Idle Food - Cooking!

[tabacco]

Speaking of vegetarian proteins, not enough people know that you can freeze (then thaw) tofu to give it a more meatlike consistency. Just drain a block of firm tofu, slice it (or don't, but it'll take longer to freeze), bag it, and throw it in the freezer. Let it thaw, marinate, and cook it however you like.

[Cordeos]

Speaking of vegetarian proteins, not enough people know that you can freeze (then thaw) tofu to give it a more meatlike consistency. Just drain a block of firm tofu, slice it (or don't, but it'll take longer to freeze), bag it, and throw it in the freezer. Let it thaw, marinate, and cook it however you like.

 

Does the firmness of the tofu matter? Does it work the same way with silky and extra firm?

[tabacco]

I've never tried it with silken, just firm and extra firm (I usually buy extra firm). I don't see why it wouldn't work, though. It's just a result of ice damage to the structure of the curd.

[Badfinger]

Yeah, the stuff I get has already been boiled; I rarely feel like making my own, I expect the rinsing to remove the starch that they do in the production facility is going to be way more efficient than what I can do myself anyway.

It comes in jars like this:

http://www.galateaorganic.nl/nl/p/producten/421901/artnr-1002/bio-seitan-in-glazen-pot/

 

 

Gotcha. What I've been looking at is past the step where the starch is removed, but you make and simmer the seitan dough yourself.

 

http://www.bobsredmill.com/vital-wheat-gluten.html

[Dewar]

Speaking of vegetarian proteins, not enough people know that you can freeze (then thaw) tofu to give it a more meatlike consistency. Just drain a block of firm tofu, slice it (or don't, but it'll take longer to freeze), bag it, and throw it in the freezer. Let it thaw, marinate, and cook it however you like.

 

You can also get dried tofu at an Asian market for a similar consistency. An added bonus is that it tends to absorb more marinade.

[Patrick R]

This is probably pretty basic shit for most of you, but I am very pleased that I finally found a good way to cook chicken breasts on the stove without drying them out or worrying about undercooking them.

[Dewar]

Interesting, Those breasts that are pictured appear to be quite a bit thinner than the ones I buy, even after trying to flatten them, but that is certainly worth a try.

[Badfinger]

You can always cut them in half lengthwise and THEN flatten them, too.

[Griddlelol]

I tend to cut chicken breasts lengthwise or I wrap them up in clingfilm and pound them thin (less often with chicken, but I always do this with pork).

[miffy495]

My birthday was last week and I got a slow cooker! I'm excited to try all kinds of things, but there is one thing that I'm super curious about. My girlfriend is vegan, but slow cookers tend to bring to mind delicious meats. While I will definitely be using it for those, I'd like to have some things I could make for her as well. I know there are similarly-dieted thumbs around. Does anyone have favourite vegan slow-cooker recipes to share?

[Dewar]

A lot of slow cooker recipes trade on the fat from the meat melting then helping to conduct the heat. You might need to put some vegetable broth in the bottom to help steam some of the juices out of the vegetables. No specific recipes though.

[Badfinger]

I was sent this recipe for vegan Navratan Korma after it got rave reviews, and I'm excited to try it. The thing that I'm most cautious about is who makes like 4 cups of something in a slow cooker! I'd probably quadruple that recipe.

 

Slow cookers kind of simplify some of the same techniques you'd use in braising something, so they are almost always going to require a liquid of some sort even if it's just water.

 

http://healthyslowcooking.com/2015/01/20/slow-cooker-navtatan-korma/

[Dewar]

I mean you can get a slow cooker as small as 2 qt. Mine's a 6 qt and there are times I wish it was smaller.

[jennegatron]

As this is not idle cook club relevant, but is cooking relevant I bought: The America Test Kitchen cooking for two cookbook ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JEOMV1E/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1 ) on a whim. Tonight we're trying out the smothered pork chop recipe. I will report back how that turns out. (It smells very good.)

 

Update: that was the best pork chop i've ever had in my entire life.

[jennegatron]

Does anyone have a macaroni & cheese recipe they really like? It's something that I want to branch out from the blue box, but have only had gross homemade mac & cheese in my life.

[Cordeos]

I was on the hunt for a good one recently:

I made this one, it wasn't as crispy as i like, next time i might split it between two dishes and bake it longer to get more crunch: https://food52.com/recipes/2770-smoky-mac-n-cheese

Other ones I looked at:
https://food52.com/recipes/14671-martha-stewart-s-macaroni-and-cheese
https://food52.com/recipes/11749-heavenly-spring-time-three-cheese-mac-and-cheese
https://food52.com/recipes/22758-bright-n-zesty-mac-n-cheese

 

Some more ideas: http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/03/whats-the-best-mac-and-cheese-cheese.html
 

[jennegatron]

You're the best.

[Cordeos]

"Tired of low-carb, low-fat and gluten-free? Are you ready to eat healthy, tasty food and spend less time in the kitchen? It's time to try the Soviet diet. Join Anna Kharzeeva and her grandmother Elena Moiseevna as they cook their way through the Book of Healthy and Tasty Food, the classic Soviet cookbook of efficient, well-balanced recipes that will prepare you to build Communism. Get a new menu to try every Friday!"

http://rbth.com/russian_kitchen/soviet_diet

[Badfinger]

Twitch launched a cooking section of their network to complement the artistic section of creative. They're doing a Julia Child marathon by playing The French Chef. I have very definitely learned things. This is probably better than Bob Ross.

 

https://www.twitch.tv/food

[YoThatLimp]

Speaking of vegetarian proteins, not enough people know that you can freeze (then thaw) tofu to give it a more meatlike consistency. Just drain a block of firm tofu, slice it (or don't, but it'll take longer to freeze), bag it, and throw it in the freezer. Let it thaw, marinate, and cook it however you like.

 

I just picked up some tofu, thanks for that!

 

I am trying my hand at spherification this weekend, I think I am going to do strawberry and Mango "ravioli". I am trying to do something "out-there" for a dinner I am throwing next week, it would make a neat dessert like experience.

[Mawd]

Hopefully this is the right place!

I made a ceviche using Warehou following a Jamie Oliver recipe for Peruvian Ceviche and it turned out really nice. The fish wasn't too cooked by the acid and it blended nicely with the serving herbs and olive oil. 

I'm stoked. I don't make food often but I do get ideas to try out 'fancy' recipes so I'm happy it all paid off.

 

[zari212]

On 26.11.2014 at 9:55 PM, Badfinger said:

Ok, here's my Thanksgiving lineup now that most of my food is prepped. Just a reminder that Thanksgiving is objectively the best holiday that exists, and due to that it is my favorite.

 

 

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/11/butterfiled-roast-turkey-with-gravy-recipe.html

 

Turkey. I'm also going to be using an herb butter under the skin, and I "dry-brined" it. This is a change! I have been brining and doing Alton Brown's turkey for years now.

 

Making turkey backbone stock for gravy, which I'll do using a roux.

 

5 pounds of mashed potatoes. Russets, skin on, I'll do a stick of butter, salt, pepper and milk until it's mashed potatoes.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sage-dressing-recipe.html

 

Herb stuffing. It's not really this but it's close enough. 1 king sized loaf of white bread torn up. 1 stick of butter melted in a pan, add 2-3 stalks of chopped celery and a medium white onion, cook down until everything is thoroughly cooked through. This isn't sauteing really, they're almost swimming in the butter. Add fresh thyme, sage, and chopped rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the bread, add 16oz of chicken stock. Mix up. I don't stuff a bird, so it goes into a casserole and will get baked at 450 until I remember to take it out of the oven after the turkey's done (probably about 30m). I double the recipe because it's my mom's recipe, everyone loves it, and I'm not allowed to change it. I feel for the people whose idea of familial stuffing is Stove Top. People say the secret to cooking is love. Nope, it's butter.

 

http://www.wholefoodhabit.com/bacon-brussels-sprouts/

 

Trying these sprouts for the first time. Shameless plug, this is my cousin's website and it's awesome for easy and healthy food.

 

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

 

Basic cranberry sauce. One of those dishes that seems fancy and is incredibly simple.

 

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

 

Apple sauce. Same deal. Apple sauce seems complicated and everyone loves it so if you make it you're a hero. It's braindead easy.

 

I'm making a spinach salad as well. Going to do some strawberries in it, and make probably a balsamic vinaigrette.

 

And that's it! Except, of course, for cranberry sauce from the can. My sister is making dessert, something I've never been good at doing.

 

 

THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE.

The recipes are really good. thanks.

[helenkessler]

I just follow the steps of the recipe "Mac & Cheese Balls" on goodycs to make the meal for my lunch today. The meal cooked, when tasted by my family they were surprised when they come to know I cooked this meal. All credit goes to the recipe.

[solutionst]

Hi, I am passionate about food recipes. Currently finding recipe for cheese burger Ballarat. Kindly share if you have any. Thanks.

[RealEllenSmith]

Cooking is good ! i just watch the new show on netflix call Chef : Pizza !! and i what to try the pizza they did in the episode 4 !