markemorse

I'm going to second (or third) Pontormo's initial advice: I wouldn't even Google for the word "vegetarian", because you'll generally get this budget/convenience/tamari cooking. Read your favorite chefs and learn from their meatless or vegetable-centric recipes. As fuct as StarChefs is, I've gotten a ton a great vgtarian ideas from it. Check out the recipes from Pascal Barbot, Todd English, and Hubert Keller for starters... And at the other end of the spectrum, for an example of the soy/fake approach applied to celebrity chefdom, check out Roxanne Klein. I'm sure she's a lovely person and there are some good ideas there, but titling recipes like that really doesn't do vegetarianism any favors (the whole imitating "real food" thing). EDIT: While I'm seconding, I'll add another echo to the Madhur Jaffrey recommendation, the one I have is The Madhur Jaffrey Cookbook (853pg.), which I can't seem to find on Amazon UK. It's very good. I believe it's a collection of two previously separate cookbooks, Eastern Vegetarian Cooking, and An Invitation to Indian Cooking. I use the former much more frequently than the latter.

Even though soy, cheese, and mayonnaise can totally, happily coexist (see okonomiyaki), I know exactly what you mean, and to me, that is exactly the kind of vegetarian cooking that can put you off of it forever. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't really get the feeling that that approach to vegetarian cooking is actually targeted at cooks, more for people who want to make vegetarian food at home without much thought or effort. It's like the "Beatles Complete Chord Songbook"...you're not really playing those songs. Maybe the analogy is flawed. Regardless, I'll be back to recommend some non-soy-centric vegetarian recipe sources in a bit (hopefully).

I waited 5 minutes or so, as specified in the recipe. I was hungry! I can see how another 5 minutes might've made a big difference...interested to hear how long you waited. Egg size may be difficult to compare precisely, my eggs are just classified as "groot" (big). There's a little 5-egg scale on the front that shows the possible sizes: mine are the second biggest. They don't look unusually large, but maybe I'm just used to them. mark

Hey bilrus, I just made a test version of the Route 11 tortilla for a dinner this Thursday night and I too ended up with a much more egg-y result than I expected. It basically looked like your photo, whereas Malawry's looks a little more like what I was imagining. Unsurprisingly, Malawry's pre-skillet egg + chip mixture looks much less eggy than mine as well. I think since the size was almost perfect for my pan, I'll probably reduce by one egg and add another ounce or two of chips. Tasting notes: Nice, but egg-centric (heh). I introduced the second half of mine to some sofrito (p. 37) that was hanging out by the stove, and I must say the two seemed happy together. mark

Hey Nino, Welcome to eGullet! And this thread! I'll agree with you, Amsterdam has some exceptional food, but very very few exceptional restaurants. There are more than a few good restaurants though...I'd love to hear about any that you're on to.... I'll completely agree with your vishandeltel recommendation: I used to live right around the corner, and that was my fish shop. The only negative is that it's a small place (bigger than Fishes, though), and the selection isn't, say, what you can find at some of the markets. Go before noon if you want to see everything they've got. Very fresh stuff and prices are usually very reasonable. Can you explain a little more about Hanos? I'm registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, but my business has nothing to do with food. Can I still shop there? thanks, mark

I'm going to say that the internet, and specifically eGullet, have made me feel more comfortable about my obsession with food. In my 20s, I didn't know another single person (male or female) who regularly (daily) read cookbooks for pleasure; or meticulously plotted a visit to every BBQ joint in town; or bought 5 different kinds of chorizo, or mushrooms, or hot sauce or anything, just for comparison's sake. eGullet has shown me that, not only am I not alone, but also that my level of obsession is really rather moderate. thanks eGullet! mark

Ja, I've used anchos the last couple of times I've made it, but of course I have no idea what a ñora pepper tastes like so I have no idea if my end result tastes anything like a Spanish romesco, etc. etc. etc. I was just curious. thanks, mark

One more question for Bryan: what kind of dried sweet chile did you use in your romesco? I haven't looked for the ñora peppers specified in the recipe yet, but I'm assuming ancho might be a reasonable substitute if I can't find them. mark

My 2 eurocents: experience has shown me that, even on days when I just want to "roam around", I'm much more pleased with the end result when I'm roaming vaguely towards 2 or 3 "known" possible eating destinations. You'll still get the same "unplanned" effect I think, just without the part where you end up totally screwed for good food and have to eat a stale croissant or cold falafel because you are dying of hunger. And you don't have to eat at your possible targets anyway if you see something better. good luck! mark

Almost made that tonight, but didn't get to the market in time and couldn't find any good lookin chokes. Instead, my cupboard contents steered me in the direction of two raw fish recipes: Tomato, green pepper, and cucumber salad with tuna in olive oil (p90); and Asturian-style Salmon (p192). Only problem being that I didn't really have any raw fish I trusted, so variations occurred b/c I happened to have some Ortiz ventresca sitting around and some defrosting salmon. I hope that this post retains some relevance nonetheless, these are pretty practical/authentic subs I think. The salad with tuna recipe has you poach garlic and tuna in olive oil for 14 minutes (garlic for 21). I cooked my garlic until soft, then poured it and some EVOO over my ventresca slices and let them hang out together in a bowl for 30 min or so. Obviously, my end result is nothing like what you'd get if you poached fresh tuna in olive oil, but it was delicious nonetheless. The intro to the recipe describes the salad as a variation of gazpacho, and indeed it tastes like a light-on-the-tomato gazpacho: light, fresh, crunchy vegetables and in my case luscious tuna belly. After my initial tasting I added some toasted almonds and this was very good but changed the character of the dish pretty dramatically. Either way, though, a perfect summer appetizer and a good use for ventresca that doesn't mask its delicate taste. Salmon: I cooked the salmon b/c all I had was frozen. I cooked my salmon and then let it cool and marinate in the cider vinegar/EVOO/juniper dressing for 30 minutes, next time I'll try it overnight (this is quickly becoming a completely diferent recipe, I apologize). The combination of raw Golden Delicious on top and the cooked Golden Delicious underneath was maybe not enough of a contrast....but I also don't love Golden Delicious. Next time I'll try diced Granny Smith on top and see if it's too tart or not. But in general, the salmon/chive/blue cheese/apple grouping was very successful and something I'll make again soon. It's worth mentioning how critical salt is to these recipes. After my first taste of the salmon I realized that I didn't salt the apple puree (duh), and once I did the dish really came alive. Both of these recipes were very very light...which is good, b/c I'm looking for things to serve with the Potatoes a la Riojana and the Chicken with Lobster....pictures next time. ok mark

I should preface this by saying that I don't live in Phoenix, so I only get to eat there several times a year when I visit my parents, so...these recs aren't the absolute freshest. That said, in descending order of reliability: Don't miss Sea Saw. And...this shouldn't be your "big night out", but I've had some really wonderfully adventurous comfort food at Medizona. It's a very small room, 6 or 8 tables, so reserve. The rabbit baklava is pure goodness. Note: Medizona's marketing is boneheaded and their website is terribly outdated and ramshackle...don't let that deter you. My last meal there was in April, and it was very good. My mom normally takes me to Cowboy Ciao, which she really likes for the wine (their wine list is really something). The food can be spectacular if you order right. I always seem to order something great while mom's success rate is patchier. The elk tostada I had last time was excellent. She had the duck + brie sandwich, which looked amazing, but pretty much just tasted like its ingredients (if that can be a criticism). Either way, if you're in Scottsdale and you like wine, you should definitely go for a drink and a bite at the bar. And if you need a dark crowded neighborhood bar with good southwestern food, I've not seen a better one than Richardson's. My dad took me there the first 15 times I visited Phoenix, so there's a bit of nostalgia in it for me, but I've never had a bad night there, although I can easily see how you could have one. If you think of it as a bar with food I don't think you'll be disappointed. Hopefully a real local will chime in shortly and confirm/deny these.... I'm sure I'll think of more.... mark

Well....right or wrong, I always associate aioli with eggs, whether it's the mayonnaise you're talking about or the Provencal dish, and I just assumed that allioli was a different condiment altogether because of its egglessness. In any event the preparation is unusual enough to seem to warrant a distinction, but maybe I'm wrong... mark

Full disclosure: I was in a band called The Durians for about 8 years in the 90s (Google Durians and Atlanta if you're dying of curiosity).... I've been trying to think of something productive to add to this, and I guess my target audience would be the person who hasn't taken the plunge yet. Try to forget the descriptions you've heard, especially forget about onions, garlic, poop, and feet. And just taste it. Maybe I got lucky, I had my first one last year (a whole one), but I didn't really enjoy it until I stopped trying to figure out what it tasted like. After that it was a pleasant, unique experience. Good luck.... mark

Full disclosure: I was in a band called The Durians for about 8 years in the 90s (Google Durians and Atlanta if you're dying of curiosity).... I've been trying to think of something productive to add to this, and I guess my target audience would be the person who hasn't taken the plunge yet. Try to forget the descriptions you've heard, especially forget about onions, garlic, poop, and feet. And just taste it. Maybe I got lucky, I had my first one last year (a whole one), but I didn't really enjoy it until I stopped trying to figure out what it tasted like. After that it was a pleasant, unique experience. Good luck.... mark

Just for clarification: are we talking about aioli in the last couple of recipes, or allioli, the recipe that Andres starts the book with? And if it is indeed allioli, can anyone share their experience in making it? mark EDIT: oops, just saw that percy did indeed make the honey allioli with his lamb. Nonetheless, I'm interested to see if Bryan's talking about aioli or allioli...

Ate at Waldorf last night with 3 friends. Waldorf is a new bar/restaurant on the Elandsgracht that is run by the owner of Bep and features Lorenzo from the Yam Yam kitchen on the food side of things. The inside is an odd mix of Amsterdam/London hip (lighting, couches) and traditional Italian trattoria (lace and floral patterns)...it's so strange that it ended up feeling refreshingly interesting to me by the time I left. It's a very small menu, 6-8 antipasti (artichokes, Tuscan fennel salami, fresh mozzarella, bruschette); 2 salades; 5 pasta choices around 10 euro each (arabbiata, amatriciana, vongole, lasagna with wild mushrooms and zucchini, and a meat ragu; a couple of contorni (Yam Yam's sauteed spinach + garlic, roasted potatoes), and 3 desserts (coffee granita, panna cotta with strawberries, chocolate torte). I had a totally nice evening, the atmosphere and service were great, the music was just about the best I've ever experienced in an Amsterdam bar/restaurant (quietly interesting instrumental beats), and everything about the experience was efficient but laid-back. Prices were a little expensive for what you got (example: 5 euro for 8-10 small artichoke sections). The food. I can't say anything bad about it: it reminded me very much of my next-door neighbor's cooking in every way. Basic, reliable, well-executed Tuscan/Roman staples that really hit the spot if you're in the mood for it. I wasn't, really, at Waldorf. But it was completely well-done...everyone's pasta was tasty and the desserts were good too. They're still very new, hopefully the menu will expand a little once they feel comfortable. So: you could do much much worse if you're in the mood for pasta and a dessert in a cool space without attitude. It's small, maybe 8 tables, so I'm sure you have to book on a weekend. We showed up at 9:30 on a Monday night and there was only one table free. mark

Thank you, everyone! This is a question that has plagued my wife and for years (well, it's annoyed us occasionally), we've always loved it and called it chuka wakame, but no one from Japan ever knew what we were talking about when we talked about it. First surimi cleared up, and now this... Fantastic! mark

Hey Grace, congrats, that should be nice too. If you end up running out of things to do in Paris (ha), we're just a short train ride away. mark

Depends on how much time you're spending thinking about it. One of my favorite translations has been the "fried cancer" we were offered in Lisbon. That would be, of course, fried crab.

Cool! Thanks for taking me to school. So what I had was kani kamaboko. So is the batter on the chikuwa a tempura-y kind of thing? And is the dipping sauce anything like a gyoza sauce?

I totally thought Hiroyuki was kidding, based on the depth of his discussion on the tempura thread, at least about deep-frying...my bad. In this case, the surimi we're talking about are the sticks, yes, but in my specific case they're cut a bit differently, on the diagonal like in the photo that Ellen posted.

Ellen that was very sweet of you, but "The Japanese", in addition to being in love with deep-fried surimi, appear to also have a taste for disingenuousness. At least on this topic. So...Hiroyuki, have you ever had it, made it, etc.?

interesting, interesting.... what i liked about the way I had it was that it was "cheap beach food", and it was served in a pile for snacking, very informal. the nori thing might be nice...jmsaul, was yours a tempura batter too (if you know)?

Sorry, I meant to add: the Japanese must do this, right? It's right up their alley.

This summer at one of the many lovely beaches here in Holland, at one of the many lovely fish trucks/carts on the beach, I was treated to an unexpected pleasure: a plate of deep-fried surimi fresh from the fryer. It was GREAT. The dipping sauces are the standard Dutch fried fish options: tartar, garlic, and something called "cocktail" or whisky sauce that's kinda like Thousand Island. Should mention that the batter was very light, as it typically is with Dutch fried seafood. I didn't have my camera with me that day, and I kept saying I would go back and take a picture, but I didn't. The fish truck I bought it from has lots of pictures, but none of the deep-fried imitation crabfood. My question is...has anyone else ever tasted this? Google suggests that not many people have. It's apparently served in exactly two restaurants: a Texan sushi bar and a German tapas bar. mark