What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[Evo]

Can you even get sea scallops in KS? They are horrendously expensive here in ME, but at least they are fresh and sweet. Short trip from the coast. Some restaurants persist in selling "bay scallops" which are just stamped-out pieces of skates and rays. That should be verboten in Maine.

We can get sea scallops flown in, but they're expensive.

Bay scallops are far superior to sea scallops, but there was a blight years ago that almost wiped them out, so restaurants started using the more common, but inferior sea scallops.

If your fishmonger was trying to sell fake bay scallops, you should have reported them to the authorities. Bay scallops have just recently been coming back to the market.

Long Island bay scallops have been scarce since an algae bloom (brown tide) severely damaged the population in 1985. Several blooms since have further damaged recovering populations.

Presently, the scallop harvest is erratic at best with good years and bad years. But even the good years are not as good as they used to be.

Before 1985 you could pluck literally hundreds of scallops off the beach after a good storm. Not anymore…

http://www.loving-long-island.com/bay-scallops.html

Bay scallops and sea scallops are closely related members of the same family of shellfish. Both make extremely good eating. Gourmets particularly prize bay scallops, which are much smaller than sea scallops, for their tenderness and the sweetness of their flavor. Because they are smaller, bay scallops require considerably shorter cooking times and benefit from gentler methods, while sea scallops stand up to fiercer heat. In both cases, overcooking renders them tough.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5410054_sea-scallops-vs-bay-scallops.html

 

[turbo]

We can get sea scallops flown in, but they're expensive.

Bay scallops are far superior to sea scallops, but their was a blight years ago that almost wiped them out, so restaurants started using the more common, but inferior sea scallops.

If you fishmonger was trying to sell fake bay scallops, you shopuld have reported them to the authorities. Bay scallpo9s have just recently been coming back to the market.

What? You're pulling my leg, right? Sea scallops are brought up from the bottom in large drags and are shucked at sea The scallop is the muscle that holds the bivalve together. "Bay scallops" are just cookie-cutter stampings of skates and rays, and are rubbery and not sweet or flakey like the real thing. They are nasty. Misbranding of scallops is taken very seriously here, but the "bay scallop" alias for skates and rays is tolerated in the restaurant trade, since real sea scallops are so expensive.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Can you even get sea scallops in KS? They are horrendously expensive here in ME, but at least they are fresh and sweet. Short trip from the coast. Some restaurants persist in selling "bay scallops" which are just stamped-out pieces of skates and rays. That should be verboten in Maine.

What is the price of basic lobster dinner in a coastal restaurant these days?

 

[Evo]

What? You're pulling my leg, right? Sea scallops are brought up from the bottom in large drags and are shucked at sea The scallop is the muscle that holds the bivalve together. "Bay scallops" are just cookie-cutter stampings of skates and rays, and are rubbery and not sweet or flakey like the real thing. They are nasty. Misbranding of scallops is taken very seriously here, but the "bay scallop" alias for skates and rays is tolerated in the restaurant trade, since real sea scallops are so expensive.

Uhm, no, read my links, or check google. Someone's told you some tall tales.

You really didn't know? I'm suprised.

It's also the larger sea scallops that are faked because bay scallops are too sweet and tender for people to be fooled.

Sea scallops grow in the ocean; bay scallops grow in bays (for instance, the bays of Long Island) and are consequently smaller.

Both types do exist. However, sometimes other fish (usually shark) are cut up to look like sea scallops and sold as such (see "bay scallops" at this site. You need to trust your fish market or restaurant.

It happens less often with bay scallops, but they are in much shorter supply. Further, the taste of bay scallops is different -- sweeter mostly -- and it would be much more noticeable if someone did a substitution.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2747572&postcount=2

 

[turbo]

What is the price of basic lobster dinner in a coastal restaurant these days?

It depends heavily on the time of year. Hard-shell lobsters always command higher prices than the soft-shell lobsters that are caught after the molt. In the spring and early summer, the lobsters are hard-shelled and their shells are quite full of meat. After the molt, the shells have a lot of "room" in them for the lobsters to grow, so you get a lot less meat per pound of live weight.

At DiMillo's, expect to pay around $35 for minimum-legal-sized twin lobsters or $25 for a single lobster. You can find lobster shacks away from the cities that will cook and serve them cheaper, but then you're not at a sit-down restaurant with a wine cellar, etc.

 

[turbo]

Uhm, no, read my links, or check google. Someone's told you some tall tales.

You really didn't know? I'm suprised.

Bay scallops labeled that way in Maine restaurants are stamped out of wings of skates and rays. You can't get a large plate of scallops at a cheap restaurant for under $10. Ain't going to happen. And no, I didn't buy into any "tall tales" or misinformation. I have friends and acquaintances who fish, including some that drag for scallops (a very dangerous job!).

If you go to a cheap restaurant and order bay scallops, you will get a plate of very rubbery cookie-cutter groundfish parts. There are ACTUAL bay scallops, but the designation of "bay scallop" in a chain restaurant will earn you a plate of rubbery junk, not a delicacy.

 

[Evo]

Bay scallops labeled that way in Maine restaurants are stamped out of wings of skates and rays. You can't get a large plate of scallops at a cheap restaurant for under $10. Ain't going to happen. And no, I didn't buy into any "tall tales" or misinformation. I have friends and acquaintances who fish, including some that drag for scallops (a very dangerous job!).

If you go to a cheap restaurant and order bay scallops, you will get a plate of very rubbery cookie-cutter groundfish parts. There are ACTUAL bay scallops, but the designation of "bay scallop" in a chain restaurant will earn you a plate of rubbery junk, not a delicacy.

Then you should report those places and have them closed, that's fraud.

Fine restaurants serve real bay scallops. I hope you get to try some. Sea scallops are ok if you can't get bay scallops, but there is a definite difference.

 

[turbo]

Then you should report those places and have them closed, that's fraud.

Fine restaurants serve real bay scallops. I hope you get to try some. Sea scallops are ok if you can't get bay scallops, but there is a definite difference.

Real bay scallops are tiny and very expensive. Restaurants in this state are allowed to sell "bay scallops" that are fake. You can go to the Weathervane Restaurant in Waterville and buy a meal of "bay scallops" for $10. Actual sea scallops (even if they are artificially plumped up and preserved "wet" scallops") will run you $15 for a single serving. If you could actually get real bay scallops in that place, it would be $20+ per serving easy - real bay scallops are small and labor-intensive to prepare. Misbranding is allowed here, even in a state that thrives on natural fisheries. This corruption has been going on for decades, and it's not going away soon.

 

[Evo]

Real bay scallops are tiny and very expensive. Restaurants in this state are allowed to sell "bay scallops" that are fake. You can go to the Weathervane Restaurant in Waterville and buy a meal of "bay scallops" for $10. Actual sea scallops (even if they are artificially plumped up and preserved "wet" scallops") will run you $15 for a single serving. If you could actually get real bay scallops in that place, it would be $20+ per serving easy - real bay scallops are small and labor-intensive to prepare. Misbranding is allowed here, even in a state that thrives on natural fisheries. This corruption has been going on for decades, and it's not going away soon.

That's terrible. At least you know the difference. Nimnalls like Rachel Ray and Gordon Ramsay have no clue.

 

[turbo]

That's terrible. At least you know the difference. Nimnalls like Rachel Ray and Gordon Ramsay have no clue.

I know, and it is sad. Why has the quality and reliability of our food supply been allowed to degrade so? My wife has to judge "dry" sea scallops, smell them, and evaluate them for freshness before paying the huge price for them. My father, my brother, and I all love fresh sea scallops seared in butter - it's our favorite seafood of all. Still, it's a waste of money to get cheated with previously-frozen scallops or ones that have been "preserved" or "water added". That's just not right, and you have to watch the supermarkets like a hawk, because they will cheat if they can.

 

[Evo]

I used to eat a lot of seafood, but today's grocery flyer advertised hallibut on sale for $20.00 a pound, $5 off the regular price. It's outrageous. Even what was once dirt cheap trash fish is $10 a pound.

 

[turbo]

I used to eat a lot of seafood, but today's grocery flyer advertised hallibut on sale for $20.00 a pound, $5 off the regular price. It's outrageous. Even what was once dirt cheap trash fish is $10 a pound.

That's so bad! Even here with the coast so near, it is hard to get affordable fresh fish. I love preparing haddock or pollack, but it's hard to pretend that we can eat fresh-caught regularly.

 

[Evo]

That's so bad! Even here with the coast so near, it is hard to get affordable fresh fish. I love preparing haddock or pollack, but it's hard to pretend that we can eat fresh-caught regularly.

I grew up in Houston, we used to go to Kemah, and actually go on the boats when they came in and buy our seafood off the boat. I was raised on the freshest seafood imaginable.

 

[turbo]

Want to make a perfect dry rub for chicken thighs, legs, etc? Here it is. I got it off a website a year or so ago and used it for its intended purpose (coating pork for pulled pork) and was very unhappy. I still had some in a canning jar in the cupboard, and used it on chicken dark-meat recently. My wife insisted that I make up another batch, and she keeps it on the counter in one of those very large shakers that pizza-joints use for crushed red pepper.

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup paprika (I use hot smoked paprika)
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tbs ground black pepper
2 tbs ginger powder
2 tbs onion powder
2 tsp rosemary powder

This is killer stuff on chicken legs/thighs. Just bake in a foil-covered pan, as usual, and about 15-20 minutes before the meat is done, remove the foil to crisp the skin a bit.

 

[turbo]

Periodically, the local VFW grills half-chickens and accompanies those with salads, rolls, etc, as a fund-raiser. The grilled chicken is VERY popular, so I asked my neighbor (head of the VFW) what they put on them. It's very simple, and my wife and I want to try it, so when she goes grocery shopping tonight, she'll pick up a spray bottle.

1 gallon of water
1 gallon of cider vinegar
1 cup of vegetable oil (I'll probably use peanut oil)
2-3 tbs of dry mustard.

That's it. I'll scale it back so I can experiment some, and probably will stay to the high-end with the mustard. We have lots of charcoal, and a grill that allows you to raise or lower the charcoal-tray with respect to the grilling surface, so there is plenty of flexibility WRT heat. My understanding is that you should turn the chicken-halves regularly, and spray all of them before flipping them. If anybody wants to experiment with this spray, I'd be interested in hearing what you did, and how it worked out.

I'm thinking that dusting the chicken with hot smoked paprika might perk things up a bit.

 

[WhoWee]

Periodically, the local VFW grills half-chickens and accompanies those with salads, rolls, etc, as a fund-raiser. The grilled chicken is VERY popular, so I asked my neighbor (head of the VFW) what they put on them. It's very simple, and my wife and I want to try it, so when she goes grocery shopping tonight, she'll pick up a spray bottle.

1 gallon of water
1 gallon of cider vinegar
1 cup of vegetable oil (I'll probably use peanut oil)
2-3 tbs of dry mustard.

That's it. I'll scale it back so I can experiment some, and probably will stay to the high-end with the mustard. We have lots of charcoal, and a grill that allows you to raise or lower the charcoal-tray with respect to the grilling surface, so there is plenty of flexibility WRT heat. My understanding is that you should turn the chicken-halves regularly, and spray all of them before flipping them. If anybody wants to experiment with this spray, I'd be interested in hearing what you did, and how it worked out.

I'm thinking that dusting the chicken with hot smoked paprika might perk things up a bit.

You might want to consider keeping the birds whole - split down the breasts. This method retains moisture longer and allows the area under the wings to cook evenly. If the heat is moderate, keep them on the skin side until it tightens and begins to brown - then flip them to the cavity side to finish. Once the cavity side is done, sit them away from the heat - legs up to allow the juices to drain into the breasts. This is the way char-broiled chicken chains cook their birds.

 

[Evo]

I thought I was so clever. I had a bunch of jalapenos, and salmon, so i decided to make a refreshing sauce for the salmon. I finely minced a dozen mild jalapenos, added minced garlic, salt and mixed it into a container of no fat sour cream. Delicious!

Recipes like this are all over the internet.

 

[Evo]

Turbo, do you ever watch "America's Test Kitchen" or "Cook's Kitchen" on PBS? I've just recently started watching them and they're great. I don't always agree, but they do have some great advice and I love their kitchen gadget tests.

Today they had this potato recipe that looked great. Whole roasted new potatoes, smashed (not mashed) and oven fried. I'm making these tonight.

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/..._0_mv=recipe&document_season_i=11&docid=31060

 

[turbo]

I never watch any cooking shows anymore, and neither does my wife. I just clicked your link and clicked on "Equipment" and there are excerpts from episodes featuring cooking tools, and none of them appealed to me enough to click through and watch the video.

My TV-watching is comprised solely of watching local and national news, then usually the Daily Show and Colbert. That's it. One of these days, I'll end up with a flat-screen TV and get rid of this big home-entertainment cabinet, but not until this TV gives up the ghost. As little as I use it, it won't die unless we get a lightning strike or similar.

 

[Evo]

I never watch any cooking shows anymore, and neither does my wife. I just clicked your link and clicked on "Equipment" and there are excerpts from episodes featuring cooking tools, and none of them appealed to me enough to click through and watch the video.

My TV-watching is comprised solely of watching local and national news, then usually the Daily Show and Colbert. That's it. One of these days, I'll end up with a flat-screen TV and get rid of this big home-entertainment cabinet, but not until this TV gives up the ghost. As little as I use it, it won't die unless we get a lightning strike or similar.

Be careful what you say, I had a lightning hit that killed everything I had, including 3 tvs, one was brand new.

 

[turbo]

Be careful what you say, I had a lightning hit that killed everything I had, including 3 tvs, one was brand new.

When I was a kid, I was visiting playmates at their grandfather's house. A really bad storm was coming down the lake, with heavy lightning, and he said "Kids let's get off the porch and into the house." Even though the porch was glassed-in he didn't feel safe out there.

He sat at the head of the kitchen table and his 3 grandchildren sat at the table, and I was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the den. Suddenly, it felt like someone hit me with a mattress, and I ended up on my back in the den. I jumped up, to find the other kids on the kitchen floor, and only old Tim was still in his chair. Lightning had hit the TV antenna, and entered through the antenna-wire and guy-wires. The surge burned out most of the elements in the electric stove, including the oven element, blew the old-style crank telephone off the den wall (magneto with oak battery box), and exploded the TV tube so that there was glass all over the living room.

We all pitched in for clean-up and looking for additional damage or threat of fire. He kept us there for a few hours crawling around on hands and knees upstairs and down, putting our noses near electrical outlets to see if there was any smoldering in the walls. Eventually, he let us go so that we could tell people about our "adventure", but not until he was satisfied that the house was not going to burn down.

 

[Evo]

When I was a kid, I was visiting playmates at their grandfather's house. A really bad storm was coming down the lake, with heavy lightning, and he said "Kids let's get off the porch and into the house." Even though the porch was glassed-in he didn't feel safe out there.

He sat at the head of the kitchen table and his 3 grandchildren sat at the table, and I was standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the den. Suddenly, it felt like someone hit me with a mattress, and I ended up on my back in the den. I jumped up, to find the other kids on the kitchen floor, and only old Tim was still in his chair. Lightning had hit the TV antenna, and entered through the antenna-wire and guy-wires. The surge burned out most of the elements in the electric stove, including the oven element, blew the old-style crank telephone off the den wall (magneto with oak battery box), and exploded the TV tube so that there was glass all over the living room.

We all pitched in for clean-up and looking for additional damage or threat of fire. He kept us there for a few hours crawling around on hands and knees upstairs and down, putting our noses near electrical outlets to see if there was any smoldering in the walls. Eventually, he let us go so that we could tell people about our "adventure", but not until he was satisfied that the house was not going to burn down.

Wow, that sounds worse than my big hit, no broken glass, but the ethernet card in one of my computers got fried, literally. Lost my phones, fax machine, printers. I've had a phone blown out of my hand while I was talking, got shocked at the sink (I don't get near plumbing during storms anymore). So, we've both been hit by lightning, I wonder if Wolram has? People might want to pay the three of us to stay away from them.

 

[turbo]

Back to food. Friends have signaled an intention to drop in after they get chores done at their camp. It's too hot and humid out to cook, so we're shooting for cold beer and cold sandwiches. We have some nice sub (grinder) rolls, deli roast-beef and sharp cheese, peppers, tomatoes, onions, ripe olives, bacon, lettuce, my home-made kosher dills, mayo, mustards, my home-made jalapeno/garlic relish (I'll warn them about that stuff!), etc, and we can all make our own sandwiches.

They are long-time friends with roots here, though they live on the coast. Whenever we get together, it generally involves grilling 'burgers, dogs, chicken, steak, etc, so this roll-your-own cold sandwich plan should be a nice break.

 

[rhody]

Try this, you might like it; Lentils and Rice

4 Large sweet onions
Rice, any kind that works for you, a bag or two if the fast cook kind
Bag of lentils

Boil lentils until tender, drain, set aside
Steam or cook rice till tender, set aside
Slice onions medium thick
In a large deep pot with oil, cook slowly for about an hour until onons are black, but not
sticking to the pot, drain (some carmelized remnants are fine too)
Combine lentils, rice, and onion, stir and refrigerate

If you prefer add yogurt, as a side or mixed, or, as I like, serve as is, plain...

Rhody...

 

[HeLiXe]

I <3 lentils and rice :D

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Barbecue pork ribs in the oven

I just finished making barbecue pork ribs, and they turned out great. The catch is I don't have any place I can put a grill (my balcony is too small), so I did it in the oven. I made two racks of ribs with two different sauces, because soy sauce can be a migraine trigger and my gf gets migraines. I made up the sauces off the top of my head, and these measurements are approximate (I hardly ever measure things):

Sauce 1: Spicy, soy sauce free
2/3 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp chile powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp wasabi powder (or dry mustard)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sesame oil
6 drops liquid smoke
1 cup rice vinegar

Sauce 2: Less spicy
2/3 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp wasabi powder (or dry mustard)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp dark molasses
6 drops liquid smoke
2/3 cup rice vinegar
2/3 cup soy sauce

I also made some dry spice mix of the same spices, up to about 3 tsp.

To make the ribs:

1. Pat dry with paper towels. This helps the outside sear and keep in the moisture.

2. Smear the outside with some kind of fat. I used bacon drippings for one rack of ribs, and coconut oil for the other. You just need a thin layer, but reserve some extra fat for basting.

3. Spread the dry spice mix over the ribs (both sides), and place ribs onto rack in roasting pan.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the ribs in for 15 minutes. This will sear the outside.

5. Turn oven down to 300 degrees. Baste with reserve sauce and fat.

6. Cook at 300 degrees for about 3 hours. Every 30 minutes, baste with reserve sauce and fat. Try to do it fast, because the longer the oven door is open, the more heat and moisture escapes.

7. When nearing the end of the time, test it by poking with fork...you want it to be done, but not overdone.

Mine turned out flaky, kinda like fish. And juicy inside. And delicious. :)

Here's a pic of the result. There are bits of pineapple on top, and vegetables in the pan.

 

[Ms Music]

Does anyone here know anything about stone grinders? I am thinking it is about time to steal my mothers mill and teach my daughter to make bread. She hates to cook, but LOVES to bake, and it is ALL from scratch. Problem is, I doubt my mother has milled wheat in years and I am afraid it will make anything ground taste rancid (her pantry smells rancid from the mill). Will the rancid go away after a batch or two? If so, I could find some cheap grain to waste. Or do I take it apart and give it a good scrubbing with baking soda or vinegar or something to eliminate the rancid flour? I really, REALLY want to steal her mill, but not if flour will taste like the mill smells.

Also to Fabian15: If I may ask, what do you mean by "stomach patient?" I also have a lot of stomach problems, and can eat very little that is made in restaurants, so if we know what you have to avoid, we can probably share recipes!

And welcome to the forum!

(do you like fish?) ;)

 

[ViewsofMars]

Barbecue pork ribs in the oven

I just finished making barbecue pork ribs, and they turned out great. The catch is I don't have any place I can put a grill (my balcony is too small), so I did it in the oven. I made two racks of ribs with two different sauces, because soy sauce can be a migraine trigger and my gf gets migraines. I made up the sauces off the top of my head, and these measurements are approximate (I hardly ever measure things):

Sauce 1: Spicy, soy sauce free
2/3 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp chile powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp wasabi powder (or dry mustard)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sesame oil
6 drops liquid smoke
1 cup rice vinegar

Sauce 2: Less spicy
2/3 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp wasabi powder (or dry mustard)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp dark molasses
6 drops liquid smoke
2/3 cup rice vinegar
2/3 cup soy sauce

I also made some dry spice mix of the same spices, up to about 3 tsp.

To make the ribs:

1. Pat dry with paper towels. This helps the outside sear and keep in the moisture.

2. Smear the outside with some kind of fat. I used bacon drippings for one rack of ribs, and coconut oil for the other. You just need a thin layer, but reserve some extra fat for basting.

3. Spread the dry spice mix over the ribs (both sides), and place ribs onto rack in roasting pan.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the ribs in for 15 minutes. This will sear the outside.

5. Turn oven down to 300 degrees. Baste with reserve sauce and fat.

6. Cook at 300 degrees for about 3 hours. Every 30 minutes, baste with reserve sauce and fat. Try to do it fast, because the longer the oven door is open, the more heat and moisture escapes.

7. When nearing the end of the time, test it by poking with fork...you want it to be done, but not overdone.

Mine turned out flaky, kinda like fish. And juicy inside. And delicious. :)

Here's a pic of the result. There are bits of pineapple on top, and vegetables in the pan.

Wow! That's sin city there, but I love it! I'm famous for my holiday ribs but your recipe wins the prize. I'm most definitely going to use it at my next BBQ party which is coming up in a few weeks. Thanks!

I've used McCormick Grill Mates Smoke House Maple seasoning that's great for chicken, pork or salmon. It's fairly new on the market. Tastes pretty good.

Does anyone here know anything about stone grinders?

I have a FINELIFE-EASY FLAVOR GRINDER that cuts, chops, grinds, and mixes.
It's not a *stone* grinder.

 

[ViewsofMars]

Some cakes and buns my mom are mine favorite and I love to eat them at or without nay of teh special occasion there .

Hello Marshal. Welcome to PhysicsForums. Nice to see you here. Can you get a recipe from your mom and share it with us? What's your favorite cake? I love chocolate and strawberry cake with real strawberries and whip cream on top of it. :!) Yummy.

 

[HeLiXe]

Thai red curry shrimp always gets my vote