Good Eating!

[Hammer]

started by Rush 10/19/2001-

I was planning out the menu for this weekend and I got to thinking that I can't be the only one who cooks around here. During the Summer and Fall especially, I try to come up with weekend meal ideas that make things interesting.

On Labor day weekend, I deep-fried turkeys, one each on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. We had relatives and friends over to share in the experience. Each day I tried different rubs and injected marinades. I personally like the bird with just rub on the outside and no injected marinade.

Another weekend I cooked up venison, (although the cook got to quite a bit of that during the process) thin sliced, quick fried with olive oil, garlic, butter, and a bit of seasoned salt. Really good.

Last week it was a nice looking Pork loin, rubbed up with seasoning, then the outside was carmelized in a roasting pan,, on a burner, with some olive oil, turning the loin so that it all sides get sealed up. Then it was into the oven and cooked to just a bit past medium. And yes, it is as good as it sounds.

This weekend, it looks like I'll be cooking up a bunch of Catfish for the wife and kids. (It's not my favorite variety of fish)


So, anybody else do some cooking?

I'll try to keep you all hungry with some updates of my more interesting weekend meals.

Rush

[SeaDogStat]

Here is the Zip file of the Word doc for all the recipes in that thread...

[onejayhawk]

From a lawyer in San Antonio. He goes by Cruelty. Go figure.

Steak Cruelty:
get porterhouses or t-bones
rinse with ice water, rub with koshering salt, let drain 15 minutes in colander, rinse off excess salt,
pat dry with paper towel, rub with herbs de Provence and a little balck pepper, wrap in 3 discreate layers of paper towels, place on rack on pan in refrigerate to dry age 4 days, after 1 day unwrap and remove inner layer of towels and rewrap, baste on both sides and grill on HOT fire or HOT iron pan to medium rare.

J

[Trader Mac]

We just had Shepherd's Pie for dinner. May not sound too exciting, but Western food tastes so much better after you've been eating rice for a few days.

[onejayhawk]

Judith is getting into fish for Lent. Her current passion is fish tacos. You need a flaky white fish, such as talapia. Marinade in olive oil, lime juice and cilantro for 30 to 120 minutes. While that is going on, mince two chipotle peppers. Mix with a cup of sour cream or crema, plus about a tsp of the adobo sauce. Some people prefer using mayonaisse instead of cream. Refrigerate.

Fire up the grill. Fix a nice fresh salsa, heavy on cilantro and lime. This would be a good time to fire roast some tomatoes and peppers for the salsa. Over a hot fire, grill your fish til flaky. 1 to 4 minutes, depending on thinkness.

Warm some corn tortillas and shred some cabbage. Assemble taco: Fish, chipotle cream, shredded cabbage and sliced onion, and salsa.

Several of these items can be made ahead and used for other things. Any good fresh salsa will work. The chipotle cream will go with anything Mexican. Shredded cabbage is just slaw waiting to happen (I will admit to buying bagged slaw mix for this).

J

[Bob Kohm]

My only comment is that after 30-120 minutes in lime juice why bother cooking the fish-- it's ceviche already

[onejayhawk]

My only comment is that after 30-120 minutes in lime juice why bother cooking the fish-- it's ceviche already

It depends on the thickness, but that is a valid point. The grilling will give it smoke, but so will the chipotle cream sauce.

J

[onejayhawk]

Some of you may recall a fancy turkey recipe I posted. My French chef aquaintence posted this recently.

http://www.foodspotting.com/reviews/441515

In the vein of chefs, this is one refered to by a former Tavern on the Green chef.

from Food and Wine magazine

Z Tejas' Chile Fudge Pie
Ingredients
2 teaspoon Ancho puree*
1/2 lbs Butter
1/2 cup Chopped walnuts
1/2 cup Chopped pecans
2 Eggs
1/2 cup White sugar
1/2 cup Dark Brown sugar
1/2 cup Flour
1 cup Semisweet chocolate pieces
9" unbaked pie shell

Instructions
*For ancho puree: Ancho chiles, which are dried
poblanos, are dark brown peppers found in the produce
section. Remove seeds and stem from one ancho chile
pepper. Place ancho in a small saucepan with water to
cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until ancho is
tender. Puree in a food processor.

Melt butter and let cool to warm. Toast pecans and
walnuts until lightly brown. Beat eggs well and then
add sugars and flour. Beat until smooth. Add warm
butter and mix well. (It is important for butter to be
warm so chocolate chips will melt some.) Add chile
puree. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour filling
into pastry shell and bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 60
minutes until done.

In case anyone is wondering, Anchos are the big dried chiles, usually about 5" long and triangular. It is the standard chile for scratch chili in these parts. On the heat scale, they rate a 2 (jalapenoes are 4-5). I would also use some chile pasilla, which has a smoky flavor.

J

[onejayhawk]

I am going to enter a contest. Here is the recipe. Feedback is desired.

Green Hummus

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
lemon zest to taste
olive oil, as needed
1 tsp sesame oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp smoky paprika
2 Tbsp minced cilantro or parsley
1 small jalapeno
1-2 avacados
Juice of one lemon
small bunch basil
Salt to taste

Sear the pepper over a burner til the skin blisters
Place in a bag and set aside
Put peas, sesame oil, garlic, cilantro and paprika in food processor
Process until pasty but smooth, adding oil only if necessary
Remove jalapeno from bag
Skin, seed and mince
Remove meat of avacado
Mash with lemon juice
Roll basil and cut in small ribbons (chiffinade)
Add avacado, basil and jalapeno to hummus
Mix til blended
Garnish with cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of paprika

J

[Gregg]

I am going to enter a contest. Here is the recipe. Feedback is desired.

Green Hummus

1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
lemon zest to taste
olive oil, as needed
1 tsp sesame oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp smoky paprika
2 Tbsp minced cilantro or parsley
1 small jalapeno
1-2 avacados
Juice of one lemon
small bunch basil
Salt to taste

Sear the pepper over a burner til the skin blisters
Place in a bag and set aside
Put peas, sesame oil, garlic, cilantro and paprika in food processor
Process until pasty but smooth, adding oil only if necessary
Remove jalapeno from bag
Skin, seed and mince
Remove meat of avacado
Mash with lemon juice
Roll basil and cut in small ribbons (chiffinade)
Add avacado, basil and jalapeno to hummus
Mix til blended
Garnish with cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of paprika

J

Where is the meat? How about some chunks of grilled chicken diced up and thrown in after the blending.

[onejayhawk]

Where is the meat? How about some chunks of grilled chicken diced up and thrown in after the blending.

In this contest, the avacados are the meat.

I was thinking something red, but tomatoes are too guacamole, and I already have peppers.

J

[Gregg]

In this contest, the avacados are the meat.

I was thinking something red, but tomatoes are too guacamole, and I already have peppers.

J

Red is an issue. More red fruits than veggies. I don't think fruit will work with this dish.

Taking out peppers and tomatoes (the only fruit that would work) it pretty much leaves red potato, radishes, red onion, or beets (and none of these are all that red). I have never mixed beets with anything except horseradish. I do not know if they will take on the other flavors or overcome them. I happen to like beets but many do not. If the beets overpower could cost you in a contest. If they do not could add some interesting color and texture. I don't think cooked radishes would be a good idea. Seems like red potato would be to starchy with the chick peas. Red onion would work from a flavor standpoint but not really add much color.

Good luck in the contest.

[onejayhawk]

I will say up front, this is Martha Stewart. Sorry about that.

Skillet-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (about 9 ounces) mixed milk- and semisweet-chocolate chips
2 pints vanilla ice cream
Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add egg and vanilla; mix until they are fully incorporated.
Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Transfer dough to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, and press to flatten, covering bottom of pan.
Bake until edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Don't overbake
Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 to 20 minutes.
Cut into wedges.
Serve warm; top each wedge with a scoop of ice cream and some caramel sauce.

I can just see the party. Bring in the black cast iron skillet, with the wedge cut cookie in it, and a quart of good quality ice cream dumped in the middle. On the side warmed caramel and chocolate toppings and whipped cream.

Some general cookie tips:

http://baking911.com/cookies/101_tipspg2.htm

Bhob, do you know an easy recipe for hard ice cream topping that would go well with chocolate?

J

[DJBeasties]

I am seriously becoming obsessed with Thai food and really, a lot of Asian meals. I used to be really into the typical junk food-type Chinese food but now that I am older it's like I cannot stop making Thai dishes, Korean dishes, etc. I think it's the balance of flavors and the perfect combinations of vegetables cooked but still crunchy.

[TranaGreg]

I am seriously becoming obsessed with Thai food and really, a lot of Asian meals. I used to be really into the typical junk food-type Chinese food but now that I am older it's like I cannot stop making Thai dishes, Korean dishes, etc. I think it's the balance of flavors and the perfect combinations of vegetables cooked but still crunchy.

Many years ago when I was in China I got involved in a discussion on how difficult it is to do a proper stirfry in a North America home because you need a propane fired wok that can get up to 800-1000 degrees F at least (if not higher) ... not too many home kitchens can accommodate that. hmm, I think I have a good idea for lunch today ...