eG Foodblog: SobaAddict70 (2013) -- La Cuisine du Marché

[SobaAddict70]

also, it fulfills one of my cooking goals for 2013 -- learning how to bake bread, after which my next thing will be pastry basics, so I can start having things like quiche and galettes for dinner.

after all, why should I pay $$$ for mystery bread that stays fresher longer but isn't nearly as flavorful as homemade bread?

[scamhi]

Soba, great blog and mouth watering food.

[weinoo]

also, it fulfills one of my cooking goals for 2013 -- learning how to bake bread, after which my next thing will be pastry basics, so I can start having things like quiche and galettes for dinner.

after all, why should I pay $$$ for mystery bread that stays fresher longer but isn't nearly as flavorful as homemade bread?

Well, we do have a lot of great non-mystery bread here in NYC - as you know. And it's not terribly expensive. I find/found baking bread to be quite rewarding...and frustrating and time consuming and I'm not always in love with the end product and it's 97° F. today and I never turn my oven on in the summer and.

Pizza, on the other hand...

[SobaAddict70]

scamhi -- thanks.

mitch -- of course, but I shouldn't have to pay for something that costs pennies to make. there's also the satisfaction that I made something from scratch, and learned something if not about food, perhaps about myself. is that not of worth? I think most of us have forgotten those lessons.

[huiray]

SobaAddict70, care to elaborate what you mean by "Chinese cabbage"?

As for making one's own bread and other pursuits of foodism - there is an area of discussion involving, in modern times, whether one has the disposable income and time to do these things (as opposed to less modern times when there was no choice but to do it yourself).

;-)

Edited May 31, 2013 by huiray (log)

[SobaAddict70]

SobaAddict70, care to elaborate what you mean by "Chinese cabbage"?

As for making one's own bread and other pursuits of foodism - there is an area of discussion involving, in modern times, whether one has the disposable income and time to do these things (as opposed to less modern times when there was no choice but to do it yourself).

;-)

huiray -- that's what the vendor at USGM sold it as. if you'd like to take issue with that, perhaps you should hie thyself there the first chance you can.

re bread-making, total food cost is about $10 and an hour of your time. dear me, the other day I cooked an omelette -- with brown spots -- in 10 minutes. I think that ship has sailed, don't you? There's a time and a place for this discussion, and this thread isn't it.

[SobaAddict70]

I'm starting tonight's extravaganza by prepping the dessert first.

Take a bunch of strawberries, trim them of their hulls, slice them in half or quarter them depending on size.

Macerate in 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice and 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar.

Doesn't have to be strawberries - can be blackberries, blueberries or other kinds of fruit like nectarines, peaches, plums or pluots.

Place in the refrigerator and chill for one hour or until ready to eat.

[SobaAddict70]

I'm also snacking on a piece of pepper-cheese bread spread with sweet cream butter as I do vegetable prep. While baking your own bread in this modern day and age may seem like a luxury to some, there are certain tangible benefits to be had which make a project like that worthwhile, in my opinion. But I digress.

[heidih]

Soba - do you make your own vanilla sugar? Method? I grew up with a whole vanilla bean kept inside the shaker of confectioners. I imagine yours was granulated and the bean either whole or pulverized?

[SobaAddict70]

Hard-cooked farm eggs, with Red Russian kale, shoulder bacon and morels.

Misjudged the eggs by about 3 minutes, otherwise it turned out ok.

No real recipe for this -- render bacon over medium heat, fry until it browns, then set aside. Fry morels and kale in bacon drippings (or you can gild the lily like I did with a little unsalted butter), return bacon to pan. Stir, then taste for salt and pepper. Serve with a soft-cooked or hard-cooked egg.

[SobaAddict70]

Soba - do you make your own vanilla sugar? Method? I grew up with a whole vanilla bean kept inside the shaker of confectioners. I imagine yours was granulated and the bean either whole or pulverized?

Same thing. A while ago, I did lobster with vanilla butter and used only 1/2 a bean for the sauce. I saved the unused portion of the bean and added it to a canister of granulated white sugar. Presto chango! Vanilla sugar.

[heidih]

As to the bread - as a passionate teen baker I did a cheese bread that was a top seller at every bake sale. I must locate the recipe and add pepper(s). It was in some County Fair Blue Ribbon Recipes book I got from a cookbook club. Thanks for the reminder. Did you toast it or just eat it room temp? Don't own a toaster so I just set the slices on the oven grate in a hot oven and turn once.

[SobaAddict70]

Room temperature. I have to use willpower or I can just sit there and eat the whole thing in one sitting. Cut off two slices, spread one with butter, then ate the other one dipped in olive oil.

A friend on Facebook just reminded me that fresh baked bread also goes with duck fat and sea salt. Mmm, duck fat.

Lately, I've been dreaming of savory French toast too...

[SobaAddict70]

BTW Deborah's recipe calls for 2 teaspoons black pepper and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. I cut the amount of black pepper in half. Came out peppery but not as spicy as I had feared. There's a nice hint of pecorino in there, but now I think I should have just added cheddar instead.

[heidih]

The one I used to make back in the dark ages used cheddar. Now I am on a mission

[SobaAddict70]

So this next dish adapted is from "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" by Marcella Hazan and can be found on pages 65-66 (2012 edition). I say 'adapted' because I'm changing it so that it will be accompanied by some broccoli rabe.

Its prep will not seem intuitive for those of you who don't have the book. Marcella specifies that the poaching liquid shall consist of three quarts of water, and be prepped by adding 1 celery stalk, 1 peeled and trimmed carrot, a healthy pinch of sea salt and a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar. (I'll be sizing the recipe for one person so I'll be reducing quantities specified by a little over half.) You're to let that mixture simmer for 10 minutes at a gentle boil, then add the shrimp in their shells and poach for up to 3 minutes. Smaller-sized shrimp will take less time to cook.

Then, once the shrimp are cooked, shell them and marinate in a 1:1 mixture of olive oil and lemon juice, seasoned with salt and pepper. Marinate for one hour, and serve with lots of bread to soak up the juices. (Now you understand why I baked that loaf of bread last night. )

I've made this dish many times before and it is always a winner.

This is what the original recipe looks like, without any broccoli rabe:

[huiray]

SobaAddict70, care to elaborate what you mean by "Chinese cabbage"?

As for making one's own bread and other pursuits of foodism - there is an area of discussion involving, in modern times, whether one has the disposable income and time to do these things (as opposed to less modern times when there was no choice but to do it yourself).

;-)

huiray -- that's what the vendor at USGM sold it as. if you'd like to take issue with that, perhaps you should hie thyself there the first chance you can.

re bread-making, total food cost is about $10 and an hour of your time. dear me, the other day I cooked an omelette -- with brown spots -- in 10 minutes. I think that ship has sailed, don't you? There's a time and a place for this discussion, and this thread isn't it.

My, my - sounds like you are a little touchy there. Still, it seems clear that it matters little to you what "Chinese cabbage" actually is - it's just whatever is sold to you as something called "Chinese cabbage". The other stuff? Opinions differ.

[FrogPrincesse]

Regarding the shrimp, are they served cold or at room temperature? They look great.

Thanks!

Edited June 1, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[SobaAddict70]

Regarding the shrimp, are they served cold or at room temperature? They look great.

Thanks!

Room temperature.

[SusieQ]

Hi, I just read through all five pages of your foodblog, SobaAddict70, and I must say, how wonderful! Your beautiful photos along with your clear writing style is something else, and that's before I even say how everything you present looks so yummy! Just wanted to say thanks! for doing this foodblog. You have given me lots of ideas.

[SobaAddict70]

Hi, I just read through all five pages of your foodblog, SobaAddict70, and I must say, how wonderful! Your beautiful photos along with your clear writing style is something else, and that's before I even say how everything you present looks so yummy! Just wanted to say thanks! for doing this foodblog. You have given me lots of ideas.

Anytime, Susie. My pleasure.

[SobaAddict70]

Gamberetti all'olio e limone (Poached shrimp with olive oil and lemon juice), cime di rapa fritte, homemade bread

Cime di rapa fritte (broccoli rabe stewed in olive oil with garlic and peperoncini): http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Cime-di-Rapa-Fritte

In the end, I decided not to alter Marcella's recipe -- hence the presentation in the pic. Was a nice idea while it lasted though.

Edited June 1, 2013 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[SobaAddict70]

I think the next time I do one of these Foodblogs, that it will be in the late summer so I can REALLY show you the glories of working with vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes and squash.

Especially zucchini -- because there will arise the inevitable thread in the Cooking subforum that so-and-so is experiencing the invasion of the triffid-people, and do folks have any ideas? I can think of five recipes off the bat, none of which are the typical "zucchini bread"/zucchini fritters that seem to pop up occasionally.

So, Heidi, are you listening? We'll have to do this again next year.

[SobaAddict70]

Strawberries, with orange juice and vanilla sugar.

"My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn I saw good strawberries in your garden there; I do beseech you send for some of them." --from Richard III (Act 3, Scene 4) by William Shakespeare.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Until next time.

Soba

[Plantes Vertes]

Thanks Soba - it was good! I enjoyed following your week and I'll be attempting some of your methods soon.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Plantes Vertes (log)