The best dish you cooked in 2012

[David Ross]

I'm sure we all had great successes in the kitchen in 2012, and choosing one, singular dish as your "best" is somewhat daunting when you're a serious cook. But when you think about it, choosing your "best" dish really isn't that hard. It's a dish that you're still remembering today, December, 29. A dish so memorable that you can still taste the flavors and textures in your culinary dreams.

For me, one dish clearly stands out. It was a dish that took about 3 weeks to craft from the idea stage, through numerous practice runs to perfect the technique, to that final day when I hit the home run ball. It involved two very different ingredients, one pauper--jelly, and one prince--foie gras. The dish came together quite unexpectedly during one of our eGullet Cook-Offs, (http://forums.egulle...ll-o-and-aspic/). But it wasn't just the sweet, smooth, ice wine jelly and the unctuous, silken, foie gras or the perfumed, tart, wild huckleberry compote that made this dish memorable. It was a little metal Jell-O mold, some 90 years old, that was my Grandmother Pink's that really made this my best dish of 2012.

Ice Wine Jelly with Foie Gras Mousse and Huckleberry Compote-

What was your best dish of 2012?

[benthescientist]

First time posting on eGullet!

On a recent trip to the US I made numerous visits to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Rochester) and fell in love with their pulled pork and wanted to replicate something similar at home. I don't have a smoker at home that could hold a low and slow temp so I used a ghetto sous-vide system to cook a small pork shoulder for 24 hours at 65C. The meat was then cooled and pulled (could have done with another 12-24 hours), and the crackling placed in the oven to crisp up. The "juice" was filtered and reduced to form a pork jelly. The meat was mixed with chilli (4 kinds), cumin and smoked salt. The dish is served with a apple, beetroot and lime syrup, goats cheese, radish and black carrot. The pork jelly was topped with a bit of smoked salt. Baby coriander is the garnish.

A well balanced dish with pork the hero, and a decent plating for someone with small artistic talent. My best for 2012 and I hope to show you more in 2013

[David Ross]

First time posting on eGullet!

On a recent trip to the US I made numerous visits to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Rochester) and fell in love with their pulled pork and wanted to replicate something similar at home. I don't have a smoker at home that could hold a low and slow temp so I used a ghetto sous-vide system to cook a small pork shoulder for 24 hours at 65C. The meat was then cooled and pulled (could have done with another 12-24 hours), and the crackling placed in the oven to crisp up. The "juice" was filtered and reduced to form a pork jelly. The meat was mixed with chilli (4 kinds), cumin and smoked salt. The dish is served with a apple, beetroot and lime syrup, goats cheese, radish and black carrot. The pork jelly was topped with a bit of smoked salt. Baby coriander is the garnish.

A well balanced dish with pork the hero, and a decent plating for someone with small artistic talent. My best for 2012 and I hope to show you more in 2013

Welcome! That is one fantastic pig dish.

[Syzygies]

Wow! That looks fantastic.

I have been wondering about an initial smoke outdoors over fire (meat only really absorbs smoke below some debatable cutoff temperature) followed by sous vide. You're making me really curious.

[ScottyBoy]

Oh this thread is going to have some stunning stuff!

I'd have to say sourcing some awesome local halibut olive oil poached at 114 for 15 minutes, cream spinach from the garden, satsuma buerre blanc and some grapes.

[Baselerd]

From the Eleven Madison Park Cookbook: Qual Roasted with Endive, Dates, and Juniper

-Sous Vide Quail with Honey-Soy Glaze

-Red Wine Poached Endives

-Saffron Poached Endives

-Date Quail Jus

-Orange Puree

-Orange Juniper Crisp

[ScottyBoy]

Oh I was just checking that recipe out.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Mine was probably this:

Banana Blossom Encocado de Camarones, with Saffron-Mushroom Rice.

[SylviaLovegren]

Mine was probably this:

Banana Blossom Encocado de Camarones, with Saffron-Mushroom Rice.

What does banana blossom taste like? And is "encocado" anything to do with coconut?

[Mr Holloway]

This was done for an end of the season event at work

It was deboned,seasoned and stuffed with more shoulder, porchetta

Fire started at 3am, pig loaded on at 4. Came off about 11 hrs later

Went over very well

The good,can take cook this off the "list",

The bad, they want to do 2 or 3 of these next year

Shane

Edited December 30, 2012 by Mr Holloway (log)

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Banana blossom has an unique flavour, sort of like celery but a bit more bitter, and a texture similar to fresh lettuce (even after it's been salted, pressed, and sweated, it's still crunchy). Encocado is an Ecuadorian style mild coconut and peanut curry.

[ruthcooks]

Excuse me, but "best dish" means to me the most wonderful tasting dish, not the most complicated or creative or using the most obscure ingredients. I therefore nominate a once a year favorite of mine: a first-of-season homegrown not-so-green tomato ( streaks of pink) sliced, seasoned and floured, fried in fresh bacon fat, sprinkled with brown sugar and turned to glaze on both sides. Served with the bacon and a cream gravy made from the pan drippings.

The combination of flavors never fails to make me swoon and whisper "excellent" to myself.

[munchymom]

This is one I've taken years of trial and error to perfect:

Chicago-style deep dish pizza with artichoke hearts, mushrooms and black olives.

[Tri2Cook]

Excuse me, but "best dish" means to me the most wonderful tasting dish, not the most complicated or creative or using the most obscure ingredients.

I don't think it's a contest. I understood this to be a sharing of what we did that we're particularly proud of. Maybe creative or complicated is one persons idea of "best". Maybe something simple with a loved ingredient is another persons idea. It's all good.

[Derek J]

My best dish from 2012 probably is a very simple slow cooker pulled pork sandwich. Basically, trim fat off some pork, toss it all in a crock pot with root beer, drain after 7-8 hours, pull the pork, mix in some barbecue sauce, reheat, and serve. Incredibly simple, but very good results.

[David Ross]

My best dish from 2012 probably is a very simple slow cooker pulled pork sandwich. Basically, trim fat off some pork, toss it all in a crock pot with root beer, drain after 7-8 hours, pull the pork, mix in some barbecue sauce, reheat, and serve. Incredibly simple, but very good results.

Sounds delicious and east to put together. I've always liked the idea of using a cola beverage with slow-cooked pork. This one's on my 2013 list.

[Darienne]

The new dish we liked the best was Mafe (needs an e acute but I don't know how to do one in this format). In fact, we are having it for family tonight and friends tomorrow night.

Best desserts are for tonight: Capirotada and tomorrow: Margarita Pie.

There you have it in a nutshell.

[David Ross]

The new dish we liked the best was Mafe (needs an e acute but I don't know how to do one in this format). In fact, we are having it for family tonight and friends tomorrow night.

Best desserts are for tonight: Capirotada and tomorrow: Margarita Pie.

There you have it in a nutshell.

We'd love to see some photos of your dishes and explanation of the recipes. Sounds very tempting to me.

[gfweb]

It's pretty simple but I think the nicest thing I've done this year is a smoked turkey salad with candied pecans and slivered red grapes. Light but not insubstantial.

Smoked the breast then cooked sv to keep it moist. I cut off the pellicle and ground it so there wouldn't be tough bits in the chunky salad. Salt, mayo and pimenton were the only other ingredients. Make a few hours in advance to develop flavors.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Excuse me, but "best dish" means to me the most wonderful tasting dish, not the most complicated or creative or using the most obscure ingredients. I therefore nominate a once a year favorite of mine: a first-of-season homegrown not-so-green tomato ( streaks of pink) sliced, seasoned and floured, fried in fresh bacon fat, sprinkled with brown sugar and turned to glaze on both sides. Served with the bacon and a cream gravy made from the pan drippings.

The combination of flavors never fails to make me swoon and whisper "excellent" to myself.

Excuse me, but mine fit that bill. It was easily the tastiest thing I cooked this year. None of the ingredients are rare, obscure, or difficult to source where I live (the banana blossom came from my own garden) and I was, honestly, doing it specifically because I love a good encocado.

You want the simplest tasty thing I've eaten this year? It's not even technically cooking at that point. I sliced a perfectly ripe avocado in half, salted it, filled the cavity with queso fresco, and ate with great relish.

[patrickamory]

Panaderia that avocado sounds delicious. Fingered some sad ones at the supermarket today!

Best dish of the year? Hmm... I made janeer's AMAZING baked bean recipe with my own homemade salt pork, twice. Just unbelievable. I could eat another pot of it right now.

Edited December 30, 2012 by patrickamory (log)

[Darienne]

Photos and explanations

Mafe (again, no e acute): a spicy somewhat hot African stew meat, vegetables and peanut butter sauce with peanuts. Open to lots of alternatives. I used chicken thighs and sweet potatoes. Eaten on rice. (looks like a dog's dinner.)

Capirotada: traditional Lenten Mexican bread pudding with bread, bananas (and other fruits), nuts, lots of piloncillo (raw sugar, Mexican name) syrup poured over. Special ingredient is lots of cheese in between the layers and on top. I used Tillamook Extra Sharp.

Margarita pie: my take on two other recipes. Shell of crushed salted pretzels, filling of condensed milk, whipped cream and the ingredients of a Margarita: lime juice, Cointreau and Tequila. Oh yum. Made two extras for gifts to neighbors.

[Emily_R]

I think my best of the year has to be this slow-roasted pork shoulder with apple gravy. Pork shoulder rubbed with fennel, thyme, garlic, and rosemary, then roasted over a bed of apples and onions. The apples and onions are then pureed into a magic elixir that you'll want to lick off of... Well... you get the idea. It was eyes-rolling-back-in-my-head good.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/slow_roasted_pork_shoulder_with_savory_apple_gravy/

[Prawncrackers]

This is my best/favourite dish of the year. Chargrilled lobster with alphonso mango. Both of the main ingredients were at their peak around May, it tasted simply amazing. Can't wait to cook this again next May. It's also special because we won the Chefs Choice category with this dish in my first ever BBQ competition!

The lobster is split and chargrilled with lime leaves and lemongrass. The alphonso mango is carefully diced with tomato, daikon, cucumber, chilli and coriander. It's dressed with sweetened fish sauce and lime juice. Really fresh and delicious. I'm kinda salivating thinking about it.

[benthescientist]

From the Eleven Madison Park Cookbook: Qual Roasted with Endive, Dates, and Juniper

-Sous Vide Quail with Honey-Soy Glaze

-Red Wine Poached Endives

-Saffron Poached Endives

-Date Quail Jus

-Orange Puree

-Orange Juniper Crisp

Nice! What's the trick with getting the orange puree so thick?