The Food Thread

[Iron Mike]

You'd better duck fucker cuz this Honey Badger don't give a shit!

Guess I'd better plan on having cobra for the next two weeks.....

[easy cheesy]

Guess I'd better plan on having cobra for the next two weeks.....

ummmm.... maybe I'll plan on eating "cobra" for the next two weeks!

[Iron Mike]

OWWWWWW!!!! Not the 40zzzzz......

[easy cheesy]

OK.... restaurant nightmare story.... I apologize in advance if it offends... BUTT.. (couldn't resist)...

Picture it...High School... a classmate was working at a local chinese restaurant as a prep cook...this fine establishment has, amongst it's many guests, one guest in particular who makes the employees cringe....(the owners never did a damned thing about his behavior because he was a "regular" but, that's another story)...his conversation is too "familiar"... he's loud.. he's crass... he's drunk... he stinks... he pinches...he calls staff members "stupid incompetent assholes".... you get the picture... he always liked extra carrots in his dish... prep cook is happy to oblige, and, since the favored guest loves the word "asshole" so much, prep cook makes sure the carrot has a proper "dip" before being added to the dish...in his "honor" of course... asshole to asshole... Now... I never worked at this establishment and I certainly don't condone such acts... however.. as a 16 year old listening to the story at the time... I laughed my (pardon the word) ass off....

[Iron Mike]

[easy cheesy]

OWWWWWW!!!! Not the 40zzzzz......

Naw baby!! (or should I say gnaw baby) ***wink wink nudge nudge***

[easy cheesy]

Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Peach Salsa Recipe
For the grilled Peaches:
4 Southern Peaches (must be very ripe) halved and pitted
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Pure Cane Syrup
2 tsp Creole Seasoning
1 tsp Kosher Salt

Additional grill prep for the salsa:
1 Roasted Red Pepper,
1/2 of a large Vidalia Onion, cut into 1/2″ slices and rubber with olive oil

Warm a gas or charcoal grill to 350-400 degrees F.
Toss all of the above ingredients together, making sure to coat the peaches well. Grill the peaches flat side down until they start to caramelize and get some grill marks, flip them over skin side down onto a cooler spot of the grill to finish warming through. At the same time, roast your pepper on the grill until the skin is black all over, and grill the Vidalia Onion slices.

When the peaches are warmed through and softened remove the skins and slice lengthwise, place into a medium sized bowl. Also peel, seed, and slice the roasted Red pepper into strips; Chop the grilled Vidalia Onion.

Grilled Southern Peach Salsa Recipe
4 Grilled Southern Peaches (see above)
1 Roasted Red Pepper, sliced (see above)
1/2 Grilled Vidalia Onion, chopped (see above)
2 tsp Pure Cane Syrup
3 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients while still hot, serve at room temperature.
Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Peach Salsa Recipe

4 Bone in, thick cut Pork Chops
1 Recipe Seasoning Mix (see below)
1 Recipe Apricot Glaze (see below)
1 Recipe Grilled Peach Salsa
Seasoning mix:
1 Tbsp Creole Seasoning
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt (if using commercial creole seasoning omit)
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Black Pepper
Combine.

Apricot Glaze:
3 Tbsp Apricot Preserves
1 Tbsp Pure Cane Syrup
1 Tbsp Creole Mustard

Combine all ingredients.

Season the pork chops liberally with some of the seasoning mix.
Preheat a Charcoal or Gas grill to 400 degrees F with a pan going with smoldering wood chips (This recipe uses Pecan chips). When hot, grill the Pork chops to desired degree of doneness, this recipe goes to medium- about 140 degrees. Brush the chops with the apricot glaze, let it warm a bit and remove the chops.

Top the glazed chops with a generous portion of the warm Peach Salsa, make sure to drizzle some of the liquid as well. Enjoy!

[easy cheesy]

Barring a "merge"... I have "dredged" up some of Skinbaskets goodies.... Hellz Yeah!

Buttery Balls for All....

Cooking With SkinBasket

The SkinBasket cooks for his household. Here, due to overwhelming demand, he will share his exclusive, gourmet recipes. Let's start with something simple.

SkinBasket's Buttery Balls:

1 package of spaghetti
1 Jar of pasta sauce - Newman's Own is good and helps retarded kids or something.
2 Tbsp Butter
Salt
Pizza or roll dough
Lots of grated cheese
Spices and Herbs

Cook Spaghetti
Mix spaghetti with your favorite sauce and cheese
Freeze golf ball sized balls of noodly mix

Cover frozen noodle balls with dough. Any roll or pizza dough will do. Cover entire ball with dough, making new, double layered ball.

Place on slightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until browned. Freezing the mixture should have prevented most of your balls from rupturing

Brush baked balls with butter. Sprinkle with salt and favorite herbs and spice or grated cheese.

[easy cheesy]

Julia Child's recipe for Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
18 to 24 white onions, small
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)
1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered


Cooking Directions

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.
Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).
Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.
Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.
Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.
Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.
Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.
Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.
When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.
Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.
Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.
Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

[MJZiggy]

Sometimes I won't even use Romas. I'll peel and seed beefsteaks or whatever and in terms of how much.... I'm one of those who cooks by taste, loosely follows recipes and loves tomatoes! Strictly guessing and from my skewed perspective, I would use about 6-8 Romas (depending on size) and about 3 peeled and seeded beefsteaks to sub out for a can. I always buy more than I need and add according to taste knowing that considering my love of tomatoes, no tomato shall go unloved or ignored!

It is too bad you're not here. If I thought they would travel, I'd mail you a bushel.

[easy cheesy]

It is too bad you're not here. If I thought they would travel, I'd mail you a bushel.

It's the thought Miss Zig! I'd send you back some kick ass food.. I RAWK... culinarily speaking of course...

[MJZiggy]

Mei fan is awesome! If I weren't so full, I'd be hungry for more!

[woodbuck27]

This one is simple and the results will make you appear as a gourmet cook to your friends.

Get a cut of Beef Roast like cross rib roast or ... one with some fat for flavour. Maybe you need to go lean so whatever....sirloin may be best for you.

Braise it on all sides and collect any juise. Toss braised beef and juice in your tall toasting pot.

Simply cut to size...any vegetable you like ( cut into stewing sized pieces). ie tomatoes, carrots, turnip, onions, tomatoes, celeryand add your spices...salt and pepper are the common ones. Be as creative as you so desire. NOW the simple secret. Add an amount of Pepsi Cola I don't use COKE as I find the sweetness in Pepsi works for me. Add Pepsi Cola to top all of your vegges that surround and cover the roast. Cook at a slow 325 F oven. Depended on size of your roast: 2.5 - 3 Hours will usually suffice and the length determines the tenderness of your roast and the degree that the sweetness goes into your veggies and you don't want them falling apart. .

Voila!!! Pepsi Pot Roast...and it's a WINNER ! ! Deliscious ! !

Note : You can also use Pepsi as a gravy base for othe cuts of meat...ie Pork cuts. The gravy will have a slight sweet taste that will surprize you if your unfamiliar with this simple Roast Beef preperation.

Happy cooking PackerRats. Bon Appeite. (-:

[woodbuck27]

It is too bad you're not here. If I thought they would travel, I'd mail you a bushel.

Ahh Tomatoe Buns. Lots of them in Montreal. Their often wearing skin tight jeans.

[easy cheesy]

Lobster Bisque

Lobster bisque is an example of utilitarian cooking at its finest. The goal is to take one ingredient and use as many parts of it as possible in a way that allows it to taste most like its essence. This soup should have a hint of nutmeg, a coat of cognac, but most of all should taste like lobster. One of the most important factors in the soup is the texture, which should be velvety and smooth. This texture is obtained by passing the soup through a fine china cap or chinois. The texture of the soup base, combined with the sliced tail and claw meat and the tart creme fraich is a subtle, nuanced beginning to a meal.

Preparation time about one hour

Ingredients:

• 3 1 1/2 pound live female lobsters

• 
  2 carrots,peeled and diced small
  3 stalks celery, diced small
  4 medium shallots, diced small
  2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  3/4 cup vegetable oil
  6 tbsp butter
  4 tbsp flour
  1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
  4 tbsp cognac
  1 cup heavy cream
  1 cup white wine
  2 1/2 quarts fish stock(if fish stock is not available, use half strength chicken stock. If you use canned, be careful when salting, as canned stocks are often salty, although low sodium is available.)
  1 6 oz can tomato paste
  Bouquet Garni with 2 sprigs fresh tarragon added
  pnch of cayenne
  cracked black pepper
  salt .
  
  
• Cut the lobster down the center of the head between the eyes.
  
  
• Leave the tail whole.
  
  
• Separate the tail, the head, and remove the claws.
  
  
• Keep any juices, the tomalley and the roe in a bowl and refrigerate.
  
  
• Heat a 12 inch saute pan on high heat and add the oil.
  
  
• Sear the cut pieces of lobster cut side down, and add the tail and claws whole.
  
  
• Cook until the shells are bright red and the flesh is almost cooked, about 8 minutes.
  
  
• Remove lobster from the pan and set to the side.
  
  
• Add 2 tbsp butter to the pan and saute the shallots, carrot, celery and garlic until lightly browned.
  
  
• Add tomato paste and saute for 2 minutes.
  
  
• Add white wine, cook for 3 minutes, whisking to evenly disperse the tomato. Add fish stock.
  
  
• Add bouquet garni and lobster to the pot and bring to a boil, skimming any froth or fat with a 4 oz ladle.
  
  
• Season with salt, pepper and cayenne, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  
  
• Remove lobster and set aside, remove boquet garni and discard.
  
• Melt remaining 4 tbsp of butter in a small saucepan, add flour and whisk to make the roux.
  
  
• Add reserved lobster juices, tomalley, roe and chopped tarragon, and whisk until smooth.
  
• Add the cognac to the roux, and then 1/3 at a time, add the roux to the bisque, whisking to remove any lumps before each addition.
  
  
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
  
• Strain through a china cap using a ladle or rubber spatula to force as much as possible through.
  
  
• Add cream and season with salt and pepper.
  
• Remove meat from lobster and cut into bite size chunks.
• Serve with lobster meat, a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of fresh tarragon.