Cooks and their ingredients. Questions.

Hi Coco!

You have received many good recipe ideas.  Here is one more, add one can Hunts diced fire roasted tomatoes (drained) and 1 zucchini quartered lengthwise and slice in to any mac and cheese combo that gets baked..... but not to the boxed variety.    As someone else suggested, if your "boxed" m and c is gluey you are overcooking those noodles.  Always add extra cheese,...... any variety will spice up that boxed stuff.

Fresh is always best and I am finding that organic veggies and meats are of superior quality, although I can't always afford to buy them.  With the meat you can actually smell the difference raw.  Especially with chicken.

I do insist on "free range eggs" there is a difference!

I also buy organic bananas....they last about twice as long as the regular.  When they start going black they are still fairly firm inside, not over ripe and mushy.  I've got a batch in my own yard but they're not ready to pick yet!

I grow my own herbs and this year had peppers galore, Especially hot ones.  Not much luck with anything else in FL.  Too hot. 

Olive oil: First pressed is best ....look at the color....it should be green no matter where its from.

Let us know how you make out with your Mac and Cheese!

r.

do you pickle your hot stuff restrangled?

am quite partial to burnt to black n peeled peppers that have been jarred in oil.

hot vinegar

http://www.allotment.org.uk/recipe/252/chilli-vinegar-recipe/

• 10 – 15 chillies (preferably red)
• 1 pint (570 ml) white wine vinegar or distilled white malt vinegar

Method:

1. Trim the chillies, split open and remove the seeds.
2. Bring the vinegar to the boil and add the chillies. Return to the boil.
3. Pour into a wide-mouthed warm sterilized jar.
4. Cover tightly and leave to stand in a sunny place for at least a month, shaking occasionally.
5. Strain through muslin and pour into a sterilized jar.
6. Seal and label.

my favourite seafood treat is whelks or jellied eels swimming in this stuff, tho seafood stalls there tend to use malt vinegar and leave the little red corpses floating in the bottles.

and mini hot peppers, that are stuffed with creamy cheese then jarred in oil

and bananas are to die for if you have a crispy bacon sarnie and add the bananas slightly fried (enough to soften but not to mush)

Nelly!  I can't believe someone asked!

Yes....There is an Italian creation that comes out of Chicago for pickled vegetables and hot peppers.  It takes 3 days and tons of chopping.  I finally found a recipe and made a batch.  It was eaten so fast I couldn't keep up!  We cannot buy it here in Florida.  You can put it over everything, especially sub sandwiches, any egg dish, just served plain with cheese and crackers.....it is incredible!  give me a few minutes and I'll find it if you're interested, its called Giardenari. 

So many people don't even know what it is,....... but out of this world!....IF you are from Chicago...you know!

r.

Slice cauliflower lengthwise, as thin as you can get them without falling apart, about 1/4" thick.  Roast in an oven for 20 mins or so, until it starts to get a little brown.  Sprinkle grated Parmesan and cook until the cheese is crusty.

Slice brussel sprouts in half.  In a bowl, add some salt and pepper to a generous amount of olive oil (a few tablespoons).  Toss the sprouts until coated.  Roast until browned.  Tastes like candy.

I know what restrangled is talking about!  My favorite is homemade marinated mushrooms and artichokes, and jarred pepperoncini.  Mushrooms marinated for a few days in fresh garlic, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and a little lemon juice.  Served with deviled eggs.

This is the best  Giardniera!!!!     I toned down the hot peppers by 1/2 and added extra cauliflower!  Seems it did need the xtra hot peppers, but still delicious.  (Don't cheat and start nibbling before its ready!)  The longer it sits, the better!!!!!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Italian-Giardiniera/Detail.aspx

r.

Rebel......

I love your recipes, can't wait to try them.  A big fan of brussel sprouts!

r

is that one of those cook it with acid things restrangled or we talking some kind of pickle/relish/picallili?   <<<is no where near chicago so i'm trying to narrow it down lol

i'm partial to salsa with any acids lemon lime vinegars etc as i can muster left to 'acid cook' in the fridge in a tub, after a couple of days or so its done but its really hard to leave it in the fridge

the best acid cooked salsa ive had yet was thinly sliced cucumber soaked in a german white vinegar (which i'd happily chop someones fingers off to possess), it comes neat and you have to add water to it so it doesnt strip your tonsils out and erode your pipes on the way down, you have to leave it to sit for 24 hours to change its properties. but by eck its to die for.

that looks sooo good, i'm really partial to 'raw' veg, my keyboard might suffer death by dribble at this rate.

Nelly....this is a killer.

Please use the olive oil, and white vinegar as suggested.  You can add mushrooms, and I used all the stuffed green olives with all their juice.  Just keep tossing and tossing until the time is up.....don't nibble....if you can help it!!!!!!

r.

Dearest CoCo:

Always a pleasure to read your words, bask in your presence, taste your essence...and I'm sure your cooking is a grounding and ethereal experience, as well!  I do not comment as much as I read these days...but some comments, that surely will have already been abundantly answered by others - perhaps these words then can only underscore or nudge against opinions already expressed...

Does the best tasting dish necessarily demand the most expensive products from the toniest market? [I think I know the answer to this one]

Never!  Good quality, especially veggies, trumps cost - does it look fresh and healthy?  It probably is!  Same goes for such staples as stock, pasta, and the like.  Good brands sell to everyone.  Sometimes "organic" as a label is meaningful (Swanson boxed broths, for example), often it is not (it's just a marketing label like "lite").  But quality is not assured by high price.  The best guide is to try a product, and see if you like it.  With standarized labels, you can check out things like calories and sodium to compare products.

Sometimes great cuisine is a matter of little tricks of the trade: avoid a buillion cube and instead look for a packaged stock, or perhaps a concentrated demi-glace (which might not be at the corner market - demi-glace is a super-concentrated stock, it looks expensive, but lasts for many a dish).  Grilling or broiling veggies is a great alternative.  Quick stir fries are easy and maintain nutrients and flavors.

What naturally growing flora do you gather and eat, say, like dock, miner's lettuce, etc.

In the desert, we're pretty limited to what we grow on our own - rosemary, basil, a few other herbs.  We don't have a lot of experience gathering nature's own bounty, so I'm afraid I can't comment much.  Between us and our families, we've cultivated potatoes, squash, corn, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, turnips, apricots, peaches, plums, apples - my folks' current tomatoes are planted in half-barrels on the rear deck.

Is fresh everything always the key to a tasty meal?

Well, for those things that you want fresh, usually.  Meats can be frozen, as can many veggies (steam corn ears then freeze for a winter full of deliciousness) and fruits (just pop your blueberries and strawberries in the freezer), and of course canning and pickling brings its own flavors to the table.

Fresh herbs versus dried herbs is usually just a matter of quantity - dried herbs and seasonings are concentrated, so a recipe that calls for one needs to be adjusted for the other.

Some things are just different rather than better: fresh pasta versus dried pasta can be rather similar, but most of us are more familier with dried pasta and perhaps more comfortable with that.

If fresh isn't available, what's preferable: canned or frozen?

Frozen, at least in the case of veggies like corn.  Canned often has been processed more, has more additives.  Canned fruits often have added sugar - which may be a sweet temptation, but may also distract from the flavor of the fruit and therefore the dish.  If you have a little freezer room, buy when fresh and freeze for later use.  This of course doesn't work for fresh leafy things like lettuce, but does work for things like prepared spinach, corn (it can be cut from the cob), carrots...

Does it really matter that my Extra Virgin Olive Oil is from Tunisia or Spain?

Only when you taste the difference and want something else.  Spanish versus Italian, for example, is a completely different flavor palette.  Once you decide on that basic dichotomy, you will want to choose between Extra Virgin and Not - and, rather than a rule, you will also want to go by your taste.  Extra Virgin is the first pressing of the olive, and will have a much more organic flavor than subsequent pressings.  Is Extra Virgin better?  Only if you enjoy that flavor!  There's nothing wrong with liking a lighter falvored oilive oil - and you may want a stronger flavored oil for bread dipping as opposed to cooking.

If the oil tastes to you like it is overpowering a dish, use a less expensive pressing.

There are so many Websites that speak to olive oils that I won't even try to go any further!

How do you dress up mac and cheese? [all right, somebody gave me these here boxes of gluey elbows]

Here's a couple choices: one of the best standard mac and cheese recipes is Alton Brown's, here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html

...or, try something a little more adventurous with Penne al Forno - sadly I will have to get back with you on that recipe, but it's an oven-baked pasta in a cheese sauce (asiago preferred) with onion and breadcrumbs on top.  Traditionally it's made with penne pasta, but really any can be used.

Any good recipes a la cheap?

I enjoy a simple stir fry made with sprouts, celery, some napa cabbage and soy sauce, a little meat can be added if it's at hand.  Bread (with a hard crust, preferably homebaked!) and some sharp cheddar, rounded off with an apple, is a favorite of mine.  I love tacos: some hamburger, toss in some hot New Mexico (or milder California) chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper, fry that up in a pan and put it in some tortillas...

I just got back from Canyon Ranch where we had lectures from chefs with lots of great tips on how to cook low-cal.  You can browse their huge recipe library which also includes complete nutritional info:

http://www.canyonranch.com/Community_Connection/Recipes/

The food is great....

Some tiny tips....

When you season meat with salt, sprinkle with your hand high above the meat.....you get better coverage and you use less salt

Sear meat on medium-high heat on the stove and then transfer and bake, to get that crispiness and juiciness

Don't stir so damn much....many people stir when it is not necessary and that lowers the cooking temperature and lengthens the cooking time

It is better to bake at the same heat for everything (unless for special reasons) and so all you need to remember for different recipes is the different length of cooking time, rather than trying to remember both time and temperature for each different recipe.  Most Canyon Ranch recipes are at 400 degrees.

Thanks for that link, Leo.

Those recipes are awesome!

I went directly to the breads & desserts section.

Sylvia

Zut, mes amis de la cuisine! It's going to take me all weekend to digest your incredible recipes. Great suggestions, too, such as sprinkling salt on meat from on high [sounds ethereal].

Additionally, I appreciate very much your time and effort in answering my questions in such detail. Thanks for food links ...

Buon appetito e grazie tante!!!

CoCo della cuchina moderna

One thing that I recently learned about olive oil is that there is no labeling requirement for how MUCH olive oil it contains (in the United States).  If it has ANY in it, its labeled as olive oil.  I read about this because there was a push in my state to require at least a certain percentage before it can be labeled as olive oil.  So I don' t know where it has to originate, though I have noticed that the "Mexican" olive oil does taste different from Spain's, and I don't remember buying an Italian.  But just wanted to tell you, it's buyer beware.

I love to cook.  I think that cooking is one of my art forms, and herbs and spices are my palette.  Knowing how spices/herbs combine with each other and with foods and then experimenting with combinations is truly fascinating.  I need to jump in the shower and get to work right now so I can't give any recipes, but I'll bookmark this for later.

Great thread.

Ada

Thanks, Ada, for the helpful information regarding olive oil. I've learned so much these last few days. Glad that you, too, are a cooking enthusiast!

Best Foods and regards,

CoCo Loves Mayo

Latest buys for the cauldron, et al:

12 cans of cheap beer for tenderizing and flavoring. One for the cook, of course. Ahh ... Hamms, the beer refreshing!

1 bottle of extra virgin olive oil, first cold pressed; from Turkey [this is a first!].

Carton of buttermilk for baking soda bread. Stove top rendition, as my oven died.

Got my Lean Mean Fat Grilling Machine out of storage and set up for regular usage.

Now we're cookin' with gas!

CoCo

am still trying to get round to restrangleds chicago godzilla, two caulis down and i'll buy another tonight.

waitings the hard part, i see a bowl and a wait, meanwhile the cheese and mayonaise is waving and screaming when i open the fridge.

hopefully the urge for raw cauliflour cheese will wear off long enough to start the process.

cc, beers great for tenderising meat

alcopops work too, a pineapple breezer works quite well with pork, cider works

and coca colas sposed to be good too (tho i admit ive never tried that one)

yoghurt is a great marinade base and tenderiser too