The Food Thread

[Cupstuntid]

I love to make meatloaf, had a whole guide written on my guild forum about it aswell ill copy it here since its not accesable for non-members.

Ingredients
tbsp = tablespoon

6 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp oil
1 big chopped onion
2-3 chopped garlic cloves
2 eggs
.5 tbsp thyme
salt & pepper
1 tbsp mustard
8 tbsp milk
8 tbsp chopped parsley
13 tbsp breadcrumps
1 pound of minced beef
1 pound of minced pork
12 slices thinly sliced bacon
150 grams of chedder cheese

Preperations
For the sauce mix 4 tbsp ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar together and set aside.
Bake the onion and garlic in the oil for arround 5 min and set aside aswell.
Bake 4 slices of the bacon aswell, we will be using those 4 slices inside the meatloaf. (can obviously use more to your own liking)

Now get a large bowl (we will be mixing everything together so make sure its big enough). Mix the eggs, thyme, mustard, 2 tbsp ketchup and milk on top of that lay down the minced pork and minced beef and start mixing it togheter. After everything is mixed together add the parsley and the breadcrumbs and mix it all up again.

You can stop mixing when the whole meat package doesn't stick to the bowl anymore. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.

Place some cling film on the counter, place the meat on top of it and spread it out so you have a plate of meat. Take the bacon you baked and spread it on the plate, then take a slicer and slice the chedder on top of the plate aswell now pick up the cling film and gently roll the meat up. Close the sides of the meat do the same with the last bit so the meatloaf is like a meatpackage and wont roll open anymore and no cheese can get out of the sides.

Take the sauce you put aside earlier and with a spoon get the sauce spread on the meatloaf, then take the slicer and the slice the chedder again on top of the meatloaf.

Now you should still have some bacon left spread the bacon on top of the meatloaf. Take a plate that can stay in the oven put some aluminum foil on it and put the meatloaf on top of the aluminum foil. Put the whole thing in the oven for about an hour.

Serve with fries or a salad.

[Deleted]

I have a lot of plum tomatoes, baby mushrooms, and a couple of chicken breasts, also lots off odds and ends and herbs, any thing spring to mind : )?

-shortly fry the chicken in a pan (doesn't need to be cooked through at this point, it's just to add some "roasted aroma" (sorry that's what google translate gives me)) and take it out
-fry some diced onions and maybe carrots if you have in the same pan and oil
-when the onions get "golden", add the mushrooms, tomatoes (halfed or diced as you prefer) and maybe some red wine, port or sherry if you have (only a sip)
-add anything odd, endy or herby you have and you find you might like in there (garlic and parsley come to my mind but anything may work)
-roughly dice the chicken and throw it in there after maybe 2-4 minutes
-at small to medium heat, let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes have made a kind of sauce (I would guess 10 minutes could work), taste it, add salt and spices after your liking
-maybe add a bit of cream or simliar if you like
-eat with pasta or rice. Voilà, delicious chicken-mushroom-tomato-something!

that's what I would make of it. No high cuisine of course, but to me it sounds very delicious.

[Disenchanted]

It's summer time, so it's not the usual time for a Sunday gravy (Ragu), but since I posted my meatballs, I got a hankering for it, so I'll be making it today. My meatballs are already made from last night (not cooked, just formed). That saves a lot of time.

Back when I was very young, my grandmother would use anything pork she could get her hands on with the sauce. Pork chops, spare ribs, loin, anything (along with the braciola, meatballs, and sausage). Since pork fat rules, I'm sure it was good to do that, but I've found you can get away without it. There's enough meat going into the gravy (sauce) already.

You'll need:

8 cloves of garlic chopped or minced (I use 10, but I can be vicious with garlic).
A few sprigs of oregano
1-2 onions diced
8 Fresh basil leaves
2 Bay leaves
Dried red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
3 lb.s hot Italian sausage (you can use mild or sweet if you're sensitive to spicy things, but hot works best)
Meatballs (my recipe for meatballs is on an earlier page, but any recipe will do. I usually have about 30 meatballs when I'm done)
6 small cans of tomato paste
4-5 large cans of tomato sauce (if you prefer, substitute 1-2 cans for diced tomatoes of equal volume)
Salt and pepper

In your stock pot, add a good amount of olive oil (maybe 1/4 cup, maybe a bit more. Coat the bottom really well) and place on medium heat.

Add onions and sautee a few minutes until they start to soften
Add the garlic and "fry" it for about a minute or until it gets a "roasted" look to it (keep stirring! Do not burn the garlic)
Add the tomato paste and cook it in the olive oil a few minutes. Keep stirring, it does burn (I learned the hard way)
Add an amount of water equal to the amount of paste plus 2 cans. (So 8 tomato paste cans worth of water)

Mix well and let it simmer for about half an hour stirring every few minutes. Again, this can and will burn if you neglect it or have the heat too high.

Add your tomato sauce (and diced tomatoes if you like), oregano (you can crush the sprigs if you like or just roll the leaves up and slice them. Leave the Bay leaves whole), basil leaves, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Don't overdo the red pepper flakes, you need only a small amount. Maybe a half a teaspoon or less. An optional step here is to add about a half or whole cup of a good red wine (anything Sangiovese grape based will do). Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

Bring it to a short boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer. Cover the pot, but leave the lid askew so moisture can escape. Give it a stir every now and then and make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom (burn).

Now start frying your sausage in olive oil in a skillet. (I cut mine into 3-4 inch pieces, but size them however you like) Brown it on all sides until nice and carmelized. When they're browned on all sides, add them to the sauce. If you can make braciola, same thing at this time.

Simmer the sauce lightly covered, stirring occasionally for about an hour.

After an hour, brown your meatballs in olive oil same as you did the sausage. Then add them to the sauce. At this point, be careful when stirring the sauce or you'll destroy your meatballs. Simmer a few hours. Taste after about 3 hours total time from the beginning and season as needed. Then simmer for another hour or 2.

Normally, you'll have this with spaghetti, but make whatever pasta you like. Carefully remove the meat from the sauce and plate. Many people like to toss their pasta with the sauce, I prefer to ladle the sauce over my pasta. There is no wrong way.

Crack open some vino and enjoy!

***A word on sugar. I see people add sugar to their sauce and it drives me nuts. I hate sweet sauces. I prefer them to be zesty and savory. That said, if the sauce seems too acidic to you, you can try to balance it out with a little sugar. Just be careful and only add a little at a time. You'll be surprised how far a little goes.

This is not meant to be a defining recipe for Sunday gravy, it's just the way I was taught. Belf mentioned using a small amount of anchovy paste (teaspoon or so) to give it a good kick. I'm going to give that a try today.

ETA: this will make enough to feed a small army. I freeze the leftover sauce to use at a later date.

[belfpala]

Ok guys. It's summer time. Who has a good sangria recipe? Preferably one a little on the sweeter side because my wife just refuses to drink anything even semi-dry. /sigh

ETA: Dessert wines are too sweet and, let's be honest, don't go well with a meal. I'm bored with blushes and the like. Sangria sounds like a nice compromise.

Sangria, aka, The Hangover Maker. I personally don't like sweet alcoholic beverages, but a woman from Spain taught me this one...

Ingredients:

2 bottles (1.5 liters total) dry red wine
1 cup brandy
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 oranges, skin removed, cut into slices
2 lemons (preferably Meyer), skin removed, cut into slices
3 limes (I personally prefer Key Limes if you can get them), skin removed, cut into slices
2 apples, cores removed, cut into slices or wedges
2 cups nearly frozen carbonated water

Combine everything but carbonated water, let chill in the refrigerator a couple hours or (preferably) overnight. When ready to serve, add in the carbonated water. Serve in glasses with ice and wedges of the same fruit called for above. Makes enough for 2 people to get blasted, 6 people to get buzzed, or 10 people to have a pretty good time.

Edit: Adjust your fruits as necessary. Meyer lemons are less tart than typical lemons. Key limes are more tart than regular limes. Apples come in a variety. IMO, 2 of the 3 fruits called for (ignoring the oranges) should be a sweeter variety, the remaining one should be a tart variety.

If it doesn't come out sweet enough for your wife, try more sugar or a less dry variety of wine. I'd go the sugar route, because you can add more to hers without adding it to yours.

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 04:47 AM ----------

I love to make meatloaf...

Your recipe looks pretty darn good. I usually use a 1/1/1 mixture of ground beef, pork, and veal when I make meatloaf. Pretty much the only thing I'd change.

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.

I'm assuming that's Celsius. I'm going to edit the OP to suggest at least using units. No need really to provide multiple units, of course. It's easy enough for people to Google "175 C to F" for example. (the answer is 347 F, btw).

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 05:16 AM ----------

that's what I would make of it. No high cuisine of course, but to me it sounds very delicious.

Sounds like you have some pretty good technique, and that does sound delicious. Here's what I'd do...

The key, to me at least, is that mushrooms like room and mushrooms like Thyme. They also like butter. So, butter in a pan on medium-high heat, throw in sliced mushrooms when it stops foaming, add some salt, then toss/stir constantly. When mushrooms start browning and stop giving off water, add that red wine you mentioned (actually, more than what you suggested... 1/2 cup or so) plus a couple sprigs of thyme. Let that reduce by 1/2 to 2/3. You can set it aside and reheat it later (don't reheat it too much; just enough to get it hot). Oh, and take out the sprigs of thyme. (This isn't done yet).

Chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and whatever else you like. Dredge in flour, removing excess; dredge in egg wash (just some whisked eggs), removing excess; dredge in third substance (panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs, corn meal, regular flour, or a combination of any of those). Place on a grate over a baking sheet, cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours.

Tomatoes. Plum tomatoes are great. I'd keep them mostly intact. Chop, drain well, and toss with spices/herbs of your choice. I'd suggest chopped basil, oregano, and finely chopped onions. A pinch of salt and pepper too. Fresh herbs only, as this element will be raw.

Start reheating mushroom mixture on low heat (add a bit of water if the wine got too thick, or time it so it originally gets done about now). Add in a shot of red wine vinegar, sherry, or similar as you take it off the heat, along with a teaspoon or so of thyme leaves.

Chicken again. Pan, medium hight heat, oil. Put in the chicken breasts. 3-4 minutes on each side.

Plate with mushroom/sauce on the bottom, chicken on that, tomatoes/herbs on top. Garnish with something cool, like a lemon wedge, some italian parsley, and some crumbled feta (or similar) cheese.

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 05:54 AM ----------

It's summer time, so it's not the usual time for a Sunday gravy (Ragu), but since I posted my meatballs, I got a hankering for it, so I'll be making it today...

Thank you very much for posting this recipe. It looks great. The only thing I can think that might be missing is fennel seed, but I think I concluded earlier that the Italian sausage might be providing it.

***A word on sugar. I see people add sugar to their sauce and it drives me nuts. I hate sweet sauces. I prefer them to be zesty and savory. That said, if the sauce seems too acidic to you, you can try to balance it out with a little sugar. Just be careful and only add a little at a time. You'll be surprised how far a little goes.

I agree completely with this. There are other ways to balance out acidity from tomato based sauces other than adding sugar. Baking powder (bisodium carbonate, a basic molecule) can do the job; you just a small pinch, make sure the sauce doesn't bubble over, then taste; add more if desired.

Another option is to add fresh herbs at the very end of cooking, just as you're taking the sauce off the heat. This can sometimes cure saltiness as well (cilantro does a good job of that).

Yet another option is to add cream or a cream based sauce (aka bechemel). But that tends to destroy the purity of a tomato sauce.

Another (perhaps devious) option is to counter extra sugar with a source of heat. Red pepper flakes, for example. The brain senses sweet and burn on spectrum. The sugar will still counter the acidity, but the heat will also counter the sugar... you taste them all but your brain is confused. This is basically how Thai cuisine works, btw.

A final option (other than sugar) is to add more salt, possibly in the form of parmigiano. Overload one set of taste buds so the others don't have so much to say. I wouldn't recommend this one, really.

Belf mentioned using a small amount of anchovy paste (teaspoon or so) to give it a good kick. I'm going to give that a try today.

Let me know how it goes!

[Deleted]

Sounds like you have some pretty good technique, and that does sound delicious. Here's what I'd do...

Thanks yours is of course much more sophisticated, and also very delicious.
My cooking technique, if you want to call it that, started with "well what do we have, lets throw it together and eat it with *opens cupboard* aah yes, pasta" :P and "evolved" from there. One upside of my recipe proposition is that you only need one pan But yours could probably be served in a nice restaurant while mine would be frowned upon (before they try, that is^^) in a soup kitchen.

[Powerogue]

a banana half, cut down the middle to be like a long hot dog bun, mini-hersheys bar in there, marshmallows everywhere else.

grilled it, it was a soggy, marshmallowy mess, but it was ​good.

[Gunmoku]

OK, two questions:

1) I saw once on an episode of Epic Meal Time (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fNbv...el_video_title @ about 2:10) a salsa tossed together with Patron tequila as a sort of dressing to it. Is this a good idea at all? If not, what do you recommend for using in a good scratch-made salsa? As a note, I like spicy salsas. My absolute ceiling for making a salsa is about as spicy as a Habanero or Serrano pepper. Nothing more than that.

2) I recently made some Southern-style BBQ spare-ribs yesterday (which were amazing, BTW) cooked in a pan of home-made "sauce" that sort of amalgamated into something akin to a vinegar-base BBQ sauce (thin and watery, but sweet and spicy) and we had a bright idea to preserve the wet sauce (or pan drippings if you will) in a bowl to use for making shredded pork and ground beef BBQ (basically Sloppy Joe's) later this week. We were going to re-use the sauce as the base for the BBQ. Good idea? Y/N?

[Disenchanted]

(On adding anchovy paste to tomato sauce)

Let me know how it goes!

Honestly, I didn't notice a difference. But I don't have a very delicate palate either (mine is about as delicate as a leather heel which is why I try to err on the side of under-seasoning. I can always kick my own meal up after the fact). My wife and kids all commented that the sauce was "really good" today (it usually is, but they indicated they thought it was better than usual). I didn't tell them I did anything different. If they heard the words "anchovy paste," they'd wrinkle their noses at it. So I'd say it was a success. Maybe one day I'll quit smoking and get my palate back and be able to tell the difference too.

Thanks for the sangria recipe. I'll whip a batch up for our next party.

[belfpala]

Honestly, I didn't notice a difference. But I don't have a very delicate palate either (mine is about as delicate as a leather heel which is why I try to err on the side of under-seasoning. I can always kick my own meal up after the fact). [snip]

Thanks for the sangria recipe. I'll whip a batch up for our next party.

Yeah, the anchovy paste should be just below direct detection. You don't want it tasting like anchovy. But it adds an unidentifiable zip or zing that a lot of people enjoy.

For the sangria... you can also use sparkling white wine, sparkling cider, or heck, even Sprite or 7-up instead of the carbonated water.

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 10:23 PM ----------

a banana half, cut down the middle to be like a long hot dog bun, mini-hersheys bar in there, marshmallows everywhere else.

grilled it, it was a soggy, marshmallowy mess, but it was ​good.

Oooh. Try it using a waffle or pancake as a "bun." Sounds delicious!

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 10:43 PM ----------

OK, two questions:

1) I saw once on an episode of Epic Meal Time (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fNbv...el_video_title @ about 2:10) a salsa tossed together with Patron tequila as a sort of dressing to it. Is this a good idea at all? If not, what do you recommend for using in a good scratch-made salsa? As a note, I like spicy salsas. My absolute ceiling for making a salsa is about as spicy as a Habanero or Serrano pepper. Nothing more than that.

I've heard of adding tequila to salsa, but I've never tried it. The alcohol would probably help bring out the flavors from the rest of ingredients. Knowing what Epic Meal Time does, they probably used way too much. I'd suggest trying maybe a shot's-worth to a decent sized batch of salsa. Also probably not necessary to use something as good as Patron (but I'd stick with blanco, or silver/clear, tequila).

Salsa itself... can vary so much. Lots of tomatoes? Lots of other things? Lots of oregano? Maybe cilantro? Corn? Beans? Lime juice? Fruit base instead of tomato base? Tomatillo base maybe? Keep it chunky? Puree it?

But basically... try a couple chopped tomatoes, diced peppers (type and quantity of your choice), diced onion, finely chopped cilantro, a couple squeezes of lime juice, seasonings (salt, cumin, cayenne pepper if you want it hotter, some mexican oregano maybe). Your choice if you want to puree the tomatoes before adding the rest. You can simmer it for a while to cook off some of the raw tomato taste, or use it uncooked. That's a basic one anyway.

2) I recently made some Southern-style BBQ spare-ribs yesterday ... We were going to re-use the sauce as the base for the BBQ. Good idea? Y/N?

So basically you braised some ribs? Sure, go ahead and use the sauce/drippings. Braising liquid is commonly used to make sauces after the braise is done, and pan drippings are commonly used to make sauces/gravies. Just use it within 4-5 days, or freeze it for up to a few weeks.

[backseattaxi]

I cooked my spaghetti squash today. Turned out pretty good. Did it the safe way my first time and cut it n' half - was scared if I cooked it whole even with punctures would've exploded, lol. I actually like the "noodles" on their own, but do you know of any recipes that go well with spaghetti squash? Thanks in advance.

[belfpala]

I cooked my spaghetti squash today. Turned out pretty good. Did it the safe way my first time and cut it n' half - was scared if I cooked it whole even with punctures would've exploded, lol. I actually like the "noodles" on their own, but do you know of any recipes that go well with spaghetti squash? Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you did it right. I've only used it a few times, but basically cut it in half, scoop out the squishy stuff in the middle, add salt, pepper, and a drizzle of cooking oil, then bake face up until it starts to come away from the skin a bit (30-45 minutes). Chill it in the refrigerator for a while, then "shred" it with a fork to get your squash noodles.

Then you can pretty much use them in anything you'd use regular noodles. Simple is best, imo, such as a browned butter sauce (butter in pan over low heat, throw in some minced garlic and herbs of your choice, once the butter starts to brown take it off heat, mix in a little bit of cream, and throw in some parmesan or similar cheese).

----

OK, so now I have a question. I just got a bunch of tri-tip steaks. These usually aren't available where I live (they all get sent to southern california, I guess) and I've never used them. I'm planning on giving them a simple spice rub and cooking them over oak wood chips, as I've been told is the "proper" way to do it in california.

Any cali people here who have any extra tips or secrets about tri-tip steak?

[Phate]

belfpala - I just have a question. What kind of experience do you have in cooking dishes from other countries? I mean beyond things that are popular in america like mexican foods, etc.

[belfpala]

belfpala - I just have a question. What kind of experience do you have in cooking dishes from other countries? I mean beyond things that are popular in america like mexican foods, etc.

Italian is also very popular here, so I won't count that.

Mainly what I've chosen to explore on my own, usually after visiting another country. I do quite a bit of Thai, some Japanese, some Vietnamese, some Korean. A limited amount of Indian (Indian cuisine is too vast for any one person, I think). I've recently been getting into Mediterranean/Middle Eastern flavors as well.

Any suggestions for cuisines I should explore?

[Disenchanted]

Ah Korean. Back in my military days, I had some friends who could cook it, but that was a long time ago. There's 2 dishes I'd love to eat again, but I don't even know how to spell them. I'll try spelling them phonetically. forgive the crude spellings, but if you know what I'm talking about and have a recipe, I'd really appreciate it.

One sounds like Tung zien (that can't possibly be close, but it's the best I can do)

The other is going to look hilarious at my feeble spelling, but it sounds like Beh-go-gee.

Any clues?

[belfpala]

Ah Korean. Back in my military days, I had some friends who could cook it, but that was a long time ago. There's 2 dishes I'd love to eat again, but I don't even know how to spell them. I'll try spelling them phonetically. forgive the crude spellings, but if you know what I'm talking about and have a recipe, I'd really appreciate it.

One sounds like Tung zien (that can't possibly be close, but it's the best I can do)

The other is going to look hilarious at my feeble spelling, but it sounds like Beh-go-gee.

Any clues?

The second one I'm sure is bulgogi, which is thinly sliced marinated beef. Basically just soy sauce, sesame oil and seeds, and sugar for a few hours; then quickly cooked on high heat.

The first one, I'm not as sure. Was it basically fried fish? Might be dongtaejeon.

[Disenchanted]

The second one I'm sure is bulgogi, which is thinly sliced marinated beef. Basically just soy sauce, sesame oil and seeds, and sugar for a few hours; then quickly cooked on high heat.

The first one, I'm not as sure. Was it basically fried fish? Might be dongtaejeon.

Bulgogi - that's it.

The second was deep fried... balls (I know the description is horrible) of, I'm not sure what. But there was definitely some pork and carrots in there. Almost like a really jumped up hush puppy. With some dipping sauce, I'd go through a dozen before I even knew they were gone.

[belfpala]

The second was deep fried... balls (I know the description is horrible) of, I'm not sure what. But there was definitely some pork and carrots in there. Almost like a really jumped up hush puppy. With some dipping sauce, I'd go through a dozen before I even knew they were gone.

The closest thing I can think of is mandu, but that's in a dumpling wrapper. It's usually made in kind of a crescent shape, but it could maybe be done as a ball.

Edit: There are also steamed pork buns -- Jjinppang mandu -- and those might be deep fried (not sure).

---------- Post added 2011-07-13 at 12:29 AM ----------

So I did a test run with the tri-tip steak... effing delicious. Dry rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and rosemary. Cook on a grill over oak chips, flipping several times and basting with a mixture of cooking oil and red wine vinegar each time it's flipped.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

How close to reality is Hell's Kitchen?

I'm am sure that a lot of it is overreacting for the cameras (it's Fox, what do you expect?) but how much is actually realistic?

[belfpala]

How close to reality is Hell's Kitchen?

I'm am sure that a lot of it is overreacting for the cameras (it's Fox, what do you expect?) but how much is actually realistic?

lol, good question. Most of Gordon Ramsey's shows are edited to show the worst, not to mention him being a complete jackass (nothing against him personally, I've never met him... that might just be his TV personality). They also give challenges that restaurants don't actually face (such as seating the entire dining room all at once).

Dinner service can be stressful, obviously, but as long as responsibility is delegated to quality people, it's nothing like Hell's Kitchen. Most of the time we have a pretty good time in the kitchen. Lots of joking around, etc.

[backseattaxi]

Sounds like you did it right. I've only used it a few times, but basically cut it in half, scoop out the squishy stuff in the middle, add salt, pepper, and a drizzle of cooking oil, then bake face up until it starts to come away from the skin a bit (30-45 minutes). Chill it in the refrigerator for a while, then "shred" it with a fork to get your squash noodles.

Then you can pretty much use them in anything you'd use regular noodles. Simple is best, imo, such as a browned butter sauce (butter in pan over low heat, throw in some minced garlic and herbs of your choice, once the butter starts to brown take it off heat, mix in a little bit of cream, and throw in some parmesan or similar cheese).

Thank you. I will try this on Friday when this next one ripens a bit (:
But I never chilled it in the refrigerator afterwards. I simply scooped up the "noodles" with a fork and ate them after it was done cooking. What's the purpose of chilling?