Foods you don't do often

[Claire]

I didn't know where to put this (often a question for me), but how many of you have dishes that you only make for an "occasion" but love to cook and eat. The fact is that I could make it up, then call all my friends and neighbors and invite them to eat. Even when I do make these dishes I wind up with leftovers and my freezer is only so big. I have a couple of shut-in friends who I can take some leftovers to. But all-in-all, I just don't cook them often.

My cousin Joanne's green chile stew. I used to throw two parties a year, one at the holidays (still do it), one in summer (after my husband nearly died from a hornet attack, and most of my friends are older and cannot stand not having air conditioning, I just quit doing summer parties). In the winter I'd make Cincinnati chili, for the summer I'd make green. I don't think I've made green for a few years now.

braised lamb shanks. My husband, who generally loves my cooking, doesn't care for these. I can remember the last time I made them and it was well over a decade ago.

Lasagna. Mostly because it is not my favorite dish. Oh, I like it OK, but you have to make it for at least 8 people. I guess as soon as fall hits, I'll make it and invite a few people over.

Cassoulet. Actually, I made it once, then husband took over making it. But, again, it is a big meal, and he always wants me to roast a duck or something. My over 100 year old kitchen has no exhaust fan. SO I'm thinking of putting a duck on the grill in the next couple of months, then making stock and freezing, etc, so he can make cassoulet this winter.

Anyway, what dishes do you like, that your family and friends like, but you don't do very often?

 

[Wyogal]

Roast turkey

 

[Uncle Bob]

Cornbread dressing...Cooked at Thanksgiving and Christmas...Rarely if ever cooked at any other time....Left overs are never a problem!!

 

[sarah]

meat balls.Meat ball curry...anything with meat balls.For some reason i am never that enthusiastic about making them.i do know how to make them,and have made them a few times.But usually i get them ready made.

 

[MSC]

The dishes I like a lot and don't do often, I classify as 'elaborate', meaning a lot of time needed to prep, or for cooking, or both.
There are a few dishes that fall into that category for me that you have to gear up for, mentally and physically and if you have the time and LOL, "fortitude", the results are worth it.
For me, this would include cassoulet that takes me 3 days to do, and its Brazilian cousin, feijoada.
The Italian dish "timpano" that was featured in the film the "Big Night", takes ages to do but is worth it.
I've done both a corned beef and sauerbraten meal that takes days to complete as they both needed extensive marinating and/or brining.
The way I do French onion soup takes 5 or 6 hours including the prep, so don't do it often, but fortunately it freezes very well, so make enough to last for several future meals.

 

[qmax]

The dishes I like a lot and don't do often, I classify as 'elaborate', meaning a lot of time needed to prep, or for cooking, or both.
There are a few dishes that fall into that category for me that you have to gear up for, mentally and physically and if you have the time and LOL, "fortitude", the results are worth it.
For me, this would include cassoulet that takes me 3 days to do, and its Brazilian cousin, feijoada.
The Italian dish "timpano" that was featured in the film the "Big Night", takes ages to do but is worth it.
I've done both a corned beef and sauerbraten meal that takes days to complete as they both needed extensive marinating and/or brining.
The way I do French onion soup takes 5 or 6 hours including the prep, so don't do it often, but fortunately it freezes very well, so make enough to last for several future meals.

Cassoulet would be it for me too. Although it is one of my favorite meals, I only do it a couple of times a year.

If staged right, even though it is over several days (including making the duck confit), no particular day is too taunting.

 

[Chef Munky]

Tamales

As much as I love them, it's something that I will only make maybe twice a year. On those occasions I go all out. If it takes me 2 days of cooking and prep work. It takes 2 days. It's always appreciated long after they are made.

Munky.

 

[Claire]

I guess I should say that my husband makes french onion soup and cassoulet .... AFTER I roast meat and make stock. Right now I have a few quarts of beef stock and chicken stock in a very small freezer. Fall will come soon, and my husband will make use of them. What I'm getting at is that he spends a few hours making the dish after I've spent sometimes days doing the prep work.

 

[justplainbill]

Christmas goose, panettone, hutzelbrot, stollen, nut rolls, lekvar rolls, fried oysters (pain to open). We only cook corned beef when we can get it at a good price and have cut back on consumption of finned fish because the availability of truly fresh product is problematic.

 

[GrillingFool]

For assorted reasons:
Ribs and kraut.,... wife doesn't like sighhhh
Chicken Adobo (Philippines style) ... meal I made night my Dad died
Steak Rollups.... dunno why
Lasagna (too much for 2 people)
Homemade egg rolls...lotta work

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Tamales, egg rolls, chili cheesecake, etouffee'. All time consuming, well the cheesecake really isn't but I just lost five pounds....not looking to put it back. Lasagna, for the reasons stated above, too much for 2 people. I love to cook all of these, but only when I have the time to do it and time has been rare about here lately...and the diabetic diet for DH...Speaking of which, I bought a deep fryer the week before his diagnosis, still haven't used it.

 

[ChefJune]

Cornbread dressing...Cooked at Thanksgiving and Christmas...Rarely if ever cooked at any other time....Left overs are never a problem!!

You could make Baked Chicken and Dressing, Uncle Bob. that's the only other time I make Mama's Cornbread Dressing. One of my most favorite dishes in the world.

My favorite Lasagna is the Greek version, Pastitsio. Like Lasagna, you need to be feeding an army, and imho, the weather needs to be at least cool.

This past Spring, I finally made Bourride again (after maybe 10 years). It's the "other" Provencal Fish Stew (to Bouillabaisse) and although you don't NEED a crowd, it's not something you'd just cook for two.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Whole Roast Turkey - which I only make for Thanksgiving; Whole Roast Goose - which I only make for Xmas; Cassoulet - which I only make for New Year's Day (using the leftover Xmas roast goose); Whole Smoked Turkey - which I only make for Easter (when I can get a good one).

 

[Andy M.]

Other than the obvious holiday dishes, I don't make beef stroganoff often as SO does not care for it. Fettuccine Alfredo for the same reason. Jambalaya maybe once a year. Boeuf Bourguignon because SO likes my pot roast better.

There are others that don't come to mind at the moment (probably because I don't make then very often).

 

[LPBeier]

I hadn't cooked fish for over a year because my Dad moved in and he is horribly allergic to even the smell. We did grill a salmon the other day but ironically that is the first time since he went to the hospital (going on 2 months now). And both DH and I love fish and seafood.

I don't make the fancy pasta dishes often (lasagna, pastitsio, etc) because on top of the normal amount of work, I have to make two separate ones because DH is gluten and lactose intolerant. Actually there are a lot of things I don't make because of this.

 

[MSC]

The turkey reference reminded me of something else we don't do often, a whole smoked turkey on the Big Green Egg, usually about once a year.
FYI, re lasagna, you could make as much as you like because it freezes beautifully.

 

[kadesma]

As a boy my dh would expect homemade ravioli and gravy for his birthday as did his brothers, plus stuffed onions, torta, and assorted goodies that his mom made. Now it's fallen to me and let me tell you it's a lot of work. At least now my girls help but still you find yourself doing a week or more worth of work but the smiles are well worth it.
kades

 

[ChefJune]

I have not made ravioli in decades. and that is just the reason. so much work. But lately I've been doing some of those things, and I've been thinking of stuffing ravioli with rabe, so maybe I will do that soon.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Although certainly not "authentic", I find myself making homemade "ravioli" with all sorts of different fillings much more often by utilizing wonton skins from the supermarket. They come out very light & are particularly refreshing for summer meals. Again - not authentic Italian pasta, but still delicious, fun, & easy.

 

[Andy M.]

Although certainly not "authentic", I find myself making homemade "ravioli" with all sorts of different fillings much more often by utilizing wonton skins from the supermarket. They come out very light & are particularly refreshing for summer meals. Again - not authentic Italian pasta, but still delicious, fun, & easy.

I do this as well. I can custom make ravioli with all kinds of fillings from all different kinds of cuisines and enjoy them without the chore of making ravioli dough.

As BC said, wonton skins make a light and delicate ravioli that can go with all kinds of sauces.