The AP Corner Bistro

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INTRODUCTION

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I love to cook. It is absolutely one of my favorite things to do. There's just something sublime about creating something from scratch and watching other people enjoy it. And, if you'll allow me a quick tangent here, That's the same reason I want to tell stories.

My cooking philosophy is simple: Write a story. What I mean by that is writing a story is just like cooking. There are all these different ingredients that you choose from and bring together to create a product. When you're just winging it and creating something all your own, there are going to be a lot of failures, but every now and then you'll make something that just works. When you give it to others you see their eyes light up and smiles break across their face. And that is the best feeling in the world. And then the best part, just like a story, your food is never done. You might write down the recipe and say "This is it!" But throughout time you'll continue to change it, make it better. Delighting people more and more.

I started writing when I was six. I started cooking (or helping my mother in the kitchen( when I was eight. I didn't make the connection between the two till I was 16. But that was when cooking suddenly made sense to me; that's when I started creating. It took five years to get me to where I am now. Along that way I've gone from just being able to make vegetarian dishes, to being able to make some wonderful recipes that featured even meat. And now, here I am, going back to vegetarian. One thing that hasn't changed, however, is one piece of knowledge: Most people my age (especially the males) don't know how to cook.

That's actually what prompted this thread. I called for recipes in the Vegetarian thread, I knew but it really shouldn't be limited there. Especially since so many members of this site aren't vegetarians. Thus, the Corner Bistro was born.

My idea for this thread is that cooks and non cooks alike will come together here and share tips and tricks, recipes, and ideas. Ideally, we'll all continue to grow as cooks.

As such, I'm going to divide this first post into two sections: tips and tricks, and recipes. (The recipe section will have sub categories based on dish type, e.g. Poultry, Beef, Veg, etc.) In each I will post links to the posts featuring said tips, tricks, and recipes. When all is said and done, we will have created our very own Arlong Park Cookbook!

I also mentioned ideas. What I mean for that is maybe I have an idea for a dish featuring a certain set of ingredients, or even one that just kind of follows a theme–I'll post my idea here and all the other other cooks could try and see what they can do with it. Who knows, through collaboration we might be able to create some new recipe.

I know my aspiratiosn for this thread are big, perhaps too much so, but I have faith AP. As a great fictional chef once said: "Anyone can cook!" Whether it be a fun recipe for making Ramen taste delicious, or even if it's just a recipe you found online that you enjoy. Maybe you just know an awesome way of peeling a potato. Whatever it is, post and share!

All of us here are ingredients, so let's come together to create something great!

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THE ARLONG PARK COOKBOOK

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Tips and Tricks
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A little bit of sour cream in the batter will make your cake more moist, and i can't be tasted.
Add some mil to your mashed potatoes to make them nice and creamy.
Remember to keep your knives sharp.

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Recipes
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Poultry
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Chrissie's Oven Peas

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Beef
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Pork
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Fish
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Femme's Tuna Salad Sandwich

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Vegetarian
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Breakfast
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Soup
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Salad
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Femme's Chick Pea Salad

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Pasta
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Dessert
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Other
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Smudger's Shepard Pie

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I'll add more sub categories as needed, but that should cover pretty much everything.

TL;DR: Post tips and tricks for cooking and whatever recipes you like or have created yourself!

UPDATED: 3/27/13

Cruithne

Putting sour cream in cake batter makes the cake more moist in the end.

And you can't taste it.

trappedolphin

I love this idea!

My older sister has requested that I make marshmallow fudge for her birthday, which I've never tried before. I found a recipe but since I've never done it before, I'm not too sure if there's anything I should look out for~ Would appreciate any help or tips

Demon Rin

I usually make this to taste, so I'm approximating on the quantities of ingredients.

I also make it in very large batches, so that's what this recipe is made for.

Demon Rin's Cream of Potato and Bacon Soup

Ingredients:

! - 11 Potatoes

6 Oz. Real Bacon Pieces (2 Bags Oscar Meyer Brand pieces should do)
6 Scallions/Green Onions finely chopped
12 Baby Carrots, evenly chopped
4 table spoons raw white onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup flower
1 stick of butter
4 cups of water
1 Quart Half & Half
1 Cup whole milk
3 Table spoons Sour Cream
1 Bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese

! Seasonings (Season to taste)

Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Salt
Basil
Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

! Step 1: Bring water to a boil. Peel and Chop the Potatoes into small chunks no more than 2 in x 2 in and throw them into water after it comes to a boil. Let boil for a while.
! Step 2: Do all vegetable Chopping. Carrots should be evenly chopped into small circles, Green and White Onions should both be finely diced. Evenly mix together in one container to be fed into the soup later.
! Step 3: After potatoes have had 5-7 minutes to boil, begin heating the water in a large non-stick pot on high first just to get it started. Stir in the Milk, Half & Half, sour cream, and butter and continue to stir until the butter is melted. As it heats up, feed in the flower slowly and mix thoroughly. Once bubbles start to appear in the mixture, but before it's fully boiling, turn heat down to medium.
! Step 4: Feed in the chopped vegetables slowly, mixing together everything thoroughly. Check Potatoes periodically. They are done when putting a fork in one chunk makes it begin to fall apart.
! Step 5: Drain water out of potatoes and drop about half the potatoes into the main soup mixture. Using a potato masher (or preferably an electric Egg beater) mash the potatoes and mix thoroughly. Once the mashing and mixing is done, pour the remaining potatoes in. You can vary how many you mash vs how many you don't depending on how chunky you like your soup.
! Step 6: Stir in the Bacon Bits. Sprinkle in a few pinches of the Cheddar Cheese. Begin lightly seasoning. Do not over season as the soup will taste a bit bland at this point. It needs to simmer so the ingredients can soak in each others flavors.
! Step 7: Lower heat to Medium-Low, Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Check at every 5 minute interval and stir. After the first 15 minutes, as you open the lid the Bacon smell should have become more prominent. At this point, begin fully seasoning to taste
! Step 8: Let simmer covered on Medium-Low for a time, check and stir periodically until the soup thickens.
! Step 9: Serve with fresh baked dinner rolls to dip in the soup. Sprinkle more Cheddar cheese onto the top as desired.

Viola! You are done!

A few notes:

If cooking for Lactose Intolerant people, far less of the Dairy products can be used but should be substituted with water and instant Mashed potato flakes.

Varying the ratio of Half & Half to Milk To Water will affect the creaminess of the soup. Basically, Half & Half is creamier than milk which is creamier than water. Depending on how thick and creamy you want your soup, you can vary the amounts.

zachri

A bit of milk in your mashed potatoes makes 'em nice and creamy.
Hgn.

Cyclone_Baroness

A Pasta or casserole catergory would be nice.

MiyamotoMusashi

The majority of the recipes i use for cooking are from this book http://www.gourmetnutrition.com/

*Meh*

More of a kitchen reminder than a tip or trick: keep your knives sharp. By "knife", I mean any edged tool or appliance that is used for cutting. Just don't over-sharpen.

Kitsune Inferno

Haha, I just had this idea last night at work…

tatermoog

I'm not that bad of a cook, but a few tips from a few of my worst mistakes:

-Uncooked spaghetti, if it falls into the burner, can and will burst into flame unexpectedly.
-Chives are not the same thing as cloves.
-Chocolate syrup is not an effective substitute for molasses.
-Be careful slamming the oven door when baking cookies lest you hit the cookie sheet, shoving all the cookies into one pile and creating one massive pile of warm-to-hot cookie dough.
-Drinking milk straight from the bottle/jug makes it go bad faster. Sometimes much faster.
-Do not try to lick the cookie dough from the mixer while the mixer is still plugged in.
-Don't test a knife's sharpness with your thumb.

Femme

Yay Cooking thread.

What to share….hmm okay.

Three of my favourite recipes.. together: Tuna salad sandwich, Chick pea salad, and hot and sour soup.

Chick Pea salad:

[hide]Main ingredients: Canned chick peas and French dressing

Everything else is up to preference, I used Lettuce, cucumber, carrot and sweet bell peppers.
Adding a little sprinkle of salt and pepper on top makes it extra good.

I can and have eaten an entire bowl of this for dinner.[/hide]

Tuna Salad Sandwich
[hide]1 can tuna
1/2 sweet bell pepper, chopped finely
1 Dill pickle, chopped finely
1 green onion, chopped finely
A few branches of coriander, chopped finely
2.5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Sriracha
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
Black pepper to taste
Granulated garlic powder to taste.
Sliced and toasted bread.

Bell pepper heart is mandatory.
YUM.[/hide]

Hot and Sour Soup [hide]8 cups chicken stock
1/4 can Bamboo shoots
4 Shiitake mushrooms, finely sliced (or dehydrated ones, soaked and sliced)
4-5 Tablespoons Black rice vinegar (or to taste)
2-3 Tablespoons Soya Sauce (or to taste)
3-4 Minced garlic cloves
Boil all that for 10 minutes
Add 1/4 - 1/2 Package of Firm Tofu, chopped into small cubes
Boil for 5 minutes
Add chili pepper to taste
Add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
Add 1 tablespoon mixed cornstarch in a small bowl of cold water
Boil for 5 minutes until sauce thickens
Add 1 small bunch of finely chopped coriander (I mean one PLANT)
Take soup off heat
Pour one scrambled egg in the middle of the soup
Let sit for 10 seconds, then slowly swirl your spoon around, creating egg trails.
Eat.
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Sonic Youth

Aw shucks, If I had entered AP an hour ago I would have been able to post pictures of my waffles + recipe. Now it's all gone…

Shuhan

ahem…:ninja:

http://apforums.net/showthread.php?t=27986

1PceXperience

I know this probably doesn't count but…

today I made peanut butter crackers with raisins on top with a side Hot Chocolate. It was very delicious and I was proud of myself.

Por favor, disfrutar de su comida~

miniaaron

I love this idea! Maybe I will have a try today!

Smudger

This threads about food right?

Well I'm cooking again and thought I'd show you the brilliance of English cooking. Bone appetite~

BEHOLD THE BACKBONE OF ENGLAND'S STOMACH, THE SHEPHARDS PIE!

Ingredients: lamb mince, nutmeg, salt, pepper, beef stock, gravy, carrots, peas, kidney beans, baked beans, chickpeas, butter beans, butter, milk, mature cheddar, potatoes, thyme, paprika and one secret ingredient. The right order and quantity should result in some awesome home cooking that's perfect for those winter months.

The key is really in the potatoe. Lots of milk and butter mashed thoroughly till you get a really fluffy complexion. The lamb, stock, spices, herbs and gravy all need to be slow cooked for a while to allow every portion of mince to really absorb the flavour.

As for cooking, oven the whole thing once it's been layer out in your dish. When it's just about cooked through flip it to grill and glaze the whole top till a light brown crust appears.. It'll hold together better when serving and look great

Nami

@Smudger:

This threads about food right?

Well I'm cooking again and thought I'd show you the brilliance of English cooking. Bone appetite~

BEHOLD THE BACKBONE OF ENGLAND'S STOMACH, THE SHEPHARDS PIE!

Ingredients: lamb mince, nutmeg, salt, pepper, beef stock, gravy, carrots, peas, kidney beans, baked beans, chickpeas, butter beans, butter, milk, mature cheddar, potatoes, thyme, paprika and one secret ingredient. The right order and quantity should result in some awesome home cooking that's perfect for those winter months.

The key is really in the potatoe. Lots of milk and butter mashed thoroughly till you get a really fluffy complexion. The lamb, stock, spices, herbs and gravy all need to be slow cooked for a while to allow every portion of mince to really absorb the flavour.

As for cooking, oven the whole thing once it's been layer out in your dish. When it's just about cooked through flip it to grill and glaze the whole top till a light brown crust appears.. It'll hold together better when serving and look great

not enough salt, not enough seasoned. Some vegetables were undercooked and the potato mash had no flavour whatsoever.

Smudger

Wow, I spend hours and put in loads of effort to cook and this is what I get In response.

What's the point even trying with you.

wolfwood

@Nami:

not enough salt, not enough seasoned. Some vegetables were undercooked and the potato mash had no flavour whatsoever.

But yeah a cooking thread. How did i miss this. I'mma gonna be posting here

trappedolphin

grilled wolf with a side of mash

EDIT: oh and I'm going to be making fudge tomorrow. my original plan was to make marshmallow fudge but the store was out of marshmallow creme so I'm just going for nuts.

wolfwood

@trappedolphin:

grilled wolf with a side of mash

With some nice tart lingonberry jam. Sweet and sour is the only way to go baby

Nami

@Smudger:

Wow, I spend hours and put in loads of effort to cook and this is what I get In response.

What's the point even trying with you.

I could get personal now but instead I'll just say: You asked.

And I remember trying for you, too. The result is now in the trash with you making it fairly clear to me how much you disliked my attempts of "trying".

oh and btw. if that already makes you furious I better not tell you what someone else said to me about your cooking skills. And I at least ate this whole massive plate you gave me while you couldn't even eat one tiny piece without me forcing it into your mouth.

trappedolphin

@wolfwoof:

With some nice tart lingonberry jam. Sweet and sour is the only way to go baby

mmm cut me up a piece of that sweetheart

Khainiwest

My girlfriend loves cooking. Unfortunately the only pictures I have is her cake/Sushi. Her dad's a really high quality chef apparently so she has experience xD

!
As for the cake, everything about it is made from scratch, including the icing If you cut inside it has bits of strawberry in a light strawberry jam, cake itself is vanilla. Lasted about 2 hours in my house

trappedolphin

Don't ever let her go.

Shuhan

As an aspiring chef…I need to cook more...but working night shifts puts a damper on that...

cooldud

I just boiled a couple of eggs.
Where's my medal?

wolfwood

@Shuhan:

As an aspiring chef…I need to cook more...but working night shifts puts a damper on that...

Yeah i've been doing these little exercises in my daily life. Trying to get that proper structure in prepping, cooking and cleaning. But i gotta say that i find the theoretical bits to be alot more time consuming.

Shuhan

@wolfwoof:

Yeah i've been doing these little exercises in my daily life. Trying to get that proper structure in prepping, cooking and cleaning. But i gotta say that i find the theoretical bits to be alot more time consuming.

Prep work is tedious and time consuming….especially when your one work speed is slow...but I'm working bit by bit on my cutting techniques and that speeds up things~

wolfwood

I often find myself doing stuff that i could have used an appliance for by hand.

Feels like cheating otherwise lol. But eh i'll have to get over my hang ups sooner or later.

Shuhan

@wolfwoof:

I often find myself doing stuff that i could have used an appliance for by hand.

Feels like cheating otherwise lol. But eh i'll have to get over my hang ups sooner or later.

Heh, doing things by hand can be very rewarding cause it sometimes make food seem tastier~

Unfortunately sometimes you gotta compromise…

wolfwood

@cooldud_21:

I just boiled a couple of eggs.
Where's my medal?

Your reward is a tasty egg. Which is kinda bad since eggs by themselves are pretty bad

That'll teach you to make a lasagne next time

MiyamotoMusashi

@wolfwoof:

Your reward is a tasty egg. Which is kinda bad since eggs by themselves are pretty bad

That'll teach you to make a lasagne next time

What? Boiled eggs with a little bit of salt and pepper is heavenly

Khainiwest

She made all this too;

She made salmon/eggplant, but also had to make beef and broccoli for my sister because she hates fish. I hate eggplant to but I managed to eat most of it :(. LOL

Chrissie

Made a good ol'traditional dish today for the family.. They ate it all tho so no pic :'C All that is left now is a bit of tomato sauce, a few potatoes and peas. It was what we call 'Oven peas' xD And it's like…. so friggin' easy yet so tasty, it feels like you are cheating when making this food

You need frozen peas (duh), 2 potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 onion, tomato sauce, olive oil, a bit of pepper and salt and whatever meat you want (I used lamb today but chicken turns out amazing in this). Also 2 knorr cubes for extra flavor. (You can add artichokes or squash if you want!)

-Pour out the frozen peas in your pan (You need a deep pan with a cover for this food) and chop inside your carrot, potato and onion. Throw in your knorr cubes too. Add 1-2 cups of tomato sauce (fresh is best), about 5 spoons of oil, season with salt and pepper. Throw in your chicken/lamb pieces, 2 cups of water and then close your pan. Put it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius and let it cook for about 2 hours give or take half an hour. It's ready when everything melts in your mouth~

For reference, dish turns out basically like this: (stole it xD)

I always cook using 'eye measurements so that's why I can't be -exact- with my recipes xD FOLLOW YOUR HEART WHILE COOKING PEOPLE

Made an amazing spaghetti with shrimps dish on Wednesday morning, when my mom was too sick to cook. They devoured it and left like… a cold plate for me with a tiiiny bit of shrimp, when I got off work at 5. ;-; weeps

cooldud

@MiyamotoMusashi:

What? Boiled eggs with a little bit of salt and pepper is heavenly

That is exactly how I ended up having them lol. And yes, they were heavenly. But I still want my medal, Mr. Woof.
@Khainiwest:

I hate eggplant to but I managed to eat most of it :(. LOL

You should try this Indian eggplant dish. It is fantastic!

I miss my mum. :sad:

Shuhan

@cooldud_21:

But I still want my medal, Mr. Woof.

have an egg medal~

wolfwood

There are two things on my no like list. Eggs and shellfish

Sarfallet

@wolfwoof:

There are two things on my no like list. Eggs and shellfish

You're fired from your position as Swedish.

wolfwood

I'll have to become one of those nationalities that aren't crazy about scarfing down little red aliens.

But I'll miss the brown sauce. You was always that loyal companion. Something's missing? Probably brown sauce

Insider2000

Oh, this is adorable! If I had free time, I'd love to cook more stuff.

Just for fun, here's an entire blog of Video Game Gourmet recipes. Stuff like Brewster's Pigeon Blend from Animal Crossing or Aiya Rainy Day Special Mega Beef Bowl from Persona 4.

http://www.gourmetgaming.co.uk/

trappedolphin

@wolfwoof:

There are two things on my no like list. Eggs and shellfish

What about this?

Jazzy Jinx

A cooking thread? How coincidental. I'm planning on cooking a few recipes this week for practice. In no particular order: rump roast and gravy, fried shrimp, mafia sauce (loaded spaghetti), real hamburgers (made with ground meat with vegies stuffed in them) and chicken & sausage gumbo.

Since I'll be cooking anyways, I suppose I'll include the recipes and pictures as I proceed. If anyone would like, you could suggest which one I should start with.~

Davy Jones

I made a new style of rice recently, involving regular rice freshly heated from a rice cooker, mixed salt, butter and caesar salad dressing. I call it Imperial Rice.

legumes

@trappedolphin:

What about this?

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj6culAfK91qdkde1o1_400.jpg

I see your crab and top it off with this

f

I'll take this with kangkong and a cup of sugar cane anyday

trappedolphin

… Clearly, we're on the same side. I offer this as a peace offering.

Smudger

Anyone got a sauce/paste recommendation for my sushi?

wolfwood

@trappedolphin:

What about this?

Suppose it could be nice. Might not taste as crabby with all that chili.

@Smudger:

Anyone got a sauce/paste recommendation for my sushi?

My recommendation is don't eat raw fish. But if i must wasabi makes it allright.

So your from the bayou kenny? Does that mean you sound like gambit.

Either way sounds like you'll be making some spicey food

Jazzy Jinx

Nah, I sound like your typical Southerner, sad to say.

Although, there are plenty of bayous around me.

wolfwood

So the obvious question just hangs in the air. Did ya ever eat any gator meat?

And this better not be when you tell me that there are no gators in louisiana