Magical Peruvian Green Sauce "Huacatay" Recipe

Once you grow it from seed....watch-out....is is nearly a weed.
It grows like a whirlwind, and re-seeds itself readily.
From last year's flowering crop, I now have it sprouting in all nearby adjacent pots, soil, and cracks in the ground.
Happy Days.

Freq Band in Home Cooking

Carnitas recipe needed- your recommendations?

I use Rick Bayless' basic Carnitas recipe, but add some aromatics, like orange peel, peppercorns, and a crumbled bay leaf.....so much for "bayless"...haha...
The second half of his recipe calls for roasting/frying the pork "dry" (not covered)...I may try that some day by putting the roasting pan in a smokey BBQ.
Or today, I am currently trying an alternative, by adding one chipotle pepper to the pork, to add some smokeyness, in the oven.

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I have a guava tree and I don't know what to do with it!

Sounds like they are not producing good fruit.
I have "helped" poor preforming fruit trees by fertilizing, mulching, and making sure they get plenty extra water.
It will take at least a year or so, maybe to...of TLC.

Freq Band in Gardening

Magical Peruvian Green Sauce "Huacatay" Recipe

That glendale store was not there.

"Seeds of Change" sells the seeds, but they call it "nematocidal marigold".
I got mine on Amazon.

Growing great !!......about 3 feet tall by now.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60706871@N05/5868884722/

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Chilis, or Chilies, or Chiles, or Chillies...can we come to a decision ?

Right.
The "correct plural" spelling depends on how the "singular" spelling is carried out in the first place.
I like Chlié.

But if it is determined a definite noun, it is pluralized by adding different ending, like the latin ending would be "ea" or other languages might might exchange the "e", for an "a" or "o".
"If it is indefinite, it has no plural marker, and its plurality is determined by context." says one source.
More thoughts are welcomed......

Freq Band in Not About Food

Chilis, or Chilies, or Chiles, or Chillies...can we come to a decision ?

How is it spelled ?
Can we make a spelling law ?

Freq Band in Not About Food

Straining cooked dried chiles chilies chilis(??)

Several recipes call for cooking (or wet reconstituting) dried chilies, then straining out the skin and seeds.
A food processor prepares them....but what do I strain the mash with ??
I've tried pressing through a metal mesh strainer with a rubber spatula, but that seems to be very messy and slow.
How about a chinois ?
What about squeezing through cheesecloth or a loose nylon strainer ?

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Mulato chile (dried) where to find in the SFV ??

Vallarta has it....the worker on the phone did not look well enough.

Freq Band in Los Angeles Area

Mulato chile (dried) where to find in the SFV ??

Is the Mulato chile the same thing as a dark brown (ripened) dried Pablano ?

Freq Band in Los Angeles Area

Mulato chile (dried) where to find in the SFV ??

I am making Mole.
Where in LA (SFV) can I find these ?

I tried Vallarta in Burbank...no luck.

thanks.

Freq Band in Los Angeles Area

Harissa (Tunisian, Morrocco) Piri Piri peppers ??

I'm trying to find the traditional red chili used in Harissa sauce/paste.
(I've made it with local southwest chilies before)

So far I've come up with "Capsicum frutescens".
But this is found in many countries, with common names being...

Birdseye
African Bird's eye
Piri Piri
Tabasco
Malagueta
Thai pepper

or there is a variation... Capsicum frutescens 'African Devil'

I think the above one is the correct one.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/83898/
http://www.fiery-foods.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107:pepper-profile-african-birdseye&catid=92:pepper-profiles&Itemid=149

any comments, or sources ??
Thanks

=FB=

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Fresh seafood market sources (near the SFV) ??

Holy carp, I forgot about them! Great lunches too.
thx

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Peruvian Lime

Is the Peruvian Lime really Citrus aurantifolia....and is this the same as the Key Lime ??

I read somewhere that there is a difference.
Are they indeed the same ?
(I'm trying to perfect my Ceviche recipe.)

=R=

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Fresh seafood market sources (near the SFV) ??

When I want to whip up a quick meal using seafood, where should I go to buy fresh seafood ?
I am in the Burbank area.
I can live with "flash-frozen" choices (on the boat, or at the dock) ...as long as they are just that...and not "frozen because it 's not selling".

I simply will not eat the fish at the local chain market's meat counter.

I got spoiled (no pun) because my ex-girlfriend father was head of NOAA Northwest Fisheries, and they only ate fish straight off the boat. They felt the fish at Seattle's Pike's Place fish market, was too old.
While I can't possibly adhere to that standard......I need to do better than a local supermarket's selection.

PS...I will post their "Pickled Salmon" recipe soon.........fricken fantastic.

=R=

Freq Band in Los Angeles Area

Is thin-crust pizza dough just regular but rolled thinner?

That would have been my guess. ....and I will be letting it rest in the fridge.

Thank You,
=FB=

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Is thin-crust pizza dough just regular but rolled thinner?

Puck's above recipe (linked) is missing the "amount" of yeast. Anybody care to guess ?

Freq Band in Home Cooking

Glace de Viande...my first taste of heaven.

This was my first time at this 12 hour stock reduction.
Made from beef bones "knuckles" found at my local butcher.
These were first roasted.... along with carrot, celery, onion, shallot, fennel and a few mushrooms.
The roasting pan was de-glazed with a bit of sherry, then everything put into a large 8 qt stock pot, (w/some herbs), and skimmed and simmered until 1/10 remained....12 hours later.
I strained it into a small saucepan and shoved it into the freezer.
An hour or so later, I cut the frozen mass into pie shapes, put them in individual ziplock bags, and I'm keeping them in the freezer until needed.

Out of curiosity, I left a teaspoon in the saucepan, added twice as much sherry, some s&p, and a small pad of butter..........simmering until thickened.

Then I tasted it......

It was worth every fucking minute.

=FB=

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Creuset roasting pan, not in catalog....

Great price, but only found from one supplier, and offered at a few sites.
What do you think ?? is it the real-deal ??...or ??

2 1/2 qt cast iron pan, black satin.

I don't see black satin on the Le Creuset site:
http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/en-us/Products/Enameled-Cast-Iron/Roasters/Rectangular-Roaster-2-qt/

Sold these sites:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280466515204&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://www.smartbargains.com/go.sb?pagename=prod&sp=All%2BProducts%252f%252f%252f%252fUserSearch%253dcreuset%252f%252f%252f%252f&dk=creuset&deptid=54&catid=141&prodid=3010558983&t=Search...prod.1

http://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Satin-Black-Cast-Roaster/dp/B0031GZ1AO/ref=sr_1_sc_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1266800062&sr=1-9-spell

=FB=

Freq Band in Cookware

Three gadgets I Can Live Without But Choose Not To

That olive pitter I've used twice...
The spring loaded tea strainer that made a mess...once.
...And that fancy antique butter knife that's never been introduced to butter.

Freq Band in Cookware

my Wild Boar is angry, how to cook to tenderness ?

Every time I cook wild boar (tried twice), by the time it reaches the proper internal temp (130 to 140 after removal from oven & resting period)...it's tough like leather.

Is this a slow-cook meat, or a quick sear/broil ?
If the cut is thick, (like a rack), it needs some decent cooking time.

This stuff is expensive, and if I can't get it right....I quit.

=FB=

Freq Band in Home Cooking

Austin...need an unusual-romantic meal.

I am visiting a lady-friend in Austin. I am trying to find something unusual to do....like an old-fashioned picnic. However, the weather and fire-ants could pose a problem.

We love privacy. I wonder if there are any services that would set-up a 2 person lunch...either on a hillside...or on a boat.

Any ideas ??

=FB=

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Magnetic Knife Rack

...affectionately termed..."Knife Cozy"

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Magnetic Knife Rack

Hard to see in the photos, the knives sit away from the wall...enough to stick some fingers under the handles, and twist off the knife.
(flash photos flatten things out)

=fb=

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Magnetic Knife Rack

I made my own .......

with a rubber surface......

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/Midiot/DSCN2050.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/Midiot/DSCN2053-1.jpg

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Spruce cutting board ( japanese )

Well..."impregnated" with an anti-antifungal / bacterial substance...
....in addition to the darn name of the company...."The Wood Pecker Factory"...

...makes me giggly.

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Spruce cutting board ( japanese )

I also think it is saying.....to keep away from extreme heat.
Spongeboard squarepants likes to be "cool".

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Spruce cutting board ( japanese )

I had to.....

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Spruce cutting board ( japanese )

No, I don't think the salesperson is not knowledgeable, in fact...he sells all sorts of specialty products, directly from Japan.

Anzen Hardware, LA,CA
(you can see the cutting board on the glass counter)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/Midiot/DSCN1936-1.jpg

It's not cedar, that I know...it does look like spruce, with it's ultra-straight grain (like you would see on acoustic instruments).

Here is the manufacture's website...anyone read Japanese ??
http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/umezawa-store/802.html

The spruce is supposed to have an anti-bacterial quality..... with magical powers, far beyond the comprehension of the western, non-enlightened mind.
(ok, I made-up the last half of that sentence.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upon searching for "spruce" "antibacterial", I found some interesting reads about >>food on wood<
Wood has natural antibacterial qualities (remember that bacteria and fungus are different beasts)...with Pine heartwood being one of the most effective woods in this area...and Spruce is not too unrelated to Pine.

http://www.dte.dk/Tr%C3%A6_vinder_strid_uk.htm

(plastic vs. wood cutting boards)
http://faculty.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/docliver/Research/cuttingboard.htm

=Randall=

Freq Band in Cookware

Spruce cutting board ( japanese )

I bought a Japanese cutting board made of unsealed Spruce.
The salesperson said to never put any sealer (oil,, etc...) on it , ever...

I believe this is a traditional cutting surface for sushi chefs.

I was wondering if anyone knows what would be the proper care/maintenance for this cutting board
It's a single piece of wood, not a laminate.

(no info was found when Goggling this )

=Randy=

Freq Band in Cookware