the right work space/equipment. The dough came out quite well though.

 

[Evo]

Strudel is very difficult. I remember when I was 12 and made my own phyllo dough for baklava. It was awesome, never again.

 

[OmCheeto]

Last night, I decided to line the turkey tray with baby cut carrots. I just tried one. I think I've invented carrot jerky.

 

[lisab]

Wow! Blueberry scones, fritters, gravlax, sourdough, apple strudel...looks like some people are kicking it up a notch these days .

 

[Evo]

I baked a Mrs Smith's blackberry cobbler. Not much fruit, mostly syrup, but very tasty.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Here are the results of the gravlax:

Ingredients for mustard sauce: mustard, honey, coffee, white wine vinegar, grapeseed oil, and of course dill.

Mustard sauce whisked together.

Finished filets after curing.

Sliced and laid out. Slicing job isn't that great, I've never sliced fish before.

Final presentation. Includes mustard sauce, salmon roe, and toasted skins.

It was delicious! I also made some other food, but didn't take so many fancy pictures.

 

[lisab]

Looks amazing, Ben! I didn't know there was coffee in the sauce! Love, love, love fresh dill with fish :!).

This Thanksgiving, we had a feast the day before Thanksgiving, then another feast day after Thanksgiving. Not much going on Thanksgiving day. Those of you living in step-families know the drill.

But today, we pressed a whole bunch of apples. Got over 12 gallons of cider! Two gallons we pasteurized and will drink as juice.

The other ten gallons we will ferment to hard cider. I did some chemical tests today. Based on those results we add sulfite to kill off all native fungus/yeast/bacteria in the juice. Then we add the good yeast, lock it up away from oxygen and in 2 or 4 months we will have hard cider !

What a busy day. I wish all my days were like today. Work, family, work, cleaning, work, family, eating, work. A very nice life indeed.

 

[danago]

Wow that looks great Ben! Good bread and cured meats is always great :D I'm in Madrid at the moment, so am enjoying the jamón with bread that is available on just about every street here

 

[Evo]

OMG Danago, I would kill for some Iberian ham, I can shuck out $2,022.30 for a ham. Sure, no problem.

http://www.mastercaviar.com/caviar/jamon-iberico-de-bellota_pata-negra-whole-bone-in-ham-12-21-lb..html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=master&utm_campaign=sale&gclid=CIPMndeKkrsCFYVZ7AodGykADg#googlebase

Oooh, I will be spending some time salivating over the food on that site for awhile. :!)

 

[danago]

OMG Danago, I would kill for some Iberian ham, I can shuck out $2,022.30 for a ham. Sure, no problem.

http://www.mastercaviar.com/caviar/jamon-iberico-de-bellota_pata-negra-whole-bone-in-ham-12-21-lb..html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=master&utm_campaign=sale&gclid=CIPMndeKkrsCFYVZ7AodGykADg#googlebase

Oooh, I will be spending some time salivating over the food on that site for awhile. :!)

I think the photo I posted is just Serrano ham (cheaper), however I did try some of the Iberico de Bellota like in that link and it was sooo good :!)

 

[Evo]

With Christmas coming, thought I'd share some of my favorite holiday recipes.

Although this is called a "fruitcake", I'd call it a "nut cake". It is unlike any other fruitcake as it actually tastes good. It is a famous old recipe. I was thinking this year of substituting craisins and another dried fruit in place of the candied cherries and pineapple.

Mrs Harvey's White fruitcake

4 cups shelled pecans

3/4 pound candied cherries

1 pound candied pineapple

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 pound butter

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 tsps vanilla extract

3 tsps lemon extract

Chop nuts and fruit into medium-size pieces; dredge with 1/4 cup of flour. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Sift together remaining flour and baking powder; fold into butter-egg mixture. Stir in vanilla and lemon extracts. Blend in fruit and nuts.

Grease a 10-inch tube pan.

Line with parchment, wax paper or foil; grease again. Pour batter into prepared pan or pans. Place in cold oven and bake 2 1/2 to 3 hours in tube pan or 2 hours in 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans at 250 degrees. Check cakes 1 hour before done and again in 30 minutes. When done, remove from oven; cool in pans on cake rack.

Makes 5 pounds of fruitcake.

Note: In 4 1/2-by-2 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch (baby) loaf pans, bake cake about 1 hour. For 1-pound cakes in 2-pound coffee cans, bake about 2 hours. In 5-ounce custard cups, bake about 1 hour. And in ungreased foil bonbon cups, bake about 30 minutes.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Here's my latest creation. Hamburgers with patatas bravas:

The hamburgers are done in a skillet because I live in an apartment building and there is no place to put a grill.

I also learned how to fry potatoes!

 

[Evo]

Now I'm hungry.

 

[turbo]

I'm hungry, too. I woke up this afternoon dreaming that we had leftover turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, etc in the 'fridge, and wanted some NOW. Not so fast.

 

[Evo]

This is my girl's favorite Christmas cookie. I started making these with my mom when I was a small child, an old recipe off a box of corn flakes.

Cherry Winks

Ingredients

3/4 cup shortening (I use crisco) Do not use oil! This is the white stuff in the can, now available in sticks.
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
2 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
10 maraschino cherries, quartered

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets (or line with aluminum foil, shiny side down, parchment, etc...)

Cream the shortening with the sugar. Blend in the eggs, milk and vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the chopped pecans, chopped dates and 1/3 cup maraschino cherries.

Shape teaspoonful sized chunks of dough into balls. Roll each ball in the crushed corn flakes. Place balls on the prepared baking sheets and top each cookie with 1/4 maraschino cherry (pressed lightly into center, cut side down).

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in airtight containers.

 

[danago]

Sounds great Evo. I would probably use butter instead of shortening though, because I really do love butter (probably too much).

 

[danago]

I'm in Nice at the moment, and just had some socca, one of the foods eaten regularly here. Socca is a flat cake made from chickpea flour and cooked in a wood-fired oven.

 

[Evo]

Sounds great Evo. I would probably use butter instead of shortening though, because I really do love butter (probably too much).

The shortening is needed for the texture, and they would spread too much with butter. I also usually prefer the taste of butter in my cookies, but you won't miss it in this one.

 

[Evo]

I'm in Nice at the moment, and just had some socca, one of the foods eaten regularly here. Socca is a flat cake made from chickpea flour and cooked in a wood-fired oven.

I have family in Nice! When I was there I don't remember seeing these, but it was ages go. They look good, and I actually have chickpea flour.

 

[danago]

I have family in Nice! When I was there I don't remember seeing these, but it was ages go. They look good, and I actually have chickpea flour.

Just about every second cafe seems to sell it, although the place I went to had a long line (I waited about 30 minutes, and socca directly from the wood fire was the only thing they sold) so I assume this was on the better end of the scale. It's very addictive!

So far, Nice seems like a great, albeit very small, city. It is my first time in France, and I am trying to speak French wherever possible, mais malheureusement mon français n'est pas trés bon!

 

[Astronuc]

I made oatmeal with egg nog for breakfast this morning. It's pretty good.

 

[danago]

I was walking through some market stalls and couldn't help myself...I go weak at the knees for Nutella.

 

[Monique]

Ewwww, that's no food for me.

Last weekend I was busy cooking again for friends and made a "Persian" dinner.
Amuse: stuffed apricot (with herb cheese, dille and a pecan nut)
Appetizers: stuffed cherry tomatoes (with diced onion/herbs/and an olive), stuffed mushrooms (bread crumbs/pecorino/herbs) and stuffed bell pepper (spiced couscous)
Main course: beet/sweet potato/grated carrot salad with orange dressing, lentil/tomato salad with blue berries/ basil/ pistachio nuts, rice cake filled with spinach, and a herbed omelet.
Dessert: simple vanilla ice cream with warm blue berries and a waffle.

Tonight I have left-over rice cake with the beet/sweet potato salad.. can't wait to dig in *edit* a blurry picture, but the fragrance coming off the dish is amazing:

 

[danago]

Ewwww, that's no food for me.

Last weekend I was busy cooking again for friends and made a "Persian" dinner.
Amuse: stuffed apricot (with herb cheese, dille and a pecan nut)
Appetizers: stuffed cherry tomatoes (with diced onion/herbs/and an olive), stuffed mushrooms (bread crumbs/pecorino/herbs) and stuffed bell pepper (spiced couscous)
Main course: beet/sweet potato/grated carrot salad with orange dressing, lentil/tomato salad with blue berries/ basil/ pistachio nuts, rice cake filled with spinach, and a herbed omelet.
Dessert: simple vanilla ice cream with warm blue berries and a waffle.

Tonight I have left-over rice cake with the beet/sweet potato salad.. can't wait to dig in *edit* a blurry picture, but the fragrance coming off the dish is amazing:

Sounds like a great menu, although I've never had a salad of blueberries and basil before. Is that a combination typical of the Persian cuisine, or is it something you came up with?

 

[Monique]

Sounds like a great menu, although I've never had a salad of blueberries and basil before. Is that a combination typical of the Persian cuisine, or is it something you came up with?

That's the one thing (well, together with the dessert) that wasn't Persian The ingredients are combined with the lentils and cherry tomatoes and the vibrant colors, in my opinion, made it fit for a "Persian" dinner theme

What the salad looks like (image not mine):

 

[danago]

That's the one thing (well, together with the dessert) that wasn't Persian The ingredients are combined with the lentils and cherry tomatoes and the vibrant colors, in my opinion, made it fit for a "Persian" dinner theme

What the salad looks like (image not mine):

Looks great! I've got a thing for salads with nuts, although I usually default to pine nuts. I think I'll use pistachios in my next salad now though :)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Elk stir fry!

My normal main meal these days is generally stir fry, with kale, spinach, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, three colors of bell pepper, carrots, onion, mushrooms, pea pods, sharp cheddar, maybe some tomatoes, and usually some kind of meat.

It goes well with pretty much anything - beef, chicken, turkey, ham... But a friend recently gave me some elk meat, which I had never tried. So I tried it in my stir fry and it was extremely tasty!

 

[Borek]

12 dishes of Polish Christmas:

http://culture.pl/en/article/the-12-dishes-of-polish-christmas

 

[dlgoff]

12 dishes of Polish Christmas:

http://culture.pl/en/article/the-12-dishes-of-polish-christmas

This is the best part of the article IMO.

Although this meal is reserved for the closest family, it is customary to set an extra plate and seat for an unexpected guest or even a vagrant.

 

[OmCheeto]

12 dishes of Polish Christmas:

http://culture.pl/en/article/the-12-dishes-of-polish-christmas

hmmmm... My mother was born in Poland, and she never mentioned this...

Though she did have a fondness for red beets. But she never made borscht. I've just recently heard that, made properly, it is delightful.

And what the heck is Pierogi. Isn't that a line from Men in Black?

google google google

Ah ha!

My mother made the best Pierogi on the planet. :thumbs:

 

[Yanick]

12 dishes of Polish Christmas:

http://culture.pl/en/article/the-12-dishes-of-polish-christmas

I have two questions for you, sir.

1. Do you actually do this for the holiday?

If yes to #1 then:

2. Can I come over for Christmas?

I miss my mom's food

 

[lisab]

12 dishes of Polish Christmas:

http://culture.pl/en/article/the-12-dishes-of-polish-christmas

The cabbage rolls sound especially delicious :!).

 

[lisab]

My husband is making a pea souffle right now. His cooking is :!).

 

[OmCheeto]

... But she never made borscht. I've just recently heard that, made properly, it is delightful.
...

5000+ posts, and that was only the second time "Borscht" had been mentioned?

hmmmm...

I seem to recall people mentioning that my father's mother made borscht, but her parents were from the Ukraine.

I find it very strange that I've never had any.

Yay! Here is a site with several recipes:

Top 17 Polish soups

To this day there are arguments over who invented a borscht. Ukrainians are certain, that it is their traditional food. But completely the same Poles, Lithuanians, or even Romanians think. Well, we do not know the true origins of the borscht, but who cares? All types of borscht are delicious and that's what counts.

OMG! Even the astronauts had it:

борщ in a tube​

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It looked so good tonight I had to take a photo.

I find that a hefty splash of apple cider vinegar, just in time to boil it off, really gives it a kick and helps to bring out the flavor.

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7576/mn5f.jpg

 

[OmCheeto]

My husband is making a pea souffle right now. His cooking is :!).

Pea souffle? That sounds dreadful. Was it good?

btw, what is a soufflé?

Wiki says they are a source of funniness:

Due to soufflés' tendency to collapse quickly upon removal from the oven, they are frequently depicted in cartoons, comedies and children's programs as a source of humor.

[edit] Never mind. http://chateaudesiorac.com/pea-souffle/ sounds wonderful.

 

[Borek]

I have two questions for you, sir.

1. Do you actually do this for the holiday?

Normally we do, although these days we cheat a little bit, for example counting things separately (so the carp is one dish, and the horseradish sauce counts as another dish).

If yes to #1 then:

2. Can I come over for Christmas?

As said in the linked text - we have an extra plate ready.

This years Eve will be rather modest here, so it may require some additional creativity to count to 12 dishes. Still, pierogi are ready (two kinds), borscht is ready (we don't prepare uszka), Marzena will fry mushrooms in batter tomorrow, Junior will bring herrings (no idea about exact recipe, up to him) and some kind of a surprise dish. I am going to make dried fruit compote later today.

The cabbage rolls sound especially delicious :!).

Every family has its own set of traditional dishes and we never prepare them for Christmas. But yes, they are great.

I have an agreement with my neighbor - her web page sits on my server, and in exchange once a year in a spring she pays with a pot of gołąbki

 

[lisab]

Pea souffle? That sounds dreadful. Was it good?

btw, what is a soufflé?

Wiki says they are a source of funniness:



[edit] Never mind. http://chateaudesiorac.com/pea-souffle/ sounds wonderful.

It really was wonderful. I don't eat peas very often but when I do, I ask myself why I don't eat peas more often.

 

[danago]

As said in the linked text - we have an extra plate ready.

Is it too unorthodox to have two extra plates? If not, I'll come too! Polish food isn't something I've really eaten much of, but every time I see a recipe on a cooking show or in a book I somehow have cravings for it.

 

[danago]

Today I visited Pierre Hermé's famous shop on Rue Boneparte in Paris to buy myself a Christmas present:

https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1011551_371705809640138_551651083_n.jpg

Included are the four macarons from the Pierre Hermé Christmas Collection:

- Wild Rose Hip, Fig & Foie Gras
- Chocolate & Foie Gras
- Candied Chestnut
- Pedro Ximenez and steeped sultanas

Yes...foie gras. I've only eaten one, and it was...different. At first all I could taste was the fig, and then the foie gras hit. I do enjoy foie gras, but it was a little weird in a macaron. I also bought a white truffle and hazelnut macaron, which was amazing. This was all after waiting in line for about 40 minutes to get into the shop

 

[Borek]

It is already noon, and I still feel stuffed.

 

[Evo]

Today I visited Pierre Hermé's famous shop on Rue Boneparte in Paris to buy myself a Christmas present:

https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1011551_371705809640138_551651083_n.jpg

Included are the four macarons from the Pierre Hermé Christmas Collection:

- Wild Rose Hip, Fig & Foie Gras
- Chocolate & Foie Gras
- Candied Chestnut
- Pedro Ximenez and steeped sultanas

Yes...foie gras. I've only eaten one, and it was...different. At first all I could taste was the fig, and then the foie gras hit. I do enjoy foie gras, but it was a little weird in a macaron. I also bought a white truffle and hazelnut macaron, which was amazing. This was all after waiting in line for about 40 minutes to get into the shop

I can't imagine foie gras in a cookie.

 

[danago]

Pierre Hermé is somewhat notorious for his unusual flavours, but I think this was a little too unusual. The foie gras wasn't overly strong, but it was definitely there. I didn't hate it (I finished both, after all), but the ultimate question is "would I buy them again?", and the answer is probably "no". I just enjoyed the others a lot more than I did those with foie gras.

 

[Monique]

but the ultimate question is "would I buy them again?", and the answer is probably "no". I just enjoyed the others a lot more than I did those with foie gras.

Or the question could be: "should you buy it in the first place"? Foie gras is a controversial product, whose production is banned in many countries.

 

[Astronuc]

We use a lot of fresh vegetables, and often make soups or stews, and other dishes, from scratch.

My folks used to make bread and marmelade. I happened across an article on butter making, which referenced a book. I grew up with a garden, because in the early years, we had to grow much of our own food.

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch -- Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451605870/?tag=pfamazon01-20