hankstramm's Profile
Help I have GIANT steaks!
I'd go in the French Côte de bœuf direction.
This article has some interesting info on it:
http://principiagastronomica.com/post/61
Need advice: Gelatinous chicken soup
Agree with Frommtron, poaching/blanching the feet first will get rid of some of the gunk. Also, I always either have them saw it us or do it myself.
tramontina enameled cast iron?
Made a French onion soup today in my Tramontina. Carmelized the onions for about 4 hours. works great--bought it for about $40 5-6 years ago. It's a little more chipped than my Staub, but, hey, the Staub cost almost 6 times the price and I don't care about chips.
The best French cookbooks?
I'd have to agree on JP. Although not most of his books. I'm pretty sure Naguere was referring to the Techiniques books (I think that's what they're called). From the 70's or 80's.
Indian cookbook recommendations ?
Actually, just reviewed this thread and this book is pretty good to get started. In fact, I use it often for quite a few dishes (the everyday dal and black eyed peas are great. The lamb chops and raitas are great too).
http://www.amazon.com/Spices-50-Dishes-Simple-Recipes/dp/B001P5HDWC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318998453&sr=1-1
Is there something different to do with boneless shortribs?
Thomas Keller in Bouchon uses them to make Beef Burgandy. Works well.
Day To Day Use Of 3 Crab Brand Fish Sauce
I use it to make a marinade for hanger steaks which I make a steak salad out of--got the recipe from some place years ago, don't remember where.
I eyeball the recipe, but it's roughly 2-3 tblspoons fish sauce, 1 tlbspoon herb d'provence, 5 cloves chopped garlic, 3 tlbs olive oil.
I give that a whirl in the food processor and marinade the hanger steak (or skirt, NY Strip or sirloin) for about 4-6 hours. I grill the steak over mesquite coals, then slice the steak thin and serve over arugula with a simple dressing made with lemon juice, a little more fish sauce, some black pepper and some reggiano...
What five cookbooks would you keep?
I have Chez Panisse desserts in mine, but Bouchon has some of my favorite desserts
What five cookbooks would you keep?
Bouchon
Chez Panisse Deserts
All About Braising
Zuni Cafe Cookbook
Invitation to Indian Cooking--Madhur Jaffery
chicken soup secrets?
I do the same sometime but use Vegata bouillon....Works great...
If you had a $200.00 gift card to spend on cookbooks, you would buy...
Adhoc is great for the novice that isn't afraid to go to extra lengths to make a superb meal. Like I mentioned, I have Bouchon and it's one of my favorites (I personally own over 100 of some of the highest regarded cookbooks of all types of cooking). I took AdHoc out of the SF public library. I like it, it's has very good tips, techniques and recipes. Still, for my French biased cooking style, I don't think it has half of what Bouchon does. Then again, I don't need someone to explain in 3 page how to make great fried chicken. I will use his recipe, but I still don't need that much.
AdHoc is for "non-foodies" at least in the sense, "non-foodies" with experience cooking . I'd buy the book if you're small SF apartment isn't totally packed with cookbooks already. If it is so packed, you probably don't need it.
Which Herb/Spice Do You Use the Most?
I have no problem with MSG or does anyone that I've ever dined with, outside of hypochondriacs and the types with kids with 12 different food allergies. Nonetheless, I don't use it, but I appreciate it in Pho, which most places use it in...
Charcuterie: Ruhlman & Polcyn
That was a break through for me to. Just use a large piece of plastic wrap and put it in slowly and let the worm do its work...
Charcuterie: Ruhlman & Polcyn
Bushwick, I assume you're being humorous with your reference to Pate du Champagne [sic]. Pâté de Campagne has nothing to do with Champagne...
Which Herb/Spice Do You Use the Most?
Most underused herb in the US--Marjoram. Try it sometime instead of or with thyme and oregano.
It's awesome with chicken.
If you had a $200.00 gift card to spend on cookbooks, you would buy...
Just ate some gumbo from PP's LK. Another of my favorites...
If you had a $200.00 gift card to spend on cookbooks, you would buy...
Buttertart, I've cooked extensively from Bouchon--probably 20-30 different recipes. It's probably the best and most used cookbook I own. Just yesterday, I used the Mornay sauce from it and routinely make the chicken, choc and vanilla ice cream and the salmon with leeks. The beef burgundy is better than any I've tried and the pork roast also is amazing. There are sauces, techiniques etc.
Adhoc at Home is good, but nothing like Bouchon which is a culinary repertoire that could last you a lifetime of cooking. AdHoc has great comfort food for many occasions, and is worth buying.
Hwlp with late 1950's recipes
Crab Imperial...I have a cookbook from that era and it was one of the faves back then...
Favorite Basque Recipe that uses Piment d'Espelette
Supposedly, no. I haven't used the P d'e yet, but they say there is no substitute.
Favorite Basque Recipe that uses Piment d'Espelette
Sorry to reply to myself, but I'm hoping if it someone will see this and send me an idea. Saw somethin in AdHoc, but it didn't seem like a good use of this over priced spice.
How do you know a quarry tile is safe to cook on?
I have "non-glazed quarry tiles" that I bought at Lowes (Home Depot like store in SF Bay Area). They work great. I have a Fibrament stone, which is the best I've found. I have two levels. I start the pie on the Fibrament, move it to the second level after 5 mins, and put the second pie on the quarry tiles.
The work fine and don't move. If you aren't adept with the peel, you might have some movement of the tiles, but if you jerk it right, it never moves the tiles, since as someone mentioned above, they have groove on the underside that keep them put...
pizza peels
I have 2 stones in my oven. I always use two peels--I slide the pizza in with the wood one, and turn the pizza with the metal one.
All Clad Copper Core vs Stainless - 12" skillet
I've been using All-Clad Stainless, LTD and MC2 for many years. I have the 12in stainless skillet and almost identical 14in LTD skillet. I can't imagine anything working better than these two pans. The stainless and LTD use aluminum as the conductive part of the clad, and copper obviously uses copper. The difference in conductivity is minimal.
Again, I haven't used the copper, but from understanding basic principles of conductivity, there shouldn't be much difference in actual results. Maybe someone that has owned bother could better explain there experiences using the two...
Low Temperature Cheesecake?
I've done a "no-bake" key lime mouse cheese cake that is phenomenal. No eggs, just white chocolate ganache, cream cheese and something that's alluding me off the top of my head.
It's probably one of the best desserts I make...
Favorite Basque Recipe that uses Piment d'Espelette
Bought a some Pd'E and I'd like to use it in something. I borrowed a cookbook from the Public Library, Pinxtados or something like that, but returned it because all the recipes that intrigued me called for this spice that I couldn't find.
Found some of the spice, but the book is on hold for months. Anyway, what has anyone had success with.
Thanks.
Indian cookbook recommendations ?
I've been using 660 Curries for about 6 months now. I like it, but it's a little much and some of the recipes aren't exactly what you might expect them to be.
Don't get me wrong, I use it all the time, it just takes some perusing to figure out what you really want to make and not have expectations on how things are going to taste. One of the pork vindaloo recipes is awesome--he offers 3 or 4. I went with the one he said was the most authentic and have stuck with it...
Madhur Jaffery's Invitation to Indian Cooking has a lot of good recipes too..
What's your favorite make-ahead, serve at room temperature food?
Tortilla Espanyola...Similar to frittata, but then again, not....Best recipes are the simplest, if it has more than eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper and maybe garlic, it's not the real thing...It maybe good though...I've added roasted bell pepper, jalapenyos, as well as olives. Good, just not authentic...
Al Pastor Recipe--Mark Miller Tacos cookbook
Paulj, definitely true. Mexico City has a large population of Christian Lebanese that fled their Muslim oppressors.
There are something very similarly prepared all over Mexico (taste completely different) but they're called Tacos Arabes. They're essentially pork on a spit.
Al Pastor (the real deal) regardless of what other people might claim, are rarely found done well outside the Mexico City area. Usually people that claim otherwise are the same type that spend their trips to Mexico at Club Meds in places like Cancun.
Al Pastor Recipe--Mark Miller Tacos cookbook
CMALO, there are Al Pastor tacos and there are things they call Al Pastor tacos. I've had them all over too, and I've NEVER seen a good one in NYC, Texas or in most places in Mexico outside Mexico City and Estado de Mexico.
Not that Pineapple is necessary, but if it isn't cooked on a spit with an onion and pineapple on top, it isn't Al Pastor. It's pork adobado. It might be tasty, but it's not the real deal...
Also, most people in the USA that claim they're Mexican wouldn't even be able to identify more than 2 Mexican presidents or more than 2 states in the country and think burritos are a Mexican delicacy...I've lived more years in Mexico than most of them....
