Foodielicious's Profile
What Can I Shave Parmesan Over?!
Try some breaking off some small chunks of parm, then drizzle with a really sweet balsamic vinegar, cover with a coarse grind of black pepper, and serve with some kind of fruit (berries, firm pears, apples) and toasted walnuts.
Bored with my pork tenderloin
OK - this is days too late, but the paprika treatment went over way big at the Foodlielicious household: absolutely no leftovers! Thanks again.
Bored with my pork tenderloin
Thanks a million, everyone. I am totally inspired to change up my tenderloin routine! Now, off to find sources for Pomegranate Molasses and Memphis Dust Rub...
Bored with my pork tenderloin
Pomegranate Molasses is not a staple in my pantry, but regular molasses is: do you recommend that? perhaps diluted w/ wine or water? Perhaps Maple syrup? sounds like a real show-stopper!
Bored with my pork tenderloin
Thanks, GretchenS. Your paprika recipe is the winner for tonight's dinner! I had all of the ingredients on hand and the stuff is in the fridge marinating as I type. I've got plans to serve w/ avocado salad and some red wine. Will let you know how it pans out! many thanks.
Bored with my pork tenderloin
Howdy, Hounds. I've got a 1-lb pork tenderloin in my fridge and I plan to cook it for dinner tonight. I'm bored with the two preparations I typically use and would love some new ideas. Standard preps for me include: 1) butterfly/salt/sear then quick-roasting in the oven and serving with an herby sauce/salsa or 2) slicing medalions to pan sear then finishing with a quick pan sauce of wine/shallot/dry fruit/butter. Both are good, but I'm eager to try something new. What's your current fave prep?
Help me fix my hummus please!
Cooks Illustrated had a great technique in an article a few years ago. Grind up the chickpeas with some water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor or blender. Then mix your tahini and your olive oil together until it's a nice pouring consistency (about like heavy cream). Then slowly pour the tahini/oil mix into the chickpea mix while the processor/blender is running. It's the same technique you'd use for making mayonaise or hollandaise and results in a remarkably creamy texture. Here's a version of the recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/cooks-illustrated-restaurant-style-hummus-380146
The cumin and cilantro are optional, of course.
Pork: Help!
Try soaking your chops in a brine for 30 minutes or so before cooking them. 1qt cold water, 2T kosher salt, and 1/4-c brown sugar. Soak inch-thick chops in the fridge for 30 minutes or so while you prep the other dinner items. When you're ready to address the chops, rinse them off and pat them dry. Sear the chops on both sides over high heat in a skillet with a little oil in it. When they're browned, transfer them to a medium-hot oven (375-400) for about 15 minutes to finish the cooking. They'll be done when they hit about 155-160 on a digital thermometer. Let them rest for about 10 minutes before you cut into them.
Are you going to someone's house for Thanksgiving? What were you asked to bring? Care to share the recipe for whatever it is?
Going to a neighbor's potuck and am charged with gravy, chestnut dressing, and pies. I roasted a turkey last night and made 2 qts of turkey stock in the crockpot overnight. Will make the gravy and prep the dressing this evening, then bake the pies tomorrow morning (2 pumpkin, 2 pecan, 1 apple).
Chestnut Dressing:
1 loaf rosemary garlic bread (LaBrea bakery via Costco), cubed and toasted in the oven
1 pound pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped coarsely
2 yellow onions - finely diced
2 ribs celery - finely diced
2 T dry poultry seasoning or a mix of dry herbs of your choice
Salt/Pepper (plenty)
1 cup dry white wine
2-3 cups turkey stock
4 eggs - well beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
Fry the diced veggies in 2 T of the melted butter 'til browned and softened. Add the wine and dry herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce until the liquid is 1/2-gone. Add the stock and return to the boil. Add salt/pepper and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes (it needs to be cool enough not to "scramble" the eggs that you're about to mix in).
Place the staled bread cubes and chestnuts in a large bowl. Mix the cooled stock/veggies with the beaten eggs, then pour the mixture over the bread and toss to coat. Take a spoonful of this and fry it in a pan until the egg is set, then taste it to see if it needs additional seasonings. Once seasoned to your liking, pack into a deep lasagna pan or two large baking dishes. Drizzle the remaining melted butter evenly over the top. Bake at 400 degrees until puffed and golden brown (about 30-45 minutes).
Happy Thanksgiving!
How to make pumpkin pie?
I highly recommend the Cooks Illustrated recipe. The filling is pre-cooked and doing so both reduces the baking time and eliminates that strange "tinny" flavor that you get from canned pumpkin. Just google "cooks illustrated pumpkin pie" and you'll find it. Good luck!
Favorite Wood?
Red Oak is my favorite: I love it for beef, pork shoulder, and especially for my pizza oven. I live in Southern California and have it delivered by the 1/4-cord from a local supplier. And I always use it with the bark. Sometimes, just the bark, if I'm lucky enough to get some extra in the delivery from time to time.
THE DONUT MAN Question
That's the honest truth: the apple fritters are fantastic (and huge). I'm also a fan of the buttermilk bars and the tiger tails. I don't know that the buttermilk bars alone are worth the trip if that's the only doughnut you're interested in. But perhaps you could bring a few friends, each order a couple of different doughnuts, and set up a tailgate buffet in the parking lot!
Lunch Recs around the LA County Fairgrounds in Pomona?
Try El Merendero, right in on Fairplex south of Arrow Highway. Reliably good LA-style Mexican fare. It has a sizeable outdoor seating area, which is shaded under a big awning, as well as a small indoor seating area. It is among my fave Mexican dives in the neighborhood. Good barbacoa, chile colorado, tortas, tacos, etc.
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El Merendero Restaurant
1910 Fairplex Dr, La Verne, CA 91750
My Favorite Bagel Sandwich
YES!! Some think they've gone downhill in recent years, but I still love the place.
big fat juicy new potatoes, what's a girl to do?
slice them thinly (just use a knife, not a mandoline), then cook them a non-stick skillet with a sliced white onion, lots of salt and pepper, and plenty of your best olive oil. When they're tender (probably 10 minutes or so with frequent tossing), pour in 3 or 4 beaten eggs. Return to low heat for a few minutes until the eggs start to set, then invert the whole thing onto a plate, return it back to the pan on low heat for a few minutes until it's completely cooked and golden on both sides. Enjoy your delicious tortilla Espanola: Those potatoes will positively SING amid the mellow flavors of eggs, onions, and olive oil. Omnomnomnom!
Best, Simplest way to enjoy a fried egg?
Farm/local egg, basted in bacon fat (perhaps poached in bacon fat, is more like it), sprinkled with coarse salt, and served atop a thick slice of grilled ciabata. Excuse me.... I need to alone with my egg for a while....
My Favorite Bagel Sandwich
When I lived in Chicago, I had an old friend over to visit. I took him to Skokie around 1 or 2 in in the morning to pick up fresh bagels at my favorite shop. As we drove home, he sat in the back seat, next to a grocery sack full of hot bagels. He plucked an onion bagel from the pile and commenced to eat. After a few moments of silence, he said, "Good god.... it's like I'm having a bagel for the very first time!" I always remember that moment as proof that a good bagel, fresh and hot from the bakery, is about as good as it gets.
My Favorite Bagel Sandwich
Lately I'm loving an onion bagel toasted, covered with a thick layer of mashed ripe avocado, sliced tomatoes, and salt (sometimes with lemon juice if the tomatoes aren't all that tangy). If you don't have access to good avos in your area, cream cheese is a good alternative.
I also like: a sesame bagel with natural peanut butter, sliced banana, and honey. I'll add a few chopped dry apricots or dry cranberries if I have them on hand; a plain bagel with cream cheese and prune lekvar; a pumpernickel bagel piled high with sliced ham and swiss cheese.
Start with A Block of Tofu and.....?
Try cutting it into cubes or planks, pan-frying it in a little bit of oil until it's crispy and golden on all sides, then sprinkle it with some coarse salt and serve it as an appetizer to dip in Thai peanut sauce (can buy bottled or make your own). Or you can take the fried tofu chunks and toss them into your fave stirfry, with whatever veg/noodles/rice/sauce you like.
Emergency week night meal kit
Pasta carbonara comes to mind as my favorite quick meal: pasta, eggs, bacon/pancetta, and parmesan cheese (and some of the pasta cooking water). I've always got those items in the pantry/fridge and the meal comes together in minutes.
I've also taken to freezing individual portions of lasagna. They're easy to reheat in the microwave, then top with sauce from a jar if you like (and we never eat the whole thing anyhow).
Other quick items include:
cous cous with whatever veggies you have on hand,
frozen cooked shrimp (thaw in a bowl of tap water while you mix up the cocktail sauce and open a bottle of wine),
canned tuna with canned white beans tossed with oil and garlic over pasta,
omelets filled with leftover whatever and.or cheese,
any kind of "breakfast for dinner" items like pancakes from a mix with frozen blueberries thrown in (even better if you keep real maple syrup and bacon on hand).
I also love a bowl of yogurt topped with mounds of dried fruit, granola, honey, and whatever fresh fruit I've got on hand.
My braised/pot roasted beef/pork roasts always come out dry, hard
Yeah - no need to invest that kind of money in a slow cooker! I have a Rival CrockPot that I bought at Target for $20 and it works like a champ. I also have a Le Creuset DO, which is awesome and worth every penny. Coming in a close second, though is a Chantal DO that I got on the TJMaxx clearance table for a pittance: it's a bit small (5qt), but does the trick for smaller cuts.
My braised/pot roasted beef/pork roasts always come out dry, hard
I like to use the crockpot because it's easy to leave behind. Greygarious is right about the pre-sear, but that's not a big issue for me (I don't mind it and don't find it necessary for every application) and no one in my house is complaining about excess pot liquor. The DO works beautifully, of course, hence the many recs for it, but there's more than one way to braise and it can be done with great success even in the absence of a good DO.
My braised/pot roasted beef/pork roasts always come out dry, hard
Consider a crock pot/slow-cooker for braises. I've had success with them because they keep perfect temp and are designed for long/slow cooking. With a pork shoulder, i typically just put the cut in the cooker with a diced onion, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and garlic: no liquid necessary. Leave it on low for 8 hrs or so and come back to perfectly pullable braised pork. For beef, I tend to prefer a chuck - seared in a hot pan first - then put in the slow cooker with some red wine and stewed/canned tomatoes and fave seasonings (again, on low, about 8 hours or so, depending on the size of the cut).
If you don't have a slow cooker, go for the low-temp/Dutch oven method for 4 hours or so. If you don't have a DO, you can put your meat in any kind of baking dish that's large enough to accommodate w/ the other ingredients, then seal it up super tight with foil. 9x13 pyrex works great like this for flat cuts like brisket, etc.
Seeking advice: Pick from these options for a "Last Supper"
If you haven't already made your reservation for Mozza, make it right now. It's worth both the money and the wait, but you don't want to risk showing up without a reservation.
You really can't go wrong in the SGV if you like Chinese/Taiwanese: there are dozens of fantastic places to try there. If you want to counter your experience at Mozza with something way downscale, consider Luscious Dumplings on Las Tunas (cash only, no reservations).
If you want to sample the LA "scene," make a reservation at Red O on Melrose or First and Hope downtown (again, reservations required). Better to experience those sorts of places before you become all jaded and bitter (your destiny and divine right as a college student in LA) and before your parents cry poor because of all the money they're spending on your education (their destiny and divine right as parents of a jaded and bitter college student in LA).
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Luscious Dumplings
704 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776
Red O
8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
What should i put on my taco?
Ruth speaks the truth: chopped white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and some lime (maybe some salsa, if you want). You've spent so much time and effort on the meats, don't mask them with too many condiments. You can always serve some other dishes on the side (beans/dairy/guacamole/salads/etc).
Easy potluck recipes that travel well?
Items like tabbouleh and hummus are great for make-ahead and work really well at room-temp.
If you have access to a skillet/stove while you're there, one of my favorite summer dishes is a log of cold goat cheese, smashed onto a platter then covered with about 1/2-cup of hot garlic oil (2-3 crushed garlic cloves fried in an excellent olive oil 'til just starting to turn golden, then the contents of the skillet get poured over the cold cheese - makes a neat sizzling sound, too). Great for smearing on crusty fresh bread and it requires only 3 ingredients and about 90 seconds on the stove.
Deviled eggs sound great to me, too!
What simple cooking mistake inspires disproportionate rage?
Oh you are spot on, small h!! I get so mad when I cut or burn myself. And I've done both hundreds of times. It's like I'll never learn - perhaps that's why I get so mad? I KNOW HOW TO SLICE A BAGEL IN HALF! I KNOW WHERE WE KEEP THE POTHOLDERS! I KNOW! I KNOW I KNOW!!! and yet, it somehow makes no difference. I am covered with a thousand little scars, each one further damning evidence of my own ineptitude.
Need dessert options for sandwich rehearsal lunch
Two ideas:
1. To keep it simple, I'd recommend a huge fruit salad (perhaps dressed with white wine and fresh mint, with optional whipped cream to top) and either brownies or chocolate chip cookies.
2. To make it more involved/fancy, you could do a chocolate fondue with chunks of fresh fruit and pound cake to dunk/dip into the chocolate. If you want to make a big impression, you might be able to rent a chocolate fountain from a local party supply place!
Either option allows you to offer seasonal fruits from your area and gives your guests the option to consume something healthy/light or something rich/decadent. Or both!
What's For Dinner? Part XL
You can certainly add some hot chilis or a vinegar-based chili sauce, if you like them: I recommend adding them after they stew has finished cooking (along with the oil, vinegar, and seasonings) so that you can have greater control over the heat. Ropa vieja recipes vary from place to place - likely from house to house! - in the Caribbean, and chilis are indeed traditional in some of them. The Cuban version usually does not include them, as I understand it. As always, though, if you like them - include them!
What's For Dinner? Part XL
Here you go!
2# flank steak (or chuck) cut into big chunks and browned a bit in a skillet,
1 small can chicken broth (or sub red wine, if you have/prefer),
1 large onion (sliced),
1 sliced green pepper,
4 (or so) sliced cloves of garlic,
1 small can tomato paste,
1 bay leaf,
2t ground cumin.
Place everything in a crockpot , stir, cover, and cook on low for 8-12 hours, depending on the speed of your cooker. When the beef is fall-apart tender, remove it from the crockpot, shred it with two forks and return it to the cooking liquid along with:
1T white vinegar,
a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
plenty of salt and pepper (to taste)
Serve it with something like white rice or crusty bread so you can sop up the juice when you're finished with the beef.
