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Cooking GAF: OT

D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
I’m trying to work on French cooking. So tonight Beef Bourguignon.
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Tag this NSFW next time gatdamn
 
Here's a good one CookingGAF, go to TGIF restaurant the other weekend because we were out and about with the grandparents. Daughter orders an old school lemonade and I had to take a photo this one, lemon in half with the sticker still on and dropped right into the drink. The seeds were also in the lemon still while being completely free of any squeezing whatsoever. We sent it back, what a shite "handmade lemonade" that came with a genuine sourness warning, it was water + ice + half a lemon dunked.

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I also continue to sort of take photos. These ones are classics, all prep and no photos of the food being plated/served. I've been out of it this week.

We butterflied and marinated a chicken greek/summer style. The flavour and juiceness of this is just off the charts good. It's brilliant on the BBQ flame grilling as well or just in a low and slow oven too, we've done both.

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We always revisit our beloved scotch fillet steak + mushrooms + green peppercorn sauce. I've probably posted similar many times but love this dish. Carrots and peas weren't plated yet but also there.

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Son attempted his Tuscan pasta again, but from memory and him buying/sorting the ingredients all without his recipe from last time.

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And I wanted to make this -

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But tweaked the recipe my own way and forgot to take a plated photo again.

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BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I decided to make an effort tonight. Sun dried tomato sauce with shrimp. I was going to make puttanesca but changed my mind at the last minute - didn't feel like using my last can of sardines anchovies, and the shrimp was probably going to be off by tomorrow.

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We do this at least once a week. Prepare a segmented storage container of chopped vegies, ready for any sort of sandwich or meal. We usually get 3 days keeping it covered in the fridge. It makes eating healthy and raw vegies daily so easy and tasty. By the time you add a little protein, sauce, spread etc you can easily create something and with variety throughout the week. Soups are quick and easy in the slow cooker this way too. Our kids do a fair bit of sport so we're always looking for healthy and quick meals that are mostly prepped at another time.

Here's a basic tray of mixed vegies turned into an easy and tasty dinner of Chicken Fajitas + cheese + chipotle mayo. Simple to give kids choices while maximising their intake of vitamins and minerals from raw foods. You have to love the colour of food we have access to these days. Who doesn't love a wrap you just pick up and munch?

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The next day I continued on my weight loss with over 2 months of loss every day so congratulated myself with a loaded hotdog for lunch, same raw ingredients -

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MarkMe2525

Banned
For anyone looking to make a real deep south gumbo. I live on the coast of Mississippi so when I say deep south, there isn't much further south you can go outside of Florida (which traditionally is not known for its southern cooking).

Don't get up caught up if you don't have the exact ingredients, as gumbo was a dish invented out of necessity. The idea of a gumbo is to cook whatever you have around, maybe that's about to go bad, with a dark reaux (thick broth). It was a dish prepared by the poor for the poor. Ironically, by using a set list of ingredients, it actually ends up costing a good bit (especially with a seafood gumbo). Don't have tomato paste or okra.... whatever. Can't find andouille sausage, big deal, use hickory smoked. Point is to just go with it.

2 cups canola, vegetable oil or butter. 2 cups flour.

1 pack andouille sausage

1 small can of tomato paste or sauce

Onion, bellpepper, celery, bag of frozen okra, garlic to taste, bay leaf

Seafood such as shrimp (prawn) and crab. You can also use boiled chicken or egg if you are strapped for cash.

Liquid or powdered crab boil

Salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, basil to taste

The hardest part is getting the reaux right. Get yourself a deep pan hot at medium and then add oil. Slowly sift flour in while continuously stirring. When I say continuously, I mean continuously. You gonna watch for smoke and adjust temperature accordingly. A little smoke is expected, but you do not want to burn the flour as you will have to start again. This can take up to 30 minutes.

Continue this process until the reaux because a dark color similiar to milk chocolate. Take off heat and let cool for 10 minutes before adding 2 quarts of water or chicken broth and tablespoon of crab boil. Throw in a bay leaf or two and turn on heat back to medium. Your reaux and water/broth will be separated at first, no worries as it will work together as it cooks and you stir.

At this point slice your sausage and brown. Remove sausage but leave grease as you are now going to throw in the onion, bellpepper, and celery. Throw some garlic in at the end and turn off heat. Stir for 30 seconds and throw in the pot with reaux and water. Add sausage as well.

Open up your can of tomato paste/sauce and scope out a heaping tablespoon. Stir this into your broth.

Bring to boil and reduce heat to low. If using chicken, this is the time to add it. Cook for at least an hour. Afterwards taste and add your seasonings. There is no right or wrong here, add to taste. Make it spicy with cayenne if you would like.

Take your okra and throw in a pot and cook until slime is mostly gone and the okra is tender. This can be a pain in the ass.

If using seafood or egg, add now along with okra and cook on low for another hour.

It's ready to go now but there is nothing wrong with letting it cook down, I tend to let it go for up to 4 hours. Put some rice in the bowl and pour your gumbo over top.
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BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
God damn, dawg, talk about kickin' it up a notch! You go, man! Fuck n A!

Thanks. I guess I retained a bit of pizza-making skill from my short time working in a small pizza joint back in the day. It's making the dough by hand without the benefit of specialized machinery / appliances that is the bitch. After the dough is made the actual making of the pizza is dead simple.
 

GeekyDad

Member
Thanks. I guess I retained a bit of pizza-making skill from my short time working in a small pizza joint back in the day. It's making the dough by hand without the benefit of specialized machinery / appliances that is the bitch. After the dough is made the actual making of the pizza is dead simple.
Yup. That's why I don't make it anymore. I just ain't got it in me. But that's why when I see someone make something so beautiful like that, it inspires the heck out of me. Good lord. Looks like you browned it perfectly.
 
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BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Yup. That's why I don't make it anymore. I just ain't got it in me. But that's why when I see someone make something so beautiful like that, it inspires the heck out of me. Good lord. Looks like you browned it perfectly.

Get the oven to 450 F and watch it closely, if your dough isn't wet enough and shows signs of cooking too rapidly after five minutes don't be afraid to remove it while lowering the temp by 25-35 degrees, even lightly brushing the crust with olive oil (which I did with mine here) then returning the pizza. It only takes all of 10 to 15 minutes to bake a pizza with crust as thick as mine in that image.

I never use pizza stones either. I find them to be detrimental.
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Tilapia fish tacos tonight. Getting a sear on that fish before I finish it in the oven. I seasoned partway through, btw. Just salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice when done.

I was going to marinate the fish first but then thought, why spoil the subtle flavor of tilapia with some heavy marinade?

Avocado cilantro sauce from a bottle because I'm lazy.

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Tilapia fish tacos tonight. Getting a sear on that fish before I finish it in the oven. I seasoned partway through, btw. Just salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice when done.

I was going to marinate the fish first but then thought, why spoil the subtle flavor of tilapia with some heavy marinade?

Avocado cilantro sauce from a bottle because I'm lazy.

Nice, totally agree to keeping the marinades or sauces "light". Better on the flavour, waste, heart and wallet.

Sour cream quantity is suspect though mate. I'd bump up the vegies, add capsicum and jalapenos
 
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BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Nice, totally agree to keeping the marinades or sauces "light". Better on the flavour, waste, heart and wallet.

Sour cream quantity is suspect though mate. I'd bump up the vegies, add capsicum and jalapenos

Yea the sour cream was super cold, so it made spooning out small globs difficult. But it was goooood cousin. So good. I'll ride the exercise bike an extra five minutes tomorrow morning.

Edit: I also wanted corn tortillas but since the pandemic began they are near impossible to find here. Oh and I used Cholula green hot sauce on one, some sriracha on the other.
 
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Yea the sour cream was super cold, so it made spooning out small globs difficult. But it was goooood cousin. So good. I'll ride the exercise bike an extra five minutes tomorrow morning.

Edit: I also wanted corn tortillas but since the pandemic began they are near impossible to find here. Oh and I used Cholula green hot sauce on one, some sriracha on the other.

My misses is nuts for White Corn tortillas, basically exclusively. They are also a total pain to find down under. Green hot sauce is a winner!
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Anyone here have recommendations on a proper chef knife? Not so worried about budget I just want something quality that will last forever.
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Anyone here have recommendations on a proper chef knife? Not so worried about budget I just want something quality that will last forever.

I went with Anthony Bourdain's suggested best chef's knife, the Global G-2 8 inch. I've had it for about four years now, sharpening after every two or three uses (depending upon use). It's still looks and feels practically brand new.



I also have a 7" Kubu that is about six years old. It is really good as well, and comes with a cool wooden sheath. It is a little heavier though. I have no idea if they're even sold anywhere any longer, at least within the US. But this is the one:

 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I went with Anthony Bourdain's suggested best chef's knife, the Global G-2 8 inch. I've had it for about four years now, sharpening after every two or three uses (depending upon use). It's still looks and feels practically brand new.



I also have a 7" Kubu that is about six years old. It is really good as well, and comes with a cool wooden sheath. It is a little heavier though. I have no idea if they're even sold anywhere any longer, at least within the US. But this is the one:

I love you.
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I went with Anthony Bourdain's suggested best chef's knife, the Global G-2 8 inch. I've had it for about four years now, sharpening after every two or three uses (depending upon use). It's still looks and feels practically brand new.



I also have a 7" Kubu that is about six years old. It is really good as well, and comes with a cool wooden sheath. It is a little heavier though. I have no idea if they're even sold anywhere any longer, at least within the US. But this is the one:

No rush to answer but what's your sharpening set-up? There's a local place I can take my knives but I've also got my own set of whetstones. What I lack really is just the experience with sharpening. I will give it an honest go before I try to sharpen the new knife for sure. Any tips or how-tos are greatly appreciated.

Do you use a honing rod at all?
 

BadBurger

Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
No rush to answer but what's your sharpening set-up? There's a local place I can take my knives but I've also got my own set of whetstones. What I lack really is just the experience with sharpening. I will give it an honest go before I try to sharpen the new knife for sure. Any tips or how-tos are greatly appreciated.

Do you use a honing rod at all?

I use a basic whetstone, this one, with different grit ratings on each side. Bourdain suggested it for home chefsl, as he said one doesn't need one of those big expensive commercial grade ones as home chefs will probably be sharpening their knives like 10% as often as real cooks and chefs will be:


I watched some YouTube videos back in the day on how to use it. Need lots of water handy, and need to get used to the angling and motion:






And yea, I am a huge fan of his, rest his wild soul.

Edit: oh, I do have a honing rod, but apparently they can be harsh if not used precisely. I know Gordon Ramsay swears by them (you see him using them all the time), but he's Gordon Ramsay. Ideally one uses the whetstone mostly and then the rod for a very quick honing here and there during periods of long use - again, chef life stuff. I use the honing rod after every three or sharpenings. They're to get rid of the very fine imperfections that occur over time.
 
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ÆMNE22A!C

NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
BadBurger BadBurger

Those Bitterballen are among the pinnacle of Dutch cuisine.

Beef Ragout surrounded with a crispy jacket in a, you guessed it, ball form.

Lovely with some mustard.

More of an party/drinking/etc snack than anything else. So if the occasion arises, oh boy. They're traditionally deep fried so calorie wise it's bette.. I mean less bad for you. AAA brand (discount week)

The More You Know Nbc GIF by For(bes) The Culture


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ÆMNE22A!C

NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
Still on the homemade bread train with the mrs. Done some brioche bun burgers

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Looks delicious man.

I used to make my burgers like that (topping wise) but it's so impractical so eat lmao. Same with adding stuff on supermarket *fresh* and or frozen pizza. Less is more sometimes.

But again. Looks amazing man!!!!!

Maiden Voyage Maiden Voyage only if you bring dessert 😍
 
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