fifi

Hoo boy! This is weird. I don't see anything in the ingredient list or proportions that jump out at me. Please describe the "hardened" dressing. You said earlier "like a rock". Do you mean that literally? Can you dig it out with a spoon? Does it dissolve back in oil? Water? You already said that heating it didn't change it. Does it look homogenous, as in none of the ingredients have separated? I know that is a lot of questions. But, you have to expect that when you get an SSB riled up.

Does it have anything to do with thixotropy and colloids? This is sort of like a perverse game of charades. I belatedly edited that post to say that I meant there wasn't a chemical reaction going on with the Halvah. Sorry. Badly composed. I have been thinking through the thixotropy and colloid scenarios but I don't have enough information. The other part that may not be a good fit is the fact that it went from liquid to solid, the only difference being the truffle oil, and they couldn't reverse it. This is indeed perverse. Sometimes my curiosity drives me batty. I wish we knew the proportions of the ingredients.

Feh... I want to be alone with my creme brulee. No coulis, sauces or any other distractions. Just me and a little spoon to crack that crust and get down to business with the essence of creaminess within. "old chestnuts", "old standbys", "old hat"??? All in one paragraph? Any creation that approaches perfection never gets old, only more perfect. (Like me, for example. ) Again, I am not much of a dessert person and usually pass because it rarely interests me. But, if there is that perfect classic and I know that the restaurant does it well, I may bite... so to speak. That molten middle chocolate cake thingy is starting to get to me. I think of it as a relatively new classic. Bread puddings are also in that camp if they would just leave out the damned raisins. I was on a crusade for the perfect chocolate mouse a few years ago but gave up because most of them started tasting like cool whip. To me, that is the WOW. The perfect classic executed perfectly. I never have gotten the foams. For some reason they remind me of the deposits of spittle bugs on the weeds in the summer. If I get the stuff on me... eeewww.

I am not sure I would dream of depriving myself of this soup because of the coconut milk. I get the Chaudoc brand at my local Asian grocery for about 60 cents a can and it is quite good. That brand is recommended in a couple of books I have. I have to go there anyway to get the fresh galangal. It is also nicely separated if you don't shake it so that if you need the coconut cream that floats to the top you can get that too. I don't know of anyone that does their own. I tried it... ONCE. It wasn't worth it and quite frankly not quite as good. A home kitchen doesn't have the equipment, or the fresh coconuts for that matter, to compete with the canned.

I wouldn't go THAT far. Take the fun little tram system over to the hotel. It is entertaining (well, at least for a stay in DFW) and you will be able to get something better than an apple.

Good catch, fresco. I have often wondered about some folks detecting a fishy taste. I never have. I would not be surprised at variability of BOTH individual sensitivity to sinapine as well as content in the oil. At least now we know that there is a real compound with a name associated with fishiness.

The melted marshmallows aren't really changed. They just get deflated, melted, and act as glue. You aren't cooking them to any of the candy stages or anything. To get what I mean by that horrible sentence (damn, what is that word), visualize that you have a pot of melted marshmallow. You put in some rice crispies and, up to a point, it still stirs around like a liquid. As you continue to add more, you get to a point that it goes "glunk" (another technical whiz term) and you are turning it out of the pot as almost a solid. Though it is still a little pliable until the "glue" cools. Yeah, sandra. You are right. I don't think we are any closer to solving this one.

Weeelll... Yaaa'll jes have a reeeaal good time, now. Ya hear?

I just read through a bunch of recipes for Halvah, including one from a senior citizens web site that recommends it for enhancing sex. I am not sure now that there is anything by way of a chemical reaction going on. I am seeing more of a general goopiness that comes to a halt with the addition of the sesame seeds at an amount sufficient to have the sesame seeds in enough quantity that they are touching each other so that the flow of the candy part stops. (There is a big word for that that would be useful as a replacement for that horrible run-on sentence. I can't remember it now and you probably don't care anyway. But it will drive me nuttier.) Think rice crispy treats. So... We are back to go. Will someone please send out an SSB alert? It might be helpful if we had more definition on the recipe for the dressing, if that can be divulged. edit for clarification: With the Halvah, I mean.

Isn't that the chemical that makes your farts stink? There are mercaptans in farts. Methyl mercaptan is the odor chemical that they put in natural gas so that it can be detected. (Natural gas is naturally odorless and you would have enough to go boom before you could tell.) edit to add because I am too quick with the button: Ugh. That may have something to do with it. I am still trying to find out what happens with halvah with no luck, yet. But then I haven't tried that hard. Possibly, the dressing was getting close to the "halvah reaction" but not quite there yet, then the addition of the truffle oil, and its noxious components, kind of kicked it over. (Now there is a technical term. ) I am reaching here but this is driving me nuts.

I don't think there is any way to get around the coconut milk. Coconut milk is at the heart of this soup and others like them. If you have some reason to avoid coconut milk then it is best to just pass these soups by. The same goes for some of the curries that rely heavily on the coconut milk. Maybe one of our resident geniuses has a better answer. I am just curious as to the objection to the fats in the coconut milk. I am looking at the label on a can of Chaudoc (my preferred brand) and it adds up to 21 grams of fat, saturated, no cholesterol for the whole can. I figure that, when used as an ingredient, even a major one, that doesn't seem too bad. You aren't going to eat this stuff every day. Besides, the whole concern about "tropical oils" is starting to look like a bunch of hooey. Unless there is a specific dietary restriction reason, I am not sure I can make a case for avoiding coconut milk. Of course, everything in moderation. Check out this thread. This one is pretty good, too. There are other discussions to be found. I found these by searching on "tropical oils".

That means adding too much other "stuff" to it. I am a creme brulee purist.

Thanks for the pictures, Jason. Mine comes out looking just about like the Upperline version. Yes, all versions are good. Most folks prefer a little lighter roux for seafood. I never met a gumbo I didn't like. Well, I will make some exceptions for those with too much okra. I am not in the okra camp. (That should start some discussion.) Yes... I know... Gumbo is supposed to be the original African word for okra. However, the language has moved on.

Why? Because it is just so damn good. To me, it is one of those pleasures that touches some primal part of my brain stem. And I don't really like dessert that much. Good things should never die. I do get irritated when they start trying to get too cute with it, though.

Actually, I have spent a significant part of my life in New Orleans and South Louisiana so a Texan addressing the all-important issue of gumbo isn't as heretical as it sounds. Jason started this. He mentioned the dark roux gumbo in the Commander's Palace thread, discussing the difficulty of acheiving that. Hmmm... I have been making that for years. I learned at the side of a wonderful lady in LaPlace, LA who was an absolute authority on gumbos in general and the dark roux variety in particular. That was her favorite. I considered trying to weasle some cooking bags out of him in exchange for a lesson on my dark roux technique when he dropped a bunch of recipes on me in the Mirlitons thread. Ah well. Duty calls. I have entered my recipe for Chicken & Sausage Gumbo into recipeGullet. It includes the details of technique for acheiving that dark roux and provides a pretty good basic gumbo recipe. We all know that there are as many gumbo recipes and techniques for making a roux as there are cooks in Louisiana. This could get interesting. Read. Chew. Discuss.

Good save, Dave! You really ought to write that one up. Fave of the day? Hard to say. Once you get past the fried turkey I guess the sweet potatoes, baked and sliced, put into a casserole and topped with a pineapple sage (fresh from the herb patch) butter sauce. The tamales with poblano cream to dunk them in got a lot of votes. A lot of folks also put some poblano cream on their turkey. As we were cleaning up, I caught my nephew LICKING the serving dish. He looked really funny with green stuff on his nose.

Dark brown glazing liquid, paint brush, oil sprays for glisten, professional lighting, resident food stylist.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo We call this "South of I-10 Style" This is a very basic gumbo that I learned many years ago from a dear lady in LaPlace, Louisiana. She was quite an authority on gumbo and its many styles. She and her far-flung Louisiana family put a lot of energy into “discussion” of one style versus another. This dark and sultry style is a favorite for poultry and sausage of whatever type. We made up the term “South of I-10 Style” because she claims it is more prevalent the further south you go. Turkey is often the bird in question after Thanksgiving. Duck often shows up after a successful hunt. It is not a thick gumbo, due to the very dark roux losing some thickening power in the process, and the vegetables just about disappear. File is often offered at the table for addition to the diner’s liking. The recipe is a good starting point. Endless variations are possible. I have included some techniques that might help achieve that dark roux. 1 c vegetable oil (peanut or canola) 1 c flour 2 c chopped onion 1 c chopped celery 1 c chopped green bell pepper 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste) 6 c chicken broth (hopefully homemade but Swanson brand will do) 1 lb smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille) cut crosswise into 1/2" slices 2 tsp Cajun seasoning (your favorite brand will do) 1 lb chicken meat cut into 1” chunks (best to use thigh meat) 3 bay leaves Chopped green onion, parsley, and file for serving (optional) White rice for serving (NOT optional) About the pot: Don’t even start this unless you have a proper pot, that means heavy. Heavy cast iron is the classic. Enameled cast iron (like Le Creuset) is better because it is easier to judge the color of the roux. Heavy aluminum like Calphalon also works. First you chop your Trinity: Chop the onion, celery and peppers into relatively uniform ¼” chop. Season with the salt and cayenne and set aside… close to the stove. (You will see why in a minute.) Now you make a roux: Combine the oil and flour in your pot and stir together until there are no lumps. It should be liquid enough that it flows well as you stir. Add more oil if necessary. Turn the heat to medium high on a wimpy range or maybe medium on a better burner and start stirring. I recommend using a wooden spatula rather than a spoon as that tool does a better job of sweeping the bottom and corners of the pot. Oh, by the way, you can’t stop stirring so you best go pee before you start this. I call this a “2 beer roux” That means that you can drink 2 beers before it is ready. I find that it takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to get there, but then I have done this a lot. Better to go slow until you gain some experience. When the roux gets to the color of a Hershey Bar, you are ready to go. WARNING: The slightly reddish Hershey Bar color is very close to burning. If black flecks appear, you have burned it and blown it. Start over. Makin’ Gumbo: Dump the seasoned Trinity into the roux all at once and stir like crazy. That is why I told you to keep this by the stove. If you are getting close to burning the roux, this drops the temperature and keeps it from burning. There will be a lot of steamin’ and sputterin’ going on but this has a lot to do with the flavor development. The high heat hitting the vegetables and cayenne makes a flavor difference. Continue to stir and cook for about five minutes until the vegetables are wilted. Add the sausage and bay leaves, continue stirring and cooking for about five minutes. Slowly add the broth (it should be cool) stirring continuously to incorporate. Reduce heat and maintain a slow simmer for two hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, season the chicken meat with the Cajun seasoning. Add it to the pot and simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally. Excess oil may break out. Skim off if you wish. Check seasoning and add salt if necessary. Serving: Stir in chopped green onion and parsley and serve over white rice. File on the table for adding is optional. NOTE: You can use commercially available roux. (It is really quite good.) The trick will be to get it up to a high enough temperature to sear the trinity/cayenne mixture without burning it. I think making the roux yourself is more fun. It tests your intestinal fortitude… “How close can I get to burning before I dump in those vegetables?” You can double this recipe if your pot is big enough. I usually do because this is a bit of trouble and it freezes well. If you freeze leftovers, add the parsley and green onion only to the portions you serve. Parsley and green onion should always be added fresh. If you are using previously cooked bird, such as the leftovers from the Thanksgiving turkey, add the cooked turkey meat within the last half hour of the process. If you cook previously cooked meat in the gumbo too long it gets all broken up and stringy. It will still taste good. It is just ugly when that happens. Hopefully, you have made good stock with the bird bones. If it was smoked bird, remove most of the dark smoked skin before making the stock so the stock won't have too strong a smoke flavor. For a truly fascinating experience of gumbo cooking around the world, the Gumbo Ya Ya Cook-Off topic is not to be missed. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Chicken, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG772 )

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo We call this "South of I-10 Style" This is a very basic gumbo that I learned many years ago from a dear lady in LaPlace, Louisiana. She was quite an authority on gumbo and its many styles. She and her far-flung Louisiana family put a lot of energy into “discussion” of one style versus another. This dark and sultry style is a favorite for poultry and sausage of whatever type. We made up the term “South of I-10 Style” because she claims it is more prevalent the further south you go. Turkey is often the bird in question after Thanksgiving. Duck often shows up after a successful hunt. It is not a thick gumbo, due to the very dark roux losing some thickening power in the process, and the vegetables just about disappear. File is often offered at the table for addition to the diner’s liking. The recipe is a good starting point. Endless variations are possible. I have included some techniques that might help achieve that dark roux. 1 c vegetable oil (peanut or canola) 1 c flour 2 c chopped onion 1 c chopped celery 1 c chopped green bell pepper 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste) 6 c chicken broth (hopefully homemade but Swanson brand will do) 1 lb smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille) cut crosswise into 1/2" slices 2 tsp Cajun seasoning (your favorite brand will do) 1 lb chicken meat cut into 1” chunks (best to use thigh meat) 3 bay leaves Chopped green onion, parsley, and file for serving (optional) White rice for serving (NOT optional) About the pot: Don’t even start this unless you have a proper pot, that means heavy. Heavy cast iron is the classic. Enameled cast iron (like Le Creuset) is better because it is easier to judge the color of the roux. Heavy aluminum like Calphalon also works. First you chop your Trinity: Chop the onion, celery and peppers into relatively uniform ¼” chop. Season with the salt and cayenne and set aside… close to the stove. (You will see why in a minute.) Now you make a roux: Combine the oil and flour in your pot and stir together until there are no lumps. It should be liquid enough that it flows well as you stir. Add more oil if necessary. Turn the heat to medium high on a wimpy range or maybe medium on a better burner and start stirring. I recommend using a wooden spatula rather than a spoon as that tool does a better job of sweeping the bottom and corners of the pot. Oh, by the way, you can’t stop stirring so you best go pee before you start this. I call this a “2 beer roux” That means that you can drink 2 beers before it is ready. I find that it takes me about 30 to 40 minutes to get there, but then I have done this a lot. Better to go slow until you gain some experience. When the roux gets to the color of a Hershey Bar, you are ready to go. WARNING: The slightly reddish Hershey Bar color is very close to burning. If black flecks appear, you have burned it and blown it. Start over. Makin’ Gumbo: Dump the seasoned Trinity into the roux all at once and stir like crazy. That is why I told you to keep this by the stove. If you are getting close to burning the roux, this drops the temperature and keeps it from burning. There will be a lot of steamin’ and sputterin’ going on but this has a lot to do with the flavor development. The high heat hitting the vegetables and cayenne makes a flavor difference. Continue to stir and cook for about five minutes until the vegetables are wilted. Add the sausage and bay leaves, continue stirring and cooking for about five minutes. Slowly add the broth (it should be cool) stirring continuously to incorporate. Reduce heat and maintain a slow simmer for two hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, season the chicken meat with the Cajun seasoning. Add it to the pot and simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally. Excess oil may break out. Skim off if you wish. Check seasoning and add salt if necessary. Serving: Stir in chopped green onion and parsley and serve over white rice. File on the table for adding is optional. NOTE: You can use commercially available roux. (It is really quite good.) The trick will be to get it up to a high enough temperature to sear the trinity/cayenne mixture without burning it. I think making the roux yourself is more fun. It tests your intestinal fortitude… “How close can I get to burning before I dump in those vegetables?” You can double this recipe if your pot is big enough. I usually do because this is a bit of trouble and it freezes well. If you freeze leftovers, add the parsley and green onion only to the portions you serve. Parsley and green onion should always be added fresh. If you are using previously cooked bird, such as the leftovers from the Thanksgiving turkey, add the cooked turkey meat within the last half hour of the process. If you cook previously cooked meat in the gumbo too long it gets all broken up and stringy. It will still taste good. It is just ugly when that happens. Hopefully, you have made good stock with the bird bones. If it was smoked bird, remove most of the dark smoked skin before making the stock so the stock won't have too strong a smoke flavor. For a truly fascinating experience of gumbo cooking around the world, the Gumbo Ya Ya Cook-Off topic is not to be missed. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Chicken, Lunch, Dinner, American ( RG772 )

A CLASSIC POST HAS BEEN BORN! theabroma is referring to a problem I had here.

elyse may have something here. I forgot about the halvah business. (Damn! Now I am wondering what the chemistry of THAT is.) The only thing that bugs me though, is why it didn't happen until the truffle oil was added.

Damn... A recipe bonanza. I was going to PM Jason with the secret to making that ultra dark roux for gumbo like he had at Commanders. Actually, I was going to offer him a deal involving those toaster bags. Now I may have to just give it to him.

I don't know the proportions of your ingredients but I doubt that what you are seeing is coming from anything growing. You said it was a dressing but I didn't see an acid. Again, depending upon the final concentrations of sugars and salt (soy sauce) I would doubt that this would support much in the way of biological activity. The clue is probably in the truffle oil since that seems to be the only variable. Whatever the reaction is, it almost sounds like a chemical crosslinking of some of the components, perhaps "catalyzed" (loose use of that word) by something in the truffle oil. I say this because you indicated that heating it up did not change the consistency. That makes behavior of the mystery substance sound like what is called a thermoset material. thermoset = a crosslinked polymer that once the crosslinking is accomplished, is irreversable, epoxies and resins used in fiberglass are like this thermoplastic = a plastic that changes consistency in response to heat for instance, polyethylene for instance, can be melted, solidified and remelted, sort of like your solidifying honey Those are probably not the best or most precise descriptions 'cause I am too lazy after all that turkey to look them up. I always thought truffles were a bit suspicious. They smell like acetonitrile to me. Any other SSBs out there have any ideas? This is a fascinating question. Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks. I forgot about Christophenes. That gives me a new way to search in some of my books. Growing these things in New Orleans has an almost cult-like following and set of traditions, sort of like the creole tomatoes.

I have a mirliton (aka chayote) question. My sister's mirliton vines are producing nicely. (Yes... She was a tad late planting them.) They got nipped a little the other night with our little cool spell but they are still cranking them out. We have noticed that some of them that have gotten "lost" in the greenery are starting to sprout while still on the vine. Get to the question, you say. How would you go about holding over some for planting next spring? I mean, when it is time to plant them there aren't any around yet. Duh. My ex's aunt used to do something to start hers every year but I'll be darned if I remember what. And isn't there some New Orleans tradition of planting them on some saint's day? Recipe ideas beyond the shrimp stuffing would be welcome as well. We are covered up with these things.