What are you cooking for dinner this weekend?

[giordana93]

Drop and gimme 10! No pics, no recipes??? COME ON!!

since I don't often get past the general discussion page and this first post was a little unplanned, didn't have a camera, and it's a pretty tough recipe to duplicate, seeing as I had flown up 3 sacks of crawfish (that's 120 lbs!) to Cleveland back in the spring from which my peeled tails and reserved stock were drawn... and I never make the recipe the exact same way anyway, but I'll try from memory. as the saying in Louisiana cooking goes.....

first you make a roux

seriously, you do. since étouffée has a tomato base and tends towards hearty (i.e. not delicate) I tend to make as dark a roux as I my patience or smoke alarm allows, with about 1/3 cup of flour and equal or just a bit less oil. Saturday I also threw in some butter for some of the oil, but it burns more easily than oil, and not recommended for roux-making newbies. I also carmelized some of the onions on the side to develop a little more flavor. I also broke a rule by throwing in some genuine Louisiana andouille which gave it some heat & smoky flavor--normal in a gumbo, but not for an étouffée. other than that, it was a standard étouffée--and you can substitue shrimp (more easy to source) for the mud bugs (which don't travel or freeze that well). here's a standard recipe from memory:

start your roux in a heavy pot. 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour + oil to make it thin enough to brown (just like a béchamel/white sauce, only you cook it much longer), it will go from pale/straw to a deeper and deeper color. it gets easy to burn the closer you get to the end, and if it gets burnt specks, you've blown it. throw it out and start over. it's not that hard, you just have to watch it. I like to do my roux while I'm chopping veggies, stirring every couple of minutes, then when all chopping is done, turn heat up and finish it off, when it's the right color, throw veggies in and inhale--it's a magical odor of nuttiness.
so here's the more schematic recipe:
1-1.5 lbs. seafood (shell fish: crawfish, shrimp)
2+ onions (about a cup or so)
2 ribs celery
1 bell pepper (the above 3 vegetables are known as the holy trinity in LA cooking)
when roux is at right color, put veggies in the roux pot, lower heat to low then bring slowly back up to medium and cook 5-15 minutes until soft. add a little stock if the mixture is sticking to your pot, then when the vegetable get glazed and soft, add about a quart of stock (seafood, chicken, maybe a touch of beef) and a small can of tomato paste, plus spices (cayenne & black peppers, tabasco or other red pepper sauces, salt [but only if the stocks are low in salt], the usual spices you might use in a tomato sauce--basil, thyme, bay leaves, oregano--we had some fresh oregano, thyme and basil still lingering from this summer. garlic is optional--for some of us, at least). simmer for an hour or two. I usually simmer uncovered and cover it when it gets to the consistency I like, usually reduced by a third or so. if you like mushy, overcooked seafood, put it in now, but if you know better, add the seafood about 20-30 minutes before serving (when you start your rice), cover, and turn the heat off or to low (the heat of a big cast iron pot will be plenty to cook through shrimp; crawfish and some bags of shrimp will be pre-cooked anyway). it's pretty common to throw in some chopped green onion tops and parsley at this point too. Étouffée is great to make a day ahead, if you stop right before adding the seafood/onion tops and just bring it back up to temperature the next day and add the goodies.
serve in a bowl over a mound of rice. french bread on the side for dipping, and an assortment of red pepper sauces on the side for individual tolerances
I'll steal someone else's pic to illustrate.
notes: not an easy wine match, what with the tomatoes and spice. anything from a gewurz or reisling to a full-bodied zin. but nothing light or delicate. the picture is pretty much exactly the same as mine, minus the lemon garnish. I guess some folks use it to add a bit more piquancy but I prefer red peppers to the acidity, or some Tabasco/Crystal hot sauces. finally, the consistency should be more like a stew or thick soup than seafood covered in a sauce....
ok I changed the pic for one that doesn't have a lemon anyway (the lemon pic was high res/too big, but can be found at the link below. they also did the green onion at the end routine, not found in the pic here in thread):
http://www.cajuncrawfishpie.com/crawfish-etouffee.jpg

[Too Tall]

Giordana93 - You are completely and totally redeemed. That is a fantastic story / recipe. This is how I learn to cook. Listening to folks who can speak about their food with passion and tradition. Well done.

[znfdl]

Just finished cooking my veggie dishes for the week.

Spinach and Cauliflower in a South Indian Coconut curry

Chana Masala, Garbanzo Beans in a Spicy Tomato curry

Yellow Dal

Saag Paneer, Sprinach and Cheese with a Northern Indian Curry

[Too Tall]

PERFECTION my friend. Great food for athletes BUT you know what I'm going to say!!!

No pics. No recipes.
DROP AND GIMME 10 you wuss!!!

Just finished cooking my veggie dishes for the week.

Spinach and Cauliflower in a South Indian Coconut curry

Chana Masala, Garbanzo Beans in a Spicy Tomato curry

Yellow Dal

Saag Paneer, Sprinach and Cheese with a Northern Indian Curry

[znfdl]

I gave you ten and here is a picture of all the dishes, with some roast turkey. In the middle is rice with Raita (nonfat plain yogurt and cucumber, topped some coriander chutney)

Paired the plate with a nice dry Nader Alsace Rielsing

[Too Tall]

Yumm :) Nice work brother.

I gave you ten and here is a picture of all the dishes, with some roast turkey. In the middle is rice with Raita (nonfat plain yogurt and cucumber, topped some coriander chutney)

Paired the plate with a nice dry Nader Alsace Rielsing

[WadePatton]

wow, i gotta catch up on this here thread.

so. my bro grew his own gobbler. baked it, then smoked it.

i got the carcass.

i made a stew of the leavings. it's a cajun thing.

eating now. pretty good.

recipe for tt and other concerned citizens of vs:

leftover homegrown turkey carcass (with a pound or two of meat left).

boil/simmer until the meat peels off pretty easy. give the bones and fatty stuff to the dogs. (see dogs do happy dog dance)
add fresh carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic.
plus salt, black pepper, red chile powder, etc.

simmer until potatoes are done.

serve with bread, crackers, or over rice.

and beer.

cheers.

and here--i'm feeling generous--great "secret" flavor/mouthfeel enhancers for chile/stew type dishes are: coffee, cola, molasses, and honey.

not all at once.

let your taste decide.

wp

[Shinomaster]

No pie for us this Thanksgiving. My silly girlfriend came home with a huge case of fresh berries which she scored for only six bucks. I dug out the best French pastry book ever by Gaston Le Notre ( given to me by my mom,) and we made a killer tart au fruit with orgasmic vanilla pastry cream.

[Too Tall]

Thanks Wade. I've got mental scars deep as a canyon is wide from losing chili cook offs because I DID NOT know that!!!

Shino-san, yummm. Hey I have the same tart....pan ;) Seriously.

[Shinomaster]

Thanks Wade. I've got mental scars deep as a canyon is wide from losing chili cook offs because I DID NOT know that!!!

Shino-san, yummm. Hey I have the same tart....pan ;) Seriously.

It's a nice pan. My mom gave the this one which she probably got back in 1980. It's a little bit rusty but I'll treasure it always. I'm hoping to get her old Sabatier knives too.

[jscottyk]

This is a favorite for this time of year.

French Onion Soup
combination of ideas from "Main Line Tracey" at chowhound.com and Mark Bittman

3 Tbsp butter
4 large yellow onions (sliced thin)
2 Tbsp flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 cups beef broth
3 cups chicken broth
3 sprigs of fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried thyme if fresh not available)
⅓ cup dry red wine
home-made croutons (see Bittman's How to Cook Everything p.82)
1½ cup grated Gruyere
chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. In large saucepan, melt butter.
2. Over medium heat, cook onions until fully brown and caramelized (30-40 mins).
3. Stir flour, salt& pepper and cook for 2-3 mins.
4. Pour in broths and boil.
5. Add thyme and red wine.
6. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 min.
7. Preheat oven to 400F.
8. Remove thyme sprigs (may prepare soup in advance up to this point).
9. Place bowls in a roasting pan and ladle soup into bowls and top with bread, then cheese (parsley).
10. Bake for 10 min or until the cheese melts.

Don't skimp on the caramelization. It takes a while, but it makes SUCH a difference in the richness of the soup.

TT, I know, I know. No pics. I've already done one set of 10. It was just so tasty I was distracted.This is a regular dish for me and I'll post pics very soon.

[jscottyk]

You owe me a recipe so I'm waiting. beans on the side eh? never occurred to me, course I've never been out west or on a ranch...

I'm looking for a good recipe with chunks of beef in it rather than ground beef so if you have one, post or pm it please!

Being from Texas, I got say TT hit's the nail on the head. If it's got beans, it ain't chili. And definitely don't use ground beef.

[caleb]

we made a killer tart au fruit with orgasmic vanilla pastry cream.

Great looking tart, Shino. But, please don't use that word when describing good food. Save it for the 2am drunken run to T-Bell.

[Shinomaster]

Great looking tart, Shino. But, please don't use that word when describing good food. Save it for the 2am drunken run to T-Bell.

I just puked in my mouth! Taco bell? For reals?

[maunahaole]

I just puked in my mouth! Taco bell? For reals?

+1

Taco Bell is vile.

Shino - nice looking dessert. Keep posting what comes out of the kitchen.

[steve d]

+1

Taco Bell is vile.

I remember when you used to complain about that place when we were 16 years old going to Zero Gravity. Back then, mexican food was a novelty for me. You, however, were spoiled! I still remember having supper at your house when your mom made mexican and even pressed her own tortillas. No wonder you have such a fine pallet! Is she still such a great cook?

[Eddie]

+1

Taco Bell is vile.

Shino - nice looking dessert. Keep posting what comes out of the kitchen.

If you're poor, drunk, or you're driving past Asshatville, SC on I-95 at 4 AM, a Grilled Steak Stuffed Burrito makes a meal, and while certainly no culinary masterpiece, actually tastes half decent. It's about the only fast food I'll ever touch.

[maunahaole]

Mom still cooks well and I was the one pressing dough.

[rydesteel]

there was PORK FAT and it was good.

[HSTFixed]

Last night:

Cut up 1 duck. Take the legs and separate drumsticks from thighs. Cut off the wings and separate in half. Cut the neck in half. Take all skin and fat you can get off the carcass and reserve the breasts/carcass for whatever you like. Take 10 to 12 oz of Pork Belly boneless and skinless cut into 1 inch chunks. Put the Duck legs, wings, neck, skin, and fat, along with the pork belly in a bowl along with 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds, 1 long strip of orange zest, 1 fresh bay leaf, two garlic cloves cut in half, and a good amount of fresh ground pepper into a bowl and mix well. Let marinate overnight covered in the fridge.

This morning:

Woke up at 7:30am and put the mixture into a large oven proof saute pan or dutch oven, and place in a 250 degree oven for 3 hours, stirring it all up after each hour, untill everything is falling apart. Pour into a fine mesh seive or a collander lined with cheese cloth and let the good stuff drain out. Put the meat into a bowl and let it cool till you can pull it with your fingers. Put the juice into a measuring cup and set aside. Pull all the meat off the bone and get the bay leaf and strip of zest out. Go through everything with your fingers so there is nothing but shreds of meat and fat with no sinewy bits or gristle. Separate the juices from the fat in the measuring cup and pour 1/4 of the juices into the meat mixture to make it good and moist. Zest the rest of the orange finely into the meat and squeeze a couple teaspoons into it and mix well. Pack the meat into ramekins or clean glass jars or any little vessel like that but make sure to leave 1/4 inch on the top. The back of a spoon works well to pack it firmly. Put the jars in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up, and then fill each jar up with the fat you separated. Each jar should be sealed with fat and placed into the fridge. Let em sit for 2 or 3 days to let all the goodness meld together and then spread on toast. They'll keep for 2 months if you don't break the fat seal, when you break into one eat it within a week.


It's difficult to look at the 8 little jars in the fridge without grabbing one and eating it now! This recepie came from the best cookbook i've ever read titled Fat, An Apreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipies by Jennifer McLagan. I'll post pictures in a few days when I break into them!