furzzy

Thanks. My "taster in my mind" told me a yeast dough would be best. And I've now bookmarked a new blog...yours! Will peruse it later tonight. Everything I see you post is magnificent, so I'm sure I'll sure I'll enjoy your blog.

I can't go to both Costco and Whole Foods in the same day...get too filled up on snacks at either one to eat for the rest of the day! However, I'm such a sucker. Their tastings definitely work with me...I buy lots of things I probably wouldn't otherwise. LOL!

This looks amazing! Is the crust a pie dough type, or yeast, or maybe puff? Looks like yeast, but I can't tell for sure. I think this may be tonight's dinner. The crust is bread dough - the flammkuche was originally made to test the heat of the oven before baking for the week. At least, that is the legend I heard when I lived in Alsace. 250g plain flour 10g fresh yeast 1/2 tsp sugar 125ml water (lukewarm) 3 tbsp oil 1/2 tsp salt Dissolve the yeast in the water and pour into a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Mix the dough and knead, rise for 30 mins, knead and rise again for 45 mins. Preheat oven to 250, knead dough then roll out, spread with creme fraiche, onion slices and lardons, bake for 10-12 mins. You have to wash it down with Alsatian beer. It's the law. Thanks. i forgot I have piece of halibut for tonight, but this is definitely tomorrow night!

When we do brats, the onions start with a little butter, but then after the caramelization gets going, we add beer. Then add the brats to that to steam them. Right now I'm getting hungry for brats from the gustatory memories here! ;-)Each July 4th, several boats would sail from Chicago to Milwaukee for the big fest there. We'd always have lots of brats with caramelized onions steamed in beer. The fireworks at the naval base there were always just full of oohs & ahhs...and went on for well over an hour & a half. ETA: correct typos :-(

I do something sort of like this, both as a quiche (not closed, just a bottom crust), and a sort of frittata thing (but only baked, nothing on top of the stove). But in both cases, I add a custard overall. I'm interested in how it comes out without the custard. Does the melting cheese hold it all together? Isn't it very dense without the custard? This looks amazing! Is the crust a pie dough type, or yeast, or maybe puff? Looks like yeast, but I can't tell for sure. I think this may be tonight's dinner.

Do they not have enough acid to can with a water bath?

Sounds delightful. I have a nice little Halibut fillet for tomorrow & this is what I'm going to try. Thanks!

Please come back often and share. To me, this is all amazing!

Found this old topic while looking for something else. In Lessons in Excellence From Charlie Trotter, his plan for restricting his clientele to the "upper echelons" ($$$$$) diners, is interesting. He is agruably the most successful restauranteur of his time. We really miss Charlie Trotter's. That said, whenever a reservation was made there, the patron was asked if there were any food restrictions that they should be aware of. And after the second time one dined there, the restrictions were already in their database. The person taking the reservation would quickly name them and asked if that was complete. Lessons in Excellence, for sure...for that type of restaurant.

What a jaw-dropping thread! Baron, your wor is amazing. Reminds me of Morimoto's sushi prowess. Stick with it & show us your winning entry next year!

It's been my experience that the younger, the better. In fact, when I've queried most people that say they "don't like lamb," it turns out that they have bad memories of mutton. I think you're probably right about the mutton thing. My daughter says to never serve her lamb...but I'm certain she was first introduced to it while living in France, and that it was mutton. I don't care for mutton, either.

Another AHA, moment. I knew about the gene for hating cilantro (and one's inability to change) but this is an interesting side link/thought on the subject.

I agree with most here that I don't have a whole lot of uses for sparkling water beyond tempura-like applications. The traditional Vichy Carrots that we learn early in school, I've tried with all the others mentioned above, except never flavored ones. Will have to give that one some thought. Also, Shel, don't eliminate the bit of sugar...it promotes the caramelization that's so important in this dish

Thanks! I had. Feeling you had baked at high heat on a stone. My oven will heat to just over 600 F & I'm going to try that. If I hadn't bought a new Kitchen Aid Pro 600 just last summer, I'd be looking into "investing " in a Magic Mill.

Almost didn't read this thread because I rarely have lamb, and then it's the old rack or chops. This has gotten me thinking I should really try a leg. Does the season make a difference ? Like using spring lamb?

This looks so good I'm salivating! Your dough's not having fermented so long as usual doesn't appear to have hurt it in any way. How hot is your oven? And do you use a stone or pan? I was intrigued by your "Magic Mill" & looked it up. Looks like one of our high end Kitchen Aids, only better!

This looks & sounds divine. Glad I read this before heading out to the fishmonger's...Clams weren't on my list, but they are now!

My husband just showed me this yesterday touted in The Red Eye and we both gagged at the thought!

Catfish...too many years ago to mention, Dad would wake me about 3 am to go with him to "run the trotline" (I was an "only" so I learned a lot of things I probably wouldn't have in those days if I'd had a brother). We'd come home with the catch, mostly catfish, and clean & fry 'em up for breakfast with eggs, grits or potatoes, etc. Today, the farm raised catfish are still really good, but I'd have to say Striped Bass, Chilean Sea Bass, Halibut are pretty darned good. Oh, and Skate Wing! ETA: Grouper Cheeks!

Would you tell me what other things? Apparently the potato is puréed. Little garnish of shallot (?) & dill. And is the white a soft cheese w/dill? Kind of bread? I'm having a dinner party in couple of weeks & this looks/sounds like a perfect app, instead of the same old tartare I'd been hoping to replace with something more festive. Or this might even make a great amuse! Thanks for anything you're willing to share. Sure. I actually found out this morning that fish was just regular wild Alaskan King, though I had thought it was sockeye from the color, that is just the result of the curing process. Cut the salmon into fillets and cure for 8-10 hours in a mixture of 100g coarse sea salt and 80g caster sugar. Rinse, dry, then marinate in olive oil for at least 4 hours. The salmon is sitting on potatoes which are sliced 3mm thick, then cut out with a 3cm round, blanched in salted, boiling water, drained, and marinated in olive oil seasoned with thyme, bay leaf, a crushed clove of garlic and salt. On top are carrots, sliced on the bias, blanched, not refreshed and added to the marinade with the potatoes. Then sliced spring onions (but you can use shallots) blanched, shocked in ice, drained, then also added to the potato marinade. You can do all of this the morning of or night before. On the side of the plate is whipped cream seasoned with dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Be generous with the dill, and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors infuse the cream. Serve with toasted country bread. Thank you...I'm going to do this!

Frittatas sound like a good idea too, definitely easy, I was thinking of doing that, but setting it like you set a custard (baine marie in the oven)...... .....I make several batches of dough every week in my food processor, freeze most of them after they rise and I deflate them, keep one in the fridge. Every morning I tear a piece off of the dough, flatten it out and grill it over my stove until it puffs up like a pita, when I run out of dough I just defrost another batch. The freezing doesn't seem to have any ill effects on the dough and fresh baked pita every morning always beats loaf bread in my mind (it also takes me only about 5 minutes to make two pitas, so fast too). I'll think about getting a pressure cooker, right now I definitely can't afford to spend the $100 it would take to get, but with a little smart planning I'm sure I can save up some, that way I'll have some more time to do my work. Speaking of my work, I'm doing my degree in aerospace engineering and I have to say, the science based books on cooking make so much sense to me, I love "Modernist Cuisine" as well as the associated science movement in the culinary arts. Frittatas: you don't need to bother with the Bain Marie...just shove it in the oven for a few minutes in the same skillet you started it in, on a high rack - top 1/3 of the oven. You already have the bread thing solved admirably. I'd like to know more about that, if you have the time to share. Do you make a pita dough? Or just any bread dough? I'd think you wouldn't get the puff without the pita dough, but I don't know...love the pinching off a piece & grilling it...fresh hot bread every morning! Yum! Do you use a grill pan, or just over the flame? Aero E...great major! Where are you in school, if you don't mind sharing? Our family has lots of ties to Purdue.

I'm so glad you picked up on this old thread. Had forgotten all about Wondra. I think I even had some prejudice against it...don't know why. But after reading this whole thread, I'm adding it to shopping list for the next trip. I have fish a couple of times a week, usually sautéed, so can't wait to try it for the dusting. Thanks!

Agreed. Rhulman's Schmaltz was really good. But I completely agree with you on all the various issues. Just look at some of the self published novels, let alone cookbooks, on Amazon. Editing, formatting, layout, indexing, etc., they go mostly from acceptable to abysmal. I've returned several cookbooks because of formatting problems, and these were done by supposed publishers. I really wanted to own John Besh's new book, but the formatting was so bad I just couldn't keep it.

How do you come about this information? My experience is that libraries DO pay licensing fees. And not all authors get advances; and for those that do, mainly those with proven track records, the amount of advance is based on what the publisher is pretty sure they'll be able to sell. I have no issue with using the library. Many times, especially for unknown authors, the best push in sales comes from libraries when the book first comes out.

It's very simple to make my notes on my iPad Kindle app. What are you using?