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[Metroid Killer]

----~ Designer Dessert ~---- (April)

Color Cake

Wanted to make a cake with a big contrast in inner and outer colors. So I made a colorful vanilla cake by a recipe from IronGaf's own dyonpt, and covered it in an oreo swiss meringue buttercream to create a grey and somewhat dull look.

I pretty much nailed the visuals as I liked them to be. But the overall taste of the cake leaves much to be desired imo. As a vanilla cake there's nothing wrong with the cake, but I had hoped the SMBC would taste just slightly of the infused oreas, but nope, just like any other plain SMBC. I think if I were to make this cake again, I would use various flavours when make the color cake(raspberry juice in the red dough, mint extract in green dough, etc.), then it would be a matter of which flavour combinations would work.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

you got a talent metroid. should open up a bakery or soemthing.

 

[luoapp]

----~ Designer Dessert ~---- (April)

Somehow, the pictures of your cake reminds me of your avatar.

 

[PartlyCloudlike]

Last night we had fresh pasta and my gf's tried and tested meatsauce. Pretty standard meal, but the fun part was that the pasta was dyed in squid ink, making them jet black in color.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/MKiller/dinner.jpg

That dish looks killer with the squid ink pasta. I tried squid ink for the first time at Koffman's in London and loved the deep flavor.

 

[Kenka]

Metroid, I just wanted to say wow.

 

[thespot84]

That dish looks killer with the squid ink pasta. I tried squid ink for the first time at Koffman's in London and loved the deep flavor.

what's it taste like?

 

[Cosmic Bus]

Made some steak tonight with mango-tomato-avocado salsa and roasted poblano stuffed with couscous and olives.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

I've been playing around with ginger scallion noodles lately. Just got some tangelos, so I think I'm going to play with an ginger-scallion citrus hybrid, since I seem to have the basics down. Will take a pic when next I make it.

 

[PartlyCloudlike]

what's it taste like?

It's very hard for me to describe. It wasn't fishy, nothing strong like that. If I could describe it to something, it would be a very very very mild crab mustard, but even that wouldn't be very close. I would definitely try it again. It was basically a sauce that came with my scallops, and there wasn't much of it.

 

[Metroid Killer]

Made some steak tonight with mango-tomato-avocado salsa and roasted poblano stuffed with couscous and olives.

Unf that looks sooo good. I need more homemade salsas in my life. What's poblano?

 

[Cosmic Bus]

Poblanos are a fairly mild pepper; think of it as being a couple steps off from a bell pepper, but generally smaller, thinner, and softer.

 

[Metroid Killer]

Ok, everything about that meal sounds awesome to me then. Man what I would give for a technology so we could teleport food to each other secret santa style!!

you got a talent metroid. should open up a bakery or soemthing.

That would be ridiculous and awesome, but mostly ridiculous ;p

 

[shinobi602]

Nothing fancy. Ya'll hungry?

 

[CrankyJay]

Nothing fancy. Ya'll hungry?

I'd eat.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Nothing fancy. Ya'll hungry?

Get in my belly!

Definitely gonna try grilling some onions like that next time I fire up the BBQ.

 

[shinobi602]

Get in my belly!

Definitely gonna try grilling some onions like that next time I fire up the BBQ.

Grilled onions are amazing. Don't even add anything to them, just eat em.

 

[Silkworm]

so i bought some of this:

and some 00 flour to try a few pizza dough recipes. now i have to go find some recipes.

few quick yeast questions:

do I use this the same way as any other dry yeast?
can i use it right from the freezer?
how long would it last in the freezer? years?

Oh I have that. I also have a similar size for Saf Gold (formulated to work better with sugar for sweet yeasted baked goods). You may have got all the info you needed, but I too store it in an air tight container in the freezer. It still works after having been in the freezer for several years which is great since I'm not plowing through it. Also the only thing you need to worry about is if you freeze your flour. I put my bread flour in the freezer but before I use it in a yeasted recipe I try to let it sit out to come to room temp Happy baking!

 

[nakedsushi]

Believe the hype about Uchi. Wow.

As for Uchiko, I haven't been there and I notice some dishes (like Hamachi Cure and Kakiage, perhaps the best dishes I had) aren't on the menu.

Uchiko is way more southeast Asian-influenced however, thanks to Paul Qui's mad experiments. It's not quite the same as Uchi proper, but still supposedly a great experience.

On a sushi note: I would say the sushi up at Musashino on Mopac and Anderson is probably superior to Uchi's, on a strict makimono and nigiri level. Uchi's special fish they fly in makes it worth it, however. I got to try masaba, hagatsuo, and kohada, all of which are pretty much Japan Sea-only fish. Kohada (gizzard shad) in particular was what convinced me to go on that day, since nobody else really carries it, and it's one of the most traditional and popular sushi toppings in Japan. I've gotta say, it was really a good fish.

I only wish I had remembered to take a photo of the kohada before I gobbled it up. XD

I ended up going to Uchiko instead and got their 10-course tasting and it was WONDERFUL. My husband got a comparable 10-11 course vegan tasting menu and loved it as well. I can see what you mean about the southeast-Asian flavors, since there was a lot of strong citrus and shiso flavor, and a few things were bordering on too salty, but overall, the presentation, flavors, and quality of food was great. I liked that he kinda kept it low-key with a lot of the nigiri and sashimi dishes and still managed to experiment with the others, like his tempura maitake mushroom w/ broth and a raw egg yolk.

 

[Keen]

So I guess I'll literally be eating crow on saturday. A local place called Tennstopet, that Onkel went to when he was here, has crow week every year starting today, and they're putting together some sort of party for friends and family. Never had it before, so it'll be interesting at least. I'll try to take pictures.

 

[Rösti]

So I guess I'll literally be eating crow on saturday. A local place called Tennstopet, that Onkel went to when he was here, has crow week every year starting today, and they're putting together some sort of party for friends and family. Never had it before, so it'll be interesting at least. I'll try to take pictures.

They've got a nice menu with great variety (some classic husmanskost for example). I also noticed they are serving beaver during April. I could pay a visit whenever I'm in Stockholm next.

http://www.tennstopet.se/index.php/stopet/meny

 

[Milchjon]

Why the fuck do some potatoes take forever to cook.

Is there some kind of trick to follow to speed them up?

 

[Baconsaurus Rex]

Turn up the heat?

Or cut them in smaller pieces.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

So I got this pot, just normal stainless steal pot I think.

It got BURNED AS FUCKKKK on the bottom. What's the best way to clean it? Vinegar (does any work?) and baking soda? Is there some secret? Because it honestly doesn't look like it's coming out lol.

 

[n0n44m]

Mozzarella-Pesto-Sun-dried-Tomatoes Pizza

The top one was baked under the broiler, 4 minutes. The other one was baked on convection, 6 1/2 minutes. Plate was 340C when I put the pizza's on it.

The broiler one has much more rise on the crust, and much more charring (great for the taste) ... the crust is much softer inside as well. The convection one has a more firm crust, and the cheese spread out more.

I definitely liked the broiler one the most, but you need to do quite a bit of tweaking to your oven to hit 350c on the baking plate

 

[Rösti]

So I got this pot, just normal stainless steal pot I think.

It got BURNED AS FUCKKKK on the bottom. What's the best way to clean it? Vinegar (does any work?) and baking soda? Is there some secret? Because it honestly doesn't look like it's coming out lol.

I had a burning accident happen to a pan not long ago, and here's what I did. Fill it with water to about 50%, add three tablespoons of dishwashing liquid and then start boiling it while scraping the burn away with some metal object (I used a spatula as well as a knife). The burned pieces of food came off quite quickly. You can also add toothpaste for an even better effect.

 

[Cosmic Bus]

So I got this pot, just normal stainless steal pot I think.

It got BURNED AS FUCKKKK on the bottom. What's the best way to clean it? Vinegar (does any work?) and baking soda? Is there some secret? Because it honestly doesn't look like it's coming out lol.

I've seen unbelievable burnt-on crud come out of a steel pot by boiling a 50/50 vinegar and water mixture and scraping away at the bottom. Once the liquid has a way to get underneath the burn, it's like magic.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

I had a burning accident happen to a pan not long ago, and here's what I did. Fill it with water to about 50%, add three tablespoons of dishwashing liquid and then start boiling it while scraping the burn away with some metal object (I used a spatula as well as a knife). The burned pieces of food came off quite quickly.

yeah I read that when I went googling, that boiling water might help but I don't think that will remove the actual burn accross the whole bottom but I figure that's where I can try the baking soda thing afterward to clean up what's left.

I've seen unbelievable burnt-on crud come out of a steel pot by boiling a 50/50 vinegar and water mixture and scraping away at the bottom. Once the liquid has a way to get underneath the burn, it's like magic.

so boiling WITH vinegar. I never know about vinegar, are they all basically the same? Not sure I have any white left.

 

[Cosmic Bus]

I've used white vinegar and apple cider vinegar in the past. Doesn't much matter: acidity is acidity.

 

[thespot84]

So I got this pot, just normal stainless steal pot I think.

It got BURNED AS FUCKKKK on the bottom. What's the best way to clean it? Vinegar (does any work?) and baking soda? Is there some secret? Because it honestly doesn't look like it's coming out lol.

I'd you can get your hands on this it'll take care of everything...

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

I'd you can get your hands on this it'll take care of everything...

I had seen that recommended, gotta be on the lookout for it.

I've used white vinegar and apple cider vinegar in the past. Doesn't much matter: acidity is acidity.

yeah I figured.

thanks peeps.

 

[Metroid Killer]

Mozzarella-Pesto-Sun-dried-Tomatoes Pizza

I definitely liked the broiler one the most

I can tell from the pics that the broiler pizza would be my choice as well. I love when the charring is like that. I will make pizza and garlic bread on saturday, will post pictures of course

Any tips on pizza topping? Mozzarella, tomatos, herbs + meat is usually my normal combination.

 

[Rösti]

Any tips on pizza topping? Mozzarella, tomatos, herbs + meat is usually my normal combination.

Here's a good mix:

Bakkwa if you can get it or make it, otherwise use jerky
Thinly sliced tree onions
Bay laurel
XO sauce
Lemon juice
Oscypek if you can find it, otherwise most smoked cheeses will do

Most important thing here is to let the bakkwa soak in XO sauce and lemon juice for a while so it doesn't completely dry out in the oven. The other ingredients you use as usual.

 

[n0n44m]

I can tell from the pics that the broiler pizza would be my choice as well. I love when the charring is like that. I will make pizza and garlic bread on saturday, will post pictures of course

Any tips on pizza topping? Mozzarella, tomatos, herbs + meat is usually my normal combination.

in my experience the quality of the toppings makes more of an impact than the quantity/diversity

Some proper (Buffalo) Mozzarella makes a ton of difference compared to the cheap supermarket stuff. My sauce consists of a can of Italian tomatoes, which I blend with a bit of salt, some sugar and some olive oil. Beats whatever I can cook up with "fresh" greenhouse tomatoes (which taste very bland usually). As for meat, I personally like Chorizo the best.

One thing that goes well with pretty much any kind of pizza is Rucola (Arugula?) , roasted pine nuts, Prosciutto ham and olive oil. Just put the prosciutto slices right on top when you take the pizza out of the oven, then spread some rucola and pine nuts over them, and drizzle with some oil.

and yeah char is great for taste

 

[Keen]

They've got a nice menu with great variety (some classic husmanskost for example). I also noticed they are serving beaver during April. I could pay a visit whenever I'm in Stockholm next.

http://www.tennstopet.se/index.php/stopet/meny

Yes, I've been there quite a few times before, although not since Vassa Eggen took over ownership.
They also serve a bear hamburger during the fall.

 

[MrBig]

I can tell from the pics that the broiler pizza would be my choice as well. I love when the charring is like that. I will make pizza and garlic bread on saturday, will post pictures of course

Any tips on pizza topping? Mozzarella, tomatos, herbs + meat is usually my normal combination.

Try making up your own sauces, I've been experimenting with different bechamel based sauces lately and its been great. And yes, go for good quality toppings of stuff you really love, keep it simple.

 

[Etrian Oddity]

So today, I was introduced to pork belly.

Oh. Em. Jee.

I don't know how I've missed out on this, but good lord. A pound of it for like $3, incredible.

I used Uchi's "Bacon Sen" as a guideline (but of course it wasn't the same), and served the pork belly over a bed of ginger-scallion noodles.

Have some leftover belly, so tomorrow I plan on making some pork belly onigiri to bring to work. ^_^

 

[Facetime with Dr. Bruce]

Pork belly is delicious peasant food. I can't remember when I last had any, must've been a loooong time ago. Just thinking about that sweet succulent goodness makes me drool.
Speaking of peasant food, today's dinner will be boiled ox tongue with roots, potatoes, and Semmelkren, which is a mixture of mashed white bread and a ton of horseradish. I had planned for two veal tongues but the butcher had none left. Ox isn't that much of a step down though.

 

[ElectricThunder]

Pork belly is amazing when prepared well---only had it once in my life and will always remember. That looks fantastic on that bed of noodles!

 

[Metroid Killer]

Made Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Mars Bar Creme for my colleagues the other day. They were great, and that creme was fantastic, a bit runny so I people had to self-service, but that creamy consistency and the subtle mars bar flavour is godly.

As I was baking them I quickly realized that with an output of 60 mini cupcakes there wouldn't be enough to put aside for me and my gf at home, so having promised her the sweetness of the cupcakes and creme and went to the aid of my local bakery.

A limemousse cake on an almond/meringue bottom.

Lovely cake, I could do the mousse better(or perhaps perserved better than in a baker's window) and I would probably also choose something other than almonds as I'm not the biggest nut fan. The junipers were awesome, I need to include junipers in my baking.

 

[Mackenzie 92]

Made Mini Carrot Cupcakes with Mars Bar Creme for my colleagues the other day. They were great, and that creme was fantastic, a bit runny so I people had to self-service, but that creamy consistency and the subtle mars bar flavour is godly.

As I was baking them I quickly realized that with an output of 60 mini cupcakes there wouldn't be enough to put aside for me and my gf at home, so having promised her the sweetness of the cupcakes and creme and went to the aid of my local bakery.

A limemousse cake on an almond/meringue bottom.

Lovely cake, I could do the mousse better(or perhaps perserved better than in a baker's window) and I would probably also choose something other than almonds as I'm not the biggest nut fan. The junipers were awesome, I need to include junipers in my baking.

once again, amazing looking stuff

 

[Cosmic Bus]

Smoked sturgeon with gnocchi, spring peas, garlic, and vodka cream sauce.

 

[Yes Boss!]

Amazing stuff, all.

Just know that there are plenty of lurkers appreciating.

 

[Funky Papa]

Major props to Metroid Killer for not going overboard with the frosting on those cupcakes. So many people go nuts with it.

 

[ElectricThunder]

Major props to Metroid Killer for not going overboard with the frosting on those cupcakes. So many people go nuts with it.

Hey now, here and there in life, folks need some frosting with a cupcake crumble on top.

 

[CrankyJay]

Smoked sturgeon with gnocchi, spring peas, garlic, and vodka cream sauce.

Good god man. Looks great.

 

[Metroid Killer]

Major props to Metroid Killer for not going overboard with the frosting on those cupcakes. So many people go nuts with it.

Actually this creme is for once a topping for cakes that you could go crazy with as there's almost no sugar and no butter in it. But as it's a runny creme and not sugar frosting or buttercream you are limited to what any given surface can hold.

I had enough creme leftover and had to bake a cake to give it a purpose. So my go-to chocolate cake it was:

As I mentioned it's a great alternative to frostings etc.

Just melt 2 chopped Mars bars with 2 tablespoon cream in a saucepan. Take 200g Creme Fraise and whip it to soft peaks(or as close as possible) and fold in the melted chocolate. Let it set in the fridge for and hour or so. Then take equal amount(200g) of cream and whip it to soft peaks and fold in the creme. Optional to add powdered sugar to add taste or a thicker consistency.

 

[Metroid Killer]

----~ 1 from IronGaf ~---- (April)

Lotus Root Chips by Zyzyxxz

First time ever tasting lotus root. I defintely enjoyed it, but I also think that it's an acquired taste and that I will be all over them the next time I make them. I couldn't find the exact kind of furikake(the seaweed condiment) that I wanted for the dish, so I made my own as well. Will defintely make this again another time, perhaps including it in the main course, just 3-4 chipsnext to the meat and salad etc.

 

[TheExodu5]

Those carrot cupcakes look beyond amazing.

 

[Yes Boss!]

I don't think anything is more impressive than the chickpea. Amazing how they triple in size from dried state. One of my favorite ingredients. Turning these plump little guys into hummus.

 

[SPEA]

Poached egg over greens and a raspberry vinaigrette.

Seared steak with roasted bacon brussel sprouts.

Seared scallops with a butter, almond, and grape sauce.