what's cooking? part 5: 2017-2027

really want to make that persian rice, too. we had a roommate that tried to make it many times with mixed results. it must be good, though, if she tried for so long.

I don't typically like rice dishes but I looooove persian rice. In college I would go to my persian roommate's home a lot and her parents knew to have persian rice with chicken ready for me. I think I have mentioned how our regular snack there was feta and grapes on pita. So good.

I want to try the dressed up versions and the turkish hummus that uses butter instead of tehina. separating the tehina sauce and using it everywhere is a very useful idea.

I’ve done the hummus with the lamb on top, which is great if you eat meat. Also, the one with the whole cooked chickpeas on top is a nice change and adds texture.

The tehina sauce is great on just about anything. You can dress just about any raw or cooked vegetables with it and they will rule.

the ottolenghi meatballs in tahini are incredible

I made those beans, outdoor miner. They were delicious but supposedly intense (I am a bit congested so I may have seasoned it to extremes). I made some alterations, I used a big spoonful of chipotles instead of habanero, and also added some balsamic and garlic. Ate it with brown rice, avocado, cilantro and watercress. Would definitely make again.

Chipotles and liquid smoke? That seems intense. Am not a Yucatecan but i like the chile choice. Mmm water cress is underrated imo.
I think it's gonna be too effing hot to do much cooking for the next few months here in my apt. And next door neighbor with outdoor pizza oven is moving soon. Think I'll be well tired of salads, sandwiches, and gazpacho by October

I did't know how much liquid smoke to add since I have never used it so only added like a teaspoon? to 2 cans of black beans. There are no habaneros where I am so found a good can of chipotles instead that I am very happy I know I can get now. I figured since it was going on rice and not in a burrito it could be a little extreme. They sell a lot of berros/watercress here and it fills my desire for mache lettuce (which I can't get here).

I have to figure out what to do with the rest of these chipotles though. Maybe with salmon? Could mix a little in with a batch of hummus.

a teaspoon is a lot of liquid smoke. that stuff is powerful.

I thought about just doing a couple of drops but figured they would've designed the bottle differently if that was what was supposed to happen. Next time I will know. I liked the way it smelled.

Was gonna say. I'd go with something like 8 drops for two cans. Guessing the bottle you have has no dropper dispensing top.
I usu just puree chipotles upon opening. Either way they freeze well or can last *at least* a month in fridge. I useda make a really nice roasted warm potato salad that had a chipotle-lime dressing.
I think you said you spend time in Chile? I wonder if it is potato-land there in the way I imagine Peru to be.

I'm in chile right now. Which is why the hot pepper situation is dire. I had to bring the liquid smoke here.

eh, I probably used about 8 drops, I kind of just eyeballed what I poured in.

I assumed the chipotles wouldn't be hot either so ate a spoonful straight out of the can to test. They were hot!

https://www.pepperscale.com/chipotle-vs-jalapeno/

I remember tracer had that ^^^ fact on the 'things I just learned thread' which I hadn't known at the time because I never buy chipotles so never considered the flavor. They just started having fresh jalapenos in the grocery store here and they are kind of hit or miss within the spicy range. But I guess that is true with any hot pepper. I always have to taste a little first because some end up being really mild and then something (like a banana pepper) will be shockingly spicier than expected. I have some dry ghost peppers in a grinder thing that I got at Trader Joes that I haven't opened yet.

yeah, tasting is always a good idea

love 2 taste

My refrigerator pickles came out amazing btw. Highly recommend everyone pickle something STAT.

i am finishing up my soy pickled mushrooms, and i am going to do some cucumbers and green beans this weekend.

woah woah woah!! pickled shrooms?! recipe?

google search shows a nice looking momofuku recipe using dried shiitakes. think imma do that tomorrow

that is the one

Yeah, I have a batch of those refrigerator pickles going and snuck a taste after a week. Those are going to be some very fine pickles. Thanks!

twice cooked eggplant really is amazing with flatbread. even more so with some tahina sauce stirred in.

https://www.saveur.com/twice-cooked-eggplant-with-sherry-vinegar-and-paprika-dip-recipe/

also recommend cutting eggplant slices a bit thicker than 0.5 inch to get 7 slices that fit nicely into a 12 inch skillet.

is tahina different from tahihi?

i have never heard of tahina

tahini i mean

no, it is the same thing. just a different pronunciation that he uses in the Zahav book. The sauce is just tahini mixed with garlic, lemon juice, and ice water:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017734-zahavs-hummus-tehina

also, definitely peel the skin off of the eggplant slices in that twice cooked eggplant recipe. he doesn't make it clear in the recipe, but it's clear from a picture in the book.

also, he uses "tehina", not "tahina". insert any three vowels here: t-h-n-

the word comes from arabic and is transliterated into english differently. i think technically the arab word is like tahiniyya

got it, thanks! so i can call it tihuni and y'all will get it :)

i made ceviche overnight and mr & i ate it for lunch today. easiest thing on earth?

easiest and one of the best! what fish did you use? i have a yen for making some

I'm pescatarian after years of being vegan (compromise with my carnivore gf) and while we only eat fish once in a while i try to do something interesting when we do (olive oil poached salmon was the last thing we had)

nothing special
i am somewhat embarrassed to admit i used tilapia because i think it's some kind of cyborg fish or raised in lightless boxes or something horrible like that
if i don't make it at least once during the summer i feel like i forgot something and this summer has straight up sucked so a little ceviche of even the most miserable of fish tastes like heaven

Doe anyone have one favorite finger food thingey they like to make for gatherings. Hosting like 20 people this weekend with all of the regular peculiarities (some vegans, some veg, some who can't eat spicy.) Last time we did the normal assortment hummus, chips, cheese plate and just ordered a bunch of pizzas but there will be some Italians and I can't do mediocre pizza. Thought adding in a big salmon so people can scoop onto bread or whatever. It's also winter here so wanted to have hot food.

We used to make ceviche every weekend but then had one traumatic experience with a fish (think it was reineta or corvina) and switched over to ahi poke.

also I made those smokey black beans again and they are so good with my eggs in my breakfast burrito in the morning.

I think it can be a challenge to balance the acid in ceviche with other flavors. there's bad ceviche out there.

xp I am very into "build-a-taco" workshops but I fear that's not very ambitious/sophisticated.

jim in vancouver you are like my spouse. he was vegan for 10+ years and now he eats fish and desserts. I eat everything but i don't generally eat meat unless I know it's going to be really good.

xp tacos feels messy for a lot of people.

a bit of work, but one fruit and one savory couronne works well for parties

https://www.kitchencraft.co.uk/articles/paul-hollywoods-savoury-brioche-couronne.htm

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/pauls-apricot-couronne

make those two and frame a picture of Paul Hollywood to put between them

last time i had tacos at a big table with everyone building their own half of us were on acid and i found it very difficult to construct one and put it in my mouth

Maybe I should just frame a pic of the couronne because that seems like too many variables in making it while trying to make other stuff. Hmmmm, maybe I will end up ordering some food again. That is kind of my specialty.
in orbit even when you came over once for that weird Harry Potter thing, I think I had ordered a bunch of brisket.

cut out the center of a cheese pizza, call it a couronne. put the picture of Paul Hollywood in the middle and find out who your true friends are.

lol I was just going to say that my large party go-to is actually Lechera's slow-cooker pulled pork recipe plus a red cabbage/carrot/sesame slaw and cornbread. You could sub in some kind of crusty rolls and have ppl make sandwiches but it doesn't help anyone who doesn't eat pulled pork.

THESE ARE NOT MY FRIENDS so maybe they only deserve the pic of Paul Hollywood.

I might make that couronne on my own time. I have never really made any bread thing with that much butter before.

we should all make french laundry brioche someday and report back

oh, would def try that.
dunno if you like this idea, Yerac, but the first one that popped into my head was some sort of grilled polenta app. one bonus here is you can make polenta in advance, cuz it needs to be cool to slice (3 parts water: 1 part polenta will give the proper consistency). then you can slice into little circles, squares, whatev, grill or saute or broil to make a little toasty, and top with just pesto, and maybe something else for color like roasted red bell? too much work?
i've done vietnamese spring rolls but not for that many people. little falafel balls are another idea, but maybe to much effort for that many people, eh.