Friday night, April 7, 2023, what's for dinner?
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Marlingardener
Sous Chef
Herbed pork loin roast, roasted potatoes, green beans, apple sauce, and homemade light bread. We have been without power off and on for three days, and this was the first day I could cut loose and cook!
Positive disaster. My Pasta Alla Gricia is going to hit the bin. Wasted my money on the guanciale. Should have made it with a cheaper bacon (pancetta) and then moved on to the more expensive stuff. Oh well, lesson learned... maybe, probably not.
First and worst - I overcooked the bacon. I thought it was just right when I took it out of the pan but it was way too crunchy when added back in. So take it out before you think it is done.
I couldn't seem to get the emulsifying to happen. Have emulsified lots of dressings before, no problem. Maybe doing it over heat was putting me off.
Anyhow - ate my plate... but am not keeping the rest.
Life's too short to eat kakaa food. I think it looks good but you can tell that the cheese has not really blended in like it should have.
First and worst - I overcooked the bacon. I thought it was just right when I took it out of the pan but it was way too crunchy when added back in. So take it out before you think it is done.
I couldn't seem to get the emulsifying to happen. Have emulsified lots of dressings before, no problem. Maybe doing it over heat was putting me off.
Anyhow - ate my plate... but am not keeping the rest.
Life's too short to eat kakaa food. I think it looks good but you can tell that the cheese has not really blended in like it should have.
Did you use some pasta water? That always helps because of the starch.
Yes, used the pasta water as those were the instructions. Measured the fat, measured the water, swirled away - even got out a whisk when I realized it wasn't "emulsifying".
I might try again, but not too soon LOL!
I might try again, but not too soon LOL!
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Searching through the freezer last week when I came across a 2-pound chunk of pork shoulder with the bone. I decided to make a meat sauce with it. Some onion and garlic, mushrooms and the meat, tomatoes, paste, wine, herbs and spices and viola! I put it in the oven and let it go for 3-4 hours. I thought it was pretty good. I ended up with eight meals worth for SO and me.
The true test was to be SO's tasting of it. If she liked it, I'm a hero. If not, what do I do with seven more meals-worth.
Well, she loved it! Better than others.
Now I'll have to go figure out the ingredients and recipe so I can make it again.
The true test was to be SO's tasting of it. If she liked it, I'm a hero. If not, what do I do with seven more meals-worth.
Well, she loved it! Better than others.
Now I'll have to go figure out the ingredients and recipe so I can make it again.
Well Andy, you have 8 meals before you need the recipe!
Aunt Bea
Master Chef
Pan fried cod with a handful of crisp shoestring potatoes.
Wednesday I pan fried a piece of cod and it came out perfectly, last night it was an ugly mess but tasted fine.
I’m glad that my first attempt was perfect so at least I know it’s possible. I need to figure out what went wrong. I suspect that my pan wasn’t hot enough when I put the fish in to cook.
Wednesday I pan fried a piece of cod and it came out perfectly, last night it was an ugly mess but tasted fine.
I’m glad that my first attempt was perfect so at least I know it’s possible. I need to figure out what went wrong. I suspect that my pan wasn’t hot enough when I put the fish in to cook.
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
I made a curry out of cooked, diced cucumbers, a green pepper, and a large onion, all cooked in the Instant Pot on sauté until it just begins to brown on the edges, then added a spoonful of gochujang and about 3 tb malvani masala (the last of my jar), and cooked it briefly. Then I added 5 c water, and 2/3 c each of red chori beans and mung beans, washed. I salted with some thin soy sauce, stirred in 3/4 tsp turmeric, then set to manual, to pressure cook 22 minutes, and release naturally. While that was cooking, I grated the last cucumber, and made a small amount of raita - the first thing I've made with my mint this year.
When I opened this, I added about 1/3 c black quinoa, stirred in 1 tsp garam masala, and set it to pressure cook 1 minute, then release 5 minutes, then release the pressure, which is enough for the quinoa. When that was done, I prepared a tarka, using some mustard seed, cumin seed, urad dal, 6 whole chiles, some asafoetida, and some curry leaves. I stirred that tempering into the curry, simmered a few minutes, then served, with the raita on the side.
A curry made with malvani masala, Red chori and green mung beans, black quinoa, plus cucumber, green pepper, and onions. And cucumber raita. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
When I opened this, I added about 1/3 c black quinoa, stirred in 1 tsp garam masala, and set it to pressure cook 1 minute, then release 5 minutes, then release the pressure, which is enough for the quinoa. When that was done, I prepared a tarka, using some mustard seed, cumin seed, urad dal, 6 whole chiles, some asafoetida, and some curry leaves. I stirred that tempering into the curry, simmered a few minutes, then served, with the raita on the side.
A curry made with malvani masala, Red chori and green mung beans, black quinoa, plus cucumber, green pepper, and onions. And cucumber raita. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
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Cooking Goddess
Chef Extraordinaire
I made a small pot of cauliflower cheese soup. We had that along with ciabatta roll garlic toast. A bit of Tillamook butter pecan ice cream for dessert.
That sounds really good. I want to make that for supper soon. How do you add the prosciutto? Do you chop it up? Do you fry it first? Something else?
It might work better if you cook the pasta in just barely enough water. That way, the concentration of starch is higher.
Friday, we were still in power failure mode. DH cooked some burgers on the Thunder Range (butane fuelled, single burner). He fried some whole wheat English muffins in the same pan and we had that with lettuce, sliced onion, and sliced pickles. That was pretty darned good or a power failure meal.
I buy thin slices from deli like you would wrap melon or asparagus or serve just to eat, then slice in ribbons and add to the pasta dish at the very end just to warm.
I detest cooked prosciutto and don't understand why anybody would buy Prosciutto di Parma at close to $30 a pound and then ruin it by subjecting it to actual cooking heat. I've seen it happen in restaurants
I chopped up some sweet onion and minced 1 clove of garlic, sweated the onion in some EVOO, added the garlic for a minute, then added the still slightly frozen porcini, cooked them for a couple minutes, added about 1/2 cup of pinot gris, let it mostly evaporate, then added heavy cream, probably around a cup, heated until big bubbles formed and reduced a bit, added finely grated ParmR, stirred that until melted, added the pasta with slotted spoon from pot, so drained but not totally, stirred to coat, then added prosciutto, stirred in, removed from heat. Served with more finely grated ParmR.
Don't know if you were planning on using fresh frozen porcini or using dried and reconstituted (I'd also use the liquid in that case, though it will darken dish some), but fresh frozen porcini is easier to chop while still partially frozen, plus the finished texture is a bit better than if you allow to totally defrost before cooking.
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I did, just as the instructions directed. Water was very starchy.
Is it worth using porcini 'shrooms, as opposed to portobellos or white/brown mushrooms? The fresh frozen porcinis, do you buy them frozen or freeze them yourself?
Yeah, I was vert skeptical of actually cooking prosciutto. I agree, why buy prosciutto, if you are going to cook it? But, I have seen it in so many recipes that I was sort of willing to give it a try.
Thank you for the detailed instructions.
I buy them fresh frozen. It's very hard to get fresh in U.S. anymore.
I like the taste of porcini. It's richer and more umami than other mushrooms. I'd use either dried/reconstituted porcini first, brown mushrooms second.
I like the taste of porcini. It's richer and more umami than other mushrooms. I'd use either dried/reconstituted porcini first, brown mushrooms second.
I wasn't seeing any fresh porcini that I can order for delivery here in Greater Montreal. I guess I'll look for frozen, but I checked Amazon and the dried ones were quite pricey compared with other types of dried mushrooms. DH isn't really a mushroom fan, so it would be mostly for me. I will probably just make it with some other type of mushroom that is more easily available. Do you think fresh shitaki would work? Those have a lot of umami.
taxy, good question. I think the shiitake's would work well. Either fresh or dried. If you can get over to the our Asian market the bags of dried are super cheap and are so handy to have on hand. They reconstitute very well. I'm all out and need to get more - still have not gone exploring for one here. (Shame on me 
)
)Porcini mushrooms, fresh, frozen or dried are always going go be more expensive than other mushrooms, a lot more. They really can't be cultivated, it's very hard to get them to grow. They are foraged mostly.
I couldn't tell you, wouldn't even venture a guess about using shiitakes. They have a totally different taste than porcini.
I'd use dried porcini or brown/crimini/portobello (they are all same mushroom) before I'd use shiitakes.
I would think your grocery would have small packages of dried porcini, all of ours do.
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