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Xun posted:So here's a dumb question, why does fudge stay good without refrigeration? My girlfriend and I recently made some and it was mostly just cream + sugar + chocolate. Does heating cream prevent it from going bad or something? Please forgive my dumbness Sugar is a preservative, at least it is when you have enough of it. I'm sure someone else here could explain it more accurately, but afaik having a lot of sugar extracts the moisture from everything it touches, and since bacteria need moisture to live, this creates a hostile environment they can't live in.
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Jan 16, 2017 22:49
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Gerblyn posted:Sugar is a preservative, at least it is when you have enough of it. I'm sure someone else here could explain it more accurately, but afaik having a lot of sugar extracts the moisture from everything it touches, and since bacteria need moisture to live, this creates a hostile environment they can't live in. Both sugar and salt preserve via osmosis, the concentration of salt and sugar inside most bacteria is much lower than the concentration in a sugar rich environment like jam or preserves, the osmotic effect causes the cell walls of the bacteria to break down in those sorts of environments, killing them.
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Jan 16, 2017 23:07
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That makes sense, thanks!
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Jan 16, 2017 23:18
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Thursday Next posted:I'd rather use them as they are, since freezing and re-thawing them won't help their flavor or texture. The simplest answer is to make a healthy dip to your taste to dunk the prawns in, open a bottle of champagne and enjoy your afternoon! Otherwise maybe a Vietnamese herb salad? Mint, coriander (cilantro), cucumber, carrot, red onion, shredded Chinese (napa) cabbage and the prawns dressed in some Nuoc cham? Helith fucked around with this message at 23:38 on Jan 16, 2017 |
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Jan 16, 2017 23:31
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Has anyone tried eating grapes that are meant for winemaking? I presume they're not particularly nice, but in what way?
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Jan 17, 2017 00:02
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Thanks! I did a bit of each - I made a Vietnamese lime / salt / pepper dip, and just sort of enjoyed them as-is. I have a bit left, and I'll be making a salad out of the remains with some leftover lettuce and mint.
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Jan 17, 2017 01:36
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I was watching some cooking show where two different places did braised pork. One braised at 450 and the other at 350. Will it make that much of a difference other than the rate at which the braising liquid evaporates? Or some that even matter if you keep it tightly covered with foil?
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Jan 17, 2017 02:09
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What did I do wrong? This is how my bread crumb mixture is described in the book, The Food Lab.  This is how it looks on the 13x9. I couldn't like, spread it, and it wasn't crumbly at all. I was told to "sprinkle" it. I don't know whether this is the intended consistency and I don't know what it means to "sprinkle" it, whether there's something left unsaid, or whether I didn't pulse it enough, or what.  Update: This is after 25 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Bread thing not golden brown at all. Could it be because I used potato bread? 
Stinky_Pete fucked around with this message at 18:20 on Jan 17, 2017 |
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Jan 17, 2017 02:58
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Yeah potato bread was probably not a good call, it'll stick together rather than crumble.
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Jan 17, 2017 03:31
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Gerblyn posted:Sugar is a preservative, at least it is when you have enough of it. I'm sure someone else here could explain it more accurately, but afaik having a lot of sugar extracts the moisture from everything it touches, and since bacteria need moisture to live, this creates a hostile environment they can't live in. AVeryLargeRadish posted:Both sugar and salt preserve via osmosis, the concentration of salt and sugar inside most bacteria is much lower than the concentration in a sugar rich environment like jam or preserves, the osmotic effect causes the cell walls of the bacteria to break down in those sorts of environments, killing them. That's really cool! Thanks
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Jan 17, 2017 03:33
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Stinky_Pete posted:What did I do wrong? I wouldn't expect potato vs wheat bread to make that big a difference in browning. Maybe check that your oven as actually running at the correct temp? gently caress it though, if it's warm and the veggies are tender it's good to go. You could always just throw it under the broiler for a bit to brown it up at the end.
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Jan 17, 2017 03:50
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I will never live in a house without a broiler. poo poo is magic.
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Jan 17, 2017 03:52
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Ron Jeremy posted:I was watching some cooking show where two different places did braised pork. One braised at 450 and the other at 350. Will it make that much of a difference other than the rate at which the braising liquid evaporates? Or some that even matter if you keep it tightly covered with foil? It would make a difference to cooking time, I would think. Beyond that, though, that's a good question! I'm also curious about this - I love me some braised meat, 's good stuff.
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Jan 17, 2017 03:55
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Ranter posted:I will never live in a house without a broiler. poo poo is magic. A yard or driveway is sufficient 
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Jan 17, 2017 04:25
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This leaves a chemical taste similar to torching your sous vide steakums.
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Jan 17, 2017 06:35
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Anyone tried cooking eggplant on a cast iron griddle for Baba ghanoush/mutable? I'm trying to get a smokier flavour than roasting it in the oven or under a gas grill. Broiler for those in the US. It never seems to cook through under my grill so last time I sliced the eggplant into discs and griddled it with a little salt and some rapeseed oil brushed on the ridges of the pan. It had a smoky flavour and went soft much quicker but tasted different compared to the local Lebanese place who grill theirs over charcoal and add pomegranate syrup. Also tried just splitting it down the middle the time before that but that took a lot longer to cook and ended up bitter. I'm tempted to leave this next one whole until the skin goes all wrinkled then finish it off in the oven while roasting garlic, onions and peppers to mix into the dip but I'm also lazy and could just do the disc method again and fry the garlic and veggies instead, using the olive oil that would normally go into the dip. What would everyone advise? Also what's the simplest way to make pomegranate syrup from whole pomegranates? Can I just use a lemon juicer and sieve out the seeds? Couldn't find pomegranate juice without a fuckload of sweeteners and the syrup is like four times more expensive than vanilla extract for a similar sized bottle.
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Jan 17, 2017 08:00
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Thumbing through the Food Lab book I got for Christmas and the roasted sweet potatoes sound nice. I've been on a chicken wings kick recently (when eating out, never made them at home) and I think the Serious Eats technique for crispy baked wings sounds healthyish and worth trying. Considering the sweet potato pairing, I think it'd be nice to do something Mexican chili pepper driven (chipotle? arbol?) for the wing sauce. However, I have absolutely no experience with that sort of cooking. Can anyone provide some pointers for putting together a nice spicy wing sauce that'll work well with roasted sweet potatoes and probably a little green salad?
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Jan 17, 2017 08:00
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Verizian posted:Anyone tried cooking eggplant on a cast iron griddle for Baba ghanoush/mutable? I'm trying to get a smokier flavour than roasting it in the oven or under a gas grill. Broiler for those in the US.
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Jan 17, 2017 08:12
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I kinda want it to go mushy though. This is for a smooth version of the dip. And smoke is more about the smell of the food, a warm, rich and slightly sharp scent adds to the flavour and triggers memories of late summer or early autumn barbecues. I tried adding a touch of sweet smoke paprika once to cheat but the dip tasted bitter and muddy. Like there were too many flavours clashing instead of subtle differences with each bite. Mouth feel should be cool, smooth, and creamy with just a hint of sweetness and sour lemon tingle. Traditional recipes call for a lot more heat and time than you'd expect. 30 to 45 minutes at gas mark 8 or 9 in an oven or over an open flame until the skin is charred and the flesh is squishy like over ripe fruit. Can get similar on the cast iron in like 25 minutes though the flesh that touches the ridges dries out and toughens. Helps with losing a lot of the bitter liquid but does change the taste a bit. Verizian fucked around with this message at 08:33 on Jan 17, 2017 |
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Jan 17, 2017 08:29
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Verizian posted:I kinda want it to go mushy though. This is for a smooth version of the dip. And there's not really a trick to doing them this way. Or at least not that I know of---it's just keeping track of them so you're pulling when they're soft enough for your desired texture. If you're having trouble getting it right without them getting bitter it's possible it's your technique, but it could also be your eggplants. They're a pretty finicky plant, and unless you're getting them out of your own garden they can be past prime before you even get them home. Different cultivars also behave differently when cooked as well. For roasting I think you get better results out of longer, thinner eggplants (like Japanese eggplants) than the traditional fat ones that are most common at grocer's.
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Jan 17, 2017 09:00
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SubG posted:If so, after chopping/slicing/whatever the eggplant, throw it in a bowl with enough 5% (or thereabouts) brine to cover, and then put a plate or something on top to keep the eggplant submerged. I normally apply dry salt to eggplant slices, then rinse it off after 15 minutes or so, since I read that it removes some of the bitter flavors from it. Is this a better way of doing it, or do this process have a different purpose?
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Jan 17, 2017 09:16
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Gerblyn posted:I normally apply dry salt to eggplant slices, then rinse it off after 15 minutes or so, since I read that it removes some of the bitter flavors from it. Is this a better way of doing it, or do this process have a different purpose?
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Jan 17, 2017 09:49
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SubG posted:Nah, it's the same idea. A liquid brine just makes it easier to insure you're covering poo poo uniformly. Ok, thanks for the info!
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Jan 17, 2017 10:05
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Thursday Next posted:Prawns Paella? Or perhaps Gambas peri-peri, served on a bed of rocket lettuce? http://www.frenchgirlcuisine.com/gambas-recipe-peri-peri-sauce/
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Jan 17, 2017 10:31
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Thursday Next posted:I'd rather use them as they are, since freezing and re-thawing them won't help their flavor or texture. Oh, I thought you meant you needed to store them for awhile. You could have also tried Shrimp Burgers! Give the shrimp a rough chop, toss in some breadcrumbs, salt and seasonings of your choice (i'd say some lea and perrins and Old Bay) an egg. Form into patties, chill for 30 minutes. Grill on a non-stick pan. Since you have pre-cooked shrimp, I'd make a nice thick patty and possibly a patty ring, and do it low to just heat through, then take them off, heat the pan to high, and give them a quick sear on each side to get some brown on. Serve on toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, tartar and cocktail sauce. I've actually got some lovely frozen shrimp in my freezer from god knows where. Hold on, I shall test this! Suspect Bucket fucked around with this message at 14:47 on Jan 17, 2017 |
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Jan 17, 2017 14:44
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Gerblyn posted:I normally apply dry salt to eggplant slices, then rinse it off after 15 minutes or so, since I read that it removes some of the bitter flavors from it. Is this a better way of doing it, or do this process have a different purpose? I read that most commonly available varieties have had the bitterness bred out. So I stopped salting them, never found them bitter. Then I read that you should salt them so that they maintain a firmer texture when cooked. So now I salt them and they are firmer to my subjective mind.
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Jan 17, 2017 16:15
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Cavenagh posted:I read that most commonly available varieties have had the bitterness bred out. So I stopped salting them, never found them bitter. Then I read that you should salt them so that they maintain a firmer texture when cooked. So now I salt them and they are firmer to my subjective mind. Interesting. I'm too lazy to test it out for myself, but at least one journalists concurs that it's pointless: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/feb/10/salting-aubergine-eggplant-crossing-sprouts quote:And the results? I can detect no greater intensity of aubergine flavour in the salted batch – in fact, it just tastes saltier. (David didn't tell me to rinse the salted aubergines before cooking, and, to be fair, Delia or Skye don't either.) The texture of both aubergines, as far as I can tell, is almost exactly the same: neither greasier, nor more watery. So, if it makes so little difference to the oil consumption when frying, I'm not inclined to take up salting again, particularly as I usually grill or bake the things. It's not exactly hard science here, but she quotes a number of famous chefs who also argue that salting (or "Degorgement") is pointless.
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Jan 17, 2017 16:34
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Anjow posted:Has anyone tried eating grapes that are meant for winemaking? I presume they're not particularly nice, but in what way? They're delicious, but full of seeds.
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Jan 17, 2017 16:49
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My supermarket sells a Merlot grape juice that is just the darkest, richest, sweetest grape juice I've ever tasted. Wine grapes are delicious.
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Jan 17, 2017 16:51
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Ron Jeremy posted:I wouldn't expect potato vs wheat bread to make that big a difference in browning. Maybe check that your oven as actually running at the correct temp? My oven is known to run cold, but I compensate by preheating to 420 instead of 400, though i didn't check the thermometer. I finally discovered the switch for my oven light (it was camouflaged on the top of the stove indicator panel, rather than on any panel's face) so I will be able to check the temperature with less hassle in the future. Dish still tasted good overall, but I'll want that crispy element in the future. TychoCelchuuu posted:Yeah potato bread was probably not a good call, it'll stick together rather than crumble. Okay interesting, so I guess that's what was meant by "hearty" sandwich bread. I imagine increasing the exposed surface area will also help with browning, so thank you both
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Jan 17, 2017 18:22
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Help me out, Goons. My birthday is inauguration day (this Friday), and DC will be a madhouse - no point in trying to go out for dinner to celebrate/mourn the day, given security cordons and crowds. I'll have a house full of people staying with me (in-laws visiting, plus friends who live inside the security bubble downtown and are fleeing to my neighborhood so they have freedom of movement), and I'm looking for a cooking project to distract me from the news, feed a crowd, and theoretically pose as a celebration dirge for my birthday. Any ideas? I've got a well-stocked kitchen (both in terms of equipment and pantry goods), and I'm relatively to very adventurous in what I'm willing to try.
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Jan 17, 2017 18:43
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the_chavi posted:Help me out, Goons. My birthday is inauguration day (this Friday), and DC will be a madhouse - no point in trying to go out for dinner to celebrate/mourn the day, given security cordons and crowds. I'll have a house full of people staying with me (in-laws visiting, plus friends who live inside the security bubble downtown and are fleeing to my neighborhood so they have freedom of movement), and I'm looking for a cooking project to distract me from the news, feed a crowd, and theoretically pose as a celebration dirge for my birthday. I'm working my way through every recipe in the 2007 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook (Current edition: "America's most trusted cookbook is better than ever!") as a kind of casual it'll-be-done-eventually, no-deadlines project. A comprehensive cookbook like that has recipes to cover every stage of your celebration/dirge, from drinks and appetizers through main course items and desserts. You could pick up such a book (or pull one you already own from the shelf), spend an hour deciding what you'll make, and have time before Friday to buy the ingredients and get started on the stuff you can do ahead of time (e.g. pre-meal snacks like cookies).
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Jan 17, 2017 18:53
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Gerblyn posted:Interesting. I'm too lazy to test it out for myself, but at least one journalists concurs that it's pointless: he didn't rinse the brine off? Of course the flavor isn't going to change if you leave the brine there  I mean, except for tasting saltier because of the, you know, salt
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Jan 17, 2017 21:30
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JawKnee posted:he didn't rinse the brine off? Of course the flavor isn't going to change if you leave the brine there Hey, the recipe didn't say to wash off the layer of salt.
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Jan 17, 2017 21:53
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ExecuDork posted:Pick up a cookbook and use this as the occassion to start a long-term project. You're going to prepare EVERY recipe in that book (so get a good one) and to initialize this ambitious idea you're going to prepare a multi-course meal for all and sundry. That's... brilliant, actually. Thanks! I got several new cookbooks for Christmas, so I think I'll break out the Aleppo cookbook to remind myself that at least my hometown is still standing.
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Jan 17, 2017 22:25
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JawKnee posted:he didn't rinse the brine off? Of course the flavor isn't going to change if you leave the brine there That... is a good point. I'm curious to try it at the weekend now. Anyone got ideas for what I could do with a bowl of fried egg plant chunks?
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Jan 17, 2017 22:59
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Gerblyn posted:That... is a good point. I'm curious to try it at the weekend now. Anyone got ideas for what I could do with a bowl of fried egg plant chunks? Eat them with both hands and reckless abandon
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Jan 17, 2017 23:05
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I like your style
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Jan 17, 2017 23:11
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Gerblyn posted:That... is a good point. I'm curious to try it at the weekend now. Anyone got ideas for what I could do with a bowl of fried egg plant chunks? This recipe right here is my favourite way to eat eat eggplants, we end up going to the restaurant regularly just to eat the eggplant (though the rest of the food is good too!) The Malaya Szechuan Eggplant
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Jan 17, 2017 23:19
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I just bought an electric pressure cooker, anyone have a recommendation for a good cookbook?
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Jan 17, 2017 23:56
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