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Boris Galerkin posted:French onion soup, how do I do it? There are tons of recipes and variations but it seems like the idea is to caramelize your onions then add wine and stock. Some recipes show the wine being completely optional. Some call for chicken stock, others call for beef stock, and from my understanding beef stock is more classical and it happens to be what I have on hand. Some recipes say you should simmer off all the wine first before adding the stock, others don't say that. Some use a flour to thicken the onions, and others don't. I tried to make good french onion soup for years until Ruhlman showed me the light: http://ruhlman.com/2011/10/french-onion-soup-recipe/ No stock, only a bit of wine, just a lot of onions and a looooooooooooong cooking time to make them flavorful. I typically let the onions go for at least an hour, frequently longer. And keep in mind when he says 7 or 8 onions, he doesn't mean those little baby apple-sized onions, he means the huge Spanish onions that weigh a pound each. Eight pounds of onions is the right amount of onions. Don't skimp, they're cheap. That recipe is the first ever non-baking recipe that I follow absolutely to a t with no modifications. I'm one of those fuckers who wants to throw in a bunch of spices or make wacky substitutions or use up leftovers or whatever, and this one just . . . . doesn't need them. It's perfect on it's own.
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Jan 12, 2014 19:30
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GrAviTy84 posted:Edit. Remember when you cook with wine that you need to cook out a majority of the alcohol before serving lest it taste like warm wine I was under the impression that most of the alcohol remains behind and it's a complete myth that it "cooks out".
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Jan 12, 2014 19:38
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Scientastic posted:I was under the impression that most of the alcohol remains behind and it's a complete myth that it "cooks out". As long as there's an escape for alcohol vapor most of it will cook away, but it will never ever completely cook away. Anyone with a medical reason to avoid alcohol (liver issues, etc) should avoid foods cooked with alcohol- or so I've been told by medical professionals. Relatedly I've never really had any experience cooking with wine or any sort of alcohol, due to various people around me. Hope to start experimenting with stuff like that onion soup soon, even if it means I'm just cooking for myself. Or start finding nice enough vinegars I can do a substitution with.
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Jan 12, 2014 19:42
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Alcohol cook-off percentage chart: http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol12.htm
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Jan 12, 2014 20:03
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I got a $50 gift card to Williams-Sonoma for Christmas - could I get some suggestions on how to spend it? I'm willing to spend up to another $50 on top of the gift card. My kitchen is pretty well stocked (I cook and bake) but maybe you guys could suggest something cool I haven't thought of. 
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Jan 12, 2014 20:17
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Electron Voltaire posted:I got a $50 gift card to Williams-Sonoma for Christmas - could I get some suggestions on how to spend it? I'm willing to spend up to another $50 on top of the gift card. My kitchen is pretty well stocked (I cook and bake) but maybe you guys could suggest something cool I haven't thought of. If it was me I'd buy a potato ricer because it's not something I want to drop money on myself, but I've wished I had one a few times.
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Jan 12, 2014 20:18
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Steve Yun posted:Alcohol cook-off percentage chart: Oh man I never thought to look up a specific alcohol substitution list, that link is helpful. I should stop forsaking about.com
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Jan 12, 2014 20:41
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The fiance and I are getting hitched and we're trying to build our registry. One of the things we thought would be extremely useful around the kitchen was a mandolin. We're both freaks about "made in america" products so we're trying to locate a quality one to put on our registry. I poked around Amazon and found mostly non-USA or flimsy plastic ones(or from my previous mandolin experience, plastic seems lovely). Does anyone have any suggestions. Amazon allows for outside linking for their registry so even a 3rd party site should be fine. No looking for $300 ones..if they exist. Under $100 I'd imagine? Edit: Looking to use it on potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes mainly. Duxwig fucked around with this message at 00:59 on Jan 13, 2014 |
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Jan 13, 2014 00:49
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Thanks for all the response re: french onion soup. I think I'm gonna give that no broth version a try next weekend. I don't have a pressure cooker yet but that's the next big thing I'm going to buy.
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Jan 13, 2014 01:55
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The longer you cook those onions for, the better. French onion soup rules. I usually do half beef half chicken personally. The best trick I learned from a friend was to use marsala.
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Jan 13, 2014 02:52
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Duxwig posted:The fiance and I are getting hitched and we're trying to build our registry. One of the things we thought would be extremely useful around the kitchen was a mandolin. We're both freaks about "made in america" products so we're trying to locate a quality one to put on our registry. I poked around Amazon and found mostly non-USA or flimsy plastic ones(or from my previous mandolin experience, plastic seems lovely). The best mandoline is plastic and made in Japan. http://www.amazon.com/Benriner-BN3-Wide-Body-Large-Slicer/dp/B00032RZNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389580644&sr=8-1&keywords=super+benriner
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Jan 13, 2014 03:37
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Chemmy posted:The best mandoline is plastic and made in Japan. "What's wrong Doc?" "Look here, it says 'Made in Japan'."  "What're you talking about Doc; all the best stuff comes from Japan."  Is ~$50 typical for a not-stainless steel, restaurant-issue mandolin? 'Cause I wouldn't mind one myself... I want to try pickling ginger at some point. Also, using pot barley instead of grits for Alton's Barley and Lamb Stew shouldn't be a big deal, right? Mister Facetious fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Jan 13, 2014 |
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Jan 13, 2014 04:23
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For ginger you can use the smaller one.
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Jan 13, 2014 05:09
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Do any Chicago based GWS'rs know of any good kitchen/restaurant supply stores? I'm looking to upgrade and add to my kitchen compliment of equipment. I'm looking for some solid utilitarian grade equipment, no Bed Bath & Beyond stuff that is all about paying more for who's face is on the box. I need a store that has whole aisles of sauciers and sheet pans and crockery. Something like that. Thanks,
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Jan 13, 2014 07:28
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holttho posted:Do any Chicago based GWS'rs know of any good kitchen/restaurant supply stores? I'm looking to upgrade and add to my kitchen compliment of equipment. I'm looking for some solid utilitarian grade equipment, no Bed Bath & Beyond stuff that is all about paying more for who's face is on the box. I need a store that has whole aisles of sauciers and sheet pans and crockery. Something like that. Check out Northwestern Cutlery: http://www.nwcutlery.com/ It's on Late and Halsted, just off of the green/pink line and just outside the loop. I went there once last fall to get a knife sharpened, and they seem to specialize in knives, but they have a bunch of other general kitcheny things too. I think they also have parking.
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Jan 13, 2014 14:57
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What do you guys like to do with daikon other than pickle it?
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Jan 13, 2014 19:08
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Just made some fried mac and cheese, and while it was awesome, by the time I got to the last piece it had a really gross vegetable oil taste. I'm assuming it got that way from sitting in the oil on the plate that leaked out of the other pieces. Is there any way I can change my frying to prevent this, or do I just need to switch oils?
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Jan 13, 2014 19:23
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door Door door posted:Just made some fried mac and cheese, and while it was awesome, by the time I got to the last piece it had a really gross vegetable oil taste. I'm assuming it got that way from sitting in the oil on the plate that leaked out of the other pieces. Is there any way I can change my frying to prevent this, or do I just need to switch oils? How do you drain them, that's the most important thing, do you put them on a rack to drip?
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Jan 13, 2014 19:30
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Yeah, after coming out of the fryer place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil on the surface or even better, on a rack placed upside down over paper towels (to get dripping and wicking action). Another thing to consider is if it is too oily even then, you are frying at too low a temperature and oil is getting absorbed. You may be starting at an appropriate temp but then either added too much at once or started on a new batch too soon so that the oil didn't recover from the temperature drop once food is added.
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Jan 13, 2014 19:36
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I just had them on a rack. Never thought of using both a paper towel and a rack but that's a pretty good idea. The oil was right around 300 for most of the time, but I guess that might be a bit low. Most of my experience with frying is from chicken which I do at 325.
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Jan 13, 2014 19:44
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Yeah, definitely low; chicken is a particular bitch because it needs to cook all the way through, has bones, etc etc. Something like fried mac and cheese, you should definitely do 350ish.
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Jan 13, 2014 19:51
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mich posted:Yeah, after coming out of the fryer place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil on the surface or even better, on a rack placed upside down over paper towels (to get dripping and wicking action). Hey, check this out. Apparently the greasiness you associate with badly fried foods is a combination of the oil absorbed, PLUS the water left over from not frying at a hot enough temperature to displace it! The hotter you fry, the more oil the food absorbs. Just thought I'd toss that out there since it blew my mind when I read about that myth getting busted.
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Jan 13, 2014 19:55
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Also if your oil is slightly rancid then any excess would be way too much.
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Jan 13, 2014 20:33
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What can I do with this half bag of marjoram I've got?
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Jan 13, 2014 22:38
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Got a couple garlic heads, a yellow onion and 2lb of top roast to make some chili with (along with the tomatoes, beans and seasoning). Couple quick questions- - How much garlic do I want to use? Now that I think on it I probably don't want all of both heads--maybe just two cloves even? - Do I want to cook the onions/garlic in any way before throwing it all in the slow cooker for a few hours? Maybe while browning the meat in the skillet or something? Honestly never used them raw in cooking before v  v
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Jan 13, 2014 23:26
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Ciaphas posted:Got a couple garlic heads, a yellow onion and 2lb of top roast to make some chili with (along with the tomatoes, beans and seasoning). Couple quick questions- depends on what you want out of the garlic. You can put it in whole and they will cook up milder and sweeter or you can mince them or pound them into a puree which will be more intense and aggressive. I would sear off the beef in batches, transferring the seared meat into the crock pot, then sweat the onion in the beef fat. Then deglaze this searing pan with some whiskey. Rye or bourbon are great in chili. Beer works well, too, don't use anything really bitter though. Tequila also works. If you are sensitive to alcohol, just some beef stock or even water works fine. I would mince half a heads worth of garlic and add it directly to the cooker. Dry toast the spices before grinding them and add them directly to the cooker.
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Jan 13, 2014 23:41
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I'm a fan of mixing up garlic flavors. I would saute some with the onion, slice some and add it to the slow cooker, and roast some and add it to the slow cooker. For a 2lb chili, I'd use at least one head of garlic, maybe both...but I am a garlic monster.
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Jan 13, 2014 23:57
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Thanks folks, chili on the way with one head of garlic (and sans onion... first time using a food processor for the chopping task and it turned into kind of a puree because I'm an idiot. Oh well  )
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Jan 14, 2014 01:08
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Ciaphas posted:(and sans onion... first time using a food processor for the chopping task and it turned into kind of a puree because I'm an idiot. Oh well I'd add the puree anyway...
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Jan 14, 2014 01:11
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I've just started graduate school and am living on my own for the first time. I have a slow cooker; do you guys have any suggestions for good slow cooker meals that have my daily requirements of vegetables, protein, and carbs all together? I'm trying to start simple.
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Jan 14, 2014 01:26
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Do you have a kitchen, or do you ONLY have a slow cooker? If you've got a kitchen with a fridge and a stove, a slow cooker stew would last you 3-5 days depending on the size of your appetite and slow cooker. You can also do a number of beans & rice dishes and then have a simple salad with them for vegetable intake. I do not have recipes but you should be able to find what you're looking for on sites like allrecipes. Here is a blog specializing in slow cooker recipes as well. Also it's important to note that most meats will taste way, way better if you sear them on a stovetop before slow cooking them.
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Jan 14, 2014 01:49
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What phthalocyanine said. My personal recommendation is making red beans and rice in one. You can add more or less meat depending on what you want and you can make rice in a stovetop or the microwave if you really need to. It's cheap as gently caress, tasty and filling. For me it's the #1 go to when budget is a concern.
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Jan 14, 2014 02:45
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Chemmy posted:The best mandoline is plastic and made in Japan. Thank you for the suggestion. Do you happen to know of any higher quality USA ones? We are aiming for an American made wedding due to our types of employment being directly related to American jobs, and having the fun of making an all American product registry.
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Jan 14, 2014 02:58
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Turkeybone posted:Yeah, definitely low; chicken is a particular bitch because it needs to cook all the way through, has bones, etc etc. Something like fried mac and cheese, you should definitely do 350ish. Gotcha. Kept it around 300 hundred because it was in a skillet and didn't want it to splatter too much. Guess I'll use a stockpot next time so I can crank the heat. Thanks.
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Jan 14, 2014 03:43
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Duxwig posted:Thank you for the suggestion. You're weird. I have an OXO mandoline that I got for about 40 bucks, it cleans easy and came with a couple blades. The store also had a more expensive one from the same brand, think that was ~80.
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Jan 14, 2014 03:45
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OXO products are manufactured in China. Duxwig is going to have a hard time finding much kitchenware that meets his economically anachronistic needs.
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Jan 14, 2014 04:09
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The closest I can find so far is the Microplane Slicer with blades made in the USA but is assembled in Mexico: http://us.microplane.com/microplaneadjustableslicer.aspx
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Jan 14, 2014 04:36
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I'm not going to make fun of someone for wanting to support their fellow Americans. I make people buy my American product by dominating my competition, but Oxo or whoever is free to do what they want.
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Jan 14, 2014 04:36
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Kenning posted:OXO products are manufactured in China. Duxwig is going to have a hard time finding much kitchenware that meets his economically anachronistic needs. My bad I guess, I just glanced at their wikipedia page and it said New York Chard fucked around with this message at 06:57 on Jan 14, 2014 |
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Jan 14, 2014 05:05
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I recently bought a himalayan salt block, mostly out of curiosity, and I'm looking for some tips on cooking indoors with it. I don't have access to a grill, and I've got an electric range, so I'm limited to heating the thing in my oven. The first time I used it, I heated it up very slowly, starting at ~200 degrees and increasing gradually to 400 over a couple hours. Cooked up some thinly sliced ribeye really nicely, but it got cold quickly. The second time, I kept it in the oven for nearly 2 hours at 400 degrees, and then 30 minutes at 450 degrees, and it still didn't seem to stay very hot! I had figured it cooled quickly the first time due to the fact that I put it in a cookie sheet, and that on my granite countertop, which I figured was acting as a heat sink. The second time, I put it on the cookie sheet, and then put that on a small wooden cutting board. It still wasn't very hot, in my opinion. I was barely able to cook on it for 10 minutes before it wasn't appreciably hot (no sizzling of any sort when I dropped some squash on it). Salt block heroes: how do you heat your blocks indoors, and keep them hot? What should I try cooking? So far I seem to really love squash, and the ribeye wasn't bad.
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Jan 14, 2014 08:33
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