Batuta
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Posts posted by Batuta
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What do you do with all the "used" fat after deep frying french fries or chicken or whatever?
I've heard that it isn't safe to reuse the oil that home cooks use, and it seems messy/smelly/dangerous to keep it.
On the other hand, what's the best way to "throw" out the oil, especially if it's half a bottle's worth?
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Thanks everyone for your encouragement and comments. I'll post the results (and possibly some pictures) on the board.
Pan, I was kidding too. Sorry to catch you off-guard.
And Jonathan, while we've had some GREAT fun at our Gourmet Club over the years, I can remember a couple "boring" ones, where the menu and the place settings were "formal", everyone was "dressed up" and overly-polite. So this time, we're thinking truly casual summer "kitsch": flip flops-Beach Boys-outside-tiki torch (we live on the water), which is a bit "out of the box" for this group. Heck, we're thinking of having the hunky college kid from across the street great them in his swimsuit and hand them "umbrella drinks" to put them casual/summer/vacation frame of mind...
Or maybe not... -
Absolutely!
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Thanks to all you "gastronauts"
for all of your comments! Based on your input, it's "shaping up" into a totally relaxing, summer menu with a 2 different salmon preparations.
Appetizer: Bacon-wrapped Shrimp with Avocado, Lime & Tomato Jam
2nd Course: Chilled Strawberry Soup
Salmon "Tasting" Main Course with:
Sugar-Cured Salmon with Ricotta Toasts
Slow Roasted Salmon with Yogurt & Cardamom
Quinoa
Sliced Cucumbers
Dessert: Caramelized Mango with Blueberries
I was tempted to try a duck "tasting" for the main course, but thought it was too much like fall.
Duck "Tasting" Main Course
Hazelnut Crusted Foie Gras with Fennel & Pomegranate
Duck Breast with Pomegranate Baste
Wild Rice with Mushrooms and Toasted Nuts
Sauteed Spinach
The party is planned for late July. What are your thoughts? I'm still "playing" and value your feedback.
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Spring Mix "Sweet" Salad with Candied Pecans
Serves 4 as Salad.
This must be one of my most requested recipes. It's beautiful, has a wonderful taste, and has a great combination of textures.
You may want to make extra pecans. People eat them like popcorn!
The pecans and dressing can be made well in advance, so it's easy to put together at the last minute.
Candied Pecans
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1/4 c (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 1 c pecan halves
Salad
- 6 oz mixed Spring greens
- 2 mangos, sliced or chopped
- 1/2 pt raspberries
- 2 kiwi peeled and sliced
Dressing
- 1/2 c oil
- 1/4 c sugar
- 3 T white wine vinegar
- 3/4 T green onion (white part only)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 3/4 T poppy seeds
1. For the candied pecans. Spray sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans. Stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats nuts evenly, about 7 minutes. Turn nuts out onto prepared foil. Using fork, separate nuts and cool completely (coating will harden)
2 Make salad dressing: blend all but poppy seeds in electric blender. Stir in poppy seeds. Store in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
3 Lay the lettuce on a flat platter. Top with fruit and pecans. Serve the dressing on the side.
Keywords: Salad, Vegetables, Side, Brunch, Vegetarian, Lunch, Easy, Dinner
( RG1105 )
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Spring Mix "Sweet" Salad with Candied Pecans
Serves 4 as Salad.
This must be one of my most requested recipes. It's beautiful, has a wonderful taste, and has a great combination of textures.
You may want to make extra pecans. People eat them like popcorn!
The pecans and dressing can be made well in advance, so it's easy to put together at the last minute.
Candied Pecans
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1/4 c (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 1 c pecan halves
Salad
- 6 oz mixed Spring greens
- 2 mangos, sliced or chopped
- 1/2 pt raspberries
- 2 kiwi peeled and sliced
Dressing
- 1/2 c oil
- 1/4 c sugar
- 3 T white wine vinegar
- 3/4 T green onion (white part only)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 3/4 T poppy seeds
1. For the candied pecans. Spray sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Stir sugar, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans. Stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats nuts evenly, about 7 minutes. Turn nuts out onto prepared foil. Using fork, separate nuts and cool completely (coating will harden)
2 Make salad dressing: blend all but poppy seeds in electric blender. Stir in poppy seeds. Store in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
3 Lay the lettuce on a flat platter. Top with fruit and pecans. Serve the dressing on the side.
Keywords: Salad, Vegetables, Side, Brunch, Vegetarian, Lunch, Easy, Dinner
( RG1105 )
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Thanks! This is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for.
Sounds like the tasting idea has some promise, but I may have gone overboard. Based on your comments, I'll:
Limit the tasting to one "Eureka" idea/concept
Make it fun, and less "like school"
So, for the "Eureka" idea/concept, it sounds like there may be several contenders:
1) Prime aged (Loebel's) vs. supermarket beef
2) Seasoning: perhaps thinking about some of the suggestions that JAZ had in herEG Culinary Intstitute class on texture and taste OR following the idea of the same dish prepared with four ethnic "twists" and
3)Wild/river salmon vs. farmed salmon.
I'm totally open. Any other ideas or suggestions?
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Hi. I’ve been lurking for months, following many of the threads and EGI Institute with great interest. You have been my epicurean “deep throat”, providing vast, varied information, expertise and entertainment. e-Gullet is fully responsible for “opening my eyes” to a world of larb, Shun knives, Foodsavers, Loebel’s, and lots of other “pretty cool” stuff, I’d never heard of.
And so, I offer my first post, humbly asking for your advice and suggestions.
My husband and I are hosting our gourmet club in July. The club (four couples) has met about six times a year for many, many years. While everyone has an appreciation for good food and reasonable home cooking skills, no one is a true “foodie” (other than possibly me). After so many years, the “top of mind” themes have been done and sometimes “redone”.
It’s time to try something different.
My goal is to “stretch” their food experiences and insights. I’d like them – at least for the night - to become food-obsessed. And, it seems like a great first step would be to offer an “experiential” means for them to taste big differences based on simple changes. For example, how different wines can affect the taste of cheese (or is it vice versa?), or how different cooking methods can change the flavor and texture of the same fish, or how “aging” can affect the taste of a steak.
So, for July, I’m playing with a “Three Course Tasting Menu” concept. It’s very rough. Here are the thoughts so far:
First Course: Compare & contrast various combinations of wine & cheese (or wine and other things). This might extend to testing to see if “the right” wine glasses really do make the wine taste better.
Second Course: Toying with a few main course ideas. One option is to prepare identical cuts of meat (say a rib-eye) from three sources: Loebel’s, the local butcher, from the grocery chain and aged in the fridge, and directly from the grocery chain’s shrink-wrapped package to see if we can “taste” the differences, and whether the differences are worth the money. Another option is to get identical cuts of salmon (or other protein) and prepare them several ways to compare the differences (broiled, slow-roasted, pan seared, grilled, cedar-planked, and possibly, steamed).
Third Course: Dessert of three chocolates? Chocolate combined with various beverages? Other thoughts?
So: bring it on. What do you think? Does the idea have promise? Can or should “education” and “entertainment” be mixed? Should I even bother to try this with people who like but don’t obsess over food? Do you have specific tasting suggestions? Do you think the “tasting” idea will get old over an entire meal? Am I better off creating a “French” or “Indian” or other such menu, and letting it go?
Food-Related Software
in Kitchen Consumer
Posted · Edited by Batuta (log)
The Living Cookbook also allows you to customize sections very easily.
You can take it out on a "trial run" for free at http://www.livingcookbook.com/
Actually, it's pretty decent software, but like all of them, has a few glitches.