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New grill
I'd go with skirt steaks, silver-dollar mushrooms, pizza doughs and chimichurri.
Enhanced chicken?
It means some form of glutamates - probably MSG, but maybe autolyzed yeast extract or hydrolyzed vegetable protein. The FDA allows broth to be listed as an ingredient without mentioning the broth's actual ingredients as long as they are "derived" from natural sources.
Sadly, the chickens are bred and raised in such a way that without the extra help, they would be dry and bland.
Beef tips: I need to be educated
They are short loin flap meat. Picture a porterhouse. The piece at the "top" is known as the tail. If that were not cut off at an inch or so, it would run down the side of the animal. When this meat is cleaned up, it becomes sirloin tips. Beef bacon.
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Whole salmon
Wookie - I'd be careful with the sashimi, and still somewhat with the gravlax. Wild salmon is prone to parasites; the Japanese do not eat it raw, (they do cure it) and it is illegal to serve it raw in the US unless it has been frozen to -40 degrees. My advice would be to slow cook some in the oven (250 degrees until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 150 degrees) and hot smoke the remainder for smoked salmon salad or pate (smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, lemon juice, horseradish, blah blah blah.)
New grill
I'd go with skirt steaks, silver-dollar mushrooms, pizza doughs and chimichurri.
Enhanced chicken?
It means some form of glutamates - probably MSG, but maybe autolyzed yeast extract or hydrolyzed vegetable protein. The FDA allows broth to be listed as an ingredient without mentioning the broth's actual ingredients as long as they are "derived" from natural sources.
Sadly, the chickens are bred and raised in such a way that without the extra help, they would be dry and bland.
Beef tips: I need to be educated
They are short loin flap meat. Picture a porterhouse. The piece at the "top" is known as the tail. If that were not cut off at an inch or so, it would run down the side of the animal. When this meat is cleaned up, it becomes sirloin tips. Beef bacon.
whats the best fry pan ?
Sorry, I just saw the whole post, too. Yes, carbon steel by all means! There are 2 guages and you want the heavier. At my restaurant we use them for 95% of our stovetop work. Don't get a name brand, though. They're all the same. Like I said, it should cost under $30.
whats the best fry pan ?
If you can get into a Restaurant Depot, get their house brand, called Winco. A 10" nonstick skillet will run you about $21. It is heavy aluminum with as good and durable a nonstick coating as is manufactured. My other choice would be to get French black steel skillets. They are probably about $26 for a 10" pan, but once seasoned, will last a lifetime. They are perfectly nonstick and are lighter than cast iron. I wouldn't bother with All Clad et al.
Rack of Lamb
This isn't too exciting, but I like to process panko, reggiano, parsley and chervil in the Cuisinart until thoroughly green. After searing the racks (optional) I rub the fat cap side with dijon, then press on the crumb mixture. Then I bake at a low temperature, maybe 250-275 until the internal temperatire reaches 126 degrees - about 25 minutes.
Matching meat with cheeses?
I'm not a fan of adding creamy cheese to this recipe. I could see randomly placing little pieces of brin d'amour or a mild fresh chevre, but beyond that, I wouldn't touch it. It really goes against the grain of the dish.
Does anyone go to Whole Foods Market?
I do the bulk of my shopping there, with the rest at Costco. Their prices are less expensive than most supermarkets for natural and organic themed foods, but higher for conventional products. In other words, a package of organic spaghetti will cost you less at WFM, but a roll of Charmin and an English cucumber will cost more.
Excuse my wining
At work, the wine pairing I see most often is raw or chilled shellfish with a giant cabernet. After that, it's anything else with a giant cabernet. It's become a running joke: shellfish tower with Jordan Cab, Sashimi App with Silver Oak... I don't notice very many people attempting to pair wine with food. I do. I am partial to food friendly wines: pinot gris, grenache, rhone blends. I also, gasp, believe that white wine pairs better with almost all food. Not chocolate. My wife, on the other hand, doesn't drink white wine, so we usually resort to glass wines or half bottles. Disclaimer: I was the executive chef at a Wine Spectator Grand Award winning restaurant.
One word of advice I try to share: if you think your wine is corked, send it back. Don't be shy; the restaurant gets full credit for it whether it is or isn't.
I have fresh pizza dough: What shall I do with it?
This is my go-to dish for cooking demos, and I make it all the time at home.
Pan Bread
1 purchased fresh pizza dough (1lb)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
leaves from 1 sprig thyme
½ tsp minced rosemary
generous sea salt (sel gris or fleur de sel) and freshly ground pepper
additional extra virgin olive oil as needed
1) Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
2) Roll or form the dough into approximately the shape and size of the base of a medium (10 inch) nonstick skillet.
3) Heat the nonstick skillet over medium heat about 30 seconds; add dough and drizzle a small amount of additional olive oil around the circumference. Lower heat and cook about 5 minutes, checking occasionally that the garlic doesn’t burn.
4) Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes, checking again for burning. Bread should be golden brown on both sides. Allow to rest 5 more minutes before serving.
Tap the bread - it should sound somewhat hollow.
Note: Feel free to make any changes – omit the garlic, substitute different herbs, etc.
Food Processors
Process sweet smoked paprika and sel gris together for a great steak seasoning.
Also, processing breadcrumbs with herbs like chervil, parsley, etc makes the crumbs green, and they stay that way during cooking as a topping for fish or whatever.
You can make compound butters. Try softening crystalized ginger in warm water or rice wine, then pureeing with softened butter and chilling. Then you can use the butter to finish pan sauces for fish or pork.
It's Cocktail Time!
My friend and I came up with this to submit for Esquire mag's house cocktail. We never sent it it, but it's my restaurants house cocktail now.
2 oz armagnac
1 oz sweetened fresh lemon or lime juice (or muddle juice and sugar)
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz cointreau
2 dashes bitters
Shake with ice and serve up, with a sugared rim
It's really a cross between a sidecar and a manhattan. You can use lemon, lime or a combinatin and experiment with the sweetness. Some like straight lime and no sugar at all.
who's a foodie here?
I'm a foodie, too. It's a shame that a perfectly good word has become a stigma. Like liberal. Or gay. I read on Chowhound that the hounds are definitely not foodies. What the heck are they then? They spend all day chiming in to every possible thread, ranting about everything from holes-in-the-wall to El Bulli. They're foodies. Take back the word. Foodies unite!
Restaurants in Paris?
I had a fantastic meal at le Petit Verdot:
http://www.le-petit-verdot.com/
Very friendly, unassuming and perfectly conceived and executed cuisine.
Are you sick of winter? What is your ideal summertime meal?
Brandt prime skirt steaks rubbed with pimenton and chunky sea salt with sides of chimichurri, marinated tomatoes, arugula with shaved piave (and not baby arugula, either), Anchor wheat with lemon; olives and feta and lemons and fresh oregano. Show me another winter squash and I'll show you a frown.
Sauces: All I want is a good remoulade recipe
To the OP
Are you looking for a Cajun remoulade or a French remoulade?
Valentine's Day Chocolate Candy - The Best is _________
Christopher Norman, especially basil-apricot truffle
Sauces: All I want is a good remoulade recipe
We serve this with cold lobster:
Remoulade
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 Tbsp capers in brine
2 Tbsp minced tarragon
2 Tbsp minced watercress
1 tsp minced anchovy
pinches of salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients in blender, food processor or by hand, depending on preference
Store covered in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
Cooking-related thermometers, used or ignored?
Thermometers are essential for the home cook. I insist that my cooks use them for roasts, because it takes more experience than most of them have to hit temps on larger cuts of meat. My rule is that tender roasts such as prime rib, rack of lamb, beef tenderloin, pork loin etc, shouls be removed from the oven at about 127 degrees, and obviously a thermometer eliminates the guesswork.
I think Taylor instant read thermometers are fine, although they do need to be calibrated after every few uses. I prefer digital.
What challenges do left-handed cooks face?
My father is left-handed and a serious wine enthusiast. On ebay I was able to buy him a Laguiole corkscrew for southpaws. He loves it and delights in having his right-handed friends try to open a bottle.
Calling All At-Home Sushi Experts...
All very good advice, myzkyti. I like to try western flavors in sushi: minced shrimp with strong cocktail sauce and chives; white anchovy, hard boiled egg and green goddess dressing; turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce; country ham with honey mustard.
Also, if you find the nori too strong, make inside out rolls. It is less pronounced. Or don't use nori at all - try a blanched collard green, or bunch spinach. Or nothing but rice.
Jamon Iberico in NYC - I understand it is available now.
It's being imported by Rogers International out of Portland, ME. They sell to all of the major Manhattan specialty foods stores. Having had it, I can't justify the "MSRP" of over $100/lb, but I don't know what they're charging in the city. btw I'm referring to the Jamon Iberico de belotta, not the regular Iberico ham which is less expensive but not too difficult to find.
Rootin' for the rutabaga...
PerkyMac - any chance you are Canadian? In my family they're known as turnips, and are a holiday meal staple prepared just as you said. At the restaurant we boil them, mash with salt and pepper and use them as ravioli filling for a salmon dish.
Boycotting Food Companies
The AFA will see that you burn in Hell for your radical leftist views...
Getting garlic/onion odors out of wooden cutting boards?
Fyi, the baking soda slurry worked like a charm. Dumped a bunch of baking soda on there, then a little bit of boiling water from the kettle and scrubbed/slurried. I let it soak in the baking soda paste for about 15 minutes, then rinsed it off with very hot water/boiling water. No more garlic-flavored apples– thanks for the great tip!
Vegetable broth
Look for a vegetable base paste.. they tend to have more flavor than the dry bouillon. These products are generally shelf stable and fairly cheap when compared to liquid broths or stocks.
Integrative Flavors has several options for your vegetarian friend.
I need new knives - any recommendations?
TOO EXPENSIVE KNIVES....
Brand loyalty...which products?
Kathyvegas, where do you find Kimlan soy sauce for purchase? It's so delicious, but i've only seen it in little packets with takeaway sushi.
For me, Kewpie mayo. And Muir /glen roasted tomatoes. And Pederson Farms bacon.
Brand loyalty...which products?
Naturally More or Justin's Nut Butter peanut butter
Ragu Old World Style Flavored with Meat sauce (which I like almost as much as homemade...sad, I know)
Campbell's Select Healthy Request soups
Brand loyalty...which products?
De Cecco pasta
Ghiradelli chocolate chips
Brown Cow yogurt
Beeler's bacon
Boulder Canyon potato chips
Real Fritos
Coca-Cola
Not particularly loyal about most other things... of course, I'm probably just kidding myself...
Brand loyalty...which products?
Sabra hummus especially the jalepeno flavor along with...
Stacy's Pita chips the simply naked flavor
Daisy cottage cheese I find the store brands too watery.
pickled watermelon
My grandmother made it all the time when I was a kid. It was always made using the rind, skin and flesh. It was one of those things that we always looked forward to. Unfortunately the recipe was kept in her head and she took it with her when she passes away. I've been looking for this recipe for about 10 years with now luck. Maybe one day!! :)
Cooking-related thermometers, used or ignored?
I've never used a thermometer, and I've never had a badly cooked roasted chicken or anything along that nature. I tend to follow recommended cooking times per pound and my gut.
However, I did buy my first candy thermometer today. I've made candy in the past, i.e. fudge & caramel without one and have never had a problem there either. But I wanted to try making marshmallows and the temperature of the syrup plays an important role and I didn't want to chance it with the dropping a small ball in a cup of cold water to see if it makes a round ball method.
A word for former vegetarians who eat free range meat?
Compassionate Shopper? If you are one, and in the UK, you might find Compassion in World Farming's Compassionate Shopping Guide useful
Turkey Brine!
Okay...I have a clarifying quesiton about the Butterball turkeys and brining...I bought a fresh Butterball turkey, the only ingredient is turkey. I noticed that the frozen Butterballs had a lot more ingredients (water, salt, phosphates). Can I assume that brining the fresh Butterball is okay, but probably not okay for the frozen?
Turkey Brine!
I had a butterball once in my life and it wasn't any better than the cheapo's.Never tried brining one,usually we have either a roasted one or a smoked one,and always a fried one.i'm a butcher in a large grocery store,and a customer asked me to split a frozen butterball for her,it looked like it had a big glob of butter flavored crisco injected into it and totally grossed me out.I like to keep things fairly simple at thenksgiving.We have a lot of food,but i think it's way more important to enjoy your family rather than get all stressed about the food.
Turkey Brine!
Hello everyone, I just joined and have to add my 2 cents. I looked up "should I brine a Butter Ball turkey" and with all the comments, now I know why my son-in-laws call me a "food snob" I usually sound like most of you. I have cooked many, many turkeys before, but for personal reasons this year, I bought a 15#, butterball turkey this year.[usually have a 20-25 #er] I have always ordered the best organic, free range turkey, fresh, that I could find, and almost always brine my turkey. But, because I grabbed a BB, I wondered, since I know they have been injected by lord knows what, if I should or should not brine. Now I'm sorry I didn't do as I usually do. Thanks for all the information. Think I won't brine. Did I hear Alton Brown wrong? I thought he said remove at 151 and tent. Off topic, but where on earth do you people find the degree figure?
Whole salmon
Thanks for the suggestions, I may have to pass on the poaching in my sink though. To answer Wookie's question, it's a 6.5 pound sockeye.
Whole salmon
I swear that I once saw on a TV cooking show (can't remember which one, but it was a British show) a whole salmon poached in the kitchen sink.
The fish was placed in the (presumably spanking clean) sink with the plug in, and boiling water was poured over to cover, with a few dill fronds and lemon slices. The whole sink was covered in foil and just left for about 20 minutes or so. It came out looking PERFECT!!! Just cooked, lovely and pink and served with homemade aioli or maybe lemon mayo
Did I dream this? Has anyone else heard of this?
Whole salmon
@zapatista--are you serious? I could have parasites?! Are they like those worms in swordfish?
New grill
@all.......periodically, check the connection where the gas enters the grill. I had my grill on my deck just slightly pulled away from the house and had just started to pre-heat it. Luckily, my back door is all glass. I looked out and noticed flames UNDER the grill, and as my mind was processing that, they grew up and over and reached the first floor roof. I grabbed the phone on my way out and called 911. All of the knobs had melted. I couldn't get the knob on top of the tank to move. Talk about panic - I was afraid the tank would explode and there goes me and my house. Long story short, I did finally manage to turn the tank off (just under the flames) and didn't use a gas grill for many years after that. Maintenance is crucial!
Restaurants in Paris?
I'm a flight attendant and go to Paris weekly. My absolute favorite bistrot is called Baribal, is not charming, and has the most magnificent food with incredibly low prices. They have gargantuan portions; some favorites are veal with roquefort sauce, lamb kidneys with mustard sauce, duck magret,lardon salad. Pasteur metro stop. Good markets are Poncelet Market (Terne metro stop)and it's not open Mondays; Roosevelt Market, also not open Mondays. L'ami Jean in the 15th on Malar is fantastic; just down a few doors is L'affriole, fantastic menu that changes almost as often as L'ami Jean. If you go to L'ami Jean make sure someone gets their signature rice pudding; you won't be disappointed. Another good restaurant is called Le Relais de Venise close to Congress. It's just off the Champs Elysees and has no menu. Patrons start to queue around 6:45pm for the first seating, and the only thing they serve is entrecote of beef with a mysterious tarragon sauce, hand-cut fries, and a simple salad. Seconds are automatically doled out without question, and you will want seconds. All that's required it how rare you enjoy your steak and what you'd like to sip. Have fun...
Does anyone go to Whole Foods Market?
Here's some info from WholeFoods Markup on the east side.
Enhanced chicken?
I've been on a chicken roasting binge the past few months, (a chicken/week), and I've tried everything from free-range organic to what must have been a practical jokers rubber version!
The results were about what you would expect. I did think Pilgrims Pride was the best of the "adulterated" birds though.
Enhanced chicken?
@renzata: brined or injected?
@kjgibson: yep, I think so too.
It's a small world, or else Serious Eats readers have ESP. I was just mildly complaining (OK, bitching) today about trying to find a decent chicken that did not have this injection process in its life & death process. Hard to find, unless you buy frozen around these parts.
Time to raise chickens, both for fresh and cheap eggs and control over what goes into them before they go into your stomach!
Enhanced chicken?
Well, the chicken turned out last night with no ill effects. It was pretty much the same as my usual roast chicken and, in fact, I probably could have seasoned it a bit more, so my unscientific opinion would be that the added broth solution does little, if anything, to the flavor. It was, I think, a little moister than my usual, which could be due to the enhancements OR my ever-improving culinary skills ;)
Since I have three more in my freezer it's comforting to have completed a test run! By the way, these were purchased at about $3.50 per 4-lb bird so you can understand my desire that these taste as good as they are a value.
Beef tips: I need to be educated
I totally agree with Loco about buying the whole tenderloin if you have the space. Otherwise, at least buy some whole filets or sirloin and cut them up yourself--usually better meat, and cheaper. If you freeze the meat about 20 minutes it will slice very easily.
Also one of my favorite meals this winter has been Cooks Illustrated's Beef Stroganoff which uses filet mignon, but a little goes a long way. I've also had the butcher chop the filets for me. That allows me to choose the filets I want, while also saving me time and money from buying the tips, or doing it myself.
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About zapatista
Location: Boston
About: I am a fine-dining chef of many years, have a wife and two sons, compose music on the computer, play a Gibson SG and ES335, an Almansa 447 and a Martin D28 (rarely). I would love to join Manu Chao and Radio Bemba Soundsystem on stage someday.
Favorite foods: Pimenton, marcona almonds, cheeses, charcuterie, olives, chimichurri, Brandt Beef, Nantucket bay scallops - actually pretty much anything unprocessed except hazelnuts, green bell peppers and poorly cooked eggplant.
Last bite on earth: Warm baguette, Saint Agur or Brillat-Savarin and red bell pepper jam.
Wookie - I'd be careful with the sashimi, and still somewhat with the gravlax. Wild salmon is prone to parasites; the Japanese do not eat it raw, (they do cure it) and it is illegal to serve it raw in the US unless it has been frozen to -40 degrees. My advice would be to slow cook some in the oven (250 degrees until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 150 degrees) and hot smoke the remainder for smoked salmon salad or pate (smoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, lemon juice, horseradish, blah blah blah.)