13 easy recipes to cook in quarantine

The Week ^ | 4/04/20 | Eric Kim

[Libloather]

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you're safe and sound at home. As we all navigate the global COVID-19 crisis, it's important that we're still nourishing ourselves - not just our stomachs, but also our minds, our hearts, and our communities. As my colleague Brinda's grandmother texted her today from Singapore, "Don't get depressed. Sing, play on the piano, read novels, learn knitting and sewing, meditate - all these help."

I don't know if I believe that the simple comforts of cooking will indelibly cure the ailments of today and tomorrow, but I do know that walking into the kitchen to make yourself something to eat — no matter your situation and how you feel about it — is always a good thing, a nourishing act.

At Food52 we've been sharing our quarantine meals on social media with the hashtag #f52community. We invite you to do the same. What are you cooking right now? And how are you doing?

1. Pasta con ceci

[Libloather]

Slow cooked some brisket in a crockpot last weekend. This weekend - slow cooked chicken leg quarters. It all comes down to the sauce. New stuff out there - Tabasco sriracha. Tasty but hard to find. Stay safe out there!

[srmanuel]

I got a brisket going that’s been on since 330am this morning, 225-250 degrees....

[Qiviut]

I baked 4 pounds of bacon yesterday .... feel SO much better! :-)

[FlipWilson]

I have a great recipe for braised soylent green. It’s great people, seriously, the soylent green is great people.

[dp0622]

I had a bottle of Jack Daniels and a pizza yesterday.

But this has given me inspiration!!

I’m gonna make home made Siciian pizza and Cavatelli like mom did when we were kids.

She’s 87 and unless I threaten her physically she doesn’t cook much anymore (YES i’m joking)

None of my sisters are fantastic cooks

Ironically one nephew and one niece are.

I wish I could post a picture of what she made the other night.

[DoodleBob]

I hear braised solyent green goes well with bat soup.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

3:30 am? Insomnia? We know you weren’t getting home from the bar at that hour.

[piasa]

They could at least skin and gut it.

[srmanuel]

I usually get up around 3am anyway, my wife and I take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood, it’s quiet and no cars on the street....

I cook on a Kamado Joe, which is very similar to a Big Green Egg....

So it was either cook over night or get up a little earlier .....

[SkyDancer]

Bacon rocks!!!!

[mumblypeg]

Good stuff, LL!
I’d been wondering what to do with all those cans of chickpeas and coconut milk in my pantry!
FWIW, whenever a recipe calls for brussels sprouts (yeccch!) I substitute random greens.

[moovova]

Sam’s had rotisserie chickens available a couple days ago. Bought one. We took a break from pulling frozen stuff out of the freezer for supper. It’ll be defrosted chopsteak tonight...ribeye tomorrow night...quarter-pound Nathan’s all-beef franks the next night.

[Lurker]

We did some Italian tomato basil sausages slow grilled with sautéed peppers and onions. Served them on pane Italiano rolls. The sausages came from the local Italian butcher, fresh made.

The rolls came from a local baker.

The pasta side came from a box. LOL

Sue me.

L

[Libloather]

Wash brussel sprouts well and cut in half top to bottom. Melt butter in a pan. Face sprouts flat side down in butter and slightly brown. The secret - 30 seconds before removing from the heat, hit them all with balsamic vinegar. Oh, my.

[Burma Jones]

I did a brisket on my Joe last weekend. Got it a little dry. I may cook at 225 instead of 250 next time.

[ConservativeInPA]

Here's a dish I made the other night:

Wuhan Flu Beef and Eggplant

General Preparation

Administer one dose of HCQ to all eating the meal.

Prep for Eggplant:

• Large bowl of water with 2 teaspoons salt dissolved
  
• ½ Eggplant, cut into bite size pieces
  

Dry Coating for Eggplant:

• ¼ cup cornstarch
  

Beef Marinade:

• 1 egg white
  
• 2 TB dark soy sauce
  
• ¼ cup chicken stock
  
• 2 TB rice wine vinegar
  
• 1 TB sugar
  
• ¼ tsp baking soda
  
• 3 TB corn starch
  
• 1 lb flank steak or chuck roast, cut against the bias in flat pieces 1” x 2.5”
  

Beef Dry Coating:

• ½ cup flour
  
• ½ cup cornstarch
  
• ½ tsp baking powder
  
• ½ tsp salt
  

For the Sauce:

• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
  
• ¼ cup Chinese rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  
• 2 TB roasted sesame seed oil
  
• 1 TB Hoisin sauce
  
• ¾ cup chicken stock
  
• 2 TB brown sugar
  
• 2 TB corn starch
  
• 2 tsp oil
  
• 2 tsp minced garlic
  
• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
  
• 3 green onions, sliced
  
• 8 small dried red chilies
  
• Sesame Seeds

Eggplant Prep
Cut eggplant into bite-sized pieces and soak in water with two teaspoons of dissolved salt for at least 15-minutes. Continue to make the beef marinade.

The Beef Marinade
Beat egg whites in a 2 cup measuring bowl until broken down and lightly foamy. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and chicken stock and whisk to combine. Reserve one half of the marinade in a small bowl. Add baking soda and corn starch to the measuring bowl and whisk to combine. Add marinade and the beef to a medium bowl and coat beef thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

The Dry Coating Prep
Combine flour, corn starch, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk until homogenous. Add reserved marinade and mix until mixture has coarse granules. Set aside.

The Sauce Prep
Combine soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame seed oil, Hoisin sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in water in a small bowl and whisk until no lumps remain. Add the cornstarch mixture into the bowl with the sauce and whisk. Set aside.

Deep Frying the Eggplant and Beef
Heat ¾” of oil in a wok to 350°F and adjust flame to maintain temperature.

Drain the eggplant and individually coat pieces with cornstarch, shake and place on wax paper until all are coated. Deep fry in batches, allowing room between pieces until lightly browned. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Working one piece at a time, transfer beef from marinade to dry coat mixture, tossing in between each addition to coat the beef. When all beef is added to dry coat, toss with hands, pressing coarse granules onto beef so it adheres, and making sure that every piece is coated thoroughly. Place on wax paper, ready to deep fry.

Adjust the oil level for the beef and ensure temperature is hot by dropping a bit of coating in the oil. If it sizzles and bubbles, it is hot enough.

Lift beef one piece at a time, shake off excess coating, and carefully lower into hot oil (do not drop it). Once all beef is added, cook, agitating with a metal spider, and adjusting flame to maintain a temperature of 350 to 375°F, until beef is cooked through and very crispy, about 4 minutes. Transfer beef to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain.

Drain oil from wok and reserve for use another day.

Assembling
Coat a heated (medium) wok with oil. Add red chilies. This seasons the oil. The darker the chilies become the more heat the dish will have. Add garlic, ginger, and sliced scallions. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are aromatic and soft, but not browned, about 3 minutes. Whisk the sauce mixture and add to wok. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute.

Add beef and eggplant to wok. Toss until all pieces are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle sesame seeds over beef and eggplant. Serve immediately with white rice.

[sheana]

I cook brussels sprouts like that but add garlic. Then when they come out of the pan sprinkle them with parmesan cheese. Cook brussel sprouts and cabbage the same way.

[srmanuel]

I try to keep it close to 225, but sometimes the wind and other things cause the temperature to start rising a few degrees.....

[njslim]

On YOUTUBE Alton Brown of GOOD EATS (FOOD CHANNEL) has funny videos call PANTRY RAID

Tried out couple - Hot Saltines
Peanut Butter cookies

Unfortunately supermarket is out of peanut butter, brown sugar (and regular) , baking soda

The Hot Saltines works great with mini pretzels (unsalted)

Goes great with cheese

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nalyEGpuSs&t=16s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI11XNr3jHo

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

No fresh veggies left is making me cranky.. Gonna have to grow my own vegetables this year!