tearingmonkey's Profile
Pescetarian looking for new dish ideas (no soy products please).
Tuna Meatballs with tomato sauce are wonderful. They have pinenuts and a little bit of cinnamon and go well on pasta, polenta or lentils. I also used canned tuna instead of fresh.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/the-best-tuna-meatballs-le-migliori-polp
Blueberries!
Just tried something new: Pickled Blueberries on goat cheese crostini - a tiny bite of paradise.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/catherines-pickled-blueberries/detail.aspx
Bacon Fat - do you use it? How?
Use it instead of butter for grilled cheese sandwich, makes the bread so crisp with a slight smokey saltiness.
My favourite grilled cheese is with jalapeno puree and havarti.
New on Queen East??? - Ruby Eats, Tavern, Olive & Olive
I went to Olive & Olives and was impressed. The service was very relaxed and attentive, samples freely given in form of small shots (I'm speaking of the olive oil and the balsamic). Tasting pure really gave us a sense of the product, we ended up switching what we had originally picked as a result of being able to taste a variety. True we ended up with more expensive oil and balsamic but we make a snack of it with fresh bread and some dukha we also bought there. Very happy snacks, puts the savour in savoury.
The oil is from family estate harvested in Spain tastes sweet upfront, grassy and a little bitterness after. Called Cortija de Suerte Alta ($29.95)
Looking for Masterstock Chicken on noodles - Vietnamese or Chinese
Really wanting to try this chicken dish. It is said that the masterstock used to slowcook the chicken is often decades old. In Asia families pass down the stock through generations and retiring chefs sell there stock for tens of thousands of dollars. Romancing the food aside it looks so tasty. Episode 60 of Masterchef Australia featured it and my mouth is watering.
Is anyone in Toronto doing this?
char-grilled octopus ?
I found the cork method works really well. I used 1 cork from a bottle of red (makes a difference ..? more tannins?) with 10 or so baby octopus. Maybe the babies are more tender.
Ribs: Can I put a dry rub on them and then freeze them?
Pork ribs are on sale (more than half off) this weekend but I want them for next week and its a very busy weekend. Will it be okay to put on the rub now, let it sit overnight to infuse, freeze them and defrost next weekend then cook them?
One rub is dry, the other has fresh garlic and fresh orange zest as well as dry spice.
....thoughts, experiences?
I've never had a good cupcake in Toronto...
If you want beyond the "pedestrian" you really have to try the cupcakes at For the Love of Cake
in liberty village. They do flavoured cakes then a filling then icing then topping, Fresh and tasty
Cakes: * Vanilla
* Chocolate
* Mocha
* Lemon
* Coconut
* Chocolate Hazelnut
* Apple Spice
* Banana
* Carrot
* Red velvet
* Guinness Chocolate
* Almond
* Chocolate Mint
Fillings:
* Chocolate, raspberry, lemon, mocha, triple citrus, strawberry or chocolate/raspberry buttercream
* Vanilla, Oreo, peanut butter, cream cheese, chocolate or mint frosting
* Chocolate or chocolate/hazelnut ganache
* Lemon curd
* Vanilla or banana custard
What's For Dinner, Part 83 [OLD]
So happy to be snipping wild garlic tops form the garden while singing "The snow is gone, Oh Yes, the snow is gone" and making:
Linguine With Green Garlic Clam Sauce (from NYTimes)
½ cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced green garlic, white and light green parts only
¾ teaspoon chili flakes
4 pounds Manila clams, scrubbed
¼ cup white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound linguine
¼ cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon.
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a wide saucepan large enough to hold the clams. Add the garlic, chili flakes and a large pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the clams, white wine, 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook over high heat, covered, until the clams open. As they open, transfer them to a plate.
2. When cool enough to handle, remove the clams from their shells and mince. Discard the shells. Strain the clam juice through a fine-mesh sieve.
3. Add enough salt to the boiling water so it tastes salty. Boil the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, wipe the saucepan clean. Return the clam meat and juice to the saucepan along with the parsley, lemon juice and zest and the remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Reheat and season to taste. Add the pasta and toss. Serves 4 to 6.
Vegetarian soup?
Sweet potato & Pear
Roasted Celery root & truffle oil
to be fancy or ..simply ...
Veg broth with lemon zest, parsley & orzo pasta (if you eat eggs: whisk together egg, grated parma and a little garlic, then whisk into the hot broth)
fresh bean curd sheets
I keep mine in the freezer, they thaw out very quickly. I've only bought the sheets to use as wrappers. As a wrapper for something like a spring roll they can be left soft of fried to get crisp.
For any vegetarians: I wrap these around fake chicken and roast them in the oven. It's amazing like crisp roast chicken skin. Will crisp up even if there is some flavouring ( eg. mustard sauce) between the fake chicken and the bean curd sheet.
Biscotti help
I've just made a batch of biscotti that uses Olive Oil instead of butter. They came out with a crisp outside and a tender inside. They were easy to cut . Olive oil might distribute the fat more evenly throughout batter making for a more tender cut stage. I don't see why direct substitution couldn't be made into any recipe (1/2 cup olive oil for 1/2 cup butter)
Know a good Middle Eastern Dish?
If you can get dried lemons (also known as black lemons or limes) they add a fantastic sour earthiness to chicken, lamb or fish dishes. I have an amazing recipe for chicken if dried lemons are available to you.
Trifle dessert variations? chestnut puree and chocolate?
I was thinking of trifle for xmas dessert but looking for a new combination. I have a can of chestnut puree that I was was going to fold whipped cream into (like Iltalian "Mont Blanc" dessert). I can't decide if I should use chocolate genoise cake or espresso dipped lady fingers as the base. My partner and I disagree on whether there should be a fruit element. I say add either raspberries, pomegranate seeds or sliced kumquats, she says they will conflict with the chestnut taste.
Anyone had good, nay, super delicious trifle variations? or comments on the above combo?
I have a venison hip roast, should I marinate it, treat it like pot roast? or slow roast?
Really don't want to ruin this beautiful meat and truthfully haven't cooked a roast in about a decade. My father (the hunter) gave me the roast with instructions of "put in the oven to cook it" with the look that fathers can give when i asked how to prepare it. So I would really like a few more details on the cooking. Any help would be great.
Was thinking of making Yorkshire pudding to go with it.
Substitute ingredients that (unexpectedly?) worked better than the original?
Coarse grated apple as substitute for oil in muffin recipes, makes them light and moist.
Experience with Lever style Espesso Machine, anyone?
Thinking of buying lever style espresso maker. Would love to know if they are worth the money. I've been looking onto Gaggia and Saeco
Dark green tops of leeks- Can they be used in stock?
This sounds great, I have about 30-40 leeks growing in the garden and didn't think of any use beyond stock. I love hearty, easy dishes and add in noodles i'm dug in, maybe with black bean paste as well to add a hit of spice.
Now I'm thinking some dutch oven dish might also work to help with breaking down the tougher leek tops with the braising you mentioned. Maybe chicken, leek tops, potatoes, thyme hmmm .. THANKS for getting my brain working
Dark green tops of leeks- Can they be used in stock?
I have leeks from my garden which I'm eating in a multitude of ways, but I wondered if I can use the top darker portion of the leaves in stock? I always read recipes for the white and light green parts only. Since I grew the little critters I'd love to use all parts.
Which wineries are worth a visit in Prince Edward County?
I would also recommend Huff Estates Winery with the adjoining Oeno Gallery. Beautiful modern art in a very contemporary building. They also have an Inn and cafe.
http://www.huffestates.com/
It's hot as Hades! What are you freezing into adult popsicles?
Cantelope ice cream refrozen in the skin and cut into wedges to eat .
Cut the cantelope in half, discard seeds, use a large spoon to scoop out flesh then puree it in the food processor with about 1/3 ratio of vanilla ice cream. Put the empty skin in a bowl, pour in the puree and freeze for 2-3 hours.
or put a stem of grapes in the freezer until frozen.
Smelt now on the endangered list - Substitutions?
In asian groceries I've bought frozen anchovies that are great fried up. Their not cured but fresh when frozen. They're a smaller than smelt, about the size of a pinkie finger but the same meat texture.
Vegetarian Grilling: Ideas?
I've always used direct heat and a gas bbq for this - but charcoal might require indirect if the coals are not burned down
Vegetarian Grilling: Ideas?
really simple- soak your cedar plank in water for about 30 min, place a round of brie (cut ones will ooze too much) on the the plank
-put any chutney on top but I usually use grilled pineapple/jalepeno salsa.
- bbq for about 20 min on med - high heat or until the brie is melting soft and smoked slightly.
If you want a more smokey flavour brie put the chutney on at the end or the side of the brie later. Serve with lots of bread
Vegetarian Grilling: Ideas?
corn basted with a melted butter/soy sauce/green onion combo is amazing, just bast and turn until each side is lightly charred
also if you vege friends eat cheese
- feta wrapped in grape leaves goes great on the grill
- brie on a cedar plank with grilled pineapple/jalepeno salsa
Best thing I've Tempura'd - Chive Blossoms
I use an electric deep fryer on high setting and reuse my oil until it it dark coloured.
I should mention a warning when I deep fried the chive blossoms - one of the seeds popped while in the fryer and sent some hot oil with it. So stand back a bit or use your lid.
I also left on 5 inches of stem on so they looked like tempura lollipops.
Best thing I've Tempura'd - Chive Blossoms
1 cup cake flour
1 tbspn cornstarch
1 cup cold water
2 ice cubes
The ice cubes keep the batter really cold which keeps the batter from getting too oily. Sometimes I have to add extra water if the batter is too thick.
to howchow: wow! avocado tempura - crispy and silky together sounds great
Best thing I've Tempura'd - Chive Blossoms
yes, they were fully bloomed. When tempura'd they look like a beautiful crystaline entitiy.
I've also been tearing the blooms up and putting them in potato salad & green salads.
Anyone making caneles in Toronto?
I've done myself in by watching this chowhound video:
http://www.chow.com/videos?tag=main_menu_videos;menu_videos_link#!/show/the-perfect/12156/the-perfect-canele
These pastries look like my dream coffee campanion. A pastry thats crispy, crunchy on the outside and custardy cake on the inside, ooohhhh mama.
Anyone ever had these in Toronto?
(these are fench desserts not the italian canoles)
Best thing I've Tempura'd - Chive Blossoms
We had a finger food night of Japanese Pub food (Izakaya) at home the other night and decided to tempura the chive blossoms from our garden. They were fantastic. Crispy, oniony and peppery.
Best thing I've ever had with tempura.
Any other tempura success?
