The Cooking Thread

[sonnyboy11]

I corned my first brisket this past week. After 8 days of marinating in pickling spices and brine, it is now in the slow cooker on high for 1.5 hours, then reducing heat to Low and another 3 hours (4 lbs cut). I may do a glaze of brown sugar and Dijon mustard at the end. But, considering this is my first time doing it, I think I'll let that go and instead focus on the quality and tenderness of the meat. I'll post a photo once it's done (and provided I didn't blow it)

[algunz]

8 DAYS? Awesome.

[sonnyboy11]

Yea, the recipe I used called for 5 days. Then I read an Alton Brown recipe that said to go 10 days. I split the difference. The brisket was actually 7 lbs total. I cut about 4 lbs to do now and then stuck the rest in the freezer where the pickling should hold it up just fine. From there I debated on what I would do with it. I picked up a loaf of Jewish Rye and I'm thinking just some straight up deli style sandwiches with pickles and side of slaw is the way to go. Any leftovers, I'll chop up some potatoes and onions and do hash. I also have some red lentils I'm soaking. Plan there is to de-grease the fluid I cooked the beef in and use it for a stock to make soup.

[algunz]

Where do you live?

[sonnyboy11]

I'm in downtown LA. Come on over! Seriously though, no problem if folks want to get together for some home cooked food. I'm big on that stuff. Actually have a shindig tonight with my neighbor downstairs. French wine from a purveyor in my building and hors d'oeuvres.

I used to cook for a living in another life. Now I just do my thing. Lately I am into pickling and am using a variety of dried peppers in my dishes (there's a great shop for them at Grand Central Market). I also went a bit wild and picked up a few pounds of Hatch chiles during this latest growing window for them. I've used most of them. They make for a dynamite Chile Relleno! An easy recipe there is blacken the skin of the chile, peel, slice down the middle, de-seed, stuff with Mexican melting queso, dredge in flour, take 2 eggs and separate whites, fluff the whites, add 2 tbs of flour to the yolks, blend, fold yolks back in with whites, coat chiles with batter, fry in hot oil. YUM!

[algunz]

We're heading to The Getty tomorrow. Can I put my order in now?

[sonnyboy11]

You bet! My fees are low.

No FYF for you? Drinkey and friend (or friends) are looking to meet at Wurstkuche on Sunday early. Welcome to join.

[algunz]

No FYF, but what time at Wurst?

[sonnyboy11]

Provided we can all drag our asses out of bed from the previous night's pummeling, plan is to be there around 11am when they open. But my guess is closer to 11:30am, or just before the crush begins. First show I want to see at FYF on Sunday is not till 2:00pm or thereabouts. Will have some time for a liter and a Brat.

[sonnyboy11]

Here's a pic



I can't say anything else right now about it except... oh....my....freakin.....god

[TomAz]

We need to have a traveling meal group for this year's festival.

Show up at my pad for appetizers, move to the next spot for . . . Etc. We could do a breakfast version.

This has promise. I will gently poach line-caught king salmon in white wine and herbs and then haul it in my hot trunk from Arizona and we can... wait this isn't Bonnaroo.

but yeah. I support. let's think.

[unit300021]

Tonight I was in the mood to make a soup even though it's the end of August. I made Cabbage soup that ended up very good. It's a very simple recipe and very good to eat, even better when it's cold out. All you need is a Cabbage, Onion, Tomato sauce, short ribs, fresh lemon juice, sugar and kosher salt and cook in a pot for a few hours and you are good to go. The hardest part it just finding the perfect balance between the sugar and salt but you can just taste it while it's cooking and add accordingly to your specific taste.

[algunz]

Sonny, Tom, unit . . .

Everything looks and sounds delicious.

Tom, I'll be sure to get plenty of sleep and skip the drugs so I can actually participate this year in the meet-ups.

[canexplain]

Limes are a bitch to peel. I have eaten between 6-10 the last week and there were still a couple in the bag that went bad. It's not those little bitty limes either but the lemon size ones ...... grrrrr ...... cr****

[TomAz]

Ron, please take before and after pictures next time you eat an entire lime.

[canexplain]

not a good pics but from an hour ago or so ... cr**** See TomAz, b4 and aft........

[disgustipated]

Cured a pork belly for bacon last week. Nothing like waking up and slicing a few fresh slices to go with my eggs I gather from the yard.

[TomAz]

not a good pics but from an hour ago or so ... cr**** See TomAz, b4 and aft........

I meant of your face. I wanna see if it can possibly get more tart.

[canexplain]

I think I will make something bad for me today: Chicken fried steak, garlic potatoes, and white gravey ..... cr****

[thefunkylama]

• Whole-wheat toast.
• Backyard-fresh chicken egg (my hen is laying!)
  • Fried on the cast iron in coconut oil
• Black Truffle salt, one big pinch.

Combine and consume.

[canexplain]

boy that was so very good .... I didn't have a mallet to pound the chicken breasts so I used the handle of this keyhole saw I had around .... you do what you have to ..... yummmm.... cr****

[Shaxspear]

Made some pulled pork and skillet cornbread last night which then turned into pulled pork eggs benny on cornbread this morning.

[thefunkylama]

For dinner:

Bechamel sauce with a little extra sharp cheddar for flare. Oh man, that fresh nutmeg is delicious. Tossed that with some farfalle. Then, on top of that, salmon fillets, which had been sprinkled with good sea salt, cracked pepper, paprika, cayenne, and a liiiittle bit of cumin, then brushed with olive oil, and broiled until OMFG. Set up a small green salad next to it. Consume; rejoice.

[canexplain]

Not really cooking per se but I just made some snack mix for my road trip. Michigan whole dried blueberries, Philippine dried coconut, and Anderson peanut butter filled pretzels. Yummy and will keep forever.... cr****

[fatbastard]

Lentil soup tonight because it goes so well with the rain.

[canexplain]

Edit: I need something more in this. Something I haven't had in a long time is fried Bow Tie pasta sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Hummmmmmm cr****

[sonnyboy11]

Lentil soup tonight because it goes so well with the rain.

Yum! God I love lentil soup. All veggie or do you add any meat bits?

For my rain countering strategy, I made Tom Ka Gai. This is my third time making it and I feel like I have it down. I put in plenty of finely minced dried arbol chiles and a couple hits of cayenne to counter the chopped lemon grass. And I offset sweetness of the coconut/brown sugar combo with a dosing of Thai fish sauce. I made it with thigh chicken meat the first two times but used some breast this time that I had been marinating in Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice and olive oil overnight. My bones are warm now.

[fatbastard]

No meat. I've made it wih before, but it always seems to taste best without it.

Hmmm, in terms of temperature, do you cook it on high and short, or long and low? I've always assummed that since our kitchen aid doesn't hit those 30k BTUs, it would taste as good as a restaurant.

[Shaxspear]

I got inspired by sonny's corned brisket. Got one curing myself and plan to turn it into some pastrami.

[sonnyboy11]

No meat. I've made it wih before, but it always seems to taste best without it.

Hmmm, in terms of temperature, do you cook it on high and short, or long and low? I've always assummed that since our kitchen aid doesn't hit those 30k BTUs, it would taste as good as a restaurant.

I always go long and low heat with beans, lentils, etc. With a good prior soaking it'll go better. At the very least, try a combo of high heat initially and then lower for the remainder of the cooking time.

I got inspired by sonny's corned brisket. Got one curing myself and plan to turn it into some pastrami.

GL with it! Do you have a smoker to make it into pastrami? As a condo dweller, I get no such luxury.