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IronGAF Cookoff (hosted by OnkelC)

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Flo

Member
BladeWorker said:
Tastes ok, but looks like...well, you know. Help me fix! Or do all quiches look like this?
What also helps is to put masses of cheese on it, it will form a crustie layer after it has been in the oven so you don't see the inside much. Also tastes great!
 

Jefklak

Member
My dad planted some pumpkin younglings to cover up some unused soil in his backyard. The little monsters breeded and breeded, resulting in a 32kg pumpkin.

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I didn't know what to do with it, so decided to put 'em in some soup with bell pepper, tomato, coconut cream, madras curry and some parsley. Yum, although I added too much curry... (tasted too late)
Sorry for the cellphone pic quality, was too lazy to search for my digicam.

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numble

Member
fireside said:
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I made cashew chicken tonight. It was a little salty, I guess that's what I get for picking the cheaper hoisin sauce.
Recipe? I have some cashews and I have some chicken...
 

fireside

Member
numble said:
Recipe? I have some cashews and I have some chicken...
Whisk together in large ball:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Add 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 pieces. Mix to coat chicken well. Refrigerate 2-12 hours.

2-12 hours later...

Heat up your deep fryer (with oil in it, of course) to 325 degrees. Fry 8 oz of raw cashews until golden brown, about 2 minutes (you can skip the step if your cashews are already roasted. But if they're salted I recommend rinsing them under water to remove the salt and then drying them).

Heat that fryer up again to about 325, add the marinated chicken to it in batches frying until just cooked. Remove chicken from fryer and set onto your preferred post fry draining rig.

Mince some garlic and ginger, zest maybe 1/4 of a normal sized orange, and have a teaspoon or so of red pepper flake handy.

Heat up your wok or saute pan, add some oil and fry the above until they smell nice. Add the chicken and "stir fry" for a bit, add the cashews and stir fry for a bit more, and then add:

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
1/2 hoisin sauce (Kikkoman is my favorite, it has almost half the sodium of every other brand, but it's the most expensive :/)
1/2 teaspoon sugar

(you should have mixed these in a bowl or something already)

Stir for a bit and bring to a boil, make sure it's nice and thick so the sauce sticks to everything nicely (you may have to add more hoisin sauce if necessary.)

Serve with rice. I like jasmine. Garnish with some scallions if you want. Hopefully it won't be too salty for ya.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
wow that cashew chicken looks pretty good!

Anyway for those who consider a job in the cooking world or are already in it like me consider reading Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

It is extremely hilarious even if you aren't in the restaurant business but even more so if you are.

Also its a good precaution to those who have grandeur illusions and fantasies about how to work in the business.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Today I made some fresh hummus. But I put an indian theme on it keeping with the region I'm cooking from this year.

I soaked channa/chickpea for a day then pressure cooked them with some turmeric for forty minutes. Blended it with tahini, fresh lemon juice, a spoonful of ginger-garlic paste, fresh coriander and salt. At the end I added roasted cumin seed as well as a tablespoon of ghee-fried urad dal for texture and a dash of hing. Topped with olive oil as usual. Served it with naan instead of arab bread. Very tasty. First time I've actually made hummus without using a can of chick-peas and the flavor and texture is far, far superior.

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Zyzyxxz

Member
Yes Boss! said:
Today I made some fresh hummus. But I put an indian theme on it keeping with the region I'm cooking from this year.

I soaked channa/chickpea for a day then pressure cooked them with some turmeric for forty minutes. Blended it with tahini, fresh lemon juice, a spoonful of ginger-garlic paste, fresh coriander and salt. At the end I added roasted cumin seed as well as a tablespoon of ghee-fried urad dal for texture and a dash of hing. Topped with olive oil as usual. Served it with naan instead of arab bread. Very tasty. First time I've actually made hummus without using a can of chick-peas and the flavor and texture is far, far superior.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg114/gregbuczek/P1020614.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Oh god I love hummus!!!! Pressure cooking chickpeas? Sounds like a good idea to me. I would definitely try it but the kitchen I work in has no pressure cooker nor a blender since we only do Chinese.

I thought I'd share this since I don't have a chance to take pics of my cooking these days and its the closest thing I have been doing related to food.
[IMG]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/3994202129_cef369d2af_o.jpg
 

Xeke

Banned
Is it weird that I love the taste of raw onion. Like I'll eat slivers of raw onion because I love the taste.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
Xeke said:
Is it weird that I love the taste of raw onion. Like I'll eat slivers of raw onion because I love the taste.

eh I think so. I personally can't stand raw onion unless its been soaked with something.

but everyone has their own distinct taste, its not as weird as eating raw potatoes.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Zyzyxxz said:
Oh god I love hummus!!!! Pressure cooking chickpeas? Sounds like a good idea to me. I would definitely try it but the kitchen I work in has no pressure cooker nor a blender since we only do Chinese.

Yeah, I pressure cook them because beginning with a dry bean results in a much better cooked product. They are a bit labor-intensive because they are as hard as a stone when dry. First, I soak them overnight, so they get tender and double in size, then I cook them for about 40 minutes in the pressure cooker at high. But you then don't have to deal with the mushiness and salt that comes along with them in a can and cost-wise they are about 1/5 the price.

This is what they look like raw...the hardest bean I've ever encountered:

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Zyzyxxz

Member
starting from scratch with very basic ingredients is always the way to go

That's why I prefer to make my own Japanese curry roux which involves a very slow caramelizing of onions for an hour.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Zyzyxxz said:
starting from scratch with very basic ingredients is always the way to go

That's why I prefer to make my own Japanese curry roux which involves a very slow caramelizing of onions for an hour.

I'm actually going to be doing this for a black channa dish tomorrow. Slowly cooking the onions over a half-hour till they darken, every few minutes adding a tablespoon of water. I use the same technique for french onion soup.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
yes its a slow and arduous process but its the best way to bring out the sweetness of the onions without burning the sugars in it.
 

n0b

Member
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First food post in this thread, though I've been following it for a while. :) Just a nice simple burger, but it was one of the best burgers I've had in a long time.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Today I made Kaala Channa Curry.

It is a small amount of ajwain and cardamon seeds quickly sauteed then ample amounts of onions are added and repeatedly browned and deglazed for half an hour (as you would do for classic french onion soup) then the pressure-cooked black chickpeas and sliced green chiles and salt are added along with the reserved bean juice and simmered for twenty minutes till a dry-ish consistency. Fresh tomatoes are served on the side with mint for garnish.

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Ingredients:

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Reduced and heavily-browned onion and spice mixture (ajwain, cardamon and a bit of ginger and garlic):

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Beans, chilis, bean broth and salt added:

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Had some Mutzbraten for lunch today. Its a local dish, only known in eastern thuringia and western saxony.

The Mutz is a piece of pork shoulder the size of a fist that is slowly roasted over birch wood for hours in a mechanical grill that was invented only for this dish. The meat is traditionaly spiced with salt, pepper and oregano.

It gets served with Sauerkraut, sharp mustard and rye bread. This meal is as rustic, delicious and typical german as it gets.

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This is a picture of a Mutzbraten grill. It is attached to an motor that slowly rotates the meat for many hours:

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Forsete

Member
Yay, Hazelnut Cookies!

Very easy, but soo good.
Egg whites, icing sugar and hazelnuts.

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NOM!

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"Oh you crazy ass humans"

:D
 
Provalone cheese works pretty freaking awesome on Gyro pizza as I discovered last night---though it does generate a bit of excess oil.

EVEN BETTER I discovered another very delicious topical addition to the entrie affair beget from spending about an hour slowly wandering the grocery store and taking notes(would've been there easily longer, but mom kept fussing about being cold and this taking too long). It would appear Sargento has quite a nice variety of shredded cheeses to a variety that will dwarf the farmer's market offerings shortly----so I'm looking forward to experimenting merrily along those lines.

What I found that works VERY well are these little crackers that an outfit called Back to Nature puts out that are Poppy/Thyme seasoned. Lacking any proper tools, I crumbled them up rather well using my fingers and a teacup that the sliced pepperoni had vacated a few seconds prior then dusted it all over the finished last pizza of the night---a basic Mozzarella one as that is my standard for new experimenting. It was FANTASTIC! The dusty crumbles quickly fused into the cheese and also helped a bit on the oil front absorption wise. It didn't overpower or muddle the taste of any of the other additions which I posit is a worthy trick considering this one was "fully loaded" with grated Romano, A1 steak sauce, and a pad of the herb butter---just added another happy compatriot to their ranks. DEFINITELY going to become a mainstay with all future ones.

Also, there's a nifty wing place around now that has all you can eat wing every friday and satuday night for 9.99---meaty wings at that. Among those, there is one peculiar one I've not seen elsewhere and wondering if anybody here has ran into them before----Garlic Parmesan wings?
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
Today is my day off from work, finally!

So I decided to walk to the market and buy some steak and potatoes to make bistec et frites (steak and fries).

I have a choice between T-bone and ribeye, which one do I buy if they are the same price? I usually buy ribeyes when I want to eat steak and I have never cooked a T-bone before.
 

Xelinis

Junior Member
Zyzyxxz said:
Today is my day off from work, finally!

So I decided to walk to the market and buy some steak and potatoes to make bistec et frites (steak and fries).

I have a choice between T-bone and ribeye, which one do I buy if they are the same price? I usually buy ribeyes when I want to eat steak and I have never cooked a T-bone before.


Go for the T-Bone, that bit of tenderloin makes it worth it.
 
Man you guys are making such good dishes! I'm jealous b/c I haven't had much time to cook lately (been in SF last week in a hotel, bleh) but this week I'm gonna try and cook more.

Yes Boss!: Are you cooking Indian cuisine all year? Do you ever get tired of the spices? I like Indian food, but I'd imagine I'd want something more bland after a week of it.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
nakedsushi said:
Yes Boss!: Are you cooking Indian cuisine all year? Do you ever get tired of the spices? I like Indian food, but I'd imagine I'd want something more bland after a week of it.

Yeah, all year. Five to six dishes per week. I never tire of the spices. I dunno, I grew up in the Middle East, which is not the same, but kind of a similar approach. India (along with Switzerland) are the two countries I've been to a half-dozen times as a kid. Nice to make some of the food.

The thing I miss is cooking with meat since I'm doing all vegetarian this year as well (for fun). Favorite meat is lamb and I can't wait to make some Indian dishes next year with the meat.
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Made a spice mix called Chat Masala. I'm going to be putting it in a chickpea dish and Samosas. All the whole spices are roasted then ground with all the previously-milled spices. Black salt and mango powder make it pretty unique and robust.

Spices:


P1020633.jpg


Finished masala:

P1020634.jpg
 

Yes Boss!

Member
And here is a dish I made with the above masala, Channa Chat.

It is fresh-cooked chickpeas mixed with fresh onion, fresh tomato, fresh coriander, fresh ginger, fresh lemon juice, three chopped green chilis, and a few cooked and chopped potatoes. There is also a spoonful of jaggery to balance thea heat. A good amount of the Chat Masala spice is mixed in with salt for taste and then chilled/marinated in the fridge so the vegetables can absorb the complex flavor.

P1020635.jpg
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
Yes Boss! said:
Yeah, all year. Five to six dishes per week. I never tire of the spices. I dunno, I grew up in the Middle East, which is not the same, but kind of a similar approach. India (along with Switzerland) are the two countries I've been to a half-dozen times as a kid. Nice to make some of the food.

The thing I miss is cooking with meat since I'm doing all vegetarian this year as well (for fun). Favorite meat is lamb and I can't wait to make some Indian dishes next year with the meat.

wow no lamb? That must suck coming from a Middle Eastern background.

No lamb kofta with rice pilaf?!
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Zyzyxxz said:
wow no lamb? That must suck coming from a Middle Eastern background.

No lamb kofta with rice pilaf?!

Oh, I'm a white dude, born in San Francisco. My parents just moved us first to South Africa for year just after I was born and then to Saudi, where I spent my childhood. We moved back here so us kids could go to high-school.

Lamb truly is the best meat in the world, though. Craving some Ghormeh Sabzi. I'll make some over the holidays.
 

Zaptruder

Banned
Yes Boss! said:
Oh, I'm a white dude, born in San Francisco. My parents just moved us first to South Africa for year just after I was born and then to Saudi, where I spent my childhood. We moved back here so us kids could go to high-school.

Lamb truly is the best meat in the world, though. Craving some Ghormeh Sabzi. I'll make some over the holidays.

The fuck? Everything that you do and post about had most of us fooled that you were some middle eastern/indian region kinda dude.
 

OnkelC

Hail to the Chef
Non-food related, but kinda fun:
I was booth bimbo at our Dependance at this years Anuga Expo

Here's some impressions of our place and a few booth bímbos form other stalls that were cordially invited to shake their asses at our place in exchange for some food and coffee :D

Our humble place:
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(yeah, it was quite large)

The catering crew (awesome job, i had like 4 gallons of fresh made smoothies over the days)
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yours truly at the reception:
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yours truly at the reception with the press lady from the Berlin branch:
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booth bimbo for one of the gazillion energy drinks:
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and the living up to their name"Pussy Girls" for the like-named refreshing drink (none of them wore underwear as I was told later by the PR exec of this promising brand, pics courtesy of my fave local news blog):
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The poor girls were freezing all of the time, so who were we to reject them some hot drinks?

The "Blow"-girls blew in comparison, but were also welcome ;)
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Enjoy. I did.
 

MNC

Member
CTLance said:
OnkelC, you look a bit angry in that reception pic. :lol
The light falls on his hair so oddly... It...

Remind me of how Bruce Willis looks in Surrogates :( SORRY ONKEL
 

OnkelC

Hail to the Chef
MNC said:
The light falls on his hair so oddly... It...

Remind me of how Bruce Willis looks in Surrogates :( SORRY ONKEL
:lol
pic was taken around 7:30AM btw. Might explain the rather "Soup Nazi" expression as I must admit.
Seinfeld_s7e6.jpg
 

Yes Boss!

Member
Whoa, wth at the "pussy" girls. Does that name not have as bad of connotations in europe as it does here in the US?

I'm cooking nothing but Dal dishes for the next two weeks for fun.

First up is Palak Dal. Toor Dal with a ton of fresh spinach, a couple of tomatoes and onions, ton of rough-chopped garlic, fresh curry leaves, the usual base spices, about a half-dozen chopped green chilis and a bit of butter at the end to smooth it all out.

P1020668.jpg
 

OnkelC

Hail to the Chef
Yes Boss! said:
Whoa, wth at the "pussy" girls. Does that name not have as bad of connotations in europe as it does here in the US?
http://www.pussydrinks.com/
that's the intention:lol
Guy who puts the Pussy in a can (insert other witty line of choice here) said:
Pussy is a 100% natural drink. No nasty chemicals and nothing manufactured. It is made for people looking for a natural alternative.

The name Pussy shocks and demands attention - that's the point. Inhibition is a recipe for mediocrity. This is a premium energy drink named with confidence.

Pussy believes in natural energy - because it's better for you.
Great Dal, keep it coming!
Not much cooking the next weeks for me, the move to "ze new flat" needs proper planning and stuff...
 
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