Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

We have a ‘carrot issue’ in our household. Whenever we go grocery shopping, my husband throws a big 2-pound bag of carrots into the cart.

When I tell him that we already have a bin full (from his previous purchases) his response is, ‘I think I used some of them’ or ‘It’s ok, they last a long time’; and then he blithely wanders off, singing along with the Muzak, toward the meat counter - where he will find Great Deals on meat that we also don’t need, and for which there is no room in the freezer ;-)

If we were not small-scale preppers and usually stocked sufficiently for any adverse event, I’m convinced that my husband would be one of those people rushing to the store at the hint of a snowstorm, where you’d find him standing stoically in line with milk, bread – and a big bag of carrots. I haven't figured this out, yet... it sort of reminds me of my father's insistence, every year when I was growing up, that we buy extra 'icicles' for the Christmas tree, because "there might be a war". (My father grew up when tinsel was actually made of metal :-)

Some things are just mysteries. BUT: I have two favorite ways of eating carrots. My husband puts them under his pork roast, along with onions, where they come out wonderfully coated in the caramelized fat and drenched in the juice from the pork; and I love this recipe, which I’ve posted before: Carrots with Walnuts and Calamyrna figs (I buy nuts at Costco, and often use pecans in this recipe instead of walnuts):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHmw1sN9PXE

Another root vegetable that we have been using a lot is the lowly Radish, usually relegated to being sliced into a salad, or just used as a decoration. I think I first saw Jacques Pepin preparing raw radishes with butter and salt; and we’ve recently found a wonderful salt to use in an application like this: Grey Celtic Sea Salt. We tried it because of the purportedly superior trace mineral content, and it really is a nice salt. So far we’re using it as a ‘finishing’ salt, but will be incorporating it into our cooking as well.

Here is a recipe for the ‘butter-dipped radishes’ which are great to have along with other appetizers for drinks:

http://honestlyyum.com/13411/butter-dipped-radishes/

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

It does look great! But I’m trying to figure out ‘paper-thin’ garlic slices, without pulling out that diabolical Asian mandoline (almost bled to death the first time I used it ;-)

[thesligoduffyflynns]

everytime I go to the store I buy a bag of carrots-sometimes it 1lb sometimes its 2lbs sometimes it’s 5lbs & nice to get on sale , too.

I myself have wondered why I pick up carrots in these amounts during diff times in the year. I sing my own little songs as opposed to Muzak in the head but carrots imho is somehow a basic staple for some unexplixable reason.

I’m not keen on peeling root vegs as their skins contain the necessary vitamins but prefer to scrub & cut heads & tails.

Pre-heat oven to 350F
Wrap cleaned carrots in foil
Add a dab of butter or two
S&P to taste
Grab cookie sheet
Use foil to make a small tent & pinch end of foil to seal.
Bake for 30-45 mins or even sometimes a 1 hour.

This little recipe isn’t earth-shaking but sometimes you just need a simple carrot!

p.s. dont forget to turn off the oven :)

*******

[thesligoduffyflynns]

One neglected root vegetable is the TURNIP

Did you ever go to your old grandma’s gramps house & smelled this weird smell? or had been to someone’s home & the house had this odd stink when you were a kid?

I sure hope I have the right audience here because turnips are rather neglected within the root family of vegetables .

Perhaps “they were cooking rutabagas”

it’s a custom in some cultures to eat turnips to cure a cold or for breakfast.

Don’t buy those old big ass turnips-they are for another purpose in other recipes.

Buy the “baby t’s”
scrub clean
cut top & bottom
Dice baby t’s if you or keep them whole
Lightly salt the water
Boil ‘til tender
Remove ‘lil t’s from water /// or steam them
Plate ‘lil t’s with a pat of butter & pepper.

You can always drink the turnip water, too , when it’s cooled
It’s full of Vit A&C

ok, that’s enough outt’s me for now on this very very nice thread!

[pugmama]

I have a mandoline but I also cut my finger when I tried it for the first time. Haven’t used it since! LOL!

[Jamestown1630]

I haven’t used mine again either. They make one that I’ve seen which I would feel safe using, but it costs hundreds of dollars.

[Liz]

Vegetables for breakfast---if you can't get enough of them.

Bacon Hash Browns

ING 3 medium potatoes, small onion, 3 rashers streaky bacon, fine-chp, tb self-rising flour, 1/2 tb milk, egg, grind of pepper, veg oil, sea salt

METHOD coarsely grate peeled potatoes and onions. Add fine-chop bacon, flour, milk, egg, black pepper. Mix well to combine. Batch-fry heaped tbl in 3 inches heated oil. Deep fry 2 min---edges start to turn golden; flip, cook 2-3 min. Drain; salt liberally. Eat immediately, or keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

SERVE alongside a vegetable omelet filled w/ sautéed tri-color peppers and onions. Lagniappe on the plate is a trimmed whole summer tomato broiled w/ combined bread crumbs, ol/oil, chp parsley on top.

[thesligoduffyflynns]

Need some advice on zucchini experts.

I have this odd & I’ll odd zucchini plant in my front yard

near some flowering shrubs.

One year it just all by itself grows onthe left side of the yard and the next year on the right side of the yard.

Last year I ignored it & didn’t pick any from it-it had 1 zucchini that appeared & I let it grow & it got humoungous.

This year the zucch plant appeared on the other side and this time I dutifully picked a small one and ate it for dinner one night.

After that within 2=3 days ANOTHER one appeared & I picked that one and ate it. The plant is loaded with blossoms,too
so tonight I went out & looked at it & I have 2 more.

ok, this is fine- keep picking & the plant keeps giving- no prob & plant is being very generous!.

Here’s where I need advice:

There’s tons of recipes for zucchini but I want to make zucchini cakes (savoury)- not as in a baked cake- like patties & fry them up on the stove (too hot to turn the oven on) aka “cutlets”

Many recipes call for simply peeling & grating , squeezing out the liquid , adding egg(s) & spices of your choice.

I’m curious to know if one could boil & mash (including a binder like a egg & breadcrumbs) creating a different texture & then frying them in the pan.

Has anyone here boiled & mashed zucchini and created a cutlet ?

any & all answers appreciated!~~

[thesligoduffyflynns]

you have my full and undivided attention on this!
i’m going to try it.

what type of potatoes did you use?

[Liz]

You can use regular potatoes. The ing combine to make a nice potato cake
for frying. If you're making the side of Tomatoe Provencale......don't use an
overripe tomato b/c it cooks down a bit under the broiler....gets too mushy.

[Liz]

I'm sure you have great omelet recipes....but I just remembered I have
an outstanding French omelet recipe (served at the fabulous Four Seasons).
Do not overcook.

Omelette Grand Mere
METHOD Heat omelette-only pan; add/melt tbl butter. Whisk 3 eggs; add
salt, Tabasco, chives, parsley. Pour into hot butter and stir. Add veg,
(original uses crumbled crisp bacon); continue stirring. When just set (do
not cook too long). sprinkle grated Gruyere down center, fold in thirds; turn
out onto warm plate. One serving.

ING • Tb melted butter • 2 Tb crumbled/crisp bacon • 3 eggs • pinch salt
• dash Tabasco sauce • tsp ea chp chives, parsley • 2 Tb grated Gruyere

[thesligoduffyflynns]

how can one go wrong with eggs & Gruyere? & bacon.

This is a great recipe & it’s a keeper. I’ve been studying omelette techniques,too, for this one needs to whisk briskly and create a small “curd” as opposed to the larger one in scrambled eggs.

thank you very much!

my next post to you will be a exchange recipe if you like spinach and eggs.

[Liz]

Love it-—send out the spinach and eggs recipe ASAP.

So glad you liked the F/S omelet recipe.....you’re right...the trick is in the beating.

[thesligoduffyflynns]

Get like 2 lbs or less of spinach. Remove stems & wash leaves and dry (salad spinner does a good job) otherwise use paper towels. The leaves need to be somewhat dry as spinach itself is laden with moisture.

Ok, now chop up the spinach leaves medium to fine.

throw in bowl when done and add 6-8 eggs (depending on the the amt of spinach you come out with. Sometimes 8 eggs is too much but 7 works too.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
Add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
or add 1 teaspon of ready chopped garlic from the jar-don’t add your own chopped garlic (it ruins it-because it’s too overpowering).
Add 1/8 to 1/4th cinnamon
Add Coarse salt - NO TABLE SALT
Some black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

***
Mix well by hand w/large mixing spoon breaking up the yolks to incorporate them into the spinach.

After you feel you have broken up the yolks now you may do a taste test & check for + or - salt/ but not too much cinnamon(it will kill everything).
The turmeric turns everything a nice color,too and the garlic is a good kick.

Find a skillet- the larger the skillet the thinner the

“Cu-Cu-e-Esfinage”

The smaller the skillet (can be problematic)—— try a 12” or 14” fry pan.

Put some oil in the fry pan (give the oil some depth) and heat ‘til hot - & not smoking-you can test how it is by
dropping a bit of egg & spinach mixture into the oil. when that little bit starts to cook in the oil you’ll know then it is ready.

Give a few more stirs in the bowl and dump the whole in the
fry pan....

Wait 2 mins or so to brown the bottom & then turn the heat down a little bit so it doesn’t burn.

Put the lid on and let cook on low until the eggs & spinach are cooked in the center (test the center like you would a cake)If it comes out clean you are in good graces.

Now that the middle has set you will need to turn the spinach & eggs to the reverse side and this can be tricky.

You are going to find a large plate-larger than the fry pan-
Put on the over gloves as you don’t want to burn yourself from the hot oil.

Take off the lid & place the large plate on top of the spinach & eggs- grab the handle of the fry all the while
holding onto the top of the plate.

Once you have flipped it it’s on the plate-....

Now what you have to do is grab the plate and slide the top side of the spinach and eggs onto the BOTTOM of the fry pan.

It’s a bit tricky - don’t burn yourself from the oil-

Now you are ready to brown the spinach and eggs on medium heat.

Some people like thin cu-cu-ye-esfinage and there are those who like it regular i.e., not tamped down .

Ok now the top is browned having you kept this on medium heat. Slide out of fry pan onto round platter as a whole ^& then cut up like a pizza or divide like a pizza in the pan -no diff.

Let it cool a bit.

Slice up some tomatoes and onions in rounds.
Try & find some really good flatbread -like “lavash”
or pita rounds and put the cu-cu-ye-esfinage on the bread with tomatoe / onion rounds & a touch of Hellman’s.

Refridgerate leftover cu-cu and eat within the next day.

I hope you enjoy my recipe - I’ve cooked this for years and the recipe obviously is still in my head altho it may not translate very well but I hope it translates for you.

[thesligoduffyflynns]

if you have a toaster over you could throw in

KONTOS POCKET-LESS PITA

7inch rounds for a quantity of 20.

Circle K/ Pareve Pas Yisroel

Manufactured by: KONTOS FOODS-Paterson , N.J.07513
telephone: 973-278-2800
CONN LIC:#03731

www.flatbread.com

[Duchess47]

Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that. I have one out in the shed, I’ll get it out and see if it still works.

[Liz]

Amazing recipe......flavor combos are terrific.....and all those cheffy tricks.

Who could ask for anything more?

[thesligoduffyflynns]

i’ve never been a big fan Jacques Pepin- but he sure did give good lessons on eggs!

[Hiskid]

We like this carrot soup:

1 thin sliced onion
2 tablespoons butter (original recipe calls for unsalted)
2 cups peeled and sliced (1/4" diagonal) carrots--about six
2 cups canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced, peeled ginger root
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Cook onion in butter in saucepan, covered, over low heat until softened. Stir occasionally. Add carrots and broth and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Reserve 8 carrot slices for garnish. Purée in a blender in batches until smooth, and transfer to the pan. Add ginger root and thyme. Simmer, stirring for 10 minutes. Strain it through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Ladle the soup into heated bowls and garnish with reserved carrot slices. Serves 2-4.

That is the original recipe, but I am a master at simplifying recipes, so I just toss in onion, dried thyme and ginger along with carrots which I simply slice wildly nilly and chicken broth, never heat the bowls or reserve the slices for garnish. I am sure somebody could tell the difference, but not us. I think it would be good with a dollop of sour cream.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

I came across this article

Engine Block Burritos’ — And Other Road Trip Tips From Touring Musicians
http://www.npr.org/2016/08/07/488725658/engine-block-burritos-and-other-road-trip-tips-from-touring-musicians

and it got me to remembering when I was a kid mom would grab a loaf of bread, some mustard & mayonnaise and a pound or so of bologna, load us all in the car and we would do as the Steppenwolf song said and “set out on the highway”. I still get hungry for bologna every so often now. What kind of traveling food did you have when you were a kid?

[KC Burke]

...with balsamic vinegar

Dirt is okay if you add enough balsamic of good quality.