Motochef

Does anyone know if Rose's Seafood Market in Seabrook, TX will ever re-open after Ike destroyed their property? They were in the process of building a new store adjacent to their location. Will they continue building and open?

Is it a convection oven?

E-mail me off-line (mark@motochef.com) if you would like some of my notes / recipes with crab.

To me, "Oscar" means something with crab and asparagus. A standard sauce to accompany this would be hollandaise. Hence, a sirloin oscar would be a form of sirloin steak with crab and asparagus, most likely served with hollandaise. I use garlic in most of my dishes; however, I do not use it to make hollandaise. Quite often I will use jumbo lump crab mixed with a concoction of sauteed bell peeper, celery and onion (the Trinity in the Cajun world). I add garlic to the Trinity. I let it cool before folding-in the crab. I know of no standard "Ocsar" recipe. I just know what I like and make it. Shame on you for visiting a "crappy overpriced chain restaurant". Make your own and enjoy it. M.

Why don't you educate these people? I don't understand what you are trying to accomplish. Who is your target audience? Why do "these folks like the fake stuff,"? Without an understanding of what you wish to accomplish, how can we provide ideas for more inventive fillings, toppings, etc.? What's wrong with fresh fruit cooked with simple syrup? Frozen fruit the same way? More exotic fruits the same? Why cool whip over freshly whipped cream? I don't get it.

You could make bernaise sauce for a surf and turf dinner. I also use tarragon to make chicken stock. Make a multiple-quart batch, then freeze it. Enjoy. Motochef!

I've been told that adding a raw peeled potato to the soup will help. Apparently the potato will absorb the salt. Good luck. Motochef.

Medallions are a good idea. (Paillard) Alternatively, why not sear the entire loin (seasoned) in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet and transfer to the oven to finish? Then make a simple pan sauce to while the loin rests.

I'd have to say that anything with Velveeta tops my list of vile recipes. However, let's not forget about those nasty little wieners called Vienna Sausages. They qualify for the "anything that contains this product is vile" list. This category offers the following: Top Ramen and Vienna Sausage Recipe. Ingredients - 1 package of Top Ramen & 1 can Vienna Sausage Directions: A. Boil a pot of water B. Add vienna sausages to boiling water C. Add Top Ramen noodles and let boil for 3 minutes D. Add Top Ramen flavored powder and stir

If they are not "bad or tainted", then I would consider putting them in a "quick gumbo". I'd make the roux with the "Trinity". Then use a good andouille or garlic sausage after the Trinity is ready along with some chicken stock. Add the shrimp at the last minute and plate with file. Also, you could consider a "quick" shrimp etouffee. Make the roux with "brown" butter rather than oil. Good luck and good eating. Motochef!

Glad they're feeling better. The addition of ginger, garlic and lemon juice is a wonderful idea I'll need to remember when the next cold strikes our house. Thanks! ← ludja and foodies 52 - have you ever added fresh tarragon to the pot?

I am a soup fan as well. I succumb to cooking soups in large batches – my 23-quart Le Creuset pot begs for large volumes. What makes it worse is my best friend has the same pot, so I tend to go for two (46-quarts) and freeze what I cook. While I do quite a bit of entertaining, it’s just my two young boys (both with advanced palates) and I at home, so my cooking throughput often exceeds demand. I purchased a six-quart All Clad sauce pot (the six quart stock pot has been difficult to find). When I use this, it forces me to consider portion control. Having said that, I am interested to know how everyone goes about pairing a wine with his or her soup. Many oenophiles tell me they would never attempt to match a wine with a soup course. I disagree. For example, I like white Burgundy with cream of white asparagus soup. What to you say? Do you have a methodology of pairing this wonderful course?

Malkavian, please, never buy fish for raw consumption at Food Lion. They lost their credibility and standards in the early 1990's with the bleach issue. They burst my "vessel of trust". Also, Malkavian, there are better sources in North Carolina for the freshest fish other than Harris Teeter and Food Lion. liv4fud, I would l leave the sushi and sashimi to the pros until you find a fish monger that you are completely confident in using. In the interim, don't overcook your qualified (respectfully sourced) tuna and other fish. Overcooking is a deal stopper / ugly epicurean experience. For example, shrimp are, in my humble opinion, the most overcooked saltwater treasures in the world, for example. Flatfish are next. Look for the appropriate signs of "cooked to the extent I want" - fish flesh striations, lines, etc. Best wishes and intentions, M. Motochef, formerly of Greensboro, NC, and now Houston, TX.

Food Save them or wrap them up in freezer wrap and take them out to the garage freezer. Put them on top of the freezer while you pretend to get something real out of the box. Leave them on top. When you remember what happened to them in the morning, take them out to the trash. They are a bad, bad cut.

A few types of food indicates three. Spell them out. "The chef is experienced with French, Itallian, and German cuisines." Don't shotgun the statement. Motochef.

It would help to know that part of Houston you will spend your time. I'd suggest Goode Company BBQ & their Taqueria. I'd also give serious consideration for a visit to Mark's American Cuisine for some superlative high end eating. Truluck's Seafood, Steak and Crab House is also a nice spot. Have a great trip. Motochef.

Get a new doctor or at least a second opinion. Pittsburgh is full of great doctors. Good Luck.

While I believe the mustard is the best add on feature to blue crab meat, I like to taste the sweet lump crab meat that they produce. As long as the mustard and sourdough are side dishes or on top of (I guess below is okay as well) the original crabmeat, everything is okay. Crab mustard and great bread reqire lumps of sweet crab to make the entire experience complete. A sprinkling of the roe on top of the mix adds more hedonistic pleasure to a rich snack. M. java script:emoticon(':biggrin:') http://forums.egullet.org/style_images/dev...icons/icon1.gif

Are you sanguine about bringing your child(ren) to an adult dinner party? As the host(ess), does it make you uncomfortable for the child? the parents? yourself? ← Interesting question. I remember as a child the scene described in the quote above. I also remember my mother telling me not to eat the hors d'oeuvres she had made because they were for "company" (especially shrimp). In some cases, when other "adults" were bringing their children, I remember a "kids" table set in the kitchen. Today, unless I'm having close friends to dinner or visiting them for dinner, I don't involve the kids as a part of the event. While the kids are integrated in the beginning of the evening, I use a babysitter to look after the children for a bath and to get them ready for bed. However, I always go upstairs to say good night and give them a hug and a kiss.

I think it's the best restaruant in Houston!

It has been a few years, but I served chicken laub in cucumber cups as "finger food that could be passed on a tray". As I recall, I did not salt the cucumbers to avoid a "desiccant" effect and excess water on the serving trays. M.

Thanks for the insight and information. Even though I am rather adventurous in the kitchen, I think I'll pass on this bird and stick to my cognac roasted or fried turkey this Thanksgiving. I lost interest when I read about the water chestnuts and the roasting time for the bird. I'll give this a try with my "free turkey if you spend $25 or more at my store" deal on a Saturday after the holiday. Please let us know how this works out for you and enjoy. M.

What is "black turkey"?

I am planning on adding an herb garden (raised bed style) to my backyard. In the past, I have always had a "potted" herb selection to make cooking with fresh herbs as easy as walking out to the back patio with a pair of scissors. Unfortunately, after a move, the "potted" herbs did not do so well. They lacked the fresh flavor I had become accustomed to over the years. My guess is that is was the Western exposure combined with an inconsistent watering schedule. I can combine a raised bed with my automatic sprinkler system. I'm thinking about a Southern exposure that would receive sun from morning until late afternoon. Does anyone have any experience to share? Suggestions? Best time to plant? Plant seeds vs. started herbs? Basil (Holy, Sweet and Lemmon), tarragon, oregano, sage, chervil, flat leaf parsley and rosemary are my primary interest.

I forgot to mention that Alba Pottasche is also available at Specs Online Guten appetit!