MazDee's Profile
Potato Salad for 40!
I think 10 lbs of potatoes would be about right with about 1 doz hard cooked eggs. Maybe 1 big onion, minced (I don't like too much onion, use your judgment.) I always cook my potatoes in the skins and leave the skins on. Then, when just cool enough to handle, I cut them up and sprinkle them generously with cider vinegar. I have made huge amounts of salad in a 5 gal bucket, but If you don't have arms like a wrestler, you might want to mix your salad in 2 or 3 separate bowls, so much easier! I would also add about 6 or more sticks of celery, but that is optional. No idea how much mayo, buy a lot. Now, mix the potatoes, onions, celery and chopped eggs. On top, put a big dollop of mayo and on top of the mayo put a small dollop of yellow mustard. Mix the 2 together a little before stirring into the potatoes. Keep adding mayo and mustard until the consistency you like.
Dungeness Crab
Personally, I can't think of anything better than what you do! I never even used the Old Bay, just a bay leaf or 2 and some peppercorns. Instead of messing with the basic concept, maybe you can try some different dipping sauces, like an aioli, maybe some chimichurri, at least for the legs and claws. For the inside meat, you could do crab cakes. I envy you. Growing up in Oregon, one does develop a taste for Dungeness and no other crab will do. And then if you move to México, you really are out of luck!
Telera Bread Recipes?
I find teleras a rather boring roll, soft and white like a hamburger bun with an interesting shape. I can buy teleras whenever I want, but would rather use a good Kaiser roll from the US for a sandwich if I could get one! I don't see the point in making them from scratch, sorry.
Progressive Dinner Ideas
Is it too late to get a bunch of those little pumpkins that they sell at Halloween? You could make cute little bowls with them. I think you could cook and mix the innards into the soup, A shot glass is NOT enough soup!
How Much Smoked Marlin Paté?
That's very helpful, thanks! I am going to pick up another piece of tuna, then make up a batch with the 1st piece and see how much volume I have. I can make a second batch if necessary to get 4 cups.
How Much Smoked Marlin Paté?
Not sure if you can help me, but it's worth asking! I am taking smoked marlin (or smoked tuna) paté to an event that probably will have close to 90 guests. I have made this many times, but never for such a large crowd. (This is a celebration of life of a certain lady who died, and she loved my marlin pate. End of explanation.) There will be lots of food and beverages, but I don't think much other stuff in the dips-and-spreads-department, mostly tacos and stuff. Now my question is, how much should I take? I bought a chunk of smoked tuna today that's a bit less than a pound. I probably will add 8 oz cream cheese, so I will have over a pound of paté. Do you think that's enough? It doesn't sound like much, but remember that each serving is less than a teaspoon full! I could do twice as much, no problem, but I don't want to have a lot left over. What's your advice? He is having carne asada, roast chicken, shrimp. There will be lots of tortillas. Someone is bringing salad. He has 60 bottles of wine (!!) plus spirits. That's all I know.
Cracker crust quiche?
You got my attention, Kattyeyes! I want some Rice Whiskey treats, and I don't even know what they are. Recipe?
Cracker crust quiche?
Well, I hadn't planned on making a crust, but you have given me a great idea! You say "unsweetened cereal" and I have this huge amount of Rice Krispies that I've been trying to find a use for. I had wanted to make some bars and needed 2 c of Rice Krispies, but couldn't find them in the supermarket (I live in Mexico). I mentioned it to a friend and she showed up at my house with the biggest box of Rice Krispies I'd ever seen. The bars aren't worth repeating. I tried eating a bowl for breakfast (that IS what they're for) but so blah! I'll bet they would be just fine ground up and baked as a crust. You think?
Sea Salt vs Kosher Salt
I live in a part of México where there is no "kosher salt" for sale, but I can buy coarse sea salt from Colima for less than a dollar a kilo! (Of course, when it gets to the gourmet shop, the price goes up considerably.) I use the sea salt for everything, including pickling and brining. You do have to understand the difference in volume and weight when you convert a recipe, but I haven't had any problems guessing. I have a salt grinder, but almost always use the salt in its course crystal form when cooking or seasoning food.
What to do with imitation crab meat
I make a salad that my friends love. I stuff it into avocado halves and serve on a bed of greens. You could stuff tomatoes as well. Break up the surimi with your hands and give a light chop. Sprinkle generously with fresh lime juice (Mexican or key limes, not Persian). Mix in mayo, minced cilantro, a few drops of good salsa or Tabasco, and some minced green onion. Let it sit in the frig for a couple of hours and pile into avocados. Or make an open faced sandwich, put some cheddar on top, and put under the broiler.
Do you peel towards or away?
One day when I was a prep cook, I was peeling carrots, away from me. The chef walked by and said "that thing goes both ways, you know." Hah! Of course he was right, and it's much faster. I still do that for thin skins like carrots, potatoes and cukes. Toward me for apples, eggplants.
Canning prob -- veggie is MUSH by the time the syrup is achieved
I don't understand how it could take so long to cook down on medium heat. You did have the lid off at that point? (Nothing will evaporate with the lid on, but I am sure you know that.) Try with your heat a little higher. I believe you should be able to see bubbles. If that doesn't cook down at all in 20 minutes, remove the onions to a bowl and continue boiling the liquid. .
Casseroles ......... bring 'em on!
Why do you think that recipe is incorrect? I think that is how it is (or was) made. Adding liquid to already cooked pasta and tuna would turn into soup.
Have you ever sent back scrambled eggs?
I never order them in a restaurant anymore because I know I will be disappointed. At home, I cook scrambled eggs exactly like you do! There is no restaurant that can cook them that way. Once I had scrambled eggs at a place in San Francisco that were so good I thought I was in heaven. (Probably about half butter, though). It wasn't long after that I stopped ordering them altogether. It is safer to order fried easy (or hard if that is your preference.)
Why does lower fat milk spoil faster?
I disagree. I once owned a deli, and had to buy some fat free for a few customers who wanted it for their lattes. I threw out a lot of that milk. The more butterfat, the longer it lasts.
Guadalajara Dining
The Guadalajara Reporter has a story this week about the new Lula Bistro and its chef Darren Walsh. Sounds wonderful. He is an Irishman married to a woman raised in
Guad.. He owned his own place, Papillon, in NYC and prior to that worked at Daniel's. In Europe, he worked under several famous chefs (Gordon Ramsey) and at Michelin starred restaurants. So, at least we know he knows how to cook! Loc at San Gabriel 3030, between Lopez Mateos and Misiones, Col Vallarta Sur, (333) 647-6423
How do restaurants make burger patties so tender?
Are you sure they don't have a little more fat? Seems like that would make it softer.
DH hates cilantro & bell pepper
Just add cilantro to your own portion after you serve his. The flavor is best uncooked, anyway. I would substitute fresh poblano peppers for the bells, but take out the seeds and veins to remove any heat. (They usually are mildly hot, but seedless and veinless, they will be as mild as a bell.) Poblanos in California are sometimes called pasillas.
Mexican Cheese Question
Queso Chihuahua and Mexican Manchego also melt well. Chihuahua will get runnier than Manchego. Oaxaca also melts, but is firmer, like mozzarella.
What's the difference between Braunschweiger and Liverwurst?
What poetry! I was in the archives, looking for something to do with a hunk of liverwurst when friends come for wine tomorrow. FoodFuser cracked me up!
Now, if someone has an idea how to serve this liverwurst with crackers and make it appealing, let me know. And: Thank you FoodFuser!
HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE YOUR COOKBOOK RECIPES ?
You can take that just one step further. Start a page in Word called Recipes to Try or whatever, and list the names, book and page number. These can be arranged any way you want as you go along. Then just keep the list on your computer desk top to update or review at will. Easier than keeping track of a bunch of notes. I keep all kinds of to-dos and reminders that way and love the convenience.
Easy dining in Tonalá
I´m terrible with names, but if Rincon del Sol is the place just up the street from your hotel, they specialize in Chiles en Nogada. The 1st time I had them, they were wonderful, the next time, not so much. I think it depends on how freshly made they are. Also in Tonala, I once had some roasted rabbit that was delicious, crispy outside, juicy and tender inside. All I remember is that it was a small family restaurant near the main plaza. Could it be El Boquinete? There were some molcajetes on the menu, among other things.
Help me make "cupcake" size Greek spinach pies without phyllo (or other crust).
Remember the Bisquik Impossible pies that made their own crust? I think that would be worth a try. The mixture is on the Bisquik website, or you can do it without Bisquik if you look around for a copy cat version. I was thinking about this earlier today, because I am trying to make some interesting 2-bite size foods for an invalid friend. With this mixture, you can add any filling you like, and I thought of making several different "flavors" in the same muffin pan.
Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats
I just made something similar with peanut butter and chocolate chips. These were firm and chewy and delicious. Just need a bowl, a pan, and a microwave! So easy, Note: Next time I will mix all the peanut butter and chips instead of spreading some on top. That layer ind of melts onto my fingers.
Mix in a pyrex bowl:
2/3 c chocolate chips
½ c dark brown sugar
½ c peanut butter
½ c corn syrup
Micro on high 2 minutes.
Watch and stir after 1 minute.
Add
2 c rice krispies.
Butter 8” baking pan and line with wax paper.
Spread mixture into pan,
Melt ½ c choc chips or Hershey kisses with
2 T peanut butter, melt on high 1 min. Do not overcook.
Spread on candy and cool in refrigerator....
OR just mix this last into initial mixture and spread in pan.
Your First Cookbook?
Mine was James Beard's "Fireside Cookbook". It was published in 1949 and I probably got it a little later. I think I was in jr high. My great aunt gave it to me. No idea how she knew I was into cooking! I had the book for many years, but left it (along with a hundred other cookbooks) when I moved to México.
I oversalted my black bean soup
Instead of wondering whether a potato will work, why not just add more black beans! Put your overly salted soup in the fridge. Cook some black beans and add to your salty soup along with whatever else is needed (maybe a bit more onion, garlic, spices). (If there are canned black beans without salt, there's your answer. I always cook beans from scratch, so I don't know.) I think it is better to have some extra soup (which you can freeze) than to screw around experimenting with potatoes!
Aspic recipe suggestions wanted for 1920s era supper club
How about individual molded chicken salads? Jellied broth, a little lemon, celery, chicken breast in pretty pieces, roasted red pepper. Dollop of lemony mayo on top. Actually, I LIKE jellied chicken!
Ham in Slow Cooker
I think it will be fine on low, but if it were my ham, I would add in a can of Coke! It makes a delicious ham. Be sure to use the full sugar coke, the diet coke does not work.
ceviche
I don't think that's ceviche yet. Just put the lime juice on your fish and let that sit in the fridge for a couple hours before adding the rest. By then the fish will have "cooked" a bit.
