quote: In general, though, I am annoyed by the "I am way too cool for a recipe" attitude. Some things taste good because you follow a recipe, and a cook is not a better cook just because they improvise.
It has nothing to do with "I'm too cool for a recipe." There are lots of factors, including:
1.) Sometimes I'm cooking based on what I have in the cupboard. Being able to season and spice to taste gives me the confidence to make something that's at least edible and often quite tasty.
2.) If I'm trying duplicate something I've tasted, there's really no other way to do it.
3.) I like to play with recipes. I couldn't do this reliably until I got better at seasoning and spicing to taste. I'm still not great at it, which leads me to ...
4.) It's good practice.
5.) Many fresh ingredients vary considerably. For example, tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity. Being able to adjust the seasoning and spice allows me to produce a better dish.
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I appreciate all of your feedback, but I remain annoyed by the attitude. It is a sort of holier-than-thou thing.
On the other hand, I always remember the scene in Dandelion Wine when the daughter-in-law organizes the grandmother's kitchen, makes her use a cookbook, and all of her food tastes like crap.
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Can you clarify whether you think any of the statements in this thread exhibited that attitude to you?
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quote:Also, improvising may not make one a better cook. Being able to improvise certainly does.
I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise effectively certainly does". I've known cooks who improvise regularly who would be far better off following a recipe.
With that said, I enjoy improvising in the kitchen. Its fun, I learn from it and I often come up with better results than when I follow a recipe.
When I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and was suddenly unable to cook with most of the ingredients in common recipes, being able to improvise literally saved me. If I were limited only to gluten free recipes, my culinary life would be a lot more boring. That's even more important to me now that I'm living in a country where I can't easily buy many of the gluten free products available in North America and Europe.
BTW Dagonee, A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese is one of my comfort foods as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a source of gluten free macaroni locally here in Trinidad. Your lead post made me crave the stuff. Way to twist the knife in the wound.
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quote:I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise effectively certainly does". I've known cooks who improvise regularly who would be far better off following a recipe.
quote:BTW Dagonee, A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese is one of my comfort foods as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a source of gluten free macaroni locally here in Trinidad. Your lead post made me crave the stuff. Way to twist the knife in the wound.
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Can you get rice flour and make your own pasta? It wouldn't have to be elbow-shaped.
I've never been successful making pasta with rice flour. I used to make pasta with wheat semolina all the time but it simply doesn't work with rice. I've tried to find out how they make commercial rice noodles but haven't succeeded.
I have been able to find asian rice noodles here, just not macaroni (or anything tube shaped). The hole in the middle is important for creating macaroni and cheese with the right texture.
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Also, In response to an earlier question about soy flour, I don't recommend using it (or any other bean flour) in a rue. I can make a good rue with rice flour but soy flour just doesn't seem to have the right starches in it.
Also, you don't use enough flour of any kind in a Bechamel sauce to be able to significantly enhance the protein content by using soy flour.
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quote:I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise BTW Dagonee, A good homemade Macaroni and Cheese is one of my comfort foods as well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a source of gluten free macaroni locally here in Trinidad. Your lead post made me crave the stuff. Way to twist the knife in the wound.
quote:Also, improvising may not make one a better cook. Being able to improvise certainly does.
I would modify that to read "Being able to improvise effectively certainly does". I've known cooks who improvise regularly who would be far better off following a recipe.
Heh. Good point.
I'd offer to mail you some of the Passover mac'n'cheese, but they're frozen . . . Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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What is the passover mac'n'cheese made from? Is it potato based or something else?
I've been told that rice is considered "Hemetz" by Askenazy Jews but not by Sefartic Jews. What about new world "grains" like quinoa and amaranth?
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: What is the passover mac'n'cheese made from? Is it potato based or something else?
Potato-based.
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I've been told that rice is considered "Hemetz" by Askenazy Jews but not by Sefartic Jews.
Not exactly. Rice and legumes are "kitniyos" -- definitely not chametz, but not used by Ashkenazim on Pesach. (In general -- for infants, the elderly, etc. an exception is made. That would not be the case for true chametz, where it would have to be a life/health risk for an exception.)
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: What about new world "grains" like quinoa and amaranth?
Quinoa is debated; some consider it kitniyos. No idea about amaranth.
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Well, Rabbit, I know what whoever gets you for next year's gift exchange needs to send you-- gluten-free macaroni!
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I had some Mac n Cheese for lunch today. It was rather tasty. This thread made me crave some starting about a week ago. Finally got some. Posts: 106 | Registered: Nov 2007
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Also, In response to an earlier question about soy flour, I don't recommend using it (or any other bean flour) in a rue. I can make a good rue with rice flour but soy flour just doesn't seem to have the right starches in it.
Also, you don't use enough flour of any kind in a Bechamel sauce to be able to significantly enhance the protein content by using soy flour.
It depends on what you mean by significant. It's definitely got more nutrition than refined white flour, and as far as I'm concerned, every little bit helps, even though it's not much. (And I know very well what the nutritional values of my ingredients are.)
As I said earlier, it's good enough for macaroni and cheese. I probably wouldn't use it for something where the bechamel was a more obvious ingredient.
Why is pasta not okay for Passover? All the bags of noodles I've ever bought list "durum wheat semolina, water" as the only ingredients (unless it's specifically noted as egg noodles or rice, etc.). Is it something about the wheat itself? There's no yeast involved, I thought.
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For those who would be better off following a recipe: In general, if you're going to experiment with seasoning, start with a recipe, and modify it. That's a whole lot different than attempting to create a recipe from scratch.
Also, there is theory behind cooking. You can do a fair job if you follow the rules, even if you aren't following a recipe. Just like if you follow music theory you'll get something that sounds like music, even if it's uninspired, it still works. Following a recipe generally ensures that you're following the rules (but it can also be uninspired).
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EL, if you read the link, you'll see that wheat in forms other than matzoh is not permitted. Or something like that. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: EL, if you read the link, you'll see that wheat in forms other than matzoh is not permitted.
Pretty much. It's actually quite possible to have matza that's not kosher for Pesach. The stuff made all year isn't.
And it's not an ignorant question at all. I know plenty of Jews who grew up in traditional (but not Orthodox) homes who didn't know there was anything wrong with pasta on Pesach.
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Inspired by this thread I tried a new version of macaroni cheese last night.
I used penne instead of macaroni (the larger tubes worked really well). The cheese sauce contained a mixture of medium and mature cheddar with mozzarella and parmesan as the topping.
I added sautéed leeks, mustard and smoked salmon as extra flavour. It was delicious.
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Do you people know how difficult it is to get good cheese here? The best cheese I can get at my local grocery store - the big store - is Parmesan (and it's actually a pretty good quality, too) and processed cheese slices.
On another note, thanks to this thread, I tried mashing cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes, but of course with garlic, green chillies, and red chilli powder added, and even Fahim loved them. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:I used penne instead of macaroni (the larger tubes worked really well). The cheese sauce contained a mixture of medium and mature cheddar with mozzarella and parmesan as the topping.
I added sautéed leeks, mustard and smoked salmon as extra flavour. It was delicious.
posted
Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by quidscribis: On another note, thanks to this thread, I tried mashing cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes, but of course with garlic, green chillies, and red chilli powder added, and even Fahim loved them.
Sounds fantastic. I'll have to give that a try.
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quote:Originally posted by quidscribis: On another note, thanks to this thread, I tried mashing cauliflower, similar to mashed potatoes, but of course with garlic, green chillies, and red chilli powder added, and even Fahim loved them.
posted
My favorite way to mac and cheese is to use pipette shape pasta (from Barilla), extra sharp cheddar (less greasy because you can use less when the cheese flavor is more intense), and hot dogs. I'm telling you, hot dog juice adds so much great flavor to mac and cheese! The pipette pasta is so great at holding sauce inside of it so when you bite down, you get a burst of yummy, warm cheese sauce. Mmmmm. I need to buy more cheese on my next shopping trip so that I can partake of the tasty goodness!
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quid, can you get New Zealand/Australian canned cheese? I've read that the flavor is comparable to cheddar. Cheap cheddar, but cheddar nonetheless.
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Not at our local store, I don't think. Hmm, I'm not entirely sure. I'll have to check again. At the old place we used to shop, we could even get haloumi on a regular basis, but now that we're in another area, we can't. Same chain department store, different stock. Well, in all fairness, the old neighborhood was where the overseas school is that all the diplomats send their children to, so there are a LOT of foreigners there (teachers & other school staff as well as a lot of diplomat families, for example), so it's not surprising that that location had better foreign food selection. *sigh* <whine> I just have such a hard life! *sob* </whine>
There are places where we can get better cheese, and there's one chain that I can think of that has a decent (decent being a relative term ) of imported cheeses, but we don't go in that direction very often, and the prices they charge... Yowsa!
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quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
I don't know what Kettricken did, but when I use leeks as an addition to other recipes, I usually do a fine julienne across the grain on the leeks quartered lengthwise.
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Edited to add: YUMMY thread
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quote:when I use leeks as an addition to other recipes, I usually do a fine julienne across the grain on the leeks quartered lengthwise.
What does "across the grain" mean in this context? When I look at leeks, I see two different textures I might call "the grain," each in opposite directions.
Do you mean in the direction that would make rounds if the leeks weren't quartered lengthwise (that is, across the stalk)?
The perils of being self-taught - this is probably well-defined somewhere I haven't come across yet. Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote: Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
All I did was sliced half a leek in half legthways, then sliced accross and sauteed in a bit of butter until they were soft.
I didn't add them until I was putting it all together just before going in the oven. We didn't notice any fibrous bits - they were just soft pieces of leek.
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quote:when I use leeks as an addition to other recipes, I usually do a fine julienne across the grain on the leeks quartered lengthwise.
What does "across the grain" mean in this context? When I look at leeks, I see two different textures I might call "the grain," each in opposite directions.
Ah, yes, I should have realized it wasn't clear.
I am doing this from memory, so do correct me if it doesn't make sense.
Leeks have longitudinal ribs, kind of like celery. They are much smaller, much less fibrous, and much harder to see, but they are there. You can see them here -- same grain as for celery.
This is cutting a leek horizontally. I do this first in order to cut off the tough dark green tops. Next I cut off the little stringy roots at the bottom (single thin slice takes care of that). Often the leeks have dirt embedded way down at that end, and it's often kind of hidden. So then I make a vertical cut to halve the leek along its length -- this is perpendicular to the knifecut shown in the above photo. That gives you two long pieces. I do that again (lengthwise) to get four long skinny pieces.
At this point the leaves of the leek are usually separating out. It's easy to rinse them really well now on all sides in a colander, separating with your fingers. You'll probably see some of the dirt that was hidden away.
Then I reorient the pieces of the leaves all lengthwise again and do a fine julienne across that grain I mentioned earlier -- this cut is just like the photo above, although it is on washed and separated leaves. You are cutting across the part where the tough fibrous ribs of the celery would be. You end up with pieces rather like this.
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A similar process can be found illustrated here. He ends up with more of a dice than a julienne, but it's the same general idea.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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quote: Quick question, Kettricken: how did you keep the leeks from adding fibrous bits to the sauce?
All I did was sliced half a leek in half legthways, then sliced accross and sauteed in a bit of butter until they were soft.
Yeah, I think most recipes have you wash after halving lengthwise. I am not very good at the wash and usually end up with still-trapped sand, so I halve them again. Most people probably don't need to do that second step.
quote:I didn't add them until I was putting it all together just before going in the oven. We didn't notice any fibrous bits - they were just soft pieces of leek.
Yes -- they soften and melt down like sauteed onions or celery.
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The leek and potato soup at that last link looked fabulous. That meld of flavors is one of my favorites.
Hmmm. Time to get some leeks.
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Edited to add: Ooooo, cream of asparagus soup with tarragon. Have a great Moosewood recipe somewhere.
I made a quite nice spring pea soup last night with a mild vegetable broth, frozen sweet peas, salt, and pepper. Just a little dill and lemon juice to round it off after the puree.
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quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: I am not very good at the wash and usually end up with still-trapped sand, so I halve them again. Most people probably don't need to do that second step.
IME, it depends on the batch. Probably on the farm and/or growing soil, I'd guess. Sometimes cutting in half is plenty, and sometimes not making a second cut would mean eating sand.
I've never gotten fibrous bits from leeks either. They're yummy in soup. I imagine they'd be lovely in mac'n'cheese.
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Sometimes if they're really sandy I just separate out the layers before I rinse. Not take them completely out but separated all the way apart. Then rinse, then you have to hold them kind of tightly when you cut, but it works okay, and I like those perfect little half circles. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Recently improvised version of pot roast that turned out quite tasty:
3-4 pound chuck roast 1/2 10 oz can diced tomatoes 1 sliced white onion 1 tsp minced garlic 1-2 Tbsp chili powder 1 stalk celery chopped 1/4 tsp coriander Few dashes of Liquid Smoke
Mixed everything but the meat together, then topped the meat with the mixture, sealed in an oven bag, oven 250F, 6 hours.
The combination of chili powder, smoke, and tomato gave it a rather nice flavor somewhere between BBQ brisket and beef chili, but not strong...Still pot roast-y. Very tender and moist as you'd expect from the long roast with the tomatoes. The onions came out tangy and sweet and tender (but not mushy) and more tempting than is good for one's social benefit.
Would like to cook the meat this way next time I'm getting ready for BBQ beef sandwiches, and let people add BBQ sauce to taste rather than slather the meat in it.
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