billbradleyYou want BBQ sauce? Get the fuck out of my house. 2,906 Posts
LaserWolf said:
Internet is great for recipes. You can plug in the main ingredients you have on hand, or want to use, and get lots of recipe ideas. Put in veggie lasagna and read half a dozen recipes. Like the idea of having eggplant or portabella in it? Add that to the search.
I've had good luck with http://www.epicurious.com for recipes. Their search engine will pull up a lot of options. The phone app works pretty well too.
she eats fish and im making a seafood gumbo that she approved for she and her friends.
im creating the stock from fish heads and then a roux, and then seafood and veggies. clams, some white fleshed fish and shrimp.
Veggies i dont know yet besides the usual gumbo veggies but i could still add......cough...kale.
maybe some brown rice instead of white......
thanx for yalls help. ill take photos.
Also use the shells and heads of the shrimp for the stock. Make sure you get real, wild caught shrimp and not those cheap and totally disgusting ones from aqua-farming in South East Asia, they taste like sewage (for good reason) and contain shit loads of antibiotics. Roast shrimp heads and shells with root vegetables in just a bit of oil, deglaze with white wine, then add fish head(s), spices and herbs and water, bring to a boil but then keep at a mellow simmer and prevent boiling or you'll end up with too much grime and foam on top. Be careful with the salt. Your gumbo might reduce quite a bit until you serve it so don't use too much salt too early.
Nah???But I just throw the peeled shrimp into the pot???Near the end.
Why roast and then add to the liquid?
Only the shells and the heads are supposed to be roasted. The peeled shrimp you add at the end like you said and let them simmer until they're cooked. But there's a lot of very tasty, buttery fat inside the heads, tossing them would be a sin and roasting adds this toasted, caramel-like bisque aroma. By deglazing with the wine you loosen the roasted stuff that's sticking to the bottom of the pan or pot. You can let the liquid reduce again (all under constant stirring) and while it thickens it will glaze the root veggies and shrimp heads and shells. Once it starts sticking to the pan again you deglaze with another splash of wine. It'll smell so good you might just want to repeat this over and over. The acid in the wine will also balance the sweetness of the shrimp and emulsify some of the fat. The more often you do this the more flavor you will get. It's a bit of work but you really get a lot more depth in flavor and also a really beautiful color. The more complex a gumbo, the better and since you won't be able to use tasso or smoked sausage, the roasting, glazing and deglazing will give you that extra richness that you want.
good green beans are one of my favorite sides. buy them skinny from the market. fat, big ones tend to get chewy (yup, pasue).
dont front on cabbage as a side dish. hot or cold. million ways to do it. if you want to get past kale, just got to the market and see what produce looks best, or ask. then prepare in a simple,versatile way that can accompany most meals.
pcmr suggestions sound amazing. and frank is on some veteran southern chef shit with his gumbo suggestions. jeesus christ. i cook most of my meals but im on the simpler side of things. i love a grated carrot salad (nothing more than carrots + oil, vinegar, salt, pepper). or
squash, butternut, hubbard, kabocha, etc is real nice cubed, steamed and then sauted with some spices (curry for instance) and pine nuts. then throw it over rice or pasta or even good toasted breads
totally agree on fake meat and fake cheese. it is to be avoided at all costs...processed food garbage. ive been loosely vegetarian for almost twenty years and i'd rather eat meat than that crap
in the end, sounds like you know what youre doing with your gumbo.
they don't sell kaffir lime leaves in chinatown? I imagine you could find that plus fresh galangal and lemongrass in one of those markets.
I'm not a big fan of tomato in curry, just kinda turns to mush anyway. I do like a variety of veggies in a veggie curry though - string beans and carrots add varying degrees of crunch to it. Pumpkin/butternut squash makes it pretty hearty, wouldn't even need the tofu.
Firm Tofu right? Do i need to squeeze/pat it or anything? Just cut and dump?
Yes, squeeze out the water before you fry them in a pan of shallow oil; then dump into the curry near the end. You could even do an egg wash with panko and sesame to coat before you pan fry them to make them extra crispy; but that's a bit much for some people.
they don't sell kaffir lime leaves in chinatown? I imagine you could find that plus fresh galangal and lemongrass in one of those markets.
I'm not a big fan of tomato in curry, just kinda turns to mush anyway. I do like a variety of veggies in a veggie curry though - string beans and carrots add varying degrees of crunch to it. Pumpkin/butternut squash makes it pretty hearty, wouldn't even need the tofu.
they don't sell kaffir lime leaves in chinatown? I imagine you could find that plus fresh galangal and lemongrass in one of those markets.
I'm not a big fan of tomato in curry, just kinda turns to mush anyway. I do like a variety of veggies in a veggie curry though - string beans and carrots add varying degrees of crunch to it. Pumpkin/butternut squash makes it pretty hearty, wouldn't even need the tofu.
Wouldn't pumpkin take some time to soften?
I've made pork w/ pumpkin curry a few times, takes maybe 20-30 mins for the diced pumpkin to cook in the curry.
also, would you get bonus points for coconut rice? Sometimes I like it, sometimes I think it's a bit too much.
they don't sell kaffir lime leaves in chinatown? I imagine you could find that plus fresh galangal and lemongrass in one of those markets.
I'm not a big fan of tomato in curry, just kinda turns to mush anyway. I do like a variety of veggies in a veggie curry though - string beans and carrots add varying degrees of crunch to it. Pumpkin/butternut squash makes it pretty hearty, wouldn't even need the tofu.
Wouldn't pumpkin take some time to soften?
I've made pork w/ pumpkin curry a few times, takes maybe 20-30 mins for the diced pumpkin to cook in the curry.
also, would you get bonus points for coconut rice? Sometimes I like it, sometimes I think it's a bit too much.
Coconut Rice sounds great, but I'm already adding coconut milk to the main dish???.sounds like too much sweet.
Plus I'm bringing my rice cooker???.and I've never tried hot coconut milk in that shit.
Coconut Rice sounds great, but I'm already adding coconut milk to the main dish???.sounds like too much sweet.
Plus I'm bringing my rice cooker???.and I've never tried hot coconut milk in that shit.
I've never made it myself, but I think you can do a lighter version with just coconut flakes, no coconut milk. Maybe just toasted coconut flakes as garnish? Honestly though, this is the kind of thing I'd think about doing but wouldn't actually do. I think plain thai jasmine rice is pretty nice on its own.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
I made bacon, oyster, and chicken gumbo the other night.
And it had so much parsley, thyme, and file in it, it tasted vegetarian.
I'm looking for ideas for christmas too, but i'm the only vegetarian in the family so that's solo action
I'd like to try that gumbo maybe. Or lasagna. Would love to learn more about moussaka too (so, many, variations).
I recommend coconut rice (milk or flakes), that's amazing.
Or rice with black beans (roast onion/garlic/leek, then cook together with rice and beans) or same with some really tasty mushrooms
Sliced plantain with hot sauce is wonderful too as a sidedish, deepfry them one time, press them and put them in salted water before frying them a second time. Some plantain are sweet, some are salty, pay attention.
Comments
I've had good luck with http://www.epicurious.com for recipes. Their search engine will pull up a lot of options. The phone app works pretty well too.
make your won pesto (to use in lasagna as well) and toss with crackedblack peper and slight lemon juice
spinash lasagna with a bechamel sauce would make it a bit diffrent then red sauce and the nutmeg aspect would make it holidays
my dad always makes chakchouka for the holidays (algerian roasted red pepper stew) colorful anf a great side dish (leave the eggs out)
french onion soup with gruyere filling with crouton action for an appatizers bubbly holiday shit all day simmering
asparagus rissotto with preserved lemon if you want some more filler
sweet potato hash paprika sprinkled
fallafel with hummus dipping sauce or raita for finger food (with pita chips)
You gotta have me over for a meal.
Also use the shells and heads of the shrimp for the stock. Make sure you get real, wild caught shrimp and not those cheap and totally disgusting ones from aqua-farming in South East Asia, they taste like sewage (for good reason) and contain shit loads of antibiotics. Roast shrimp heads and shells with root vegetables in just a bit of oil, deglaze with white wine, then add fish head(s), spices and herbs and water, bring to a boil but then keep at a mellow simmer and prevent boiling or you'll end up with too much grime and foam on top. Be careful with the salt. Your gumbo might reduce quite a bit until you serve it so don't use too much salt too early.
Nah???But I just throw the peeled shrimp into the pot???Near the end.
Why roast and then add to the liquid?
Only the shells and the heads are supposed to be roasted. The peeled shrimp you add at the end like you said and let them simmer until they're cooked. But there's a lot of very tasty, buttery fat inside the heads, tossing them would be a sin and roasting adds this toasted, caramel-like bisque aroma. By deglazing with the wine you loosen the roasted stuff that's sticking to the bottom of the pan or pot. You can let the liquid reduce again (all under constant stirring) and while it thickens it will glaze the root veggies and shrimp heads and shells. Once it starts sticking to the pan again you deglaze with another splash of wine. It'll smell so good you might just want to repeat this over and over. The acid in the wine will also balance the sweetness of the shrimp and emulsify some of the fat. The more often you do this the more flavor you will get. It's a bit of work but you really get a lot more depth in flavor and also a really beautiful color. The more complex a gumbo, the better and since you won't be able to use tasso or smoked sausage, the roasting, glazing and deglazing will give you that extra richness that you want.
im thinking mustard greens....or dinosaur/tuscan kale.....
ill be losing the thickening properties of okra, but chopped greens could still add texture.
oysters....shrimp......crabmeat.........
These are people who were subjected to boiled frozen okra in their youth.
Any way, subbing another green and thickener shouldn't be a problem.
i was think of telling her that she wouldnt taste it, but i bet she might not like the sliminess. since okra is far from pungent or flavorful.
the roux would be the base thickener, but okra is that shit.
since i cant use andoullie or any meat i thomk she should deal with the okra...but its her kitchen and event.
dont front on cabbage as a side dish. hot or cold. million ways to do it. if you want to get past kale, just got to the market and see what produce looks best, or ask. then prepare in a simple,versatile way that can accompany most meals.
pcmr suggestions sound amazing. and frank is on some veteran southern chef shit with his gumbo suggestions. jeesus christ. i cook most of my meals but im on the simpler side of things. i love a grated carrot salad (nothing more than carrots + oil, vinegar, salt, pepper). or
squash, butternut, hubbard, kabocha, etc is real nice cubed, steamed and then sauted with some spices (curry for instance) and pine nuts. then throw it over rice or pasta or even good toasted breads
totally agree on fake meat and fake cheese. it is to be avoided at all costs...processed food garbage. ive been loosely vegetarian for almost twenty years and i'd rather eat meat than that crap
in the end, sounds like you know what youre doing with your gumbo.
also, id avoid frying with olive oil if you can.
Red Curry Tofu.
Any tricks? Any twists?
Ive made it plenty of times but I use chicken.
Firm Tofu right? Do i need to squeeze/pat it or anything? Just cut and dump?
Asian Eggplants purple and white tiger striped joints, Bird Chilli, lemongrass & galangal, fish sauce, coco milk, Thai basil, etc.
Tomatoes/T-Paste???yay or nay????.I dont see it when i eat at Thai joints.
Im not gonna hunt down Kaffir Lime leaves.
I'm not a big fan of tomato in curry, just kinda turns to mush anyway. I do like a variety of veggies in a veggie curry though - string beans and carrots add varying degrees of crunch to it. Pumpkin/butternut squash makes it pretty hearty, wouldn't even need the tofu.
Yes, squeeze out the water before you fry them in a pan of shallow oil; then dump into the curry near the end. You could even do an egg wash with panko and sesame to coat before you pan fry them to make them extra crispy; but that's a bit much for some people.
Bok choi?
I loathe tomatoes in curry.
Wouldn't pumpkin take some time to soften?
I've made pork w/ pumpkin curry a few times, takes maybe 20-30 mins for the diced pumpkin to cook in the curry.
also, would you get bonus points for coconut rice? Sometimes I like it, sometimes I think it's a bit too much.
Coconut Rice sounds great, but I'm already adding coconut milk to the main dish???.sounds like too much sweet.
Plus I'm bringing my rice cooker???.and I've never tried hot coconut milk in that shit.
I've never made it myself, but I think you can do a lighter version with just coconut flakes, no coconut milk. Maybe just toasted coconut flakes as garnish? Honestly though, this is the kind of thing I'd think about doing but wouldn't actually do. I think plain thai jasmine rice is pretty nice on its own.
And it had so much parsley, thyme, and file in it, it tasted vegetarian.
Thank you. I will be doing that next time I cook tofu.
just put a good vegetable broth tough its overkill to have both
I'd like to try that gumbo maybe. Or lasagna. Would love to learn more about moussaka too (so, many, variations).
I recommend coconut rice (milk or flakes), that's amazing.
Or rice with black beans (roast onion/garlic/leek, then cook together with rice and beans) or same with some really tasty mushrooms
Sliced plantain with hot sauce is wonderful too as a sidedish, deepfry them one time, press them and put them in salted water before frying them a second time. Some plantain are sweet, some are salty, pay attention.