ISO: A non-dairy sauce for steamed vegetables

[Darienne]

2 hours ago, shain said:

Tahini based sauces where mention, but for us the default is the classic tahini sauce. Good tahini, lemon, some water, salt. It's served with everything, vegetables raw or cooked, meat, poultry, eggs, bread.

We do use a fair amount of tahini, especially in hummus, but I'm not at all sure about the quality of it, seeing as it's purchased in Canada, in a provincial small-sized city.  I wonder how I could figure out what is a good brand to buy.  I usually buy it from our local bulk food store.  It's not a chain, or a bottom-feeder by any means, carries good brands of this and that....but still I couldn't vouch for the tahini.  

 

I'll make it from what I have and see how it tastes.  Ed is dealing with sinus problems right now...hence the dietary restrictions...and can't taste things properly to begin with.  

[dtremit]

19 hours ago, Darienne said:

Alas, mayonnaise is also out of bounds.

 

Because he can't eat it or because he doesn't like it? (If the latter, helps to dial in suggestions.)

I might riff on what @BeeZee suggested and do something with miso and bacon fat.

Edited August 25, 2020 by dtremit (log)

[Darienne]

1 hour ago, dtremit said:

 

Because he can't eat it or because he doesn't like it? (If the latter, helps to dial in suggestions.)

I might riff on what @BeeZee suggested and do something with miso and bacon fat.

 

Because it's on his restricted list.  Not only does he like it...he adds extra to his salads after they are served.  His Mother was French Canadian mix and cooked with more butter, cream and sugar than you can imagine.  Ed tells me that all his family had full sets of dentures from very early on.  I'll quit now or I could get quite gossipy in my stories about his Mother's cooking.    I, OTOH, never even tasted mayonnaise until after we were married.  

 

ps.  I should add that he is not one pound overweight.  

Edited August 25, 2020 by Darienne (log)

[heidih]

10 minutes ago, Darienne said:

ps.  I should add that he is not one pound overweight.  

 

 

We know - he is still a looker

[Margaret Pilgrim]

27 minutes ago, Darienne said:

Because it's on his restricted list.  Not only does he like it...he adds extra to his salads after they are served.  His Mother was French Canadian mix and cooked with more butter, cream and sugar than you can imagine.  Ed tells me that all his family had full sets of dentures from very early on.  I'll quit now or I could get quite gossipy in my stories about his Mother's cooking.    I, OTOH, never even tasted mayonnaise until after we were married.  

 

ps.  I should add that he is not one pound overweight.  

 

Personally, I’m with his mother.   We love all those things but in moderation.    (I have all my 32 original teeth.)

Edited August 25, 2020 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[NadyaDuke]

I love the sauce verte in this recipe https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/green-beans-and-zucchini-with-sauce-verte-359389

 

[shain]

6 hours ago, Darienne said:

I wonder how I could figure out what is a good brand to buy.  I usually buy it from our local bulk food store.  It's not a chain, or a bottom-feeder by any means, carries good brands of this and that....but still I couldn't vouch for the tahini.  

 

Other than recommend for brands I'm familiar with, I can only suggest that you look for tahini produced in the Levant. A good indicator for "authenticity" is it being sold in plastic container (those in glass jars are probably made specifically for western markets). 

As far as taste, it should be light, nutty but not peanuty (which indicates darker roast, great for sweets and East Asian cooking, less so for hummus and tahini sauce). It should be sweet with almost no bitterness.

[Toliver]

On 8/24/2020 at 11:21 AM, ElsieD said:

That corn butter sure looks good.  

I stumbled across that Genius Corn Butter video on YouTube.

While the end product did look very good, it seems like a helluva lot of effort for such a relatively small result.

I did read, however, in the comments section for the recipe on the Food52 site, that someone made the recipe and used a Vitamix to blitz all of the corn (before straining it for the corn milk/juice) and they said there was no pulp. The Vitamix turned it all into corn milk/juice.

The jaded side of me wonders if the person who wrote the comment was a Vitamix rep. 

[ElsieD]

4 minutes ago, Toliver said:

I stumbled across that Genius Corn Butter video on YouTube.

While the end product did look very good, it seems like a helluva lot of effort for such a relatively small result.

I did read, however, in the comments section for the recipe on the Food52 site, that someone made the recipe and used a Vitamix to blitz all of the corn (before straining it for the corn milk/juice) and they said there was no pulp. The Vitamix turned it all into corn milk/juice.

The jaded side of me wonders if the person who wrote the comment was a Vitamix rep. 

 

The recipe claims to make 3 cups from 8 cobs of corn.  I have a Vitamix and I know that other stuff I have blitzed in there leaves little to no skin, seeds, etc.  Typing this reminds me that when I make corn cookies and blitz dried corn in there, it results in a very fine powder, without any bits.

[Toliver]

34 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

The recipe claims to make 3 cups from 8 cobs of corn.  I have a Vitamix and I know that other stuff I have blitzed in there leaves little to no skin, seeds, etc.  Typing this reminds me that when I make corn cookies and blitz dried corn in there, it results in a very fine powder, without any bits.

In the Food52 video, she only used 4 corn cobs and I don't think she got 1 and a half cups of juice out of them. Maybe a cup, if I am being generous (which she then scorched while cooking it! ).

So maybe I need to get a Vitamix...Enabler! 

[ElsieD]

11 minutes ago, Toliver said:

In the Food52 video, she only used 4 corn cobs and I don't think she got 1 and a half cups of juice out of them. Maybe a cup, if I am being generous (which she then scorched while cooking it! ).

So maybe I need to get a Vitamix...Enabler! 

 

I also noticed there wasn't a lot of juice in there.  I thought why bother for such a little bit.  But when I looked at the recipe and saw the yield I decided to try it as soon as I can get my hands on some local corn and get a nice day so I can strip them on the balcony.  Makes a holy mess in the kitchen.  I'll post here my results.  Don't rush out for a Vitamix yet!

Edited August 28, 2020 by ElsieD (log)

[Toliver]

1 minute ago, ElsieD said:

 

I also noticed there wasn't a lot of juice in there.  I thought why bother for such a little bit.  But when I looked at the recipe and saw the yield I decided to try it as soon as I can get my hands on some local corn and get a nice day so I can strip them on the balcony.  Makes a holy mess in the kitchen.  I'll post here my results.  Don't rush out for a Vitamix yet!

 

Not that you have to worry about it this late in the season, but it was also mentioned in the Comments section for the recipe, that young corn (maybe it was too early in the season) may not be the best cobs for this recipes, not having developed enough starch in the corn milk to thicken properly. Which is something good to know to file away for the future...

Looking forward to your results!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

3 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

.... a nice day so I can strip them on the balcony.  Makes a holy mess in the kitchen.

 

 

I stand next to/over the tall kitchen garbage bin and shuck directly into it, grasping a handful of husk and silk at the same time, and rotating around the ear.   A final check for residual silk and they're clean.   No silk on flour or in sink.   

[ElsieD]

7 minutes ago, Toliver said:

Not that you have to worry about it this late in the season, but it was also mentioned in the Comments section for the recipe, that young corn (maybe it was too early in the season) may not be the best cobs for this recipes, not having developed enough starch in the corn milk to thicken properly. Which is something good to know to file away for the future...

Looking forward to your results!

 

I saw that also but I thank you for pointing it out.  For us we are just coming into the season.  Southern Ontario will have local corn already but we are always later than them.  With everything.  When i get it I will let it sit around for a day or two before I try it.

[kayb]

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

 

The recipe claims to make 3 cups from 8 cobs of corn.  I have a Vitamix and I know that other stuff I have blitzed in there leaves little to no skin, seeds, etc.  Typing this reminds me that when I make corn cookies and blitz dried corn in there, it results in a very fine powder, without any bits.

 

I want to know about corn cookies, please. Being that there's not much you can do with corn that I don't love. Am currently craving fresh corn fritters (made with masa harina, green onion, etc.).

[ElsieD]

8 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

 

I stand next to/over the tall kitchen garbage bin and shuck directly into it, grasping a handful of husk and silk at the same time, and rotating around the ear.   A final check for residual silk and they're clean.   No silk on flour or in sink.   

 

We have a garbage can but it isn't very tall.  It's one of those ones that is built in to the cupboard under the sink.  So, I'll just do it outdoors.  It's pleasant sitting out there on a nice morning especially since we don't get outside much these days.

[ElsieD]

11 minutes ago, kayb said:

 

I want to know about corn cookies, please. Being that there's not much you can do with corn that I don't love. Am currently craving fresh corn fritters (made with masa harina, green onion, etc.).

 

https://www.thekitchn.com/_/print

 

Here you go.   My notes:

 

 

The first time I made them I made the size indicated in the recipe.  We found that it is too much cookie, and I have made them the size of a regular cookie since.  I shape them then freeze them and pull them out and bake them as needed.  

 

I have also found that baking them for 10 minutes in a 325 convection oven, rotating the pan with three minutes left gives you the perfect cookie - crispy edges and a nice softish centre.

 

I found freeze dried corn at a camping store.  It is regular corn that has been freeze dried and weighs next to nothing.

 

Edit: the recipe is from The Momofuke Milk Bar Cookbook by Christina Tosi.

 

P.S.  I also make popcorn ice cream if you're interested.

Edited August 28, 2020 by ElsieD (log)

[kayb]

29 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

https://www.thekitchn.com/_/print

 

Here you go.   My notes:

 

 

The first time I made them I made the size indicated in the recipe.  We found that it is too much cookie, and I have made them the size of a regular cookie since.  I shape them then freeze them and pull them out and bake them as needed.  

 

I have also found that baking them for 10 minutes in a 325 convection oven, rotating the pan with three minutes left gives you the perfect cookie - crispy edges and a nice softish centre.

 

I found freeze dried corn at a camping store.  It is regular corn that has been freeze dried and weighs next to nothing.

 

Edit: the recipe is from The Momofuke Milk Bar Cookbook by Christina Tosi.

 

P.S.  I also make popcorn ice cream if you're interested.

 

 

Thanks. I will find out where to get freeze-dried corn -- I presume one can grind it to powder in a food processor? I wonder how they'd do with fresh corn? You'd have to up the corn flour or the AP flour to compensate for the additional moisture, I'd think. 

 

[haresfur]

I have cut baby bok choy in half lengthwise, put them in the steamer cut side up, spooned on some hoisin sauce and then steamed. Not too bad.

[heidih]

1 minute ago, haresfur said:

I have cut baby bok choy in half lengthwise, put them in the steamer cut side up, spooned on some hoisin sauce and then steamed. Not too bad.

 

Better steamed with those really dry Chinese kinda sweet sausages all on top of rice   My half Viet god daughter still remembers mine and she is now in her 30s and a physician. Food memories are strong

[Darienne]

12 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

P.S.  I also make popcorn ice cream if you're interested.

 

Me, please. 

[Darienne]

On 8/24/2020 at 3:51 PM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Tonight we'll have Tonnato sauce on beefsteak tomatoes.   Try on blistered green beans, broccoli, old shoes...

I have now made my very first mayonnaise, but using only lemon juice which is acceptable.  It's anything fermented is out.  So I'll look up the Tonnato sauce now.  Thanks. 

[dtremit]

14 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

 

I stand next to/over the tall kitchen garbage bin and shuck directly into it, grasping a handful of husk and silk at the same time, and rotating around the ear.   A final check for residual silk and they're clean.   No silk on flour or in sink.   

 

The revelation for me has been shucking corn backwards. A few years ago someone sent me a recipe for microwaved corn that had you cut through the cob at the base, and pull the corn out of the husk from the stem end while holding the silk tightly at the top. The husk and silk slides off almost completely intact.

I've found it works almost as well with raw corn, provided you also make a couple of 2-3" vertical cuts through the husk to provide some wiggle room at the bottom.

 

As for cutting through the cob -- you have to basically cut off the last row of kernels so that the widest part of the corn is exposed. I feel for the base of the ear through the husk, and then slide my knife just above it before cutting through. 

[ElsieD]

2 hours ago, Darienne said:

Me, please. 

 

Here you go:  

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/06/buttered-popcorn-ice-cream-recipe.html

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

14 hours ago, kayb said:

 

Thanks. I will find out where to get freeze-dried corn -- I presume one can grind it to powder in a food processor? I wonder how they'd do with fresh corn? You'd have to up the corn flour or the AP flour to compensate for the additional moisture, I'd think. 

 

 

Yes, i ground the dried corn in my blender.  I don't know how it would turn out using fresh corn or how to adjust for it.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Augason-Farms-Freeze-Dried-Sweet/dp/B0096GE7A8/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Freeze+dried+corn&qid=1598629491&sr=8-2