BS: Recipes - what are we eating?

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 06:16 PM

Cut avocado in half, looked at it, filled the hole with vinaigrette and ate that. Soft, but not soup.

Tomorrow I get to chew.

My sister reminded me of our post-op mom being fed puréed iceberg lettuce.

I have not yet stick-blended a salad, but I was tempted.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 03:23 PM

That was to Dave. Bowmore too if you like, but that's a bit down my pecking order.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 03:21 PM

I'm right with you there, but I'd add Talisker Ten (definitely not the grossly inferior Talisker Storm or Talisker Skye, and spare me from Laphroaig Select). Ardbeg Ten is gorgeous, but if you can get someone to treat you, you simply have to try Ardbeg Uigeadail.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 03:20 PM

Dave H, it sounds as if you have a peat fixation--as do I, although I tend to Bowmore 12, as it's a damn sight cheaper than Lag in these parts. Laph and Ardbeg do not have the same appeal for me. MacLellan is little better than training whisky; I think it gets all its peat flavouring from being in a location downwind of the other distilleries.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 02:27 PM

Whisky ? Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig, the worlds finest.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 01:37 PM

I'd drink it if you gave it to me. But I will not part with money in exchange for whisky that contains grain spirit, or even for one of those bland "blended malts."

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Raggytash
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 11:34 AM

Grouse!!

Urhhh !!

Fit only for cleaning drains.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 08:44 AM

I have no idea where one could procure a haggis in Perth County. Not enough Scots in these parts.

So Burns Night chez moi amounted to a solo performance of "My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose" addressed to the cats, and a small shot of Famous Grouse before bed.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 26 Jan 21 - 07:56 AM

Last evening for our locked-down Burns supper, haggis and tatties take-away from Deacon Brodies(sic) Pub. (For those of you who know Ottawa, that's the former Mayflower on Elgin Street that has been sold and transformed into a restaurant with a whisky bar.)

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 08:21 PM

I have taken to eating the local cheddar on toasted whole-meal bread spread with apple butter made in the next township over. The intense apple flavour goes a bomb with the cheese.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 05:54 PM

I haven't seen it here and it's very unlikely that the major supermarkets would stock it around here, as we don't really have their big flagship stores here in Cornwall. What I can tell you is that it's made at the same dairy at Ford Farm as my absolute favourite Cheddar, Wookey Hole cave-aged. If that's anything to go by, the one you can buy over there must be superb. I'll keep my eyes peeled...

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 01:52 PM

Steve, did you ever get your hands on any of that Coastal Rugged Mature English Cheddar that I buy here but that is made near you? (It was discussed a long time ago in this thread.) This weekend I grated some to pile on slices of a kalamata/onion yeast bread I was given by a friend, and it really makes it perfect.

I experimented with oatmeal yesterday. I usually make it overnight in an old low-power crockpot, but I hadn't and I wanted some and my rice cooker was out, so I cut up dates, added a little salt and the oats and water and 30+ minutes later I had very nice oatmeal not scorched to the pot in any way. It still is easiest to set up overnight in the crock pot, but if I decide to make it the morning I want to eat it, I'll switch to the rice cooker instead of a pot on the stove.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 01:07 PM

Ok today's slupp report:

Tried reheating the frothy brothy soup. Worked some, thanks. Yum gooshy crab asparagus soup.

Today made a much more full-of-veg soup (cabbage, spinach, parsley, carrots) which when immersion-blended made a purée/potage kind of texture, no foam.

So the foam seems to be a broth issue. Easy fix: add broth later.

Have acquired cukes and avocado. Cold soup next...

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 06:05 AM

Not a jot

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 05:51 AM

"Stick blenders are good for soup as you can stop while there are still some solid bits to give it texture instead of ending up with a uniform slupp."

True, though you can also simply remove a proportion of the chunky soup before whizzing, then put it back in afterwards.

In our house, the most important rule for a sandwich is to be extremely generous with the filling. I have no time for the pathetic single slice of ham or roast beef. The bread must be well-buttered, right to the edge of the slice (crucial). I like to make a good, thick mixture of roughly-chopped hard-boiled egg with a large dollop of Hellmann's mayo (not that reduced-fat muck). I'm also very fond of a corned beef and beetroot butty. I care not a not about the inconvenience of the beetroot slices constantly dropping out. Just sit over the plate...

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 04:48 AM

I must admit that my own preference for a cheese and tomato or salad sandwich is something along the white crumbly lines.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 04:19 AM

The bottom bit comes off mine. I just waggle it up and down in soapy water in the plastic jug it came with. Easy!

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: BobL
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 03:27 AM

The only problem with a stick blender is cleaning it afterwards.
Ideally I'd give the blade a quick whizz in the sudsy washing-up water, but the sink is six feet from the power point (a legal requirement) and the blender flex only three. Probably on purpose.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 07:46 PM

"Cut a pack of (usually) the Cathedral Extra Mature (which I think both Steve and I like) lengthways in half and I've got what I want for a cheese sauce with the rest to be bagged up as something convenient for sandwiches."

It's fantastic for a lasagne or cheese on toast, or just for a quick cheesy nibble, but just grate it with your grater! You can wash that up in eight seconds!

Incidentally, I must say that I'm not keen on cheddar for a cheese sandwich (heresy, I know...). I much prefer a crumbly Wensleydale or Lancashire, either with slices of slightly salted tomato or with tomato relish. The one that Waitrose sells is a thing of beauty... Incidentally, I regard grated cheese on a sandwich as an abomination. I want it in thin, crumbly slices or not at all...

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jos
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 05:13 PM

Re: "Luckily... I *like* slupp."

I'm glad about that. It sounds as if life might be grim otherwise.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 05:04 PM

Sigh. Reduced to uniform slupp. Someday I will be allowed to chew again.

Also kinda completely off carbs. I did an experiment and yup, the next day my equanimity is shot.

Between my shrink and my periodontist, all I got is slupp.

Luckily... I *like* slupp.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jos
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 02:20 PM

Stick blenders are good for soup as you can stop while there are still some solid bits to give it texture instead of ending up with a uniform slupp.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 12:53 PM

I'm not that fond of our stick blender which also happens to be a Braun but it doesn't have a bit at the bottom I can unscrew.

I don't find either the food processor or food mixer hard to wash although I will concede they do consume worktop space and may only be run for very short times.

My main use for the food processor is as a cheese grater. Cut a pack of (usually) the Cathedral Extra Mature (which I think both Steve and I like) lengthways in half and I've got what I want for a cheese sauce with the rest to be bagged up as something convenient for sandwiches.

The mixer was idle for a long while but it's my go to device for the cakes (except the Guiness cake one which is made in a pan) and cheese scones I now do. A 20 second wizz does as well as mum used to spend longer on with the wooden spoon and I've everything washed, dried and put away long before the food is cooked.

But I guess there is an each to their own on a lot of this and today I'd say great to whatever works for anyone.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 12:28 PM

I got a new food processor a couple of years ago (I selected it and placed it on my xmas list on Amazon). The thing I like best is that while there are a few parts they are all easily cleaned. I got one large enough to make the full recipes of a few things that I like and it's much less messy than making things is stages with the small processor (that was given to the Goodwill as soon as the new one was out of the box). My stick blender is a Braun also, and it came with a bowl and blade that the wand runs, and it gets used frequently for chopping, but for big things (like making falafel, etc.) the large machine does the trick. I used it to shred the zucchini for bread a while back and it saved a lot of time.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 09:22 AM

Yes, stick blender. Don't understand how I lasted so long without one.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jos
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 04:14 AM

I think 'immersion blender' is a better name - it reminds you that the whizzy bit should be immersed BEFORE you turn it on.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 06:08 PM

Is an immersion blender what we call here a stick blender/hand blender? You plug it in, stick it into whatever you want to whizz, press a button and Bob's yer uncle? Being careful not to pebbledash your shirt front/whole kitchen? I can't contemplate life without my Braun stick blender. When done, unscrew the bottom bit, wash it up, bingo, one little piece of kit in your drainer. Cost me £22. Mrs Steve has these wonderful food processors/mixers/chuff knows what they're all called. Take up half the kitchen. What I do know is that, with them, you do ten seconds of whizzing, then you have a massive mound of washing up that you can't put away for three days until it's all thoroughly dried. The path to insanity if ever I saw it. You steal my stick blender, I break your face... :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 03:12 PM

That was my question too, Joe! Maybe because it was a very brothy soup...

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 02:32 PM

We had a Mexican dinner last night, and out of the blue I made a Key Lime pie. Few pies can be easier.

bake a small pie crust - I like the kind you buy ready to bake.
mix the following filling
1 can SWEETENED condensed milk
1/3 cup lime juice
refrigerate the filling for a while so it thickens
when it's time to eat the pie, put the filling in the crust.

Tradition says to top with meringue, but I can't be bothered. We put Reddiwhip (real whipped cream from a can) on top.

Subject: RE: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 02:26 PM

I wonder if you are turning on the blender before it is completely immersed? I've never seen soup foam. I use it, like Joe, in lentil and pea soup, but I've also used it on egg whites when I wanted them to fill with air (meringue) - and since it isn't really immersed there, they do fill with air.

Subject: RE: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 02:07 PM

I hadn't known about immersion blenders, but in 2002 I married into a household that had one. I soon grew to love it. I use it mostly on pea and lentil soup, but it comes in handy for other things.
My soups don't foam. What are you doing wrong, Mrr? ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 01:24 PM

Thanks Jos! I just saw it was here and thought I was crazy. So glad you were being kind, and I wasn't going blind!

Subject: RE: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 01:22 PM

Ooh raggytash perfect solution! I will reheat the rest I was thinking of chilling, and report back.

Subject: RE: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: Raggytash
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 01:00 PM

If you bring it to the boil again the foam will disappear.

Subject: RE: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 12:36 PM

.. but.. fizzy soup sounds cool...

You might have just invented the next new multi million $$$s profits trendy young foodie craze...???

Subject: RE: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 12:14 PM

A little oil will help. I'm big on smoothies, moule's, meat sauces...

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jos
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 12:12 PM

Refresh (for Mrrzy)

Subject: BS: Immersion blender soups
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Jan 21 - 12:03 PM

Don't know what is up with the search function but I can't find the recipes thread and a search for recipes or eating seems to bring up every thread, hundreds of'm, with nothing resembling eating or recipes in the thread title, but possibly in the thread itself [brexit might be a recipe for disaster?] so, voilà.

I am not allowed to chew for a while per my periodontist who did terrible things to my gums. And I just got an immersion blender. I am actually not in pain but obeying dicta.

So today I made my usual crab and asparagus soup with the rest of my leeks too, and then gooshed it. Yum, yum. BUT: it made a foam on top. I don't like foam. Is there a technique I could learn? The first time I used it was making eggnog for 1, and I just figured I should have predicted that the milk would foam...

I did not anticipate the soup foaming. Help?

Mudelves feel free to subsume this under another cooking thread, I just could not locate any. But I did try.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jan 21 - 01:22 PM

Mwah! They are in their salt bath now.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Jan 21 - 10:19 AM

Yes, Mrrzy, you’re right.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jan 21 - 10:03 AM

I was thinking of making my duck legs confit as I have all that goose fat but it seems more a method of *preserving* duck than cooking it, and since I plan to eat my duck legs, I think I'll go back to my usual recipe. Am I right about confit?

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Raggytash
Date: 16 Jan 21 - 11:06 AM

If I'm going to eat pasta I prefer to make my own fresh, using egg and egg yolks with a little olive oil in it.

Aside from that the machine was gift from a friend!

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Jan 21 - 10:48 AM

You don't care much for pasta, yet you have a pasta machine...?

I never buy jars of pesto. I always make my own. We have a little mini-chopper electric gizmo that's great for blitzing the garlic, basil* and pine nuts, then it's a matter of mixing in the Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil. I like to be in control of ingredient quality and freshness. It's somewhat distressing to see how a great big bunch of basil turns into a teaspoonful!

There's a Gino d'Acampo variant that adds sundried tomatoes in oil to the above ingredients. I like to leave that one a bit knobbly. It makes a superb bruschetta topping, sprinkled with a few baby basil leaves and Parmesan shavings. The best bruschetta bread I've found in this country is the Crosta & Mollica pane Pugliese, imported from southern Italy. Another pesto version by Jamie Oliver isn't really like the usual idea of a pesto at all, though he calls it one. He uses olive oil, basil, Parmesan, blitzed almonds (you can use skin-on ones) and halved cherry tomatoes. He puts everything in a big bowl and scrunches it all up like mad with his hands. It's fantastic with spaghetti, beautiful and rubbly. My ordinary green pesto goes really well on top of a simple risotto bianco. Keeping it simple cuts down the chance of mistakes. That's my kind of cookery!

*Absolutely the only time I ever blitz garlic, and I use just half a clove!

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jan 21 - 10:20 AM

The last time I had a container of cream that was past it's sell-by date (that isn't the same as "toss it date") I mixed it with milk and used it in a quiche.

I buy organic milk because it seems to last a lot longer in the unopened container if I don't get to it right away. We're talking weeks, not days.

Last night I chopped onions that I sautéed in the chicken fat from the bird I roasted this week, then let diced carrots and potatoes simmer in it, added a little water with the drippings, a little bouillon and some turmeric before adding some frozen green peas, followed by large dice chicken breast and thickening it with a water flour mix. Instead of eating this chicken pot pie mix in a crust (a lot of work and way more calories than I need) I simply break some good whole wheat crackers over the top of the bowl.

Yesterday was such a windy day that when you stepped out into it the wind pulled the warmth from your body. The chicken stew was the perfect remedy.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Raggytash
Date: 16 Jan 21 - 09:50 AM

I have to admit to not being a great lover of pasta in any form. It is not my go-to food ............. however.

Earlier this year I had a basil plant that went rampant so I made a jar of pesto. That now needed using so I made some pasta (Tagliatelle) but added a generous amount of the pesto to the dough.

Even if I say it myself it was sublime.

Incidentally in the past when rolling out my pasta (with a pasta machine) I have added basil leaves, folded the dough over them and rolled again and again until the required thinness has been achieved. That dough when cut into Tagliatelle or spaghetti is rather good too.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jos
Date: 16 Jan 21 - 09:40 AM

Mrrzy, you will just have to decide that for yourself. I can neither see nor smell your cream.
The cream I used a few days ago that was three months out of date just smelled like cream, though it was so thick you could have spread it on bread. When I added it to my simmering sauce it melted like butter.

One food that I would never ever take chances with is cooked rice. The result of eating it can be very unpleasant - even deadly.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 Jan 21 - 09:40 AM

If it smells like stinky cheese, is it cheese? I am still wondering about my cream bottle.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Jos
Date: 15 Jan 21 - 05:14 AM

Your English didn't look mangled to me, Steve.
If I am going to eat out-of-date food I do usually use it in a cooked dish so that possible harmful organisms that wouldn't survive heating are dealt with. One can also try a small amount of the food and then wait a while in case anything nasty happens, but if I thought that might be a good plan it would be a sign that the food should be thrown out anyway.
I am happier to throw away salads as they go into the compost, and are thus not wasted.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Jan 21 - 08:06 PM

Slightly mangled English there. I got distracted.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipes - what are we eating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 14 Jan 21 - 05:24 PM

Spoilage organisms usually make food smell (and look) off, whereas harmful organisms rarely do. Manufacturers are super-cautious about use-by dates, and they'll tell you that they have your safety at heart. What they really want is for you to throw perfectly good food away and buy more. It's fine to use your nose and eyes but you need to use your intelligence as well. Dairy products and leafy salads are among the worst offenders when it comes to giving you a dodgy tum. It's also worth remembering that products such as soured cream, yoghurt and creme fraiche are produced using carefully-nurtured cultures. They're not just fresh stuff that's gone a bit off. and that pasteurising milk is a compromise to avoid changing the taste of the milk by too much.