Foodgasms

[Recidiva]

This thread tickled my memory. My brother had a friend who had a recipe for tea.

I love this guy. I could never meet him or spend five minutes with him, but I'd read anything he wrote. Underlines were required in original recipe for emphasis apparently.

Tea

"Glass or earthenware pots are by all means to be preferred in making tea. Heat pot by filling with boiling water. Empty. Add tea leaves (1 teaspoon to a cup of boiling water) and freshly boiled water. Cover and allow to brew for 3 to 5 minutes in a warm place. Then pour the tea into another heated pot or serve immediately. Do not let the tea stand on the leaves. Do not boil tea while it is brewing or try to reuse the leaves. Start over brother.

 

[gravyrug]

Gravy makes gasm-bread.

Just sayin'.

<bows> Thank you. You ain't bad in the kitchen yerself.

 

[BoobsNBrains]

<bows> Thank you. You ain't bad in the kitchen yerself.

*danke muchly*

I made cookies this week, too.

 

[gravyrug]

*danke muchly*

I made cookies this week, too.

Mmmmm. Yes, that made me salivate.

And now I'm being sent in search of cheap fake mexican food for the troops. But there are pork chops thawing for tonight, so we'll have our foodgasm yet.

 

[tortoise]

This thread tickled my memory. My brother had a friend who had a recipe for tea.

I love this guy. I could never meet him or spend five minutes with him, but I'd read anything he wrote. Underlines were required in original recipe for emphasis apparently.

Tea

"Glass or earthenware pots are by all means to be preferred in making tea. Heat pot by filling with boiling water. Empty. Add tea leaves (1 teaspoon to a cup of boiling water) and freshly boiled water. Cover and allow to brew for 3 to 5 minutes in a warm place. Then pour the tea into another heated pot or serve immediately. Do not let the tea stand on the leaves. Do not boil tea while it is brewing or try to reuse the leaves. Start over brother.

I tea. And I love the recipe. Start over brother.

I use this to make my tea, of which I have at least a dozen varieties on hand at any givent time. Easy and elegant.

 

[Recidiva]

I tea. And I love the recipe. Start over brother.

I use this to make my tea, of which I have at least a dozen varieties on hand at any givent time. Easy and elegant.

Want. One.

Thank you!

 

[tortoise]

Want. One.

Thank you!

Wait. E-mail incoming.

You're welcome!

 

[BoobsNBrains]

Mmmmm. Yes, that made me salivate.

And now I'm being sent in search of cheap fake mexican food for the troops. But there are pork chops thawing for tonight, so we'll have our foodgasm yet.

Speaking of cheap Mexican food, I'm craving Chuy's again. *gah*

Fajitas here tonight.

 

[tortoise]

Yeah. Food. Time to go get some, and do some shopping for gumbo on the morrow. Have fun, boys and girls!

BnB, cookiegasms would NOT go amiss in this thread. Just sayin'

Unless they're like, top secret recipes or something, in which case... stingy much???

Heh.

*poof!*

 

[rosco rathbone]

Alright, so this is the new food thread.

I am a humble grasshopper sitting at the feet of the experts here.


I just had my weekend menu planning torpedoed by the fact that my local international foods market ran out of the hot pepper I needed to make my kingfish steaks in coconut pepper custard. I wanted to cook it tonight but now I am going to make a 3 hour round trip to Liberty Ave, Brooklyn, where I KNOW they have the peppers I want, in abundance.

Tomorrow was supposed to be for homemade falafel but that will have to be pushed back.

 

[BoobsNBrains]

Yeah. Food. Time to go get some, and do some shopping for gumbo on the morrow. Have fun, boys and girls!

BnB, cookiegasms would NOT go amiss in this thread. Just sayin'

Unless they're like, top secret recipes or something, in which case... stingy much???

Heh.

*poof!*

I have actually shared the recipe with another Litster. I find it more fun to make and send them, though...I'm a giver.

 

[gravyrug]

Speaking of cheap Mexican food, I'm craving Chuy's again. *gah*

Fajitas here tonight.

Bah. Is it too much to ask that they give chips with an order of nachos? And that's not even considering the cheese that was specifically requested not to be there. Grrr.

I'm hungry again, still waiting for pork chops to thaw. I do hope they're ready soon. And the roast should be ready for the crock pot by the time supper's done.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Yes, yes you do.

Sketchy on the details, but I don't measure unless I have to. Trinity = good double handful of each. Roux = equal parts flour and oil (like 3/4 cup of each for a big batch, I guess?). Andouille = 1 lb, rustic chop. Seasonings to taste. Whole San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed = 28 oz. can. Add broth until desired consistency (sometimes I go more soupish, sometimes more stewish). Add shrimp (2 lbs for a big batch) last.

What kind of flour? What kind of oil? What size shrimp? What does "hand crush" a tomato mean???

I'm a Virgo, a literalist. I'm not comfortable improvising until I've tried first from a cut and dried recipe.

Another thing that sounds very sketchy to me is this whole roux business.

 

[Recidiva]

What kind of flour? What kind of oil? What size shrimp? What does "hand crush" a tomato mean???

I'm a Virgo, a literalist. I'm not comfortable improvising until I've tried first from a cut and dried recipe.

Another thing that sounds very sketchy to me is this whole roux business.

Words on roux by David Rosengarten:

Place the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat. When it's melted, add 1/2 cup of flour all at once, stirring vigorously into the melted butter with a wooden spoon. When it's incorporated, repeat with another 1/2 cup of flour. When that's incorporated, gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour; you will need most of it, but you may not need it all. Stop adding flour as soon as the roux begins to clump up and is on the verge of turning solid; it should remain a very thick, but runny, paste. Continue to cook the roux over medium-low heat, stirring often and monitoring its color, for about an hour. It will darken as it cooks, finally reaching a color like dark mahogany or rich fudge. Don't let the roux get too dark (as dark as black coffee, say), because it can burn.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Words on roux by David Rosengarten:

Place the butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-low heat. When it's melted, add 1/2 cup of flour all at once, stirring vigorously into the melted butter with a wooden spoon. When it's incorporated, repeat with another 1/2 cup of flour. When that's incorporated, gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour; you will need most of it, but you may not need it all. Stop adding flour as soon as the roux begins to clump up and is on the verge of turning solid; it should remain a very thick, but runny, paste. Continue to cook the roux over medium-low heat, stirring often and monitoring its color, for about an hour. It will darken as it cooks, finally reaching a color like dark mahogany or rich fudge. Don't let the roux get too dark (as dark as black coffee, say), because it can burn.

so oil=butter now? going by the volume=volume thing, that calls for 1 1/2 cups of pure butter, which can't be right.

 

[Recidiva]

so oil=butter now? going by the volume=volume thing, that calls for 1 1/2 cups of pure butter, which can't be right.

You can't count calories makin' a roux. Margarine will get you lynched.

 

[rosco rathbone]

You can't count calories makin' a roux. Margarine will get you lynched.

Oh, I have no problem cooking with a lump of butter the size of a baby head. I was just making sure.

 

[gravyrug]

so oil=butter now? going by the volume=volume thing, that calls for 1 1/2 cups of pure butter, which can't be right.

Kinda depends on what you're making with the roux. With some things you can get away with Crisco. Gravy, for instance.

 

[Recidiva]

Oh, I have no problem cooking with a lump of butter the size of a baby head. I was just making sure.

Awesome. Yes, I'm afraid roux are holy. Everyone is going to give you different advice.

Butter's mine, oil if you don't want to chance it, leave it a little more unattended, and worry less about scorching.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Awesome. Yes, I'm afraid roux are holy. Everyone is going to give you different advice.

Butter's mine, oil if you don't want to chance it, leave it a little more unattended, and worry less about scorching.

No, I don't like to leave anything unattended. I stand there and stir and stir. I don't have a wisk though, need to get one.

 

[Recidiva]

No, I don't like to leave anything unattended. I stand there and stir and stir. I don't have a wisk though, need to get one.

Okay. More information:

Roux ("roo") is used to thicken sauces and soups. Pre-cooking flour allows the starch granules to swell and absorb moisture, and lets you thicken a sauce base without the flour clumping or forming lumps. Rouxs are also used to deepen the flavor of a sauce: browning the flour gives it a nutty, toasted flavor.

Colors of roux
Roux can be cooked to white, blond, brown and dark brown stages. The color depends on the temperature and time that you take to cook the fat-flour mixture. Flour that is cooked over a low temperature for a long period of time will be a lighter color--a white or blond roux. Roux cooked on a high heat quickly will be darker (brown or dark roux), have a stronger flavor, and will not be as powerful a thickener as a lighter roux. None of the types of roux are necessarily better or worse than any other; the color you choose will depend on the flavor and color you would like your roux to give your sauce or soup.

Cook and stir
To make a basic roux, use equal weights of fat and flour. Four ounces of fat and four ounces of flour equal about 8 ounces of roux (moisture will evaporate). If you don’t own a kitchen scale, one tablespoon of flour equals about ¼ ounce. One tablespoon butter = ½ ounce. Butter is the most commonly used form of fat; other fats can be used, but will have a different flavor. Melt the butter over medium heat; slowly add the flour to the butter, whisking constantly. Within 2 to 3 minutes the roux will have a consistency of a cake frosting. A white roux is done when the flour loses its “raw” smell and begins to develop a toasty aroma. Darker rouxs are cooked, stirring constantly, until the desired color. If you’re not adding liquid, immediately remove the pan from the heat and transfer the roux to another container to cool. Be very careful: the hot fat-flour mixture can cause painful burns. Refrigerated or frozen roux will keep well for up to two months and can be added directly to soups or sauces for quick thickening.

Roux Tips
"Breaking a roux" is the ultimate no-no. It happens when the fat separates from the flour granules, as opposed to being absorbed by them and making a smooth and consistent paste-like texture. If the roux breaks, it has lost its thickening power. Discard it and begin again.

When cooking with a roux, be sure to add only cool liquids or ingredients to a hot roux, or vice versa. As you incorporate the liquid into your roux, be sure to whisk frequently and add the ingredients slowly; heat the entire mixture until it comes to a simmer. This process will keep the roux from creating lumps. Once all of the liquid has been added to the roux, cook the sauce or soup for about 20 minutes to avoid a granular or gummy texture.

 

[Verbiwhore]

Butting in......

But I bring you - Chocolate Brownies

- 200 g (7 oz) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
- 115 g (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 275 g (1 1/4 cups) sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 140 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar

For the topping :
- 1 C whole hazelnuts
- 70 g (1/3 C) sugar

Put the hazelnuts in the bowl of the food processor, and pulse just a couple of times to chop them roughly. Separate the chunks of hazelnuts from the hazelnut powder this has also created, and reserve the hazelnut powder in a small bowl. Toast the hazelnut chunks in a small dry skillet over high heat, set aside.

In the same small preferably non-stick skillet, pour the amount of sugar indicated for the topping and just a little splash of water. Let this melt over medium-high heat until you get a lightly golden syrup . Add the toasted hazelnut chunks and toss to coat. Pour the caramelized hazelnuts to cool in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Once cooled, separate the hazelnuts that may have stuck together.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Line the inside of a 24 cm (8-inch) square baking pan with two long pieces of foil crosswise. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray, or lightly brush with oil.

Break the chocolate and dice the butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Put the bowl over a saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring from time to time, until the chocolate and butter are thoroughly melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In the bowl of a food processor, mix the eggs, the sugar, the vanilla, and the salt in a few short pulses. Add in the chocolate mixture, pulse a couple more times. Add in the flour, the hazelnut powder you previously set aside, and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Sprinkle the caramelized hazelnuts evenly over the surface. Put into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it.

Turn out on a rack to cool for about 2 hours, before removing the cake from the pan. Sieve confectioner's sugar all over the surface. Cut into 1-inch squares and serve.

As with all dark chocolate cakes, it tastes better the next day . And if you're not eating the cake immediately, don't cut it : wrap in plastic or foil and refrigerate up to 5 days.

 

[gravyrug]

No, I don't like to leave anything unattended. I stand there and stir and stir. I don't have a wisk though, need to get one.

Wisk? I use a wooden spoon. Better for getting the stuff off the bottom before it scorches.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Okay. More information:

Good tips, except for the fact that weight=weight is not volume=volume, as manseed calls for.

 

[Recidiva]

Wisk? I use a wooden spoon. Better for getting the stuff off the bottom before it scorches.

I do think it's best in a cast iron something and a wooden spoon, or a wooden spatula, better for the stirring and for the deglazing.

Not sure I could make a roux in non-stick.