Monthly Cooking Thread - June 2020

[Jamestown1630]

We recently went looking online for a wok - we wanted to try and become expert at stir-frying. It surprised me that everything we liked best was sold out everywhere. Then, I realized that lots of people have been stuck at home and doing more cooking for themselves. (I saw a recent cooking video on YouTube, in which a man stated that he had gone all over to find simple 8-inch layer-cake pans, and they were sold out everywhere that he was able to look; and I noticed last weekend that the baking section in my grocery – flour, sugar, baking mixes, leavening agents – was almost bare.)

We finally found a nice wok, and went through the process of curing it. We haven’t cooked in it yet (busy week) but we did some shopping for ingredients. In the process, I found in the local health food store something called Chinese ‘Forbidden Black Rice’, which I’d heard about but had never tried.

This rice is amazing! and the strangest thing about it is that it tastes like it’s full of butter, right out of the pot – with no butter added. It’s also lower on the glycemic index than ‘regular’ rice, and very rich in antioxidants and other nutrients.

I first tried this in a traditional ‘Carolina Rice Steamer’, which is sort of like a double boiler; but it took forever. You may be able to do it in an electric rice steamer (I pitched mine when it broke down) but I would suggest doing this on the stovetop as you would do brown rice.

The product we purchased was not ‘sticky’; so I’m assuming it’s the one referred to in this article as the actual Chinese Forbidden Black Rice:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/the-secret-behind-forbidden-rice-all-about-black-rice-plus-a-simple-black-rice-recipe#what-is-black-rice

Grace Young is one of the best instructors I’ve found on stir-frying; her various books are full of history, traditional Chinese culture, and information, and the recipes are very interesting and different from the heavy food that we call 'Chinese' in restaurants in the US. Here is her video on seasoning a new carbon steel wok:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjkTPWBOf8

And here is her blog, with her recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken:

http://www.graceyoung.com/recipes/sweet-and-sour-chicken/">

I saw this cooking-coloring book for kids, on the Dover website today; it looks like a great way to keep the young ones occupied and also learning a skill that will be valuable throughout life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZjkTPWBOf8

-JT

[Liz]

If you enjoy it....no need to second guess yourself.

If it makes you happy, just carry on.

[Jamestown1630]

There’s a point where taking care of too much stuff is NOT fun.
I think I’m there ;-)

[Liz]

Talk about collecting.....I just read actress Delta Burke admitted to having 22 rented storage units———at one time.

[Jamestown1630]

Now, how can you enjoy things if you’re keeping them in storage, and not using and looking at them?

[Liz]

Delta underlines my theory abut “collecting”.......its mostly about “ownership.”

She doesnt have to look at her possessions, its enough knowing she “owns them.”

[Liz]

I remember reading a story about couple that collected certain types of dinnerware....40’s era, I think.

Talk about not having fun.......when they had to move, it took them 2 weeks just to wrap and stack the collection in cartons.

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Sometimes it helps to take it all down, arrange it on the dinner table, then think of new ways to display and use a collection.

Just dont get rid of stuff that you’ll later regret.

Diana got rid of all her wonderful collections of Tasha Tudor books .........to her later regret......

[Trillian]

My favorite quiche add-ins:

Zucchini and mint.

Grilled small artichokes and parmesan.

Bacon and extra cheese.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Diana got rid of all her wonderful collections of Tasha Tudor books ...to her later regret...”

D’Oh! Knife RIGHT to the heart, LOL!

I did keep one, ‘Tasha Tudor’s Gardens’ but I wish I still had them all. If it’s meant to be, I’ll find them again one day. :)

I’m MUCH less sentimental after cleaning, painting, staging and selling two homes and establishing a third in 2016! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Never thought of adding mint; all good add-ins, for sure!

[Trillian]

Mint goes very well with zucchini or eggplant.
When I make stuffed zucchini or eggplant, I add mint.

My dad taught me how to make zucchini sandwiches growing up. Saute sliced zucchini with olive oil, garlic and mint. Right before it’s done, add a touch of white vinegar and serve on heated Italian bread. If I had some zucchini right now, i’d be making this today!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’ve fallen in love with Zucchini Pancakes these past few gardening seasons. The trick, I have found, is to make them on the smaller size. I’ll bet mint would work well here, too.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222870/moms-zucchini-pancakes/

[Liz]

NONONO......not a knife through the heart.......just being sympathetic.

Of course, you’ll find them again.......they’re looking for you right now.....chuckle.

[Jamestown1630]

My favorite ‘collectors’ were a couple I saw featured in a magazine many years ago - it may have been in ‘Vanity Fair’, I’m not sure. They collected excellent examples of ancient antiques. They were not wealthy - if I recall, they both worked as librarians, or something like that. (I saved the article, and will try and find it again.)

Their apartment was almost empty, except for these very few, valuable, individual items for which they pinched and saved. It was a very focused obsession - not about ‘ownership’ but about a kind of reverent Love for art, style, and workmanship.

I’ll try to find the reference in my ‘stuff’, and post a link, if the article is archived somewhere. (I suspect that if they are no longer alive, their collection is in a museum somewhere, now. Curators would have been salivating over it.)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL! I know you meant it with “luv.” :)

[Liz]

A great appy, easily converts into a salad or a fast, magnificent dessert. Succulent figs
make a scrumptious dish in a flash. CHEF TIP Can use berry-flavored balsamic.

FIGS, GOAT CHEESE, Caramelized Spiced Pecans
PREP choose best looking med-firm ripe figs, wash/destem;
halve top to bottom. Plate; top each w/ dollop creamy goat cheese.

Garnish platter w/ bit balsamic glaze; coarse-chp mint, Spiced Pecans.

SERVE warm as an appetizer (or as a dessert). Add greens for a salad.

CARAMELIZED SPICED PECANS toast handful pecans on low-med
flame. Add several tb raw honey, heavy dusting of cayenne. Stir/blend well.
As honey melts, squeeze/stir balsamic glaze over pecans. Quickly becomes
gooey and fragrant, ready to be spooned over figs.

[Jamestown1630]

I like Figs - at least, certaIn kinds of them. This has always been my favorite recipe for them:

https://www.laurengroveman.com/recipe/the-carrots-sauteed-with-toasted-walnuts-and-sliced-calimyrna-figs/

[Liz]

I LOVE that fig recipe of yours——outstanding use of figs.

[Liz]

Now that we’re all keto, carbing, or n/g, here’s some tips using other flours. Bob’s Red Mill supermarket section has a wide variety.

Almond flour is so expensive-—choose recipe carefully, replace at 1:1 ratio. CAUTION Sometimes replacement doesn’t work.

Almond flour can mean:
<><> almond meal,
<><> ground almonds,
<><> blanched almond flour, and so on.
<><> Finely ground, blanched almond flour works best (organic is even better, but hard to find and more expensive).
<><> Blanched almond flour works especially well to produce lighter, cake-like or cookie-like results.
<><> Almond meal works well for denser and slightly grainy texture recipes.

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A GOOD BEGINNING Almond flour is healthy – a nice bonus.I started w/ blanched almond flour to eliminate all wheat and gluten and as a bonus, it eliminated my underlying anemia; has a good boost of essential vitamins and minerals, including iron and calcium and vitamin E. It also has a higher protein content (and lower carbs).

Nut flours also include cashew, hazelnut, peanut, and pecan. I use almond flour because it comes ready to use.

Nut butters are good in baked goods that are softer and/or denser, such as cookie bars, cakes and breads. I store it friged/sealed in plastic a few months from 25 pounds bags; 3 months or so shelf life. It’s cheaper to buy bulk; than 1 and 5 pound bags. Store sealed in frige; tends to absorb odors; can freeze/airtight; defrost as you use it.

Almond flour / How to make your own.
Blender blanched almonds—if you overblend, you’ll end up with almond butter (not a bad thing). So watch closely. Experiment with a small batch w/ sliced blanched almonds processed into flour.

Almond meal: proc/grind almonds (raw or roasted w/ skins on).

Process slivered blanched almonds in a coffee grinder, then sieve. Check out how here: http://faithepp.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-make-almond-or-rice-flour-in.html.

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FRENCH TECHNIQUE french chefs make almond meal w/ almonds and conf in the batch—then use in crust recipe for fruit tarts. Adds that “indefinable something” French cooking is noted for.

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Also try readymade Coconut flour—non gluten—for pie/tart crusts...cakes, cookies.

[Jamestown1630]

Good info. But people should be careful with Coconut flour; it can cause some ‘issues’:

http://erikaherman.com/coconut-flour/#:~:text=Coconut%20flour%20can%20cause%20bloating,too%2C%20believe%20it%20or%20not!

http://traditionalcookingschool.com/food-preparation/recipes/a-primer-baking-with-coconut-flour/#:~:text=A%20Few%20Warnings,people%20experience%20the%20opposite%20problem.

[Liz]

Not exactly keto, but makes a nice coffee dessert for guests.

RED VELVET FRAPPE

Mix/dissolve 2 oz espresso or strong-brewed coffee, tb cocoa.
Blender smooth w/ 5 oz milk, oz red food coloring, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, cup ice.

Serve in tall glasses topped w/ whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles.