ghost
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So here are two things I've done that I figured I'd put on the forum here. Please give me your feedback! I had lots of chicken in the fridge, so here are two chicken dishes.
Sauted Chicken Paillard over Asparagus with diced Red Pepper, Onion Confit, and Parsley oil.
The following dish is very simple, but I think it looks really appetizing. The chicken was marinated in a spicy dry rub overnight in a vacuum sealed bag. It was sauted and then topped with chopped green onion.
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Of course, if srhcb wanted to be a smartass, he could point out that 212F is only magical at sea level, where atmospheric pressure=1 atmosphere.
On the summit of Mt. Everest, the magical temperature is going to be closer to 160F.On the otherhand... we could all move to death valley... throw out our pressure cookers and enjoy a few more degrees of water before boiling. YAY!
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What? The heat loss is exactly the same (assuming no significant conductive loss, using the same pan blah blah). If you have 1Kg of vegtables with a thermal capacity close to water at 20C, then you need ~80 KCalories of heat to bring it up to 100C. It doesnt matter if you have 1L of water or 1000L, you still need a way to push in 80 KCals of heat and the only way is with the burner.
I should have phrased that better.
The amount of heat lost is, of course, the same. The temperature drop is significantly reduced by having a larger amount of water, because that same 80 kCal of energy lost is dissipated through a larger volume of (already boiling) water.
Or simply think of extreme cases, then the middle ground must be true...
Adding a 10 pound ice cube to 1/4 cup of boiling water will make the water drop temperature VERY fast. Now imagine adding a single piece of shaved ice to a 20 qt stock pot of boiling water.... nothing woud happen really. So the amount of water does help you maintain a more even temperature. :-)
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Xanthan requires no heat to activate/hydrate/thicken.
If the xanthan gum particles are not well dispersed before hitting the liquid, they will clump and take longer to hydrate. A blender can be used to disperse the particles or the xanthan can be pre-mixed with dry ingredients. I achieve excellent results by sprinkling the xanthan with a salt shaker while whisking vigorously.
Because of it's molecular structure, xanthan gum is one of the easiest gums to dissolve. With well dispersed particles, hydration should take place almost immediately.
Should clumping occur, time will eventually resolve the issue. This is true for all gums (although with some it takes days).
I primarily use xanthan in extremely small amounts as a stabilizer. When used as a thickener, the sauce becomes slippery/slimy. It has a good synergy with guar, so that helps texturally, but not much. I have experimented using it in smaller amounts in conjunction with other thickeners, and, so far, have been unhappy with the results. Even in small amounts I can still detect it's slimy quality. Stabilizing can be achieved with miniscule amounts. It's superb for preventing coconut milk from breaking as well as preventing cheese sauces from curdling.
These are some excellent resources on xanthan gum (along with other gums):
http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/FST621/Add...lasses/gums.htm
http://www.bakingbusiness.com/tech/channel...=16424&PF=print
http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/FST621/Add...asses/ggum3.pdf
Thanks for that treasure-trove of information. I really appreciated it!
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The slurry method might also help disperse the powder without clumping or aeration of your liqui-gel. I also thought I just read a thread here that was talking about Adria using a different type of gum so that he could achieve the literal liquid gel effect with none of the suspended air bubbles that might give a strange appearance and texture.
I haven't played with it in a while, I gotta dig it up from my pantry, but if memory serves me right... when you sprinkled xanthan gum on top of a liquid, it didn't clump like a flour/starch would. It looked almost like yeast (not in that it bubbled, but in texture) and floated on top of the liquid. I remember it was really hard to get it to dissolve. That's why I was curious if you need to make a slurry first or if it just requires lots of work (blender style) to get it to dissolve properly. I was also curious if its heat activated before it'll thicken.
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Do you make a slurry with the xanthan gum to thicken sauces? Or do you add it directly the liquid?
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Remember, the food begins cooking at room temperature, and will slowly remove heat from the water faster than your range can replace it for a little while no matter what.
Maybe you could shorten this time by using a very heavy pan that fits the burner exactly?
There is nothing magical about 212 degrees. If the water comes back to a boil in 30 seconds I don't think the food could be negatively impacted.
SB
Heh, you know... I feel like an idiot. There is nothing scientifically special about 212 other than lots of bubbles. I usually step back and look at things objectively, but alas here I have failed to do that.
Thanks for bringing me back to reality! :-D
Mike
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The largest sauce pan I have is 3.5 quarts. Even with nearly 3 & 1/4 quarts of heavily salted water at a rapid boil, a few broccoli florettes stops the boiling for a good 30-45 seconds, I don't like this. How much water do you think is necessary so that adding a few servings of veggies won't stop the boiling. Are we talking 6 quarts? 8 quarts? Anyone have any ideas?
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I am having some people over for dinner this weekend and was thinking of doing a chocolate mint souffle for dessert. Before I go off and start working on something from scratch, let me know if you've ever made something like it. I'd take any pointers! Extract or fresh mint? How much mint/extract to how much batter? Thanks1
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I think this show would be much more interesting if they got rid of the Iron Chefs all together. Just get 2 real chefs and let them goto town. Perhaps have a playoff with all the winners during a season or something. Show the food off, not the personalities.
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If you want a little place no tourist would ever find, and you love truly authentic Italian food, go checkout "La Locanda del Ghiottone" at 130 N 3rd. St. The place is tiny, but the smell of veal stock welcomes you as soon as you walk in the door. It's BYOW so come prepared, but its reasonably priced, very nice inside, and one of the best meals I've ever been able to have.
Citysearch Link: http://philadelphia.citysearch.com/profile/11313465/
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I'm at MacWorld as well!!! This month is Dining Around Town in SF. 31.95 for a 3 course
prix fixe menu at a ton of restaurants around town. I just had dinner at the Oak Room at
the Westin right in Union Square. Absolutely delicious, and ala carte I would have spent over
60 on the food I had.
http://www.sfdineabouttown.com/
Hrmm, here is a picture of the entre I had tonight. Broiled ribeye with carmelized onions and bleu cheese and shoestring fries. I also had a mixed green salad with a yummy dressing, and dessert
was a delicious creme brule. All for about 40 bucks including tip!
If anyone wants to try and meet up tomorrow for dinner, drop me a line! I'll check this
thread tomorrow before lunch time!
mike
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As someone who grew up in philly, spending over 21 years of my life there... let me put this straight. EASY CHEESE is NOT cheese whiz!!! I've traveled all over the country and many people think they are the same thing. I don't know how this started, since there are two distinct products, how do you get Easy Cheese confused with something that says "Cheese Whiz" on the label?? Sigh... I used to make cheesesteaks in places in philly, the big food service cans of whiz are identical to the jars you'll find in the supermarket. My wife, when I first met her, thought easy cheese was cheese whiz. When I told her that many people from philly put whiz on cheesesteaks, she nearly gagged. The idea of putting that canned easy cheese crap (which tastes absolutely horrid) on a cheesesteak is nauseating. Whiz ain't great, but its a heck of a lot better than easy cheese. Don't say that they are the same... easy cheese is meant to be eaten at room temperature, whiz is made to be eaten hot/melted. Don't make this mistake!!! Sorry but I'm a cheesesteak purist.
Now if you want to use real cheese like american or provolone, this is what you do. Once the meat is fully cooked, heat the pan up on high with the meat still in it. If you have a heat proof plate bigger than your fry pan or if you have a burger dome, throw the sliced cheese on the meat. Then pour about 1/4 cup of cold water on the sides of the cooked steak! Do this quickly you don't want the meat to crisp up at all. Immediately cover the pan with a lid, dome, plate, whatever. Wait 15-20 seconds. Shut off the flame, and remove the steak from heat. The cheese will be completely melted and the water will have collected and made that standard greasy delicious liquid you find on real philly steaks. Surprise, its mostly water thickened with some of the cheese, not oil! Put this whole thing on a roll and eat. I personally am not a whiz fan. :-) But this is what most places do to get that delicious flavor.
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So this might seem a bit off the wall, but I figured if anyone could tell me, it's the people on here. Everytime I head up to NYC I always hunt down my favorite cookies, no not black and whites. The cookies I love most of all are usually found in deli's next to the black and whites. They are big like the b&w's but are usually covered with rainbow sprinkles/jimmies, and I think are some form of butter cookie. Anyone have a cookie recipie that's similar to those? I love em.
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Looks like its gonna be Ray's, I've heard so many good things, I'm happy that they were able to squeeze us in and all that. I'll definitely post a story of my experiences a few days after! Thanks!
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So as a dedicated foodie, I want my bachelor party to start off with a really good dinner. Anyone care to recommend a good place in DC that would fit the bill? A steak place or something not too haute would be nice. But I'd like to remember this as one of those best dinners ever.
:-)
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I always keep some latex exam gloves in the cabinet. If I cut myself, I bandage and glove up... Keep going. Booyah!
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I just got a my first Global knife. It's really nice and the only knives I've had that were nearly as sharp out of the box were my Shuns. The little booklet that came with the knife suggests you don't use a metal steel to hone it, and they recommend their ceramic one. This poses some interesting questions. I use the Shun steel I bought a while ago on all my knives. Aren't the globals and the shuns made out of the same vg-10 steel? If so... can I use my shun metal steel on the globals? Or will I hurt my globals by using the shun metal steel on them? The other thing that I was curious about is that the little booklet recommends a 10 degree angle when honing and sharpening. I've always been told that a 17-22 degree angle is ideal. What do you all suggest? What angle would you suggest for the Shuns as well, because I've always used a 17-19 degree angle when honing with them, do they have a really low angle as well? I was pretty sure of what I was doing, but now I'm confused. Oh the fun!
(Crossposted from Cooking)
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I just got a my first Global knife. It's really nice and the only knives I've had that were nearly as sharp out of the box were my Shuns. The little booklet that came with the knife suggests you don't use a metal steel to hone it, and they recommend their ceramic one. This poses some interesting questions. I use the Shun steel I bought a while ago on all my knives. Aren't the globals and the shuns made out of the same vg-10 steel? If so... can I use my shun metal steel on the globals? Or will I hurt my globals by using the shun metal steel on them? The other thing that I was curious about is that the little booklet recommends a 10 degree angle when honing and sharpening. I've always been told that a 17-22 degree angle is ideal. What do you all suggest? What angle would you suggest for the Shuns as well, because I've always used a 17-19 degree angle when honing with them, do they have a really low angle as well? I was pretty sure of what I was doing, but now I'm confused. Oh the fun!
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I made this pasta/shrimp/capers/olive oil/butter but I am not happy with the way the pasta looks on the white plate. I think it looks anemic I wonder if pasta might look better on a black plate?
Maybe brunoise some red bell pepper and sprinkle it over your pasta dish. Then you'd have a darker red that might bring out some of the pink in the shrimp? Just a thought! But other than that it looks delicious.
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I'm looking for a really good vietnamese spring roll recipe. If you care to contribute one, I'd be much obliged! Thanks!
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Buca di Beppo is big out east too. There are two of them in Philadelphia alone. I know there is another in DC as well.
15th and Latimer, and...?
I haven't yet eaten at Buca di Beppo, but it looks to me like the kitschy decor is this chain's distinctive feature, based on reviews I've read and a visit to the corporate Web site...
...where I learned, among other things, that "Buca di Beppo" is slangy Italian for "Joe's basement."
Well I moved to Maryland in 2003, so I might be mistaken. There was a Buca di Beppo in Jenkintown. A quick Google search says they closed this location in Nov 2004. http://www.bucadibeppo.com/a_newsdetail.asp?ID=209
But there is also another one outside of Norristown, which isn't too far from Philly. I must admit I was unaware of the Norristown location.
I personally think its ok. I usually won't ever say let's go there unless everyone else wants to. The food isn't that good and I think its overpriced even for the family sized options. Too much pasta stuff not enough protein on their menu.
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I don't know if anyone has mentioned Carrabbas, but for a chain, this place isn't bad. It beats some of the food I've had at places in little Italy in NYC. Everything seems fresh and they take some pride in it. I'm not a big fan of chains, but I can eat at Carrabbas anytime.
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Last year while in Florida we were going to a different chain restaurant each night after spending all day in the hospital with a sick relative. The only one that I thought was worth going back to was Champps. The service was good, the food was fresh and the prices reasonable. Recently in Ohio we had dinner at Buca, a chain restaurant that serves tremendous dishes that must be shared. It is the Carmine's of the midwest. Their concept and quality of food would be worth trying if you are traveling and want someplace casual to eat. And if I was in a bind I like Outback but only if there isn't another choice in the city I am traveling through.
<p>(Edited by Rosie at 11:22 am on Aug. 12, 2001)
Buca di Beppo is big out east too. There are two of them in Philadelphia alone. I know there is another in DC as well.
Pâte de Fruits (Fruit Paste/Fruit Jellies) (Part 1)
in Pastry & Baking
Posted
Forgive my odd style of typing up a recipe, but you should be able to follow it. I believe this makes about 240, 1 square inch jellies.
Strawberry Jellies
1. 6 quart strained strawberry puree
2. 13 ounces strained apple juice
3. 1 cup glucose
4. 7 ½ cups sugar
5. ¾ cups sugar
6. 5 tablespoons pectin powder
7. 1 cups sugar
8. 1 teaspoon citric acid
Combine ingredients 1, 2, 3, 4 and bring to a boil.
Combine ingredients 5 and 6 in a bowl and temper with some of the hot liquid. Whisk the tempered pectin mixture into the remaining puree. Boil for 1 minute.
Take 2 half-sheet pans and pour hot puree onto the pans and let cool. Cut the hardened jellies into 1 square inch pieces. Roll the jellies in a mixture of ingredients 7 and 8.