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IronGAF Cookoff (hosted by OnkelC)

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OnkelC

Hail to the Chef
thespot84 said:
Yeah that cake looks phenomenal.

I'm curious how you take such great pictures of food, would love some guidance...
three advices:
1. low ISO, long exposure, macro mode, flash off
2. additional lighting (one or two desk lamps work wonders)
3. tabletop tripod for the camera
 
Pork tenderloin. Recipe is my own and it was sooo good! :D

VZmKIl.jpg


IISNIl.jpg


Zv8d9l.jpg


If anyone is interested, I can post instructions/ingredients as well.
 
Mushrooms and Granny Smith apples along with Prosciutto. Pork was browned, then brushed with a deli mustard that had a bit of horseradish in it.

Baked about thirty minutes on 400*F.
 
First time I've ever written a recipe since I just go from the hip in the kitchen, so forgive me!

1 pork tenderloin (hopefully not those Hormel packed ones!)
3 Granny Smith apples
1 package of brown mushrooms
1 package of prosciutto
1 package of frozen puff pastry
1 egg
deli mustard (Optional that it has horseradish in it)
coursesalt (either rock salt or roughly ground sea salt)
salt
pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400*F

2. If your puff pastry is frozen, put it out on the counter and allow to sit while you prep everything else.

3. Peel apples and core. Chop into pieces and throw into food processor. You'll want small little bits, nearly the size of slivers.

4. Clean mushrooms, throw into food processor with a bit of salt/pepper. You'll want these just like the apples, maybe even smaller bits, your choice.

5. Once these have been chopped, do not combine, but separately put in a pan with NOTHING. This is to get rid of as much moisture from them as possible. If you cook them together, it'll take even longer to wick out the moisture. What also helps is putting them in paper towels and squeezing a bit once you've cooked them down a bit. If you do this, put them back in and keep cooking. Also, be careful not to burn them here, we're not trying to brown anything here.

6. Set aside the apples/mushrooms. Season your pork tenderloin. Heat up a pan with a bit of butter or olive oil. Brown it.

7. Let it cool down slightly then brush with deli mustard.

8. Put out some plastic film (Saran wrap) on a flat surface. How much you'll need depends on the size you got. Lay out the prosciutto side by side, only barely overlapping.

9. Take your mushroom reduction and smear it all over the prosciutto carefully. You want a very thin layer. Next, take the apples and do the exact same thing. The apples I found were pasty, but not too wet to make the pastry soggy.

10. Place pork in the middle of this and wrap extremely carefully. Tighten the bundle and stick it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.

11. Roll out puff pastry to what size you'll need it. Grab the bundle out of the fridge. Unroll and be amazed that nothing stuck to the plastic! Place the meat bundle in the center of the dough.

12. Beat the egg generously. Use egg wash to completely cover around the meat so when you go to roll the pastry, it will stick. Be generous here!!!

13. Bring in the pastry and cover the meat. Chop off excess dough on the ends.

14. Using a decent knife, score the top of the pastry in long lines.

15. Rock salt/sea salt that sucker and plop it into the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes.

16. Insert thermometer into middle once 30 mins is up to make sure it's 145*F (if by going by new FDA guidelines, 165*F if you're sticking to the old ways).

17. Allow to rest about 10-15 minutes.

18. Slice in BIG slices, don't go less than an inch!

19. NOMNOMNOMNOMNOM
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
NintendoGal said:
First time I've ever written a recipe since I just go from the hip in the kitchen, so forgive me!

IMO, this sounds much more tasty than a beef wellington since I find filet to be rather bland and the apple/prosciutto mix is a great combo that wouldn't work with beef.

Ben Pierce said:
Grilled up a boneless ribeye to a nice rare with some broccoli, avocado, and some beer
http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q418/bdw3v/stizzle.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]

Perfect color! My only thing is I would have preferred a darker crust for myself but that is personal preference.
 

dyonPT

Member
thespot84 said:
Yeah that cake looks phenomenal.

I'm curious how you take such great pictures of food, would love some guidance...

Thanks!! :)


OnkelC said:
three advices:
1. low ISO, long exposure, macro mode, flash off
2. additional lighting (one or two desk lamps work wonders)
3. tabletop tripod for the camera


Yeah, all of that, and of course, a good camera :)

I use a Sony NEX-3. IT's nothing special, but for me it's good enough.
 

CrankyJay

Banned
This thread now has me looking at table tripods for my d90. LOL.

Any recommendations?

It's a heavy camera and I'm seeing mixed reviews all over Amazon for this stuff.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
CrankyJay said:
This thread now has me looking at table tripods for my d90. LOL.

Any recommendations?

It's a heavy camera and I'm seeing mixed reviews all over Amazon for this stuff.

JOBY Gorilla pod its perfect for tabletop settings, I have a D90 and plan to pick one up.
 

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
What vegetable would go well roasted with green beans and shallots? I can't get a hold of any fennel bulbs, which is what the recipe calls for.
 
Zyzyxxz said:
IMO, this sounds much more tasty than a beef wellington since I find filet to be rather bland and the apple/prosciutto mix is a great combo that wouldn't work with beef.

I've made a beef one and I prefer this one to it any day of the week. :)
 

careful

Member
Ether_Snake said:
How long do you cook it?
About an hour.

CrankyJay said:
Wow those look great.

What kind of crust are you getting on the duck fat though with sous vide?
Seared it in a pan on the stove top for about 5 minutes on medium to get the crust.

Zyzyxxz said:
Nice results but your temperatures seem off? If your waterbath calibrated? I usually do 125 for medium rare.
Datwheezy said:
Yeah, that seems reallllly red for being 144 degrees.

Yeah, I think something might be off. I was using the ziplock bag technique for the steak. I got a FoodSaver machine last week and cooked the rib-eye again @ 144F and the meat seemed to have cooked a lot more than using the ziplock. Colour was approaching pinkish grey and fibers were more visible. :( The FoodSaver gets a much tighter 'vacuum' seal which seems to make a big difference.

I bought a cheapo meat thermometer to check the water temperature and it was off by a few degrees from what the Sous Vide Supreme was reading. :\
Is there a better way to get the exact water temp. reading? How do you get the waterbath calibrated?
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
careful said:
About an hour.


Seared it in a pan on the stove top for about 5 minutes on medium to get the crust.

Yeah, I think something might be off. I was using the ziplock bag technique for the steak. I got a FoodSaver machine last week and cooked the rib-eye again @ 144F and the meat seemed to have cooked a lot more than using the ziplock. Colour was approaching pinkish grey and fibers were more visible. :( The FoodSaver gets a much tighter 'vacuum' seal which seems to make a big difference.

I bought a cheapo meat thermometer to check the water temperature and it was off by a few degrees from what the Sous Vide Supreme was reading. :\
Is there a better way to get the exact water temp. reading? How do you get the waterbath calibrated?

Zip lock bag leaves alot of air pockets and air is a poor conductor of heat, meaning you probably got lucky at 144 and it undercooked.

You may either have to get a laser thermometer or something that is accurate according to reviews online which I don't know any specifics.

As for calibration your instruction manual should say, I don't have a sous vide supreme but use a rice cooker + PID method.
 

CrankyJay

Banned
Zyzyxxz said:
Zip lock bag leaves alot of air pockets and air is a poor conductor of heat, meaning you probably got lucky at 144 and it undercooked.

You may either have to get a laser thermometer or something that is accurate according to reviews online which I don't know any specifics.

As for calibration your instruction manual should say, I don't have a sous vide supreme but use a rice cooker + PID method.

How much does the PID cost?
 

CrankyJay

Banned
Zyzyxxz said:
I bought mine from here: http://freshmealssolutions.com

It was when it was still only $130 and within a year of the company starting the only problem I have now is my temperature probe is fucked so I need a newer more durable one.

Since you have the sous vide supreme you are good, in fact I wanted one but decided to save up for one of these:

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/sousvide.php

Man, what a racket this has become. LOL.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
CrankyJay said:
Man, what a racket this has become. LOL.

Well I do plan to start my own restaurant eventually so this would be an investment.

At my last job I used something called a rational combination oven to par cook the proteins.

If I ever have a spare $10K lying around it's going toward just a used condition example.

An amazing piece of kitchen engineering. You can use it to precisely steam foods, bake, steam+bake, or sous vide at exact temperature settings.
cks_SCC102G.jpg
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
CrankyJay said:
Do fancy restaurant chefs/owners have reciprocity with other restaurants? That'd be awesome.

It really depends on who you know. Its pretty much true most executive chefs know each other if they have been in the local scene for a while.

I was frequenting this one place for a little bit and talked to the owners and let them know I worked at another restaurant nearby. They hooked me up on beer once and another time they forgot my entree and gave me a free one on the house.

Pays to be social.
 

blazeuk

Member
Made myself some Thai-styled turkey burgers on ciabatta rolls tonight, they were pretty tasty (crap phone picture though);

DxPzF.jpg


I don't often cook, but decided to try my hand at some burgers, which are actually incredibly easy to do (at least at the basic level).
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
blazeuk said:
Made myself some Thai-styled turkey burgers on ciabatta rolls tonight, they were pretty tasty (crap phone picture though);



I don't often cook, but decided to try my hand at some burgers, which are actually incredibly easy to do (at least at the basic level).

Recipe?


Also, I need help Iron Gaf. I know I have asked this before, but I really cannot find stuff to make that is healthy, for one person, and cheap. My weeknight meals now consist of 4 eggs, 4 times a week and turkey bacon.

I'd like to make more stuff, and I love cooking, it just kills me to walk out of the store after spending $65 and only have 4 grocery bags with nothing to cook more than eggs or simple stuff. If I find recipes for myself I end up spending like $10-$15 a recipe and my bill skyrockets.

What do you all make if you live by yourself that saves money, but is delicious?
 

ChanHuk

Banned
Deadly Cyclone said:
Recipe?


Also, I need help Iron Gaf. I know I have asked this before, but I really cannot find stuff to make that is healthy, for one person, and cheap. My weeknight meals now consist of 4 eggs, 4 times a week and turkey bacon.

I'd like to make more stuff, and I love cooking, it just kills me to walk out of the store after spending $65 and only have 4 grocery bags with nothing to cook more than eggs or simple stuff. If I find recipes for myself I end up spending like $10-$15 a recipe and my bill skyrockets.

What do you all make if you live by yourself that saves money, but is delicious?
Buy chicken breast on the bone, they usually go on sale for 99 cents a lb and prep it yourself. Use the bones to make chicken stock. Freeze stock for future soup.
 
So this is the first time in a couple of years that I'm going back home for Thanksgiving and after announcing this to my family, someone asked if I could handle the meal this year. No biggie, I've got my protein (turkey) and starches (kabocha and sweet potato soup) planned out, but I'm having a tough time decided what kind of vegetables to do. Any ideas Iron GAF?

I'm also on the fence on whether or not to do mashed potatoes as 1) I've never been a huge fan of them but 2) making gravy from turkey drippings is awesome.

Edit: I haven't gotten word on how many people there will be. I'm counting on at least 8-10.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
cmonmanreally said:
So this is the first time in a couple of years that I'm going back home for Thanksgiving and after announcing this to my family, someone asked if I could handle the meal this year. No biggie, I've got my protein (turkey) and starches (kabocha and sweet potato soup) planned out, but I'm having a tough time decided what kind of vegetables to do. Any ideas Iron GAF?

I'm also on the fence on whether or not to do mashed potatoes as 1) I've never been a huge fan of them but 2) making gravy from turkey drippings is awesome.

Edit: I haven't gotten word on how many people there will be. I'm counting on at least 8-10.

Bon Appetit has some great recipes this year for sides but I have not tried any yet:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/11/green-beans-with-miso-and-almonds
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2008/11/thanksgiving_sides_slideshow#slide=1

If you can get the magazine they have an interesting recipe for a celery root and apple puree that uses a little bit of potatoe so it should go great with gravy but be light on carbs.
 

GiJoccin

Member
Zyzyxxz said:
Bon Appetit has some great recipes this year for sides but I have not tried any yet:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/11/green-beans-with-miso-and-almonds
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2008/11/thanksgiving_sides_slideshow#slide=1

If you can get the magazine they have an interesting recipe for a celery root and apple puree that uses a little bit of potatoe so it should go great with gravy but be light on carbs.

the crispy caulflower with capers, raisins, and breadcrumbs looks delicious
 

blazeuk

Member
Deadly Cyclone said:

400g Turkey mince
4 finely chopped spring onions
1tsp grated root ginger
1 red chilli , seeded and finely chopped
1 egg yolk
a small bunch coriander , chopped

-- Mix above up into a bowl --

Form into 4 burgers.

Add sunflower oil to pan and fry for 5 mins on each side.

Put onto ciabatta bread, pour on some sweet chili sauce and add some watercress to the top.

Recipe is from Here
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
abstract alien said:
Is it ok to buy a whole frozen duck? I really don't like buying frozen meats...

depends on the source and if it was frozen properly which means, "Do you trust the person/establishment selling it to you?"
 
Now that it's colder, I started roasting more vegetables.


Roasted cheddar cauliflower with chopped leek.

This is one of the best ways to cook cauliflower, IMO. Just separate into florets, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, roast at 400 till the desired doneness, tossing every 20 minutes to prevent burning. I like mine with burned bits on the end =)
 
abstract alien said:
Is it ok to buy a whole frozen duck? I really don't like buying frozen meats...

Yeah, like other posters have said, it really depends on where you get it/how it was sourced. Personally, I avoid frozen meats, but if it's your only option you'll have to make it work.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
I'm starting to appreciate the taste of bitter melon more, since everybody loves to cook it in China I learn some new ways to prepare it.

Still trying to figure out how to make it work in a restaurant dish though.
 
That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the info everyone. I've tried to find fresh duck, but the only place I've found that even has it is Kroger. Kroger Duck scares me lol
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
blazeuk said:
400g Turkey mince
4 finely chopped spring onions
1tsp grated root ginger
1 red chilli , seeded and finely chopped
1 egg yolk
a small bunch coriander , chopped

-- Mix above up into a bowl --

Form into 4 burgers.

Add sunflower oil to pan and fry for 5 mins on each side.

Put onto ciabatta bread, pour on some sweet chili sauce and add some watercress to the top.

Recipe is from Here

Thanks! This looks easy and doesn't have a ton of expensive ingredients. May try it this weekend.
 
Zyzyxxz said:
I'm starting to appreciate the taste of bitter melon more, since everybody loves to cook it in China I learn some new ways to prepare it.

Still trying to figure out how to make it work in a restaurant dish though.

I'm a fan of just stir frying it with black bean sauce and lots of garlic, or even the fermented tofu and lots of garlic, but usually that's too bitter for my husband. He blanches it first in heavily salted water and that seems to take away a lot of the bitterness (which also takes away the fun!).

One of the easiest way to appreciate bittermelon is to blanch the slices, then stir fry with a chopped up salted duck egg. I think the richness of the salted duck egg yolk really cuts down on the bitterness.

But yeah, it's a hard gourd to appreciate if you're not prepared for it.
 

Zyzyxxz

Member
Made some oden yesterday since it was cold and its the perfect weather for it. The broth was a mixture of dashi and homemade brown chicken stock.
6358118019_0b383e5e53_z.jpg


Stuffed a pig's foot last week too for fun with daikon, konyaku, and the meet+tendon from the foot. Poached then let to cool overnight before I fried it for serving.

6358110009_8c5753b03c_z.jpg

6358110473_98c8b56680_z.jpg

6358111037_d7859fd087_z.jpg
 

OnkelC

Hail to the Chef
nakedsushi, Vaporak and Zyzyxxz:

awesome dishes. Thanks for sharing!


Re: downtime, let's hope for the best and see you all on the other side! :)

startscreen.jpg
 
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