I've created this thread to post recipes that I like; they've been found, learned and scavenged from many sources. I hope you find them tasty. :)
Berebere
I find it prudent to mix the spices whole, keep them in a jar, and then toast and grind them when needed.
10 small dried red chiles
4 1/2 tbl paprika
4 tsp cumin
2 tsp fenugreek
1 1/2 tsp cardamon
1 1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
8 cloves
Mesir Wat - Ethiopian Lentil Stew
Serves ~4
1 cup red lentils
Water
Oil
3 tbl tomato paste
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, ground
1 inch piece fresh ginger, ground
2-3 tablespoons berebere (see above recipe)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
Salt to taste
In a large pot on medium heat, cook the onion dry, without any oil, until it loses its raw smell and becomes soft. Then add oil, and then ginger, garlic, and spices. Add your lentils, cleaned and picked through. Stir in tomato paste, add enough water for the lentils to cook, about 45 or so minutes, covered. Add salt to taste.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/MesirWat.jpg)
Lamb Curry
2 lbs lamb meat, cubed
1 onion, diced
2-3 tsp cayenne pepper
2-3 curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp garlic, ground
1 tsp ginger, ground
2-3 curry leaves
~1 cup tomato puree
3 small potates, cooked (firm), and cut into chunks
Salt to taste
Sautee onions. Add spices. Sautee lamb with spices until browned. Add tomato puree, and simmer until the meat is tender. Add potatoes and simmer a little bit more. Garnish with cilantro.
Tonight's dinner - Borscht with mushroom and caramelized onion pierogies. I fucked up on the pierogies, and didn't roll out the dough thin enough. As a result they were really thick and tough. But I'll post the recipe anyway in case any of you are actually skilled at making them.
Pierogies
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
1 generous cup dried mushrooms (I used porcini)
1/2 onion, diced
yogurt
parsley
salt and pepper
Prepare filling: Soak mushrooms. Drain. In a pan, caramelize onions in some butter. A little bit before they're done, add in mushrooms. Transfer onions and mushrooms to a food processor, mix in yogurt, parsley and salt and pepper. Grind into a rather coarse paste.
Prepare dough: Mix dough ingredients, knead a little and let rest for 10 min. Roll out onto a floured board, cut into circles and stuff them with the mushroom filling. Seal them. Drop them into a pot of boiling salted water. When they float up to the surface they're done. Serve with browned butter and more parsley.
Borscht
2 medium beets, grated
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
3 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
2 carrots, cut up
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
~1 1/2 cups diced tomato
stock (I used the leftover water from soaking the dried mushrooms)
salt and black pepper to taste
bay leaves
Sautee onion in butter until translucent. Then add all the vegetables, garlic, salt and pepper, bay leaves. Add tomato and stock. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Serve hot with sour cream and dill.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/BorschtandPierogis.jpg)
Pierogies. *drools*
Delicious Lamb Meat Balls
1 lb ground lamb
1/4 c finely chopped parsley
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c breadcrumbs, mixed with 1 beaten egg
salt to taste
red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients. Roll into meaty balls about 1 inch in diameter, should make 12 or so meatballs. Put in a baking pan. Bake at 375 until lightly browned and delicious.
Cabbage Salad with Caraway Seeds
1/2 head cabbage, sliced really rather thin
~2 tablespoons caraway seeds
green onions, sliced
salt and pepper
grapeseed oil
rice wine vingegar
Mix cabbage and green onions. Make dressing from oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toast caraway seeds in a pan. Toss everything together
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Meatballs.jpg?t=1261113601)
Served here with roasty potatoes.
Orzo with Sausage and Arugula
Orzo
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, squeezed out of their casings
Shallots, chopped
1 bunch arugula, chopped
asiago fresco
Fry up the sausage with the shallots in a big pan. Before that's almost finished, through in the chopped arugula. Cook your orzo. Mix in the sausage, arugula, and shallots. Add in asiago fresco cheese, and stir in to melt.
Served here with sauteed eryngii mushrooms and bread.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Orzo.jpg)
looks good, man. You've got an eye for plate composition.
PUT THIS INTO MY FACE HOLE!!
NAO!!
Quote from: Rip City Hustle on December 18, 2009, 08:14:45 AM
looks good, man. You've got an eye for plate composition.
Thanks!
Quote from: Squid on December 18, 2009, 08:29:12 AM
PUT THIS INTO MY FACE HOLE!!
NAO!!
THE ENGINES ARE ALREADY RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY!
Oh, also, I promise to post some Japanese food once I drag myself to the Asian market to get the necessary ingredients.
Right, so, Japanese food.
I like Japanese food, it can be tasty. It can also be pretty bad, if not made the right way. I suppose this is because of the austerity of the flavorings: soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt don't really give as much of a fudge zone as butter and bacon and such. But most of it's easy to make and gratifying.
You don't need a terrible lot of specialty ingredients to make Japanese food either. The basic staples are soy sauce, mirin, sake, salt, sugar, miso, and kombu. Those, compounded by whatever vegetables you have available in your area is enough to make a very wide range of dishes.
So, one of the most basic units of Japanese food is dashi, a broth made out of dried kelp, dried fish, or sometimes dried mushrooms. Sounds awful, but it's used in practically everything and has naturally flavor enhancing properties. Here's how you make it:
1. To a large pot of water, maybe 4 quarts or so, add a envelope-sized sheet of kombu (dried kelp). Let this soak for 15 minutes.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Kombu.jpg)
2. Slowly heat until it comes to a near boil. It should steam and have little bubbles at the bottom. Never let it come to a full boil, or else it'll get murky and murky tasting.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/KombuReady.jpg)
3. Remove from heat, and let it sit just a few minutes. Sprinkle in a few handfuls of dried bonito flakes. Wait 3 minutes. I find it convenient to use a big strainer for easy removal.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/195.jpg)
4. Remove kombu and bonito flakes, and strain. Now you have dashi. It should smell like the seashore.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/197.jpg)
There are other types of dashi, such as a vegetarian one that just use a combination of kombu and dried shiitake, or one that uses little whole dried fish. But this is a basic version that I think has a balanced flavor.
Amazing! Do you work as a cook? Or just a long time hobby?
I'm impressed, the food looks and sounds great, and the photography is well above par!
Miso Soup
Dashi
A flavor miso of your liking
Garnishes of your liking
Heat up dashi until it just boils. Remove from heat. Using a strainer and a spoon, stir in the miso paste into the hot stock so that it dissolves. Add garnishes of your liking; typically scallions, tofu, wakame, blanched greens, mushrooms, vegetables, anything really.
Spicy Burdock Root and Carrots - Kinpira
Some burdock root*, cut into match sticks
Carrot, cut into match sticks
Sesame oil
A splash of sake
A splash of soy sauce
a splash of mirin
a few pinches of sugar
a few shakes of Shichimi togarashi (7 spice pepper blend)
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Soak burdock root in a bowl of water for a few minutes. Drain. In a pan heat up sesame oil, add carrots and burdock and stir fry for a minute or so. Add the splash of sake, keep stirring, and sautee for a minute more. Add sugar, stir some more until lightly caramelized. Add soy sauce and mirin until the liquid is nearly gone. Toss in the shichimi togarashi and sesame seeds.
*You can simply use parsnips if these aren't available. Both versions are tasty. You don't have to soak parsnips before using, though.
The night before last's dinner:
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Washoku1.jpg)
The kinpira, soup (yellow miso with fried tofu and scallions), and rice with a pickled plum.
Cook for me!
Quote from: NotPublished on January 12, 2010, 08:33:18 AM
Amazing! Do you work as a cook? Or just a long time hobby?
Nah, I just cook for myself and family. I guess I've been doing it for...3 years? That sounds right.
Quote from: Felix on January 12, 2010, 08:56:59 AM
I'm impressed, the food looks and sounds great, and the photography is well above par!
Why thanks! I assure you, there's nothing impressive about it, anyone can do it.
Quote from: Nasturtiums on January 12, 2010, 09:02:13 AM
Quote from: Felix on January 12, 2010, 08:56:59 AM
I'm impressed, the food looks and sounds great, and the photography is well above par!
Why thanks! I assure you, there's nothing impressive about it, anyone can do it.
But do they?
Yum!
As an aside, every time I see the title of this thread I can't help thinking about Cram in your gullet. :x
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on January 12, 2010, 04:52:48 PM
Yum!
As an aside, every time I see the title of this thread I can't help thinking about Cram in your gullet.
:lmnuendo:
Quote from: LMNO on January 12, 2010, 04:53:52 PM
Quote from: The Right Reverend Nigel on January 12, 2010, 04:52:48 PM
Yum!
As an aside, every time I see the title of this thread I can't help thinking about Cram in your gullet.
:lmnuendo:
:oops:
More foods! Will post recipes later.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Washoku2a.jpg)
Made a crappy version of your Mesir Wat (the spice cupboard has been cleaned out since I left home :(), it's an awesome recipe.
:D
Quote from: Rumckle on February 05, 2010, 10:55:58 PM
Made a crappy version of your Mesir Wat (the spice cupboard has been cleaned out since I left home :(), it's an awesome recipe.
:D
Sweet!
And yeah, spices. I get mine from a bizarre Indian grocery/convenience store where they're cheap.
I don't even bother with grocery store spices anymore. I might as well be sprinkling cocaine and unicorn tears over my food for what
they charge.
The labors of cooking and eating continue!
A lot of what I make doesn't have a set recipe, so instead of writing up recipes for each dish when I post pictures, I've decided to simply give recipes on request. Well, most of the time.
---
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/TriTip.jpg)
Tri tip with fresh ground horseradish, potato salad, and spinach sauteed in bacon fat.
I was lucky to have time to make this on Sunday. Sometimes I don't have time to make dinner for everyone on weekdays, given conflicting schedules, so I enjoy taking the time on weekends to cook nice things.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/PeaSalad.jpg)
Quiche and pea shoot salad with garlic prosciutto vinaigrette
I didn't bother making a crust for the quiche. It was alright; it really could have used some spinach, tomato, or feta to give it some more flavor but I didn't have any of those things on hand. Oh well.
Pea shoots are a nice vegetable. I found that they sell them at the farmer's market here and I bought a big bag. They taste pretty much how you'd expect: green, with a hint of pea flavor. I like the concept of the salad, but I found that I the amount of garlic I and the saltiness of the brand of prosciutto I used was a bit too persuasive for the delicate greens.
Goddamn those look delicious!
why i crick fread!
now i hungry!
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Nikujaga.jpg)
Nikujaga, the savory-delicious Japanese take on beef stew.
You just need some beef, partially frozen to facilitate slicing, dashi, mirin, soy sauce, sake, potatoes, carrots and onions.
Brown meat, add everything except the soy sauce, which you should save until the last few minutes as it can toughen the meat. It's really good.
get in mah kitchen!!
and make me that cause i'm too lazy.
I have the plague now, so I might hack up all sorts of ick in your kitchen if I did that. :sad:
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Ohitashi.jpg)
This is one of those "Oh my God what the hell there's nothing in the refrigerator" meals. The dish you see in the front is ohitashi, which is blanched leaf vegetables (in this case chard), rolled up into a log, marinated in soy sauce and dashi, then sprinkled with toppings. The rest is egg-drop soup and rice balls.
It has occurred to me that by now you should be getting a sense of how limited our dishware is.
Tasty salad: arugula, bresaola, chopped egg, shaved parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
All your food looks so good, Nast.
Quote from: Jenne on July 03, 2010, 04:44:35 AM
All your food looks so good, Nast.
Thanks!
Don't worry though; I cook up plenty of unphotogenic curries to compensate.
Quote from: Nast on July 02, 2010, 06:36:13 AM
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Ohitashi.jpg)
This is one of those "Oh my God what the hell there's nothing in the refrigerator" meals. The dish you see in the front is ohitashi, which is blanched leaf vegetables (in this case chard), rolled up into a log, marinated in soy sauce and dashi, then sprinkled with toppings. The rest is egg-drop soup and rice balls.
Fucking BEAUTIFUL!
NOW I WANT EGG DROP SOUP ! :argh!:
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/PorkPorkPork.jpg)
Braised country style pork ribs, polenta, and a melange of summer vegetables. Made this for my nana and aunt's birthday.
thats it.... im making soup for to eat the rest of the day.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/PastaCorn.jpg)
Fresh pasta with corn, pancetta, and sage; slow cooked romano beans. Recipes courtesy of The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, which is a really very nice book. I want to go to their restaurant some day!
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/BrieSammich.jpg)
Toasted Ham-and-Brie sammiches, with cornichons and tarragon. For when you're feeling all fancy and French-like.
Another Zuni Cafe recipe: Rockfish (the original calls for bass) with potatoes, leeks, and thyme.
You add cooked chunks of potato into an oven-proof pan with leeks, thyme, chicken stock, and a drizzle of vermouth. When this comes to a simmer you stir in a hunk of butter. Then you add the fish to the pan, basting it in the liquid for a little bit. Next you put the whole pan under the burner for 5-6 minutes, until the everything's colored. Turn down the heat to 500F for a minute or so more to cook the fish all the way.
The picture isn't terribly flattering, but this was one of tastiest fish dished I've made! The fish had a fine flavor, the sauce was richly reduced, and the potatoes were creamy and nicely gratineed. WOULD EAT AGAIN.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/BonneFemme.jpg)
It's 6:30 in the a.m. here, and you made me want lunch AND dinner with those last two! :D Beautiful, as usual, Nast!
A rather moody butternut squash soup with bleu cheese:
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/ButternutSoup.jpg)
A salad of frisee, persimmons, pomegranate seeds, and toasted walnuts. Freshly harvested walnuts cannot be compared to those dreary things you get in plastic bags at the supermarket.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Salade.jpg)
damn, nast, that soup looks awesomes.
i made stilton and brocolli soup the other day with bacon, It was very tasty, altho I think the stilton was a little too young.
My cheese was the opposite - it was too strong. I used Valdeon, and it sort of overwhelmed the delicate squash flavor.
Nast, your food looks absolutely gorgeous! Just wanted to say.
Hm...persimmons...interesting choice for that salad! I will have to try, though I'm not a total 100% persimmon fan, per se.
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
This was the first thing we made for our baking class at school - a pineapple upside down cake! As you can see, mine turned out hilariously lopsided. :lulz:
Since it was my birthday that day, I took it home, stuck a candle in it .
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/LolUpsidedowncake.jpg)
And then this is a Thai beef salad I made for dinner one day. You can't tell by looking at it, but I assure you it was a sensual smorgasbord of fragrances and flavors. Unfortunately I don't have the recipe anymore, but I recall that the dressing was something like fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, garlic, and cilantro.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/ThaiBeefySalad.jpg)
Oh dear, DECI4 isn't going to like this ONE BIT.
I would eat the fuck out of that cake, though.
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:12:55 AM
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
You aren't going to learn how to butcher a pig in Culinary school. Butchering is a very specialized technique that you are not going to become competent at by simply watching someone and taking notes. There are very few chefs in the world even in 3 star restaurants that butcher whole animals in house. If you really have the money and time to burn, by all means enjoy your classes, but the fact is, without years of practice and repetition a semi-competent home cook is all you will ever be, and you can attain that rank without spending thousands of dollars on school. You can find any information or technique on youtube for free, spend the money on ingredients, cookbooks, some decent knives and kitchen tools, not to mention eating well at respected restaurants in your area.
Alternatively you could use your schooling to land an internship at a decent restaurant and spend a year working part time in a real kitchen. You will learn more doing prep and making salads in the kitchen of a good chef than you will in culinary school.
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 04:44:58 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:12:55 AM
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
You aren't going to learn how to butcher a pig in Culinary school. Butchering is a very specialized technique that you are not going to become competent at by simply watching someone and taking notes. There are very few chefs in the world even in 3 star restaurants that butcher whole animals in house. If you really have the money and time to burn, by all means enjoy your classes, but the fact is, without years of practice and repetition a semi-competent home cook is all you will ever be, and you can attain that rank without spending thousands of dollars on school. You can find any information or technique on youtube for free, spend the money on ingredients, cookbooks, some decent knives and kitchen tools, not to mention eating well at respected restaurants in your area.
Alternatively you could use your schooling to land an internship at a decent restaurant and spend a year working part time in a real kitchen. You will learn more doing prep and making salads in the kitchen of a good chef than you will in culinary school.
Thank you for your advice. :)
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:20:32 AM
This was the first thing we made for our baking class at school - a pineapple upside down cake! As you can see, mine turned out hilariously lopsided. :lulz:
Since it was my birthday that day, I took it home, stuck a candle in it .
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/LolUpsidedowncake.jpg)
And then this is a Thai beef salad I made for dinner one day. You can't tell by looking at it, but I assure you it was a sensual smorgasbord of fragrances and flavors. Unfortunately I don't have the recipe anymore, but I recall that the dressing was something like fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, garlic, and cilantro.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/ThaiBeefySalad.jpg)
That salad is a plate of fail if I've ever seen one. Where do cherry tomatoes and romaine fit into Thai food? That steak looks like you "sliced" it with a dull bread knife. Please tell me that isn't the kind of shit they are teaching you in class.
Just to be clear, I understand using ingredients in non traditional ways when cooking for yourself, your salad may have been truly delicious, but if that is the shit they are teaching you in culinary school get out of there fast.
I'll have you know I spent a good long time working at that meat with an icepick, thankyouverymuch.
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 04:53:56 AM
Just to be clear, I understand using ingredients in non traditional ways when cooking for yourself, your salad may have been truly delicious, but if that is the shit they are teaching you in culinary school get out of there fast.
I learnt it from a library book.
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:56:57 AM
I'll have you know I spent a good long time working at that meat with an icepick, thankyouverymuch.
I am so glad Nast is back.
Um, just to be clear, those aren't actually cherry tomatoes.
That's a Siamese tomato from the northern coast of Thailand.
The cherry tomato evolved from that Siamese tomato some time after it was introduced to Russia by Thai explorers in the 16th century.
Quote from: Pope Pastor Wolf-Something-Or-Other on January 02, 2012, 04:58:50 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:56:57 AM
I'll have you know I spent a good long time working at that meat with an icepick, thankyouverymuch.
I am so glad Nast is back.
Also this. I actually love Nast.
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:57:40 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 04:53:56 AM
Just to be clear, I understand using ingredients in non traditional ways when cooking for yourself, your salad may have been truly delicious, but if that is the shit they are teaching you in culinary school get out of there fast.
I learnt it from a library book.
Try this one someday. First buy a mandoline.
For the salad
1 head cabbage shredded.
1# carrot julienne
1# Daikon julienne
1 bunch mint
1bunch cilantro
shaved onion and fresh chili to taste.
For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Dashi
1.5 cups Mirin
1 cup Sake
1/4 cup Rice vinegar
3 cups Fish Sauce
3 cups Lime juice
1/3 cup garlic
1/3 cups ginger
1/4 cup minced thai chili
Obviously that is going to make way more salad and dressing than you need, but do some simple math and you can make it work. Top with thinly sliced marinated grilled beef and some fried rice noodles.
That sounds awesome.
I'm so glad I have a full-sized mandoline in my apartment kitchen, too!
Quote from: Suu on January 02, 2012, 05:16:37 AM
That sounds awesome.
I'm so glad I have a full-sized mandoline in my apartment kitchen, too!
An indispensable tool. :thumbsup:
Quote from: Pope Pastor Wolf-Something-Or-Other on January 02, 2012, 04:58:50 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:56:57 AM
I'll have you know I spent a good long time working at that meat with an icepick, thankyouverymuch.
I am so glad Nast is back.
Quote from: Beardman Meow on January 02, 2012, 05:00:47 AM
Um, just to be clear, those aren't actually cherry tomatoes.
That's a Siamese tomato from the northern coast of Thailand.
The cherry tomato evolved from that Siamese tomato some time after it was introduced to Russia by Thai explorers in the 16th century.
Quote from: Pope Pastor Wolf-Something-Or-Other on January 02, 2012, 04:58:50 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:56:57 AM
I'll have you know I spent a good long time working at that meat with an icepick, thankyouverymuch.
I am so glad Nast is back.
Also this. I actually love Nast.
<3
Quote from: Beardman Meow on January 02, 2012, 05:00:47 AM
Um, just to be clear, those aren't actually cherry tomatoes.
That's a Siamese tomato from the northern coast of Thailand.
The cherry tomato evolved from that Siamese tomato some time after it was introduced to Russia by Thai explorers in the 16th century.
Quote from: Pope Pastor Wolf-Something-Or-Other on January 02, 2012, 04:58:50 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:56:57 AM
I'll have you know I spent a good long time working at that meat with an icepick, thankyouverymuch.
I am so glad Nast is back.
Also this. I actually love Nast.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
ATTN Nast: I'm coming over for dinner, kthnx.
I also posted this on my blag -
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/January5Dinner.jpg)
From top left, clockwise -
Miso soup with chrysanthemum greens and shiitake mushrooms - chrysanthemum greens are from an edible variety of mum. If you've ever eaten carrot tops, that's kind of what they taste like, except less bitter.
Burdock root in sesame dressing - burdock roots are very long and only about an inch in diameter. They have a pronounced woodsy taste, a bit like a very gutsy carrot. They're very firm so you have to cook them a long time, which in did in some seasoned dashi. Then I drained them and tossed them in a dressing of ground toasted sesame seeds and a bit of soy sauce and mirin.
Deep fried pork cutlet - usually this has some kind of sauce, usually a dark miso sauce or something resembling a sweet worstershire, but I had neither. :(
Simmered Kabocha Squash - I like this dish so a make it often. The squash is rich and chestnutty and the simmering liquid is full of sweet and savory flavor.
That all looks delicious!
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/January6Dinner_2.jpg)
I made a stir fry with shrimp, salted pork, pineapple, peppers, asparagus tips, and onions. It was pretty tasty.
Quote from: Nast on January 11, 2012, 06:53:16 AM
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/January6Dinner_2.jpg)
I made a stir fry with shrimp, salted pork, pineapple, peppers, asparagus tips, and onions. It was pretty tasty.
That looks pretty damn good.
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 04:44:58 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:12:55 AM
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
You aren't going to learn how to butcher a pig in Culinary school. Butchering is a very specialized technique that you are not going to become competent at by simply watching someone and taking notes. There are very few chefs in the world even in 3 star restaurants that butcher whole animals in house. If you really have the money and time to burn, by all means enjoy your classes, but the fact is, without years of practice and repetition a semi-competent home cook is all you will ever be, and you can attain that rank without spending thousands of dollars on school. You can find any information or technique on youtube for free, spend the money on ingredients, cookbooks, some decent knives and kitchen tools, not to mention eating well at respected restaurants in your area.
Alternatively you could use your schooling to land an internship at a decent restaurant and spend a year working part time in a real kitchen. You will learn more doing prep and making salads in the kitchen of a good chef than you will in culinary school.
Now I KNOW you aren't a chef.
First of all, plenty of restaurants do their own butchering in-house. Or have you never heard of farm-to-table? :lulz:
Second of all, they're called
externships, which you would have known if you'd ever actually worked in the restaurant industry.
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
HAY YOU GUYZ YOU CAN MAKE A REALLY GOOD THAIPANESE DRESSING WITH MIRIN, SAKE, NAM PLA, AND LIME JUICE!
JUST BE SURE TO MINCE YOUR CILANTRO WITH A MANDOLINE.
:lulz:
PS - Sorry for laying this in your thread, Nast, but I was waiting for this idiot to expose himself as a complete fraud.
BTW, your food looks really good for a home cook. You might have some talent (not as important as you might think, really) and clearly have passion for it (vastly more important). If I ever get bitten by the restaurant bug again I'd totally hire you.
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:12:55 AM
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
I would like to caution you against trying to learn to butcher a pig at home.
It's not really all that difficult, with practice, but it's awfully messy. I'd suggest doing it at the beach instead. Much easier clean-up that way.
OR do what I did and practice on the myriad deer that decided to commit suicide-by-ECH's-truck. Obviously different animals are different but it will give you a basic feel for the cutting strokes and how to cleanly separate the joints. The prime cuts for large hoofed mammals are all reasonably similar anyway.
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:33:00 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 04:44:58 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:12:55 AM
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
You aren't going to learn how to butcher a pig in Culinary school. Butchering is a very specialized technique that you are not going to become competent at by simply watching someone and taking notes. There are very few chefs in the world even in 3 star restaurants that butcher whole animals in house. If you really have the money and time to burn, by all means enjoy your classes, but the fact is, without years of practice and repetition a semi-competent home cook is all you will ever be, and you can attain that rank without spending thousands of dollars on school. You can find any information or technique on youtube for free, spend the money on ingredients, cookbooks, some decent knives and kitchen tools, not to mention eating well at respected restaurants in your area.
Alternatively you could use your schooling to land an internship at a decent restaurant and spend a year working part time in a real kitchen. You will learn more doing prep and making salads in the kitchen of a good chef than you will in culinary school.
Now I KNOW you aren't a chef.
First of all, plenty of restaurants do their own butchering in-house. Or have you never heard of farm-to-table? :lulz:
Second of all, they're called externships, which you would have known if you'd ever actually worked in the restaurant industry.
There is a difference between breaking down a whole pig and portioning meat. How many tenderloins do you think you get out of one pig? How many sweetbreads are you going to get from a cow? You really haven't thought this through.
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
Of course I can. Do you think someone that just signed up for culinary school can?
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
What made you think it was supposed to be a thai salad? The thai chilis?
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:44:12 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:33:00 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 04:44:58 AM
Quote from: Nast on January 02, 2012, 04:12:55 AM
Bump!
I started a new food blog - http://iateitwithmyface.tumblr.com/
I know I haven't updated it in a shamefully long time, but please take a look anyway.
So I joined the culinary program at my local city college. I have no grand illusions of becoming a chef (we all know where grand illusions end up: flipping burgers at Denny's during the night shift), but I did want to learn all the "proper" techniques and things you can't very well teach yourself at home, like how to butcher a pig.
You aren't going to learn how to butcher a pig in Culinary school. Butchering is a very specialized technique that you are not going to become competent at by simply watching someone and taking notes. There are very few chefs in the world even in 3 star restaurants that butcher whole animals in house. If you really have the money and time to burn, by all means enjoy your classes, but the fact is, without years of practice and repetition a semi-competent home cook is all you will ever be, and you can attain that rank without spending thousands of dollars on school. You can find any information or technique on youtube for free, spend the money on ingredients, cookbooks, some decent knives and kitchen tools, not to mention eating well at respected restaurants in your area.
Alternatively you could use your schooling to land an internship at a decent restaurant and spend a year working part time in a real kitchen. You will learn more doing prep and making salads in the kitchen of a good chef than you will in culinary school.
Now I KNOW you aren't a chef.
First of all, plenty of restaurants do their own butchering in-house. Or have you never heard of farm-to-table? :lulz:
Second of all, they're called externships, which you would have known if you'd ever actually worked in the restaurant industry.
There is a difference between breaking down a whole pig and portioning meat. How many tenderloins do you think you get out of one pig? How many sweetbreads are you going to get from a cow? You really haven't thought this through.
FARM TO TABLE, SON. HEARD OF IT?
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:45:41 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
Of course I can. Do you think someone that just signed up for culinary school can?
<= Has never attended culinary school. Can julienne a carrot by hand.
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:48:10 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
What made you think it was supposed to be a thai salad? The thai chilis?
The fact that nam pla and lime juice are not components of Japanese cuisine? :lulz:
Fuck, I could julienne a carrot by hand before I could legally drive a car. Someone datamine this tard and fine out where she works so I never accidentally end up eating there.
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:57:26 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:48:10 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
What made you think it was supposed to be a thai salad? The thai chilis?
The fact that nam pla and lime juice are not components of Japanese cuisine? :lulz:
Did I say it was an authentic Japanese or Thai salad? Nope. I was simply sharing a recipe that works. It must be very difficult for you.
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 11, 2012, 07:57:04 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:45:41 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
Of course I can. Do you think someone that just signed up for culinary school can?
<= Has never attended culinary school. Can julienne a carrot by hand.
I think its pretty safe to say that most people can't. Congratulations, you are special.
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:56:21 AM
FARM TO TABLE, SON. HEARD OF IT?
I sure have, I don't think it means what you think it means.
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:05:47 AM
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 11, 2012, 07:57:04 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:45:41 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
Of course I can. Do you think someone that just signed up for culinary school can?
<= Has never attended culinary school. Can julienne a carrot by hand.
I think its pretty safe to say that most people can't. Congratulations, you are special.
Um....
Quote from: Wikipedia/url] ].Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, not unlike matchsticks.
How is that hard?
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:11:07 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:56:21 AM
FARM TO TABLE, SON. HEARD OF IT?
I sure have, I don't think it means what you think it means.
So is it your contention that farm-to-table restaurants send their animals off-premise to be butchered? :lulz:
DECI4, what city do you supposedly work in? Is it, like, Wheeling, West Virginia or East Dyslexia, Tennessee or something?
Because in real cities, where people eat good food, you're so wrong that it's almost commendable.
Quote from: Don Coyote on January 11, 2012, 08:15:14 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:05:47 AM
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 11, 2012, 07:57:04 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:45:41 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
Of course I can. Do you think someone that just signed up for culinary school can?
<= Has never attended culinary school. Can julienne a carrot by hand.
I think its pretty safe to say that most people can't. Congratulations, you are special.
Um....Quote from: Wikipedia/url] ].Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, not unlike matchsticks.
How is that hard?
Apparently basic kitchen knife skills are actually "sooper-sekrit techniques" passed down by sekrit masters in culinary dojos.
Oh, btw, "Hey, if you aren't comfortable julienning, you can use a mandoline."
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 08:23:23 AM
DECI4, what city do you supposedly work in? Is it, like, Wheeling, West Virginia or East Dyslexia, Tennessee or something?
Because in real cities, where people eat good food, you're so wrong that it's almost commendable.
I think it lives in the Seattle area, so I need to know where not to eat on accident.
Oh god. I bet it's a dishwasher at Herbfarm with delusions of grandeur.
Actually, it probably works at one of those crappy-yet-ubiquitous Belltown/QA yuppie holes. Queen City Grill and 10 Mercer Street come to mind.
Shit....
Nast, you want this crap split off from your thread? I shouldn't do it since I'm the protagonist but I'm sure one of the other admins would be happy to.
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 08:20:30 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:11:07 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:56:21 AM
FARM TO TABLE, SON. HEARD OF IT?
I sure have, I don't think it means what you think it means.
So is it your contention that farm-to-table restaurants send their animals off-premise to be butchered? :lulz:
Is it your contention that Alice Waters and Fergus Henderson raise all the animals they serve? Do you think farm to table means a restaurant on a farm? Farm to table is in its broadest sense a philosophy of buying and serving food produced locally. It does not mean Alice Waters is slaughtering a pig she raised at Chez Panisse before service every night.
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 11, 2012, 08:24:35 AM
Apparently basic kitchen knife skills are actually "sooper-sekrit techniques" passed down by sekrit masters in culinary dojos.
Oh, btw, "Hey, if you aren't comfortable julienning, you can use a mandoline."
You are being ridiculous. Most people don't have basic knife skills. Even fewer have a knife sharp enough to do a really nice julienne. The mandolin makes it easy for novices, that is all I was suggesting, perhaps unfairly for the audience. Lets make a big deal about it.
Yes, your ability to cut carrots into uniform strips is a very special and rare talent. :lulz:
Quote from: DECI4 on January 02, 2012, 05:14:08 AM
First buy a mandoline.
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 link=topic=23303.msg1135797#msg1135797 date=1326270275
"Hey, if you aren't comfortable julienning, you can use a mandoline."
/quote]
So, you come in assuming that your average person has no knife skills. Umm. I don't know how many average people you know, but of the subset of people I know who enjoy cooking, the vast majority of them have at least basic knife skills. I wouldn't come into this thread and assume that the person preparing these meals didn't know their own skill level with a knife/have the proper tools.
The only way you could sound more arrogant with that line is if you said "Don't cut yourself, kid." :lol:
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:45:18 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 08:20:30 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:11:07 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:56:21 AM
FARM TO TABLE, SON. HEARD OF IT?
I sure have, I don't think it means what you think it means.
So is it your contention that farm-to-table restaurants send their animals off-premise to be butchered? :lulz:
Is it your contention that Alice Waters and Fergus Henderson raise all the animals they serve? Do you think farm to table means a restaurant on a farm? Farm to table is in its broadest sense a philosophy of buying and serving food produced locally. It does not mean Alice Waters is slaughtering a pig she raised at Chez Panisse before service every night.
It may not mean that by definition, but that's sure as hell the dominant trend in the "movement" (I hate calling it that but can't think of a better term). And I can think of several restaurants in Portland that are doing their butchering in-house even though they're miles from the nearest working farm. Fuck, I know a couple of food carts that do it. It's really not uncommon at all.
I think you must either be young enough to realize how much you don't know or stuck in some backwater where you think your knowledge and skills are SPECIAL and UNIQUE and don't realize that when it comes to the broader culinary world you are talking out of your ass.
And I can't help but notice that both of the names you've dropped are people who are, for lack of a better term, SO ten years ago.
Oh, and you have your terms confused. Locavore and farm-to-table, while related and in some ways similar, are not the same things.
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 09:08:01 AM
Oh, and you have your terms confused. Locavore and farm-to-table, while related and in some ways similar, are not the same things.
I'm confused? Jesus man just google the terms. Then reread this conversation and tell me I'm the confused one.
Though I don't need to google the terms, as I already know the difference between them, I did it anyway just to humor you and on the off chance I was wrong.
I'm not.
The locavore movement is primarily concerned with the physical distance between an ingredient's source and the plate it ends up on, while farm-to-table is less about the physical distance involved and more about reducing the number of handlers and processes the ingredient is subjected to before it ends up on the plate.
Did I really have to explain that to you?
I didn't know there were places that butchered their own animals. At least the spagginess has been full of learning. :)
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:05:47 AM
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 11, 2012, 07:57:04 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 07:45:41 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:34:29 AM
Oh, and your salad recipe, which seems to have confused Thailand with Japan.
And the fact that you told someone to use a fucking MANDOLINE. Where are your knife skills, son? You can't julienne a carrot by hand? :lulz:
Of course I can. Do you think someone that just signed up for culinary school can?
<= Has never attended culinary school. Can julienne a carrot by hand.
I think its pretty safe to say that most people can't. Congratulations, you are special.
Are...are you serious? Doing that? ----> http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=preptip&dbid=12
Oh woe is me! I wanted to cut a carrot into matchsticks, but all I have at home are these stupid knives and no culinary school? Surely I can't just...well, do it.
How many classes did you have to take to learn how to do that. Did you need someone to show you how to boil water too?
Yes, because as we all know, only a professional can cut carrots into slivers. :lol:
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:38:48 AM
PS - Sorry for laying this in your thread, Nast, but I was waiting for this idiot to expose himself as a complete fraud.
BTW, your food looks really good for a home cook. You might have some talent (not as important as you might think, really) and clearly have passion for it (vastly more important). If I ever get bitten by the restaurant bug again I'd totally hire you.
Also, this Nast (except that I'm not a professional chef and all that). All this food looks awesome, the presentation's great. While I've tried my hand at some "Asian-style" recipes (which a lot of your seems to be, or be inspired by), I don't always have the time/patience for the prep work and/or the focus to keep up with the often quick-paced cooking (at least not when I'm home from work and trying to do 20 million other things while I cook dinner). Perhaps part of it is picking and choosing what I'm going to cook on a particular night. And again, the presentation!
Definitely keep it up.
Quote from: Don Coyote on January 11, 2012, 08:15:14 AM
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:05:47 AM
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 11, 2012, 07:57:04 AM<= Has never attended culinary school. Can julienne a carrot by hand.
I think its pretty safe to say that most people can't. Congratulations, you are special.
Um....Quote from: Wikipedia/url] ].Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, not unlike matchsticks.
How is that hard?
It's not. It's just that if you're not practised with it, it might take you a whole 30 seconds longer doing it a bit more carefully and precisely. Which is perfectly fine because the only situations where that would matter are the kind you *will* get practised rather quickly.
Quote from: DECI4 on January 11, 2012, 08:51:19 AMYou are being ridiculous. Most people don't have basic knife skills. Even fewer have a knife sharp enough to do a really nice julienne. The mandolin makes it easy for novices, that is all I was suggesting, perhaps unfairly for the audience. Lets make a big deal about it.
1. Look at me, I'm multiquoting! U JELLY? :lulz:
2.
People that don't have a reasonable chef's knife will get one for their next birthday. Even a cheap $10 one is better than nothing. If you're not doing the same, you're just being a bad friend and there will come a time when you end up cooking some shit at their place and you'll be all goddamnit you don't have a knife and they'll be huh yeah I do have a knife it's right th--THATS NOT A KNIFE and you can't even stab them cause they don't have a knife and really you just got yourself to blame as you realize the futility of going at them with that fucking mandoline you got them instead. And this will keep on happening always, becoming the red thread through the sad story of your life ...
For the record, my 12-year-old son already has an 8" Henckels chef and a knife block to store it in. He will be getting a new knife every year until the block is full, at which point he will be expected to move out.
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 06:24:44 AM
For the record, my 12-year-old son already has an 8" Henckels chef and a knife block to store it in. He will be getting a new knife every year until the block is full, at which point he will be expected to move out.
If he has a block of knives and knows how to use them, I'd say he's ready to live out on his own. :lulz:
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 15, 2012, 07:09:46 AM
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 06:24:44 AM
For the record, my 12-year-old son already has an 8" Henckels chef and a knife block to store it in. He will be getting a new knife every year until the block is full, at which point he will be expected to move out.
If he has a block of knives and knows how to use them, I'd say he's ready to live out on his own. :lulz:
That's my thinking!
At a rate of one per year, the block will be full when he's 20. Theoretically he should be in college by then anyway. The week I got him his "starter" knife, he was so excited he wanted to make dinner every night. I need to press him into service more often.
Unrelated, but amusing: He has asked for this book for his birthday: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594202435/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 08:33:54 AM
Shit....
Nast, you want this crap split off from your thread? I shouldn't do it since I'm the protagonist but I'm sure one of the other admins would be happy to.
No, it's cool. I'm not really touchy about my threads. It is, after all, just the internet.
Quote from: trippinprincezz13 on January 11, 2012, 09:57:46 PM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:38:48 AM
PS - Sorry for laying this in your thread, Nast, but I was waiting for this idiot to expose himself as a complete fraud.
BTW, your food looks really good for a home cook. You might have some talent (not as important as you might think, really) and clearly have passion for it (vastly more important). If I ever get bitten by the restaurant bug again I'd totally hire you.
Also, this Nast (except that I'm not a professional chef and all that). All this food looks awesome, the presentation's great. While I've tried my hand at some "Asian-style" recipes (which a lot of your seems to be, or be inspired by), I don't always have the time/patience for the prep work and/or the focus to keep up with the often quick-paced cooking (at least not when I'm home from work and trying to do 20 million other things while I cook dinner). Perhaps part of it is picking and choosing what I'm going to cook on a particular night. And again, the presentation!
Definitely keep it up.
Thanks, you guys! Lately I've been thinking about the kinds of food that I most enjoy and have been working at trying to "perfect" them. I guess I do naturally gravitate towards Asian foods; I love the variety of flavors and textures, and I love learning about new ingredients.
Quote from: Nast on January 15, 2012, 07:33:37 AM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 08:33:54 AM
Shit....
Nast, you want this crap split off from your thread? I shouldn't do it since I'm the protagonist but I'm sure one of the other admins would be happy to.
No, it's cool. I'm not really touchy about my threads. It is, after all, just the internet.
Quote from: trippinprincezz13 on January 11, 2012, 09:57:46 PM
Quote from: Fuck You One-Eye on January 11, 2012, 07:38:48 AM
PS - Sorry for laying this in your thread, Nast, but I was waiting for this idiot to expose himself as a complete fraud.
BTW, your food looks really good for a home cook. You might have some talent (not as important as you might think, really) and clearly have passion for it (vastly more important). If I ever get bitten by the restaurant bug again I'd totally hire you.
Also, this Nast (except that I'm not a professional chef and all that). All this food looks awesome, the presentation's great. While I've tried my hand at some "Asian-style" recipes (which a lot of your seems to be, or be inspired by), I don't always have the time/patience for the prep work and/or the focus to keep up with the often quick-paced cooking (at least not when I'm home from work and trying to do 20 million other things while I cook dinner). Perhaps part of it is picking and choosing what I'm going to cook on a particular night. And again, the presentation!
Definitely keep it up.
Thanks, you guys! Lately I've been thinking about the kinds of food that I most enjoy and have been working at trying to "perfect" them. I guess I do naturally gravitate towards Asian foods; I love the variety of flavors and textures, and I love learning about new ingredients.
Judging by this, you would be a fun person to have over for dinner. I love hearing people's commentary on various foods. :)
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 07:19:04 AM
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 15, 2012, 07:09:46 AM
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 06:24:44 AM
For the record, my 12-year-old son already has an 8" Henckels chef and a knife block to store it in. He will be getting a new knife every year until the block is full, at which point he will be expected to move out.
If he has a block of knives and knows how to use them, I'd say he's ready to live out on his own. :lulz:
That's my thinking!
At a rate of one per year, the block will be full when he's 20. Theoretically he should be in college by then anyway. The week I got him his "starter" knife, he was so excited he wanted to make dinner every night. I need to press him into service more often.
Unrelated, but amusing: He has asked for this book for his birthday: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594202435/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
He asked for a book on toxicological forensics? What a cool kid!
So I checked out a book on Asian dumplings from the library the other day. The recipe for stuffed buns looked tasty and simple to prepare. There are a variety of savory things you can fill the buns with, but I chose to do a sweet red bean paste filling -
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/RedBeanBun1.jpg)
They looked nice when they came out of the oven, but the texture of the dough was hard and bleh. I went wrong when the recipe called for "rapid rise" yeast, and I used "active" because that was all I had. Herp derp. Now I know there's a difference.
And then I made Northern Chinese shui jiao - boiled dumplings with a pork and cabbage filling, served with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Jan12Dinner.jpg)
This was my second attempt at making them. The first time I lost half my work to an unfortunate accident (the assembled dumplings got stuck to some plastic wrap and apparently molecularly bonded with it - they were unsalvageable). But this time went without incident and the dumplings turned out delicious! While making your own dumplings from scratch, wrappers and all, is a big undertaking for the home cook, it's definitely worth the effort.
Quote from: Nast on January 15, 2012, 07:41:33 AM
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 07:19:04 AM
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 15, 2012, 07:09:46 AM
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 06:24:44 AM
For the record, my 12-year-old son already has an 8" Henckels chef and a knife block to store it in. He will be getting a new knife every year until the block is full, at which point he will be expected to move out.
If he has a block of knives and knows how to use them, I'd say he's ready to live out on his own. :lulz:
That's my thinking!
At a rate of one per year, the block will be full when he's 20. Theoretically he should be in college by then anyway. The week I got him his "starter" knife, he was so excited he wanted to make dinner every night. I need to press him into service more often.
Unrelated, but amusing: He has asked for this book for his birthday: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594202435/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
He asked for a book on toxicological forensics? What a cool kid!
That's what I was thinking when I looked it up! He really is. He comes across as this handsome little jock, and it's always a delight when he reveals his inner geek. :)
Quote from: Nast on January 15, 2012, 08:06:19 AM
And then I made Northern Chinese shui jiao - boiled dumplings with a pork and cabbage filling, served with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Jan12Dinner.jpg)
This was my second attempt at making them. The first time I lost half my work to an unfortunate accident (the assembled dumplings got stuck to some plastic wrap and apparently molecularly bonded with it - they were unsalvageable). But this time went without incident and the dumplings turned out delicious! While making your own dumplings from scratch, wrappers and all, is a big undertaking for the home cook, it's definitely worth the effort.
The red bean paste buns and these look
delicious.
Quote from: Nast on January 15, 2012, 08:06:19 AM
And then I made Northern Chinese shui jiao - boiled dumplings with a pork and cabbage filling, served with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Jan12Dinner.jpg)
This was my second attempt at making them. The first time I lost half my work to an unfortunate accident (the assembled dumplings got stuck to some plastic wrap and apparently molecularly bonded with it - they were unsalvageable). But this time went without incident and the dumplings turned out delicious! While making your own dumplings from scratch, wrappers and all, is a big undertaking for the home cook, it's definitely worth the effort.
That looks fantastic. :aaa:
My job experiences in the food service industry so far have been pretty lousy - from working as a white waiter in a dysfunctional Japanese restaurant, to all-night 16-hour catering drudge work. But I've decided to stick with looking for a job in that field because that's where most of my skills are, and besides I'm going to school for it.
I am hoping to get a part-time job at a small local hotel that has its own restaurant. It's close to my house and it would basically just be things like prepping veggies and rolling out pasta - things I can confidently do for a few hours each day without much stress or fuss. I talked to the chef and the manager, and they seem willing to hire me as they're desperately understaffed, but apparently it's the hotel owner who makes all the hiring decisions and I haven't heard from him yet or even seen him.
Quote from: Nigel on January 15, 2012, 08:15:49 AM
The red bean paste buns and these look delicious.
Quote from: Doktor M. Phox0 on January 15, 2012, 08:22:40 AM
That looks fantastic. :aaa:
Thank you. :mrgreen:
Dumplings are a delightful food, and I want to become a master at them! It would probably be helpful if I had a tiny old lady yelling at me in Cantonese in my kitchen as I learn to make them, but that is a luxury few can afford.
Quote from: Nast on January 15, 2012, 08:23:38 AM
My job experiences in the food service industry so far have been pretty lousy - from working as a white waiter in a dysfunctional Japanese restaurant, to all-night 16-hour catering drudge work. But I've decided to stick with looking for a job in that field because that's where most of my skills are, and besides I'm going to school for it.
I am hoping to get a part-time job at a small local hotel that has its own restaurant. It's close to my house and it would basically just be things like prepping veggies and rolling out pasta - things I can confidently do for a few hours each day without much stress or fuss. I talked to the chef and the manager, and they seem willing to hire me as they're desperately understaffed, but apparently it's the hotel owner who makes all the hiring decisions and I haven't heard from him yet or even seen him.
Well, good luck. If I could, I'd totally hire you for my personal kitchen. :lol:
I need to stop clicking this thread. It makes me hungry.
Quote from: Nast on January 15, 2012, 08:06:19 AM
And then I made Northern Chinese shui jiao - boiled dumplings with a pork and cabbage filling, served with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce.
(http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab147/InkPudding/Jan12Dinner.jpg)
This was my second attempt at making them. The first time I lost half my work to an unfortunate accident (the assembled dumplings got stuck to some plastic wrap and apparently molecularly bonded with it - they were unsalvageable). But this time went without incident and the dumplings turned out delicious! While making your own dumplings from scratch, wrappers and all, is a big undertaking for the home cook, it's definitely worth the effort.
I am jealous. Those look amazing. AND you made the wraps from scratch too? I made an Asian-ish/bastardized Chinese dinner last night and four hours later dinner was served, and I bought the wonton wraps at the store. Everything was tasty and everyone was happy (which I suppose it was what counts), but wow. Might I trouble you for the recipe for those dumplings?