What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[Smasherman]

I finally cooked my favorite of all dishes: potato curry and chapatti! It turned out really well, considered I had never cooked Indian food, curry, or chapatti before (though I nevertheless couldn't flatten the chapatti properly, so it was a bit thick).

 

[larkspur]

What's the coin for anyway ?

Just to show how small the tomatoes are.

 

[Astronuc]

Just to show how small the tomatoes are.

Thinking like an engineer.

 

[Astronuc]

OK, I've given lentils some further thought -

Progresso Minestrone - Carrots, Celery, Light Red Kidney Beans, Potatoes (diced), Green Beans, Dried Peas, Enriched Penne Pasta, Garbanzo Beans, Spinach, Cabbage, Spices,

Spice-wise, one could consider which style of seasoning one wishes, for example:

Mexican (with chile or Rotel Tomatoes) - think of Mexican-flavored rice

Italian seasoning - basil, oregano, garlic, rosemary, thyme, fennel, parsley, . . .

Chinese (spicy) - spicy peppers, maybe ginger, in a beef or chicken broth, . . .

Indian - a curry base like dahl


Here is a recipe for minestrone soup which could serve as a basis for a lentil minestrone
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1648,146166-231205,00.html

or

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1648,144164-231207,00.html

or more generally

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=Minestrone (382 recipes)


Besides minestrone, another recipe could be rice, corn and lentils, with green peas & beans (black, red, kidney, . . . ), carrots, potato (diced) . . . .

Rice, corn and beans are supposed to make a complete set of amino acids that one would get from meat (protein).


Or a lentil-tomato bisque, based on TOMATO BISQUE - http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1648,136188-242196,00.html

Actually I've had great Tomato, Pumpkin and Squash bisques.

 

[wolram]

I had rind roulade in germany, it was yummy anyone know how to make it?

 

[Evo]

Another Salmon recipe

Spinach-Stuffed Salmon Fillets

INGREDIENTS:
2 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 (10 ounce) package baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon prepared pesto
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons pine nuts

----------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make a slit two-thirds of the way through the center of each salmon fillet making sure not to cut all the way through. Season each fillet with the salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the spinach, pesto, tomatoes, and pine nuts. Spoon 1/3 cup of the mixture into each slit.

Arrange the fillets on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until the spinach mixture is heated through.

 

[larkspur]

Another Salmon recipe

Spinach-Stuffed Salmon Fillets

INGREDIENTS:
2 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 (10 ounce) package baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon prepared pesto
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons pine nuts

----------------------------------------------------------------------

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make a slit two-thirds of the way through the center of each salmon fillet making sure not to cut all the way through. Season each fillet with the salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the spinach, pesto, tomatoes, and pine nuts. Spoon 1/3 cup of the mixture into each slit.

Arrange the fillets on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until the spinach mixture is heated through.

ooooooohh! I don't even like fish but that makes me want go buy salmon and cook it!

 

[Pengwuino]

So there i was trying to make mozzarella cheese sticks. I decided to use a frying pan instead of a deep fryer. Turn the heat on, put hte lid on the oil, let it heat up on mid-high... for like 20 minutes. I make the mozzarella sticks, move them to the stove... take the lid off... smoke everywhere. Kitchen and front room had to be evacuated and we had to ventilate the air.

Tried it in the deep fryer an hour later and it was good :) mmmmm.

Although i think string cheese is prepared differently because the cheese doesn't separate as easily as other cheese sticks.

 

[Evo]

So there i was trying to make mozzarella cheese sticks. I decided to use a frying pan instead of a deep fryer. Turn the heat on, put hte lid on the oil, let it heat up on mid-high... for like 20 minutes. I make the mozzarella sticks, move them to the stove... take the lid off... smoke everywhere. Kitchen and front room had to be evacuated and we had to ventilate the air.

Tried it in the deep fryer an hour later and it was good :) mmmmm.

Although i think string cheese is prepared differently because the cheese doesn't separate as easily as other cheese sticks.

The deep fryer allows the food to move around in the oil that has pretty much an even heat. The the frying pan keeps the food too close to the heat source, causing uneven cooking and possible scorching/smoking.

You're learning though!

 

[Pengwuino]

The breading turned pitch black pretty much instantly when i tossed them in the frying pan

 

[scorpa]

I don't have the recipes with me onhand (mostly because I have never made them before... I leave that up to my grandma haha) but saurkraught buns (bread stuffed with hamburger, bacon, onions and saurkraught), perogies and cabbage rolls are awesome...mmmm and borscht.

 

[Moonbear]

Don't feel too bad. I managed to set off every smoke detector in my house yesterday making dinner. I was baking pizza and a bit of cheese wound up on the bottom of the oven, and burned. The pizza was fine, but the stuff on the bottom smoked up the kitchen. The smoke detectors here are WAY too sensitive. C'mon, a little smoke in the kitchen should not set off the smoke detectors a floor above it...not like I need 4 smoke detectors all within 5 to 10 feet of one another anyway Someone got carried away with the "a smoke detector in every bedroom" concept...this isn't exactly a mansion where you won't hear the smoke detector in the hallway from the bedroom. I thought I would go deaf and my pizza really would be burning by the time I got the smoke detectors all yanked off the ceiling and shut up (the "hush" button didn't work for some reason).

 

[wolram]

Penguin sandwich = any thing he has cooked between two slices of white bread.
Zebra sandwich = a double decker penguin

 

[Rach3]

This seems like the right thread to ask. Today I tried making tea, I put a tea bag in a glass of water and microwaved it at 1kW for some three minutes, it came out the right color but it didn't taste quite as good. What did I do wrong?

 

[Cyrus]

1kw? Dork alert...

Um, its called brewing the tea.

Every person from the middle east, India, and England just let out a big sigh and smacked themselves in the forehead.

 

[wolram]

This seems like the right thread to ask. Today I tried making tea, I put a tea bag in a glass of water and microwaved it at 1kW for some three minutes, it came out the right color but it didn't taste quite as good. What did I do wrong?

Omg, EVERYTHING, tea bag micro wave

Rach to have proper tea you need a teapot a tea cosy and good blend of tea. and china cups.

 

[arunbg]

Every person from the middle east, India, and England just let out a big sigh and smacked themselves in the forehead.

How ever did you know ?

 

[arunbg]

Here's a detailed recipe for my favourite Indian sweet dish that I got from the internet ( I usually buy the readymix ). It's just divine .And it only takes about half an hour for an experienced hand .

GULAB JAMUN(cake-like fried milk balls in scented syrup)

2 1/2 cups (600ml) water
2 1/4 cups (480g) sugar
1 tbsp (15ml) rose water or 1/2 tsp (2ml) rose essence
ghee for deep frying
2 cups (195g) instant nonfat dried milk powder
1 1/2 tbsp (22ml) self-raising flour
1/2 cup warm milk, or as needed
1 tsp (5ml) ghee or unsalted butter

Combine the water and sugar in a 3 quart/litre pan over moderate
heat and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Raise the
heat to high, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat,
stir in the rose water or essence, and set aside.

Pour ghee to a depth of 2 1/2 - 3 inches in any deep-frying vessel
at least 10" in diameter. (A bowl-shaped karai or wok makes the
best use of the frying medium.) Place over very low heat while
making your dough. Brush a plate with a film of oil. Place the
milk powder and flour on a sheet of waxed paper or in a small bowl
and mix thoroughly. Combine the warm milk and 1 tsp ghee or butter
in a large mixing bowl. While sprinkling in the dry mixture with
one hand, stir with your other hand to quickly mix into a pliable
dough. Working quickly, wash and dry your hands and rub them with
a film of oil, Divide the dough into 24 portions and, exerting
gentle pressure, roll each portion between your palms into a smooth
ball. Place the balls on a plate.

Raise the heat to moderately low and when the ghee reaches 215F/102C,
slip in the balls, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the
pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to
keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 5mins,
the balls will rise to the surface. Now they must be gently and
constantly agitated with a wooden spoon to ensure even browning.
After 5mins, the temperature should increase to 220F/104C; after
10mins, to 225F/107C; after 15mins, to 230F/110C. After 25 mins,
the balls should be golden brown and the temperature between
245F-250F/118C-121C.

Remove one ball and slip it into the syrup. If it does not collapse
within 3 mins, add the remaining balls. Otherwise, fry the balls
for about 5 mins more. The balls should soak in the syrup for at
least 2 hours before serving, and may be stored, well sealed and
refridgerated, for up to 4 days. Return to room temperature or
warm before serving.

The dough for this dish takes only minutes to assemble, but the
balls must be fried very slowly under carefully controlled
temperatures. Some recipes increase the flour content in order to
minimize the importance of the heat regulation; but the less flour
there is in the dough, the better the quality of the gulab jamun.
If the balls are browned too quickly or not fried long enough, they
tend to collapse in the sugar syrup.

Makes 24

 

[wolram]

So, no one knows how to make rind roulade

 

[Evo]

So, no one knows how to make rind roulade

What kind of rind?

 

[FrogPad]

Someone got carried away with the "a smoke detector in every bedroom" concept...

hehhe... that's awesome because it's so damn true.

It's funny how things get accepted in life like this. Like having this many smoke alarms makes you safe. Half the time I just unplug the majority of them because they constantly go off, or they need the batteries changed. So in reality... having more makes me less safe, because it's more things to take care of.

 

[wolram]

What kind of rind?

I do not know, but it was made with beef, so tender and tasty.

 

[Evo]

Did it have pickles in it?

Easy German Beef Roulade Recipe #135706
Traditional German beef roll, most always stuffed with dill pickles.
1 1/2 lbs beef flank steak
4 teaspoons heavy German mustard or Dijon mustard, will do
6 slices bacon, diced
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
1/4 cup flour
1 (13 3/4 ounce) can beef broth

6 servings Change size or US/metric
Change to: servings US Metric

1 hour 50 minutes 20 mins prep

 

[Evo]

This one sounds yummy.

http://www.oxo.co.uk/recipes/recipe_view.php/104?search_keyword=&search_category=&

 

[wolram]

Just found this one, Evo no pickles, now i have remembered it i will have to find a recipe.

700g/1½lb thinly sliced steak, approx 5-6 slices
Stuffing:
2 OXO Beef stock cubes
75g/3oz fresh white breadcrumbs
50g/2oz walnuts, chopped
grated zest 1 lemon
150g/5oz stilton cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
300ml/½ pint hot water
150ml/5 fl oz dry red wine

* Trim off any fat from the slices of beef. Place each slice between cling film and beat until very thin.
* Combine the first five ingredients for the stuffing, season and bind with the egg.
* Spread the stuffing over the steaks then roll up from the short side, and secure with wooden cocktail sticks. If preparing in advance, cover and refrigerate until needed
* Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
* Heat the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole. Brown the beef rolls, remove from the casserole. Add the flour to the pan, and stir together.
* Crumble the 2 beef stock cubes into the water then gradually add to the casserole with the wine. Bring to the boil then return the beef rolls.
* Cover the casserole and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until the meat is tender.
* Lift the rolls out of the casserole and remove the cocktail sticks, Place on a board and holding them with tongs, slice each roll into 3 or 4 rounds, depending on their size. The sauce can be served with the bits of stuffing in the sauce or can be strained if preferred.
* To serve, spoon the sauce onto the warm serving plates and arrange the beef roulades on top.

 

[wolram]

OOps, we duplicated, sorry.

 

[Moonbear]

So in reality... having more makes me less safe, because it's more things to take care of.

Actually, yeah, because after I couldn't get them to shut up, I was not going to go putting them all back with new batteries just to have to climb up on chairs to shut them up again next time (and since they're hard-wired too, if the battery isn't in them, they'll chirp...well, technically, you're not supposed to be able to close the battery cover and reinstall it if the battery is out, but the spring contraption that prevents this isn't that hard to poke out of the way). What good is a silence button if you can't reach that any faster than it takes to yank the thing off the ceiling? I should get the one in the hallway put back up though. That's closest to the washer and dryer, which of all the things on that floor is the one thing that has a higher chance of ever catching fire. With the size of this house, one per floor is more than enough.

 

[Moonbear]

Here's a detailed recipe for my favourite Indian sweet dish that I got from the internet ( I usually buy the readymix ). It's just divine .And it only takes about half an hour for an experienced hand .

I love that dish...but what's ghee? The rest sounds pretty easy (if I can find rose water...I don't know where to buy that).

 

[wolram]

I love that dish...but what's ghee? The rest sounds pretty easy (if I can find rose water...I don't know where to buy that).

It is clarified butter i think.

 

[Cyrus]

I love that dish...but what's ghee? The rest sounds pretty easy (if I can find rose water...I don't know where to buy that).

middle eastern market. It is rose infused water.

You can make rose water and extracts (or any other herb) at home. Take a large pot, insert a clean brick or rock, fill with rose petals or herbs or whatever around the brick. Cover with water and place a small glass dish on top of the brick. On top of the pot put a stainless bowl and fill with ice. Simmer about three hours depending how many petals or herbs you have, replacing the ice as needed. The bowl with the ice will condense the steam and drip down into the glass bowl. The water in the glass bowl is your rose water or whatever herb, on top will be a layer of oil. This is the essential oil. You can separate these and use the water in cooking and the essential oil in potpourri, lotions, soaps or whatever.

http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blherb1.htm

 

[Evo]

It is clarified butter i think.

yep

 

[Moonbear]

middle eastern market. It is rose infused water.

I know what rosewater is, just don't know where to get it. There are no ethnic markets around here that I know of...I think I'd have to drive the 3 1/2 hours to DC to find one. There might be something in Pittsburgh, but not that I'd know where to look there either. I've seen it in "fancy" food stores, but we don't have any of those around here either.

It was the identity of ghee that I needed clarified, and now it has been.

Anyone know how to make clarified butter? I think it's supposed to be relatively simple, but I don't know how. I guess I'll google it.

Edit: Ah, the Food Network to the rescue, as always.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_22742,00.html

 

[Cyrus]

There are no ethnic markets around here that I know of...I think I'd have to drive the 3 1/2 hours to DC to find one.

Do it, i'll buy you crabcakes for your travels.

or you could just order it online, but that would be no fun...

 

[arunbg]

Moonbear, don't worry there are plenty of other substitutes .
For ghee, you can use melted butter or vegetable oil to some extent although it's not the same thing . And in place of rose water, you can always use cardomom or other spices ( cinnamon perhaps, though I've never tried it) that you feel lends good flavour to the sugar syrup .
And let me tell you , it's worth all the effort you put in :)

 

[Moonbear]

Moonbear, don't worry there are plenty of other substitutes .
For ghee, you can use melted butter or vegetable oil to some extent although it's not the same thing . And in place of rose water, you can always use cardomom or other spices ( cinnamon perhaps, though I've never tried it) that you feel lends good flavour to the sugar syrup .
And let me tell you , it's worth all the effort you put in :)

Hey, now hush up about those substitutes! I was looking forward to an excuse to get crabcakes in D.C.!