Posted on 05/01/2022 1:12:22 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
I bought some new gadgets and products recently. I think the most interesting was the ‘Sushi Bazooka’. There are lots of these available, but they all work along the same lines and make it much easier to fill and roll Maki Sushi, California Roll, etc. It doesn’t always come out as perfect on the first try as some videos make it look, but with a little practice it’s great. 'How Daily' shows how it works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe8GsJ3M4F0
I was introduced to this type of sushi by a Korean friend who calls it ‘Kimbap’. She made it with imitation crab (but the little 'salad' shrimps might be better for those who don’t like ‘Krab’), cucumber, pickled daikon, and strips of cooked egg (mix eggs as for scrambled eggs, spread a thin layer in a frying pan, and cook quickly so that when it’s done it’s like a big tortilla that you can cut into strips.)
And you must have the sear-your-mouth horseradish condiment, ‘Wasabi’, to go with it. The pickled ginger usually sold with Sushi is also very good, and in recent years I’ve found both the horseradish and the ginger in the Asian sections of many American supermarkets.
In a local health food store I found an unusual cracker. The century-old Inés Rosales company in Spain makes several types of these and they appear to be available in two sizes. They’re different from the crackers we’re used to – softer, and sort of halfway between a biscuit and a cracker, with unique textures and flavors, some savory and others sweet. These are available from lots of vendors online, and while they’re more expensive they’re worth it, especially for entertaining. Since they are softer, if you are going to serve them as an hors d’oeuvre, it would probably be best to wait until the last minute to apply any spread or topping that’s very ‘wet’.
We bought a Ninja air fryer last month, and so far we’ve tried two things in it – Brussels sprouts and steak. Neither turned out very well, but we’re assured that it takes some tweaking and practice to figure out, so I’ll have to do a progress report later. (One thing I really want to try in it is frozen onion rings, but for some reason our stores that usually have them - as well as French fries - have none. I’m not sure why – that kind of thing is usually out-of-stock around Super Bowl time, but normally available. This is the only extended shortage I’ve noticed since early in Covid when we couldn’t buy toilet paper, chlorine bleach or hand sanitizer.)
There’s a restaurant in Austin, Texas called ‘El Arroyo’ that is very popular for its Tex-Mex food, but most famous there and elsewhere for the ‘readerboard’ signs it displays outside. They do a different saying every day, many humorous, some mildly philosophical or even very sober. Over the past couple of years, they've gotten a lot of sign-mileage out of Covid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDJhbvQnaFE
-JT
Most of what I use to for is steak, pork chops, and lamb T-bones. Sous vide a couple hours at 132-134F, then sear, generally on cast iron. Touch up searing (at spots that don’t sear due to bones keeping meat away from the C.I.) via a MAPP gas torch. Yes, you read that right, a MAPP gas torch. Lives in the corner of the garage closest to the door for easy access from the kitchen.
“I’ve found I can’t live without an IR temperature gun and a fast read probe thermometer. Better cooking via modern thermometry is a thing for me.”
Thermoworks make fantastic products. I believe that I have four thermometers and two timers. Can’t grill without them!
“I’ve looked at the Zojirushi ones, as they make the most ‘normal’ loaf size...”
My MIL just purchased a 1 pound Zojirushi bread machine and she loves it.
I have a Panasonic SD-BMT1001 which is fabulous but out of production now. It clearly makes the best bread I’ve ever had at home. The machine came with many recipes - we love the brioche and the chiffon pan die mie (a very nice white bread). My MIL makes the chiffon pan die mie in her new bread machine with the Panasonic recipe.
“I got a sous vide for Christmas and have yet to be happy with anything Ive tried — beef short ribs, pork chops, sirloin steak, eggs. Is anyone happy with theirs? what has worked for you?”
Have had a SV machine for many years. Fried chicken is the best! Look up a recipe online. SV chicken is, in essence, cooked prior to the dredging and flowering/frying. Very moist and tender.
“Yes, you read that right, a MAPP gas torch.”
Two things:
1) It’s likely Map-Pro gas which is hotter than propane by 100 F or so...
2) MAPP gas has not been available for 10+ years and it’s 800 F hotter than propane. I have 1/2 cylinder of MAPP gas and use it only for very tight to the wall plumbing repairs where propane (or Map-Pro) would take far too long to sweat the joint and cause wall damage.
If you do have MAPP gas you will miss it when it’s gone...
Thanks. I still have to do a lot of research. It’s a big purchase for us, and there are so many of them out there.
My favorite cooking appliance at the moment is my Anova immersion circulator for cooking food sous vide. Works great for getting a precise internal temperature. Cook a steak to 5-10 degrees below the desired temperature then finish by searing both sides in a very hot pan. Perfect medium rare every time. It’s great for cooking boneless skinless chicken breasts and have them as juicy as possible. They take time though.
I understand completely.
Our first bread machine was a gift to us from my Aunt probably 30 years ago.
It did not make good bread and we used it only for pizza dough (we make pizza at least once a week).
That machine died and I bought an inexpensive on at Walmart that was similar in size to the other machine as we have limited storage in our kitchen.
Thant one died and was replace by a mother cheap one and when THAT one died I decided to buy a good machine that makes 1 pound loaves.
I did not know it at the time but the Panasonic had been discontinued and there were at least nine sellers on Amazon undercutting each other by the hour.
I waited for three days and paid around $200.00 for the machine. It was ALOT to pay for a bread maker and to this day I don’t believe my wife knows the actual price.
That being said, It was worth it for the excellent bread. Even the pizza dough is better than any other bread machine we have had.
My best to you!
I’ve had a Breadman machine for about 10 years, if not more. It’s always worked very well, I just don’t like the kind of loaf shape that it - (and most of them) - make.
On the other hand, none of them make a ‘normal’ loaf of sandwich-size bread; and since I might take the dough out to bake normally in the oven anyway, do I really need one at all? I have a Kitchenaid...
Decisions, decisions.
That sounds good. I’ll have to remember to try it.
I haven’t figured out how/why it’s supposed to accomplish that, but if you try it let us know how it goes.
Thank you!
Great idea. I’m surprised that you only sous vide for a couple of hours. That is far more workable for a normal life. I will try it.
The food! The signs are hilarious, but the food will keep you coming back.
Well, Austin isn’t exactly at the top of my list of places to visit, but the restaurant does look very good!
Lol. The politics do suck, but it is fun watching the governor smack down the city time and again.
Much of the rest of Texas looks very interesting, though. I think I’d probably like the West...
Outside of the 4 big metro area, and Rio Grande valley, it’s all pretty conservative.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl
1 heaping cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
For the Cake Batter
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 (8 oz) container full fat sour cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cinnamon-Walnut Swirl: Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet until they’re fragrant and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the walnuts to a plate to cool. In a small bowl, mix together the walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Spray a 9- or 10-in Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour. Tap out any excess flour. Alternatively, spray the pan with a nonstick spray with flour in it, such as Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is homogenous. On low speed, mix in the sour cream and vanilla. The batter will look a little curdled at this point; that’s okay. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
Scoop ⅓ of the batter into the prepared pan. (It won’t seem like enough, especially if you’re using a 10-in Bundt — that’s okay. Just do your best to smooth it into an even layer with a spatula or back of a spoon.) Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-walnut mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with another ⅓ of the remaining batter, using a spoon or spatula to spread the batter evenly over the pan and to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture evenly over the batter and cover with the remaining batter, spreading it evenly over the nut mixture.
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the cake is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Do not let the cake cool in the pan for much longer than this or the brown sugar in the streusel might stick to the sides of the pan and make it difficult to release the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the Bundt pan and then invert the pan to release the cake. Let the cake cool completely before serving. The cake will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/sour-cream-coffee-cake-with-cinnamon-walnut-swirl.html
I saved that, it looks good.
The Zingerman cookbook looks good, too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.