BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident

Subject: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 03:32 PM

Happened again today. I cooked a chicken on Saturday and boiled spuds, turnip and carrots to go with. I cooked extra for whatever and did something I normally don't do. I had cooked extra extra spuds so I dumped the turnip and carrots (diced) on top of the spuds so it would all fit on one plate to go in the fridge.

Today, I cooked a hash. The spuds were SWEET! They had a sweet taste and it was "turnippy". Might not be your cup of tea (not mine, really) but something I learned by doing something which I don't normally do... an "accident".

Another example... one time, I cooked a LEAN cut of cheap steak medium rare, salted and peppered it and placed what I didn't eat it the fridge. All the juice on the plate was sucked into the steak by the salt placed on top. Next day, it was as juicy as it was from pan to plate.

Youse ever discover something in like manner?

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 03:39 PM

I've often 'created' a nice meal by slinging lots of leftover bits and pieces into a casserole in a bored manner, for example smoked bacon, leftover roast potatoes, a bit of tuna, squashy tomatoes, floppy carrot etc etc. Sounds revolting, but after an hour in some stock it can be quite yummy.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 03:54 PM

That's why god invented stew!

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 04:04 PM

I often find that the more effort I make to get things exactly right in cooking, the less tasty the result. If I make a sponge cake in a hurry and don't measure the ingredients, it's usually excellent. But if I have to make one for the church fete, and I take ages doing it properly, it's never as good. My mother was maddening, she was always slinging any old thing in a pot and it was always delicious. But she never could tell me her 'recipe' as she made it up as she went along. She often dropped a few prunes in with meat for example. Very nice!

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Ed T
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 05:51 PM

Gnu

I cook a lot and am always experimenting. It is rare that I make the exactly same dish a second time, I just improve it with different ingredients. I rarely have a flop. It comes down to mentally visualizing the taste of various ingredients, mixtures and amounts. When I taste food someone else prepares, I can close to accurately determine the ingredients by the taste.

Since lobsters abound around waters close to Moncton. Have you ever tried frying lobster in butter (or, the other stuff if you like)adding milk until it reduces and making a fried lobster sandwitch/roll. It tastes much differently from the normal lobster fare. Surprisingly, cold lobster dipped in white vinegar is interesting also, as it is with freshly steamed soft-shelled clams:)

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 05:59 PM

Lobsters are bottom feeding scavengers that the upalongers pay a fortune for. They are for selling. Not for eating!

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Jack Campin
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 06:52 PM

I once tried making lamb stew, didn't have time to eat it and put it in the fridge.

Took it out and discovered I'd made lamb terrine. Yummy. I now do it on purpose and it works every time. (Use a shoulder joint with the bone in, cook with lots of vegetables until the meat all breaks up into fibres).

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 07:01 PM

Ed... no... just lobster boiled. Why render it any further? BUT... I may try it.

Jack,,, just about any stew put in the fridge over night tastes better the next day. Common practice here to cook a stew and NOT eat it until it has "set" overnight.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Deckman
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 07:37 PM

After my late brother was widowed, he made stew. Nothing else ... just stew. Constantly. When the stew pot got a little low, he'd take it out of the fridge, heat it up, and start adding "stuff."

It made it real easy for me to visit him. I'd bring stuff to add to his stew. When I went down there, we had stew. Good stuff ... stew.

I swear that stew pot never got empty, or boring, for the last fifteen years of his life. And it never tasted the same. It was always interesting, delicious, and filling.

I was going to add some more comments, but I'm getting hungry. I think I'll go make some stew. (good stuff ... stew). bob

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: MMario
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 07:48 PM

The everlasting stewpot is the way we would go when camping - different every meal; and ready in just a few minutes....

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 08:20 PM

It's so out out right now that cooking anything is a challenge. I usually save it all for one day and have leftovers all week. If we ever get tomatoes this year I'll make some lasagna to put in the freezer. That can last several days and it is always better after it has chilled, or been frozen, to incorporate the flavors.

Unintentional cooking results - if you're distracted when you're making jelly, the results are runny and the label you put on the jar says "syrup." ;-D

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 08:45 PM

Deckman... two generations ago... my Gramma had a stew on the back of the wood stove all year round. That pot never moved except to be placed nearer to the front to boil up. I recall her saying during a nasty snowstorm... "These young people are crazy. They HAVE to get to work in THIS? Just put some more turnip, carrots, onions, potaoes and meat in the stewpot and enjoy the storm and the company... sing us a song Gary." I'd help her peel veggies and sing away tho I peeled better than I sang. But she seemed >;-) to enjoy it.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 11:04 PM

The best surprise I ever heard...or tasted... was years ago when I was renting a basement apartment from friends. One day the lady upstairs called down to me..."Bill? You wanta try something I just baked?"

So I go up and she has this cake pan with a nice, brown, good-smelling stuff in it. She cut me a piece, and I bit into this warm, sorta 'nutty', cake-like chunk which was not quite like anything I could identify....but sorta like a lot of other things. It was really good!

"So," she says, "I really wanted to bake something, but had no real mixes or regular ingredients... so I took a box of "Jiffy" cornbread mix, and a box of IGA (store brand) buttermilk pancake mix and stirred them together with about the quantity of liquids they suggested!"

That was over 45 years ago, and I have 'intended' to try to replicate that recipe ...someday... maybe I will. ;>)

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Max Johnson
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 05:06 AM

A can of Beef Consomme soup makes a very good substitute for beef stock. Much better than a stock cube.
I've heard that a can of Lobster Bisque maks excellent fish stock, but I haven't personally tried that yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 10:37 AM

Thanks for the nice reminiscence about your Grandma, gnu.

Long ago I accidentally used soy sauce where Worcestershire sauce was supposed to go. I can't recommend it.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 01:49 PM

leeneia... thank *you*. And for the laff... hehehee!

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 02:18 PM

""(Lobsters) are for selling. Not for eating""

OK, can I have your lefterovers:)

""Why render it any further""

As with other food, why not?

I try variations on processes/mixtures for different taste experiences, as most do with other foods that have evolved somewhat beyond the simplicity of cooking stuff in an open fire pit. It doesn't mean we don't also like the original boiled version of lobsters.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Ed T
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 02:22 PM

Last Guest was me. Reset Cookie.
By accident, I just invented a new word, lefterovers:)

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 03:17 PM

Lobster in butter also is the way I like it, but the idea would horrify a Maritime in-law of mine.

There are some in the southwest who keep the beans and chili going by additions from day to day.
Our stews are all variable, because nothing is measured and we often use what we find in the fridge and cupboard rather than going out to buy ingredients to match some recipe.

Recently, stores here have been selling good quality tortillas (also wraps). We have a big bag of masa (corn flour for making tortillas) that seemed doomed for discard, why make tortillas if one can get them ready-made?.
I tried mixing it 1/3 or so with wheat flour to make biscuits and it works; the biscuits are firmer, however. The taste is OK.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 03:20 PM

Indeed, Q. I buy a lot of things ready made as it's less costly than making my own these days.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 10:34 AM

I bet most things were discovered by accident like using yeast in bread or for fermenting fruit to make wine etc. One day I stirred a spoonful of sugar into a curry I was making and it really brought the flavour out and have done that ever since. Also finding out that fruit goes well with meat. Instead of going to the trouble of making apple sauce to accompany pork I cut up the apples and roast them aswell. Also good if you feel a little bit lazy.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Ed T
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 12:28 PM

Discoveries by accident, or by extending one experience to another, with a little common "cooking" sense.

A few years ago I made oriential ground beef meat balls from directions. I then asked, why does it have to be meat balls. My next try was with the ingrenients cooked loosely. Just as good, and saved a bit of time. Same with Cabbage rolls? The ingredients doe not have to be in the form of rolls, there are other options.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 12:39 PM

"Also good if you feel a little bit lazy."

Got any suggestions for someone who's lazy?

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Ed T
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 04:27 PM

I sometimes make a lazy man's clam chowder, that I pull together when in a rush.

Open can odf Baby clams (thiland, or the such), pot in pot
Cook frozen potato hash browns (small, cut up ones)and chopped onions in micro for a few minutes (2 or 3 minutes) add to pot.
Add real bacon bits (packaged for salads).
Add a can of 2% (or other) condensed canned milk.
put in basil, old Bay powder, pepper and salt to taste.
Add more milk, flour or blend cream, if you like a thicker or thinner chowder.

Cook for a few minutes on stove top.

Clam chowder in a few minutes.

If you like a different taste or a greater amount, add a can of canned chowder (such as smokey bacon clam chowder, or Chunky New England clam chowder)

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: olddude
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 04:43 PM

I don't know Gnu but the last one went like this. Kids were home, "hey mom what is dad cooking he has been at it all day"

mom - "who knows but for some reason he is boiling up a pot of Boston Bib lettuce !!!"

Crap ... I thought it was spinach .. grabbed the wrong thing ..

I am dangerous in the kitchen ..

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 04:50 PM

Ed.... cooool! Great idea. Ready in a pinch.

BTW... why do those Thailand canned clams cost 4 times what they did just over a year ago??? I mean, they are crap compared to local but they are okay in a chowder... and they were cheap.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 07:14 PM

Add a can of 2% (or other) condensed canned milk.

Ed, I think you meant "evaporated" milk, not "condensed" milk? Condensed is chock full of sugar and is very carmel-like. Not great for chowder, I would think.

Up above I had a Macbeth (or Frost) moment. I said "out out" instead of "hot out."

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: Ed T
Date: 15 Jul 11 - 09:15 AM

SRS Thanks, I did mean evaporated milk. The other would be YUK.

Gnu, I dont know. Possibly because they are getting fewer, or less possibly workers are being paid more? More likely they rose with other groceries. Still a good deal compared to the local variety, if you can find them (safe ones to eat also).
I prefer the Indonesia whole clams (Sobeys in your area) than the ones they refer to as Yellow sold in other stores.

A similar price question, why are the smaller AAA batteries much more expensive than the larger AA batteries (and D and C)? The major name brand ones seemed to have taken a big price hike lately.

Subject: RE: BS: Cooking - finding out stuff by accident
From: gnu
Date: 15 Jul 11 - 01:34 PM

Ed... on accounta the same machinery is used to make them but less are sold. Also, the innards are the cheapest part and the innards of an AAA are far less than the overall "packaging" surrounding the innards.

Hey... bene vederi, bene esse eh? (if it looks good, it must be good) or, in English... if you say something with enough authority and conviction, SOME people might believe your wild guess.

BTW, the Latin was our motto when I did a Master's degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering as "Planning" is accompanied by reems of supporting data and such (read fancy bullshit) which don't really matter so ya gotta make it look "good" to be able to charge a shitload of $$$ for it.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I baked spuds for supper yesterday. Used spuds from the same package as last time but the skins started to turn black on the top. They were slightly (I *thought*) overcooked as I was frying salmon and it wasn't done yet so I turned the oven off but left the spuds in the oven. They tasted VERY sweet which I found sickening... like eating a tsp of sugar with each bite. YEEECCCHHHHH! Never knew that and it'll never happen again.