Cooking & Recipes Thread

[Yagathai]

I've been doing a lot of cooking in my new apartment, and I've been blogging about it over at http://yagathai.livejournal.com/tag/cooking , but I figured it might be something that my fellow boarders are interested in.

This morning I took some of my leftover roasted beets, sliced them up and topped them with ricotta cheese. I ate it with a side of shredded daikon that I've been pickling over the last couple of days. I was too impatient to do it the traditional Japanese way, fermented in a light brine in a pickle press over the course of a week, so I mixed a standard brine with a little apple-cranberry champagne vinegar I've been saving for a special occasion.

Note: Daikon, while delicious when pickled, smells awful while pickling. We spent an hour looking for what died in our walls before we figured out it was the daikon.

Right now I've got a big pot of mushroom stock-to-be simmering away on top off the stove. If I can find some goddamn xanthan gum, I'll turn the stock into mushroom gravy and cook some wheat-free biscuits. Mmm. Biscuits and gravy!

[seastarr]

I like the idea of this thread. I would like to have an eating thread that's not necessarily restricted to "healthy eating and weight loss." I love to eat too (not such a great cook, but I try) and I am hoping this thread can also be used for recommendations/descriptions for excellent eats found outside the home kitchen.

For instance, last night I ate at Uchi in Austin, TX. It was quite delicious--a very fresh and creative take on sushi and japanese cuisine. One of my favorite dishes was squid with celery, mint, apple, radish, and jalapeno. I would never make such a thing, but the flavors were a very unique blend and well-balanced.

Oh, and there was a delicious steak with grilled onions and nectarine, garnished with a green pepper and truffle sauce that was to die for. I couldn't have made that either, but I am definitely going to try grilling some nectarines or peaches when I get home. Weirdly, nectarines go great with steak, and the onions were a perfect link between the two flavors.

[Xray the Enforcer]

I'm poaching a whole chicken (boil water, plunge in whole chicken plus some fresh ginger and scallions, leave in hot water for 30 minutes) for use in meals for the coming week, like cold chicken slices with red-oil, or hot-and-numbing chicken slices (both Sichuanese recipes). We have 6 heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market to be put to various uses, plus russian kale. And Mr. X just finished the mirepoix for the lentils that will be lunch for the week (to be served with kibbe and tabouleh).

But today's "big" project is black and red peppercorn gelato. I think I'll infuse the custard base with the crushed black peppercorn, but add uncooked crushed red peppercorn to the custard right before freezing. I haven't decided if I'll strain the black peppercorns out or not. I like ice cream with texture (and also I love the bite of black pepper).

Anyway, I like the idea of this thread, too. I have nothing to add to the other thread and am uninterested in that discussion.

[Odie]

We had this for supper last night:

Farfalle with Zucchini

If you don't screw up the zucchini (by cooking it at too low of a temperature, so it goes to mush before it browns) this is a fabulous dish. She says you can use white wine or chicken stock - both are good, but it's better with the wine.

Today I'm making bread and butter pickles and homemade pasta sauce :) I don't really have recipies for them though, they've just kinda been pieced together either through experience or by reading lots on the internet.

[Minaku]

I'm not sure why there needs to be a distinction made between cooking and healthy cooking. They can be one and the same. Some people may feel that healthy cooking is gross, but it isn't at all.

[seastarr]

Minaku, I think it's more to help preserve the sanctity of the "healthy" eating thread. We don't necessarily want to start talking about deep-fried cheesecake over there. People might get mad. If I recall it was ice cream that created the healthy eating thread in the first place.

It's more that unhealthy cooking is sort of gross. ;)

[Vethnar]

I'm not sure why there needs to be a distinction made between cooking and healthy cooking. They can be one and the same. Some people may feel that healthy cooking is gross, but it isn't at all.

I don't think anyone feel that healthy cooking is gross, but most of us have some dishes we like which are not particularly healthy. I would never post any recipes in a "healthy eating and weight loss" thread; not because I don't like healthy food, but because I don't know enough about nutrition to know how healthy the food is, and because I know that my diet would make most people fat.

I like the idea of this thread. If any thread is superfluous, it's the "healthy eating" thread. Here we can discuss all sorts of food, regardless of how healthy it is. :)

[Xray the Enforcer]

Most of my cooking would also qualify as healthy -- that's just how I like things. At the same time, I cook or otherwise create dishes that have no place in a thread populated by and dedicated to people trying to lose body fat or bulk up or break sugar addictions. Like the ice cream recipe I am about to post in here.

So, no, healthy food need not necessarily be distinct from "good" food, but out of consideration for those on the boards who are struggling with eating healthier, I think having two threads is useful.

Black and Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream (I called it gelato earlier because I thought I had less heavy cream than I did, so the ratios came out closer to what ice cream is).

1.5 cups whole milk

1.5 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

3/4 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon pink peppercorns

Crush black peppercorns with a rolling pin. Mix milk, cream, sugar and black peppercorns in a medium saucepan and heat on medium until it simmers. Take it off the heat and let it infuse for at least 20 minutes. After infusion, bring to a simmer again.

While cream base is infusing, put egg yolks into a medium size bowl and whisk until smooth.

Temper the egg yolks by pouring the cream base into the bowl in a thin stream while whisking. Continue whisking until all of the cream is added. Strain this mixture through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Cool in an ice bath.

Once cool, put into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions. During freezing, add crushed pink peppercorns. (I think I'm going to add a few black ones as well).

[Regina]

I'll include another endorsement of pioneer woman's blog. I made these tonight:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06...h-hot-potatoes/

So good. Served with steak and roast asparagus. Mmmmm good.

[Shryke]

Aye, there's lots of delicious recipes that have no place in a "Health Eating" thread.

Like Scones. Delicious, delicious scones.

I've been expanding into bread making the past few weeks. Cornbread is my next experiment.

I've been avoiding the Yeast Breads like the plague though. Tasty, but seems like ALOT of work. The obscenely complicated Sourdough recipe still calls to me though....

[Tears of Lys]

We had this for supper last night:

Farfalle with Zucchini

I posted a similar, but simpler, recipe over in TTNE "dinner" thread. Got it out of an old Bon Appetit Magazine. Mine didn't call for the tomatoes or the herbs, just the onions, cream, salt/pepper, and nutmeg, parmesan, with the julienned zucchini and julienned farfalle. I'd like to try yours, though. I sure have enough tomatoes!

Edited because why the hell would you julienne farfalle?! :rant:

[Odie]

Ree The Pioneer Woman rocks. It is known.

Tomorrow night we're having manicotti, using homemade ricotta cheese and the pasta sauce I made today.

Did you know that manicotti shells are actually more like crepes than the pre-formed tubes you can buy in the store? Here's an example recipe. I'm not 100% sure how Davos intends to make his though.

[Shryke]

We had this for supper last night:

Farfalle with Zucchini

If you don't screw up the zucchini (by cooking it at too low of a temperature, so it goes to mush before it browns) this is a fabulous dish. She says you can use white wine or chicken stock - both are good, but it's better with the wine.

Today I'm making bread and butter pickles and homemade pasta sauce :) I don't really have recipies for them though, they've just kinda been pieced together either through experience or by reading lots on the internet.

I'm just completely thrown by her apparent unquenchable desire for Zucchini. I don't think I've ever met a more tasteless vegetable.

[Blue Roses]

I've definately had the pinny on this week. Its that time of the year in Britain when all the fruit suddenly ripens and you have a huge glut of stuff you need to pick, eat and preserve.

So far this week I've picked all the damsons off the tree in my garden and made damson jam, damson pie and a completely new thing for me damson and apple chutney. Its been put in kilner jars and left to mature in the garage - should be ready for christmas......

I've been picking wild blackberries with the brats - some to freeze for later and some to make a summer pudding with our own raspberries.

Next is a huge plum tree which I must pick today - probably will make plum jam and then just stew the rest for puddings etc. for the freezer. (Lovely crumble!)

I'm rapidly running out of jars.

[SergioCQH]

I have to agree with the zucchini hate. It has little flavor and a disagreeably mushy texture. Then again, I have little love for most gourds (the culinary varieties of the Cucurbitaceae family). Cucumbers are tolerable because they have a firmer texture than their relatives.

I love dishes with asparagus, which is probably my favorite vegetable. I particularly enjoy this Pasta Primavera with Chicken and Asparagus.

[Lyanna Stark]

Aye, there's lots of delicious recipes that have no place in a "Health Eating" thread.

Like Scones. Delicious, delicious scones.

I've been expanding into bread making the past few weeks. Cornbread is my next experiment.

I've been avoiding the Yeast Breads like the plague though. Tasty, but seems like ALOT of work. The obscenely complicated Sourdough recipe still calls to me though....

Nah, it's not complicated, you just need to know how to deal with the yeast you've got. :) Sourdough is also not complicated, it just takes a long time, three days normally. But the thing is, it's minimum effort each day. You mix stuff, let it stand about, mix in some more stuff, let it stand about, and then mix in the final bits, work the dough, bake it in the oven (slowly) and Bob's your uncle.

I made these little healthy linseed wholemeal rolls yesterday. They're lovely with tea, don't need any butter and are really yummy warm with some cottage cheese (or other types of cheese). Lots of fiber in these little ones, and they will help speed up slow digestion.

Linseed rolls:

For around 12-14 rolls, use

8 figs (or if you have, dried plums of any kind)

0.5 dl linseed

5 dl water

50g fresh yeast (or equivalent dried)

0.5 teaspoon salt

7 dl wholemeal wheat flour

4 dl plain wheat flour

Chop the figs finely and put them in a saucepan with the linseed and the water. Put to the boil and let it boil for around 5 min. Stir the mixture and don't let it burn. Cool the mixture to around 37C (this is body temperature, stick your finger in the mixture and check, if it's hot, let it cool a bit longer).

Add the yeast (if powder dried it can be added to the dry ingredients, if it is grainy, it may need priming. Fresh yeast you just add, it's the simplest one.) and salt, then the wholemeal flour.

Carefully add plain wheat flour and work the dough until it has a nice texture. Cover the dought and let it rise.

Then shape the dough into one long roll, cut it into approx 12-14 pieces and form rolls/buns according to artistic inspiration of the moment and place on baking tray. Let the rolls rise for around 45 min on baking tray, then bake for 10-12 min in 225C.

[Odie]

I'm just completely thrown by her apparent unquenchable desire for Zucchini. I don't think I've ever met a more tasteless vegetable.

I didn't get it either. But those little browned nuggets are just To Die For. I pilfer them whenever I can while this is being prepared. :D And if you read her site regularly, you'll see that this is just her style. It's supposed to be slightly over the top :)

[Tobin]

Was flicking around the FoodNetwork the other night and came upon this episode of Brian Boitano's new cooking show.

By the end I had to wipe the drool off the TV screen...

[Yagathai]

Well, mushroom stock is in the freezer. I was going to boil down some soup bones to make some stock for a pot roast, but I may put that off for a day or two and just order/eat out tonight.

[Tears of Lys]

Now that the weather's cooled down, I'm jonesing for "my" soup. It's got hundreds of variations. Basically, it's a good ol' beef shank or two stewed for a looooong time with a couple of cloves thrown in for flavoring, with vegetables/tomatoes.

Meaty beef shank (or two if you like lots of beef in your soup.)

Can of stewed tomatoes (or plain) crushed.

3-4 whole cloves

1/2 chopped onion (or even sliced, or even just cut in chunks.)

Water to cover generously.

Bring to a boil and simmer for around 2 1/2 - 3 hours until meat is totally tender and can be removed easily from bone.

Dice up carrots (1 will do if large), potato (1 will do) and celery (1 rib if that)

Add a handful of either rice or barley.

Let simmer until vegetables and barley/rice are tender.

Here's the kicker: After salt and peppering to taste, remove from heat and stir in either coffee cream or cream to taste. Yummy! Doesn't really take a lot, but it makes it damn good.

Oh, and pick apart the meat from the bones and add back into the soup. (Almost forgot that.)

This soup can be arranged just about any way you like it. I'm sure you guys have your own variations. I just happen to lurve this one. I could eat it 3-4 days out of the week. With nice crusty rolls, you're in heaven. :drool: