gperls's Profile
Shrimp or Lobster Bisque
I just made Julia Child's recipe this weekend, and it was very lobster-y tasting. Of course, hers is a multi-step process. I think what contributed most to the flavor was pureeing actual lobster meat into the broth and making the lobster butter out of the shells and adding it to the broth. Also, where she called for clam juice I substituted lobster base.
Making a great pastrami sandwich
How about a reuben sandwich for a change of pace. Just add some thousand island dressing, sauercraut and a slice of swiss.
Food Saver: liquids
I use canning jars for my liquids, stocks, soups, chili, stews, etc. Leave about 1" space at the top for expansion. And then freeze it. They're reusable nearly indefinitely if you're careful when you pry the lid off
Cold Boiled Shrimp - what are your preferences?
When I peel and devein my shrimp, I use a stainless steel haircutting scissors (that I keep for kitchen use only) to cut the shell down the back. It will both slit the shell and open up the shrimp flesh down to the vein, making it easy to rinse out. You can do this either before or after cooking the shrimp. This makes them easy to peel.
However, I can't imagine a bunch of elderly folks, many who probably have arthritis in their hands, peeling shrimp.
Dinner in Down Town Kansas City MO
I gave up on Majestic and the Savoy years ago. I know other's opinions may differ.
I'd recommend Pierponts in Union Station for an excellent all-around restaurant, Morton's in Crown Center for steaks, or The American Restaurant in Crown Center for upscale gourmet.
question about making pulled pork
There are so many variables that influence the amount of time it takes (outdoor temp, temp of smoker, starting temp of roast, fluctuations in smoker temp), that the suggested number of hours are a very broad guesstimate. For example, I smoked a 4 lb. butt yesterday for 10 hours, and it only reached 188F internal temperature.
Your best bet is to use internal temperature to determine doneness, rather than time. If you don't have some kind of thermometer, today would be a good day to get one.
Lo Mein - something missing
I just learned the trick of adding a teaspoon of fish sauce in my fried rice. It really added the missing dimension compared to the restaurants. I'm told many dishes contain this added ingredient, although you rarely see it in recipes.
Give it a try in your lo mein, it could do the trick.
Cooling stocks quickly
I've seen the hint of using liter soda bottles. Fill with water, freeze, and you have your molds.
The best Cheese Steak Recipe
My local chinese grocery store carries thinly sliced rib eye steak in their freezer section. It sautees up in seconds, and makes a very flavorful sandwich, cheesesteak or french dip.
san marzano tomatoes... advice sought
Next time, try growing some heirloom variety tomatoes. They are the best for eating raw, and also make an incredible tomato sauce, either the quick or long-simmered kind.
Suggestions for a Go To Cocoa Brand
I like Valhrona and Pernigotti. I think they're both dutched, but their flavors are rich and they produce a very dark color.
Beef stew meat - suggestions other than beef stew?
How about grillades and cheesy grits, beef stroganoff, steak soup.
Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce????
Cook's Illustrated also offers a bechamel/bolognese lasagne that I've used often. They suggest adding the milk before the wine to sweeten and tenderize the meats. Once my family tried it, they won't go back to the ricotta version.
Best Canned Tomatoes
For tomato sauces, I prefer a DOP San Marzano tomato. They are rarely available locally, so I usually have to mail order them by the case. But the flavor is so much better than the national brands.
For pizzas, I use Escalon 6 in 1 crushed tomatoes. All they need is a shake of oregano, and they're ready to top your pizza straight out of the can. They're very popular at pizzamaking.com, and my family and friends love them.
Any savory ideas for lots of egg yolks?
I just made a Wolfgang Puck recipe for fresh pasta made with 8 egg yolks. That would use them up quickly. It was very rich and good, by the way.
Another Zuni chicken question...
One of my favorite ways of baking a chicken is very similar to this method. I think it's a Zingerman's recipe.
Basically, you spatchcock a chicken, and put it on top of a bed of sliced french bread, onions, and thyme in a 12" cast iron skillet. Bake it until done. The bread mixture has a stuffing consistency moreso than toast.
spaghetti sauce
The only thing I can add to this collection of tips is, I add a parmesan rind to my sauce while it is simmering. It adds a cheesy saltiness that enriches the flavor.
Good dipping sauce for these fried ravioli?
I always like to dip my fried ravioli in melted butter, maybe with a little garlic in it. I think it would go well with your mix, too.
BOLOGONESE question
I follow the Cook's Illustrated recipe which is similar to the one's already stated here, but for two touches. First, they say to cook the meat just until it is no longer red, but don't cook to brown. Second, they add a cup of whole milk to the meat and reduce until nearly gone before adding the wine. This makes the meat very soft and sweet.
Huge Tin of Duck Fat---Use and Storage
If you make hash browns or potato pancakes (latkes), fry them in duck fat for a great taste.
What to do with store-bought "fresh" ravioli?
I like fried ravioli. Par cook them, then coat in egg wash, then bread crumbs. Fry in butter, dust with parmesan, serve with marinara sauce and/or melted butter. It'll hide all those defects.
Flour Weights for Bread
The side of the flour package that has nutritional information also gives a grams/cup ratio. Most of the flours I use say there is 30 grams to 1/4 cup. This computes to 4 1/4 oz./cup of flour.
You can check your flour and convert accordingly.
