Cooking Tips, Tricks, Recipes, & Advice

Lots of people are struggling with lockdown. I suppose flaunting the food youre able to source and cook while others starve might make some feel a bit too gauche.
 
Lots of people are struggling with lockdown. I suppose flaunting the food youre able to source and cook while others starve might make some feel a bit too gauche.

I just made Tuscan style rabbit. Rosemary and pancetta. And to demonstrate my peasant roots - cacio e pepe.

 


Followed that and made this...

IMG_20200510_1117229~2.jpg
 


Can't believe I missed him when he came by here...
 
what kind of serving size is that? he barely had enough in the tongs to get into the plate. i bet that little tiny amount is $20.

Well, one it's heavy. Two, you're supposed to order other courses. And that's the thing - you can make boat loads yourself for very cheap. With one piece of parmigiano, one piece of pecorino romano, some guiancale, black pepper and egg yolks and you can manufacture it.
 
Made this...


And this a few weeks back together...



Unfortunately my roulade wasn't as pretty as his.
 


Third time making this - missed on two steps today.
 


This one was so funny to me. Especially when they get to Frank (Franco).
 
You clearly have a predilection for Italian dishes.

I actually make mostly Persian, Middle East and now Italian. Videos are easier to follow in Italian as it's based on Latin and are often subtitled. Most Persian recipes I have to follow by translated text because my Farsi is non existent.
 
Lebanese food ist excellent. It is so good that Kibbeh are even among the more uninteresting things, although in and of itself they are great of course.
 
Paired it with some za'atar manouche, tomatoes and mint leaves. Wanted to go for something light as my air conditioning has been dodgy all week.
 


I followed a slightly different recipe where I simmered off the sake in a pot and added sugar. Then instead of straight into the oven, the fish was seared and then popped into the oven.
 
I can't compete with Fwiff's culinary skills, but I made mabo-dofu and miso soup for dinner tonight, and freshly-baked brownie for dessert with vanilla ice-cream.

The brownie is actually the best that I've ever eaten, if I do say so myself! Dense enough to have a good texture without being over-the-top, nice crisp outer crust and a bit of soft gooeyness inside.

Very quick and simple and no need to use an electric mixer - you can just mix the ingredients together with a cake spatula.

Here's the recipe, in case anyone else wants to have a go:
  • 120g butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup self raising flour (if you use All Purpose flour, add 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp aalt)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • Chocolate chips/buttons to taste

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Grease and line a 9 inch baking pan.
Melt butter (I used microwave but you could use a small saucepan on the stove).
Mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
Add eggs to mixture, stirring well.
Sift dry ingredients together in a medium bowl (flour and cocoa powder).
Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine.
Pour into baking dish.
Bake approx. 20 minutes.
Let sit before consuming.
 
Paired it with some za'atar manouche, tomatoes and mint leaves. Wanted to go for something light as my air conditioning has been dodgy all week.
Perfect for this. During the warmer months, I always have at least 2-3 med meze in the fridge, labneh, mtabal, humus, boregi, kibbeh, dolma, tajen, etc. Very easy, very tasty, you only need to prepare a new one every 3-4 days and always have a quick dinner ready.
 


I followed a slightly different recipe where I simmered off the sake in a pot and added sugar. Then instead of straight into the oven, the fish was seared and then popped into the oven.



We must be reaching #peak miso as I too made some version of the above but with salmon and added sugar. It was lovely but I must admit to be converting to the school of thought that a wet brine for fish is useless. Sure, Nobu popularised Miso for the westerners ( yes, I know Miso is a mainstay in Japanese cuisine) but poaching or adding miso to soup is the way to go. Nobu probably marinate the fish as it is about to go off.

Oh, It was served with spinach and Sichuan garlic sauce and a tall glass of my home-brewed tepache.
 
Do you ever prepare Kibbeh nayeh?

No - it's my first time making kibbeh. I had to look this up. Strangely I eat all my raw meat outside of my home. I guess I don't trust my own procurement and sanitary standards.
 
I can't compete with Fwiff's culinary skills, but I made mabo-dofu and miso soup for dinner tonight, and freshly-baked brownie for dessert with vanilla ice-cream.

I'm flattered but I'm an amateur with horrific knife skills.
 
Strangely I eat all my raw meat outside of my home. I guess I don't trust my own procurement and sanitary standards.
wait, what? why not? why would meat be any different than any of the other animals you eat?
 
wait, what? why not? why would meat be any different than any of the other animals you eat?

Raw meat? I don't know. I wouldn't know how to inspect it for freshness for example - sashimi and steak tartare I will assume other people do it better.

I've been known to eat sour tofu thinking it was part of the sauce or marinade. Or bad mussels in a broth.
 
Raw meat? I don't know. I wouldn't know how to inspect it for freshness for example - sashimi and steak tartare I will assume other people do it better.

I've been known to eat sour tofu thinking it was part of the sauce or marinade. Or bad mussels in a broth.
but you buy regular steak and hamburger or no meat at all?
 
but you buy regular steak and hamburger or no meat at all?

Yes I buy all manners of meat and cook and clean all of them.

I don't buy sashimi grade fish and ground beef and start making sushi or steak tartare.
 
ah ok. i thought you meant that as a blanket statement.

Reminds me of this cooking show I watched where this young Indian couple said they never eat sweets or desserts. For a whole year they used one packet of sugar. Then when the astonished hosts questioned them more they said they never make or buy any dessert except ice cream. Then they said "Ahhh store bought ice cream..," and waved their hand dismissively knowing they aren't completely starved of one of the primary tastes.
 


I saw it first on Netflix's rebroadcast of her BBC show
 


Worked out really well for me. The traditional one.
 


It's amazing he is 81 and can still toss the pan like that. That said other recipes including his own Amatriciana with the pomodoro uses a splash of wine at the end of cooking the guanciale but he doesn't do it here for gricia.
 
^^^ I know he is a grandmaster and all that but he did somethings there that made me recoil.

Browning meat ( started with cold pan?) and he used a metal fork and spoon on a non-stick pan?(irl, he will almost certainly ruin said pan).
 
^^^ I know he is a grandmaster and all that but he did somethings there that made me recoil.

Browning meat ( started with cold pan?) and he used a metal fork and spoon on a non-stick pan?(irl, he will almost certainly ruin said pan).

I've seen an older video before the earthquake destroyed his restaurant. His shiny new kitchen and the nonstick seemed to have shown up after the earthquake.
 


For next weekend since someone bought me barberries, slivered pistachios and more saffron.
 

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