DigitalVelvet's Profile
I bought Kitchenaid Meat Grinder, now what?
I just bought the KA FGA, as well. First task for it, as I research making fresh sausages, was to make a salsa! Wonderful!! I've been trying a few different recipes and techniques this year. Using the KA food grinder was by far the best result with minimal effort!
I quartered a few tomatoes, using my fingers to remove the seeds and core. Split and seeded a jalapeno, peeled a couple cloves of garlic and split half a white onion. Put it all through the grinder with the coarse plate. Couldn't have been easier or faster!
I then squeezed half a lime into it, ground some fresh black pepper, added some sea salt and stirred in some freshly chopped cilantro.
Perfect!! Fresh and full or nutrition!
SOUP, SOUP, SOUP
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Delicious-Ham-and-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx
Delicious Ham and Potato Soup!
This recipe has almost 4000 reviews and a five-star rating. I have made it repeatedly, and can't wait for cooler weather to arrive so I can make it again. I substitue celery seed for the celery, and add frozen corn kernels to the recipe. Very easy and AWESOME!!
Filet Mignon, Porterhouse, Ribeye or New York Strip?
A woman who is confident and secure enough to order a porterhouse steak is as sexy as a woman who has the courage to wander into Radio Shack on her own... :)
I don't want to be the mom who always brings the salad...
Take a round, unsliced bread loaf and lop off the top... low enough so that the "lid" is almost the diameter of the bread. Scoop out the soft bread interior by hand. Squirt some Italian salad dressing in the bottom, or layer with a chopped olive salad. Layer your choice of deli meats, cheeses, thinly sliced and peeled cucumber, tomotoes, etc., more Italian dressing, etc. Put the lid on and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Put a weight on top and refigerate for a couple hours, to overnight. Slice into wedges to serve... an electric knife is best for the slicing. Make two, or more if you plan to serve a crowd.
Where to find pork back fat? [moved from Home Cooking]
I am in Charlotte, NC, although I am probably looking for an answer that might be generic to any moderately sized city.
Where to find pork back fat? [moved from Home Cooking]
Hi Folks,
Just bought myself the food grinder attachment to my KitchenAid mixer... so of course I now want to make fresh sausages. I've been doing some reading on the subject, and it has become obvious to me I will need to find a source for pork back fat. Not having any traditional butcher shops around any more, where would one acquire this key ingredient in quantities appropriate for a home charcuterie?
Secondary question... I know I can mail order casings, but anyone have any good tips for local resources, or an especially good online vendor?
Thanks in advance!
Dave
Banh Mi in Charlotte
I don't recall them having bahn mi, but Vietnam Grille on South Blvd (just below Tyvola) is awesome! The Pho and Bun dishes are incredibly well flavored and the broken rice dishes are as well.
In a rut - need suggestions for a new joint to try (Charlotte)
I would recommend checking out Good Food on Montford (a James Beard award nominee). I have also been loving Vietnam Grille on South Blvd. (below Tyvola), even though I am a relative novice with Vietnamese food. If's you're looking for some good ol' stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, check out McKoy's Smokehouse on Old Pineville, just above Woodlawn.
What was the first thing you learned to make?
Definitely eggs. Jumped directly from scrambled to omlettes. Showed an early aptitude, even at that young age. My mom commented that my scrambled eggs came out the way Graham Kerr ("The Galloping Gourmet") said they should... not the way hers did. My first "specialty" was dessert crepes...
Cheetos Cheese Puffs
And what ever happened to Planter's Cheese Balls?!? They came in a cylindrical container about twice the diameter of a Pringle's can. I haven't been able to find them for a couple years! Another brand is out there in a cellophane bag, but they lack the rich cheesy flavor the Planter's product had... :(
How to cook burmese python?
I would much rather eat snake (meat from a vertebrate) than bugs like shrimp, crab, crawfish, snails(escargot), scallops, mussels, etc. Same goes for organs and offal....
Cheap yet good cuts of meat
>I'm at a loss for a suggestion for a cut of meat that's best prepared "medium rare," however.
Eye of Round - I can usually get it in the 4-6 lb. range, in a cryopack, from my local grocer for under $3/lb. Using Cook's Illustrated's slow cook roast recipe, prepares to a perfect, tender and flavorful medium rare roast!
Pizza To End All Pizza Discussions
A better way to order it is "only the meats"... eliminates any other possible interpreatations.... ;)
What is one tip that you learned about cooking that was simple but made a huge difference? [old]
I may know why there is a gap between those who love the OXO Mango Splitter (like me) and those who don't. I'm a 6'3" guy... 230ish lbs. After cutting a stable base on the "fat end" of the mango, I jam the splitter down on it in "one fell swoop." There is nothing gentle or delicate about it... kind of like splitting wood. One move, and put your weight into it if you have to.
The two blades part to allow the pit to pass (hugging the pit to minimize waste), and adapt to any strange pit size, shape or angle. You can't "ease" the splitter down the pit... it will offer too much resistance. The convenient handles on the side of the splitter will help keep fingers and other body parts out of the way.
Russian vs. Thousand Island dressing [moved from Home Cooking]
Is there a difference between Russian dressing and Thousand Island dressing, and if so, what is it? Which one is properly associated with the classic Reuben sandwich?
Charlotte Best of '09/Coming in '10
I really enjoyed Good Food on Montford... best new dining experience for me. Vietnam Grill on South Blvd (below Tyvola) isn't much to look at on the outside, but the inside and the food and service are all excellent. Siam Garden in Whitehall Park (I-485 at Arrowood) is a recent discovery for me in Thai cuisine.... also very good.
Results - Eye of Round Roast from Cook's Illustrated Recipe
Sorry! I can't imagine how I missed that! :(
Lobsters for 80?
Turkey fryer is exactly what I was going to recommend. Mine came equipped with inserts for doing seafood boils, and such. I don't know that you could to all 80 in one rig... might have to put out your feelers and borrow a couple more...
Caesar salad from scratch vs. premade dressings
My classic Better Homes & Gardens cookbook calls for the use of a "coddled" egg. Put water a few inches deep into a sauce pan and bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and place a room temperature egg (still in the shell) into the water for just 60 seconds, then remove. Crack the egg into the bowl and continue.
Also, don't forget the croutons!! Homemade, of course. Don't add the croutons to the salad too early before serving, or they will get soggy. If the salad is being served on a buffet or at a pot luck, it is best to provide the coutons on the side and let each person add his/her own.
It really irks me when a restaurant tries to pass off creamy Italian dressing as Caesar! Just because a salad has romaine lettuce, coutons and and parmesan cheese does NOT make it a Caesar salad!
What is one tip that you learned about cooking that was simple but made a huge difference? [old]
I'm sorry, dmd, but I have to disagree. The OXO mango splitter is a God-send. Mangoes are now my friends. The tool is very efficient with little waste... but I do take a couple swipes at the pit with my knife to recover what might otherwise be lost.
It beats, by far, the fustration and risk of injury (plus waste) of trying to render a mango with just a knife. The things are so darn slippery, there is always a risk of a slip and possible injury. The Mango Splitter virtually eliminates the risk and the headache.
Even though it is a "uni-tasker" (nod to AB), it has justified its place in my kitchen. Guy Fieri's Mango Chipotle chicken is a regular request from my daughter... and I have also used the same recipe to make some awesome grilled wings. I wouldn't deal with the mangoes nearly as often without my trusty splitter!
What is one tip that you learned about cooking that was simple but made a huge difference? [old]
After marinating meat, dry it before placing on the hot grill. It will brown/char/sear much more effectively. I always thought the excess marinade clinging to the meat would dry and make a nice crust, but it just prevents proper grilling char.
What is one tip that you learned about cooking that was simple but made a huge difference? [old]
Sorry to point this out, but there is a significant different between scrambled eggs and chopped eggs... it is a texture thing. :)
Results - Eye of Round Roast from Cook's Illustrated Recipe
Grey - The 2 hours was insufficient time for the salting process. The recipe calls for 18-24 hours. The first couple of hours under salt will cause the roast to exude juices. Several more hours and the roast will begin to reabsorb the juices, taking the salt with it, so that the interior of the roast becomes seasoned. Can't cut corners on this aspect of the preparation and expect the same result.
Roast Beef Woes
I concur with joonjoon! I used this recipe with an actual eye of round on the 26th. Awesome... about a dozen people loved it (it was a six-pound+ roast). In addition to salting (dry brining?) for 18-24 hours, the very low-n-slow preparation allows the enzymatic action, which halts at 120 degreefs, to break down the connective tissues. The CI article explains the science behind it, but the results are excellent, and would only benefit any beef roast.
Frugal meals
Great post!! I love the optimism of it... and the techniques for keeping the feelings of being deprived at a distance.
Your tried and true Cook's illustrated Best recipes.
I thought I was the King of French Toast... until I read the recipe in CI a year or two ago. I am humbled that they can bring so much more to such a simple recipe. I absolutely LOVE the Baking Illustrated book!! I'm making my own pizzas now... to h*** with that delivery crap! It's like a pastry chef course at culinary school in one large volume. I highly recommend it! I'm no longer afraid of yeast recipes! "Yeast is your friend..." ;-)
What kind of ham is "deli style ham":?
I think "deli style" refers more to the way it is sliced (its form) rather than the specific variety of ham. The deli at my local grocer usually has boiled ham, black forest, virginia baked, honey ham, etc. I think any of these, sliced relatively thin, as if for a sandwich, would fit the bill. Choose the one that you feel adds the best flavor... or get the one that's on special!
Reusing deep frying oil? What are "the rules"?
Hey.... if they can have chicken-n-waffles in some of these neo-soul food places, why can't you have Chicken Donuts?!? ;)
What are the 10 most essential things in your spice cupboard?
This isn't really an answer to the "10 spice" question, as asked, but the more the idea of what to give someone as a "spicy" gift. What might be cool is a spice grinder (i.e., coffee grinder reserved for spices)... and a collection of whole spices. I have used the Krups coffee grinder for a spice grinder for years... works great! Spices can include peppercorns (obvious one), cumin seed, coriander seed, fennel seed, mustard seed, cinnamon stick, granulated dried garlic, coarse sea salt, red pepper flake, etc.
Cumin, coriander and fennel are great toasted in a dry pan and cooled before grinding, to enhance the flavors, but don't toast peppercorns before grinding.
A tip I picked up (Cook's Illustrated?) for cleaning the spice grinder: Grind some uncooked white rice. All the savory spice residue is picked up and dumped out with the resulting rice flour.
