lmoy's Profile
Shang, in Thompson LES
No, but I have reservations for 12/20 and am very curious! If anyone's been there, please share!
Help- How to wash/clean baby bok choy?
If soaking them in straight water doesn't get the grit out, try soaking them in a 10-20% vinegar solution. As bw said, you'll need to agitate from time to time. After a few minutes, gently lift out the bok choy and put it in a colander. Then rinse again with a clean stream of cold water to rinse away the vinegar and any remaining grit.
Tomato Dessert?
I've got a few too many tomatoes on my hands at the moment. They're very complex and sweet, and super ripe -- a few of them are going to start getting mushy if I wait any longer to use them. I'm attending a dinner tonight, and I need a dessert. Does anyone have a good dessert recipe that incorporates tomatoes? Maybe a tomato dessert pie??
Thanks in advance!
Vegetarian sandwich options
PESTO!
We made loads of pesto over the weekend, and I am pretty much obsessed with eating it at the moment. I like a pressed hot sandwich w/ pesto, brie, and honey. My SO likes pesto on toast w/ thin-sliced tomato, tofu, and a hard cheese. Many people like pesto w/ eggs, so you could try a pesto and egg sandwich (or pesto egg salad?).
Help! Vegetable Dishes that Freeze Well
Thanks for the suggestions!
I made a LOT of roasted vegetable stock, which was perfect because some of the vegetables were starting to get a little *mature.*
Some of the veggies turned out to be beyond even stock, and had to be thrown out. :(
And a few will be blanched and frozen tonight for future use in quiches, casseroles, and lasagnas.
Zucchini is going to become zucchini bread! YUM!
Thanks!
Help! Vegetable Dishes that Freeze Well
Due to having eaten out a lot in the past several days (we had guests in town), we are feeling a little overwhelmed by our CSA produce at the moment. It would be a shame to see anything go bad before we have a chance to cook it, so I'm hoping to use up a bunch of it in dishes that will freeze well, then store those away for consumption at another time. I could use your input for ideas!
Here's what's in the fridge:
- Several pounds zucchini
- Several pounds cucumbers
- Kale
- 2 heads of lettuce
- Cilantro
- Sweet Japanese turnips
- Small beets
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Bok choy
- Broccoli rabe
- Broccoli
Thanks in advance!
Irish Soda Bread
I bought some soda bread at one a greenmarket on Saturday -- not sure if it was the same vendor or not. Anyway, I bought it without reading the label carefully, and when I got it home I realized that yeast was listed as an ingredient! Yeast?? In soda bread?? It did taste good -- and it had whole caraway seeds, which is important to me in a soda bread -- but it was far from traditional in texture.
savoury bread pudding/strata?
I tried Melissa Clark's corn bread and broccoli rabe strata (from the Times) a couple months ago: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E7D9153CF937A25752C1A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=
I normally enjoy a rustic corn bread with whole kernels of sweet corn in it, but for this recipe you really need to go with the smoothest, breadiest variety you can find (store bought will really be fine). Also, I'd recommend adding some more red pepper flakes and some fresh herbs to the broccoli rabe, and I'd also add a couple teaspoons of dijon mustard to the custard.
Diabetic desserts needed
I, too, have a family member with diabetes. There are some wonderful online sources for diabetes recipes. Two great ones:
The American Diabetes Association - http://vgs.diabetes.org/recipe/recipeCategory.jsp?CategoryID=8
The Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-recipes/RE00091
Why is DC lumped in with Baltimore?
As a transplant from Bethesda to NYC, I find it strange that while DC and Baltimore are lumped together, Manhattan and "Outer Boroughs" are separate boards. There are times when I wish I could look at a DC board without viewing threads about Baltimore restaurants (of which I know next to nothing); then again, there are times when I wish I could mention a Brooklyn store in a Manhattan thread without being reprimanded. It seems there's just no easy solution...
I think the best thing would be if you could choose a specific category for your post (i.e. "NYC Metro" for something relating to the City as a whole or "NYC Metro >> Brooklyn" for something specific to that borough), but view all posts in the larger category if you so choose (i.e. you would have the option to either look at all posts in "NYC Metro", which would include posts pertaining to all boroughs, or you could narrow your view down to "NYC Metro >> Brooklyn" if you wanted to). The same sort of category breakdowns could exist for DC/Baltimore -- for example "DC/Baltimore >> DC" and "DC/Baltimore >> Baltimore" and "DC/Baltimore >> Northern Virginia" could be some of the categories.
Unfortunately, making this sort of change to the boards would be pretty tough... until then I think we'll just have to cope with sometimes feeling board categories are too specific, or not specific enough.
Thanks for all your work, Chowhound Team!
What "indulgence food experience" could I buy with a $200 William Sonoma gift card?
A friend of mine once served fresh strawberries with real balsamic vinegar for dessert... I said, "who ever heard of eating strawberries with vinegar?" But the combination was DIVINE -- I can't recommend it highly enough. An excellent introduction to what real balsamic vinegar is supposed to taste like!
Best place to buy calf's liver in Brooklyn?
Okay, so I don't actually have a great calf's liver vendor for you, but re: grass-fed beef and pate -- you might try e-mailing Arcadian Pastures (they sell grass-fed beef at the greenmarkets). They could probably give you some advice. Also, I'm not sure if they regularly sell calf's liver, but they may be able to bring you one at the greenmarket if you request it. The last time I e-mailed them a question about their products, they responded right away. arcadianpastures@hotmail.com
ISO something new to do with Chinese "Peking Duck" pancakes
Here's a relatively simple mu shu chicken recipe:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/233797
ISO something new to do with Chinese "Peking Duck" pancakes
"Mu shu" style pork, chicken, or tofu! With hoisin sauce and scallions, of course. YUM.
Alternatively, make a dessert out of them by filling them with sweet red bean paste.
What "indulgence food experience" could I buy with a $200 William Sonoma gift card?
What an awesome gift! I'm so jealous...
A few ideas (based on things that I would get myself):
- solid wood cutting block
- cookbooks (they make some very good ones)
- Le Creuset dutch oven
- silicone spatula set
- mandoline
- microplane
- baking stone
char-grilled octopus ?
I'd love to know the answer to this myself, as I have been toying with the idea of making octopus at home. This week's Minimalist column had me feeling pretty brave; after that I dug up this 1999 piece by Bittman on octopus: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE3D91F3AF93BA3575AC0A96F958260&scp=1&sq=octopus+bittman&st=nyt
The recipe in the article for grilled octopus seems to describe a method that is almost exactly the same as what you did. I might suggest that you try simmering the octopus longer, but going by the information in the article it seems as though 1 hour should be plenty long enough for a two-pounder.
Hmm... puzzling.
Where did you get the octopus from? Was it fresh or frozen?
Does anyone have a recipe for an Armenian food called "choultik"?
Try this, from "The New Armenian Kitchen" -- click on the first result:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0967838258/ref=sib_dp_srch_pop?v=search-inside&keywords=eggplant+ratatouille&go.x=9&go.y=12
question about chinese spices
Oooh, forgot about dried black mushrooms! Definitely a must-have.
question about chinese spices
Ah, just reread OP and noticed that you are a vegetarian with a meat-eating boyfriend. A tip for preparing tofu for meat-eaters that can't get used to the texture: freeze it ahead of time (at least 24 hours), then defrost it in boiling water (about 10 minutes at full boil), and squeeze out the water by pressing between two plates.
Freezing completely changes the texture of tofu, and a lot of people who normally find tofu unpalatable are able to eat tofu that has been frozen. Tofu that has been frozen also becomes more sponge-like and absorbent, meaning it will absorb a marinade much more easily than tofu that has not been frozen.
For a meat substitute in a vegetarian stir-fry:
Cube the thawed and pressed tofu.
Marinate briefly in a mixture of light soy sauce, water, minced ginger, a little sesame oil, and a little rice vinegar.
Dredge the tofu cubes in a cornstarch/cornmeal mixture (about half and half) to coat.
Fry the tofu in hot peanut oil.
Tofu prepared like this can be great to eat on its own (try adding additional seasonings to the coating, like coriander, hot pepper, and some more ginger) -- sort of a twist on veggie chicken nuggets -- or it can be reserved and added to a veggie stir-fry at the end (if you put it in any earlier, the sauce will make the breading become mushy) as a meat substitute. I love to put this tofu in a stir-fry with broccoli, cashew nuts, and toasted sesame seeds. YUM!
question about chinese spices
I know you already have some of these things on your list, but here's the list I use when I'm helping someone stock a kitchen for Chinese cooking:
peanut oil
arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
white pepper
five spice powder
star anise
sesame seeds
szechuan peppercorns
fermented black beans
chili garlic sauce (the one with the picture of the rooster)
oyster sauce (lee kum kee brand -- the one with the picture of the boat)
rice vinegar
sesame oil
whole dried hot peppers
Also, you'll need a good Chinese cookbook. My personal favorite is the Encyclopedia of Chinese Food and Cooking: http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Chinese-Cooking-Wonona-Chang/dp/0517506610/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205264632&sr=8-1
It's long out of print, but you can get a used copy for a couple bucks on half.com: http://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQprZ1327010QQcpidZ2691743
Meatless (Fish Okay) Ideas for St. Patrick's Day?
Good point!
Ah, I've bean meaning to make cauliflower cheese -- good idea re: making it for St. Pat's! And mmm, rutabaga gratin. Do you have a recipe for that?
Thanks!
Cooking fish without the fish smell
I think poaching keeps the smell of the cooking fish pretty well contained.
Also, you can sometimes remove some of the fishiness from a less-than-perfectly-fresh filet by soaking it in milk for a half hour prior to cooking it.
Meatless (Fish Okay) Ideas for St. Patrick's Day?
My parents are coming to town for the weekend and have announced that they are bringing a corned beef with them, which they expect to make at my apartment (along with potatoes and cabbage, of course) in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. The trouble is, a couple members of our household don't eat meat.
I'd like everyone to be able to participate in the dinner together, so I've volunteered to contribute some dishes that fit the holiday but doesn't include meat. Any ideas? I think I'll make a colcannon, but it would be nice if I could think of some options other than cabbage/potatoes/carrots. Do you know of any? Does anyone have a good recipe for a fish-based Irish dish? Maybe Irish fish pies -- has anyone made them before?
Help! And thanks!
Overabundance of Lavender (help!)
I have a feeling that you are looking not only for help using up the flower buds, but also for ideas for using the greens. I had this same question a few weeks ago -- check out the related thread here:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/491136
Also -- the lavender greens are sort of similar in potency and pineyness to rosemary (though they are clearly more fragrant), so often they can be substituted for rosemary in recipes. I made an herb butter with chives, lemon, lavender greens, and rosemary that I have used quite successfully to make a sauce served over fish poached in white wine. I've also been meaning to make a focaccia with lavender greens... more on that whenever I actually manage to get to it!
does anyone have...
To add a little "zip," I experiment with my basic lasagna recipe, changing the sauce mixture around, using different cheeses in the cheese mixture (try it with fontina, or maybe add a little blue), and adding vegetable layers (like fried slices of eggplant, pieces of roasted red peppers, or grilled portabello caps).
This is a very easy, very forgiving recipe I use as the basis for lasagna.
Cheese Mixture:
1 15-oz container ricotta
8 oz mozz
8-16 oz sharp grating cheeses (like parm, peco romano, asiago, etc.)
1 egg
splash of milk
splash of olive oil
salt & pepper
optional: splash of red wine (I use a pretty *healthy* splash)
optional: 2 cloves garlic, minced
optional: minced fresh herbs (like basil, parsley, oregano etc.)
Sauce:
32 oz store bought or fresh, with any extras you want mixed in (like ground meat, crumbled sausages, sliced mushrooms, diced onions, etc.)
Pasta
1 lb lasagna noodles, cooked very al dente (maybe for two minutes less than the lower limit of the recommended cooking time)
Assemble the lasagna in a 9x13-inch baking dish as follows:
Sauce on the bottom
A layer of cheese mixture
A layer of noodles
Repeat a couple times.
The top layer should be a sauce layer, with an extra sprinkling of grated cheese. Make sure the last layer of lasagna noodles is completely covered with sauce, taking care to add extra sauce all around the edges and especially in the corners.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes covered in foil. Remove foil and bake 5-10 more minutes, until sauce is bubbling around all the edges and cheese on top looks a little golden.
The most common modification I make to this recipe is to add layers of roasted red pepper: I roast and peel about four red peppers, then layer strips of roasted red pepper into the lasagna between the cheese and sauce layers.
Park Slope CSA (Windflower Farm) vs. Greenwood Heights CSA (Hearty Roots Farm)?
Thanks so much, youcannotbeserious and lentillady! This is exactly the type of information I was looking for. I'll be mailing in my check to Greenwood Heights CSA today. youcannotbeserious, see you at the pickup point!
Tonio's on 7th Ave--what's the deal?
I've been meaning to try Tonio's for some time now. Went Friday night and was very pleased with the experience! We shared clams casino, spaghetti puttanesca, and escarole. Delicious, unpretentious, and reasonably priced. And they sell drinkable house wines by the carafe (we had the sangiovese), which is rare these days!
This is the type of homey institution I wish there were more of in Park Slope.
Tonio is super sweet.
Sticky, Mushy Rice...HELP
I use the same method as yimster to determine how much water should go in the rice.
Rinse the rice in the pot by adding water over the rice and dumping it out a few times, then rest the tip of your finger on the top of the rice and add water just until it comes to about the first joint.
Then:
1. Bring to a boil on medium heat.
2. Boil until the water is barely level with the top of the rice.
3. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, put the top on the pot, and let it steam for a few more minutes.
The type of rice you are using definitely matters -- this works perfectly for long-grain white rice, but I find that I need to use a little more water when cooking brown rice.
Very multicultural families: What foods can you all agree on?
I've got Chinese, Irish, Italian, and Eastern European Jewish in the family. Also, one family member is a very picky eater with an inflammatory bowel disease; another two are vegetarians.
When we all get together for a meal, everyone likes homemade chow mein (with American broccoli and chicken or beef), everyone likes barbecue (ribs, fish, soy sauce chicken, steaks), and everyone likes bok choy in sweet brown sauce. Also, everyone loves apple cake -- I know, desserts are always the easiest!
Pastured Eggs - What?
I have been buying eggs produced by pastured chickens at the greenmarket, and I hope I never have to go back to buying eggs in a supermarket! I often eat one egg over medium for breakfast, and the difference in taste and texture is absolutely astounding. The white is thick, fluffy, and doesn't spread very far in the pan, and the yolk is viscous, bright orange, and intensely flavorful. So good!
