To fuck or to cook?

[dtb]

Those 101 quickie recipes are really great (well, the ones I've tried). My only beef (heh) is that there are a lot of recipes for shrimp, and I don't eat shrimp. What can I substitute for el shrimp-o? I was thinking tofu, or some kind of fish, but I figured you foodies would have some good suggestions.



ETA: Before any of you jokers suggest lobster or scallops, I should clarify that I don't eat any kind of shellfish (or any fish that doesn't have fins and scales).

TIA

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by dtb
Those 101 quickie recipes are really great (well, the ones I've tried). My only beef (heh) is that there are a lot of recipes for shrimp, and I don't eat shrimp. What can I substitute for el shrimp-o? I was thinking tofu, or some kind of fish, but I figured you foodies would have some good suggestions.



ETA: Before any of you jokers suggest lobster or scallops, I should clarify that I don't eat any kind of shellfish (or any fish that doesn't have fins and scales).

TIA

sea stix?

or a firm, meaty fish such as swordfish or halibut.

[Diane_Keaton]

So I've been cooking Chicken (thigh usually, sometimes breast) in the following which I love:

Carrots
Celery (love that cooked)
Some small red potatoes
Fresh oregano
Chives
sometimes shallots
garlic
some fresh ground pepper

The chicken has been marinated in white wine. I brown the chicken first, then remove and cook the veggies somewhat in the left over olive oil and then put back the chicken and cover it, using one of those dutch oven type things. I like the result (especially when dipping in french bread with unsalted butter) but I'm looking for more interest. Don't want to add Indian or Mexican type spices to make it an ethnic dish or anything too overpowering. Suggestions on what to add/take away?

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Diane_Keaton
So I've been cooking Chicken (thigh usually, sometimes breast) in the following which I love:

Carrots
Celery (love that cooked)
Some small red potatoes
Fresh oregano
Chives
sometimes shallots
garlic
some fresh ground pepper

The chicken has been marinated in white wine. I brown the chicken first, then remove and cook the veggies somewhat in the left over olive oil and then put back the chicken and cover it, using one of those dutch oven type things. I like the result (especially when dipping in french bread with unsalted butter) but I'm looking for more interest. Don't want to add Indian or Mexican type spices to make it an ethnic dish or anything too overpowering. Suggestions on what to add/take away?

A few ideas:

1. Add kalamata or nicoise olives and very thin lemon slices.

2. Chicken is enhanced by thyme, especially with white wine. Try thyme instead of the oregano, or in addition to the oregano.

3. Fingerling potatoes instead of redskins.

4. Leeks. Mmmmmm, leeks.

5. Instead of olive oil, use thiick cut bacon. Render enough fat out to brown the chicken and veg, then pull out the bacom chunks (lardons, in French). Brown white mushroom or crimini mushroom caps and reserve. Use red wine. Add mushrooms about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with lardons. This is sort of a short-cut coq au vin.

Cook any of these in a parchment paper pouch and you will greatly intensify the flavors.

[Diane_Keaton]

Originally posted by taxwonk
A few ideas:

1. Add kalamata or nicoise olives and very thin lemon slices.

2. Chicken is enhanced by thyme, especially with white wine. Try thyme instead of the oregano, or in addition to the oregano.

3. Fingerling potatoes instead of redskins.

4. Leeks. Mmmmmm, leeks.

5. Instead of olive oil, use thiick cut bacon. Render enough fat out to brown the chicken and veg, then pull out the bacom chunks (lardons, in French). Brown white mushroom or crimini mushroom caps and reserve. Use red wine. Add mushrooms about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with lardons. This is sort of a short-cut coq au vin.

Cook any of these in a parchment paper pouch and you will greatly intensify the flavors.

Brilliant. I think this is going to get me where I want to be. Mmmmn, Lardons. Thanks.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by taxwonk
A few ideas:

1. Add kalamata or nicoise olives and very thin lemon slices.

2. Chicken is enhanced by thyme, especially with white wine. Try thyme instead of the oregano, or in addition to the oregano.

3. Fingerling potatoes instead of redskins.

4. Leeks. Mmmmmm, leeks.

5. Instead of olive oil, use thiick cut bacon. Render enough fat out to brown the chicken and veg, then pull out the bacom chunks (lardons, in French). Brown white mushroom or crimini mushroom caps and reserve. Use red wine. Add mushrooms about 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with lardons. This is sort of a short-cut coq au vin.

Cook any of these in a parchment paper pouch and you will greatly intensify the flavors.

I think I love you. If we kissed, would it elevate my triglycerides?

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
I think I love you. If we kissed, would it elevate my triglycerides?

Only if you tried to slip me tongue.

[Diane_Keaton]

I tried this tonight but have to do a complete do-over tomorrow.

1. I used too much bacon (the resulting dish was too greasy). 5 slices, whereas the rest of the dish was 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 garlic, 2 tiny potatoes and 1 thigh of chicken. Tomorrow I try just one slice of bacon. (Hard to restrain myself with bacon)

2. I shouldn't have used hickory smoked bacon. I think the smoky smell took over the dish.

Bottom line - I fucked up on the bacon.

ETA: To temper the smoky flavor of the bacon, I may try tossing in a sprig or 2 of urinal cake. I'm creative like that.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Diane_Keaton
I tried this tonight but have to do a complete do-over tomorrow.

1. I used too much bacon (the resulting dish was too greasy). 5 slices, whereas the rest of the dish was 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 garlic, 2 tiny potatoes and 1 thigh of chicken. Tomorrow I try just one slice of bacon. (Hard to restrain myself with bacon)

2. I shouldn't have used hickory smoked bacon. I think the smoky smell took over the dish.

Bottom line - I fucked up on the bacon.

ETA: To temper the smoky flavor of the bacon, I may try tossing in a sprig or 2 of urinal cake. I'm creative like that.

Urinal cake works much better with rosemary.

As an alternative to bacon, you might try pancetta, which is cured, but not smoked. If you can find it at a deli, like Zabar's, ask them to cut you 1/4 inch thick slices. For the quantity you're cooking, use one slice. The balance can be frozen with a sheet of waxed paper between slices. If you wrap it tightly, it will keep in the freezer for about three months. If you can restrain yourself from finding things to use it in that long.

You should also drain the excess fat and use a good solid red wine, like a zinfandel or a tuscan sangiovese or barbaresco to stand up to the pancetta.

[taxwonk]

Peanut or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
small piece of ginger
1 lb. shitake or crimini mushrooms
1 can of water chestnuts
1 bunch green onions or scallions, finely sliced.
1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 tsp five-spice powder

Chop garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and water chestnuts very fine.

Heat 2 T. oil in wok or large, rounded bottowm pan like saucier. Add ginger and garlic, stir in oil for 30 seconds. Add chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts. Fry over high heat until veg cook down and water is nearly completely cooked out of veg.

Push veg. to sides of pot and add ground chicken. Fry quickly, using spoon and spatula or paddle to break chicken up into fine crumble. Add five-spice powder as chicken cooks.

Once chicken is mostly cooked, fold in vegetables. one minute before serving add 1/2 suace and scallions, folding in to mixture.

Empty pan into serving bowl and use lettuce leaves or tortillas to roll up chicken mixture. Dip in remaining sauce.

1 head butter lettuce
flour tortillas or chinese pancakes (optional)

Sauce

2 T hoisin
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 T dry sherry or Tsao Tsi cooking wine
splash toasted sesame oil
Sriracha chili sauce to taste

[Sparklehorse]

My brother, God love him, just gave me a bunch of okra he grew in his garden. My brother is a farmer; he love to grow things more than he likes to cook them. In the recent past, he has kept turnips in the ground through to Christmas, for the sport of it. The okra is way over-ripe and fibrous. I don't think I can tell him to pick them damned things earlier. Is there any way to use them so as not to waste them? I was planning to fry them with some corn meal, the way my dad used to, but they seem like they will like chewing on a tree branch, even cooked. Can I still use them stewed or do I quietly pitch them?

Does anyone have any ideas?

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Sparklehorse
My brother, God love him, just gave me a bunch of okra he grew in his garden. My brother is a farmer; he love to grow things more than he likes to cook them. In the recent past, he has kept turnips in the ground through to Christmas, for the sport of it. The okra is way over-ripe and fibrous. I don't think I can tell him to pick them damned things earlier. Is there any way to use them so as not to waste them? I was planning to fry them with some corn meal, the way my dad used to, but they seem like they will like chewing on a tree branch, even cooked. Can I still use them stewed or do I quietly pitch them?

Does anyone have any ideas?

Gumbo. You want chicken and sausage, duck, seafood, rabbit, or vegetarian?

Cajun style, low-country style, or African?

As an alternative, there are recipes for a number of different styles of curry that use gumbo.

Bottom line, you want to cook them slowly, in a well-seasoned liquid, where the gumbo can act as a thickening agent.

Do not fry it up, it will be too tough.

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by taxwonk
Gumbo. You want chicken and sausage, duck, seafood, rabbit, or vegetarian?

Cajun style, low-country style, or African?

As an alternative, there are recipes for a number of different styles of curry that use gumbo.

Bottom line, you want to cook them slowly, in a well-seasoned liquid, where the gumbo can act as a thickening agent.

Do not fry it up, it will be too tough.

My dad used to make a Cajun style, with shrimp, sausage and maybe chicken? He also made his own roux. I think my brother or mother have his Cajun cookbooks and I don't have the right kind of cookbook otherwise. Any ideas about recipes? I'd bookmarked this Cooking Louisiana site a while ago but I'd be interested in your specific suggestions.

Louisiana Cooking site gumbo recipe

I also know nothing about African or low-country gumbos. The closest I'd come would be a Vegetarian Jewish cookbook (lot of great eggplant recipes, I'm discovering) or a Moroccan cookbook.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Sparklehorse
My dad used to make a Cajun style, with shrimp, sausage and maybe chicken? He also made his own roux. I think my brother or mother have his Cajun cookbooks and I don't have the right kind of cookbook otherwise. Any ideas about recipes? I'd bookmarked this Cooking Louisiana site a while ago but I'd be interested in your specific suggestions.

Louisiana Cooking site gumbo recipe

I also know nothing about African or low-country gumbos. The closest I'd come would be a Vegetarian Jewish cookbook (lot of great eggplant recipes, I'm discovering) or a Moroccan cookbook.

Low Country Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

1 med. fryer, cut into peices
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
1 lb. okra, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
1 med. onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bottle white wine
1 can peeled tomatoes
parsley
thyme
bay leaf
sage
1 habanero pepper
4-5 qts. chicken stock

In large stock pot, brown chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time, skin side down first, set the chicken aside as it browns.

Add garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper to chicken fat. Add some olive oil if needed to sweat the vegetables until they are limp and fairly soft.

Add okra to pan, stirring frequently so gumbo softens without too much browning.

Return chicken to stock pot. Add wine and tomatoes. Stir ingredients to blend well.

Place thyme, sage, bay leaf, parsley and habanero (make a small slit int he side of the habanero, but do not cut all the way through) in cheesecloth. Pull up corners to make a puch and tie off with twine.

Add chicken stock to cover and bring to boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Low Country gumbo is more of a stew than a soup, so the stock may need to be adjusted.

After the gumbo reaches a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2-3 hours.

After 3 hours, remove herb and pepper puch, add sliced sausage and bring heat up to medium-low. Cook for another 40 minutes or until sausage warms through. If the gumbo is too spicy, add a little cider vinegar and some honey.

Serve over rice. Invite me.

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by taxwonk
Low Country Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

1 med. fryer, cut into peices
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
1 lb. okra, sliced into 1/2 inch coins
1 med. onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bottle white wine
1 can peeled tomatoes
parsley
thyme
bay leaf
sage
1 habanero pepper
4-5 qts. chicken stock

In large stock pot, brown chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time, skin side down first, set the chicken aside as it browns.

Add garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper to chicken fat. Add some olive oil if needed to sweat the vegetables until they are limp and fairly soft.

Add okra to pan, stirring frequently so gumbo softens without too much browning.

Return chicken to stock pot. Add wine and tomatoes. Stir ingredients to blend well.

Place thyme, sage, bay leaf, parsley and habanero (make a small slit int he side of the habanero, but do not cut all the way through) in cheesecloth. Pull up corners to make a puch and tie off with twine.

Add chicken stock to cover and bring to boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Low Country gumbo is more of a stew than a soup, so the stock may need to be adjusted.

After the gumbo reaches a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2-3 hours.

After 3 hours, remove herb and pepper puch, add sliced sausage and bring heat up to medium-low. Cook for another 40 minutes or until sausage warms through. If the gumbo is too spicy, add a little cider vinegar and some honey.

Serve over rice. Invite me.

Thanks so much. Since I already have a bunch of the ingredients, I'll probably try my hand at this over the weekend. Stop on by...