The Amazing Cooking Thread!

[lance gt]

Eggplant Soup for Lovers


This recipe comes from a gorgeous but slightly silly cookbook called InterCourses. It purports to be a collection of aphrodisiac recipes made from common kitchen ingredients. In this recipe, the alleged aphrodisiac is basil. I make no promises to its amatory effectiveness but it does taste really good.


1 medium eggplant (about a pound)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic (or two—garlic is another alleged aphrodisiac
½ Tbs. minced fresh oregano
5 Tbs. olive oil, divided
3-4 large ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ tsp Worchester sauce
Tabasco to taste

1 cup packed fresh basil, washed and dried
2 oz. goat cheese

Char the eggplant until tender. While the eggplant is cooking, sauté the onion in 3 Tbs. olive oil until it is translucent and then add the garlic and oregano. Toss and sauté 15 seconds. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, and chicken stock and simmer 35 minutes. While the soup simmers, blend the basil and goat cheese with the remainder of the oil. When the soup is cooked, correct the seasoning. Serve the soup with a big dollop of the cheese/basil pesto for each bowl. Accompany with a hearty red wine and a big loaf of French bread.

 

[lance gt]

Spiced Biscotti

Makes 4-5 dozen.

If desired, substitute three whole eggs for the two eggs and two egg yolks in this recipe.

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
1. Sift first eight ingredients together in a small bowl.

2. Whisk sugar and eggs in a large bowl to a light lemon color; stir in vanilla extract. Sift dry ingredients over egg mixture, then fold in until dough is just combined.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Halve dough and turn each portion onto an oiled cookie sheet covered with parchment. Using floured hands, quickly stretch each portion of dough into a rough 13-by-2-inch log, placing them about 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Pat each dough shape to smooth it. Bake, turning pan once, until loaves are golden and just beginning to crack on top, about 35 minutes.

4. Cool the loaves for 10 minutes; lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut each loaf diagonally into 3/8-inch slices with a serrated knife. Lay the slices about 1/2-inch apart on the cookie sheet, cut side up, and return them to the oven. Bake, turning over each cookie halfway through baking, until crisp and golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer biscotti to wire rack and cool completely. Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for at least 1 month.

This recipe is the basic one without stuff. I added a cup each of pistachios and dried cherries. I chopped them just a bit and folded them into the dough right before I formed it into the logs to bake. They really come out great, and if you like you can dip one end in whatever chocolate suits your fancy.

 

[lance gt]

Hungarian Bean Soup
from the restaurant Arany Hordo


2 1/3 cups dried pinto beans
2 Tbs. minced garlic
2 bay leaves
¾ cup chopped celery (or substitute)*
¼ cup butter
½ cup minced onions
1 tsp. garlic
¾ lb. smoked pork chops
¼ tsp pepper
¾ cup peeled, chopped turnip
½ lb smoked sausage
3 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
½ tsp hot Hungarian paprika


Pick over the pinto beans, place them into a large bowl and add enough water to cover them by 3 inches. Soak the beans overnight. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse them under cold running water. Combine the beans, 8 cups water, the smoked pork chops, 2 Tbs. minced garlic ¼ tsp pepper and 2 bay leaves in a large kettle. Bring the water to a boil, cover and simmer the mixture for an hour. Add the chopped turnip and “celery”. Cook the mixture over moderate heat for 45 minutes or until the beans are tender. Remove the pork chops and let them cool. Remove the meat from the bones, if any, and dice. Return it to the kettle with the sausage sliced into ¼” rounds. Melt the butter and stir in 3 Tbs. flour. Cook the roux, stirring, for one minute. Add the minced onion, parsley, 1 tsp minced garlic and ½ tsp hot Hungarian paprika, more if you want. Stir and cook the mixture for 2 minutes, then stir it into the kettle. Cook the soup over moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust the seasoning. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the soup into heated bowls: garnish each with a dollop of sour cream.

Approx. 8 servings.

A true gourmand will let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days before digging in. Yum!

 

[lance gt]

Just the thing for a cold, raw, rainy day:

Pasta fagioli (pasta, vegetable, beans, and meat soup). (Yes, I know, many people don't make it with meat. My grandmother did. I do.)

Makes about 8-10 servings depending on your portion size. These are my ingredients from today; there's plenty of room to substitute and change proportions.

1 lb. ground beef
5 cloves garlic, chopped
4 stalks celery
1 large tomato
1 large carrot
1 large onion
olive oil
basil, oregano, bay, salt, pepper
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 30-oz can tomato puree
1 15-oz can kidney beans
8 oz whole wheat pasta
4 cups stock - chicken, veggie, beef, or a combination

Heat a little oil in a large stockpot. Add the garlic, beef, herbs, and seasoning and sautee over a medium-high heat while you chop up the vegetables. When the meat is just turning brown, take it off the heat and drain the fat from it in a strainer. While it drains, add the fresh vegetables to the pot with a little olive oil and sautee until colored and just starting to soften. Return the meat to the pot and cook together until pleasantly fragrant.

Add the tinned tomatoes. Cook with the vegetables and meat for five minutes, then add the puree, kidney beans, and stock. Add water as needed to make a hearty but not too thick soup (since you'll later be adding pasta and you need enough liquid there to cook it). Bring to a simmer and cook for ten minutes. Check that you have enough liquid, then add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender.

 

[lance gt]

German Goulash Soup

200g. Pork
150g. Beef
2 Onions, diced
1 small Carrot, diced
1 green or red sweet Pepper, diced
1 small can peeled Tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Paprika
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Pint frozen Coffee Creamer

Cut meat into very small pieces
Put meat, Butter and Onion into a pot and brown the meat.
Add Tomato, Carrot and sweet pepper to pot and cook for five minutes
Add Salt, Pepper, Paprika and Garlic and cook until the meat is tender.
Add Creamer and simmer until hot then serve.

 

[lance gt]

Better Than Bread Stuffing

Cut 1 head of cauliflower in chunks and steam until moderately soft. Cut into corn size pieces.

Saute and combine with cauliflower:

2 TBSP Butter
1 cup sage-sausage
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
2 TBSP chopped garlic

Add and combine well:

2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 TBSP white pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp each: dried parsley, sage, hot pepper flakes

Spoon entire mix into a casserole. Flatten with back of large spoon.

Bake in oven while roasting meat. (I do it by itself in a 350 oven until hot and cheese melts)

Let stand while you get the rest of the dinner ready.


It really is better than bread-stuffing!!

 

[rhyst_hatchyk]

I love to cook, although most of my dishes are fairly simple.

Here's one I make regularly.

Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce.

You can also make this with other varieties of pasta. This is for a smaller serving. For larger, just double the amount of tomatoes/pasta.

1 can (or about 8-10 roma) whole tomatoes.
3 cloves garlic (add more if you like)
1/2 medium sized onion
1-2 tsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup basil
1/4 cup oregano
1 tsp chili flakes (or some crushed chilies if you have them) (optional)
1 lb ground beef/chicken/turkey (optional)

small handful of spaghetti noodles

If you decide to use the meat, brown it first until it's evenly cooked. Dice or crush the garlic until fairly even. Dice onion. Brown in pan until garlic is browned and onions are clear. Put tomatoes in blender or food processor. Gently pulse until consistency you want is reached. Put in pan with garlic and onions (and meat if included). Add salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and brown sugar. Add more or less depending on taste.

Put water on to boil. Add pasta to boiling water, with a pinch of salt and a small bit of cooking oil. Cook pasta according to directions and taste.

Serve pasta with sauce on top, add cheese if you wish.

Personally, I really enjoy the little bit of kick the chilies provide, with the brown sugar providing a little sweetness and balancing out some of the tomato acid.

 

[Kat73]

Banana Nut Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Cream together, then add

1 cup mashed, ripe banana

Mix well and add

2 cups flour(I use half wheat and half white)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Mix and add

1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Mix all together. Heat oven to 375. Drop by tablespoons on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on rack.

Can substitute pumpkin or persimmon pulp for banana.

 

[sandiegogirl_22]

awesome idea

i just stumbled across this discussion.. its awesome. i love cooking as well.. any bakers around here? ive got some great cookie recipe's to share!

 

[lance gt]

i just stumbled across this discussion.. its awesome. i love cooking as well.. any bakers around here? ive got some great cookie recipe's to share!

This the place to leave them Sandie. Share any and all recipes here.

 

[ChikieRoo]

well hello thread...

Very nice idea, especially about requests....holiday's are just right around the corner....

 

[ChikieRoo]

Hungarian Bean Soup
from the restaurant Arany Hordo

½ lb smoked sausage


A true gourmand will let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days before digging in. Yum!

A personal recommendation for the sausage..., a place you can actually order online from as well, http://www.bende.com/

 

[Kat73]

French Onion and Barley Soup

2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups finely sliced onion
Pepper

Melt butter. Add onion and cook until soft. Then add...

4 cups beef stock
1 cup dried barley
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch of thyme

Bring to a boil. Cover and lower tem to low. Cook until barley is tender ~ about 20 minutes. Grate or thinly slice a fresh jalapeno over hot soup. Serve with parmesan or romano cheese.

 

[Brave Maximus]

Great idea for a thread
I love cooking and finding new ideas for things to make.
I'll add a few of my own as I can

Basic Chicken Curry (Indian)

Ingredients:
2lbs Chicken (what kind is personal preference - I usually use Boneless, skinless breast, just because. But Bone in Thigh/drum sticks work just as well. This is actually a great recipe for left over Tandoori or BBQ chicken
If you are going to use chicken on the bone, try and get rid of as much fat as you can - I hate curry with a layer of grease floating on top.)

2 tbsp Butter or Ghee
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp/2 cloves fresh garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
Fresh ground pepper to choice (I love my 4 peppercorn blend)
Pepper flakes, hot sauce, chili/pepper powder, for heat on preference to taste.
I have this stuff called Rasampatti Chili Powder, a pinch is enough to heat the dish that most people find it at the edge of their heat zone.

1 Can coconut milk (I prefer Thai regular coconut milk, but anything works)
1 Cup tomato sauce/1 can chopped/crushed tomatoes/2 fresh Tomatoes, chopped - with juice

1 tsp sugar or 1 tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup (I prefer honey or maple, just adds some more flavour)
1 tsp salt to taste (I use about half that)

Method

Prep chicken (if it's left overs... you're done!) - Cube boneless skinless and fry in a pan (with onions, little bit of oil, little lemon - but this is my preference) or grill until ~85% done. If you grill, hand shred the chicken, just looks better. Drain and set aside.

In a deep, thick bottomed pan, heat the butter on medium until it starts to sputter.
Add the tumeric, Garam, pepper (and hot if you want, if you're using hot sauce/tobasco, wait for the next step) - saute until it becomes fragrant - usually takes about 1-2 minutes - use your nose, don't want to burn/scorch the spices.

Turn the heat up to med-hi (6 on my stove, just above medium) - add the Garlic and ginger, stir for about 45 seconds.

Add 1/2 of the tomato product, deglazing the pan, as it starts to bubble, add half the coconut milk. Once it starts to bubble/boil turn it down to just below medium (4.5 on my stove). Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally (if you see the oil start to separate, it's ready for the next step)

Add the Sugar/Honey and salt and the remaining tomato and coconut milk. Let it simmer for another 3-4 minutes

Add Chicken pieces, stirring constantly so they finish cooking evenly. Should take about 5 minutes to finish and thicken the curry.

Serve hot over Basmati Rice with Naan

Should serve 4, depending on how hungry they are

Kitchen Sink Curry (What my best friend called it or - meal in a bowl)

Same as above, only add:

1/2lb potatoes, give or take
1 can/cup Corn & or Peas
~1 Sweet Bell peppers (I like using green, red and yellow, just for colour, about 1/3 of each pepper).

Either boil the potatoes or, as I prefer Roast them (this takes more time, but tastes amazing)
Open and drain the peas/carrots or defrost them.
Cut the peppers into thin strips (after de-seeding them of course)

Add the corn/peas when you add the 2nd part of the tomatoes/coconut milk
Add the peppers when you add the chicken (I like my peppers with crunch)
Add the potatoes with ~2 min left of thickening, just to warm and coat them.

Serve with rice or Naan

Should serve 6, more if it's with rice.
The best part about this recipe is, you can increase the coconut milk/Tomatoes by half again without adjusting cooking times, incase you want to have more sauce/feed more people.

 

[ivantheterrible]

i pulled tis out of my ass.

take grease from cooking chicken and beef.

fry on low temp , tilapia. worshestire sauce and hickory smoke added.

when fish is almost done, add tomatoes, oysters with juice, and green peppers. as it finishes, add mild cheddar cheese.

drain.

serve with a heavy smoky wine. or a dark beer.

 

[Guest]

I'm making Naporitan (or Napolitan Spaghetti) on thursday! Its a recipe i found on a youtube channel and apparently it is one of the only "italian" dishes you could find in japanese restaurants. Very simple too!

I was going to type out the ingredients and instructions but I'll just post the video link here I think its a bit funny...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ia2kEaq1d0

 

[PeteHulbert37]

I'm making Naporitan (or Napolitan Spaghetti) on thursday! Its a recipe i found on a youtube channel and apparently it is one of the only "italian" dishes you could find in japanese restaurants. Very simple too!

I was going to type out the ingredients and instructions but I'll just post the video link here I think its a bit funny...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ia2kEaq1d0

Sounds yummy!

 

[cymbline]

Banana Nut Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg

Cream together, then add

1 cup mashed, ripe banana

Mix well and add

2 cups flour(I use half wheat and half white)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Mix and add

1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Mix all together. Heat oven to 375. Drop by tablespoons on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on rack.

Can substitute pumpkin or persimmon pulp for banana.

These sound easy and delicious. I am going to make these for our next food day at work.

 

[cymbline]

Here are two of my fast and easy dishes.

Super Supper Sandwich of Grilled Ham and Cheese

Serves 4

8 slices rustic whole grain bread
Grainy mustard such as Gulden's Spicy Brown or Plochman's
1/2 pound thinly sliced good-quality ham such as Black Forest or Plumrose
1/2 pound thinly sliced cheese such as gruyere, fontinella, Swiss or Muenster
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Lay bread slices on the counter or cutting board. Spread a thin coat of mustard on each slice.
Top four slices of the bread with a slice of ham, a slice of cheese, and another slice of ham,
trimming to fit if necessary.
Cover with remaining bread slices, gently pressing sandwiches together with the palm of your hand.

2. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until no longer foamy.
Add the sandwiches and cook until golden brown on one side.
Lower heat if necessary to prevent burning.
Turn and continue cooking until second side is golden brown and cheese is melted and beginning to ooze.
Cut sandwiches in half and serve hot.


Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

One 16-ounce package dry broccoli slaw mix
12 ounces cooked skinless lean chicken breast, chopped
1 cup canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
1 cup canned mandarin orange segments packed in water or juice, drained and chopped
(and rinsed, if packed in juice)
1 cup scallions, chopped
3/4 cup Newman's Own Lighten Up! Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Cooking Directions

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together until mixed well.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir well before serving.

 

[Guest]

Used to be a Sous Chef before I went back to school for Dietetic Tech. Anything you want to know just ask, I may post someone of my favorites up as well if I have time.

Lance if you want to know about Pho Soups they are REALLY straight forward. If you can cook half of what you've posted it'll be a walk in the park

- 4 pounds of bones chicken, beef, fish whatever stock you wish to prepare (beef is my choice)
- Enough water to cover but you can go with more, just reduce it.
- About a 3-inch piece of ginger, unpeeled (I cut it in half)
- 1 LARGE onion, halved and unpeeled
- 1/3 cup fish sauce (this is the KEY ingredient, it smells like absolute shit but it's where that flavour comes from)
- 6-8 whole star anise pods
- 5 whole cloves
- One 3-inch cinnamon stick broken into 1 inch pieces (this is really optional....I just like the flavour it adds because I find anise and fennel a tad overpowering at times)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 3 bay leaves

OPTIONAL - 1/2 pineapple skinned and whole. Just throw it in there and let it simmer away, then take it out and squeeze all the juice and stock out if you want a sweeter soup. (also mildly tenderizes the meat)

Once the stock is done strain it and leave it on simmer

- Separately -

1 pound 1/4-inch rice noodles (let them soak in warm water until tender and then drain)

3/4 pounds beef trimmed of fat and VERY thinly sliced.


Basically you want to prepare your stock, so yeah just grab whatever your butcher is throwing away (I always freeze whatever bones I have leftover).

Then you have your garnish

- Basil
- Cilantro
- bean sprouts
- lime
- Scallions
- and my favorite, Sambal Olek (get it in any Asian market or Asian section of your grocery store)

SERVING

place beef slices in simmering stock
in a big bowl place your noodles
add the beef slices (let them cook to about rare, doesn't take more than a minute or so)
Fill the bowl up with stock, and rare beef slices, top with scallions and cilantro
server with garnish on side

VOILA!

 

[QuietHurricane]

I'm making Naporitan (or Napolitan Spaghetti) on thursday! Its a recipe i found on a youtube channel and apparently it is one of the only "italian" dishes you could find in japanese restaurants. Very simple too!

I was going to type out the ingredients and instructions but I'll just post the video link here I think its a bit funny...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ia2kEaq1d0

That looks really good! And everyone knows that the best recipes are prepared by dogs.

I just bought a slow cooker last week and christened it by making chili this weekend. It was really good, except I learned that no matter how much you soak dried beans, they will stay kinda hard when you cook them in chili because of the acid from the tomatoes. Canned beans from now on!

 

[Guest]

That looks really good! And everyone knows that the best recipes are prepared by dogs.

I just bought a slow cooker last week and christened it by making chili this weekend. It was really good, except I learned that no matter how much you soak dried beans, they will stay kinda hard when you cook them in chili because of the acid from the tomatoes. Canned beans from now on!

http://www.auburnfootball.com/GIFS/yeahthat.gif

 

[Brave Maximus]

So, I'm sick - and decided to make myself some soup. I happened to have a turkey laying around, roasted, so... to make myself feel better - Turkey soup!

Turkey Soup:

Stock:
As many bones, fat and dripings as you can get in there. One of the major, important steps, is to break the bones. Get a hack saw, or what ever you need, but get into those bones - it's the marrow we want (this, along with peeling of skin, is my least favourite part of the whole process... esp when I'm not feeling good).

1/2 onion, quartered
Couple of stalks of celery, roughly chopped
couple of carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

Spices
This really is personal choice, here's what I like in the stock
Tumeric (mostly for colour... chicken/turkey soup can look pretty bleh)
Garam Masala
few whole cloves
half a stick of Cinimon
2 bay leaves

Now the fun part: Boil as high and as hard as you can for 5 hrs. Ever half hour, check on it, stir it, top up the liquid. What we're doing is denaturing the proteins into the stock. This is what gives it a nice, golden colour (well that and the tumeric... but it's the little broken up protein molecules that give it flavour).

Strain it (I like using a fine wire strainer... because... I hate the grit) - let it cool and place in the fridge. You want the fat to solidify on top.

Next, peel and boil some potatoes so they're about 60-75% finished, drain and set aside.

Meat: What ever you've pulled off your bird. Usually left overs from dinner the night before. Usually one turkey breast should do the whole soup - depending on size of the pot.

Once the fat has solidified, scrape it off. Strain the soup back into the pot, set on the stove.

Everything else is personal choice:

I add:
1 can light coconut milk
1 can tomato paste
Oregano, Basil, Parsely, chives, Pepper, salt to taste
I also add a shot of lee and perins and HP, but that's personal taste.

Bring up to a light boil.
Add the meat, potatoes and any veggies you wish (I hate soggy, over cooked veggies, so I tend to go light on them, peas and corn....)

Reduce to about 2-3 on your stove, let simmer for an hour.
Reduce to LOW and have it sit until you need to serve.

Fresh baked bread, honey'd butter and tea are the best things to serve with it.

 

[timtumboom]

I love to bake..
cake, cookies....
pies...
have a fantastic pumpkin crunch recipe

 

[60HzHum]

Okay food people, I need help. I'm back from an incredible trip to Albuquerque, NM and my good friends sent me off with EIGHTY POUNDS of Hatch green chilies. I've got them all roasted up, bagged and in the freezer. I need recipies for these fabulous tasty treats from the Southwest.

I'm open to any ideas, chili soup, chili waffles, chile pancakes, chili muffins, chili pudding, chili chili.

Post recipie ideas here or feel free to PM me. I can't wait!