In the Name of Food!

[avaserfi]

Since it seems there are many foodies on this forum I figured we could get a recipe sharing thread going .

I figure I should start with the first recipe I ever developed from scratch and one of my girlfriends favorites. I made this one because she loves sesame chicken and I hated it because it was all sweet and no substance hence my spicy addition.

Spicy Sesame Chicken:

3 whole chicken breasts - Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Canola oil for deep frying

Marinade

2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine/dry sherry
A few drops sesame oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes

Sauce

1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
1/8 cup vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chili oil
2-3 tablespoons chili paste, more if desired
4 clove garlic, minced

Mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour them into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Then turn down heat and keep warm while deep frying.

Add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time to hot oil (350-375 degrees), and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil.
Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with sticky (short grained sushi) rice.

If you don't have a dedicated deep fryer there is an easy alternative just use a stockpot and a candy thermometer to monitor temp - or just use a wok. Be careful when heating the oil in this fashion as oil holds heat very well, so if you over heat it give it time to cool down otherwise you might start a fire. Also, you can strain the oil with cheese cloth to clean it out when you are done, but I wouldn't recommend using the oil more than 5-6 times when frying protein as it degrades each time you use it.

 

[stratman]

Holy cow that sounds (tastes) great, Andy. If Iget some time I'll try and make it this weekend.

 

[Halon451]

Sweet mother of god... I have officially found my favorite place on the web. What could be better than great food and great audio... together!!

I'm busy printing these out right now, just to give to my wife, who is the supreme chef in this castle. I've already told her that I've been getting some great ideas for food from this site and it's finally got her curiosity piqued.

"I thought it was about audio-stuff." It is baby, it is... but it's about food now, too. And kids. And religion. And Muslims.

Maybe she'll join one of these days.

 

[Tomorrow]

Sweet mother of god... I have officially found my favorite place on the web. What could be better than great food and great audio... together!!

I'm busy printing these out right now, just to give to my wife, who is the supreme chef in this castle. I've already told her that I've been getting some great ideas for food from this site and it's finally got her curiosity piqued.

"I thought it was about audio-stuff." It is baby, it is... but it's about food now, too. And kids. And religion. And Muslims.

Maybe she'll join one of these days.

Beats the snot out of AVS, yes?!

 

[Tomorrow]

I don't know if this will go with that sesame chicken, but one could try.

Most of you know of my love for southwest and Mexican cooking. Here is a relatively easy dish that livens up the visual as well as the taste senses.

TOMORROW'S VEGIES

This colorful vegie dish is reasonably easy to create and can be made ahead of time and reheated. It's great with chopped ham mixed in and/or a fried egg and cheese over the top; as a side dish; or with a tortilla as a vegetarian burrito. Feel free to use all or just selected ingredients.

1 each red, yellow, green bell pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and chopped
1 Anaheim chile pepper, seeded and chopped
small white onion, chopped
medium carrot, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp. sunflower seeds, hulled
2 tbsp. slivered almonds
16 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz. can corn, drained
2 oz. white wine
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
salt or salt substitute to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil

In olive oil in a large pan, saute bell peppers and carrots for 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, sunflower seeds,almonds, Anaheim chile, and jalapeno, and continue to saute until it's all "crisp/tender". Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes, turning (gentle stirring) frequently. Zowee!! Es bueno, and it's really healthy eating.

 

[mike c]

i'll ask my wife if she's willing to share her recipes she got in cooking school

 

[Halon451]

I showed the wife the recipe for the sesame chicken. I think it's going to be a big hit in the old Halon household.

 

[jaxvon]

I don't know if this will go with that sesame chicken, but one could try.

Most of you know of my love for southwest and Mexican cooking. Here is a relatively easy dish that livens up the visual as well as the taste senses.

TOMORROW'S VEGIES
[snip]

Sounds delicious! Although, to be honest, this sounds like one of those recipes that came out of rummaging through the fridge. Not that it's a problem, though. Here's something I kinda whipped up one morning when I was feeling ambitious/creative:

1/2c each diced green bell pepper, red bell pepper
1/2 red onion, diced
1 good sized Anaheim chile, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Small handful fresh basil, rinsed an chopped
1-1.5oz pepper jack cheese
2/3tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil on medium-low. Add onion and garlic and let them cook for awhile until it starts to brown. Add the basil and stir to mix it in evenly. Add the peppers, stir to coat evenly. Cook for about 5 minutes, more if you like your peppers softer. Add S&P to taste (fresh ground pepper, please). Now put the cheese on top, cover for a few, then stir around till it coats everything. Note: you're going to have a cheesy pan after this.

Serve over fresh, lightly toasted bread. Goes well with eggs, or just on its own.

 

[stratman]

Jax, I guess if you cook this in a non-stick skillet it should be fine, a rubber spatula should get every last bit.

 

[aberkowitz]

Everything sounds so good!!! I had to jump in with one of my favorites... I admit that I didn't make this one up, it comes from Bon Appetit, but it's fantastic. You can serve it over any type of rice, but I included a great recipe below for a Spanish style oven cooked rice with zucchini.

Mexican Style Meatballs in a Tomato Serrano Chile Sauce

Meatballs
4 4x4-inch crustless squares firm white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces (works just fine with wheat bread as well)
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound lean ground pork
1 cup finely chopped seeded tomatoes (about 4 medium)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Sauce
4 medium serrano chiles, stemmed
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice

1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

For meatballs:
Combine bread, milk, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper in large bowl. Mash with fork until thick paste forms. Mix in beef, pork, tomatoes, eggs, and mint (mixture will be soft). Using 1/4 cupful for each, form mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on baking sheet; chill while making sauce.

For sauce:
Line heavy small skillet with foil; add chiles and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until skins begin to blister and blacken, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Cool garlic slightly, then peel. Working in batches, puree tomatoes with juices, whole chiles, and garlic in blender until almost smooth. (Meatballs and puree can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Keep meatballs refrigerated. Cover and refrigerate puree.)

Heat oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add tomato puree, 1 cup water, and salt; bring to boil. Carefully add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Uncover and boil gently until liquid is reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

The meal keeps VERY well in the fridge for at least a week and easily doubles/triples, so make a lot and have lots of leftovers!!

 

[annunaki]

Annunaki's chili recipe:

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef
1 Green bell pepper
1 Red Bell pepper
1 Orange bell pepper
1 large onion (take your pick between red, sweet, white any will do)
3 Large cans of crushed tomatoes
2 small cans of stewed tomatoes
2 cans of red kidney beans (unseasoned)
2 cans of black beans
2 teaspoons of mined Garlic
1/2-3/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/2-1 teaspoon Red cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
1-2 teaspoons Chili powder

1-Very Large stew kettle
1-Large frying pan

I do not measure my seasonings I add to taste the above are estimates.

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a large frying pan. Drain any grease. I usually get 97% beef to lower the grease. Add some salt & pepper and the minced garlic after draining and continue heating on low for about 5 minutes.

Cut up peppers and onion. These can be added to the beef and suteed if desired. I usually just throw them into the stew kettle uncooked.

Add the beef to the stew kettle. Add beans (drained thoroughly) and tomatoes (crushed and stewed)

Stir it all up while heating on a medium heat. Add the seasonings to taste. Be careful with the cumin. It is a very strong flavored spice. I would start at a 1/4 teaspoon and go up from there stirring & tasting after each addition.

Heat to a simmer and let simmer for about an hour or maybe two stirring occasionally.

Let cool to where you are able to eat it. Add shredded cheddar cheese on the top with some shredded raw onions. Add saltine crackers if you wish. The flavor is on the warm to hot side but very very good.

Enjoy!

 

[Halon451]

Right on

I was wondering when someone was going to put up a good chili recipe. I guess it was inevitable.

I've got a few chili recipes too; I will have to put them up later once I get home.

 

[aberkowitz]

Just realized I forgot the rice recipe. I pretty much only make rice this way anymore, and it works with a variety of different vegetables- zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, peppers, etc.

Spanish Rice w/ Zucchini

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup basmati
2 cups low salt chicken broth
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In an ovenproof saucepan heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and add onion and garlic. Reduce heat to moderately low and cook onion mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes, or until softened. Increase heat to moderate and add rice. Cook rice, stirring, 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil, covered.

Bake rice, covered, in middle of oven 15-20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in zucchini and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Just BE CAREFUL after you take the pan out of the oven. I have burned myself several times by grabbing the bare 350 degree handle while trying to serve the rice!

 

[annunaki]

Annunaki's excellent hamburgers:

Ingredients:

1lb. of ground sirloin (makes three 1/3 lb. burgers)
1-2 eggs
1 medium to small onion (sweet vadalias work well here)
2 teaspoons of dried chopped chives
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2-3 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
pinch of salt
teaspoon of olive oil (optional)

Nice kaiser rolls from the local bakery

Directions:

Put onion in food processor to finely chop.

Put beef into a large mixing bowl. Add in other ingredients (sans the eggs) thoroughly mixing them all together. Add one egg. mix thorougly. If the beef consistency does not like to stay together, add another egg.

Seperate into three 1/3 lb. balls. Flatten to desired thickness. Don't make them too thick to begin with as they thicken when cooked.

Cook on gas grill on medium-medium high heat. Cook until medium or pink in the middle. I like mine about medium to medium rare.

Cut the kaiser rolls in half. Butter kaiser rolls and toast on upper rack of grill.

Top with your favorite cheese (sliced blue cheese is great here as is any American, Swiss, Pepper Jack or Cheddar.)

For Swiss I like to sautee up some fresh or canned (Drained) baby portabella mushrooms. I usually use about a quarter stick of butter and a teaspoon of olive oil to sautee them. Make sure they are sliced thinly. You can also sautee them in a bit of red wine so they have a bit of sauce when done.

Place the burgers on a hot roll and enjoy!

 

[Tomorrow]

Sounds delicious! Although, to be honest, this sounds like one of those recipes that came out of rummaging through the fridge. Not that it's a problem, though.

LOL, I can see that! Actually it's a southwest-modified ripoff from a dish served at a reasonably exclusive restaurant here in town. (It's a small town, so exclusive is pretty low-level. ) Perhaps that's where they got the idea, initially..."Hey Frank. What leftover crap can we serve at high prices to these dumb people?"

 

[aberkowitz]

I have great simple side-dish to go with Annunaki's Hamburgers- my family made this up

BBQ Infused Vidalia Onion

1 Vidalia Onion
BBQ Sauce
Additional Spices to your liking (e.g. pepper, cayenne)

Peel and clean the onion, and with a sharp knife cut a hole vertically through the middle of the onion (think of coring an apple). Take the onion pieces that were cored and chop them very finely. Mix the chopped onion with BBQ sauce and additional spices to taste in a bowl. Put the cored vidalia on a cut piece of foil, and stuff the hole with the BBQ/onion mixture. Wrap up the onions and place them in a hot BBQ for about 20-25 minutes until the onions are soft (May take longer based on the grill). Unwrap and serve!

 

[avaserfi]

Alrighty, here is one my mom started writing cooked for me and I finished. Everyone in my family loves to cook . This is a very simple recipe that has lots of possible variations.

6 cups water
1 large onion, cut into quarters
1 red bell pepper, steamed and seeded - cut into quarters
3 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 large bay leaf
4 whole cloves
6 red potatoes, peeled cut to similar sizes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 medium sized trout, gutted with head and skin removed

Pour water in stock pot and add onion, bell pepper, carrot, bay leaf and cloves then bring to boil. Let boil for 15-20 minutes then add potatoes and freshly ground pepper. Bring back to a boil. Once boiling add some salt, but remember as this reduces the salts flavor will increase so leave it a little bland, this is just so the potatoes get salted slightly. Cooking time will vary depending on potato size, but approximately 5 minutes before potatoes are ready add the fish and keep boiling. If there isn't room for the fish to be completely submerged in the vegetable stock remove some of the onions, carrot and/or bell pepper. Once fish and potatoes are cooked through and tender take off the heat. Add any extra salt and pepper required.

There are many ways to serve the best way to do this for company is remove all the veggies and fish then strain the stock through a cheese cloth to make it look extra pure. Also, I remove the flesh of the fish from the body place it along with the potatoes at the bottom of a bowl and cover in broth. Some people like the other veggies in the dish as well, but I am not a fan of them as I find them a little to slimy.

As you can see this is an extremely healthy meal that tastes great. The broth itself is amazingly sweet (if fresh ingredients are used) and with the other ingredient it is very filling. So far no one has been able to turn down a second helping .

Some variations: use pretty much any lighter fish. salmon works well, but I don't like it quite as much since it isn't as light as trout. Also, if you like other aromatics such as celery they will flavor the soup too. Lastly, making the soup with rice rather than potatoes works, just cook the basmati separately and add to the broth.

 

[stratman]

Here's a fast pick me up for any type of rice.

Roast pignolies (pine nuts) in skillet carefull not to burn. You can substitute almonds for pignoli.

Mince 1 tablespoon of ginger and one garlic tooth, saute in olive oil untill garlic is lightly golden. (Feel free to add more ginger and garlic to taste.)

Introduce pignolies into skillet with garlic and ginger, stir so all the flavors congregate.

Put rice to cook as you normaly do, when water starts to boil add mixture.

Guaranteed to add some crunch and sparkle to blah rice.