What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[Ivan Seeking]

Ms. Evo, any tortilla based on masa will work, usually this is a local brand however.

Ivan Seeking, that sounds delicious! I am going to make these and give you feedback. Tilamook cheddar, I order 3 times a year from oregondirect, so for those people not in the pacific northwest, it is WORTH it!

Ivan, are you a chemist? You seem to have a very good appreciation of caramelization and how important it is for meats and starches.

I should add, the high heat for frying fats is important as you say, because as long as the food to be fried is "bubbling" and releasing water, the oil does not saturate. If the oil is too cool, the water does not go to steam, and if all the water goes, then the oil floods in. You should cook more, and then tell us more good recipes. :)

Heh, no, I'm not a chemist or a qualified cook, and most of what I know has been learned through observation, trial, and lots of errors. But I do know my tacos. I have certainly cooked and eaten more tacos than I care to admit in public. They have been my favorite ever since I kicked the Gerbers.

I did make a point of learning how to BBQ a steak from a true, world-class, gourmet-BBQ chef. I do love a properly BBQ'd steak. But again, even after many years of practice and trying to perfect my technique, it is still tough to get it perfect every time.

Oh yes, I meant to mention that after decades of using grated cheese for tacos, I discovered that chopped or diced cheese is better. This is esp true for the xx-sharp cheddar. If you shred the cheese, it tends to blend too much with the other foods. By using diced cheese, in 1/4 inch square or so [or bigger] pieces, you get these bursts of cheddar that I think really adds to the overall flavor.

PSS. In case it isn't obvious, this is spicy stuff! However, if you like it hot... I do still like to top mine off with a bit of tobasco on the lettuce. Also, you can get the enchilada sauce in regular or hot. We like it hot. If you go with the hot enchilada sauce plus the heaping half-teaspoon of red pepper, it starts getting serious.

 

[lisab]

I was searching for a basic recipe for banana bread and found this site: Cooking for Engineers!

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/

I poked around a bit and I like it. I *really* like the format for recipes. They have standard recipe directions with a lot of pix, maybe too many (good for beginners though). But they also have the recipes in table format. Check out banana bread:

Cool idea ! I'll let you know how the bread turns out tomorrow.

 

[Borek]

I suppose it was already posted:

The following recipie for chocolate chip cookies recently appeared in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN, Jun 19, 1995, p. 100). It was attributed to Jeannene Ackerman of Witco Corp.
Ingredients:
1. 532.35 cm³ gluten
2. 4.9 cm³ NaHCO₃
3. 4.9 cm³ refined halite
4. 236.6 cm³ partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride
5. 177.45 cm³ crystalline C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁
6. 177.45 cm³ unrefined C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁
7. 4.9 cm³ methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde
8. Two calcium carbonate-encapsulated avain albumen-coated protien
9. 473.2 cm³ theobroma cacao
10. 236.6 cm³ de-encapsulated legume meats (sieve size #10)

To a 2-L jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1) with an overall heat-transfer coefficient of about 100 Btu/F-ft2-hr add one, two, and three with constant agitation.

In a second 2-L reactor vessel with a radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm add four, five, six, and seven until the mixture is homogeneous.

To reactor #2 add eight followed by three equal portions of the homogeneous mixture in reactor #1. Additionally, add nine and ten slowly with constant agitation. Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature rise that may be the result of an exothermic reaction.

Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer place the mixture piece-meal on a 316SS sheet (300 x 600 mm). Heat in a 460K oven for a period of time that is in agreement with Frank & Johnston's first order rate expression (see JACOS, 21, 55), or until golden brown.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

Heh, no, I'm not a chemist or a qualified cook, and most of what I know has been learned through observation, trial, and lots of errors. But I do know my tacos. I have certainly cooked and eaten more tacos than I care to admit in public. They have been my favorite ever since I kicked the Gerbers.

I did make a point of learning how to BBQ a steak from a true, world-class, gourmet-BBQ chef. I do love a properly BBQ'd steak. But again, even after many years of practice and trying to perfect my technique, it is still tough to get it perfect every time.

Oh yes, I meant to mention that after decades of using grated cheese for tacos, I discovered that chopped or diced cheese is better. This is esp true for the xx-sharp cheddar. If you shred the cheese, it tends to blend too much with the other foods. By using diced cheese, in 1/4 inch square or so [or bigger] pieces, you get these bursts of cheddar that I think really adds to the overall flavor.

PSS. In case it isn't obvious, this is spicy stuff! However, if you like it hot... I do still like to top mine off with a bit of tobasco on the lettuce. Also, you can get the enchilada sauce in regular or hot. We like it hot. If you go with the hot enchilada sauce plus the heaping half-teaspoon of red pepper, it starts getting serious.

Dicing the cheese, now that I had not considered. I am going to make Tacos a la Ivan this weekend, and report the result. I love spice, and I am in love with southwestern and mexican food. So good.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

From an Australian friend, a soup, and entree.

2 bulbs of garlic, brushed in oil and roasted
1 large fennel bulb caramelized in butter and sugar
8-10 new potatoes boiled in salted water
2 cups heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
that's the gist

you prepare like a vichyssoise by blending the ingredients.

GRATIN OF YABBYS: aka australian crawfish.

1kg peeled cooked yabbies
200ml Hollandaise sauce
50ml butter blanc sauce
200ml whipped cream
Salt and Pepper

Method:

Poach yabbies till hot in vermouth and fish stock.
Fold together hollandaise, buerre blance and whipped cream. Place this sauce on top of strained hot yabbies.
Then gratinate under salamander.

Serve:
Garnished with fleurons and chives.

 

[Evo]

Ivan, great tip on the cheese! I agree, grated cheese does get lost. Did you know that Hukyl is also a homemade taco addict?

Lisab, I love "cooking for engineers". his step by step photos are great. I cook with my eyes.

Borek, that's too funny.

Iced, those sound so tasty, I must try them.

I love this thread.

 

[lisab]

From an Australian friend, a soup, and entree.

2 bulbs of garlic, brushed in oil and roasted
1 large fennel bulb caramelized in butter and sugar
8-10 new potatoes boiled in salted water
2 cups heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
that's the gist

you prepare like a vichyssoise by blending the ingredients.

GRATIN OF YABBYS: aka australian crawfish.

1kg peeled cooked yabbies
200ml Hollandaise sauce
50ml butter blanc sauce
200ml whipped cream
Salt and Pepper

Method:

Poach yabbies till hot in vermouth and fish stock.
Fold together hollandaise, buerre blance and whipped cream. Place this sauce on top of strained hot yabbies.
Then gratinate under salamander.

Serve:
Garnished with fleurons and chives.

Sounds really great, but...salamander ?

 

[Evo]

Sounds really great, but...salamander ?

A salamander is a broiler.

 

[turbo]

A salamander is a broiler.

Fire above, food below.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

Heh, it runs on eye of newt :)

 

[lisab]

Heh, it runs on eye of newt :)

ha

 

[lisab]

The banana bread was OK. Not a too-sweet recipe, which is good. I used pecans instead of walnuts - yum. It's not very oily, and although I prefer the oily kind of banana bread to the bready kind, the oily kind is really loaded with calories.

There was one bad thing, but I'm not sure what the cause is. The last two times I've baked, I can taste the baking soda. Not overpowering but it's definitely there. I'm positive I used the amount called for in the recipe. Does this happen to anyone else?

 

[turbo]

My wife brought home a new treat offered by our "artisan butcher" who is expanding into other foods. Chocolate-covered roasted coffee beans. They are sweet on the outside and pure coffee on the inside. I may never sleep again.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Dicing the cheese, now that I had not considered. I am going to make Tacos a la Ivan this weekend, and report the result. I love spice, and I am in love with southwestern and mexican food. So good.

Cool, I hope you like them.

Btw, I checked and the enchilada sauce comes in ten-ounce cans, not eight ounce cans as I had thought. So the quantity should be fifteen ounces of enchilada sauce, not twelve. The original post has been edited. The original recipe called for ten, but we found that another 50% works well. Ten ounces just isn't quite enough.

While I was growing up, my best friend was Mexican, so I frequently ate authentic, home-cooked, mexican food. I was eating menudo for years before they would tell me what's in it!

Something else, if you like Mexican food, you must try tripe tacos. I used to brave one of the most dangerous areas of Los Angeles just to get tripe tacos from this wonderful little hole-in-the-wall Mexican taco stand.

 

[turbo]

Another cool rainy day, and my wife is caring for her mother, so I'm making a batch of New England-style baked beans for our supper. I'll slow-roast a glazed ham later to go with the beans. I'd rather cook and warm the house by running the oven on a cool day than start a fire or run the furnace. 2 birds and all that.

 

[turbo]

There are myriad ways of preparing meat, and I use them all. It just so happens that hams, rib-roasts, etc work well with oven-roasting. If I have a large beef roast (especially a tougher shoulder cut), I'll brown it in oil, then simmer it for hours in a seasoned broth of water and wine, then when the meat is tender, toss in lots of vegetables to make a New England-style boiled dinner.

I grill meat, pan-fry venison organ meats and steaks, roast poultry, and grill cut-up chicken in sweet-hot BBQ sauce. Good fish fillets like salmon generally get cooked on my charcoal-fired smoker. This American cooks and eats meats prepared in any way appropriate.

 

[Evo]

Another cool rainy day, and my wife is caring for her mother, so I'm making a batch of New England-style baked beans for our supper. I'll slow-roast a glazed ham later to go with the beans. I'd rather cook and warm the house by running the oven on a cool day than start a fire or run the furnace. 2 birds and all that.

Darn, I wanted to make your beans today, but I forgot molasses when I went to the store and it's pouring down and cold, and I also don't like to use the car to get a single item.

I've got mussels, shrimp and fish, so a seafood stew might be an option.

 

[turbo]

Baked beans scale easily. For a pound of black beans, 1/2 cup of molasses and 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar are my starting point. This is a smaller batch, since we have ham and still have left-overs in the fridge. I cut everything about in half.

Give them a good squirt of prepared mustard, add in chopped onions, pressed garlic, salt and black pepper, and check them after about 3 hours simmering covered at 300 deg. That's a good time to adjust the sauce. This time, a bit more molasses seemed called for. This batch is meatless, but I often like to add chopped lean bacon, chicken thighs, or salt pork to cook with the beans. With the ham baking, too, the house smells wonderful! Nice antidote for a cool showery day.

 

[Borek]

Speaking of Food Network...

http://www.ecanadanow.com/entertainment/2010/05/15/food-network-chef-juan-carlos-cruz-arrested/

 

[turbo]

Speaking of Food Network...

http://www.ecanadanow.com/entertainment/2010/05/15/food-network-chef-juan-carlos-cruz-arrested/

With my hot salsas and chili relishes, I could recruit an army of migrant farm workers.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

Cool, I hope you like them.

Btw, I checked and the enchilada sauce comes in ten-ounce cans, not eight ounce cans as I had thought. So the quantity should be fifteen ounces of enchilada sauce, not twelve. The original post has been edited. The original recipe called for ten, but we found that another 50% works well. Ten ounces just isn't quite enough.

While I was growing up, my best friend was Mexican, so I frequently ate authentic, home-cooked, mexican food. I was eating menudo for years before they would tell me what's in it!

Something else, if you like Mexican food, you must try tripe tacos. I used to brave one of the most dangerous areas of Los Angeles just to get tripe tacos from this wonderful little hole-in-the-wall Mexican taco stand.

They were a hit! Well, one friend who is a spice-wimp cried a bit, otherwise, demolished in minutes. I called them, Taco a la Ivan, and everyone agreed the shells and salted lettuce are acts of genius. I did not get the perfect texture of the meat, but with practice I will. Thank you Ivan.

For tripe, I am a great fan, in Pho, in Menudo (good they did not tell you early what was in it: everything lol), so I will try it in a taco. I was in mexico for a few months about 15 years ago, and had carnitas made by a lady who took fresh masa, made tortilla, and had whole roasted pig. Mexican food was a revelation to me, it, you are lucky to have that friend.

Borek: Oh my god, he hired homeless to murder! Stupid as well as soulless.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A few other favorites that we've discovered.

http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/our-flavors/# are a few of our favorite dessert recipes.

Also, we looooooove using Oroweat Oatnut bread for making French Toast. Mmmmmmm. We don't eat French Toast too often, but if we don't have any Oatnut bread, French Toast is now considered to be a huge waste of time.

[PLAIN]http://www.oroweat.com/Images/Products/Sliced_Variety_Oatnut.png

 

[IcedEcliptic]

A few other favorites that we've discovered.

http://www.benjerry.com/flavors/our-flavors/# are a few of our favorite dessert recipes.

Also, we looooooove using Oroweat Oatnut bread for making French Toast. Mmmmmmm. We don't eat French Toast too often, but if we don't have any Oatnut bread, French Toast is now considered to be a huge waste of time.

[PLAIN]http://www.oroweat.com/Images/Products/Sliced_Variety_Oatnut.png[/QUOTE]

That looks like Arnold's Oat bread!

I love that bread, for peanut butter, banana and honey (tupelo is best) sandwiches, and everything else.

It IS the same!

http://www.knittersreview.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=76611

 

[foamlover]

I whip three raw eggs and drink them mixed with water in a cup. I been doing this for most of this year. I eat about 9 whole eggs a day.

I also like to eat tuna and egg omelette every breakfast.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/8594/eggtuna.jpg

 

[IcedEcliptic]

I whip three raw eggs and drink them mixed with water in a cup. I been doing this for most of this year. I eat about 9 whole eggs a day.

I also like to eat tuna and egg omelette every breakfast.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/8594/eggtuna.jpg

Hmmm, not my cup of tea, but you made me think of something:

Take the oat bread of the previous threads, cute a hole in the center. Brown some butter in a pan, and place the bread in the pan. Add one egg into the hole you made. Over easy, and serve! A fun breakfast for kids, or those of us who still feel like them.

 

[turbo]

I'm baking Beer Barrel Rye bread this morning. Should have done it yesterday, but time might have been an issue, since the baked beans and ham required lower oven temps than the bread. It sure would be nice to have a second oven... No room in this little place, though.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

I'm baking Beer Barrel Rye bread this morning. Should have done it yesterday, but time might have been an issue, since the baked beans and ham required lower oven temps than the bread. It sure would be nice to have a second oven... No room in this little place, though.

If you have a fireplace or wood-stove or stove-top you could use a cast iron dutch oven.

 

[turbo]

Back to cooking tools. Our old Osterizer blender still works, but it is tired. My wife makes smoothies/shakes every day, so I started looking for a replacement. I found a professional-grade Oster on Amazon sold through JR Music World. Retail of $170, sold for $55. It has a 1/2 hp motor, and my wife loves it. Very solid and heavy. I can't vouch for long-term longevity of course, but it is a powerhouse. Unlike the old blender, this does not have lots of push-buttons, just a toggle switch to choose between a pulse, and a high-speed constant "liquify". I don't know why the huge price reduction - perhaps the introduction of a "new and improved" model, but I have not found anything negative about this model.

The old blender (pushing 10-15 years now) will be relegated to the summer camp or to my mother-in-law's house so my wife can make fruit drinks while caring for her mother on weekends. The new blender will take on the 5-6 day/week task of making fruit smoothies, ice and all.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

Back to cooking tools. Our old Osterizer blender still works, but it is tired. My wife makes smoothies/shakes every day, so I started looking for a replacement. I found a professional-grade Oster on Amazon sold through JR Music world. Retail of $170, sold for $55. It has a 1/2 hp motor, and my wife loves it. Very solid and heavy. I can't vouch for long-term longevity of course, but it is a powerhouse. Unlike the old blender, this does not have lots of push-buttons, just a toggle switch to choose between a pulse, and a high-speed constant "liquify".

The old blender (pushing 10-15 years now) will be relegated to the summer camp or to my mother-in-law's house so she can make fruit drinks while caring for her mother on weekends. The new blender will take on the 5-6 day/week task of making fruit smoothies, ice and all.

J&R through Amazon has terrific deals; I snagged a stick blender from them years ago, and an ergonomic keyboard. A good blender needs just what you say, power and simplicity. I just bought some fresh blackberries, strawberries, and bananas. Add some strained yogurt and bam, perfect smoothie or parfait.

On an unrelated note, I really love Gruyere cheese wrapped in smoked chicken, with some horseradish mustard. YUM>

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Here's something I just improvised this afternoon that turned out pretty delicious. There is nothing remotely German about this...it just uses bratwursts as an ingredient. We try to keep sausages on hand in our freezer precisely because it's easy to throw together something good without much of a plan. Some of these ingredients I decided to add halfway through, so it may be slightly haphazard:

1 package white bratwurst or similar
1 large onion
2 large carrots
3 celery stalks
3 tomatoes
1 large potato
1 bottle of beer (a sweeter variety, with strong flavor)
1/2 c dry vermouth
butter (I use clarified...it's easier)
salt to taste
black pepper
thyme
marjoram
dry mustard
dill seed (or caraway would work)

Chop vegetables into rough 1-inch chunks (or however you like...I was in a hurry). If you're feeling adventurous, peel and seed the tomatoes...I didn't bother, but it improves the texture if you do.

In a pot or dutch oven, pour in the beer, add the herbs, salt, tomatoes and celery, and start them simmering...you want it to bubble a bit, but you don't want to boil the thin layer of liquid away. You're on your own as to the proportions of herbs...I always guess these things. If it tastes just a little bit too salty, that's good, as the potatoes will absorb it.

In a separate pan/skillet, saute the onions in butter on medium heat to get some browning on them; then remove with slotted spoon and add to simmering pot. Repeat with carrots.

Now brown the sausages in butter...don't touch them for about 3 minutes, then flip over and don't touch again for about 3 minutes...should get some deep browning that way. Then add the sausages to the pot.

The idea is to brown everything in butter and then simmer it for about an hour in the liquid. The catch is that if you do the potatoes too early, they'll turn to mush...they should only spend about 20 minutes in the liquid. So, wait until the appropriate time and then do the same with the potatoes (brown in butter, then add to liquid).

After that, deglaze the pan with vermouth (i.e. add vermouth, bring to boil and scrape up whatever is stuck to the pan), and add that to the simmering pot as well.

When simmering is done, remove sausages and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place them into serving dish, container, whatever. Try to leave the liquid in the pot. Finally, bring the liquid to a boil and reduce until a spoon leaves a trail when dragged across the bottom. Pour reduced sauce over waiting ingredients.

Enjoy.