We still cook in this place, right? [Archive] - Page 2

Nya Halcyon

Apr 3rd, 2009, 05:06:09 PM

Okay, no pictures yet cos I can't find my cellphone at the moment, but I've got a recipe for you, for Oriental-style Meatballs. I just finished making them and they smell and taste great. I didn't want to make regular meatballs so I thought I'd give it an oriental flair, mixing Morrocan with Indian...

The recipe makes about 50 walnut-sized meatballs.

Meatballs:
200gr almonds, cut into sticks and roasted in a pan
4 onions (medium sized), diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
200gr pitted dates, diced
1 red chili, seeds removed and diced
1kg ground beef/pork (or a mix of both)
3 tbsp dijon mustard
salt, pepper
3 eggs
grated peel of 2 limes
2 tsp Garam Masala
Breadcrumbs

Fry onions and garlic in a pan until glassy, then add roasted almond sticks, dates and chili. Mix well with the meat, mustard, eggs, lime peel and seasonings. With your hands, form walnut-sized balls and roll them in breadcrumbs all over, making sure to shake off any excess.
Fry in hot oil intil done.

Sauce
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 red bell pepper
2 tomatoes, skin taken off and diced
1 chili
fresh coriander
300ml vegetable broth
sherry
salt, pepper to taste

Fry onions and garlic with pepper and chili, then add tomato and let simmer foir a short while. Stir in tomato paste, then add broth and let boil on low for 15 mins. Pour into frying pan from the meatballs and let the sauce mix with the drippings, then mix all together with a blender. Add coriander (cut small) and sheery to taste, season, then pour over meatballs before serving.

I need to make another batch cos I don't think there'll be any left by tomorrow night.

Charley

Apr 6th, 2009, 08:36:54 PM

That sounds like a tasty dish :) I'll try and make similar before the month is up, when I get used to eating meat again.

Tried to make a decent presentation but I fucked up my egg beyond all recognition.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/bruschetta.jpg

What it's supposed to be:

Over easy egg, asparagus pan-fried with garlic, and some red pepper bruschetta.

I'm gonna recreate this for dinner every night until I get it right.

Charley

Apr 7th, 2009, 09:15:39 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/bruschetta2.jpg

Charley's Eggcellent Adventure part due.

Changes:

Finally poached an egg with some wine. Worked well for the most part, though it's really damn hard to get that thing on the bruschetta. I also can't use the thing to mop the yolk this way and it makes it a little messy to eat. I think I need to poach longer, let the eggs get to room temp before cooking, or both. It was slightly cooler than I wanted.
Pan fried the red pepper strips with the asparagus, and added the sliced garlic to finish. Garlic tasted much better this way, and I like the way it worked overall.
Smashed whole peppercorns instead of in the grinder. I like this.
Added a few shavings of Manchego. Tasted great with the egg.
Oiled the bruschetta with rosemary infused oil instead of my usual extra virgin. I could go either way on this one.

Getting closer to what I want, that's for sure. I had this with an off-dry Riesling and it made the garlic, egg, and cheese in particular taste great. I think a dry one would be better though. Part of me wants to add pignoli to this but I'm afraid to crowd the plate with too much clutter. I also really need to figure out what to do with this poached egg. Part of me wants to rest it in a bed of arugula, but I need to resist the urge. I have a bad habit of falling back on arugula as it's one of my habits, and I think the added greens would once again crowd the plate.

I also (almost) got my camera to not be retarded, so you guys can make fun of my pictures less. I may have it just right next time.

Is it bad that I'm completely full after eating this?

Charley

Apr 8th, 2009, 10:26:43 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/mattar.jpg

Paneer Mattar & Naan.

Made it extra mild because Christin is a big baby, but I kept a little shaker of cayenne pepper next to me.

This was my first experiment with homemade curry powder and it went pretty well. I think it needs a little more spice next time though.

Why did I make this when I was out of cilantro though? :(

Also I FIXED MY CAMERA WEEEE

Dasquian Belargic

Apr 9th, 2009, 03:56:59 AM

Do you make your own naan?

Charley

Apr 9th, 2009, 05:14:52 AM

Not yet. I have all the stuff to do it, but I also have a bag of frozen naans from the Indian grocer in my fridge. I went with the easy option. I'll make another curry this weekend and do it from scratch.

Charley

Apr 12th, 2009, 12:17:59 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pakora.jpg

Fried Indian smorgasborg tonight. Over half remains, and will probably remain for a long time.

Tomorrow's Easter. Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!

Charley

Apr 12th, 2009, 10:05:51 PM

With Easter now over, I can eat meat again. (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/04/dead-animals-om-nom-nom-nom.html)

Here's a taste:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/seefoodlol.jpg

Mandy with an I

Apr 12th, 2009, 10:28:12 PM

I got a stack of cookbooks from my mum today. Will post a picture later :)

Zem Vymes

Apr 12th, 2009, 11:03:15 PM

Haha nice Avatar Mandi :)

Charley

Apr 13th, 2009, 11:22:26 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/lespoissons1.jpg

Les poissons
Les poissons
How I love les poissons
Love to chop
And to serve little fish
First I cut off their heads
Then I pull out the bones
Ah mais oui
Ca c'est toujours delish
Les poissons
Les poissons
Hee hee hee
Hah hah hah
With the cleaver I hack them in two
I pull out what's inside
And I serve it up fried
God, I love little fishes
Don't you?

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/lespoissons2.jpg

Here's something for tempting the palate
Prepared in the classic technique
First you pound the fish flat with a mallet
Then you slash through the skin
Give the belly a slice
Then you rub some salt in
'Cause that makes it taste nice

Charley

Apr 14th, 2009, 11:28:38 PM

Welsh Pie, Shepherd's Rarebit, or Rarebittaroni Pie? I don't know (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-heck-is-rarebit-and-what-is-that.html)

Previews:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/rarebit14.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/rarebit15.jpg

Wyl Staedtler

Apr 15th, 2009, 12:39:00 AM

mmmm yummeh fish. :love

Dasquian Belargic

Apr 15th, 2009, 07:12:48 AM

What a cute little bowl ^_^

Food looks.. intriguing too.

Mandy with an I

Apr 16th, 2009, 02:42:44 PM

Cookbooks!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/th_0416093.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/?action=view&current=0416093.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/th_0416094.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/?action=view&current=0416094.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/th_0416095.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/?action=view&current=0416095.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/0416099.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/04160910.jpg

Nya Halcyon

Apr 16th, 2009, 03:15:15 PM

I made an interesting dish today that involved bananas, cheese, fish and spinach. No pics - had no camera at hand when there was still some around - but if anyone's interested in the recipe, I can post it.

Oh yeah, so I made a carrot cake for Easter Sunday. The bunny at the top isn't of my doing - I bought that. Everything else is, tho. Usually, in this country, carrot cake is a dry stuff that is made of grated carrots and ground hazelnuts, amongst normal cake ingredients, and I can't stand it. This one has a whole bunch of interesting things in it, i.e. both grated and cooked+pureed carrot, pureed pineapple, apple sauce, shredded coconut and ground walnuts and pecans... it's nice and soft inside, and not at all dry.
The orangeish stuff on the outside is a butter cream I added some more pureed carrot to, cos I had no orange food coloring left. Worked really well.

Aree Ankarta

Apr 17th, 2009, 02:57:46 PM

Okay, there's another pic of something I made earlier today, for tomorrow's party:

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/spinachpie.JPG

It's a "Green Prawn Pie". The green stuff is a mix of parsley, dill and spinach and cream cheese, eggs and a whole lot of pepper and nutmeg. Oh heavenly smell coming out of my oven..... hope it tastes as good as it smells.

Mandy with an I

Apr 17th, 2009, 04:47:37 PM

Tonight I made dinner for myself and my sister (who usually does all the cooking, while I do the eating, lol).

I used a recipe from MarthaStewart.com - Honey Soy Chicken - because it seemed easy and had ingredients we actually have in our house (had to buy soy sauce, though...>_>). It was probably the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten! The sauce is so sweet and sticky, it turned out perfectly. I only wish I had made more :(

Charley

Apr 19th, 2009, 06:57:47 PM

First time making french fries. They turned out pretty decent. Served with some super creamy hommous from my double batch in the food processor.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/fries.jpg

Hobgoblin

Apr 20th, 2009, 07:02:43 PM

So, hi. Yes?

Oh, food, right.

I made salmon for dinner tonight. I won't bother with my usual fancy write-up, but here's what I did.

1) Cut a hole in a box. (no wait hold on)

The real steps.
1) Rub down one side of the salmon with sea salt.
2) Add butter (and a little olive oil to stretch the butter) to a pan.
3) Add garlic to the butter pats, then turn on stove for fwooshing.
4) Add salmon and fwoosh. (aka pan fry) *NOTE: PLEASE TO BE REMOVING ANY FISH SKINS STILL ON SALMON DURING THIS PART
5) Add mint flakes during pan fry process towards the end.
6) Remove finished salmon and squirt with lime juice.
7) Dice half a tomato and add it to your dinner plate
8) Take half an avocado and mash it up into a spread, then spread it on the pan fried fish.
9) Make her open the box er I mean serve and eat dinner.

After I finished the task, I mentioned it to Liz (aka Wyl Staedtler aka Pilot). We had the following chat.

Brian: My one regret is that I don't have a lemon and a bit of honey.
Brian: Do you know what I think makes this dish work?
Brian: The kitchen gnomes who I beat into submission to make my dinners.
Liz: Gasp! You slave-driver! I don't know if I can be friends with you anymore. My grandmother is quite gnomish.
Brian: She says hi by the way.

There you have it. Dinner and some after-dinner entertainment. :)

Wyl Staedtler

Apr 20th, 2009, 07:13:19 PM

I'm demanding compensation for the use of my grandmother. She's old and tiny and those hands of hers won't be able to hold a spatula much longer. ;)

That sounds delicious, Bri. I'm such a sucker for avo, I think I'm gonna try this out one o' these days.

Zem Vymes

Apr 21st, 2009, 09:50:06 PM

I would eat the hell out of that, but what's this about hating on fish skin? Crisp that stuff up son! It's on the fattier side of the fish so it's going to crisp nicely and OMG SO GOOD NOM NOM NOM

Charley

Apr 21st, 2009, 10:35:36 PM

My dinner for the past two nights:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/grilledcheese.jpg

Grilled cheese with homemade bread and Red Dragon cheddar cheese (infused with lots of mustard seeds!)

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/udon.jpg

Some noodle & soup amalgamation with udon noodles, edamame, water chestnuts, baby corn, cabbage, carrots, shitake mushrooms, and green onion.

Charley

Apr 26th, 2009, 12:29:02 PM

There are few things more likely to bring the bile up in the back of my throat than sinking my teeth into store-bought pita bread. In one of the biggest shams of American food capitalism, somebody had this big idea that they would pass off delicious pita bread as this cakey, crumbly, flavorless nightmare, and then overcharge poor saps for the honor. I'm sure you've had it as well, and unless you're just daft or haven't had the proper stuff, you know what I mean. Go to any gyro/falafel/shawarma shop around and get it from a restaurant. Notice the difference? It's resilient and flavorful.

Well, it's not rocket science to make the good stuff. Once again, people assume something is harder than it actually is. I'm gonna fix this.

* 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
* 3 1/4 cup bread flour
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 2 tsp active dry yeast
* 1 tsp kosher salt
* 1/2 tsp sugar

Combine your sugar, yeast, and 1/2 cup of water in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, combine your salt and bread flour. Form a well. Let the yeast sit five minutes in the water, then stir and add to the well, with the olive oil.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita01.jpg

Stir in a little flour to form a thin paste and cover for 20 minutes to let it sponge.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita02.jpg

Once sponged, start stirring in the rest of the flour. If the mixture binds too fast, add a little of your water. You want to keep the dough as stiff as possible but still keep it together. Eventually, you'll work all the flour in to form a very stiff dough ball.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita03.jpg

Knead this thing out for at least fifteen minutes. You want as much gluten activation as you can manage. Once that's done, pop it in a greased mixing bowl, and cover with a damp towel.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita04.jpg

Usually I give it 90 minutes to rise, but it's getting warmer these days so I cut it to 75, which is more than plenty.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita05.jpg

Once that's doubled, punch it down, chafe it into an even ball, and cut it in two. Re-cover one half, and with the other half, cut it into four portions and make little balls with that.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita06.jpg

Roll em out to about 8 to 12 inches diameter more or less. It should be pretty thin but not at risk of tearing apart. I usually give a few passes with the rolling pin, flip the dough, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat. You'll get a generally round shape but don't worry if its not perfect. You want to cover these and let them proof for 20 minutes. While that's happening, work elsewhere.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita07.jpg

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and if you've got a pizza stone, put it in there. If you don't have a stone, go ahead and use a baking sheet, but it's not quite as efficient at soaking up heat and dishing it out. You can use paving stones in any hardware store for an alternative if you need stone, it's up to you.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita08.jpg

While that's preheating, I go and fry my falafels. Falafel from box mix is terrible, and it's not hard to make the authentic stuff very easily.

I also had made some hommous and tzatziki sauce in advance a few days before. There are some fairly good store-bought variants of each nowadays so its up to you on that. I think its silly to buy them though because they both take about ten minutes each to make.

At any rate, when your 20 minutes is up for the proofing, take the first pita and ease it onto the stone. Let that bake for five minutes. Open the oven, and what looks like a weird bready pillow pops out!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita09.jpg

Be gentle with it, it's going to be hard and brittle for a few minutes until it cools and softens up. If you have a towel or cloth bag or something, bundle it in there. Repeat the process with the next pita. Once they're all baked, they'll be supple and flat, but with a wonderful pocket. You can do the same with the next batch of dough, or what I recommend is to put that in the fridge for the next day. Pita should be eaten as fresh as possible to enjoy its full potential.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita11.jpg

Dinner is served. We just recently got a nice wrought iron bistro set and wanted to eat outside to take advantage of the nice weather. Christin's carnivorous habits took over and she made beef souvlaki, which was fine by me. I also arranged some eggplant, red pepper, and onion on some awesome kebab skewers my mom gave me, and grilled those up as well. Dinner was served with beer and a healthy portion of Ouzo for a digestif.

Charley

Apr 26th, 2009, 12:29:34 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pita13.jpg

Pocket shot. Plenty of real estate in here. I packed in the grilled veg around falafel and drizzled tzatziki all over that.

Dasquian Belargic

Apr 26th, 2009, 01:04:47 PM

My stomach is living vicariously through those pictures. Mmmmm.

Mandy with an I

Apr 26th, 2009, 01:58:24 PM

Awww. I can't wait to visit again just see how nice the yard is >_>; lol

Kale

Apr 28th, 2009, 11:25:58 PM

It's time someone stepped in to keep Charley from (deliciously) monopolizing the thread. :)

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

I actually did these a week and a half ago, but I'm just now getting around to unloading the pictures from my camera. Here's what you're going to need:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/stormfyre/parm_pork_01.jpg

Boneless pork chops (for this recipe, thin chops are better)
Coupla eggs
Grated/shredded Parmesan
Italian bread crumbs
Olive oil

Trim your pork chops, then put some Parmesan, egg, and bread crumbs into separate bowls. Don't go overboard dishing them out; remember that you'll have to throw away any leftover breading ingredients, and you can always add more later. I only had five pork chops, and I managed to stretch one egg to cover the lot.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/stormfyre/parm_pork_02.jpg

Put your non-stick frying pan on medium to medium-low heat and pour a good layer of olive oil. As the oil heats up, you can start breading the chops. Roll each one in the Parmesan, then dunk it in the egg, then coat it with the bread crumbs. The order is important. By sealing the cheese on the inside of the bread crumbs, you help prevent it from burning. It also keeps the meat nice and moist.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/stormfyre/parm_pork_03.jpg

As you finish breading them, add the chops to the pan. Start them at six minutes a side and then check to see if they're done. It can be difficult to tell, especially since the breading will turn so deliciously golden brown. My chops were crowded a bit in my 12-inch frying pan, so I had to give one of them an extra couple minutes on each side.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/stormfyre/parm_pork_04.jpg

These things are fiendishly simple to do, and the flavor is incredible. Trust me, it's worth it to scrape up the breading that flakes off into the pan after you plate the chops. They even taste great cold, and they make good sandwiches, too. I ended up pairing them with some buttered peas and Rice-aroni because I get lazy when it comes to side dishes. Results were delicious.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y115/stormfyre/parm_pork_05.jpg

Charley

Apr 28th, 2009, 11:36:20 PM

You know, I've never done a pork chop that I've been proud of. This is a great opportunity for me to try again. I love the idea. It's simple but sounds packed with flavor.

How's the tenderness? I always have a time and a half with chops on getting them tender like a good steak, and some people do this very well.

Maybe a frissee & baked pear salad too. I love apples and pears with pork :)

Kale

Apr 29th, 2009, 12:18:30 PM

Mine definitely could have been more tender. Part of it is my own inexperience pan-frying meat, and part of it is the crappy electric range I have to work with. It may also have been easier to monitor them if I'd only done four at once so they weren't crowded. But you're not going to get the consistency of pork chops cooked to medium on the grill.

If you come up with any refinements or additions to the recipe, I'd be eager to hear. :)

Charley

Apr 29th, 2009, 07:55:15 PM

Maybe brine/marinade the chops the night before? That might also help the tenderness issue and let you slip a little more flavor in there. That's all I can think of.

Dasquian Belargic

May 1st, 2009, 06:45:03 PM

Does anyone have any good recipes for making tasty beef burgers?

Xavier Synik

May 1st, 2009, 06:59:54 PM

recipes...

Uh not so much a recipe as just a suggestion since anytime I do make them it's all by eye and taste...

Basically...

1 lb of beef
about 6 or 8 saltine crackers (or some bread crumbs if you want)
1 tbsp of garlic (minced)
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire
salt and pepper to taste.

Just mix everything up in a bowl, crushing the crackers up, they're basically a binding agent.

Make them into patties. Should be about 3-4" across and about 3/4-1" thick.

then just throw them on a hot grill and cook them up...

Also good is throwing in some ground pork with the beef. It adds some extra taste to the party, and adds some fat back in, especially if your using lean ground beef. But only really suggest this if you happen to have some ground pork around, or if you are making a large number of burgers. Usually try and keep it to a ratio of 2-1 beef to pork at the most.

Byl Laprovik

May 1st, 2009, 07:56:23 PM

Does anyone have any good recipes for making tasty beef burgers?

The trick is fat content in the meat. You want it pretty high really, or else you'll make flavorless hockey pucks. Best thing to do is if you have a butchers, you want to get them to select a suitable cut of beef and have them grind it on the spot for you. Most pre-packaged ground beef is done as chuck, which is too lean for proper hamburger. You would want more like ribeye or sirloin for that. Plus that way, you can get fresh cuts of beef ground up, and cook it medium rare without a guilty conscience.

Whatever you do, don't smoosh the patties whilst on your cooking surface. You want to retain as much juice as possible. I've heard of people doing these in a cast iron skillet that's pre-treated with bacon fat or lardons of fatback to get a good bit of grease on the pan. That helps to crisp the outside rather well.

Nobody said these are healthy. Proper hamburger is very very fatty. Don't like it? Tough shit. Deal with it. Eating hamburgers of modest size on rare occasion is fine. If you're having a few a week, that isn't healthy at all, no matter what.

Wyl Staedtler

May 4th, 2009, 07:52:35 PM

Charley

May 7th, 2009, 10:31:47 PM

Charley, your presentation has gotten so much more refined! I'm almost ashamed to post anything in this thread now. ^_^;

If my fever drops, I'm gonna re-attempt mac nut crusted ahi steaks tonight. Refined the recipe from the last time and am gonna try to concoct a balsamic-plum reduction to go with it.

Or else reheated pizza. It could go either way tonight.

I'm feeling a little more confident on my spreads, but it's touch and go. Sometimes it feels right, other times I'm beating my head on the table in frustration. Cooking really brings out my passions, both good and bad.

Please tell me you made the ahi! I really want to get you back in the kitchen.

Also, here's a recap of some of the stuff I've been at lately:

Night - 2
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/chicken3.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/chicken4.jpg

Roasted a chicken for the first time, and served that with macaroni with feta, kalamatas olives, spinach, and tarragon.

Today's brunch:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pate4.jpg

St. Andre cheese, chicken liver pâté, sliced baguette, and some Spanish wine that was a bit off the mark.

Tonight's dinner:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/burger3.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/burger4.jpg

Pan-seared fresh-ground ribeye burgers with a shot of duck fat, tillamook cheddar, coarse ground dijon, arugula, and some homemade rolls. Never made burgers before, so its a learning experience.

Wyl Staedtler

May 8th, 2009, 07:20:48 PM

Man that looks good, and I don't even eat meat!

Baked mini-focaccia buns today for burgers (@ kids request; "and not the fake tofu ones either, the kind with blood!" >_<) and will try to post it up tonight. One of my granddad's staples from Durban (so it's curry-fied), subbing chicken for lamb. I'm not real good with cooking burgers on the best of days so we'll see how they turn out. ^_^;

ETA: question question question; if I make (chicken) burger patties that are approximately an inch thick, roughly how long should I grill 'em on each side (it's a gas grill)?

Wyl Staedtler

May 8th, 2009, 11:16:27 PM

Alrighty. So, made the burgers and according to the kids, they were pretty good. Not awesome; Andy complained about the vegetables that were not-so-cleverly hidden in the patties and Alex wasn't wild about the condiments (too 'fancy') but plates were spotless at the end of the night and that's what counts.

So you'll need this stuff (all measurements approximate because fuck precision):

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/lizmclellan/018.jpg

Olive oil, about a pound of ground chicken/turkey/lamb (what the recipe calls for originally), 1/2 cup of chopped red onion, one finely sliced shallot, quarter cup of grated granny smith apple, tablespoon of orange marmalade (I used kumquat), tablespoon of salsa, 1/4 cup chopped celery, an egg, two teaspoons of curry powder and whatever condiments/toppings you like.

First things first you'll want to saute your chopped onion in some olive oil on a medium heat. You don't want them to brown, just go translucent, and then you can toss in the curry powder; once you do that, give it another minute and then toss the whole lot into a bowl, along with everything else:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/lizmclellan/019.jpg

Mix it up, son! Once it's good and blended (augh augh cold&slimy >_<) form it into patties, about an inch thick, and then they're ready for the barbeque. Now, I've never actually grilled anything on a barbecue in my life and while I know the general idea, I don't know how to do it. (I know, right? What the hell Liz. What were you doing for 5+ years in Capetown? OH THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN ESLER.)

That's what neighbors are for! Chad, our friendly neighborhood ding repair man, gladly grilled them in exchange for one.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I spread avocado and an olive/pepper antipasto on the buns and made some basic fixin's (brocolli and salad).

Ta-da! (except that the cider was for me obviously, because teeny alcoholics are just sad :()

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/lizmclellan/021.jpg

Ryan Pode

May 9th, 2009, 12:19:22 AM

Why are you eating broccoli with a cheeseburger? What is wrong with you?! :cry

Wyl Staedtler

May 9th, 2009, 01:01:38 AM

STOP YO' JIBBA JABBA. Broccoli is amazing.

Charley

May 9th, 2009, 09:31:32 PM

Hobgoblin

May 9th, 2009, 10:48:50 PM

So you'll need this stuff (all measurements approximate because fuck precision):

You're a lass after my own heart. :)

Olive oil, about a pound of ground chicken/turkey/lamb (what the recipe calls for originally), 1/2 cup of chopped red onion, one finely sliced shallot, quarter cup of grated granny smith apple, tablespoon of orange marmalade (I used kumquat), tablespoon of salsa, 1/4 cup chopped celery, an egg, two teaspoons of curry powder and whatever condiments/toppings you like.
Hm, that looks intersWHOA WHOA WHOA WHAT IS THIS? GRANNY SMITH? Madam, clearly the Fuji apple is superior. SUPERIOR I SAY.

First things first you'll want to saute your chopped onion in some olive oil on a medium heat. You don't want them to brown, just go translucent, and then you can toss in the curry powder; once you do that, give it another minute and then toss the whole lot into a bowl, along with everything else:
Is there a reason you chose olive oil? Or was it just what you had on hand?

Mix it up, son! Once it's good and blended (augh augh cold&slimy >_<) form it into patties, about an inch thick, and then they're ready for the barbeque. Now, I've never actually grilled anything on a barbecue in my life and while I know the general idea, I don't know how to do it. (I know, right? What the hell Liz. What were you doing for 5+ years in Capetown? OH THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN ESLER.)
You were doing Stephen Esler for 5+ years? Daaamn woman. You're a frisky one in the sack!

That's what neighbors are for! Chad, our friendly neighborhood ding repair man, gladly grilled them in exchange for one.
Nice use of the barter system! This is a great idea I will have to use myself.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I spread avocado and an olive/pepper antipasto on the buns and made some basic fixin's (brocolli and salad).

Ta-da! (except that the cider was for me obviously, because teeny alcoholics are just sad :()
Way to discriminate against of-age midgets. Your gnomish grandmother says she is quite saddened!

Have you used avocado as a spread before, or did you get that from me? Either way, that is cool. How did you do the antipasto?

Hell yes. I'm totally going to ape this and the next burger I make will most certainly have an Afrikaans accent. I need to find some apple chutney because you're giving me ideas here :)

Also, I made some moo cow tonite.

Pan-seared and broiled ribeye and arugula salad with cacao nibs. Paired with Penfold's Bin 2 Shiraz.

This is my favorite way to eat steak. My only regret is that I need a thicker ribeye next time.
Now this is a particularly nifty idea. I will have to work on crafting an arugula salad. Where did you find the cacao? That seems to be an invisible ingredient in my neck o' the woods.

As I told Charley, I recently redid my salmon recipe except this time, I used peanut oil as the oil base and used teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds. No sides because I wasn't that hungry at the time. Turned out pretty darn good. For my next trick, I am going to make a variant of your burgers Liz. But instead of doing it exactly the same, I am either going to use a fuji apple that I bought, or alternatively, use some apple or pear butter that I was gifted with in addition to my own veggie blend. (I also got some homemade pizza sauce too! I can't wait to tinker with THAT)

Oh and Chuck, something I noticed about the peanut oil and the salmon is that it crisped stuff REALLY nicely. Including the fish skin. :)

Charley

May 9th, 2009, 10:58:34 PM

Now this is a particularly nifty idea. I will have to work on crafting an arugula salad. Where did you find the cacao? That seems to be an invisible ingredient in my neck o' the woods.

www.amazon.com

You can buy it there for a few bucks. It'll net you a huge bag and you'll have enough to last as long as you care to use them. I like to put them into dark chocolate dishes, and also savory food whenever I need a bitter accent. Really badass in risotto btw.

Oh and Chuck, something I noticed about the peanut oil and the salmon is that it crisped stuff REALLY nicely. Including the fish skin. :)

Yup. Pan frying crisps stuff really nicely. The fish skin was really nice wasn't it? It has that awesome crackle and then gives way to super tender fish!

Do you have a broiler? You can also do that without the added oil under the broiler, and what that'll do is also render the fat under the salmon's skin to do what the peanut oil does in the pan. :)

Get some toasted sesame seed oil and maybe mix with some wasabi to finish the dish if you aren't using the sweet glaze I mentioned earlier :)

Charley

May 10th, 2009, 09:48:40 PM

I didn't make dinner tonight since I was very full from eating at Satterfield's with Christin and my mom today. Instead, I got a sweet tooth and made some dessert, using some sliced Braeburn apples that I'd left to soak in sherry, sugar, and some spices the day before. Baked those for a bit, served them on a plate with some of the syrup, and laid a few slices of Gjetost on top, and sent it through the broiler.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/cheesyapples.jpg

Which resulted in

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/jimp.gif

The caramelly/salty Viking cheese sort of made it like a badass apple pie, no crust necessary.

Charley

May 11th, 2009, 11:46:45 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/dhaal.jpg

5X Dhaal over saffron'd basmati rice. Supa spicy!

Lilaena De'Ville

May 12th, 2009, 12:23:32 AM

I kinda skipped a few posts just to say:

Granny Smiths are for cooking. Fuji are for slicing up and munching. :twak

Dasquian Belargic

May 12th, 2009, 09:15:41 AM

Granny Smith is versatile.. you can just eat it raw, or cook with it. Personally I prefer red 'Snow White' style apples, minus the poison of course! :lol

Charley

May 12th, 2009, 07:52:51 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/bagellox.jpg

Homemade everything bagel, lox, schmear, red onion, and a plum tomato.

Mandy with an I

May 12th, 2009, 10:19:27 PM

Granny Smith is versatile.. you can just eat it raw, or cook with it. Personally I prefer red 'Snow White' style apples, minus the poison of course! :lol

Crispin apples are the best apples, ever.

Veritas

May 12th, 2009, 11:20:17 PM

Granny Smith is versatile.. you can just eat it raw, or cook with it. Personally I prefer red 'Snow White' style apples, minus the poison of course! :lol

Crispin apples are the best apples, ever.

If that's Canadianese for Honeycrisp apples, then you are right.

If not, then silly frostback.

Mandy with an I

May 12th, 2009, 11:40:00 PM

Mutsu = Crispin.

Apples as big as your HEAD.

http://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2007/10/mutsu-or-crispin-apples.html

Lilaena De'Ville

May 12th, 2009, 11:56:02 PM

Well, of course you can just eat them raw as well. :p They're crisper and a little sour and if you're making a pie or something then you use granny smith apples.

I like fuji the best for munching raw though. :) Basically any apple with red and green on the skin is my favorite. Golden delicious are, however, delicious.

Charley

May 13th, 2009, 12:41:15 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/roti08.jpg

I made Roti (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/05/roti-indias-wonderfully-edible-eating.html)

:D

Charley

May 25th, 2009, 11:54:14 PM

Did a cooking competition thing this weekend. The theme was southern food, and since I've never really done much cooking with a southern theme, figured I'd get my feet wet a little.

Here are my entries in a four course meal. Not included was my wild blackberry sweet tea and my mint julep for a digestif.

First course: Vidalia vichyssoise with fresh chives and cornbread

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/ICSA135.jpg

Second course: Fried green tomato gallette on a bed of arugula with remoulade and blackened alligator

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/ICSA140.jpg

Main course: Baked grüyere grits with crawfish tails and bacon

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/ICSA137.jpg

Dessert: Pecan creme brulee:

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/ICSA144.jpg

Cam Montegue

May 26th, 2009, 12:20:16 AM

Mandy with an I

May 26th, 2009, 12:22:54 AM

BACON?! Say what?! O_O

stevenvdb

May 26th, 2009, 05:35:50 AM

I try to stay away from this thread, I do, but a certain latent desire for the nummy keeps drawing me back.

::drool::

The mention of the chutney gave me a wild idea..

I wonder if one would mix minced cherries or some sticky berries into the meat mixture, might it add a nice moistness, tart flavor and adhesiveness while cutting some of the fattiness. Or would the acids break down the protein bonds and make it into mush. I know, sacriledge to suggest, but it seems interesting.

Maybe I need to do a few experiments. ;)

Charley

May 26th, 2009, 05:48:50 AM

*is Liz*

Charley! That is massively impressive! It looks absolutely fantastic - that must have been an incredible competition if your dishes are anything to go by.

Maaaaan that brulee looks tasty. *pines*

It's still ongoing, I just finished my submission is all ;)

It's for Something Awful's Iron Chef competition. I doubt I'll win it, because the sort of people who participate in that thing are serious cooks, and a good many of them do that sort of thing for a living. If they don't, they're some sort of culinary savant and just ooze brilliance. I'm just glad to enter it for the first time :)

BACON?! Say what?! O_O

Southern cuisine staple + paired with grits. Makes sense to me. ;)

I never said bacon under any circumstance is daft, I just said that too often it's used without any consideration for the rest of the dish. I used rendered bacon fat to both cook the alligator as well as enrich the corn bread, so it's multi-faceted.

I wonder if one would mix minced cherries or some sticky berries into the meat mixture, might it add a nice moistness, tart flavor and adhesiveness while cutting some of the fattiness. Or would the acids break down the protein bonds and make it into mush. I know, sacriledge to suggest, but it seems interesting.

Maybe I need to do a few experiments. ;)

It'll be fine. I use all sorts of fruit and fruit-based chutney when I make bobotie. The sweet in the fruit plays off the salt, and the tanginess cuts through your fat. It's a good complement in general.

Charley

May 26th, 2009, 11:35:26 PM

Provencal with a Drawl (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/05/provencal-with-drawl.html)

Full write-up.

Wyl Staedtler

May 30th, 2009, 12:04:48 AM

Ways to tell it is summer at the Mehling's, exhibit a: non-dinner dinnerness.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/lizmclellan/food-2.jpg

This is considered a big meal during the summer months for us. The salmon is really basic, just baked with a teeny bit of mac nut oil, some s&p, garlic, onion and a spritz of lime juice. It's topped with homemade guac.

Incidentally this is the first time I've ever cooked fish that didn't taste great. I bought New Zealand raised salmon instead of US (because they add colouring to their fish) and it's terrible. Thank God the guacamole was awesome, because otherwise we'd probably just be eating the fruit. :(

Vipul Chandrashekar

May 30th, 2009, 08:16:11 AM

Is your fruit plate local-picked? Looks like grapes and berries, and are those olives to the left too? :)

Please share your guac recipe if you don't mind :)

Hobgoblin

May 30th, 2009, 08:59:43 AM

I don't see any olives, just grapes, cherries, and strawberries.

Guacamole on salmon eh? Could it be that I in my lowly chefy ways have inspired someone else? Of course, I'd think that you probably would have come up with the idea before I ever did, but I would feel neat if I was someone's muse on this one. :)

I should add that I too am interested in your guacamole recipe. I might try making that next time instead of my simple avocado mash.

Wyl Staedtler

May 30th, 2009, 11:49:21 AM

God, I wish our fruit was local picked. :( Unfortunately, anything beyond tropical fruits and citrus doesn't do well here, so it gets shipped it over from the mainland and costs a fucking fortune ($8 dollars for a four oz flat of blueberries, on sale -_-)

The guac is super easy; avo, tomato, onion, lime juice, salt and pepper. Slice the tomato and the onion very, very thinly and then dice them. Add them to the bowl of avocado and mash together - then squeeze lime juice in, to taste, and season with s&p.

Simple and tasty. I got the recipe from a Guatemalan woman who was disgusted by our tendency to overcomplicate guacamole. ^_^

Lilaena De'Ville

May 30th, 2009, 11:59:34 AM

I think making pico de gallo and then adding avocado to it is pretty easy. Now, I've never done this, because I haven't acquired a taste for avacado (yet? :uhoh), but I LOVE pico de gallo. :yum

Roma tomatoes, white onions, jalapenos, lime juice, salt, ....and avocado. The Pico is delish, so I assume the guac it produces must be good too. :p

That's pretty much what you just said though, Liz. :lol Although the jalapeno adds a little spice (wear gloves when cutting! You do not want that stuff under your nails), or a lot if you leave seeds in. I take them out. Way, waaaay out.

My sister makes pico with zucchini in it though, not as spicy. You can basically put whatever you want in it.

Vipul Chandrashekar

May 30th, 2009, 04:17:22 PM

Yeah I add jalapeno, onion, lime juice, and garlic to the avocado to make my guac. Never added tomato though, hmm.

EIGHT DOLLARS FOR 4 OZ BLUEBERRIES ARGARGHRLKJLAG!!!!

We used to pick neighbors bushes in exchange for 1/3 of our pick. A couple of hours in the field and we had about 20 pounds that we got to keep.

Redik

May 30th, 2009, 04:32:19 PM

!

Sign me up for blueberry picking, damn!

So question to my fellow chefs. With summer upon us and fruit most definitely in season, how do you manage to keep it all wonderfully fresh? Simple refrigeration, or are there more tricks to it out there? Any helpful info would be welcome since I am looking to start populating my kitchen soon.

Vipul Chandrashekar

May 30th, 2009, 04:34:22 PM

Some gets put in the fridge, some is okay to leave out for a little, some gets frozen, some gets preserved. What fruit did you have in mind?

I freeze my blackberries because they have such a short lifespan once they're at the proper sweetness.

Redik

May 30th, 2009, 05:27:11 PM

I've had trouble keeping bananas, strawberries, and occasionally cherries in good condition.

Vipul Chandrashekar

May 30th, 2009, 05:44:23 PM

I don't eat cherries enough to know since they're not really my thing. I will buy a jar of marachino cherries in sugar syrup when I make holiday wassail but thats about it.

Bananas, we buy them near-green because thats how we like em here. They're to be kept in the open, and they'll keep for about 4-6 days, give or take before turning into dalmatians. If you can't eat your excesses, slice them and dehydrate them.

Strawberries, when in season, need to be eaten fresh within a day or two. They'll go off VERY fast. You can freeze em and dehydrate em too. If you buy them out of season, they last longer, but IMHO they're too tart and they taste like shit. You can spot these because they have pale flesh up near the stem terminus and leaves.

Xavier Synik

May 30th, 2009, 07:56:50 PM

Cherries are usually best kept out. Haven't had any fresh ones in a long time, but if memory serves they stay good for a week or so if you keep them out on the counter or whatever. Just make sure they can breath.

Been a long time, but I remember my mom always just through them in a strainer in the sink and after washing them off just left them there... that might have been due to the fact that we alway ended up eating them so fast anyway though :p

Katchen

Jun 1st, 2009, 10:17:05 AM

Some cooking threads of my own are soon to come over at Meras. I'll try to keep things updated at least every Saturday. Recipes and little things I pick up as I learn. No pics and stunning presentations like you'll find over here, but I hope you guys will enjoy my stuff anyway. :)

Vipul Chandrashekar

Jun 1st, 2009, 09:34:15 PM

Yes please :) I'm hoping to pick up a few of yours and make them.

Katchen

Jun 4th, 2009, 04:07:51 PM

Okay, they're up. I made one thread for sharing my recipe collection and one for cookin' chit chat. I wanted to write an introduction, but I'm skipping it for now. :p

Be sure to check back each week as I add more delicious things. ;)

Redik

Jun 6th, 2009, 08:51:27 PM

I think I am some kind of idiot savant when it comes to cooking - a genius without really intending to be. Tell me what you guys think of tonight's dinner.

Pan fried salmon in butter, peanut oil, and minced garlic.
An avacado spread made with mashed 'cados, lemon juice, and lime juice mixed together in a bowl. (fresh squeezed stuff I might add!)
A fruit topping made of blended strawberries, raspberries, and a V8 Fusion juice base which I then kept in the freezer to make it kind of sorbet-like.

I threw this together 100% whimsically and I freaking love it.

Katchen

Jun 8th, 2009, 07:20:18 AM

Very, very good. :D

Sanis Prent

Jun 8th, 2009, 07:29:09 PM

Brian, have you tried cooking your fishes in brown butter? It's a french preparation and I think you'd like it with that garlic, as well as anything tart like maybe some capers or thyme on it.

Hobgoblin

Jun 8th, 2009, 07:41:11 PM

I haven't, but I was reading about it the other day on the Wednesday Chef blog, where she talks about making some pecan brown butter bread. It was such an odd notion to me that I thought about trying it on my next baking venture, just to see what it did.

So I made teriyaki burgers yesterday and they were great. Marinated ground beef in teriyaki and worchestershire sauces for 2 hrs, mixed in diced water chestnuts, then grilled 'em. Added some grilled pineapple, a slice of cheddar cheese, and then used the ideal method for grilling corn on the cob. It was good times.

Charley

Jun 10th, 2009, 05:37:21 PM

Brian, water chestnuts? How did that work with the burger's texture? Were they coarse or fine chop? That's very unconventional, pretty awesome.

As far as my own mad science news, Liam's been bugging me to make sea bass for a long time, so...

Seabass and risotto (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/06/sea-bass-fenugreek-risotto-and-parmesan.html)

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/seabass.jpg

I had a ton of fun with this. I put fenugreek in the risotto which is really unconventional, but the sweet perfume smell of it complemented the sweet of the sugar peas, while the bitter of the fenugreek's taste complemented the sear on the sea bass and the cacao nibs spread on top.

Hobgoblin

Jun 10th, 2009, 07:02:07 PM

Brian, water chestnuts? How did that work with the burger's texture? Were they coarse or fine chop? That's very unconventional, pretty awesome.

It doesn't seem that far off to me. I mean, they're in tons of Asian dishes and it just struck me as an extension of the Asia-Pacific theme I had going with the burgers, so I added them.

I went for a coarse chop because I wanted just a little crunch in the burgers. They're flavor neutral pretty much, so they add that crunch without significantly altering the rest of the flavor. I probably could have added some smoked bacon for additional flavor (applewood maybe?), but I wasn't feeling really adventurous because I was cooking for my mom and her digestion is a little limited.

As far as my own mad science news, Liam's been bugging me to make sea bass for a long time, so...

Seabass and risotto (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/06/sea-bass-fenugreek-risotto-and-parmesan.html)

I had a ton of fun with this. I put fenugreek in the risotto which is really unconventional, but the sweet perfume smell of it complemented the sweet of the sugar peas, while the bitter of the fenugreek's taste complemented the sear on the sea bass and the cacao nibs spread on top.

Now see, this really strikes me as unconventional although if I were more chefy inclined it might not. What I like is how you had a kind of dual flavor going on there, the bitter+bitter and the sweet+sweet. Would you do anything differently or do you think it was pretty much on target as is?

Charley

Jun 10th, 2009, 07:05:22 PM

I may have added garlic and maybe a hint of good vinegar to the sea bass to finish. Hard to say, it's pretty delicate, but it could've used one or both maybe.

Peter McCoy

Jun 13th, 2009, 05:46:05 PM

I have to say Charlie - every time you post one of your dishes my mouth usually waters. Except right now since I'm still full from the dinner I cooked for the family tonight.

Roast leg of lamb with red wine, boiled new potatoes, brocoli and cauliflower.

Nothing too mad, but I am still getting comfortable in the kitchen.

The good thing abut it is the main part, the lamb, I can pretty much ignore since it's just bunged into the oven.

Ingredients:

Leg of Lamb
New potatoes
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Red wine

For the gravy

6 heaped tsp Plain flower
2 Oxo cubes
1 Lamb stock cube
2 Vegetable stock cubes
Red wine

Okay so first I washed the leg of lamb. I gave it a good rub under a cold water tap before getting some tin foil and covering the roasting dish. I then took anothe rlarger piece and placed it in the dish, then put the leg of lamb inside and folder it over, then turned the ends up so the juices didn't splash out inside the oven.

Our oven is fan-assisted so I put it onto Gas Mark 5 and put the roasting diash inside. I left it in there for half an hour, then took it out, opened it and turned the lamb over. As I put it back in I lovered the oven down to Gas Mark 4. I leave it now for 4 hours, turning it over again half-way through.

About an hour and a half before the lamb is ready, I get the vegetables cooking. I first made sure to give the new potatoes a good scrub under the tap before putting them in a larce saucepan and added boiling water to it and then put them under ahigh heat to get the water bubbling. I also added boiling water to the broccoli and cauliflower (in separate saucepans) and also put them on a high heat. After about 30 minutes I lowered the heat a little to stop the water from bubbling over.

At about the same time as this, I took the lamb out of the oven and opened the foil to add some red wine to it. I used a large meat fork to stab the lamb, allowing the wine to run through the lamb so that it soaked up the flavour, as well as spooning its own juices over the top of it.

With the lamb back in the oven and cooking with the win, and my vegetables boiling away, I set to work on the gravy.

I used two cuips with three heaped teaspoons of flower in each, and added boiling water to both. When I say cups - these were drinking mugs. While adding the water slowly, I made sure to keep stirring the mixture with a fork to avoid it clumping together and getting all lumpy. Flower is a pain for this and fortunately I'm good at stirring really fast without causing spllages. Once these were done (and I had to give them a stir again every so often since the flow tends to settle and clump together no matter how good you stir it, and you can tell because the lumps pop up on the surface) I crumbled two Oxo cubes into a glass measuring jug and added boiling water (about 500ml) - again, stirring as I slowly added the water just like with the flower.

So, two cups of flower/water mixture and one jug of oxo/water mixture. I then crumbled two vegetable stock cubes and one lamb stock cube into a jug and, again, added boiling water. Now if you've never used stock cubes - be warned. It turns to a mush in your hands, pretty much like a paste. I had no idea it was like this, expecting it to just flake away into fine crumbs like the Oxo cubes. Be prepared to get messy fingers!

So I had four containers of liquid at this point and I slowly mixed them all together in a casserole dish (all the other pans were too small). I poured the Oxo mixture in first and got a bit of heat under it straight away so that it didn't have time to start cooling (remember they all had boiling water added). I next added my flower mixture, again being sure to add it bit by bit and constantly stir it in and avoid it turning into a curdled lumpy mass of crap. FInally I added the stock mixture which looked identical to the mixture you get in a packet of noodles after adding water to it. This made me think I might be able to get powder sachets of stock for next time.

I also added half a cup of red wine to the mixture. I tasted it after about an hour and it was delicious. So mush so that next time I'll be sure to use more flower to thicken it up as well as use even more red wine. Oh, and if anybody's interested, it was a small bottle of E. & J. Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon.

Everything was underway now and after an hour and a half it was almost time to get it all dished out.

But there was one final phase. Adding the finishing touch to the new potatoes. I got a large frying pan out and fried a large dollop of butter. Once it was completely melted I started spooning the finished potatoes into the frying pan and whirled them around, making sure they all got covered in the butter. The final flourish was to sprinkle some parsley over them.

My mum gave me a hand at this point since she was so eager to get stuck into her dinner. While she drained and dished out the veg, I carved the lamb. After taking it out of the oven, I poured the excess juice and wine into the casserole dish, adding it to the gravy, since that was still on a heat for a good few minutes. There was plenty of gravy to go around (my family like our roast dinners swimming in the stuff :) ) and had I not cooked so much, the plates would have all been clear. In fact the only thing my dad left was a cauliflower stork my mum had forgotten to get rid of when dishing his out (he hates the storks, lol).

I'm thinking of grilling something next time I cook, but I will definitey be cooking this dish again, with some tweaks to it (more wine, thicker gravy and possibly see how much difference the absence of the stock would make).

I completely neglected to record my exploits in photographs, so all I have to show for it is a rather boring shot of the lamb not long into the initial cooking, as well as it in tin foil before going back in, and my own plate not long after sitting down to eat. I'll make sure I'm more snap-happy next time.

Charley

Jun 13th, 2009, 07:53:25 PM

That looks wonderful! I'm very jealous of your lamb, and its hard for me to find here. Slow cooking lamb makes it taste so good. Rendered lamb fat just has that perfect umami taste that makes everything its with that much better. The jus is unlike anything else.

Red wine is a great choice for yours. It's almost like a lamb au vin to a minor degree. And definitely have to have those spuds to soak up all the savory juices. That's a winning hearty meal for sure, and I bet your mom loved it.

I have a couple of suggestions for your next one (and you had better do one!)

1. Before you start the cooking, you might want to get a big pan and sear the leg all around to get a browned outside. It won't cook all the way through, but all you want is to get that good crispy flavor outside. You can also do that on a really hot grill as well, and transfer it to the oven from that point.

2. Pair a pungent herb with your lamb. That lamb fat is really great, and when its mingling with herbs it will make it that much better. The ones that are very popular are mint and rosemary, though you'd also get very far with either thyme or oregano.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 14th, 2009, 06:23:09 AM

The one good thing about Sundays... the rooooast :yum

Peter McCoy

Jun 14th, 2009, 09:16:27 AM

The way my mums health is going, she doesn't cook huge roast dinners anymore (it might be a chippy dinner tonight) since messing with large, heavy saucepans is a nightmare with her arthritis. But I'd gladly cook a nice roast one one of my days off to fill the gravy-less void. There was plenty of food last night so my mum set up as plate for my nan and took it round to her house after we'd eaten (I tried getting in touch to invite her but she was out all night Friday and all day yesterday so :p). I'm gonna call her to see how she liked it.

Sevrin Forlen

Jun 14th, 2009, 10:00:53 AM

I made an interesting roast today with 6 different kinds of herbs, red wine and strawberries.

Oh and asparagus and potato au gratín.

No pics, cos it was all gone by the time I remembered to take some. I call it a culinary experiment gone well.

Sevrin Forlen

Jun 14th, 2009, 10:03:34 AM

2. Pair a pungent herb with your lamb. That lamb fat is really great, and when its mingling with herbs it will make it that much better. The ones that are very popular are mint and rosemary, though you'd also get very far with either thyme or oregano.

Try making a paste of bread crumbs, oil, parmesan, and rosemary, and then adding a little lavender to it, and spreading it onto the lamb before roasting. And stabbing holes into the lamb first, and sticking small pieces of garlic into the holes before covering the meat with the paste.

I've had that in a really cool French restaurant, and it was to die for.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 14th, 2009, 10:04:17 AM

We had a straaange roast today. No traditional Sunday, but some pork with mediterranean veg and spanish potato wedges.

It was very yummy though. Some tasty little tomatos in there.

Two Dollar Jim

Jun 14th, 2009, 10:08:24 AM

You brits and your whole roasts. We don't do that much at all here, and I wish we did. When I find a proper roast I'm going to do it properly, with gravy and yorkshire pudding. If only I could find a good one :(

The other great thing about big roasts is that they're almost guaranteed to be leftovers that you can mince into shepherds pie, bobotie, etc.

Sevrin Forlen

Jun 14th, 2009, 10:14:37 AM

Not just the brits..... I think it's a European thing.

I'll never forget the day my mother-in-law saw the roast my dad cooked for Easter the first year she visited.... I don't think she ever encountered meat cooked in that size (other than turkey)

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 14th, 2009, 12:28:19 PM

Who cares what size it is, just plop that roast in the crockpot, add water (more is bettah, more gravy that way!), and cook for like... 6 hours on high.

DELICIOUS omg I think I need some now. :cry

Ilias Nytrau

Jun 14th, 2009, 04:11:20 PM

Shrimp ceviche mmmmmmmm.

Yeah. I made this because the time is becoming short that my sister will be able to indulge frequently in things involving citrus. Her fiancé has an allergy, so even having her favourite pizza (ham and pineapple) would be rare. It's the first time she's had ceviche and she quite liked it. :)

Sevrin Forlen

Jun 14th, 2009, 05:18:01 PM

Oh yeah... but then anything with shrimp in it is good (IMO anyway)

Charley

Jun 15th, 2009, 09:58:56 PM

Who cares what size it is, just plop that roast in the crockpot, add water (more is bettah, more gravy that way!), and cook for like... 6 hours on high.

DELICIOUS omg I think I need some now. :cry

I've braised plenty a pork shoulder in my day and all, but....wouldn't that defeat the purpose of calling it a roast? ;)

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 16th, 2009, 12:27:58 AM

6 HOURS in the oven?! jesu.. ours goes in for about 2 or 3 hours hours at most.

Mandy with an I

Jun 16th, 2009, 06:26:50 AM

It's a slow cooker, not an oven. You just throw everything in a pot and let it cook for however long while you're at work or whatever. I have a magazine that even has a recipe for slow cooker CAKE...but who the hell would want to wait 4-5 hours for a fricking cake?

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 16th, 2009, 12:38:53 PM

If you wanted it to cook at home while you were at work... but yeah, that's gross sounding. That's like a frozen dinner with a microwave brownie. :x

The crock-pot method is awesome - just toss it in there and forget about it until you're ready to eat that night. And its SO easy and the meat is super tender. You can throw in carrots and potatoes too if that makes your skirt fly up. :)

Figrin D'an

Jun 16th, 2009, 06:17:12 PM

I have a magazine that even has a recipe for slow cooker CAKE...but who the hell would want to wait 4-5 hours for a fricking cake?

Slow cooker desserts can be awesome though. I made a bread pudding in my slow cooker a couple of months ago that was amazing and probably the best bread pudding I've ever had.

Charley

Jun 18th, 2009, 11:22:54 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/csaproduce01.jpg

My CSA produce shipment arrived (http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/06/grow-alabama-motherlode-begins.html)

I'm really exicted to work with all of this beautiful local produce, but also jonesing for ideas. Some of the stuff I'm not used to cooking with, so it should be a really fun challenge for me.

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 20th, 2009, 01:03:37 AM

So what does CSA stand for anyway?

Charley

Jun 20th, 2009, 01:50:58 AM

So what does CSA stand for anyway?

Community Supported Agriculture. It's sort of like buying shares into local farmers produce hauls. You don't get to choose what you get usually, or how much you get, but you're guaranteed a portion of whatever is seasonal and fresh at that given time.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/pepperharvest01.jpg

Some of my peppers are big enough to harvest, so I cut a few. The jalapenos are the size of small poblanos. The long ones are cayennes. The short ones are serranos, one of which is INCREDIBLY ANGRY WRAAARGH

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 22nd, 2009, 10:14:15 AM

Charley - your bread always looks awesome. I'd love to see your take on a stotty cake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stottie_cake :)

Harold Alexander Truss

Jun 22nd, 2009, 08:32:17 PM

Charley

Jun 23rd, 2009, 01:17:27 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/friedtomatoes.jpg

Country dinner, vegetarian style.

Fried pink tomatoes, dijon vinaigrette, steamed pole beans and cabbage with hickory salt and pepper sauce, and rice.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 23rd, 2009, 01:24:04 AM

Charley - your bread always looks awesome. I'd love to see your take on a stotty cake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stottie_cake :)

Is this the same thing as a Scottish Bap, or similar? I'll goof around maybe this weekend.

I think they are different things. At least looking at pictures of both, baps look a little more firm and well-baked (by comparison). Stottie cakes are very soft and doughy.

I only suggested it because it seems like an authentic a food as you could get to be eating with your bottle of Dog :D

Charley

Jun 23rd, 2009, 01:33:47 AM

Let me experiment on it. I may need to wait for next paycheck, and make a full english breakfast for the hell of it.

Charley

Jun 23rd, 2009, 11:37:47 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/onionsoup.jpg

Onion soup, classical Les Halles style.

Charley

Jul 13th, 2009, 11:45:21 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/tacosdelengua-1.jpg

Tacos de Lengua

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/Ballymoe.jpg

Ballymoe brown bread with local chevre

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/Currystew.jpg

Curried vegetable stew with cabbage, goose-neck squash, and new potatoes.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/Roastedpotatoes.jpg

Roasted new potatoes with thyme and rosemary from my garden and robusto cheese.

Peter McCoy

Jul 14th, 2009, 07:29:38 PM

They look delish! I wanna try some rosemary and thyme the next time I cook.

Charley

Jul 14th, 2009, 08:23:29 PM

Grab a pot, put some dirt in it, and grow herbs. It's a cheap and very fun way to have a lot of food options.

Cirrsseeto Quez

Dec 28th, 2009, 01:00:19 AM

Holy shit, I haven't posted in this thread in forever. I feel like I have let everyone down :(

Sergei Vishnyakov

Dec 28th, 2009, 05:35:58 AM

Yes, we need more pictures to drool over.

Nya Halcyon

Dec 29th, 2009, 02:21:24 PM

I'm preparing something for this thursday and friday.

Anyone give me some ideas for something unique I could try cooking for my folks on New Year's Eve? Last year we had Thai, which was fun and delicious, but I don't want to repeat it this year. Was thinking of trying something from a different part of the world this time.

Friday we've got a larger party coming (meaning there'll be 7 adults and one child), so I've gone through my books and decided to try out something á la Provénce.

For now, the menu looks like this:

Starter:
Green Bean Soup with Camembert & Thyme
Olive & Bacon Baguette slices with Rosemary Butter

Entree:
Fan Potatoes on a bed of roasted peperoni & eggplant
Roast side of beef á la Provénce

Dessert:
Lavender-flavored Red Wine Mousse

I'll try to take pictures if I remember....

Callomas Savoc

Dec 29th, 2009, 11:01:53 PM

Provence is tough for me this time of year. I'm trying to think seasonal but everything that comes to mind from the region is so summery.

Maybe an oxtail soup with kale and potato would be something to tie loose strings together?

Nya Halcyon

Dec 30th, 2009, 04:18:02 AM

No, the menu for friday is fixed. The question is what I could cook tomorrow...

EDIT: nevermind, we're going to have raclette...

Sanis Prent

Dec 31st, 2009, 01:46:32 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0064.jpg

Bagels woot.

Carré Inirial

Dec 31st, 2009, 08:40:11 AM

Those look fantastic!

*takes one to have with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers*

General Dan

Jan 1st, 2010, 12:52:11 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0079.jpg

Gator Gumbo, and an Alabama vinyard Pinot Grigio.

Loklorien s'Ilancy

Jan 1st, 2010, 12:56:07 AM

Stemless glassware ftw :D

General Dan

Jan 1st, 2010, 10:42:13 AM

Stemless glassware ftw :D

Judging by your track record with the hardware last night, I'd say it's FTL actually.

Nya Halcyon

Jan 1st, 2010, 04:02:20 PM

Okay, so here's tonight's food:

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/baguette.JPG

Fresh Olive & Bacon baguette with rosemary, and homemade herb butter

[photo to come later, it's on the other camera]
Muscade de Provénce (a kind of pumpkin) & Camembert Soup with thyme

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/fanpotato.JPG
Roasted Fan potatoes with bay leaf and Gruyere cheese, on a bed of roasted peppers and egg plant

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/roast.JPG
The Fan potatoes served on a plate, on top of the vegetables, with a slice of roast beef in its red wine & herb gravy

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/lavendercream.JPG
Red Wine Mousse with Lavender

Carré Inirial

Jan 4th, 2010, 09:03:38 AM

Looks fantastic, Nya!!!

Aree Ankarta

Jan 4th, 2010, 12:03:08 PM

On the menu today: Moroccan Meatball Tagine, and Bulgur Pilaf with Swiss Chard and Walnuts

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/meatballtagine.JPG

Loklorien s'Ilancy

Jan 4th, 2010, 05:35:17 PM

Good grief Mara, all of that looks so amazingly delicious!! :yum

Dasquian

Jan 4th, 2010, 05:37:15 PM

Mara wins at food.

=O~~~

Nya Halcyon

Jan 5th, 2010, 04:25:08 AM

It's rather nice of my folks to actually let me cook for once.... usually I don't have time, and my dad gets a bit fussy with food - he prefers cooking himself so he can chose what to make, which means we always have variations of the same thing....

But after Christmas there's always a time when we're so fed up with the "usual" because the food at Christmas is so overwhelming (and the same every year), that my dad gives me free reign to try out other things.

I've got three whole salmon to make for tomorrow.... have to find a decent recipe.

Sanis Prent

Jan 6th, 2010, 01:14:58 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0096.jpg

Liz-inspired Periperi wings! Not as hot as I'd like but I was curtailed before I could unveil my full wrath.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0099.jpg

Just a good lazy sandwich with my homemade bread. Loaf bread is so great to have on hand, so you can eat decently even when you don't feel like doing anything in the kitchen.

Aree Ankarta

Jan 6th, 2010, 08:21:52 AM

Finished cooking - had to improvise a bit because i couldn't get fresh mussels, so I used some frozen mussel/clam/shrimp mix and cooked those in white wine before adding the saffron. I did get some fresh scallops, so I grilled those and put them on top of the finished salmon, adding a bit of my homemade garlic & herb butter. Sauce was nice and not to thick, and everyone raved about it... the side is leek & potato au gratin with roquefort cheese. Complemented it perfectly!

Oh, I made some watercress soup as a starter - topped with grilled shrimp, chives and corn chips

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/watercress.JPG

Here's the salmon before it got served:

http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/salmon1.JPG

And here's the Salmon on a plate with the vegetables:
http://www.nyahalcyon.net/misc/food/salmonsaffron.JPG

Sanis Prent

Jan 6th, 2010, 11:32:14 PM

I'd be worried about drowning out my seafood with a roquefort pairing, but you said it went well together? Did folding that in with a potato gratin mellow out the earthy flavor a little? I admit I'm just now getting my feet wet with blue-style cheeses so I haven't strayed too far pairing with beef.

Did you poach the medley? The calimari I see looks very moist still, which is good. I like mine medium rare where I can cut it with the flat of a fork.

The only thing I would've changed on any of that is to sear off those scallops more decisively. It's a wonderful visual contrast, like the top of a toasted marshmallow.

You ought to be brought before the Hague on Chive Genocide charges though, daaaamn! You grow your own tufts indoors? Mine's dead right now but they were outside.

Nya Halcyon

Jan 7th, 2010, 08:52:21 AM

For one, I only used very very little roquefort in that gratin - it gave the leek and potato mix a twist, but not enough to drown out any taste.

Yup, I poached everything except the salmon and the scallops in white wine.

I prefer my scallops a bit darker, too, but my grandmother doesn't eat anything that's even the slightest bit toasty, so... had to keep them light.

Chives? Heh.... yeah, I've got a lot of herb pots on my windowsill. APart from that, however, one can buy pots of fully grown herbs here any time in the year, and chives, parsley, dill and various other herbs can be bought in bunches that only need chopping.

Dasquian Belargic

Jan 7th, 2010, 11:53:21 AM

I am looking for a tasty curry (sauce) recipe for a cooking novice. I would say something mild to begin with, though I guess I could always spice it up if it tastes too tame.

Charley

Jan 7th, 2010, 11:58:12 AM

For me, I always spice mine to taste at the very end.

What sort of curry are you wanting? Vegetarian? Meat? What region? Southern India? Rajasthan? Kashmir/Pakistan? Southeast Asia / Indonesia?

Thick/thin/dry?

Dasquian Belargic

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:02:15 PM

Meat. I like tikka, jalfrezi, korma, biryani.

I'm not familiar with where they come from :huh

Charley

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:16:44 PM

Those are north india, so usually rajasthan and kashmir

tikka and korma are british

I'm about to go to watch the game, but if I'm not snowed in tonight I'll be back and give you a decent recipe from one of my books that should sort you out.

What kind of meat do you have on hand?

Dasquian Belargic

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:22:48 PM

I only have chicken right now but I'm doing the weekly shop on Saturday so I can pick up anything I need then.

Sanis Prent

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:23:46 PM

Chicken's fine.

Got tinned tomatoes?

Dasquian Belargic

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:25:25 PM

That I do have.

Sanis Prent

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:27:39 PM

Got whole spices like cumin & coriander? Got garam masala? Turmeric? Cinnamon? Cloves? Cardamom?

Dasquian Belargic

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:29:33 PM

Nope nope nope nope.. but I can certainly add them to the shopping list.

Sanis Prent

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:36:30 PM

Get those, yeah. I'd also recommend ghee since you're going northern style. Heavy cream too. Also sweet onions and a lot of garlic, you need these things.

Amchoor powder and poppy seeds if your market has that. Not sure, you limeys should have all of this curry technology since I get in Alabamastan.

Oh and basmati rice & cilantro get those too.

Naan, I'd recommend just buying it frozen at the store. You can make it, but it's a 4 hour rise. Let me know if you wanna try it because I do have a recipe for naan.

Sanis Prent

Jan 7th, 2010, 12:44:52 PM

Gadzooks forgot ginger. get that too.

Taataani Meorrrei

Mar 6th, 2010, 03:55:27 AM

Live, thread, live!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0440.jpg

Sweet Potato & Red Bell flautas v. 2.0 - Harder, better, faster, stronger, and this time with cilantro and salsa verde

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0451.jpg

Vaguely Japanese-ish vegan noodle bowl thing with udon, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, marinaded tofu, nori, green onions, and oyster mushrooms

Also yes, I too find it funny posting vegan recipes with this username. Oh the irony.

Morgan Evanar

Mar 6th, 2010, 10:15:05 AM

I've just being doing simple quick stuff that tastes ok, like cooking eggs, dropping salsa on em and wrapping them in a wrap.

I have the time to cook I just always find myself interested in doing other things.

Dashiel Starborn

Mar 6th, 2010, 10:34:57 AM

Those noodles look yummy.

Charley

Mar 14th, 2010, 01:39:54 PM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0455.jpg

http://chuckskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/03/poppadoms.html

General Dan

Mar 22nd, 2010, 01:02:34 AM

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/DSCN0487.jpg

Broa & Sopa de Grão com Espinafres.

Portugese corn bread + a chicpea and spinach soup

Sanis Prent

Apr 3rd, 2010, 09:12:31 AM

Not about food explicitly but bear with me:

Well, I was sure as hell that the merciless winter had completely murdered everything we still had languishing in pots on our deck, but I went out the other day and the chive pot looks like Don King's hair, so that's pretty cool. It's almost worth buying some potatoes (since we ate through all of our CSA stock)

A few months ago, I transplanted some turkey figs and some other variety from my grandpa's land, and the trees are looking supple, tipped green, and the buds are starting to open! We've got five fig trees on the south slope, three trees on the north. Don't expect fruit this year or even the next, but I think by three years they'll be putting out in earnest.

Alright, I'm in on this. I put down 100 bucks on some heirloom seed that will be here within the week. We've got arugula, broccoli, sweet peas, soybeans, corn, two kinds of tomatoes, six kinds of peppers, squash, okra, kale, and a full gamut of herbs.

Now that I'm a homeowner and actually have a few acres, I figure I might as well turn out a real garden.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/b262218a.jpg

Larry, our local town tractor-for-hire is a badass old army vet & volunteer firefighter, and he brought his behemoth kubota tractor to my property yesterday morning to turn the virgin earth. We've got a good half acre dog-legged off to the southeastern part of the property, and a good portion of that is raised, level ground, largely free of rocks, roots, random vegetation, etc.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/a71b41b7.jpg

Sorry for the crap image. I'll get a better one when the rain dries out and I can till it some more.

Larry dropped the disks into the dirt, and it turned up supple, loamy, and looks very fertile! The stuff further west on the plot gets a little clay in it, but I can offset that with maybe a bag of compost, nothing major needed.

What I intend to do now is to build our dog run adjacent to the garden. Juno is hardly a guard dog, but she's got a bark on her, and she might be able to scare off deer and rabbits. The rabbits that hung around here like a gang of chavs last year seemed to get the hint that I wanted them to fuck off and left, but I had a minor traffic delay heading to work from our dirt road a few days ago when a six point whitetail buck and a pair of does just lazily crossed the street in front of me like they owned the place.

I think the deer are hanging out in the hollow at the western edge of my property, because we've got a brook that starts down there and bubbles down to the southern edge. The previous owner built a deer stand in the hollow, which I never understood why he did, since it's not a particularly large hollow. Now I may know.

I'd be down with fencing up the garden, but that would be problematic when we get the tractor back in each year. I think instead, I'll just use Juno and maybe flank everything with rosemary pots. Worst case scenario, I've got an AR-15 that'll fix a rabbit about the same as a deer.