Cooking with "This Will Make It Taste Good", by Vivian Howard

[Maison Rustique]

15 hours ago, kayb said:

I have wondered about doing them in the IP on the slow cook function, as I ditched the crockpot when I got the IP.

 

I did get around to the kraut:

 

Little Green Dress:

 

 

I've made a LOT of kraut in my life. I never made it with cucumbers in it. Makes sense, though; I've fermented pickles, and that's the same thing, and the cucumber brings some more water to the brine. I still made extra brine, just to avoid the issue I had this summer, when I don't think I had enough brine. Plus, grocery store cabbage is drier than just picked cabbage.

 

The LGD makes me sad -- sad this book came out at a time my herbs are about to be done.  I have some whipped ricotta cheese spread blended with it in the fridge as we speak. That's pretty awesome. 

 

One periodically comes across a cookbook that one recipe is worth the cost of the book. Mark Bittmann's How To Cook Everything was worth it for the pizza dough recipe and the technique on fried rice. This one is worth it for LGD. But there is so much more! 

 

Trader Joe's sells a kraut that has Persian cucumbers in it--it is one of my favorite krauts!

[chromedome]

15 hours ago, kayb said:

I've made a LOT of kraut in my life. I never made it with cucumbers in it. Makes sense, though; I've fermented pickles, and that's the same thing, and the cucumber brings some more water to the brine.

 

 

One day a few years ago I was cooking (home-fermented) sauerkraut, and my little granddaughter - then 2 - asked what it was. She loved pickles and she loved noodles, so I thought quickly and told her it was "pickle noodles."

 

She ate more than I did...

[Anna N]

12 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

Yep, that one is in the corn chapter in DRR.  I've made it.  Though maybe the version in the book is different from yours as it's very easy and not at all labor intensive. That said, I didn't think that roasting under a chicken for 45 minutes was the best use for beautiful fresh corn so I've not repeated it.

Perhaps this one would appeal more.  Click

[blue_dolphin]

3 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Perhaps this one would appeal more.  Click

That looks verbatim from DRR.  Very easy!

[Anna N]

39 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

That looks verbatim from DRR.  Very easy!

Oh!  Somehow I misread what you said and thought you were talking about a whole chicken. This one seemed more doable. Sorry I had a CRAFT/SENIOR moment! 

[Anna N]

 

Flatbread — Chicken Arabbiata (purchased).  The LDG is definitely growing on me. I tried it on one slice and then the next slice. I had barely enough willpower to put two slices aside for lunch. I think it improves with time. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

34 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 

Flatbread — Chicken Arabbiata (purchased).  The LDG is definitely growing on me. I tried it on one slice and then the next slice. I had barely enough willpower to put two slices aside for lunch. I think it improves with time. 

No, we do.

[curls]

On 11/7/2020 at 8:49 AM, Shelby said:

Got the pickled shrimp made yesterday and the citrus shrine as well.

 

 

We will sample the shrimp tonight...they smell delicious.

 

Here is the citrus shrine.  I think there is a reason why it wasn't pictured in the book---not very photogenic lol.  I know the lime aren't fully covered here.  I poked them back down after the picture.  She says they can sit on the counter, but I chose to put them in the fridge.  Now we wait for 4 weeks.   Oh, and it took way more than 2 lemons to get enough juice...I think my lemons were smaller and less juicy.

 

Getting ready to make my own batch of citrus shrine. Going to start with lemons and limes... the oranges that I saw didn’t impress me. Do you think you could add clementines to the mix or are they a too much juice / too little skin citrus? I haven’t made preserved citrus before so not sure what types of citrus will work best for this preservation method.  @Shelby what size jar (or jars) did you use for your batch and how is it coming along?

[Shelby]

1 minute ago, curls said:

Getting ready to make my own batch of citrus shrine. Going to start with lemons and limes... the oranges that I saw didn’t impress me. Do you think you could add clementines to the mix or are they a too much juice / too little skin citrus? I haven’t made preserved citrus before so not sure what types of citrus will work best for this preservation method.  @Shelby what size jar (or jars) did you use for your batch and how is it coming along?

I think clementines would work great. IMO, the more juice the better!

 

I ordered some half gallon mason jars from Amazon,  but they didn't get here until yesterday (shipping ain't what it used to be).  So, I used some random old jar I had downstairs.  If you slice your fruit differently than Vivian does, I think you can fit it in a quart  wide mouth jar (maybe not the whole recipe though). I need to go out and visit my batch.  It's in the garage fridge.  A couple days ago it looked good.

[blue_dolphin]

2 minutes ago, curls said:

Getting ready to make my own batch of citrus shrine. Going to start with lemons and limes... the oranges that I saw didn’t impress me. Do you think you could add clementines to the mix or are they a too much juice / too little skin citrus? I haven’t made preserved citrus before so not sure what types of citrus will work best for this preservation method.  @Shelby what size jar (or jars) did you use for your batch and how is it coming along?

 

I'm planing on trying whatever I can find so I wouldn't hesitate to throw in some clementines.  In the past, I've made salt preserved lemons (regular Eureka, Meyer and Pink Lemonade), limes, kumquats and oranges, but all separate batches, not combined into one.  I found all the lemons and limes to be pretty interchangeable.  The oranges were distinctly different and the kumquats were great.   In addition to grapefruit, I'm hoping to add tangelos, tangerines, limequats and mandarinquats to the mix.  

 

I've usually used quart jars but might need to move to something bigger this time!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Just now, blue_dolphin said:

 

I'm planing on trying whatever I can find so I wouldn't hesitate to throw in some clementines.  In the past, I've made salt preserved lemons (regular Eureka, Meyer and Pink Lemonade), limes, kumquats and oranges, but all separate batches, not combined into one.  I found all the lemons and limes to be pretty interchangeable.  The oranges were distinctly different and the kumquats were great.   In addition to grapefruit, I'm hoping to add tangelos, tangerines, limequats and mandarinquats to the mix.  

 

I've usually used quart jars but might need to move to something bigger this time!

I frequently/usually sub or add clementines to "orange" recipes.    They have the round flavor that I look for in oranges.   Another was to augment weefey orange flavor is to add microplaned zest.

[curls]

9 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I think clementines would work great. IMO, the more juice the better!

 

I ordered some half gallon mason jars from Amazon,  but they didn't get here until yesterday (shipping ain't what it used to be).  So, I used some random old jar I had downstairs.  If you slice your fruit differently than Vivian does, I think you can fit it in a quart  wide mouth jar (maybe not the whole recipe though). I need to go out and visit my batch.  It's in the garage fridge.  A couple days ago it looked good.

Thank you! Largest canning jars that I have are quart sized. Will try slicing my fruit in halves or quarters and see how much I can fit into one quart jar. Can always make more later when the winter citrus is in abundance. I look forward to trying her margaritas and lemon pie. Also using it as an addition to various recipes. The summer squash with citrus shrine is also calling my name.

[Anna N]

For probably the third time in my life I am attempting to make sauerkraut. All previous batches were consigned to the compost heap without ever being tasted. I have a real hangup with home fermentation (I am also somewhat of a freak with respect to food safety although I have not thrown out a single grain of salt that was past its best before date.) 

 

Sorry, Vivian, no cucumber in mine. When you must rely on others to do your grocery shopping then you often need to make compromises.
 

I do not recall ever massaging salt into the cabbage in the other recipes that I made.  

 

My (ordibary green) cabbage was close to 4 pounds before being trimmed.It had reduced such that it fit it into a 1 quart mason jar by the time I was finishing massaging the salt into it and letting it sit for 15 minutes. This surprised me. 
 

I carefully pushed down the cabbage with a smaller jar two or three times yesterday and again this morning and it is well underwater (brine). 
 

Later today I will try and post a photograph so that our skeptic, @Duvel, will believe me if he is following this topic.

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, curls said:

Will try slicing my fruit in halves or quarters and see how much I can fit into one quart jar. Can always make more later when the winter citrus is in abundance. I look forward to trying her margaritas and lemon pie. Also using it as an addition to various recipes. The summer squash with citrus shrine is also calling my name.

Except for the kumquats, I've always cut the fruit in quarters.  Makes it much easier to pack the jars full and Vivian's recipes all call for  X # of quarters, so easier on both ends!

I agree the lemon pie sounds really good and that margarita sounds pretty great, too.  Especially the mezcal version.

 

Ahhh, the kraut!  If we count the day I made it as day 1, then mine reaches the 2-week point today.  Vivian says after 2 weeks, "... this magical fairy has likely done all it will do..." and it should go into the fridge. Smells like something between a cucumber and pickle.  The liquid looks a bit cloudy, but that was kinda the case in the beginning, too.  

The Krautcakes with Fried Apples and Dijon on p 79 were what pushed me over the edge into making this.  Now I just need to work up my courage to taste it.   Maybe the avocado toast?  I like kimchi on avocado toast.  How much worse could this be?

Here it was at the beginning, as posted upthread:

 

And today:

Edited to add that while Vivian says this should sit where it's roughly 70°F, after putting this up, we had a heat wave. It was more like 80°F during the day in my kitchen so I moved it out to the garage which actually gets hotter but there's a small but non-functioning freezer. I put it in there, hoping the insulation would moderate the temp.  The last week, on the other hand has been unseasonably chilly and it's currently around 50°F in the garage so maybe this got a hot start and cold finish?

I read over in the sauerkraut thread that mushy-ness was attributed to warm fermentation temps. 

I braved a small bite of this and it doesn't seem mushy.  Very salty, a bit pickle-y.  Not as crisp as fresh cabbage but not mushy either.  

Edited November 12, 2020 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Anna N]

3 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

And today:

Wow! Just like caramelized onions it defies the laws of physics. 

[curls]

Now the waiting begins...

[heidih]

Curious - in general how does this differ from traditional preserved lemon other than the mix of of citrus?

[blue_dolphin]

21 minutes ago, heidih said:

Curious - in general how does this differ from traditional preserved lemon other than the mix of of citrus?

It does not

[blue_dolphin]

For the first use of the Can-Do Kraut, I elected the Breakfast of Compromisers p 75.  It's a Swiss cheese & kraut omelet with a sprinkle of poppy seeds.  

I used 2 eggs instead of 3 and Jarlesberg instead of Swiss.  Reading the recipe, I thought there should be some shreds of pastrami or something in there but was plenty tasty as is. 

A kraut omelet wasn't really on my radar screen but I'd make it again.  Assuming I suffer no ill effects!

[Duvel]

6 hours ago, Anna N said:

Later today I will try and post a photograph so that our skeptic, @Duvel, will believe me if he is following this topic.

I am watching you (and the topic) closely ... 😜

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Assuming I suffer no ill effects!

You are starting to sound like me. 
 

 

24 minutes ago, Duvel said:

I am watching you (and the topic) closely ... 😜

Thank you for reminding me!

 

[kayb]

Red Weapons.

 

 

Soaking on the counter after having boiling brine and oil dashed onto them. Now they're separated into two quart plastic tubs and in the fridge, with a little leftover brine in another plastic container. I opted for those instead of jars because I thought it'd be easier to lift off the solidified oil in the straight-sided container than a jar.

 

Kitchen was...fragrant.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

8 hours ago, curls said:

Now the waiting begins...

 

You label and date your jars?

 

[curls]

10 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

You label and date your jars?

 

Yes I do. Most are labeled with blue painters tape. I usually hold off on labeling until after the picture taking.

[heidih]

1 hour ago, curls said:

Yes I do. Most are labeled with blue painters tape. I usually hold off on labeling until after the picture taking.

 

Love that blue tape and its ability to stick w/o leaving residue, and yet be receptive to my Sharpie w/o smearing. Ticks me off that the brand at Home Depot has yellow "info" all over it. Have to go to contractor supply.