What's cooking? part 4

so stir frying isn't as easy as I thought it would be, it had a nice flavor, but I didn't get the glaze I was going for.

I need a drink

I made a pizza from a 45 cent Fresh and Easy dough ball. Put some Putanesca tomato sauce on it (homemade from last year), with ham, mushrooms, goat cheese, and oil-cured olives. Turned out pretty well. I've found the F&E pizza doughs are easier to work with than the Trader Joe's.

And I'm finishing a bottle of Avalon Cabernaet Sauvignon that I drank with it.

my favorite italian cookbook author, never lets me down

Maccheroni all'Aquilana (w/ Zucchini)

skipped the saffron, egg yolk and scallions. substituted 50/50 thyme + rosemary for oregano cause i was out (not ideal but not bad either) and substituted parm for pecorino. used combination of stock and hot pasta water for the hot water, skipped the salt.

still turned out pretty damn good

i cut the recipe in half and cut down on the cheese even further than that

I've found pizza dough is suprisingly easy to make from scratch tbh! No raising needed like bread. This recipes good:

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/25844/basic+pizza+dough

The key is using the special bread/pizza flour, which has high protein.
Made this with it:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/26426_349827582756_726857756_4088487_3437844_n.jpg

LOL looking for that pic on my FB led me to this pic which I'd forgotten: some cakes i made for my ex's b'day

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/23680_367754612756_726857756_4134761_8102713_n.jpg

whoa awesome

A+ cake

I'll confess I cheated and used storebought madiera cake, carved up, but man it was fun to make :D

*screeeeeeeeeeeeeee* *whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrp*

As S- said at the time, "better build quality than Behringer". lol.

lol! high praise!

Hahah hardly! ;P

Positive feedback!

fnarrr

that pizza looks delicious trayce (the cakes too!)

btw, do you know what happens if you use all purpose flour instead of special bread flour? how does that affect the texture? want to try the pizza recipe but don't want to buy an entire new thing of flour...already have like 3 diff flours right now...

I use AP flour for my dough, turns out good!

I do use yeast though & let it rise, might be a different technique

hmmm ok. i will try it.

I am a cooking newb and general kitchen disaster area and I made WmC's mushroom sauce and it was very good!

Misjudged a few amounts and timings on the way but it still turned out delicious. I also poured it on some not-great shop-bought fresh pasta, which is the main thing I hope to improve on next time, but there will definitely be a next time. Thank you, WmC.

Today I'm cooking the pork belly! Really excited and hope it turns out well. I'm making a beet spinach salad with goat cheese to go along with it.

xpost

Glad it turned out well! All the talk of creamy mushroom pasta has been making me crave it myself. I'm thinking about doing a version with some tuna in it tonight. (Need to remember to warn my wife so she can dab a bit of Vicks Vaporub under her nose.)

Also, for whatever reason, I'm starting to crave creamed spinach -- something for the weekend maybe.

anyone tried roasted beets on a grill or roasting beets in general? Any suggestions?

I like raw beets cut into matchsticks on salads, myself. Are you opposed to crunchy raw beets?

Otherwise just roast like you would roast any other root vegetable.

I've always saute beets or any root, I've never roasted them. I was thinking of placing them in foil and turning the grill on low, should I cover them in oil?

I usually roast them in a foil pouch with some olive oil and salt, then peel them when they're just cool enough to handle. There's something sexy about feeling the skin slide loose under my fingers. xp

^^ what he said

oh so I shouldn't skin the beets?

not necessary but you can if you want

Excellent beet thread: Beets

I think if they are wrapped in foil, oil probably doesn't matter, though a little would help keep them from sticking? Roasting with skin on is easy and keeps you from getting dyed fingertips.

Thanks guys!

Oh man, that mushroom pasta is so good with tuna (and peas). Takes me back to my yout'.

Re the pizzsa: yeah the strong flour for pizza and bread just helps its integrity I guess but its fine with regular flour - I use yeast either way - I think strong flour just makes it crispier?

So the pork belly has been cooking at 300 for 3 hours in the aromatics and basing liquid I made. It looks like a huge slab of fat, not the most appealing sight. Now I have to slice it and place it under the broiler, I hope this works out, after looking at it I'm second guessing myself with this whole idea.

Yeah pork belly is basically a giant slab of fat, but it's extremely delicious if you don't think about how each bite takes at least a month off of your life.

I generally braise it for a while and let it sit in the liquid overnight so I can peel the sheet of solid pork fat off the top, then boil off all the liquid and cook it like you would for Vietnamese caramelized clay pot stuff - with garlic, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, green onions, and cilantro. That with some sticky rice and cabbage or papaya salad is one of my favorite things ever.

It was maybe the best dish I have cooked! The fat tasted like butter and would dissolve on your tongue, underneath the crispy cracklin like top. The meat was super tender and full of the flavor. I don't think I can eat this again for a year, but it was worth the time it took to cook. We have a few pieces left over that I'm going to chop and make a sort of pulled pork with tomorrow.

I'm throwing a BBQ tomorrow! Any excellent side dishes? I am thinking:

Hamburgers with various condiments
Wheatberry & bean curry salad
Chips
Potato salad & macaroni salad? (<--I am lame, will probably just buy these things because I like the store brand a lot)
Tomato & bocconcini salad with basil, balsamic & olive oil

I feel like this is standard, but also not enough? I will make a cracker & cheese & grapes plate.

Tempted to attempt devilled eggs! Are those hard?

They're really easy! And flavorwise they're kind of a blank canvas that encourages you to try all kinds of things.

I just looked up a recipe. I think I could do this! I've never peeled a hard boiled egg before, hah. Will report back!

Pro tip: fresher eggs are harder to peel.

it's tedious but not a big deal

hmm, I've got 6 or 8 eggs in the fridge that are a week old, at least. I'm good a tedious; skill is where it all falls apart for ole Lex.

Deviled eggs are great but peeling the eggs is one of the most maddening things ever - if I do one of course the shell slips right off but if I need a dozen they never seem to come off until all the eggs are destroyed.

Hahaha. Well I forgot to buy more & we'll need some for breakfasts so I shall try another time.

Bought a watermelon so that I can make a gigantic Fruitbasket out of it!

"Potato salad & macaroni salad?"

I would not do both, eliminating the mac salad as it's one food that seems to have no reason to exist.

Maybe some grilled corn on the cob?

Man I love both potato & macaroni salads! Hate corn IMO. plus our BBQ is small, couldn't fit anything but burgers really..