seabream

I recently traded my Teflon non-stick pans for stainless steel pans + Pam (for making fried eggs, Spanish tortilla, etc). I realize now that I traded an evil for another. Pam smells bad, the little droplets on the sides of the pan are a pain to clean, and the list of ingredients is scary. I also don't imagine the quality of the olive oil used to compare to the olive oil I use in my kitchen. But it works like magic. That got me thinking: the magic in Pam is lecithin, so couldn't I make my own high quality "Pam" by mixing lecithin and good olive oil? I'm curious if any of you has tried that with good results. I'd like to try it, but I'm unsure whether I should use liquid lecithin or lecithin in granules. I am also wondering if by mixing lecithin with peanut oil, I would be able to pan-fry at high heat with no sticking. In other words, is it safe to heat lecithin to high temperatures? Also, I heard that using Pam on Teflon surfaces causes those surfaces to becomes sticky over time (although I don't understand the need to add a non-stick substance to a non-stick pan). I am wondering if Pam causes the same problem to other surfaces, in particular, stainless steel pans, silicone molds, and aluminum molds.

Right, Lellos don't have removable bowls. I saw that the Breville has a removable bowl, like the Cuisinart. I also read that the Cuisinart ICE-100 keeps the ice cream cold only for 10 minutes (as opposed to the Breville's 3 hours). I could not find information about the Lello. And as far as I can tell, neither the Cuisinart nor the Lello allow adjusting the temperature of the ice cream, right? I have a strong preference for gelato over ice cream, in the three things that define it: less aeration, warmer temperature and less fat. One cool thing about the Cuisinart ICE-100 is that it comes with two paddles: one for sorbet/gelato (which presumably adds less air into the mixture) and another one for ice cream. As far as I know, the Breville doesn't do that. Breville is an Australian brand, so I am not sure if it aerates the mixture as ice cream or gelato. Lello only makes gelato, presumably both in terms of temperature and aeration. I am wondering if you've tried the different paddles in the Cuisinart and if you've been able to tell the difference in the results.

Opinions from people without experience using the Breville are very welcome The machine is new, so I don't expect that many people have had a chance to use it. JoNorvelleWalker - That's an interesting observation... Do you think there's a big disparity between the temperature of the compressor and the mix? I am also wondering what other compressor ice cream machines I should be comparing it with. I've been reading about the Lello 4080/4090 and Cuisinart ICE-100. Any other I should consider?

Has anyone tried the new Breville Smart Scoop? I just saw it at a nearby Sur La Table store. My first thoughts and questions: * I find it seriously cool that we can choose the temperature of the ice cream. I like softer consistencies - anywhere between soft serve frozen yogurt to gelato - so ice cream machines that go in the freezer are not exciting to me. This machine holds the temperature for up to 3 hours. This seems like a simple idea... I am wondering if any other standalone ice cream machines have this same feature? * That thing is heavy. I picked it up to see if this is something that I would get out of my cupboard frequently. I have no space on my counter, so being able to lift it is a must for me. I think it's borderline - if the results are truly amazing, I think I'll find the motivation for the workout, but it's certainly heavy. The weight is all on the right side (where the motor is) when the ice cream bucket is empty, which makes it even harder to balance. * You can customize the music it plays when the ice cream is done. Seriously??!! I would rather have $10 off the price. * It looks good. For those who plan to use it often and have the counter space, it's a beautiful addition to the kitchen. I was not able to try ice cream made from it, so I can't comment on the results. I hear that higher-end standalone machines make ice cream that is smoother on the tongue than the ones that go in the freezer. I am seriously considering getting it... Has any of you tried this machine? Does anyone have opinions on how it compares with other similarly priced machines?

Thanks for the replies. The microwave safe foil idea is interesting, but I couldn't find it on Amazon US and I don't recall seeing it in stores here. I'll pay more attention next time I go to the supermarket. The chip maker is also cool - if not for herbs, to make chips at home. I am wondering if the herbs would wilt into the holes. Have you tried making fried herbs with it? Is it as good as it sounds to make veggie chips? In the meantime, I've had decent results with an inverted pyrex plate. I'd like to keep experimenting as new ideas come up though, so please do keep the ideas coming...

Has anyone had success with the fried herbs? I tried making them with Glad Cling Wrap and the plastic started melting almost right away. The instructions in the recipe say to choose a plastic wrap that is microwave safe and that does not contain PVC. The Glad Cling Wrap package says the product is microwave safe, and their online FAQ (http://www.glad.com/faq/) says they don't use PVC in any of their products. An earlier comment from the MC team in part 1 of this topic says they use Reynolds plastic wrap in the lab. My understanding is that Reynolds no longer makes plastic wrap - at least it's no longer showcased in the "Products" section of their site (http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/products/). Amazon still sells Reynolds plastic wrap, but it says specifically that it's made with PVC (http://www.amazon.com/Reynolds-910M-Length-Width-Metro/dp/B004NG9120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369682309&sr=8-1&keywords=reynolds+plastic++wrap). I don't understand why MC@H advises against PVC wraps when it's using PVC wraps in the lab. Unless Reynolds used to make non-PVC based plastic wrap? So, has anyone found a wrap brand, technique or other tool that works to make fried herbs in the microwave?

Yeah, I know what you mean. When I made nam khao my initial plan was to add the som moo raw, but when it came down to it, I ended up cooking it. You're right that raw pork is not as unsafe as we tend to think it is, and som moo is heavily fermented, so it's supposedly quite safe. Also, because it's fermented, som moo should last longer than raw pork without spoiling. I'm glad you enjoyed the dish! The crispy rice bits are my favorite - so good! If you ever come to Seattle, Viengthong is THE place to order this dish.

So, how did it go? Did you like it? (Btw, thanks for sharing the videos. I had seen the second one, but not the first one.)

Oh, and about freezing: the som moo I bought at a local SE Asian supermarket was frozen, and it was absolutely fine. So I would say that yes, freezing should be OK.

In theory, if properly made, som moo is safe to eat raw because it's fermented. But I think it all depends on how much you trust the som moo you bought, and whether you like the taste of raw meat. You'll find many nam khao recipes on the web that call for cooking the meat. I've had nam khao in Laos and the meat was raw (and no, I didn't get sick). I've also had it at a local restaurant here in Seattle, and the meat seemed cooked to me (or at least partially cooked). I've made it at home once, and I decided to pan-fry the bits of som moo a bit. Probably not very authentic, but darn good, and more guest-friendly. So it's really up to you. I'm curious: where did you get your som moo? Also, which recipe are you using?

I ended up making couscous with the kefta. I don't know how authentic/traditional it is, but it tasted fantastic together. I also bought some Moroccan khlii and made the stew with lentils, butternut squash and khlii. It was excellent. Khlii is not cheap though...

I am planning to make the "Kefta tagine with tomatoes and eggs" (page 402) tomorrow. I am wondering what to serve as a side. Bread? It seems like the dish may have quite a bit of sauce... Do Moroccans ever eat rice?

nickrey and EnriqueB - Thanks for the egg topper info. I am thinking of getting this one: http://www.amazon.com/Rosle-12827-Egg-Topper/dp/B0045YMQ36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360611024&sr=8-1&keywords=egg+topper Interesting... but what is the rationale behind torching the egg? Aren't warm eggs harder to peel than cold eggs?

I made shellfish stock today, and decided to follow Shalmanese's advice. The dish called for 3 cups of stock and 1/2 lb of shrimp, so I bought shrimp with heads and used the shells and heads to make the stock. I also added carrot, onion, leek, etc, according to the ratios recommended in Modernist Cuisine. The stock came out very flavorful and the dish came out perfect. With this experiment and based on all replies above, I am now convinced it makes no sense to freeze shrimp shells. I can't think of a dish that calls for shrimp stock but not for shrimp, and the dishes mentioned above are no exception - they all need the shrimp meat. When I need shellfish stock, I can simply use the fresh shells and heads to make the stock. Thank you everyone for chiming in!

nickrey - Do you recommend your egg topper? What brand is it? I am still unable to peel sous vide eggs (it's getting ridiculous that I can make the perfect sous vide egg but can't peel it...) I tried adding baking soda to the water in the ratio recommended by Harold McGee, I tried using an egg on its expiration date, I tried both an old egg with baking soda in the water, and I tried the vinegar solution trick. The peel came out better in these experiments than fresh eggs in plain water, but I still can't get my eggs to peel without cracking in a few places. I'm now thinking that I need to improve on my peeling technique. I usually crack the egg on both eggs with a spoon, and then use my hands to remove the shell in the ends. I then crack the egg all around, either on the counter or with the spoon, and proceed to remove the bits of shell. As I remove some of the shell, pieces of egg white stick to it and lead to cracks in the egg. Would an egg topper help remove shell without the cracking the white? Any other peeling techniques that I should try?

Done.

I haven't yet, but I'm going to. The goal of this thread was to organize my ideas and validate them by running them by others. Mission accomplished - thanks for your interest in this. I will send him email now.

Ah, yes, I am also in the other thread where you shared all the details about your spreadsheet - very cool. I also keep a spreadsheet, which is now more complete, inspired by the fields you shared. I don't necessarily wish the app could replace my spreadsheet. The amount of detail added on each experiment is a personal thing, and it would be very hard to get it right for everyone. But I do wish that the app would have MC's temperature recommendations, or that it would allow me to enter them.

Hu? How did you do that? I don't see a way to enter custom temperatures in Sous Vide Dash... is that what you mean? Or am I missing something?

Good point Enrique - all the information is there, just a little harder to use in printed form. I've been thinking more about my ideal way to access SV temperatures and times, and I am convinced that software is the best medium. There are so many variables involved that consulting tables in books is cumbersome. In other words, with a few extra features, I think that Sous Vide Dash could become the one and only source I use. Having recommendations for "tenderness time" for tough cuts is a key feature. It would also be nice to see more ingredients (goat, octopus, etc) for the more adventurous cook. Ideally, I would like to see the MC recommendations in the app, but I understand that may be tricky in terms of rights, etc. Maybe there's some way to work this out? I would also like some way to store a custom time and temperature for a particular cut of meat. If we can't access MC recommendations in the app, I could see myself entering all of them manually once, and use the app to get the information from then on. It would be a slow and repetitive task, but for me it would be worth it, just so that I could reduce my sources to one. In the meantime, with the sources we have available today, I think the following works well: * Tender cuts: - MC to get the recommended temperature. - Sous Vide Dash to pick the level of doneness based on that temperature, and to figure out the time based on thickness. * Tough cuts and less common ingredients: - MC to get the recommended temperature and time. - I typically double check with SVHC, but that's probably unnecessary.

I make the modernist kung pao for dinner today. I've made the original recipe from Fuchsia Dunlop before, so it was interesting to compare. I did marinate the meat for 12 hours. I wish I could say that the addition of baking soda made a big difference in the browning of the chicken, but I couldn't really tell much difference. Maybe it's because the chicken was still so wet from the marinade. It is super tasty though!

It's obvious in hindsight, but I wish I had thought of that yesterday. I threw the asparagus away, thinking that it's a small cost to pay for the learning I got out of it. But yeah, asparagus soup would have been nice...

OK, I just finished sous viding (is that a verb?) another batch of very thin green asparagus. I cooked them for 10 minutes at 85C and they came out excellent. Cooked enough, but still retained their crispiness. For asparagus this thin, I may try 8 min next time, to see if that improves them even more. One thing I did different this time was the way I measured the time. The first time, I added the asparagus to the water bath when the temperature reached 84.5C. The temperature then dropped, and it took several minutes for it to reach 85C and for the timer to start. This time, I let the temperature reach 85C, and then I added the asparagus immediately. The water temperature dropped as low as 83C, and it took several minutes for it to get back to 85C, but the timer was counting that time. I cook a lot of tough meats sous vide, and never really had to think about the exact timing of adding the bag before. But I think it makes a difference when cooking more time-sensitive ingredients.

DDF - Thanks for posting the measurements. That makes more sense - I can see in their site that the rack is almost cube shape.

Green asparagus, quite thin. Yeah, I saw the MC recommendation for 15 minutes after I finished cooking them. KennethT (above) cooked them for 8 minutes with success. I don't mind them not being brown - I just want them crisp. I usually stir-fry them Chinese style (high heat on a wok), which chars them nicely and retains their crispiness. They're amazing cooked that way, but I was looking for a change. I think I will have to do another experiment. I'm thinking of trying 10 or 12 minutes at 85C next. I'll report back.