Author Topic: The Teach Me How To Cook Thread  (Read 312442 times)

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Cormacaroni

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tough love!

now show us your 'bechamel sauce' Bildi  :-*
vjj

Bildi

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I love eb, nobody's ever been truly mean to me here. :heartbeat

I will be posting pics of what I concoct, it'll be sometime in the next few days.  It has to be, or my mushrooms will go all icky. :yuck

CrystalGemini

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Blah blah blah.  Tired.  Food pics here:


O_O

Dickie Dee

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Made some Tandoori Chicken last night (no pics) - pretty simple, just a few dollops of yogourt and a spoon of tandoori paste in a bag with some chicken thighs left overnight. BBQ'd them the next day. Soooo good.

Next time I might try a Butter Chicken sauce to put it in.
'
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Brehvolution

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Anyone know a good way to "cut" wasabi to make it not so strong? The stuff that comes with the sushi I buy is very good, but they never seem to give us enough. So I bought some at the store today and this shit is f'n nuclear in the tiniest amount.  :-X
©ZH

Fresh Prince

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Mayonnaise?
888

Rman

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Anyone know a good way to "cut" wasabi to make it not so strong? The stuff that comes with the sushi I buy is very good, but they never seem to give us enough. So I bought some at the store today and this shit is f'n nuclear in the tiniest amount.  :-X
If you're using instant ''wasabi'' you're probably adding too little liquid to the powder.  I would add more.  I used quotation marks because real wasabi is actually very expensive and not as a abrasive as ''wasabi'' powder.  Expensive sushi joints usually serve real wasabi.

etiolate

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Blah blah blah.  Tired.  Food pics here:
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)




Tea marinated chicken skewers.
Asparagus
Tokyo radishes (a little honey and dill on them)
Mushroom tops stuffed with blackberries and jack cheese.
Greek Caviar and toast

Fresh Prince

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Somebody explain this cheese and fruit thing  :yuck
888

etiolate

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cheese and fruit is nomnom

Rman

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Somebody explain this cheese and fruit thing  :yuck
Contrast of flavors--the sweetness of the fruit being foiled by saltiness of the cheese.

Cormacaroni

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Figs and blue cheese and wine, oh my fucking GAWD. Or strawberries and mascarpone, lush.
vjj

Fresh Prince

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I've only had those premade ones- they are awful. Maybe that where it went wrong.
888

Cormacaroni

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Premade fruit and cheese? Do you buy premade toast as well?
vjj

Fresh Prince

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You know the deal some you see at some dinner party and it like what's this arghh
« Last Edit: March 23, 2010, 11:38:05 PM by Fresh Prince »
888

Bildi

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When I was a kid I liked cheese & raspberry jam on bread.  Haven't had it in yonks, I think I'd still like it.

Fresh Prince

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I used to eat jam and ham sandwhiches, smh.
888

Barry Egan

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I had mayo sandwiches alot as a kid.  And I would only put ketchup on my 'spetti. 

Rman

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I loved mayo and tomato sandwiches as a kid.  I'd slice the tomatoes thick and season the slices with salt.  So good.

Bildi

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I love mayo, but even tomatoes on toast with something like lemon pepper is yummy.

There ain't nothin' like a really, really, really good tomato.

Cormacaroni

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Yeah, a bakery nearby started selling organic tomatoes for a couple of bucks EACH recently. We were appalled until we tasted their pizza toast, which is just those tomatoes and some cheese and tastes better than most upscale pizza joints. Now we pony up the cash for real tomaters, no regrets. Even one slice makes a sandwich sing, vs supermarket tomatoes which are basically just watery mush by comparison.
vjj

brawndolicious

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I think tomatoes and lemons are the only traditional* fruits that I like.

*not corn, cucumbers, etc.

Brehvolution

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Anyone know a good way to "cut" wasabi to make it not so strong? The stuff that comes with the sushi I buy is very good, but they never seem to give us enough. So I bought some at the store today and this shit is f'n nuclear in the tiniest amount.  :-X
If you're using instant ''wasabi'' you're probably adding too little liquid to the powder.  I would add more.  I used quotation marks because real wasabi is actually very expensive and not as a abrasive as ''wasabi'' powder.  Expensive sushi joints usually serve real wasabi.
It came in a tube so it's pre-made. Not a powder.
©ZH

Human Snorenado

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Made some delicious strawberry pancakes today.



1 1/2 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt 

Mix all of your dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

1 1/3 cups of milk
3 tablespoons of melted butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Make an indentation in the dry ingredients and start pouring in the wet stuff.  Most recipes won't tell you to use vanilla extract in pancakes, and that's because they're GAY.  Makes it taste awesomer.  Beat using a mixer until everything is uniform.  Take a ladle and scoop out a nice sized pancake on a hot skillet or griddle after you spray it down with some non-stick spray.  After you've got it in there you can put fruit, chocolate chips or whatever you want in the pancake.  Flip the fucker after you see bubbles in the pancake, but wait until there are a bunch.  Repeat until the batter is gone/you have enough fuckin' pancakes.  Recipe above makes about six big ass pancakes- I usually use half of it and refrigerate the other half in a tupperware container to use the next day.  Keeps just fine, but if you do that mix in just a little bit of milk or water the next time you use it to loosen the batter up.
yar

etiolate

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nomnom

Did you put anything on top? Syrup? Or just eat them as is?

Cormacaroni

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After fucking around with several recipes, I finally got serious and did a hardcore proper French baguette. This is not your mushy supermarket shit packed with instant yeast. I used special medium-ground flour, a tiny amount of yeast and let it raise for almost 2 days, then steam-baked it. I can't believe how well it turned out, frankly. I've made baguettes dozens of times but always in a half-assed way with lots of yeast and a quick raise, no steam, and using standard flour.



Also took a crack at brining for the first time. This is pork tenderloin, brined (i.e. marinated in water, some salt and sugar) for >12hrns, seared in a Dutch oven, and oven-roasted for about 20 mins. Really simple seasoning - just salt, pepper and some lemon.



I turned these into a kick-ass sandwich for lunch, just added some Dijon mustard and lettuce (all the lettuce does is separate the mustard from the bread, preventing it from getting soggy).



vjj

BlueTsunami

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Just went to this grill and had Mushroom Stuffed Chicken. Oh man... oh man

Quote
Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

Organic chicken breast grilled, split and stuffed with a buttery mushroom duxelle. Served over rice pilaf and drizzled with a caramelized onion and garlic cream sauce

The mushroom duxelle, I could drink it if they served up in a cup.
:9

CrystalGemini

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No pics?   :(
O_O

BlueTsunami

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Nope, I had my camera with me too!  :'(

I was planning on taking a picture but then I ate a bit of the chicken, rice and zucchini and just pigged out
:9

TEEEPO

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After fucking around with several recipes, I finally got serious and did a hardcore proper French baguette. This is not your mushy supermarket shit packed with instant yeast. I used special medium-ground flour, a tiny amount of yeast and let it raise for almost 2 days, then steam-baked it. I can't believe how well it turned out, frankly. I've made baguettes dozens of times but always in a half-assed way with lots of yeast and a quick raise, no steam, and using standard flour.

(Image removed from quote.)

recipe plz

Cormacaroni

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The recipe is incredibly simple but the cooking instructions were two pages, double spaced with lots of pics. I wish I could just scan it but it's all in japanese. If you already basically know how to bake bread, I can just give you the ingredients and some tips if you need 'em.
vjj

Cormacaroni

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it was delicious, but not so delicious as the tiniest scrap of epicurian praise from Genghis :bow

Any tips on freezing this stuff, btw? It's pretty much the only way i'll be able to enjoy it first thing in the morning, unless I get up at 2am. I tried baking a few loaves halfway, then wrapping in cling film and freezing in a freezer bag, and baking again. It came out pretty well but a bit hard. I'm now thinking maybe I should just have baked as normal, let it cool, then froze what I wasn't going to eat right away.
vjj

Cormacaroni

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btw, I really want to try making sourdough, mainly for health reasons. Just haven't been able to find anywhere here that sells the starter.
vjj

Brehvolution

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My try at chicken pad thai.(incoming cell phone pic shenanigans)

Added some oil and a beaten egg. Then way to much chicken. I could have gotten away with half of this.



Add rice noodles that were in a 25 minute hot soak.



Add some bean sprouts and pad thai sauce I got in the pad thai kit.(:shh)



Garnish with fresh cilantro.


I thought it would be spicier. It was good but it just lacked something.

And no, I guess we don't have a wok anymore.  :-\



« Last Edit: April 24, 2010, 10:07:03 PM by Zero Hero »
©ZH

CrystalGemini

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Fish sauce?  Maybe some lime?

OH.  Bean sprouts (different kind than the ones you used):
« Last Edit: April 24, 2010, 10:31:37 PM by CrystalGemini »
O_O

Brehvolution

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Thanks for the advice.  :-*

I've never seen those kind in my grocery store. What are they called?

My wife finished her plate so that is all that matters to me.  :lol
©ZH

brawndolicious

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I had a bunch of egg whites and no impulse control so I made some meringue cookies, which are just basically egg whites and sugar.

Before:


After:


I did add a subtle amount of chocolate chips.

CrystalGemini

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Thanks for the advice.  :-*

I've never seen those kind in my grocery store. What are they called?

My wife finished her plate so that is all that matters to me.  :lol

Google tells me they are called "mung" bean sprouts.  You can get them at any asian grocery store or Chinatown.  If you live in Washington, California, Nevada or Texas you can get them at Ranch 99.  :)

O_O

CrystalGemini

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I made a bacon lentil soup yesterday and let it stew overnight.  SOOOOOO GOOOOOD....  I used bacon, green lentils, great northern white beans, black eyed peas, green split peas, yellow split peas, carrots, onion, celery, parsley and chicken stock.

No pics sorry.   :(
O_O

CrystalGemini

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I made a bacon lentil soup yesterday and let it stew overnight.  SOOOOOO GOOOOOD....  I used bacon, green lentils, great northern white beans, black eyed peas, green split peas, yellow split peas, carrots, onion, celery, parsley and chicken stock.

No pics sorry.   :(

Made it again and took pics this time!


Bonus food pics just for fun:

« Last Edit: May 11, 2010, 06:51:42 AM by CrystalGemini »
O_O

Brehvolution

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:drool

Are those mushrooms or eggplant in that last pic?
©ZH

CrystalGemini

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:drool

Are those mushrooms or eggplant in that last pic?

It is eggplant.

That bacon lentil soup looks like erwtensoep. :o

IT DOES.  :o
O_O

Dickie Dee

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Just want to thank whoever in this thread mentioned the salt-curing steak method :bow2

I put a little twist on it and use Montreal Steak Spice, which is heavily salt but also some of the other flavors get imparted into the steak.
___

Mupepe

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I'm learning how to cook. I made mushroom soup last time by a recipe from a book by Mark Bittman. I dunno, man. It wasn't spectacular. There's this mushroom soup thing in a can, and I want to make it with that kind of taste. The recipe I did was basically a different kind of mushroom soup. It was all right though, considering the ingredients (it was vegan I think).
what did you use?  The canned ones generally use a shitton of cream.

I made spam and ramen noodles last night.  i was originally planning chicken alfredo :lol

so today when I go home for lunch I'm going to throw some chicken in a crock pot with mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions.  then when I get home I'm making alfredo from scratch.  yum yum.

etiolate

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Hungarian mushroom soup mmmm

Brehvolution

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Sounds amazing. :drool

©ZH

Rman

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Stock is mega easy.  Bones, water, aromatics-carrots, onion, celery, bring to a boil, simmer, and reduce, reduce, reduce.

Cormacaroni

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That prep table is so bad-ass. very jealous.

Dumplings are a household staple here in Japan, obviously. It's a great family activity, taking a huge bowl of the meat/cabbage filling and making hundreds of the things. They freeze very well so everyone makes extra.
vjj

Barry Egan

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challah :drool

Mupepe

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last night I made a steak the way cohen described it earlier in the thread.

room temp, oven for 25 minutes, seared on each side for about 2 minutes.  Fuck it was amazing.

Mupepe

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I'm doing it again tonight, but cutting it into strips after and having fucking beef tacos. 

Mupepe

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Also, I decided to keep it really simple.  I got some salt on my hands and just rubbed it over the outside of the steak and I was surprised at how brilliant it tasted.  I did it like less than 30 seconds before throwing it in the oven.

Cormacaroni

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About that Cohen - how would you cook a super-fatty steak, like the kuroge wagyu stuff we get here in Japan? You can't really sear it for more than 30 secs if you want it rare. How long would you give it in the oven, and what kind of temp?
vjj

Phoenix Dark

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I bought some oyster sauce yesterday. I had been making fried rice using soy sauce, mixed veggies, onions, mushrooms, eggs, garlic pepper, salt, and veggie oil. Tasted alright but wasn't what I was trying to get. Hopefully the oyster sauce helps, and I'm gonna use fresh chopped carrots instead of mixed veggies.

any tips on making fried rice?
010

Rman

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Sure, PD.

-It should be made with leftover rice or rice that's been cooked ahead.  This prevents clumping and even coating of the oil with the individual grains.  When you add the rice, break up the clumps, stirring them on occasion.  Cook until it browns.

-Use peanut oil or any neutral flavored oil, meaning no extra virgin olive oil.

-Add stock, red or white wine vinegar to rice, along with soy sauce of course.

-Don't cook your aromatics for too long.  It will kill their flavor.

Here's a basic recipe with everyday ingredients.  Once you master this, you can vary the aromatics, veggies and add meat.

-Add a quarter cup of peanut oil to non stick skillet and set the heat medium high.

-Add a cup of minced onions and cook for a few minutes.  Add 1 cup of bell pepper strips and cook for 8 minutes.  Pay attention here.  Cooking time varies with fried foods.

-Start adding rice in batches, about 3 to 4 cups of cooked rice will make a decent portion, as mentioned earlier, breaking up any lumps by stirring. And cook until brown for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.

-Finish seasoning the rice with a couple shots of soy sauce and one of sesame sesame oil and give it a final stir.  Serve.

« Last Edit: May 18, 2010, 02:19:17 AM by Rman »

CrystalGemini

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I bought some oyster sauce yesterday. I had been making fried rice using soy sauce, mixed veggies, onions, mushrooms, eggs, garlic pepper, salt, and veggie oil. Tasted alright but wasn't what I was trying to get. Hopefully the oyster sauce helps, and I'm gonna use fresh chopped carrots instead of mixed veggies.

any tips on making fried rice?

Are you going for traditional or fake Chinese version?

Link if you don't know what fake Chinese food is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Chinese_cuisine
Quote
In the nineteenth century, Chinese restaurateurs developed US Chinese cuisine when they modified their food to suit a more Western palate. First catering to railroad workers, restaurants were established in towns where Chinese food was completely unknown. These restaurant workers adapted to using local ingredients and catered to their customers' tastes. Dishes on the menu were often given numbers, and often a roll and butter were offered on the side.
In the process, chefs invented dishes such as General Tso's Chicken. As a result, they developed a style of Chinese food not found in China. Restaurants (along with Chinese laundries) provided an ethnic niche for small businesses at a time when Chinese were excluded from most jobs in the wage economy by racial discrimination or lack of language fluency.



O_O

Phoenix Dark

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Fake shit is all I know apparently. Some tips of the real stuff would be appreciated as well
010

CrystalGemini

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Traditional fried rice usually doesn't have carrots, onions or soy sauce.  Green onions yes. 

You always make sure your wok is super hot before putting anything in.  Lightly coat the wok with oil (we just use normal vegetable oil) then wait a few seconds for it to heat up.  My mom taught me a way of testing the heat by dipping a chopstick (or fork) in the beaten egg then dipping it in the hot oil.  If it starts to sizzle it is ready.    We season the oil with cloves of smashed garlic and ginger - leaving it in the oil for the flavors to release first. 

It's also really important to get the mixture of egg and rice correct - everybody has their own method.  I fry the rice first (constant stirring/movement in the wok is key with the high heat) then when it's done I form a crater in the middle with the rice and throw the beaten egg into it.  Stir the egg and rice quickly until it's partly done then add the rest of the ingredients (I use cha siew and/or lumps of chicken I cooked up beforehand) with the chopped green onion last.  If you decide to use chicken make sure you chop the meat into little lumps when it is still raw THEN cook it. Never the other way around.

Again everybody has their own system!  My mom likes to fry the egg first, then the rice, then everything else.  I just like how the rice helps "break" the eggs.  The important thing is to keep everything moving all the time.

Note: Cha siu is a Chinese barbecued pork:

You can get it at any Chinese BBQ place (look for hanging roasted animals at the front window).  :drool
« Last Edit: May 18, 2010, 06:15:58 AM by CrystalGemini »
O_O

etiolate

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Made a Capri salad for a Shavuot picnic. No pics, but I used lemon basil and purple basil for the greens. Never used purple basil before. Hoping it will be nomnom.

Fresh Prince

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La-di-da
888