Foodie Thread

[SacDuc]

I made ricotta this weekend. Easy.

1/2 Gallon whole milk
2 cups butter milk (don't use ultra-pasturized)

bring to 100 degrees over medium heat while stirring gently. Once at 100 degrees stop stirring and leave alone until 185-190 degrees. Scoop out the curds and drain in cheese clothe. Done.


sac

[WarrenJ]

Doing brisket and pulled pork for Memorial Day.  By the time the brisket is done, I've been in the smoke so much, I don't want to eat it but leftover brisket sandwiches are just dandy!

I'd like to try a kamodo style grill for brisket and see if the process is less smoky for the cook.

[NoisyDante]

Picked up a tamis sieve yesterday, used it for mashed potatoes made with peruvian purple potatoes.  Definitely did a lot for the texture, made it very smooth and luxurious.

Also got a chinois strainer, trying my hand at a lobster bisque next week.

[SacDuc]

Picked up a tamis sieve yesterday, used it for mashed potatoes made with peruvian purple potatoes.  Definitely did a lot for the texture, made it very smooth and luxurious.

Also got a chinois strainer, trying my hand at a lobster bisque next week.

I can't wait until the local lobster season starts again. I have modified a recipe I found on epicurious.com to come up with this. I can usually bum a halibut carcass from the local fish market so I make my own fish stock.


* 2 - 1 1/2 pound live lobsters
* 1 medium onion
* 1 celery rib
* 1 carrot
* 1 vine-ripened tomato
* 1 head garlic
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 1 bay leaf
* 8 black peppercorns
* 1/4 cup bourbon
* 1/2 cup dry Sherry
* 4 cups fish stock
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 1/2 cup heavy cream (maybe a bit more)
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons water

* 1 package puff pastry (unless you're crazy and you make your own)
* 1 egg


Preparation:

Remove puff pastry from freezer and begin warming to room temperature.

Fill a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobster headfirst into water and cook, covered, over high heat 8 minutes. Transfer lobster with tongs to a large bowl and in a measuring cup reserve 2 cups cooking liquid. Let lobster stand until cool enough to handle. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, twist off tail and claws and reserve juices. Discard head sacs and any roe. Remove meat from claws and tail, reserving shells and lobster body. (Lobster meat will not be cooked through.) Coarsely chop meat, transfer 1/2 to a bowl and chill, covered. Puree the remaining lobster and chill.

Chop onion, celery, carrot, and tomato and halve garlic head crosswise. In a 6-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved lobster shells and body, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, bourbon, and Sherry and simmer, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add stock and reserved lobster liquid. Simmer mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids. Whisk in tomato paste and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer bisque 5 minutes. In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and water and whisk into bisque. Simmer bisque, stirring until desired consistency (a few minutes). Add lobster meat and puree with any reserved juices and simmer bisque 1 minute, or until lobster meat is just cooked through. Correct salt and pepper if needed.

Let bisque cool slightly then add to 4 oven safe crocks or 6-8 oven safe cups. Cut puff pastry into squares just big enough to cover the crocks/cups and drape gently so that the pastry does not droop into the bisque. Brush with an egg wash (1 whole egg beaten). Bake at temperature specified on package until puff pastry rises. Serve immediately.


sac

[JBubble]

Made from scratch pierogies....

[Triple J]

^^^ Nice! I love pierogies. 

[JBubble]

^^^ Nice! I love pierogies. 

Kielbasa and 'rogies fulfills my polish side. 

Not very gourmet, but I made homemade chicken strips tonight....next time I'll make homemade bbq sauce to go with...

[Polpetta]

Made from scratch pierogies....

Oh, I love homemade pierogies....I haven't had them in years!

[Nitewaif]

So let me ask...what's your tolerance for other people in your cooking space?

About the only person I can stand in my cooking space is my sister.  She "gets" the flow of my cooking and will maybe slide in and start chopping/prep work which frees me to do other stuff.

My bf likes to cook, as do I, but when I'm cooking, he's always wanting to give me hugs or kisses or whatever, and generally wants to be in the middle of the kitchen.  He's 6'3" and more than twice my weight.  So when I am going to the fridge or reaching over to stir something and I have to go around him or dodge hugs so my sauce doesn't burn, I finally hit the point where I'm like, "I <3 you, but GTFO or I will gut you with this fillet knife".   

I'm ok with people hanging around the periphery or across a bar or whatever, but say outta my work space.

So what's your tolerance?

[rgramjet]

I deliberately made my kitchen Island 4' x 9' for just that reason.  Its covered in 2" rock Maple butcher block.  Its like one giant cutting board!

[lethe]

I stay out of my wife's way, since the end result of her hard work is so wonderful why would I want to impede it.

[rgramjet]

My second wife is going to know how to cook......

[brix821]

it's a dance! I have no tolerance for people laving things in my workspace....I have spent the last 16 years working in small kitchens.

[WarrenJ]

More than one person has been threatened with my hand forged Takeda kitchen knife for invading MY kitchen.  I let my wife in to play in the sink  and stuff - but when I'm cooking KEEP OUT unless specifically asked.

[superjohn]

I've only ever been able to cook with one other person in the kitchen for many of the same reasons the OP listed. She and I just worked well together and were able to stay out of each others way but still get stuff done.