carbonaraboy's Profile
Keller and Aduriz's Controversial Comments
I agree, MGZ. It reminds me of Charles Barkley's infamous quote (while he was playing): "I'm no role model". I remember thinking at the time -- you sh**head, you already are a role model, it's your choice what kind of one you want to be. ML's elaborate defense of Keller proves the former. Keller's dismissal shows what kind he wants to be.
Where to buy fish/shellfish retail in Charleston
I will be staying outside of Charleston in July and would like some recommendations on retail fish stores/fish mongers in the area. Thanks.
Lobster ravioli sauce
Sage with lobster???
I'd make a short-cut quick Sauce Americaine:
Saute some shallots in butter. Add some finely diced tomato. Then deglaze with white wine til practically dry. Add a cup of cream, 1-2 tbl good brandy, and some shopped tarragon. Also something for heat like cayenne or crushed red pepper. If using crushed red pepper or fresh chilis, saute with the shallots.
It's a Chili cook-off! Need special ingredient suggestions
Toasted or fried corn tortillas, ground up, are better than masa in my book, because masa has a raw taste to it.
Deen - Why did she keep it a secret for three years while deep frying butter?
No what makes you an ass is how you conduct your business.
Beef Braciole - Flank Steak or Round?
Flank, butterflied, which is tricky, but if you mess up, you just get it cut in half, which isn't a disaster.
BTW, Christmas Eve in Italian households is traditionally lenten. Well, Catholic Italian households anyway.
Cioppino
This may seem like a nit, but if you use blue crab, replace the red wine with white. Red with Dungeness because it's richer meat.
Pumpkin lasagna recipe?
I don't know much about pumpkins, but I do know that some varieties are better than others for cooking. If you find one you like, substitute it for the butternut in the following lasagne layers:
pasta
butternut mixed with a little ricotta, fresh sage, and nutmeg
bresaola, sliced thinly
grated fontina cheese
bechamel
pasta...
You can substitute a good Vermont cheddar for the fontina and add a little cooked and strained tomatoes to the bechamel
Chili meat
The chili cook-off crowd prefers tri-tip because it's flavorful and non-fatty, because the judges ding you for greasiness and they don't have time to cool and skim. I use this now and really like it.
Carbonara with or without milk/cream?
The creaminess should come from the eggs. If it's not creamy enough, you don't have enough eggs, are overcooking them, or both.
Oven stuffer roaster-white meat cooking faster than dark
If you use indirect heat on your grill, you can cook a spatchcocked OSR very nicely.
Tomatoes and Peaches
I made a tomato-peach beurre blanc for fish while at the beach this summer, since the farm stand had both. (They looked like they'd been plucked that morning). Very nice!
Authentic Italian Gravy
Yes, beef and pork neck bones will splinter a bit. If using them, braise separately in wine and stock (after browning). Then sift. shred, and add.
I like the beef/pork rib route best, but neck bones can be had much more cheaply. Beef shank is also excellent, and pork shank if you can find it.
Authentic Italian Gravy
Excellent! Shredded brisket is brilliant.
Don't forget to fry some tomato paste in a little of the grease left in the meatball pan, then deglaze and add to the sauce.
New Mexico/California Chili Powder
While it is possible to make powder from any dried chili, I'm going to interpret the OP's request as referring to the long-stem New Mexican chile. It is the progenitor to the Anaheim pepper, which I'm interpreting as the reference to "California".
Without blathering on, these two articles should clear things up. Chiles are a serious thing in NM...
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/31/138805258/chile-pepper-capital-seeks-to-preserve-roots
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14529268
Bacon grease beurre blanc: genius or horror?
That's what I've done before, only with pancetta. At this point, I feel like I've been oversmoked by the "everything's better with bacon" mantra. (Are we over that yet?)
New Mexico/California Chili Powder
Please, stay away from CA and go right to the source and get the real stuff. Here's one site:
http://newmexicanconnection.com/redchilepowder-100chile.aspx
Corn my own beef?
If you dry cure, you pretty much have to simmer or braise to get out the excess salt. By "braise" I mean put on a shallow rack in a deep roasting pan, add water or beer half way up the meat, seal well with HD Al foil, bake at 350, turn meat halfway through.
There's New Mexico Chile and then there's New Mexico chile.
http://newmexicanconnection.com/index.html
I buy the frozen roasted green chilis. I'm waiting for the new crop to be be available before I re-stock. I also have a few jars of this on hand for quickies:
http://newmexicanconnection.com/roastedgreenchile.aspx
There's nothing like the real thing. It's like tasting store-brand cheddar compared to artisan cheddar.
Texas Red Chile help
There are a lot of variables for hotness, but this chart is a pretty good general guide:
http://www.foodsubs.com/Chiledry.html
If you look at the older chili recipes, you'll see than Ancho is the suggested pepper. Since they're mild, that's probably what you're looking for as the base.
I've always strained my chili puree to get rid of solid bits and seeds. It's a pain, not really necessary, but it results in a smoother textured sauce.
Savoy Cabbage--Any Interesting Recipes other than cole slaw?
Pizzoccheri! Savoy cabbage is the green that usually used. This works great with store bought whole wheat past too. You can also add some cured pork, like speck or American country ham.
http://www.italianfoodforever.com/iff2008/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=556:pizzoccheri&catid=89:cdfreshpastacut&Itemid=65
Amazing Orzo Risotto Recipe with Crayfish (or large shrimp or lobster)
More heresy: you can make paella with orzo in place of rice. The crust is fantastic. Use fava beans, Italian sausage, and capicola in small dice.
adding chard stems?
Use the leaves in your dish. Make a quick pickle with the stems and red onions.
10 Worst Food Trends
Thanks for posting that! Terse and to the point, I agree either strongly or mildly with everything he says. I'm gonna have to search out more stuff by Mr. Gold.
Recipe contests and cooking competions
http://www.recipecontests.com/
There is an annual subscription fee.
Mike Isabella's pepperoni sauce recipe
See my post above -- for everyday sauce, I sauce Boar's Head bianco d'oro. I've also used this, but it's expensive so limited to holiday time:
http://www.zingermans.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=M-CRE
I also have used the very dry concentrated form of chorizo, which makes it a whole different beast, but very exotic. There's a whole bunch at:
http://www.tienda.com/food/chorizo.html
Get the ones that are fully cured, highly dried, and ready to eat.
Mike Isabella's pepperoni sauce recipe
Will you all stop thinking about the ingredient as pepperoni and start thinking about it as high quality/designer dry salami? All will become clear when you do.
Mike Isabella's pepperoni sauce recipe
I agree with you, Bob. I've been making a simple pasta sauce with small cubes of high quality dry salami for many years -- my daughter is addicted to the stuff. It doesn't have to cook for long, either. It's also very good long cooked in ragu as well. You can't wrong if you use good quality salume. A perfectly good lower cost/widely available version is Boar's Head Bianco D'Oro.
I haven't tried pureeing it into the sauce a la Mikey.
Pasta dish (meatless) to go with Easter Ham?
The Northern Italian Pizzoccheri (buckwheat) noodles with savoy cabbage, leeks, and fontina cheese is a perfect foil for ham.
