I know where you stand about oil in the pasta water, but where do you stand with carrots in the marinara?
Personally, I don't believe they exist
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I will freely tell you that my secret ingredient is grated potato, and as long as I'm starching it up with that (which gives it magnificent cling and mouthfeel) I usually throw in a grated carrot as well, for depth.
Authentic? I DO NOT GIVE A SINGLE SHIT.
But my sauce is fucking delectable.
I could possibly accept a carrot in the marinara as long as I couldn't FEEL it with my mouth. However, I suspect that people wouldn't need to adulterate their marinara sauce in such awful ways if they used good tomatoes to start with, and had the patience to let it simmer forever. I mean, it's not SUPPOSED to taste like a bunch of extra shit or have all kinds of depth. Brightness and simplicity are kind of the point of it. Adding carrots and starches and things makes it sound more like some weird attempt at a vegetarian bolognese. [/sauce snob]
Quote from: Balls Wellington on March 02, 2013, 04:54:59 PM
I could possibly accept a carrot in the marinara as long as I couldn't FEEL it with my mouth. However, I suspect that people wouldn't need to adulterate their marinara sauce in such awful ways if they used good tomatoes to start with, and had the patience to let it simmer forever. I mean, it's not SUPPOSED to taste like a bunch of extra shit or have all kinds of depth. Brightness and simplicity are kind of the point of it. Adding carrots and starches and things makes it sound more like some weird attempt at a vegetarian bolognese. [/sauce snob]
The only way you're going to start with good tomatoes is if you grow them or get them from the Farmer's market in season.
But then, I don't call my sauce "marinara", so technically speaking I don't put a carrot in marinara. I put it in my spaghetti sauce, which is FUCKING AWESOME and made with ingredients readily available for not a lot of money at an ordinary grocery store.
Oh, I will absolutely put some carrots in the spaghetti sauce.
And yeah, I was spoiled with homegrown heirloom tomatoes when I lived there.
I love the tomatoes here. In season, they are magnificent and delectable and I eat them by the plateful.
We had a shitload of those little baby yellow ones. SO FUCKING GOOD. Seriously, a handful of those cut in half or quartered, some fresh basil from the garden, a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt. Best goddamn pasta sauce ever.
Also, for actual spaghetti sauce, if you don't feel like grating a potato or happen to lack one you can just cook the same amount of pasta in a little less water so the water gets extra starchy, then reserve some of the pasta water after you've drained the pasta and add that to the sauce. Gets enough starch in there to give the sauce more body with no worries of altering the flavor sinc eyou're just using the noodle water.
Quote from: Balls Wellington on March 03, 2013, 05:49:00 PM
We had a shitload of those little baby yellow ones. SO FUCKING GOOD. Seriously, a handful of those cut in half or quartered, some fresh basil from the garden, a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt. Best goddamn pasta sauce ever.
Oh hell yes. At that point, I'm ready to fuck the pasta and just eat that by that bowlful.
Quote from: Balls Wellington on March 03, 2013, 05:51:29 PM
Also, for actual spaghetti sauce, if you don't feel like grating a potato or happen to lack one you can just cook the same amount of pasta in a little less water so the water gets extra starchy, then reserve some of the pasta water after you've drained the pasta and add that to the sauce. Gets enough starch in there to give the sauce more body with no worries of altering the flavor sinc eyou're just using the noodle water.
Hmmm, that could be worth a try. Thanks!
Quote from: M. Nigel Salt on March 03, 2013, 07:24:59 PM
Quote from: Balls Wellington on March 03, 2013, 05:49:00 PM
We had a shitload of those little baby yellow ones. SO FUCKING GOOD. Seriously, a handful of those cut in half or quartered, some fresh basil from the garden, a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt. Best goddamn pasta sauce ever.
Oh hell yes. At that point, I'm ready to fuck the pasta and just eat that by that bowlful.
I always saw pasta as just something for the sauce and cheese to stick to. :lol:
I was wondering if, for my sauce, substituting carrot with qiunoa would work?
:lulz:
Quote from: Cain on March 06, 2013, 12:22:28 PM
I was wondering if, for my sauce, substituting carrot with qiunoa would work?
Yes, but only if you grind the quinoa with a stone mortar and pestle. And adding a little kale and some nutritional yeast wouldn't hurt your credibility.
ECH: I have another question.
Tomato water: Do you approve, and what the hell do you do with it?
I have a question of my own.
Who in the blue fuck decided that "tomato water" should even be a thing?
As for what I do with it, the answer is usually "wipe it off the cutting board after I'm done with the concasee".
Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking, as well.
After "add vodka", of course.
Quote from: Balls Wellington on August 29, 2013, 12:25:17 AM
I have a question of my own.
Who in the blue fuck decided that "tomato water" should even be a thing?
As for what I do with it, the answer is usually "wipe it off the cutting board after I'm done with the concasee".
What? TOMATO WATER?
:?
Tomato water, man that takes me back.
Portuguese feast parade day, setting up a tomato water stand outside the tenement house, selling it twenty five cents a cup. "Fresh H2Mato! Twenty five cents a cup!" we'd yell. End of the day we'd walk down and buy a box of those little things you throw on the ground and they snap. Snaps, we used to call them.
Yep, nothing like a cool glass of tomato water on a hot summer day.
Since this seems to be the "ask the master chef anything" thread, I've got a question for you ECH.
Mushrooms: Is there any acceptable time to wash them, or should they always be brushed clean?
If you're talking about good expensive wild-picked mushrooms, then they should always be brushed. They'll start to get slimy once they've been exposed to enough water.
If you're talking about your basic white button mushrooms or creminis that you buy in a supermarket then FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR OWN FUCKING FACE PEEL THOSE THINGS.
I'd also like to take a second to point out that I am FAR from a master chef, I'm just some schlub who does it for a living and sometimes knows a little more about how food works than the average yahoo. What I am a master of is getting promoted, whether or not my combined performance and experience merit the promotion. I've worked with many line cooks who knew way more about food than I probably ever will.
Quote from: Jet City Hustle on September 27, 2013, 12:26:38 AM
If you're talking about good expensive wild-picked mushrooms, then they should always be brushed. They'll start to get slimy once they've been exposed to enough water.
If you're talking about your basic white button mushrooms or creminis that you buy in a supermarket then FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR OWN FUCKING FACE PEEL THOSE THINGS.
I'd also like to take a second to point out that I am FAR from a master chef, I'm just some schlub who does it for a living and sometimes knows a little more about how food works than the average yahoo. What I am a master of is getting promoted, whether or not my combined performance and experience merit the promotion. I've worked with many line cooks who knew way more about food than I probably ever will.
Peel them? Like a carrot? This is new to me.
Also, Hustle, you're the one that introduced me to "never put oil in the pasta water", and for that you receive whatever culinary title you want.
:lol: Fair enough. I'd be happy with "guy who made me want to eat better food".
As for peeling the shrooms, if you use a paring knife and start from the bottom edge of the cap you should quickly see how the top skin-like layer separates and peels off.
Quote from: Jet City Hustle on September 27, 2013, 10:22:33 AM
:lol: Fair enough. I'd be happy with "guy who made me want to eat better food".
As for peeling the shrooms, if you use a paring knife and start from the bottom edge of the cap you should quickly see how the top skin-like layer separates and peels off.
Thanks!
I have never peeled a mushroom and don't plan to start. Yeah, I know they're grown in composted manure. Don't care, once it's composted it's just extra awesome dirt.
Quote from: Jet City Hustle on September 27, 2013, 12:26:38 AM
If you're talking about good expensive wild-picked mushrooms, then they should always be brushed. They'll start to get slimy once they've been exposed to enough water.
If you're talking about your basic white button mushrooms or creminis that you buy in a supermarket then FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR OWN FUCKING FACE PEEL THOSE THINGS.
I'd also like to take a second to point out that I am FAR from a master chef, I'm just some schlub who does it for a living and sometimes knows a little more about how food works than the average yahoo. What I am a master of is getting promoted, whether or not my combined performance and experience merit the promotion. I've worked with many line cooks who knew way more about food than I probably ever will.
Let's just put things in perspective...A week ago or so, I caused my third kitchen fire trying to fry an egg.
You are a master chef.
ECH, couple more things.
1 -- Ordered a pizza the other day, with olives, and they brought out a pizza covered with... green olives. Is this a thing? It was pretty gross.
2 -- Was in the market, looking for Worcestershire sauce, and I came across something called Vegan Worcestershire sauce. Wha? How can it be Worcestershire sauce without rotten anchovies.
Your thoughts, please.
1) What the fuck?
2) What the FUCK?!?
Green olives on pizza?
Vegan Worcestershire sauce?
Fuck the world. Just fuck it.
Good, it's not just me.
I think the two of you need to come to Boston and give the general region a smackdown.