I eat way too much cheese. And i don't think my stomach always agrees with me on that choice.
But who the hell could stop eating cheese? Nobody that's who.
But no Femme, i haven't been able to afford it yet, i'm on the cusp but driving ed took precedence
I made a pasta dish tonight with a blue cheese-based sauce that had peas and toasted walnuts mixed in for flavor. I've never been all that fond of blue cheese but I have to say it worked out very well here, giving the pasta a nice tangy taste. Best of all I barely had to do any prep work. It was very simple and easy to make, definitely adding it to the regular repretoire.
Blue cheese and nuts are a classic combination. The peas was a new touch but i can see how it works.
Maybe you should throw in some bacon too next time, cause bacon and blue cheese are best buds
Checklist of strange new dishes that i want to try to make this summer.
Beer can chicken
Fish curry
Plum stuffed porkbutt
Texas style chili con carne
Bangbang chicken
A from scratch pizza
Chicken tacos with a black mole sauce
On top of that i plan on making a whole bunch of soups, pea soups, mushroom soups you name it, which i almost never do, and to go with those soups i also plan on dabbling a bit in baking, maybe learning how to make some nice everyday bread, maybe even baguettes depending on how hard it is.
On on the dessert front i plan on trying my hand at creme brule, pannacotta and creama de mascarpone.
And maybe try to make a chocolate mousse or two.
Are there any artichoke lovers out there? Tastiest flower that I've ever eaten.
In fact, they may just be my favorite dish. I've been trying my hand at all sorts of preparations, but here's what I've found is the best recipe for me:
1. Start Boiling the Water:
Rinse all of the artichokes that you intend to cook, place them into a large pot together, and then cover them with water. They'll start to float, so only fill with enough water to get them floating. Too much water, and it will take too long to get it boiling. You want enough water to float the 'chokes a few centimeters from the bottom of the pot. Remove the artichokes from the water. Add a couple teaspoons of salt, and enough lemon juice or vinegar so that you can taste the sourness in the water (I've found that you can't really add too much acid). Cover and bring the water mixture to a boil over high heat.
2. While waiting, prep the artichokes:
Cut the stems from the flowers with a knife, leaving about 1-2 cm. Rip off any small petals near the base of the 'choke that are starting to turn purple or don't look healthy. Cut the top of the flower off with a knife, approximately 2-3 cm down. The goal should be to slice into nearly all the petals in the center of the artichoke. A nice 'choke will have a beautiful gradient of colors on top if you do this correctly. With a pair of kitchen shears, continue to remove the top 1-2 cm of every uncut petal around the outside of the choke. Repeat this process for all of your 'chokes, then give them a final rinse to make sure that they're clean.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the artichokes and cook covered for 25-40 minutes.
Once you add the artichokes, the water will cool off and stop boiling. Cover the pot and wait for it to start boiling again, then reduce the temperature to medium-high heat. Turn the artichokes with a spoon or tongs after 10-15 minutes to make sure that they boil evenly. Check them at 25 minutes by inserting a fork into the stem of one of the flowers. If the fork goes in with almost no pressure, then they're ready, otherwise check again in another 5-10 minutes. When done, remove from heat and pull the 'chokes out of the water with tongs. Cover the 'chokes and let them set in the fridge or at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. If put in the fridge at this point, the 'chokes will last for at least a week.
You can dispose of the leftover water from boiling.
4. Halve the artichokes, then "choke" them.
Once the 'chokes have set (cooked all the way to the center), we can finish preparing them. They can be eaten as they are right now, and would be excellent with a little butter. We're going to kick it up a notch, though:
Using a very sharp knife, slice the artichokes in half. Set them upside down on the cutting board and cut them slowly from stem to top with a steady back and forth motion of your knife. Too much downward pressure will rip the petals from the heart, which you want to try to avoid. Slow and steady wins the race, here.
If the artichokes are fully mature, then you will notice small fibers growing up from the surface of the artichokes' hearts. This is called the "choke" of the plant. Simply use a small spoon to scoop the choke off of the heart, leaving behind a nice smooth surface as well as the innermost petals of the artichoke.
5. Marinate and pan sear the artichoke halves.
Feel free to marinate the artichokes the same way you would any meat. A rule of thumb that I tend to go with is half oil, half acid (lemon juice/vinegar), and salt/spices/herbs to taste. Balsamic vinegar or brown sugar can be added/substituted if a sweeter flavor is desired. The simplest marinade I have ever used is just a quick sprinkling of sesame oil. The artichoke halves can be marinated for as little as 15 minutes, as much as several days.
Preheat a skillet on the stove over medium to medium-high heat. The larger the artichokes, the lower you want this heat setting. Add enough oil to cover the pan. You can brown some minced garlic at this point to add to the flavor, or simply add the artichoke halves, face down, to the pan. Let them cook uncovered or covered with a good vent for another 10-15 minutes or so, flipping one every now and then to check for doneness. Once the cut side is browned nicely, flip the chokes over and toss around a bit to make sure the oil/marinade gets all over them. Let them sit on their petals in the pan for another couple minutes, and they're done!
It's definitely a lot of work, but I can promise you all that the reward is well worth the effort.
You can also change up the last step. Once you've marinated your 'choke halves (you can quarter them if you like, though this is a lot harder to do), they can be broiled, baked, grilled, and/or fried. They won't need long for this last step since you've basically cooked them completely already with the boiling process. The last step is all about adding flavor and cooking out excess moisture.
If you try this recipe out, let me know what you think! I am always looking for more suggestions, too. Feel free to ask for clarification if I've been too nebulous, here. Enjoy!
Aye, I love artichokes. Normally I just cook them like you instructed and dip the leaves in heated margarine and salt. They're so delicious just like that.
Now i've never tried 'em. But i hear they go well on a pizza, so might have to give that a try.
Well, if you're going on a strange food kick, wolfwood, then I definitely suggest trying out the most savory flower on the planet. If you're not feeling overly adventurous, then try what Dryish suggested and stop after my step 3. They come out simply amazing that way.
Rip one petal off at a time, starting from the outside. Dip the petal in a little melted salted butter/margarine, and then use your teeth to peel the "meat" off of the inner side of the petal. It's amazing, and the petals get meatier and tastier as you get closer to the heart.
The hearts themselves are the best part, and I've found that the second level of cooking (my steps 4 and 5) is what really unlocks their full potential. Pan searing is something I've only tried three times now, but even the worst attempt came out better than my best attempt at grilling/baking/etc.
Oh, butter would absolutely taste better with them so definitely try that. I just can't because I'm allergic to milk so I have to use replacing products.
Another advantage of marinating and cooking a second time is that the petals don't need to be dipped in anything upon eating. You can make the marinades pretty healthy too.
Well, if you're going on a strange food kick, wolfwood, then I definitely suggest trying out the most savory flower on the planet. If you're not feeling overly adventurous, then try what Dryish suggested and stop after my step 3. They come out simply amazing that way.
I am never not on a new food kick. And veggies have always been my weak spot.
Might as well give it a try one of these days. I mean anything that arouses that kind of passion is probably worth a try
I am never not on a new food kick. And veggies have always been my weak spot.
Might as well give it a try one of these days. I mean anything that arouses that kind of passion is probably worth a try
I am certainly passionate about them. If I'm going to follow my recipe, though, then they will usually be the "star" of the meal, so to speak.
If you only want to add them to a pizza, then you'd probably be better off just buying quartered artichoke hearts. They sell them in cans/jars at most grocery stores.
I'm not too big on eating greens all on their own. It's not a dealbreaker by any means.
But whenever possible i prefer to work them into a dish, or process them into a nice side dish
Thing with arties is that you need to eat them individually with your hands, unless you've cut away all the inedible material first. You could always add them to some larger vegetable dish, like roasted onions, peppers and tomatoes, but you'd still have to eat them kind of separately.
Like I said, if this is the approach that you're going for, you'd be better off purchasing prepared artichoke hearts. You could also try my recipe with baby artichokes, though you'd still probably have to discard quite a few of the outer petals. And probably all of the cooking steps would go a lot faster.
Last night, I made these pan seared arties after I reduced a bunch of cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, summer savory, cayenne pepper, and sesame oil into a sauce. It was to die for. I have leftovers in the fridge that are beckoning to me right now, but I must be strong so that my wife can at least have one for herself.
I've only had an artichoke once, that I can remember. I had no idea what I was doing, and tried to eat an entire leaf, at first. That didn't work out so well, obviously.
Although everyone did explain the actual concept to me after having a good laugh at my expense, and it was pretty good, from what I can remember. Seems like a fair bit of effort to me, though, honestly, and not the sort of thing I would do with any regularity whatsoever. Artichoke hearts are amazingly delicious though!
Artichoke is good for bagna càuda too. :)
Bagna cuda is some sort of sauce right?
Bagna cuda is some sort of sauce right?
Ehhr, I dunno what to call it. :v It's basically olive oil and butter with a ton of garlic and some anchovy in which you dip stuff like bread and vegetables. It's served hot like a fondue. Wikipedia has some more information about it
Food people of AP i summon thee. I need some ideas for a weekly food schedule.
I'll take all suggestions on good soups, minced meat dishes, stews, roasts and anything else you can think of.
I'm just throwing this out there, turkey chili can be pretty tasty, filling and healthy all at the same time. It's great in slow cookers, and especially in large batches.
Are you looking for recipes, or just ideas?
I was mostly thinking of ideas, just getting a gauge on what others eat on a regular basis.
But if you got a good recipe then certainly share.
Christmas time is almost upon us… I'll be making pressylta and kalvsylta for this years "julbord" for the first time... So tomorrow I'll make a trial run, provided I can get my hands on a pighead this early. :v I'll make some pepparkakor too and some candid orangepeels. :) A lot of work but it will be worth it. The food is the best part of christmas after all! :D
Any of you guys have any experience with Julia Child's mastering the art of french cooking?
It recently got a translated re-release over here, and i'm curious if it's any good, or if it's one of those classics that were great at some point, but nowadays is just too old fasioned and dated to be of any real use.
Simplest meal I can make is Teriyaki Beef and Rice. Of course I cheat by getting teriyaki sauce bottled and marinade some beef strips in it. I sometimes add soy sauceto the frying period if I fancy extra. Just that with some chopped Spring onions added for the last minute of cooking and with some rice and it makes a nise quick easy tasting meal.
It's burger time. I'm getting on a burger kick lately. I've been baking buns, picking cheeses and buying meat for mince.
I've been meaning to try out a bunch of less conventional toppings, like beets, wine compot, chevre, mushrooms, marmelade, gorgonzola, pineapple, mango etc. And of course different kinds of mince, or mince blends. Like surf and turf burgers, or chicken and pork.
I've made some really nice pretzel buns for burgers lately. It's really just the same as making normal buns, you just boil the dough in a baking soda and water mixture for a minute or so before you bake the bread. They're really delicious.
Pretzel bread huh. Sounds crunchy.
Man i had almost forgotten that pretzels even existed. In the world of snacks that's a lowkey player that is.
Any of you guys have any experience with Julia Child's mastering the art of french cooking?
It recently got a translated re-release over here, and i'm curious if it's any good, or if it's one of those classics that were great at some point, but nowadays is just too old fasioned and dated to be of any real use.
Sorry to be late on replying to this.
Only thing I know is Julia ain't your grandma's cooking. It's as classic french as your can get, which can be considered a very good base, and if you can conquer Julia you can conquer anything, so to speak.
And Julia was a graduate of my college, so we love her!!
Sorry to be late on replying to this.
Only thing I know is Julia ain't your grandma's cooking. It's as classic french as your can get, which can be considered a very good base, and if you can conquer Julia you can conquer anything, so to speak.
And Julia was a graduate of my college, so we love her!!
It's a bit of a tough read so far. Not quite as structured a book as i'm used to.
The recipes seem to be oldies but goodies though.
Made a hugely bastardized noodle wok today. With shredded carrots and cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, water chestnut, bamboo sprouts, rice noodles and shredded pork. And the wok sauce was a thrown together mix of garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, ketjap manis, sweet and sour chili sauce, sambal oelek, a little apple cider vinegar anda teeny bit of mango chutney. Tasted pretty great.
Today my gf baked some baguettes and i made a simple curry and chicken mix to go on top.
I used some boiled chicken, mayo, creme fraiche, a chopped up hardboiled egg, curry, minced paprika, chili flakes and some mango chutney.
And some slices of tomato and cucumber to go with it and make it a little greener and more colorful
I finally made that bigos that I was gonna make. It turned out good for the most part. The recipe I found called for red wine, but I didn't use it. (Maybe next time.) But I also did add extra meat in the recipe as well. Among some other ingredients that were increased like carrots for example. Though next time, I think I switch out the kielbasa for some other type of sausage. The one I had was kinda salty, and I can't really get the real stuff since they don't sell it in my area. Anyways, I do plan to make my own version of it in the future, but will take some time. Have to figure out what to add, take out, etc.
This was the recipe I used for by the way:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/138131/bigos-hunters-stew/
Made a "nordvästskåns sillasoppa" today, or "northwest Scanian Atlantic herring soup". I modified the recipe some, made my own fish stock for it because making stock is what I'm all about. It turned out really damn well. Probably the best soup I've ever made. O_o I had to really force myself to stop eating it because I wanted to save some to see how it will fare frozen.
Also made a German cake called "Käsekuchen"… Sort of a cheesecake but with quark instead of cream cheese? Lots of work but it also turned out great. Gonna make both again sometime. :)
I know this thread died back in 2015, but I didn't want to start a new one if there was already one.
Regardless, been trying to cook at home more, and made for dinner lambchops and asparagus today! I never cooked lambchops before, but looked up a recipe online –> https://www.jessicagavin.com/rosemary-and-thyme-lamb-chops/ to help me guide through it. I just replaced the stuff I didn't have with other ingredients. The minced garlic for garlic powder and the parsley for dried dill; as well using a different type of salt and oil. And it turned out pretty good, though I guess it was slightly burned, but it was yummy! Anyways, here is a picture of the meal I had today:
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I made this recipe today along with mashed potatoes and a can of green beans as sides -> https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21649/sausage-balls/
It was alright, I had to add some water to keep it all together, but otherwise I sorta liked it! Felt like cheddar biscuits with a touch of sausage to be honest. It tasted better when I put it together with the green beans and the mashed potatoes in one bite!
Here's a picture of the meal:
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Yesterday, I went to my favorite Ramen place in my city!
I had Chicken Karaage for my appetizer:
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And Tom Yum Men for the main dish:
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Both were extremely good! I usually always get Chicken Karaage there! It's so yummy! And the Tom Yum Men was a little spicy but it was good and something different from what I usually get there! :happy:
