Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Calvin Locke]

Cilantro/Mexican Parsley/Coriander sucks. I can taste it in gins. Seagram's is the worst of the name brands, followed by Beefeater. Cheap gin is loaded with the stuff.

[V K Lee]

Just recently a YouTube channel was found of Clara’s Great Depression Cooking was found.
http://depressioncooking.blogspot.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/DepressionCooking
http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/depression-cooking/

[samiam1972]

I was going to suggest pouring butter over the bread but I can see that many others have already done that! I love a basic recipe but using a fall beer, like Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest to give it a better flavor. But definitely try a recipe with butter all over it while baking. That gives you the super crispy crust! A basic version: http://glitterandgoulash.com/quick-beer-bread/

[lulu16]

Thank-you. I’m always trying to serve raw crispy vegetables because my husband loves to crunch, although it will be a while until we have this dish again because we are living in the Mexican highlands for the fall now.

And thank-you for your weekly thread. It’s delicious and fulfilling, Jamestown1630.

[Jamestown1630]

I think a lot of recipes use it on pork. Mine just had too much.

[Jamestown1630]

Using lemon-lime soda is very interesting!

[mylife]

Fennel is yummy in salads and with fish

[Jamestown1630]

I thought it was Juniper Berries that give gin it’s unique taste; though there are lots of recipes for cocktails that add coriander/cilantro. I don’t know - I’m not a spirit drinker, and don’t know much about them.

[FrdmLvr]

There is only one seasoning I can’t take. It almost makes me ill. Luckily, it’s not used much. That herb would be tarragon. Bleh!!!

[mylife]

I would think a Honey Wheat beer would be good in a bread.

[Jamestown1630]

My husband is a ‘cruncher’, too; I think he’d like this.

[mylife]

Lienie’s?

Ahh Wisconsin...

[mylife]

Not sure what you are drinking...

[Jamestown1630]

My brother is one of the pickiest eaters in the world - won’t try anything new, unless he has it out among friends and coworkers, and gets a clue. He recently raved about ‘Tarragon Chicken’, so I’m going to have to try and make this for him soon:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/tarragon-chicken-recipe.html

I’ve also got a great tarragon-mustard-wine sauce that is divine on vegetables...

(Different Strokes ;-)

[Jamestown1630]

Maybe my problem is not using a dark beer. I drink the Guinness, and haven’t cooked with it ;-)

[miss marmelstein]

It’s a strong spice, no doubt, Jamestown!

[Liz]

Here Ina adds fennel to a vegetable risotto.

Ina's Spring Green Risotto with Artichokes

METHOD Heat on med olive oil/butter. Add leeks and fennel; sauté tender 5-7 min. Add rice;stir/coat a min. Add white wine; simmer/stir on low (wine is almost absorbed. Add/stir chix stock, 2 ladles at a time, absorbed ea before adding more; takes 25-30 min; after 15 min, add asparagus, artichokes, lemon zest, tb salt, and 1½ tea pepper. Continue cooking/stirring/adding stock til rice is tender/firm; turn off the heat; stir in mascarpone, Parm, lemon juice and chives.

SERVE w/ sprinkling of chives, Parm.

ING 1½ tablespoons good olive oil 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks) 1 cup chopped fennel 1½ cups Arborio rice 2/3 cup dry white wine 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken (or vegetable) stock or preferably homemade

pound thin asparagus 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1½ cups shelled fresh peas 8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for garnish

[Diana in Wisconsin]

DON’T waste a Guinness on this! But use a darker beer for extra yummy-ness. :)

Can you pour a decent, ‘Black and Tan?’ That was always an after-Church, before lunch, Sunday treat back in the day, LOL!

[Jamestown1630]

LOL!

I remember reading long ago that all the fine race-horses in Ireland got a bottle of Guinness a day, in their feed. Made them strong!

(I should be pretty strong...;-)

[Calvin Locke]

... Juniper Berries ...

True, but gin has other aromatics as well, to differentiate the product.