Are you into cooking?

[Captain]

Made a giant pot of mashed potatoes yesterday, served it with mashed tuna and fresh garden salad.

[lvlshot]http://imgur.com/YJ5CPVA.jpg[/lvlshot]

Today I took the leftovers and baked them in the oven. Cooked stir-fry vegan chicken with soy sauce, garlic, pepper and basil to go with it. My girlfriend and I try to restrict our meat consumption to fish only and minimize our dairy intake as well. And no eggs either.

[lvlshot]http://imgur.com/xidCWG6.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Ryoki]

No eggs? Why not?

[Captain]

Too many health risks attached to eggs, especially in Canada where food standards are fairly low and words like "organic" or "free-range" aren't even real. I can also substitute eggs for flax seeds in many of my baking recipes so it's not a necessity.

I actually went vegan with my girlfriend for about a month last summer to try and alleviate my allergies and it actually worked. We haven't been fully vegan since then but we just try to limit the amount of dairy and meat in our diet.

This video is also worth watching:

[youtube]es6U00LMmC4[/youtube]

[Ferrao10]

mashed tuna

That's a good and simple one to smear on bread during summer times.
Mashed tuna with some creme fraiche, caper? (the lettuce/fruit/whatever), chives. Can even add roasted bacon-dices.

Apropos mash:
Can some british gentleman post the recipe for delicious bangers and mash?
Had it once in, yes, Guatemala. Made by some chef from the UK and it was gorgeous. Didn't mean to bother him for the important parts of this fairly simple thing, I guess.
But is there anything to keep in mind? Tell me your mom's stories about bangers, please.

[Captain]

Nakkikastike is the Finnish version of bangers and mash and it was by far my favourite out of all the amazing lunches the school would serve. FOR FREE.

https://thedomesticman.com/2014/09/16/n ... -in-sauce/

[lvlshot]https://thedomesticatedman.files.wordpr ... .jpg?w=800[/lvlshot]

[Ferrao10]

That looks like take away food. Not exactly what I was served.
Mine looked more along these lines:
[lvlshot]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-InBDw2oBDEs/U ... mash+3.jpg[/lvlshot]
copyright goes to: http://cuckooking.blogspot.de/2013/07/b ... -beer.html

And it really was a good meal at 11 pm at a night out.

[Whiskey 7]

..... Mine looked more along these lines..

[lvlshot]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-InBDw2oBDEs/Ue_3uQyYX6I/AAAAAAAALlE/ALXdw-GBk84/s1600/Bangers+and+mash+3.jpg[/lvlshot]

Looks nice Ferrao10
It is hard to beat bangers, peas and mash potato for sure.

Tonight I am knocking up a chicken chasseur and a strawberry mouse dessert.
My original recipe says to add 2 tablespoons cognac in the chasseur. Yes it's optional but I don't add it as a rule.

What's that funny line? ... I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food. - W. C. Fields ...
Sauce

[Ferrao10]

Tonight I am knocking up a chicken chasseur...
What's that funny line? ... I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food. - W. C. Fields ...

Well, I don't have an idea what a chasseur is but keep it coming.
We might all learn from you in the end.

Bavarian: "A meal includes two beers. But meanwhile we haven't drunken anything, yet."

[Whiskey 7]

Doing my pumpkin risotto recipe now. I still taste as I cook.

Code: Select all

Ingredients

pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
Some olive oil
Some honey, and some to serve
Prepare some vegetable stock
You choose he amount of onion, but finely chop
Some celery stalks, finely chopped
A piece ginger, grated fineley
Arborio rice, enough for the number partaking
Some white wine
Some lemon juice (doesn’t need to be fresh but fresh is best) 
Some chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to garnish
1 or 2 tablespoons mascarpone, plus extra to serve
 
Here’s how to put it together

Preheat you oven to 220°C. 
Lay pumpkin in an even layer on a large baking tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil
Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes, then remove and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of honey, tossing well to coat each piece
Roast for a further 15 minutes until cooked and golden
Place stock in a saucepan and keep at a simmer over low heat
Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-based pan over low heat then add onion and stir for 2-3 minutes until soft 
Add celery and cook for 1 minute, then add ginger and rice and cook for a further minute, stirring to coat grains
Increase heat to medium-low, add wine and cook until absorbed
Add stock a ladle full at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next 
Continue for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked but still firm to the bite
Add lemon juice, pumpkin and parsley
Season, then stir in mascarpone

Serve with a little parmesan cheese .... 
Bread rolls (heated and buttered) with a glass of white wine and you're done

[Eraser]

Some things I made a long time ago:

Some kind of salad with a veggie quiche


Pasta with shrimps


Lasagna


Dessert

[Whiskey 7]

Made a giant pot of mashed potatoes yesterday, served it with mashed tuna and fresh garden salad.......

I've been reading the topic to get some ideas and Captain Mazda, your mash and tuna got me to thinking of and old recipe my Mum used to make when I was like 5 years old....
I must go hunt that one out so thanks for the prod

[PhoeniX]

Not a photo of food, but I've just bought some rather sexy de Buyer carbon steel pans - 10" and 12". I highly recommend them

Dutcho's, you'll be pleased to know this purchase supported your economy. I bought them from http://knivesandtools.nl/ as it was a few £ cheaper than buying from their UK store. Arrived in two days too

[lvlshot]http://i.imgur.com/oKzIiXX.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Don Carlos]

Nice Pho

As you are about, I am after a nice knife block with accompanying knives. Might you be able to assist with a few recommendations? Not wanting to spend more than £100 though (cheap skate)

[PhoeniX]

Every bit of advice I read when looking into knives is don't buy a knife block, you won't use half of them . You only really need two knives, a small pairing style knife and a chefs' knife. Storing knives in a block isn't very good for them from what I read, you can pick-up a magnetic knife rack off eBay/Amazon for about £7 - I've one of these, it's cheap but it does the job.

I own and like Japanese knives as they have a thinner and sharper edge than western knives but they're often not that cheap. From when I was researching into them Victorinox (the people who make Swiss army knives) are very good value for the price and better than Wüsthof which is about double the price. You could pick-up these for £57 all in:

Victorinox Cooks Knife - 8.5" blade
Victorinox - Paring Knife 10cm
Victorinox - Bread Knife 21cm Serrated Edge

If you've already got a bread knife I'd probably not bother - I use a cheap one and it cuts bread fine!


Probably the most important thing is keeping the edge.. never leave them stood in water, never put them in the dishwasher, never use them to hack up frozen food etc - use a cheap old knife for that. Learn how to sharpen them; it's really easy and makes a world of difference. You want both a whetstone (which does the actual sharpening) and a honing rod (to straighten the fibres of the edge, they don't "sharpen" it). You only have to use the whetstone every few months and maybe the honing rod every week. I have a 1000/3000 grade whetstone (not this exact one). From what I read in most cases that's all you need and generally you'll only probably need to use the 3000 grade unless you've really dulled your knife. For a honing steel get ceramic (or diamond, but ceramic is better, apparently). E.g., something like this Wusthof one.

Sorted. .

Homework on whetstones. FYI the Victorinox is a 15' sharpening angle:

[youtube]kSKpz1UqIl4[/youtube]

[Whiskey 7]

Thought I'd knock together my cauliflower and broccoli bake tonight as the weather has turned a little chilly.
I don't do the 'white sauce' variety you may be familiar with and I go for the more tasty tomato style.
Quick simple and healthy with lots of vegetables

Ingredients
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Penne pasta, quantity cooked al dente
- Your favourite pasta sauce
- Your favourite cheese grated


Method

• Blanch pre-prepared cauliflower & broccoli pieces
(To blanch, and if you didn't know, add salt to a pot of water and when it boils add veggies and cook 1 minute)
• When done drain and lay these pieces of vegetables on a oven proof bowl or tray (I prefer Pyrex glass) and press down
• Cook quantity of pasta al dente
• Heat pasta sauce
• Mix pasta and sauce to make the consistency to your liking
• Add this pasta mixture over your oven tray and top with a cheese of your taste
• Place in preheated oven (180) and bake for about 30 minutes or until nice golden brown on top

Serve with an accompanying bead of you choice and a glass of you favourite (red) wine.

Magic

Note: I sometimes add a little shredded ham to the dish i.e. before adding the cheese topping add a layer of shredded ham.
Note to self: Must try some European sausage pieces

EDIT: I added a few little cherry tomatoes to this one.

Unlike me I took a photo before putting in the oven.
[lvlshot]https://s16.postimg.org/8emsi2p1h/Pasta_Bake.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Whiskey 7]

[lvlshot]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-InBDw2oBDEs/Ue_3uQyYX6I/AAAAAAAALlE/ALXdw-GBk84/s1600/Bangers+and+mash+3.jpg[/lvlshot]

Just what I am serving tonight but I will add some gravy.

[PhoeniX]

You better be adding gravy, sausages require gravy!

[plained]

Not a photo of food, but I've just bought some rather sexy de Buyer carbon steel pans - 10" and 12". I highly recommend them

Dutcho's, you'll be pleased to know this purchase supported your economy. I bought them from http://knivesandtools.nl/ as it was a few £ cheaper than buying from their UK store. Arrived in two days too

[lvlshot]http://i.imgur.com/oKzIiXX.jpg[/lvlshot]

nice ones

[Whiskey 7]

Help!

I tried for the first time to cook muffins but they stuck to the paper cup cake holders
Do I have to grease the paper? I would grease a metal muffin baking tray but I thought these wouldn't stick as my cup cakes have never had a problem.

Thoughts/suggestions from anyone are welcome:D




Here's the recipe

Code: Select all

Ingredients

   Quantity (60g) of shaved ham, chopped (save a little for garnish before baking)
   Quantity (500g) cheddar cheese, grated
   2 cups self-raising flour
   1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped
   1 and a 1/2 cups of milk
   A little salt and pepper

Method

    Step 1
    Preheat oven to 180°C.

    Step 2
    Place self-raising flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl

    Step 3
    Place shaved ham, cheddar cheese, milk and flat-leaf parsley in a separate bowl and mix until combined
    Pour the ham and cheese mixture into the flour and fold lightly until just combined

    Step 4
    Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 12-hole mini muffin pan. Place a little of the reserved ham onto/into the top of each muffin. 
    Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. 

    Serve warm or at room temperature.

[PhoeniX]

Ham muffins? What kind of amazing wizardry is this?

[Whiskey 7]

Ham muffins? What kind of amazing wizardry is this?

What, you've never tried savoury muffins?

A variant; I could have put some small pieces of cooked bacon bits in, in place of the ham so I will do that next time.

I've been reading up on the problem, muffins sticking to the paper cups and there's two trains of thought offered....
1. A little too long in the oven - the suggestion is to remove them a little earlier and
2. The obvious one I suppose, is to spray some oil over the empty cups before filling or run some butter around..

Just can't work out why my little pattie cakes don't stick but these (my first effort) did

[Don Carlos]

Every bit of advice I read when looking into knives is don't buy a knife block, you won't use half of them . You only really need two knives, a small pairing style knife and a chefs' knife. Storing knives in a block isn't very good for them from what I read, you can pick-up a magnetic knife rack off eBay/Amazon for about £7 - I've one of these, it's cheap but it does the job.

I own and like Japanese knives as they have a thinner and sharper edge than western knives but they're often not that cheap. From when I was researching into them Victorinox (the people who make Swiss army knives) are very good value for the price and better than Wüsthof which is about double the price. You could pick-up these for £57 all in:

Victorinox Cooks Knife - 8.5" blade
Victorinox - Paring Knife 10cm
Victorinox - Bread Knife 21cm Serrated Edge

If you've already got a bread knife I'd probably not bother - I use a cheap one and it cuts bread fine!


Probably the most important thing is keeping the edge.. never leave them stood in water, never put them in the dishwasher, never use them to hack up frozen food etc - use a cheap old knife for that. Learn how to sharpen them; it's really easy and makes a world of difference. You want both a whetstone (which does the actual sharpening) and a honing rod (to straighten the fibres of the edge, they don't "sharpen" it). You only have to use the whetstone every few months and maybe the honing rod every week. I have a 1000/3000 grade whetstone (not this exact one). From what I read in most cases that's all you need and generally you'll only probably need to use the 3000 grade unless you've really dulled your knife. For a honing steel get ceramic (or diamond, but ceramic is better, apparently). E.g., something like this Wusthof one.

Sorted. .

Homework on whetstones. FYI the Victorinox is a 15' sharpening angle:

[youtube]kSKpz1UqIl4[/youtube]

Ordered some shit bro - nice one

[PhoeniX]

What, you've never tried savoury muffins?

A variant; I could have put some small pieces of cooked bacon bits in, in place of the ham so I will do that next time.

I've been reading up on the problem, muffins sticking to the paper cups and there's two trains of thought offered....
1. A little too long in the oven - the suggestion is to remove them a little earlier and
2. The obvious one I suppose, is to spray some oil over the empty cups before filling or run some butter around..

Just can't work out why my little pattie cakes don't stick but these (my first effort) did

I don't think so - I guess it's just another variant of bacon and eggs, in muffin form. I'll have to try it

[PhoeniX]

Ordered some shit bro - nice one

Awesome, what did you go for in the end?

[Don Carlos]

Two that you recommended and an extra