Cookin again

[Beleriphon]

I did a couple eggs in our new toaster oven tonight, quasi-poached, with seasonings and cheese. 15min @350degF. End result was tasty, but the yolks were slightly firmer than I’d like. Perhaps 9min next time.

The big news about it for me was that the little oval Le Creuset ceramic boats I bought on clearance a few years ago were PERFECT for the task. I did the two I had simultaneously, and I probably could have done another 3-4. And even though I plated tonight’s eggs on a bed of baby spinach, I could just as easily have served them in their baking dishes.

Poached are hard man. I didn't know this until recently but egg yolk sets at around 150 degree, while the whites set at around 180 degrees. How much fun is that?

That does sound really good. I need to try a good solid shakshuka.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I’ve never actually had a shakshouka, but I’ve been wanting to do one for ages. I know for a fact that something VERY similar to it exists in creole cooking, and was in all probability evolved from it. It was a very common thing in our family to add eggs to veggie & tomato based dishes like shrimp creole during Lent, for example.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Just throwing my hat into the ring of folks who love to cook. I also sort of bake as well (I've had to limit that because it's not good for my health to eat all the baked goods lol).

Last week I tried a new dish that turned out quite well.

Zest a grape fruit, then juice it about halfway (leaving plenty of juice in the fruit itself), then slice

Bake a salmon filet that has been prepared by a coating in brown sugar, then laying the grapefruit slices on top

Heat up about a cup of olive oil in a medium saucepan and cook an entire diced shallot* until translucent
Add 2 cups of chickpeas, 1 tablespoon Za'atar spice (or equal parts thyme, oregano, cumin, sesame seeds), 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of pepper. also add 1 tablespoon of the zest from a grapefruit
Heat on low, stirring occasionally until salmon is done

Spoon (slotted spoon) out chickpeas into individual serving bowls. Add grapefruit juice into remaining mixture to create a dressing

Add some fresh greens and sliced radish to one side of the bowl, and flake the salmon on top of the chickpeas on the other side. Drizzle with the dressing.

Soooo good!

Personally, I hate grapefruit. Understanding that this dish could nonetheless be an exception to my dislike, I have to ask: have you tried it with other citrus?

 

[Sacrosanct]

Personally, I hate grapefruit. Understanding that this dish could nonetheless be an exception to my dislike, I have to ask: have you tried it with other citrus?

My go to is usually lemon. And I've seen it done with orange a lot. I also do not like grapefruit on it's own. Way too bitter. But it worked well here.

 

[Beleriphon]

I’ve never actually had a shakshouka, but I’ve been wanting to do one for ages. I know for a fact that something VERY similar to it exists in creole cooking, and was in all probability evolved from it. It was a very common thing in our family to add eggs to veggie & tomato based dishes like shrimp creole during Lent, for example.

My wife and I did one of those boxed food services. She got two weeks free at one point so we figured what the heck. It wasn't eggs, instead it was tilapia, and that was tasty. Mind you if I'm doing the shakshouka I'm going to be using the most recent recipe from Good Eats, Alton Brown has a recipe for harissa paste I need to try making.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Also, most people use onion or garlic, but I tend to use shallot instead of onion. I like it way better.

 

[Vael]

To celebrate Chinese New Year, I made potstickers. Cheated a bit, bought the dumpling wrappers. But they turned out pretty good. Filling was equal parts ground pork and bok choy, seasoned with minced garlic, ginger and scallions, soy sauce and sesame oil.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Been watching Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s No Passport Required lately. It’s similar to Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations in that he covers both cuisine and cultures of his topics, even the darker portions.

 

[Zardnaar]

Dinner tonight marinading in the fridge. Cooking for she who must be obeyed. Fairly simple smoked paprika, olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes, lemon juice mix which will be served with salad in wraps with hummus.

I have a plum tree and it's harvest time.

Any suggestions for the plums. Thinking of pulping then and stirring it into Greek yogurt, a plum desert or jam/jelly.

 

[Zardnaar]

Turns out my stomach played up and I had cereal for dinner.
. Chicken wrap was delicious apparently.