Where my fellow cooks at???

[the wicked child]

Sometimes the simpler things can be better. I know the Ritz chicken I make is one of my favorites, and it is pretty damn simple.

[mac5155]

we've been cooking our chicken with just egg wash and then seasoned bread-crumbs (panko) and we just throw them in the oven. nice and crispy and pretty juicy. quite enjoyable.

Yeah, this is usually what I do.. sometimes I use mayonnaise instead of eggwash.

[count2infinity]

interesting... i think.

[mac5155]

its really good if you like Mayo.

[tifosi77]

A few from the vault:


Zucchini 'Boats', Three Ways
(I don't remember the one on the left or the one on the right, but the one in the middle is a riff on Greek flavors; lamb, mint, garlic, yoghurt, etc)


I actually have no recollection of making this dish, and don't even know what fish it is. But the sauce is a nice color!

[columbia]

Looks good.

[columbia]

Back to the pulled pork:

I stopped by my butcher today to pick up some ribeyes. Dealing with a business that has been around for > 50 years is a pleasure. You walk into the place and don't see any food. He stores it all in the walk in and hand cuts your steaks to order.

Speaking of orders: I pre-ordered a boston butt to pick up on Friday. Another excellent sign, as he will have to specifically procure that for me.

I'm going to skip the brine this time, because I want to do a control-study versus the previous pork shoulder. What I used before was the "picnic" cut.

[tifosi77]

Man, I wish there was a place like that out here.

There's a butcher less than six blocks from where I sit as I type this in my home office, but it's run by this surly Croatian dude who looked at me as if I was a leper the first time I went in and asked if they ever stocked game meats. Went back one more time and got mediocre pork chops. He doesn't source from any better purveyors than the chain grocers, so I don't really see any benefit.

It's either Whole Foods, Bristol Farms (a local gourmet/boutique grocer with about a dozen or so locations out here), or Surfas (a restaurant supply store that stocks gourmet items). Anywhere else and I feel like I'm being irresponsible by supporting factory farms.

[columbia]

I must be spoiled, because there are two within 5 minutes of my house.
The other one is more standard, but they make their own breakfast sausage, bratwurst, Italian sausage and chorizo.

[mac5155]

There is nothing better than a cut of meat from a local butcher.

[tifosi77]

Masala Spiced Cod with Purees of Celery Root and Chorizo with Madeira Reduction


Sorta screwed up the celery root puree (too much liquid and too much of it on the plate), and I over-reduced the Madeira reduction by a minute or two so there wasn't much left to emulsify (you can see the sauce breaking before your very eyes!), and I probably could have done with some green on the plate, too........ but the flavors were right there and I don't hate the plating.. Got myself a good dish right here. A couple easy fixes and boom.

[columbia]

As promised, I brined a pork shoulder for 12 hours:

2 quarts of water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 oz. of hickory liquid smoke
2 bay leaves

I put it in at 8 AM and just sampled it......yes. very good, so far.
I'm going to leave it in the oven at 275 until about 6 and then turn up the heat to finish it at 450 for 15 minutes.
(plus whip up my standard apple cider vinegar/crushed tomatoes/texas petes combo.)

[Froggy]

ok. this is definitely the WORST thread on this board. in the sense that i am very angry that all i have here is ramen noodles and the end pieces of a loaf of bread...

[columbia]

As promised, I brined a pork shoulder for 12 hours:

2 quarts of water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 oz. of hickory liquid smoke
2 bay leaves

I put it in at 8 AM and just sampled it......yes. very good, so far.
I'm going to leave it in the oven at 275 until about 6 and then turn up the heat to finish it at 450 for 15 minutes.
(plus whip up my standard apple cider vinegar/crushed tomatoes/texas petes combo.)

ok...that worked out very well.

Without a smoker, the brine definitely makes a difference and I'll go with a 24 hour (or more) brine the next time, to see if we can turn up the flavors to 11.....I have my doubts as to whether the liquid smoke factored into it, so I'll probably ditch that....maybe use some cloves?

[redwill]

ok. this is definitely the WORST thread on this board. in the sense that i am very angry that all i have here is ramen noodles and the end pieces of a loaf of bread...

A lot of people in the world would kill for ramen noodles and a crust of bread.

That being said, I often make a big pot of vegetable soup (onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, barley, water, salt, pepper, and whatever bits of frozen veggies I have) and have it with ramen noodles for a week or more. So cheap, but so satisfying.

[the wicked child]

oh my... new favorite meal.. got some boneless chicken breasts and coated them in eggwash.. then rolled in this:

http://www.weismarkets.com/wp-content/u ... -Bacon.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

bacon bits, bread crumbs, french onion crunchies, and cheddar cheese.

OMG

Tried this last weekend. It was decent, but not great.

[Froggy]

ok. this is definitely the WORST thread on this board. in the sense that i am very angry that all i have here is ramen noodles and the end pieces of a loaf of bread...

A lot of people in the world would kill for ramen noodles and a crust of bread.

i know... just struggling with all the food pron in this thread

[redwill]

i know... just struggling with all the food pron in this thread

Yeah. Pretty silly and decadent. Embarrassingly so, at times.

[columbia]

I wouldn't mind seeing a photo of your vegetable soup.

[count2infinity]

i know... just struggling with all the food pron in this thread

Yeah. Pretty silly and decadent. Embarrassingly so, at times.

[shmenguin]

Pork shoulder is about to go into the smoker.

I always do a chipotle/ brown sugar rub, but I had a thought for next time...what about a garam masala rub? Anyone ever do a BBQ with Indian spices?

[count2infinity]

making some of my pretzels again this evening, but making them all into buns for burgers. oh yeah...

[shmenguin]

i just got a bunch of chicken leg quarters for like $5.50. I have no idea what to do with them, but looks like i'll be having chicken for dinner the next 5 days or so. any tips on cooking those suckers whole? i usually throw them in the oven, but the skin comes out gross. should i just get rid of the skin, or pan fry it face down before throwing it in the oven? any ideas?

I pan fry + finish in the oven all the time. Getting the skin crispy tastes good and also creates a seal to keep the moisture in. Do a few minutes over medium/ high heat on each side (skin side first) and then put it in the oven. I think thats the way to go

[redwill]

I wouldn't mind seeing a photo of your vegetable soup.

I would give it, but my plating is not up to my usual standards.

[Ron`]

We've been cooking pasta Fajoili soup and baked chicken today. The soup is mostly for tomorrow. Home made bread, baked chicken, potatoes, stuffing, vegetable and gravy for dinner tonight. We were supposed to have company, but they canceled out. Enjoying a Sam Adams pale ale, semi-dry white wine for dinner and likely a martini after.