FrogPrincesse

How about apple juice or non alcoholic cider?

Here is a very nice mushroom dish I made recently. It's called smoky mushroom kapnista and it's from Zaydinya by Jose Andres (kapnista means smoked in Greek). The mushrooms are browned in a pan with a little bit of hot oil for about 5 minutes, seasoned with salt, then smoked for 30 minutes (I used a Cameron counter-top smoker with cherry wood chips). Then they are added back to the pan with olive oil, dates, and toasted walnuts. Finally they are served over labneh, and garnished with flaky sea salt, chives, and cumin. The smoke reinforced the umami character of the mushrooms and made them irresistible. That dish really surprised me by how delicious it was. Here is more on this technique from his substack.

Are these "pine mushrooms", aka matsutake? I don't think I have ever seen or eaten one. What are they like? How does your friend prepare them?

One technique I have seen used in restaurants is dry brining the fish briefly (10-15 minutes) with a salt and sugar mixture. This draw out some of the surface moisture, which makes it easier to crisp out the skin (just rinse and dry before cooking). It also firms up the flesh slightly.

I also really liked the other dish I made from this book, the figs with Spanish ham. I had these really nice black mission figs (so called because they were first planted in San Diego by Franciscan missionaries). They are peeled and seared at high heat in Spanish olive oil. This made them even more delicious, and then they are simply served with Serrano ham, with a drizzle of sherry vinegar & olive oil vinaigrette, and sprinkled with chives (and chive blossoms if using). I will make this again for sure; I love these little dishes that are easy to make and fun for cocktail hour. I didn't get a great picture, but you get the idea.

How do you make coq au vin in 30 minutes? Is this an instant pot version?

I didn't love a cobbler I made from another cookbook (here), but really liked this one from Dining In. It also has the advantage of being a lot less finicky, and quick to put together. It is presented as a strawberry shortcake cobbler which is an accurate description. It was a good use of strawberries that were starting to be past their prime, and I liked the use of cornmeal which gave some texture and a nice flavor that went well with the strawberries. Strawberry shortcake cobbler Before the oven After Plated

A friend had a tapas party and I thought it would be fun to cook from this book that I borrowed from the library. I made two dishes which were very well received. The first one was the classic roasted bell peppers with sherry vinegar. I have had lots of versions of this dish in the past; what sets this one apart is its attention to detail with the careful build of layers of flavors. The bell peppers are roasted (I did mine on the barbecue), peeled and deseeded, cut into strips. The Spanish olive oil is infused with sliced garlic for 1 minute until the garlic turns brown. Then the bell peppers are gently cooked in a covered pan in the garlic-infused olive oil with a little bit of water for about 30 minutes. The sherry vinegar is added at the end as well as some parsley (the picture in the book shows rosemary for some reason). It's delicious as is, on a slice of bread, or in sandwiches. and the oil/vinegar mixture is great in everything.

I tried the chicken mole and like @Smithy, I didn't care for it. It wasn't anything horrible but I did not especially care for the flavor. Also the meat was completely shredded and almost melted into the sauce (not as chunky as the illustration on the package). The birria is far superior.

No recent experience to share, but I will be monitoring responses for ideas. My 20-year old Miele convection oven is about to die, and I am looking for a replacement. I am thinking another Miele convection oven, plus their combi-steam oven (smaller model) to replace / upgrade my warming drawer (I don’t use or need a microwave). Sinilar to @ElsieD, the steam oven will not be plumbed.

I am not Smithy but I tried the beef birria yesterday and it’s very good. I reheated it from frozen on the stove. I made corn tortillas and served it as tacos, with the consommé on the side for dipping. I added pickled red onions and cilantro to the tacos (I would have added cotija cheese if I had had any). It was super flavorful and satisfying! Only complaint - it says two servings on the package and there is only enough for one person.

I also love chocolate croissants. The frozen ones are much better than these.

Same here. I like them and get them during the short summer window when they are available.

The Bear is quite good but I would not call it a "comedy", especially not the first two seasons which are rather intense!

The point is indeed the deeply caramelized flavor (it also goes by the name burnt basque cake). I like it with vanilla and a small touch of almond extract. The texture is typically a lot more set (creamy but not runny), at least based on what I have been served in restaurants and what I have replicated at home, but I don’t find that to be detrimental. It’d be way too rich for my taste if served runny since it’s mostly cream cheese.