Duvel

This just popped up in my YouTube feed … I think it’s fantastic and just wanted to share:

Yeap … also “handcrafted” the leftover cake crumbs 😜

Well … We successfully managed to lure the Three Kings to Germany (as usually they visit the little one only in Catalunya). He attributes this to leaving out some juicy carrots for the camels, but I am sure it was my wife‘s Pastis del Reis, which turned out very, very god this year …

Rest in peace, Tim !

Yeah … I was looking for something more fancy; like „South-western Alaska pizza, like they make it at Fungholini‘s“ or so …

Since I learned in the Modernist Pizza thread that any pizza can be categorized, I wonder which type I make every now and then. As in my in-laws home no special equipment (read pizza steel, Ooni, a proper working oven) is available I made a pan pizza. Feel free to enlighten me, which style it represents … Half mushroom, ham and olives, half sausage, bacon and Fuet … Fluffy texture … Crunchy bottom

Catalunya 😆

Shrimps & octopus were bought cooked, and the croquettes were also ready-made and just needed to be fried. And if the oil is hot, one can fry whatever lies around 😋 The rest was done en passant, so all in all maybe 30 min. Normally I spend more time than that …

A shopping trip ended in minimum cooking and a tapas dinner … Salted, olive oil-fried crisps & allioli - the latter for … (Boiled) shrimps Octopus Salted cod croquettes Fried sardines and fried oysters (made from the last ones from France) Manchego, fuet, tortilla … Meatballs with olives and sardines

Looks like that for the temperatures you are using you need to up your hydration (waaaay up) and look for artisanal flour with at least 14% asbestos. Don‘t give up - you are half way there 🥳

I suggest to start with a 250-300 g round piece of either Camembert or Brie (if you can find it, Le Roustique is great), not too ripe and runny. Start cold, straight from the fridge, cut into quarters, then eights. That’ll give a good size in terms of coating and frying …

We drove down to Catalunya yesterday. About 200 km before we reached the border to Spain there was a sign on the highway: „Fresh local oyster“. Hey, why not … Seems the guy is popular for selling his oysters directly at the highway. We stopped, got a 4 kg pack for 30 Euro (notice the happy Duvel) … … and ate them today for lunch. Accompanied by some little extras … … and two white wines. Happy Duvel indeed !

I don’t. It helps to keep the integrity on top of the double coating …

My FIL got some porras (churros minus the star shape) from the local churreria … Hot, crispy, dipped in sugar and served with a thick chocolate sauce for dipping. Little one was delighted. I am more the salty type. Pa amb tomaquet, headcheese, blue cheese and a beer - why not ☺️ ?

It’s not so much a recipe, but a general method: One part vinegar, one part 100% fruit juice (orange, cherry, mango, pineapple, …). Half a part ketchup to give some body if going in the „fake Chinese direction“ or bag juices / stock from your desired protein for a more classic approach. Sugar to taste (depends on fruit juice, just go by taste), all whipped together and brought to a boil for half a minute or so … A thickener of choice (flour/butter, cornstarch, …) added and brought to the desired thickness.

The classic flour / eggwash / breadcrumb method works fine, for melty cheeses I suggest to make a double coating. For the oven I prefer the second coating made from panko.

What do you need the coating for ? Do you intend to bake or fry the cheese ? For looks ?

My favorite place to drink has a “neat” day today … (because when we arrived, the freezer was unplugged)

@Kim Shook & @shain: I sense a pattern 🤗

“Freezer & pantry cleanup” continues: I think for me the second most useful staple in the freezer is Marcella Hazan’s Ragù alla Bolognese, bagged & frozen conveniently in four people portions (which in this household are exactly enough to feed three). Served on De Cecco spaghetti (little one’s choice, definitely not Marcella’s) …

Nice job 👍 It looks like you sauced them - if so, which sauce did you choose ?

Hah - if it would be that simple … How to enjoy Japanese Whisky

Nope, tendon it is. Cf. the beef tendon written under it and check the Chinese. Not an English typo. The tendon is a tough fatty part with - well - the tendon running through it somewhat under the breast fillet. It withstands the heat of the grill well and gets a bit “crunchy” when grilled without drying out.

I am caught in the middle of a “clean up the freezer & pantry” operation, envisioned by my wife and carried out by yours truly. Tonight shrimps (plus a tomato mozzarella salad) for the the family and a bowl of spicy Mapo Dofu for me, using some TVP I found as a meat substitute (which worked pretty well). In the same cupboard I found this, purchased not too long ago: Sichuan peppercorn oil. Not as strong as I would have hoped, but a pretty good option to obtain in Germany. Lips are tingling ☺️ …

No pictures of the actual food ..?