New Food Thread, No Title sorry old mike

[Fast14riot]

Fast14riot, I will have to try that!
I do use 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee and 1/2 oz Ghirardelli dark chocolate in my Chile per the advice of a Guatemalan Abuela who owned a market nearby. She was absolutely correct in complimenting the already complex flavors/seasonings I used, especially when using Venison.

Sour cream is another sneaky flavor booster for chocolate cake. Replace some of the liquid with strong coffee and some sour cream. Especially if starting with a box mix for ease.

 

[Bill K]

Taste is somewhat sweeter than the Elderberry alone, as you use sugar in the cooking of the Fruits juice. Check out the reciepe on the liquid Certo package you use in it.
By Elderberry alone I mean picked fresh, right after the first freeze, the berries are sweet, but with some tardness.

Made pomegranate jam, growing up. A bit tart and modestly sweet. Haven't ever done elderberry. How does it taste?

 

[BlueWater]

Stopped by the little Mexican market on my way home, feeling inspired tonight. Will update later...View attachment 1378104

^ That's the way to do it, IMO. Fresh ingredients. Good dried ingredients. Make dishes from scratch. Natural foods in their natural forms, whenever possible, with nearly no packaged and processed foods. Turns out better-tasting, and is without all the additives and preservatives so typical in such goods.

I'm a fan of the local Indian grocery, nearby. Get all of my spices from them, a couple times a year. It's all in the form of corns, seeds, except when not possible. Occasionally, I dry-roast my spices before grinding. I grind them myself, in specific combinations and small amounts. Along with fresh vegetables and fruits. Much fresher and livelier.

Have begun making occasional purchases at a small butcher shop that processes lamb, goat and game meats. It's better-tasting since it comes from better-managed farms that don't add all of the herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and other nasties typical of big-box-grocery items. Healthier, and much more robust flavors.

It's a bit more effort to hit a handful of shops to get what I prefer, but the results improve.

Wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[Fast14riot]

^ That's the way to do it, IMO. Fresh ingredients. Good dried ingredients. Make dishes from scratch. Natural foods in their natural forms, whenever possible, with nearly no packaged and processed foods. Turns out better-tasting, and is without all the additives and preservatives so typical in such goods.

I'm a fan of the local Indian grocery, nearby. Get all of my spices from them, a couple times a year. It's all in the form of corns, seeds, except when not possible. Occasionally, I dry-roast my spices before grinding. I grind them myself, in specific combinations and small amounts. Along with fresh vegetables and fruits. Much fresher and livelier.

Have begun making occasional purchases at a small butcher shop that processes lamb, goat and game meats. It's better-tasting since it comes from better-managed farms that don't add all of the herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and other nasties typical of big-box-grocery items. Healthier, and much more robust flavors.

It's a bit more effort to hit a handful of shops to get what I prefer, but the results improve.

Wouldn't do it any other way.

I'm fortunate, I live in the central valley of California, home of the richest agricultural region in the country. The little Mexican markets are everywhere around here. A few really stand out, like that one I posted, but most people have their local neighborhood favorites. I have always used fresh local ingredients when possible, fortunately I'm also close enough to the coast that I also get fresh fish mongers every week year round.

I've posted before, but taking the time to make or learn to make a few basics building blocks for cooking, like butter, toasted spice blends, pasta, mother sauces, even bread will elevate simple dishes and preparations to a whole different level!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

 

[BlueWater]

I've posted before, but taking the time to make or learn to make a few basics building blocks for cooking, like butter, toasted spice blends, pasta, mother sauces, even bread will elevate simple dishes and preparations to a whole different level!

Absolutely.

I'm only marginally capable, with sauces. Don't have a "dirty dozen" as go-to sauces for what I cook, so I need to look it up each time. And they come out only okay, not great.

And I've only mastered a couple of soups. One, I do regularly ... so I just add the right amount of ingredients, herbs, spices, and it turns out great nearly every time. Don't do any measuring at all, with that one.

Once had a pretty good Szechuan Hot & Sour Soup recipe that I did, though I haven't made it for years. Nicely, soups don't really depend on key techniques, not nearly so much as other dishes.

With spice blends, it's amazing how toasting many of them and fully grinding them, in "correct" proportions, can end up with amazing results in dishes. It's about time I get another spice mill for proper grinding. I like the old mortar and pestle method, but it's time consuming. Either way, fresh spices freshly-ground, fresh herbs, and reasonable cooking technique ... it's amazing how much better it all is, no matter how well one cooks, when the spices and herbs are right.

Don't do hardly any breads, myself, but I've learned a bunch from the "egghead" cooks at TheFreshLoaf forum. A lot of good bakers, over there.

Fresh cherries, orange- cocoa sourdough

This bread is great with butter and tea. I developed this formula so that the bread is moist and the taste of cherries, orange and cocoa is balanced. If modifying the formula, remember that orange juice contains some solids so a lower amount of water should be used as substitute. Additional...

www.thefreshloaf.com

 

[JayHHI6818]

Sister is getting married this weekend and have cousins in town. Wife asked do you want to smoke something for Sunday lunch. Two 8.5 lb pork butts. Been on Traeger smoker 18 hrs

 

[Tesoro]

Here's what came of tonights inspiration...

Yucatan/Mayan style dried chile salsa. Cooked up some al pastor for tacos, but made myself a couple burritos instead. Refried beans, Mexican rice, al pastor, queso fresco, crema fresca, onion, tomato, and a dash of the salsa inside. Damn tasty!

View attachment 1378125View attachment 1378126View attachment 1378127View attachment 1378128

How do you make the salsa? I lived in yucatan but never learned to make cause it was like buying ketchup in the usa. I have tried a few times and good but not perfect - missing something. thx

 

[BlueWater]

How do you make the salsa? I lived in yucatan but never learned to make cause it was like buying ketchup in the usa. I have tried a few times and good but not perfect - missing something. thx

Not a salsa, but you can try a sauce something like this, perhaps.

Can adjust the amounts of habaneros, to get the "right" amount of heat for your sauce. This one is fairly hot, so it might take a couple of times before you get the heat right.

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit, squeezed
4-5 limes, squeezed
1 navel orange, squeezed
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4-5 pasilla chilies, dried (can use guajillo chilies instead)
3 small poblano chilies, roasted
8-10 green habanero chilies, roasted (can be the red or orange variety, if green unavailable)
20 large garlic cloves (unpeeled), roasted
1-2 tbsp aromatic herbs (optional) -- thyme, marjoram, Mexican bay leaves, and Mexican oregano
1-2 tbsp cilantro (optional)
1 tsp salt

Warning: after handling habaneros, particularly after splitting and removing the seeds, carefully wash your hands, tools and surfaces.

Preparation:

1. Split the pasillas and remove the stems and seeds. Boil a couple of cups of water, remove from heat, then place pasillas into the water to soak for ~20-25mins.
2. Roast the poblanos and habaneros in a dry pan, until well-charred (6-8mins). Set aside until cool.
3. Roast the garlic cloves (with skins on) in a dry pan, until well-charred (5-7mins). Set aside until cool.
4. Squeeze the fruits, capturing the juice.
5. Peel the garlic cloves.
6. Remove stems and seeds from the poblanos, habaneros. (Wash hands very well, following splitting and handling of the habaneros, as the habanero oils can burn eyes and skin.)
7. Add all ingredients (chilies, garlic, juice, herbs, salt) to a blender, then blend until just smooth.
8. Transfer to serving dish, garnishing with a few cilantro leaves.
9. Serve fresh. Can drizzle over tacos or other dishes, or can use as a dip. Can store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or can freeze.

 

[Tesoro]

Not a salsa, but you can try a sauce something like this, perhaps.

Can adjust the amounts of habaneros, to get the "right" amount of heat for your sauce. This one is fairly hot, so it might take a couple of times before you get the heat right.

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit, squeezed
4-5 limes, squeezed
1 navel orange, squeezed
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4-5 pasilla chilies, dried (can use guajillo chilies instead)
3 small poblano chilies, roasted
8-10 green habanero chilies, roasted (can be the red or orange variety, if green unavailable)
20 large garlic cloves (unpeeled), roasted
1-2 tbsp aromatic herbs (optional) -- thyme, marjoram, Mexican bay leaves, and Mexican oregano
1-2 tbsp cilantro (optional)
1 tsp salt

Warning: after handling habaneros, particularly after splitting and removing the seeds, carefully wash your hands, tools and surfaces.

Preparation:

1. Split the pasillas and remove the stems and seeds. Boil a couple of cups of water, remove from heat, then place pasillas into the water to soak for ~20-25mins.
2. Roast the poblanos and habaneros in a dry pan, until well-charred (6-8mins). Set aside until cool.
3. Roast the garlic cloves (with skins on) in a dry pan, until well-charred (5-7mins). Set aside until cool.
4. Squeeze the fruits, capturing the juice.
5. Peel the garlic cloves.
6. Remove stems and seeds from the poblanos, habaneros. (Wash hands very well, following splitting and handling of the habaneros, as the habanero oils can burn eyes and skin.)
7. Add all ingredients (chilies, garlic, juice, herbs, salt) to a blender, then blend until just smooth.
8. Transfer to serving dish, garnishing with a few cilantro leaves.
9. Serve fresh. Can drizzle over tacos or other dishes, or can use as a dip. Can store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or can freeze.

thanks. !

 

[mikeinct]

A time-honored favorite. Pork Cutlets Milanaise. Seeing it is my Birthday, Madam did these from a very nice Tenderloin. Served with a Brown mushroom gravy made with a nice Bourbon whiskey. The Pasta, Homemade "Longolini" bon appetite.

 

[Fast14riot]

How do you make the salsa? I lived in yucatan but never learned to make cause it was like buying ketchup in the usa. I have tried a few times and good but not perfect - missing something. thx

This one is pretty simple. If you can find Seville oranges, that's best, but equal parts lime-navel orange-grapefruit juice is an acceptable stand in.

1oz dried pasilla chile
1oz dried chile de arbol
2oz lime juice
2oz navel orange juice
2oz grapefruit juice
Pinch of salt.

Toast the chiles then remove stems. Add all ingredients to a molcajete and grind.

For those of us with electricity and a lack of patience, you can toast dry chiles in the microwave, on high for 20-30 seconds. Toasting them in a dry pan is just annoying enough that I have been known to skip it. I can't tell a difference this way. If you dont want to work out your forearm grinding away by hand, throw everything into a blender and pulse until its an even consistency. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes for chiles to rehydrate.

Traditional Mayan hot sauces and many dishes tend to use citrus instead of vinegar. Bitter orange is the most popular and readily available all throughout the area. May be able to find them at a Latin market in season. This salsa you'll notice has no garlic, no tomatoes, no vinegar. Simple. It goes great paired with citrus pickled onions as sides for dishes like cochinita pibil, or marinated pulled pork that has been steamed while being smoked. They cook it in a pib, which is a hole in the ground lined with hot rocks and coals, wrapped in banana leaf to keep moisture in, and then shredded into tacos.

This salsa is hot, but not melt your face off hot. No runny nose or watering eyes with this one. Plus the sweetness of the citrus is a nice blend.

 

[Fast14riot]

Not a salsa, but you can try a sauce something like this, perhaps.

Can adjust the amounts of habaneros, to get the "right" amount of heat for your sauce. This one is fairly hot, so it might take a couple of times before you get the heat right.

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit, squeezed
4-5 limes, squeezed
1 navel orange, squeezed
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4-5 pasilla chilies, dried (can use guajillo chilies instead)
3 small poblano chilies, roasted
8-10 green habanero chilies, roasted (can be the red or orange variety, if green unavailable)
20 large garlic cloves (unpeeled), roasted
1-2 tbsp aromatic herbs (optional) -- thyme, marjoram, Mexican bay leaves, and Mexican oregano
1-2 tbsp cilantro (optional)
1 tsp salt

Warning: after handling habaneros, particularly after splitting and removing the seeds, carefully wash your hands, tools and surfaces.

Preparation:

1. Split the pasillas and remove the stems and seeds. Boil a couple of cups of water, remove from heat, then place pasillas into the water to soak for ~20-25mins.
2. Roast the poblanos and habaneros in a dry pan, until well-charred (6-8mins). Set aside until cool.
3. Roast the garlic cloves (with skins on) in a dry pan, until well-charred (5-7mins). Set aside until cool.
4. Squeeze the fruits, capturing the juice.
5. Peel the garlic cloves.
6. Remove stems and seeds from the poblanos, habaneros. (Wash hands very well, following splitting and handling of the habaneros, as the habanero oils can burn eyes and skin.)
7. Add all ingredients (chilies, garlic, juice, herbs, salt) to a blender, then blend until just smooth.
8. Transfer to serving dish, garnishing with a few cilantro leaves.
9. Serve fresh. Can drizzle over tacos or other dishes, or can use as a dip. Can store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or can freeze.

Little tip for roasting garlic with skin on, put them on a metal skewer and toast them over an open flame burner or torch. Make sure they're good and black all over. That will give them a smokey flavor and soften the cloves appropriately to cut the raw garlic kick.

 

[Fast14riot]

Tonights dinner was tri tip again. Scored a massive one over 4lbs on sale! My super special spice rub, into a ripping hot pan to sear it good, then into a 425° oven to cook until 125° internal. Pull and rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Slice and serve!

Creamy mash and COTC along side.

 

[Tesoro]

This one is pretty simple. If you can find Seville oranges, that's best, but equal parts lime-navel orange-grapefruit juice is an acceptable stand in.

1oz dried pasilla chile
1oz dried chile de arbol
2oz lime juice
2oz navel orange juice
2oz grapefruit juice
Pinch of salt.

Toast the chiles then remove stems. Add all ingredients to a molcajete and grind.

For those of us with electricity and a lack of patience, you can toast dry chiles in the microwave, on high for 20-30 seconds. Toasting them in a dry pan is just annoying enough that I have been known to skip it. I can't tell a difference this way. If you dont want to work out your forearm grinding away by hand, throw everything into a blender and pulse until its an even consistency. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes for chiles to rehydrate.

Traditional Mayan hot sauces and many dishes tend to use citrus instead of vinegar. Bitter orange is the most popular and readily available all throughout the area. May be able to find them at a Latin market in season. This salsa you'll notice has no garlic, no tomatoes, no vinegar. Simple. It goes great paired with citrus pickled onions as sides for dishes like cochinita pibil, or marinated pulled pork that has been steamed while being smoked. They cook it in a pib, which is a hole in the ground lined with hot rocks and coals, wrapped in banana leaf to keep moisture in, and then shredded into tacos.

This salsa is hot, but not melt your face off hot. No runny nose or watering eyes with this one. Plus the sweetness of the citrus is a nice blend.

This is more 'tipico'. Thx.

 

[mikeinct]

Fresh Italian Bread N Rolls...

 

[mikeinct]

Quick clam pizza snack. I put the cheese in-between two sizes of flour tortillas 10 mins in a 450-degree oven toasts it nicely.. I used fresh garlic, oregano & parsley. w/other spices & EVOO.

 

[Fast14riot]

Got home from hunting in Oregon with Bc'z less than an hour ago, and the missus had requested i use up the pepper in the fridge before they go bad. So, blistered shishito peppers for an evening snack it is.

Blistered in neutral oil in a heavy hot pan, coarse sea salt, sesame seeds and drizzled with your favorite sour citrus juice.

Mmm, tasty!

 

[JSH]

Ran across a good deal on chicken hind quarters, they were big too. A little research on boning them out and removing tendons.
Boned out three. Removed as much fat as possible.
I stuffed the first ones with dirty rice.
Did another batch and used some boudin.
Baked in the oven in black iron skillet.
Used tooth picks and cotton string to truss them up.
Used Cajun two step on the outside.
They will hold a lot of stuffing.

 

[mikeinct]

Yes, I love playing with my sharp knifes. Do It Brother. Chicken up here is a "Deal" at 99 cents a pound. Local Market had really Good Italian spicy hot Sausage $ 2.89 per Lb. new low for them this year.. Mike in Ct