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    • Showing only topics in ~food with the tag "cooking". Back to normal view / Search all groups

    2. Favorite recipes you've come up with

      Ask (survey)
      Hi all. I'm interested on hearing about recipes you've come up with yourself, whether completely from scratch or variation on an existing one. Maybe you were lacking an ingredient one day, and...

      Hi all. I'm interested on hearing about recipes you've come up with yourself, whether completely from scratch or variation on an existing one. Maybe you were lacking an ingredient one day, and subbed one that changed the recipe in a good way. Maybe you tried a dish at a restaurant that you love and attempted to recreate it at home. Maybe you had a bunch of leftover ingredients you didn't know what to do with, so decided to throw them all together and pray for the best. Or maybe inspiration struck suddenly one day for a perfect dish, and you gave it a shot. Would love to hear the backstory of the recipe if you have it. I'll start.

      Cincinnati style daal. The family chili recipe growing up was cincinatti/skyline style chili. I've thus always preferred my chili without beans, and I love the depth of flavor cincinnati style chili has. My family even likes to use ground turkey meat because we think it absorbs the flavors of the spices better than beef does. When I moved to the UK, I suddenly had access to excellent Indian food, daals now being one of my favorites. One thing that immediately struck me about daals was the depth of flavor in them. The lentils serve to add texture and some creaminess, but the spices in it are the highlight of the dish. In fact, this kinda reminded me of my family chili. I began wondering, could I make a daal but with the spices from my family chili? This would be pretty nice, as turkey is kinda hard to find outside of christmas time here and lentils are a good low-cost protein. Well, it turns out the cooking process for daal and my family's chili are pretty similar, so I took a black daal recipe from dishoom and tried subbing the cincinatti chili spices for the spices in the daal. Many of the other ingredients between the two recipes are similar. And it's come out pretty good! I'm still refining it, it lacks some umami without the meat, but I think the next batch will be great. Serving it with naan and cilantro, instead of spaghetti. Always with shredded cheese and chopped onions of course.

      Filipino Dip. One of my favorite recipes to make is chicken adobo, so easy to make and it's delicious. I usually have some chicken and sauce left after making a batch, and one day it occurred to me that there was enough sauce left I could dip a sandwich in it. Huh, that's kinda similar to a french dip. So I shredded up the remaining chicken, toasted a baguette, and sauteed a bunch of onions to add to the sandwich. It was absolutely delicious, and what I will be doing with my leftover chicken adobo from now on.

      St Patrick's Day Ramen. So, this year I decided to make my family's St Patrick's Day meal. Kinda hard to do in the UK, as corned beef is really not a big thing. (Yes, I know they have the tinned version, no, it's nothing like the real deal). But I corned my own beef, and then braised it in red wine, and invited friends over to share. Afterwards, with all the corned beef gone, a friend and I were looking at the braising liquid. There was a ton of it left, and it tasted frankly delicious. My friend pointed out that it reminded him of a ramen broth, and so an idea was born. I bought some thinly sliced beef from the local asian grocery store, and assembled the ramen with it, the noodles, cabbage, thinly sliced green apples (I know it seems weird, but it's used in the family cabbage recipe), and pickled garlic/cucumbers made from the leftover corned beef brine. It came out delicious, and will definitely be doing it next year.

      Oven roasted brussel sprouts and carrots. This came from a restaurant near me that unfortunately closed. They would make the most amazing, crispy, roast brussel sprouts and carrots served with a tangy, smokey dressing. After it closed, I would dream of these brussel sprouts, and I tried googling recipes to find something similar with no luck. I knew only a couple of things: that the head chef was Peruvian and said on the menu it had inspired this dish; there was mezcal in the dressing, likely providing the smokey component. So after researching Peruvian recipes, I've come up with a vinaigrette that's as close as I can remember: bragg's cider vinegar, juice from one lime, olive oil, salt and black pepper, and a splash of mezcal. If available, add a touch of aji amarillo paste. May need to add a little sugar for a hint of sweetness. It took some time to figure out a crispy brussel sprout too, as home ovens can't get as hot as a commercial kitchen, but also finally found an oven roasting recipe I was happy with.

      Looking forward to hearing everyone elses recipes!

      18 votes

    16. Solar oven/cooking

      Ask (advice)
      For context, I live in the tropics and get a lot of sunlight for most of the year outside of monsoon season. I was recently chatting with some coworkers and one of the mentioned baking cookies on...

      For context, I live in the tropics and get a lot of sunlight for most of the year outside of monsoon season.

      I was recently chatting with some coworkers and one of the mentioned baking cookies on their dashboard during the summer, and I remember my brother mentioning doing that when he lived in Arizona. That is something I could probably do here, but we always keep a sunshade up in our car so it isn't incredibly hot when we get inside.

      This got me thinking about solar ovens since I remember seeing a video of someone using one to cook online awhile ago, and I was curious if anyone here has one or has any experience using one and if it was worth it or if they would have any recommendations.

      21 votes

    42. What are some of your favorite stews/soups?

      Ask (recommendations)
      Now that it is finally fall weather in the Midwest, I have been back to making stews/soups. My current go-to’s are Zuppa Toscona, Pozole Rojo, and I just made some Kartoffelsuppe (German Potato...

      Now that it is finally fall weather in the Midwest, I have been back to making stews/soups.

      My current go-to’s are Zuppa Toscona, Pozole Rojo, and I just made some Kartoffelsuppe (German Potato Soup with Sausage), but I’m looking for more! Any stew-like meal that’s hearty and warm - I like to make a big batch Monday night & eat it for lunches throughout the week, so preferably ones that reheat OK.

      I love the Dapanji I’ve had from a local place with hand-pulled noodles, but that seems a bit out of my skill level or comfort-zone to try to make.

      What are some of your favorite stews (preferably with recipes)?

      Recipes

      Zuppa Toscana

      Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden’s Italian Sausage and Potato Soup) – Bupkis.org

      Source: bupkis.org

      Ingredients

      Ingredients:

      • 2 Pounds Low-starch potatoes , washed, eyes removed and sliced into 1/4 inch disks. Peeling is optional.
      • 2 Pounds Hot and/or Sweet Italian Sausage Links
      • 1 Large Bunch Kale (it looks like a lot but will cook down)
      • 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced small
      • 2 T Garlic, mashed. Approx 8 cloves (see instructions)
      • 8 Ounces Half and Half
      • 4 Cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Stock
      • 6 Cups Water
      • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Red Pepper (to taste)
      • 3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt (to taste)

      Instructions

      1. Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a rolling boil and add some salt – about the same amount of salt as if you were making pasta. Fill a large bowl with cold water and some ice. Put a large colander in the sink.
      2. Cut the base off the head of kale and roughly tear the leaves into 2″ pieces, discarding the hard portion of the rib, and place in the colander for later. Olive Garden leaves the rib in, but I think it’s too big and hard to put on a soup spoon.
      3. Place the garlic in a mortar and pestle with a heavy pinch of kosher salt and mash until liquid, or finely mince, then grind with the back edge of a knife. You need at least two heaping Tablespoons of mashed garlic when you’re done.
      4. Cut the raw sausage into 1/2 inch chunks with shears or a knife. Add a little oil to the bottom of a large pot. Add the sausage. Sauté on medium until fully cooked and you have developed a good deal of fond (brown stuff) on the bottom of the pot.
      5. Pour off grease as necessary and build as much fond as possible without burning or drying out the sausage.
      6. Remove the sausage and save. Pour off the excess fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot.
      7. Drop all the kale into the boiling salted water. Wait a few seconds until the kale turns bright green, then immediately dump the boiling water and kale into the colander in the sink. Then dump the hot, drained kale into the bowl of ice water and swish it around. Dump the chilled kale into the colander to drain.
      8. Add the finely diced onions and sauté on medium until soft, nicely browned, and more fond develops.
      9. Add the garlic and continue stirring until just fragrant and soft (probably about a minute). Be careful to not to burn or brown the garlic. Add the ground red pepper and mix.
      10. Add a small amount of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot (scrape up all the yummy brown bits).
      11. Add the rest of the water, the chicken stock, the potatoes and sausage.
      12. Bring to a slow simmer and continue simmering until the potatoes are soft.
      13. Add the kale then turn off the heat.
      14. Immediately before serving, add the half and half, and serve with some nice home-baked Ciabatta bread.
      Quick Pozole

      Quick Pozole

      Source: bupkis-org.github.io
      Servings: 8

      Ingredients

      • 2 tsp Vegetable Oil
      • 19 ounce package Ground Turkey or Chicken 93% Fat Free
      • 1 Onion, chopped
      • 1 Jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
      • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
      • 4 Cups Chicken Broth
      • 3x 15.5 ounce cans Hominy – rinsed and drained.
      • 1 28 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
      • 1-2 Tbsp blended Canned Chile in Adobo – found in a can in the Mexican Food section of the grocery store
      • 2 tsp Dried Oregano

      Garnishes:

      • 1/4 Cup Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
      • 4 Radishes, cut into matchsticks
      • 3 Scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal
      • 1 Avocado, ripe
      • Red Pepper Flakes
      • 1 Lime, cut into wedges

      Instructions

      1. Take the can of Chiles in Adobo and puree in a blender, spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
      2. Heat the oil in a medium size pot until shimmering
      3. Add the Ground Turkey, Onion and Jalapeño and saute on medium until turkey is cooked and onion is soft but not browned. Add Garlic and cook until garlic is softened, but not browned.
      4. Add the Chicken Stock, Hominy, Tomatoes, 3-4 Tablespoons of mashed Chile in Adobo (to taste) and oregano, bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until slightly thickened.
      5. Serve in bowls with the garnishes. Be sure to squeeze a lime wedge into each serving; it really wakes up the flavors and brings the dish to an entirely new level.
      6. Optional, add some Avocado slices.
      7. Serve with Chile in Adobo on the side for people who like it spicier.
      Kartoffelsupp

      Kartoffelsupp (German Potato Soup with Sausage)

      German Potato Soup with Bratwurst is an easy comforting recipe to add to your soup rotation this fall. It takes just 30 minutes to cook, and celebrates German cuisine, even if you can't get to Octoberfest.

      Source: theviewfromgreatisland.com
      Servings: 4 -6 servings
      Prep: 15min
      Cook: 30min
      Total: 45min

      Ingredients

      • 2-3 bratwurst, (or other German sausage)
      • olive oil
      • 4 cups chicken stock
      • 1/2 medium onion, (peeled and diced)
      • 2 stalks celery, (diced)
      • 2 medium carrots, (peeled and diced)
      • 4 white waxy potatoes, ((like baby reds or Yukon Gold), peeled and diced)
      • 1/4 head cabbage, (chopped)
      • 2 bay leaves
      • 1 tsp dried marjoram
      • salt and fresh cracked pepper, (to taste)
      • chopped fresh parsley, (for garnish)

      Instructions

      1. Put a drop of oil in a stock pot and brown off the sausages or brats. Let them get cook color on all sides, then add 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10-12 minutes, until the brats are cooked. Remove the brats to a plate, and strain the broth and set aside. (I like to strain the broth because there will always be little bit and bobs floating around, and it's nicer without.) When the brats have cooled a bit, slice them.
      2. Meanwhile add a tablespoon of oil to a a new soup pot and saute the onions, celery, and carrots for about 4-5 minutes, just until slightly softened but not browned, stirring often.
      3. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and all 4 cups of the stock to the pan, along with the bay leaves, salt, pepper, and marjoram.
      4. Bring up to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are almost tender. Take a taste to be sure. Add the sliced brats and simmer for another 5 minutes until everything is perfectly tender.
      5. Taste to adjust the seasonings and serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.

      Notes

      Variations:
      Stir in some sour cream, off the heat, to the finished soup.
      Season with caraway seeds.
      Add a leek, trimmed, diced, and well rinsed.
      Add peeled and diced celeriac or turnip.
      Puree the finished soup to a creamy consistency before adding the sausage.
      Brighten the flavor with a small touch of apple cider vinegar.
      *recipe adapted from Ren Behan

      39 votes

    50. Thoughts on making one's own dry mixes?

      Ask (advice)
      A general thought that came from a more specific one I had the other day: I've been trying to make sure I eat breakfast by making overnight oats, but it can be a pain on tired nights to get it set...

      A general thought that came from a more specific one I had the other day: I've been trying to make sure I eat breakfast by making overnight oats, but it can be a pain on tired nights to get it set up.

      Are there any gotchas with making your own mixes of dry goods? I feel like I know enough to scare myself with things like "oh well that might not be shelf-stable when mixed since xyz pathogen from it grows well when provided with abc".

      At the moment, I'm just imagining prepping like a weeks worth of oats, chia seeds, raisins, etc. so that I can dump milk in each night, which seems like it would be totally fine.

      13 votes