nickrey

Dissatisfied with the quality of store-bought tortillas, I just bought myself a tortilla press and some 100% stone ground corn flour (imported from Mexico and cooked with lime). The recipe I used was: 2 cups masa flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/4 - 1 1/3 cups warm water. The dough came together well, rolled into balls nicely and when pressed peeled easily off the tortilla press (I think it's cast iron coated with aluminium). I started with a non-stick pan but found that the heat need to cook them was too high so swapped to cast iron which I put on high heat over a wok burner (inside from a domestic supply rather than an industrial one). Once I'd played around with it a bit, they came out as would be expected with some puffing and small burn marks. After cooking them (why not before? ) I checked threads here on eGullet and saw a pictorial on how to make them that corresponded to what I did. The taste was quite unlike any tortilla I have ever had (I'm in Australia and we're not so big on Mexican food as some of you folks are). I wound up making some chicken enchiladas which were delicious. My question is are there any special techniques or kitchen lore about making tortillas that I may have missed?

The comments above about tear gas hint at one of the best uses for horseradish: to clear sinuses. I used to eat cheese and horseradish relish sandwiches for this purpose. But back to more conventional culinary uses. It goes extremely well with sour cream, particularly for use as a condiment with cooked baby beetroot or smoked salmon. Picking up this theme, it is wonderful in dips made with these ingredients and cream cheese. You can also mash it into potato (this also works with wasabi). You mentioned using it as a crust for beef. It can also be used in this way with salmon. Someone said to use it where you would use mustard. It can also be combined directly with mustard to give a spicy and hot condiment. Try it in butter with corn. Apart from those, there are a number of recipes on the Internet for various horseradish dressings and sauces. I'm not sure if it freezes well but in a pickled relish with vinegar and salt it should be capable of being canned and kept in your cupboard for when it is not in season.

A quick search of the eGullet site will indicate that this is one of the most controversial questions in cooking. The work of Harold McGee and others has shown that virtually all of the conventional wisdom in the use of salt is incorrect. Salt has been used historically as a preservative. While this is still the case, modern farming techniques, food importation, and freezing have decreased this traditional role. It is probably safe to say that the key role for salt (apart from being a source of sodium) is in enhancing the taste of food. In Thai cooking, for example, it is one of the four key taste elements (sweet, sour, salty, hot), the balance of which is central to the flavor of the dish. Salting of steak before cooking is recommended by most chefs not to "seal in the juices" but rather to enhance the flavor generated through the maillard reaction which leads to the development of a tasty crust. Even staid old Cook's Illustrated has just produced an article on brining meat that says that conventional wisdom that salt should be avoided until just prior to cooking because it sucks out all the juices is manifestly wrong. There are many topics on eGullet on brining and other uses of salt, which make for very interesting reading. With regard to your steak, the best way to stop from losing juices during cooking is not by salting but by the use of a handy little gadget called a Jaccard ® tenderizer. My thanks for NathanM who contributes so often to eGullet forums for this bit of advice. Basically the tenderizer is a spring loaded device comprising many small knives. You place it on the piece of meat and push it down to penetrate the meat, working all the way across the surface. The theory (and practice) is that the "juices" from meat are forced out when the meat fibers contract as it is cooked. Resting the meat after cooking allows for these to relax and the juices to in essence be reabsorbed. By cutting the fibers with the Jaccard, you decrease the amount of tension with the result that less juice is forced out. Ironically, putting hundreds of little holes in the meat means that it will lose less fluid. It also improves the penetration of marinades. As far as steak and many other meats go, by all means salt or brine your meat prior to cooking to improve the taste. Don't hesitate in adding it to marinades for the same reason (after all a marinade in this case is a flavorsome brine). And do try the Jaccard, the results will speak for themselves.

I have two straight sided Mauviel cuprinox saucepans. One is 14cm (5.5 inches), the other is 18 cm (7.1 inches). They are unbelievably good for reducing sauces and all other cooking activities requiring a saucepan. While they don't come with a lid, you can easily improvise one when you need to cover then by using a plate.

They are traditionally used in Couscous. Try this Dean and DeLuca recipe: http://www.deandeluca.com/recipes/recipe_c...nd_harissa.aspx

As has been said above, refined sea salt is more or less equivalent to table salt. At 99.9% Sodium Chloride in both, there is no argument there. Looking up chemical analysis of unrefined sea salt on the web, most express the NaCl content as being anywhere from 95 to 98%. This leaves 2% to 5% of the ingredients in sea salt that are not in pure salt. These are mostly other minerals. So there is something additional in sea salt apart from texture. Taste as a sense is well able to distinguish extremely small amounts of compounds (the sensory threshold for tasting sugar is a concentration of .005 gram per cubic centimeter of water; for saccharin, it is 0.0000005 gram per cubic centimeter of water). Even small amounts of the additional minerals in sea salt are likely to leave their own flavor signature. For cooking, the question is not so much one of whether we can taste the difference between the different types of salt as one of whether these have a different effect on the food we are preparing. I found an article on the web about the effects of salt on the taste of coffee. The interesting thing for us is a comment on the effects of different sea salts that were used. As this was not the key purpose of the experiment, it should have reduced an expectation effect. They used five different salts that were dissolved in the coffee (presumably removing any texture effects). The reported effect of the salt on the flavor of the coffee varied according to which salt was used, with each bringing out different components of the coffee. People above and in other fora have written on blind tasting saline solutions made from the different types of salt. Perhaps we should instead be doing a blind tasting on how different types of salt enhances flavor; after all that is how we use it.

I filter my frying oil through a disposable fry oil filter cone after each use. This removes a lot of taste contaminants and seems to increase its longevity. This doesn't apply to oil used for frying fish, which probably needs to be recycled much sooner.

Having a whipper means that you can make foams and espumas. Basically any liquid can the thickened and dispensed through the whipper as a foamy sauce. The thickeners have a generic name of hydrocolloids. I'd recommend a recipe collection on the website www.khymos.org ( http://www.khymos.org/recipe-collection.php ). This collection explains all the variants that you can use as well as other topics such as spherification, which fit outside the espumas and foams arena. The home use of whippers has also been discussed in depth elsewhere on eGullet (see http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=47008 ). Have fun!

It seems that this is a commonly asked question in eG; try this thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...0entry1537650 In French, the food mill is called Mouli Legume so you may find it under this name when searching.

Same but rather than using xanthan, I suppose i'm a bit of a traditionalist and use butter to thicken in the French "monter au beurre" style by stirring in chunks of cold, unsalted butter one at a time. Make sure that the sauce is heated below 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88 degrees Celsius) or else it will break. Like you, I always adjust the seasonings because of a relative lack of salt in the juices.

I tried the pork tonight, it was absolutely delicious.

Given that you are just starting out, salmon is quite exceptional done sous vide and you don't have the issue with the greyish color that requires sauce or searing to hide. The other thing to consider is that (my opinion) tender meats do not shine with sous vide as much as slow cooked cuts that can be left for longer cooking periods. Try beef cheeks or pork belly for example; Keller gives a number of recipes for the latter.

Found this in an article by Craig Goldwyn ( http://amazingribs.com ) thought it may add to the conversation. Original link for the article is http://knol.google.com/k/craig-goldwyn/mea...6escshr4kvt0/3# It talks about the action of NO2 but one could reason that the same process of diffusion and absorption applies to other components of the smoke. "Many smoked meats develop a smoke ring, a bright pink color just under the surface. Some people think the pink color means the meat is raw, but nothing could be further from the truth. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is among the compounds formed in the high heat combustion of wood, charcoal, and even propane. As these compounds land on the surface of meat, especially cool moist meat from the fridge, some, including nitrogen dioxide, are moved deeper into the meat as cells lower in the smoke compounds pull them in with a diffusion and absorption process. The cells are simply seeking equilibrium... [the smoke ring occurs due to chemical changes in the NO2]" edited to meet fair use policy

Perhaps my reading of the process was wrong but it seemed to me that the pellicle was more applicable to cold smoking when the item is not undergoing the chemical and physical changes created through cooking. I can't really see an advantage for items such as bacon whose surfaces would alter significantly once heat is applied.

I haven't seen it above but it was my understanding that wetting a wooden board and microwaving it for around 10 minutes sanitizes both the surface and just below the porous surface where microbes can accumulate.

I have the Rancilio Miss Silvia and it is a marvellous machine. That having been said, it requires a good grinder as a partner. I have the Rancilio Rocky grinder, which provides a grind that feels like a coarse talcum powder, which is what you want. Being a manual rather than an automatic machine, Silvia is a bit like the slow food equivalent of a coffee machine. If you like making sauces and other foods from first principles, it is probably for you. If you want more convenience, go for a more automatic machine. As mentioned above, search eGullet for posts on the machines or, alternatively, try the coffeegeek site for more information (www.coffeegeek.com). A detailed first look at the machine is given at this link: http://coffeegeek.com/proreviews/firstlook/ranciliosilvia As you will see from that site, the search for the perfect cup of coffee can become something of an obsession. Enjoy

Try this on-line cookbook http://www.pakirecipes.com/

Mayonnaise, tomato ketchup and worcestershire sauce. Makes the best cocktail sauce. Try it on a retro shrimp cocktail with iceberg lettuce.

Silk purses out of sow's ears. Gold from lead. Excellent wine from cheap plonk. Bottom line, no amount of aging is going to make inferior wine taste better. It will just be older inferior wine. If anyone believes this story, I've got an email from someone in Nigeria who may want to speak with you about getting some gold out of the country.

I know Essential Ingredient in Crow's Nest has a number of different varieties of Mexican chilies. Vera Cruz in Cremorne also sells some produce. For a Mexican produce store, try Senor Nila Mexican Food Products in Brookvale.

Reading back through the thread, it doesn't seem that anyone has commented that Roo is extremely good with a dark berry sauce. The flavour complements the gamy nature of the meat very well.

I also make shrimp stock like a chicken stock. 1/2 onion, quartered 2 carrots in 1 inch lengths 2 sticks celery in 1 in lengths 5 peppercorns 2 cloves garlic, crushed shells and heads from 2lbs uncooked shrimp (crushed) olive oil. quickly fry onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil to release flavors add shrimp remnants and cover with water Cook at rapid simmer for 2 hours strain through muslin return to heat and reduce until 2 cups of concentrated stock remains

They are garlicky and full of olive oil but here goes: Garlic Shrimp (or garlic prawns for those of us from the antipodes) 2 lbs (1kg) green shrimp (shelled and deveined, you could leave the tails on) 1 tbs chives 2 tbs grated parmesan cheese 5 cloves garlic (crushed) 1 tbs chopped parsley 1 1/2 (300 ml) cup olive oil 1/2 cup (100 ml) shrimp stock salt and pepper to taste Mix all ingredients together in an oven proof casserole dish, cook in a 375 degree F (200 degree celsius) oven for 20 minutes. Serve over a slice of baguette in a soup tureen. Serve with additional bread to mop up the sauce. (edited to give US and metric equivalents)

Double cooked Chocolate souffle I've had this clipping for a while and been meaning to try it. The process should just as easily be applied to savoury souffles. Yes, I am assured that souffles do really rise twice! The recipe is one by Damien Pignolet. He runs a restaurant in Sydney called Bistro Moncur and the recipe comes from his book http://www.amazon.com/French-Damien-Pignol...24969792&sr=8-1. 120 g caster sugar 40g Valrhona cocoa or fine-quality substitute 240ml milk 30g cornflour or custard flour 60ml cognac 4 egg yolks, well beaten 6 egg whites 2 tbsp caster sugar 200g Valrhona bittersweet chocolate, chopped pure icing sugar for dusting For the cream sauce: 2 tsp instant coffee 1 tsp cognac or brancy 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Preheat over to 180 degree Celsius (350 degree F). Grease six chilled and dried souffle dishes (180 ml capacity) with soft unsalted butter, then dust with some caster sugar. In a medium saucepan over low heat, dissolve the 120g caster sugar and 40g cocoa in the milk. Mix the cornflour with enough water to make a paste, then beat in the cocoa mixture off the heat. Return the pan to the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the cognac. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes before beating in the egg yolks. Beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks, then scatter the 2 tbsp caster sugar over them and keep beating until stiff peaks are formed. Beat a quarter of the egg white mixture into the cocoa base. Scatter the chocolate over the remaining egg white mixture, then pour the cocoa base on top and fold it gently but thoroughly. Fill the souffle dishes almost to the top, wipe the rims clean and bake in a bain marie for about 15 minutes until the souffles have risen well. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the bain-marie. The souffles will deflate but don't be concerned. Once cool, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until required. About 30 minutes before you want to serve the souffles, take them out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a small saucepan, combine the cream sauce ingredients and reduce over a low heat by about a quarter. Dip the souffle dishes into very hot water for 30 seconds then run a paring knife around the inside of each dish and turn out the souffles onto individual gratin or ovenproof dishes. Generously surround with cream sauce, lightly coating the tops and bake until well risen, about 10-12 minutes. Serve immediately, lightly dusted with sieved icing sugar and 1 tsp of praline sprinkled over the top of each souffle. Hazelnut praline 150g hazelnuts 150g sugar 60ml water Preheat over to 180 degrees celsius. Roast the hazelnuts for 4-5 minutes or until the skins are flaking away. Remove from the oven and tip into a tea towel. Rub the nuts to dislodge the skins. Remove and excess skins with a small knife and discard. In a heavy based saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water and place over a high heat. When the sugar becomes a deep caramel color, add the nuts and carefully stir, coating the nuts evenly with the caramel. Pour the praline into a slightly oiled tray. when cool, break into large chunks and store in an airtight container in the freezer. To serve, pulse in a food processor to a coarse meal, or chop with a large cook's knife.

Sounds tasty. I'd still try the lime air: perhaps given the Thai influence, you could also add a bit of chili or lemon grass?