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[Cooking Thread] Burning questions and searing remarks

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Posts

  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    That_Guy wrote: »
    That_Guy wrote: »
    This may end up being a stupid idea, but I intend to make my own instant soup mix for work. I'm so sick of cup noodles and really want something with fewer calories and more nutritional value than the frozen crap I've been buying. My goal is to make up a bunch of containers/bags of different veggies, tvp, beans, rice, noodles and seasonings. I'd empty that into a bowl/mug, add boiling water and wait a few minutes for it be become soup. There is hardly any variety in the instant soup mix space these days. It's mostly either ramen or chicken noodle and all loaded with crap I don't want. The natural stuff is so expensive that it seems ridiculous to buy.

    To this end I have been shopping around on Amazon and other sites and found this 6 lb pack that comes with 32 different kinds of veggies, beans and tvp. While kind of expensive, it did come with everything I wanted and should end up being around the same price as those premade soup mixes with much better ingredients once I combine everything together. I'm planning to get some broth powder, instant rice, and instant noodles to round everything out.

    I figure I should be able to get around 100 meals out of this whole project.

    All the beans, veggies and tvp arrived on Saturday. On Sunday I picked up some sodium-free broth powder, fast cook pasta, instant rice and powdered mashed potatoes. I made a couple of test batches just to make sure this was going to work how I wanted. Boy howdy did it work. I first made Potato Leek. For that I combined dried potato, leek, a touch of japapino, chickenish TVP, 1/4 of a both packet, mashed potato powder, a touch of cornstarch, salt, pepper and, a dash of italian herbs that I've had in the cupboard for way too long and need to eat up. I added a couple cups of water, microwaved for 5 min and let it sit for another 5. Upon retrival, I had a nice hot, creamy potato leek soup, better than any instant soup mix I'd ever had. I weighed everything out and kept the total dry weight to about 2 oz, similar to the instant mixes I saw elsewhere. For my next trick I made red beans and rice. That also turned out really good. Satisfied that my idea may be more expensive than I initially thought, but not totally dumb, I decided to make up a few different blends to take into work. I have 2 bags of potato leek, 2 bags of red beans and rice, 2 bags of lentil spinach and pasta, and 1 experimental bag of chili and pasta. I am storing them in plastic bags just for ease of transport. In the future I want to use mason jars so I can make the sup in the container I keep the dry stuff in.

    With the Mason jar, just make sure you also have a bowl handy. Eating soup outta Mason jars is a pain in the ass, cause of the angle you need to hold the spoon at

  • CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    dennis wrote: »
    Irond Will wrote: »
    made something called "depression burger" this weekend. the term basically refers to stretching hamburger with onions and there are different ways to do it.

    the way I did it was:

    1) slice onion very very thin
    2) salt onion slices and mix salt in. leave to sit for i dunno a half hour
    3) mix onion with burger meat. i think i did 2 onions for a pound of burg
    4) make burger in "smash burger" style - smash down very flat on very hot surface, salt pepper, flip, slice of cheese.
    5) serve the way you like burgers - I did american cheese, tortilla, hatch green chiles, tomato, lettuce mayo.

    the onions caramelize and scorch beautifully. it's just a great burger.

    You're really just a few breadcrumbs and an egg away from meatloaf. :biggrin:

    I made sloppy joes yesterday, but didn't have any bell peppers so I just went with onions. I really should just skip the bell pepper. Those things are always a pain in the ass to dice (sometimes I just whip them through the food processor) and I can't say I actually notice/miss them. I wonder whose idea it was that we should all put them in there to begin with? It feels like a similar thing to try to stretch the meat. It's like, "How can we get rid of these bell pepper we planted so many of?" I guess it was either that or zucchini...

    I also wound up with a 1:1:1 mix of beef:pork:turkey. The pork was because I didn't get around to using it and had to throw it in there. I think I neutralized any health benefit of putting the turkey in there. And at 3 lbs, I really regretted my choice to cook it in the 12 inch skillet. My thought process was "hey, I want to brown as much of this meat all at once." But then I wound up only being able to fit 2 lbs in and had to do two batches anyway (plus another for the onions/garlic). *facepalm* Should have just stuck with the 4 quart saute pan. That skillet was filled to the brim with sloppy joe. I could not possibly have fit more in it.

    Weirdly I also made sloppy joes yesterday. I did have bell pepper, though. Also I'm pretty sure this was the first time I've ever actually cooked or eaten sloppy joes from scratch? I subbed extra tomato paste and some bbq sauce for the ketchup the recipe called for (I hate ketchup) and skipped adding any sugar. They were still sweet, but not as grossly sweet as the packaged sauce usually is.

    How are you chopping peppers that's a pain in the ass? I find them easier than onions.

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    dennis wrote: »
    Irond Will wrote: »
    made something called "depression burger" this weekend. the term basically refers to stretching hamburger with onions and there are different ways to do it.

    the way I did it was:

    1) slice onion very very thin
    2) salt onion slices and mix salt in. leave to sit for i dunno a half hour
    3) mix onion with burger meat. i think i did 2 onions for a pound of burg
    4) make burger in "smash burger" style - smash down very flat on very hot surface, salt pepper, flip, slice of cheese.
    5) serve the way you like burgers - I did american cheese, tortilla, hatch green chiles, tomato, lettuce mayo.

    the onions caramelize and scorch beautifully. it's just a great burger.

    You're really just a few breadcrumbs and an egg away from meatloaf. :biggrin:

    I made sloppy joes yesterday, but didn't have any bell peppers so I just went with onions. I really should just skip the bell pepper. Those things are always a pain in the ass to dice (sometimes I just whip them through the food processor) and I can't say I actually notice/miss them. I wonder whose idea it was that we should all put them in there to begin with? It feels like a similar thing to try to stretch the meat. It's like, "How can we get rid of these bell pepper we planted so many of?" I guess it was either that or zucchini...

    I also wound up with a 1:1:1 mix of beef:pork:turkey. The pork was because I didn't get around to using it and had to throw it in there. I think I neutralized any health benefit of putting the turkey in there. And at 3 lbs, I really regretted my choice to cook it in the 12 inch skillet. My thought process was "hey, I want to brown as much of this meat all at once." But then I wound up only being able to fit 2 lbs in and had to do two batches anyway (plus another for the onions/garlic). *facepalm* Should have just stuck with the 4 quart saute pan. That skillet was filled to the brim with sloppy joe. I could not possibly have fit more in it.

    Weirdly I also made sloppy joes yesterday. I did have bell pepper, though. Also I'm pretty sure this was the first time I've ever actually cooked or eaten sloppy joes from scratch? I subbed extra tomato paste and some bbq sauce for the ketchup the recipe called for (I hate ketchup) and skipped adding any sugar. They were still sweet, but not as grossly sweet as the packaged sauce usually is.

    How are you chopping peppers that's a pain in the ass? I find them easier than onions.

    I do onions pretty much like this:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaJWqEXaG9Y

    Only difference being that I don't usually cut off the root. They basically dice themselves.

    Bell peppers, on the other hand, are way more complicated. You have to deseed them, and those suckers like to go everywhere and stick to everything (okay, so that part is probably not all that different than peeling the onion, which can be annoying). But then the BP itself is shaped like the opposite of the kind of vegetable you want to dice. There's no good way to flatten. It's all uneven strips and bendy parts and you (or *I*) wind up with the little nubs here and there that have to have special attention.

    I should be clear that I have two small children, so a rough dice isn't going to do it. I want the vegetables to be very much in the background on this one.

    I never used to like sloppy joes until I started making them from scratch. I just found them very so-so. I think I just didn't care for the typical seasonings they put in. But now, my sloppy joe recipe is pretty much all over the place. The only constants are ketchup, yellow mustard and Worchestershire sauce. Sometimes I'll also throw: bbq sauce, black pepper, ground chipotle (a couple of times ago I did a shake of it, not noticing until a little too late that the jar didn't have a shaker lid on it!), cumin, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, Rotel, tomato sauce, brown sugar, salsa, Italian seasoning, and probably lots of other stuff. I kind of just mix it up, including sometimes making it saucier and sometimes less. Sometimes it turns out better than others, but doing it this way keeps me from getting as bored with it (as it's in the rotation here quite often).

  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    I mean, you don't have to deseed them...

    But, even if you do, you cut the pepper in half top to bottom leaving that stem intact, then you do 6 small cuts like a hexagon around the stem, then pull the pepper apart and the pepper is deseeded.

  • CauldCauld Registered User regular
    I cut around the outside from top to bottom. Kind of like you're peeling it, but the only part you're leaving behind is the core.

  • Irond WillIrond Will WARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!! Cambridge. MAModerator mod
    edited March 2021
    I never used to like bell peppers but have come around on them - they have a great flavor. I generally halve them and burn the skins off with a propane torch. Makes them very easy to dice

    Irond Will on
    Wqdwp8l.png
  • destroyah87destroyah87 They/Them Preferred: She/Her - Please UseRegistered User regular
    Cauld wrote: »
    I cut around the outside from top to bottom. Kind of like you're peeling it, but the only part you're leaving behind is the core.

    yeah, I make 4 cuts around the core (like an apple), then cut off the bottom and eat that (chef snack). Throw the core away and pepper is deseeded.

    steam_sig.png
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Irond Will wrote: »
    I never used to like bell peppers but have come around on them - they have a great flavor. I generally halve them and burn the skins off with a propane torch. Makes them very easy to dice

    I love raw bell peppers and hummus. Makes for a great snack. Throw in some carrot sticks for a bit of variety.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
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  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    Cleanest and fastest way to deal with a pepper imo (can't remember where I learned it from):

    Put the pepper on it's side and chop the top and bottom off. You want to cut just in from the ends enough that the full stem but none of the seeds go with the top piece and the like bottom nib thingy goes with the bottom piece and the centre section is fairly cylindrical. Don't throw the top and bottom out.

    Put the pepper cylinder vertical and cut a slice through the side right next to one of the ribs. Plop the pepper on it's side again, get your knife into the inside of the pepper via the slit and gently slice the membranes away from the outer skin one at a time while you unroll the pepper.

    If you do it right you can easily pull the entire core and all the seeds out in 1 giant chunk and be left with a curling rectangular hunk of pepper with minimal to no mess. Then just chop that section up into whatever size and shape you need. It's super easy to work with.

    For the top and bottom just cut the bits of flesh around the stem away from the stem and remove the nib from the bottom piece (or don't I guess) and chop them up too. They won't be as straight and pretty and perfect but who gives a fuck.

    After trying a ton of different tricks this was imo by far the best way to break down a pepper with almost no mess and using almost every single bit of flesh. Which is important cause peppers are fucking expensive.

    shryke on
  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    shryke wrote: »
    After trying a ton of different tricks this was imo by far the best way to break down a pepper with almost no mess and using almost every single bit of flesh. Which is important cause peppers are fucking expensive.

    This was another reason I decided to stop putting them in the sloppy joe. They are crazy expensive for what they are (to my taste).

    And yeah, a lot of this are basically how I cut them. I still wouldn't call it "easy", compared to onions which to me are a total breeze. Or apples, carrots, potatoes, etc. Those are plants that are just made to cut up.

    But that brings up a good question: what fruit/vegetable do you most hate to cut up?

    For me, mangoes are annoying. I think that's because there is no perfect way to get all the meat away from that stupid seed (the dumbest of all seeds). I hate waste (which is probably one of the reasons bell pepper is annoying: I won't throw away the end bits that would probably make it easier.) It's always a compromise with mangoes. Also because I don't really like mango, so I'm only cutting it up for other people in my family.

    dennis on
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Mangos are definitely irritating. I hate cutting those fuckers up.

    The worst I think by far through are like butternut squashes. Peeling one of those fuckers is tough work and I've found I have to wear gloves doing it otherwise it leaves this like starchy residue on your hands that just doesn't wash off and makes your hands feel dry and tight for ages afterwards. Super tasty veggie but it's a fucking workout to get the damn things prepped for roasting in bite-size form.

  • SoggybiscuitSoggybiscuit Tandem Electrostatic Accelerator Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    shryke wrote: »
    Mangos are definitely irritating. I hate cutting those fuckers up.

    The worst I think by far through are like butternut squashes. Peeling one of those fuckers is tough work and I've found I have to wear gloves doing it otherwise it leaves this like starchy residue on your hands that just doesn't wash off and makes your hands feel dry and tight for ages afterwards. Super tasty veggie but it's a fucking workout to get the damn things prepped for roasting in bite-size form.

    Just roast butternut squash skin on and peel it off afterwards. I’ve always found that to be the easiest for them. If you are really lucky you can get a full peel sometimes, where you peel the skin off in one pass.

    Soggybiscuit on
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  • CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    For peppers I just plop it down on the cutting board stem-side down, then follow the indentations on the body to make 3 or 4 wedge-shaped cuts. Leaves the seeds attached to the core with the ribs as a cage around it and gets almost all the pepper flesh unless you get a weird-shaped pepper and the wedges are (aside from a bit of curl where the top was) pretty flat and easy to slice into strips then cross-cut at whatever size.

    Least favorite thing to chop: apples for pie. Gotta peel them then also core them and the remaining apple always ends up breaking apart whichever way I hold it down while cutting. It's not bad, really, but it feels like it takes forever.

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    Mangos are definitely irritating. I hate cutting those fuckers up.

    The worst I think by far through are like butternut squashes. Peeling one of those fuckers is tough work and I've found I have to wear gloves doing it otherwise it leaves this like starchy residue on your hands that just doesn't wash off and makes your hands feel dry and tight for ages afterwards. Super tasty veggie but it's a fucking workout to get the damn things prepped for roasting in bite-size form.

    Just roast butternut squash skin on and peel it off afterwards. I’ve always found that to be the easiest for them. If you are really lucky you can get a full peel sometimes, where you peel the skin off in one pass.

    Doesn't get you the same end product as turn it into chunks and getting some delicious sugar/butter mixture all over all the pieces with some nice browning on all sides.

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    For peppers I just plop it down on the cutting board stem-side down, then follow the indentations on the body to make 3 or 4 wedge-shaped cuts. Leaves the seeds attached to the core with the ribs as a cage around it and gets almost all the pepper flesh unless you get a weird-shaped pepper and the wedges are (aside from a bit of curl where the top was) pretty flat and easy to slice into strips then cross-cut at whatever size.

    Least favorite thing to chop: apples for pie. Gotta peel them then also core them and the remaining apple always ends up breaking apart whichever way I hold it down while cutting. It's not bad, really, but it feels like it takes forever.

    It's basically the main reason I don't make a ton of apple pies. Chopping up that many apples is such a time consuming process. I understand why people by those peeler/slicer dealies, even if they are wasteful.

  • daveNYCdaveNYC Why universe hate Waspinator? Registered User regular
    Dunno what you're using, but I've got the Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Perfect Peeler (sadly there's a bunch of Kyocera peelers, so the full derpy name is necessary) and that puppy will take the skin of pretty much everything with minimal effort.

    Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to get it!
  • CauldCauld Registered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    For peppers I just plop it down on the cutting board stem-side down, then follow the indentations on the body to make 3 or 4 wedge-shaped cuts. Leaves the seeds attached to the core with the ribs as a cage around it and gets almost all the pepper flesh unless you get a weird-shaped pepper and the wedges are (aside from a bit of curl where the top was) pretty flat and easy to slice into strips then cross-cut at whatever size.

    Least favorite thing to chop: apples for pie. Gotta peel them then also core them and the remaining apple always ends up breaking apart whichever way I hold it down while cutting. It's not bad, really, but it feels like it takes forever.

    It's basically the main reason I don't make a ton of apple pies. Chopping up that many apples is such a time consuming process. I understand why people by those peeler/slicer dealies, even if they are wasteful.

    For apple pie I peel and then just leave a bit more core to make it easier (ie. I just cut straight down on 4 sides and leave a square core). The saved time is well worth the extra wasted apple. I saw Kenji do it on a video and it really helped me reevaluate how much I care about wasted Apple.

  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    Almost anything in bulk becomes a pain. Even when the individual thing is easy.

    I make applesauce in the instant pot frequently (high recommended). While coring and cutting up an apple into chunks is super easy, doing it about 15-20 times sucks. And I don't even peel them. I can't imagine the torture for apple pie or tarts where you want some nice long thin peeled wedges.

    dennis on
  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    daveNYC wrote: »
    Dunno what you're using, but I've got the Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Perfect Peeler (sadly there's a bunch of Kyocera peelers, so the full derpy name is necessary) and that puppy will take the skin of pretty much everything with minimal effort.

    A timely recommendation. When I did the aforementioned peeling of the asparagus, the skins really built up in the plastic backing part of the peeler I have that looks similar to
    4g8uorj859gg.png

    It's good for most stuff, but not so much that.

    One Kyocera Advanced Ceramic Perfect Peeler on its way!

    dennis on
  • MovitzMovitz Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    shryke wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    Mangos are definitely irritating. I hate cutting those fuckers up.

    The worst I think by far through are like butternut squashes. Peeling one of those fuckers is tough work and I've found I have to wear gloves doing it otherwise it leaves this like starchy residue on your hands that just doesn't wash off and makes your hands feel dry and tight for ages afterwards. Super tasty veggie but it's a fucking workout to get the damn things prepped for roasting in bite-size form.

    Just roast butternut squash skin on and peel it off afterwards. I’ve always found that to be the easiest for them. If you are really lucky you can get a full peel sometimes, where you peel the skin off in one pass.

    Doesn't get you the same end product as turn it into chunks and getting some delicious sugar/butter mixture all over all the pieces with some nice browning on all sides.

    I never peel them, and don't even think I've gotten them peeled at restaurants either now that I think about it. I just chop em up and roast with olive oil and suitable seasoning.

    If there's no specific reason you don't like eating the whole thing, you can always save some time and effort that way? Also works for reasonably clean potatoes.

    As a side note. I had a colleague who insisted on eating unpeeled kiwi fruit. Hairy fruit is where I draw the line.

    Movitz on
  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    edited March 2021
    The only way (apart from soup) that I've ever found I enjoy butternut squash is braised: I peel and cube them. Fry up garlic in some oil. Put the cubes in and put some stock in. Add seasonings. When the liquid starts boiling, cover and simmer. When the squash is still just a little firm, uncover and turn the heat up. Stir as it boils away, letting the edges of the squash brown (really brown for the best flavor).

    That's pretty much it. You wind up with something with a bit of firmness to it, with a softer texture inside. I go for more savory and less sweet. I either like it this way or totally pureed in soup, not really much in between.

    I don't think I'd go this method with skin. Even if they did somehow become tender and tasty enough, I don't think they'd caramelize in the same way, and would likely slough off while stirring the cubes in the pan.

    dennis on
  • BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    dennis wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    After trying a ton of different tricks this was imo by far the best way to break down a pepper with almost no mess and using almost every single bit of flesh. Which is important cause peppers are fucking expensive.

    This was another reason I decided to stop putting them in the sloppy joe. They are crazy expensive for what they are (to my taste).

    And yeah, a lot of this are basically how I cut them. I still wouldn't call it "easy", compared to onions which to me are a total breeze. Or apples, carrots, potatoes, etc. Those are plants that are just made to cut up.

    But that brings up a good question: what fruit/vegetable do you most hate to cut up?

    For me, mangoes are annoying. I think that's because there is no perfect way to get all the meat away from that stupid seed (the dumbest of all seeds). I hate waste (which is probably one of the reasons bell pepper is annoying: I won't throw away the end bits that would probably make it easier.) It's always a compromise with mangoes. Also because I don't really like mango, so I'm only cutting it up for other people in my family.

    Cutting fruit and veggies is my favorite part of cooking, so, Uhh, hot peppers I guess? Cause I will inevitable rub my eye at some point without washing my hands

    If you have an Asian grocery nearby, bell peppers are always way cheaper there than at American style grocery stores

  • Irond WillIrond Will WARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!! Cambridge. MAModerator mod
    Huh I wonder if you could just propane torch the skins off apples before cutting them for pies.

    Propane torch does a lot of heavy lifting in my kitchen. I use it for tomatoes and peppers all the time plus if I want to put a darker sear on meats without cooking them any further.

    Wqdwp8l.png
  • lonelyahavalonelyahava Call me Ahava ~~She/Her~~ Move to New ZealandRegistered User regular
    Can I leave my skinless chicken thighs in the pickle brine overnight

  • VishNubVishNub Registered User regular
    For safety yes. Overmarinated meats can get a funky texture, but how long that takes depends heavily on the specifics.

    Overnight in the fridge you’re very probably fine

  • SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    Long soaks in acidic solutions (like pickle brine) can break down the meat and make it mushy and dry, since it can no long retain moisture when cooked. If it were me, I'd probably only marinate for 4-6 hours in acid to avoid the risk of ruining the cuts.

  • That_GuyThat_Guy I don't wanna be that guy Registered User regular
    If I'm doing an overnight brine/marande I generally try to avoid having a lot of acid like lemon/lime juice or vinegar. There's a bit of acid in worcestershire sauce but not enough to really affect the texture negatively.

  • LeperMessiahLeperMessiah Registered User regular
    I guess when you lose a father figure, someone who loved your strange unique take on stuff, well you come back home after everything and cook?

    9i5hl44h5dy5.jpg

  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    This is my favorite pasta sauce that I was talking to @JebusUD about. It's a great way to use large amounts cherry tomatoes. It produces a relatively small (but extremely flavorful) amount of sauce, so the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. You can also mix the sauce with a bit of pasta water to stretch it a bit more.

    I've literally never had leftovers of this sauce any time I've made it because everyone just eats it all. It's a very flexible recipe as the tomatoes are sort of hard to overcook - as long as you have some liquid in the pan they won't burn.

    The recipe is from milk street which is unfortunately paywalled, but highly worth a subscription imo.


    CUP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, PLUS MORE TO SERVE

    4
    MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED

    ¼
    TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES

    2
    BAY LEAVES

    1
    POUND CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES, HALVED

    ½
    TEASPOON WHITE SUGAR

    KOSHER SALT

    2
    TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH SAGE, DIVIDED

    12
    OUNCES BUCATINI PASTA OR SPAGHETTI

    ¾
    TEASPOON SMOKED PAPRIKA

    SHAVED PECORINO ROMANO, TO SERVE

    01
    In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and bay, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 4 minutes.
    02
    Reduce to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the sauce is thick enough that a spatula drawn through it leaves a trail, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the bay. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sage and the smoked paprika, then cover to keep warm.
    03
    When the sauce is almost ready, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot. Add the sauce and toss until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sage and shaved pecorino, then drizzle with additional oil.

  • Irond WillIrond Will WARNING: NO HURTFUL COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!!! Cambridge. MAModerator mod
    @Casual Eddy that must be a pretty tart dish. I've had a hard time balancing the acidity when using cherry tomatoes in a sauce. Your recipe sounds tasty though.

    Wqdwp8l.png
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    I think the large amount of olive oil, paprika, little bit of sugar, and long cooking time help with the acidity. I am pretty sensitive to acidic foods (I have acid reflux if I don't watch what I eat) and don't have a problem with it. I have no idea why this recipe works but the sauce always ends up more umami and rich than tart.

    it also smells incredible when it cooks

  • notyanotya Registered User regular
    This is my favorite pasta sauce that I was talking to @JebusUD about. It's a great way to use large amounts cherry tomatoes. It produces a relatively small (but extremely flavorful) amount of sauce, so the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. You can also mix the sauce with a bit of pasta water to stretch it a bit more.

    I've literally never had leftovers of this sauce any time I've made it because everyone just eats it all. It's a very flexible recipe as the tomatoes are sort of hard to overcook - as long as you have some liquid in the pan they won't burn.

    The recipe is from milk street which is unfortunately paywalled, but highly worth a subscription imo.


    CUP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, PLUS MORE TO SERVE

    4
    MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED

    ¼
    TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES

    2
    BAY LEAVES

    1
    POUND CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES, HALVED

    ½
    TEASPOON WHITE SUGAR

    KOSHER SALT

    2
    TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH SAGE, DIVIDED

    12
    OUNCES BUCATINI PASTA OR SPAGHETTI

    ¾
    TEASPOON SMOKED PAPRIKA

    SHAVED PECORINO ROMANO, TO SERVE

    01
    In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and bay, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 4 minutes.
    02
    Reduce to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the sauce is thick enough that a spatula drawn through it leaves a trail, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the bay. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sage and the smoked paprika, then cover to keep warm.
    03
    When the sauce is almost ready, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot. Add the sauce and toss until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sage and shaved pecorino, then drizzle with additional oil.

    On a whim I decided to make this tonight.


    FUCKK YEAAA!! So delicious. Probably my favorite non meat pasta sauce I've ever made.

    Only substitution was regular paprika instead of smoked paprika. I used some reallllyyyy sweet delicious tomatoes too. I do wonder if the quality would drop with lesser tomatoes. Normally I used canned tomatoes for my sauces.

    Anyways, highly recommend to anyone in the mood for some pasta.

  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    notya wrote: »
    This is my favorite pasta sauce that I was talking to @JebusUD about. It's a great way to use large amounts cherry tomatoes. It produces a relatively small (but extremely flavorful) amount of sauce, so the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. You can also mix the sauce with a bit of pasta water to stretch it a bit more.

    I've literally never had leftovers of this sauce any time I've made it because everyone just eats it all. It's a very flexible recipe as the tomatoes are sort of hard to overcook - as long as you have some liquid in the pan they won't burn.

    The recipe is from milk street which is unfortunately paywalled, but highly worth a subscription imo.


    CUP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, PLUS MORE TO SERVE

    4
    MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED

    ¼
    TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES

    2
    BAY LEAVES

    1
    POUND CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES, HALVED

    ½
    TEASPOON WHITE SUGAR

    KOSHER SALT

    2
    TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH SAGE, DIVIDED

    12
    OUNCES BUCATINI PASTA OR SPAGHETTI

    ¾
    TEASPOON SMOKED PAPRIKA

    SHAVED PECORINO ROMANO, TO SERVE

    01
    In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and bay, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 4 minutes.
    02
    Reduce to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the sauce is thick enough that a spatula drawn through it leaves a trail, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove and discard the bay. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sage and the smoked paprika, then cover to keep warm.
    03
    When the sauce is almost ready, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and the pasta, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot. Add the sauce and toss until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sage and shaved pecorino, then drizzle with additional oil.

    On a whim I decided to make this tonight.


    FUCKK YEAAA!! So delicious. Probably my favorite non meat pasta sauce I've ever made.

    Only substitution was regular paprika instead of smoked paprika. I used some reallllyyyy sweet delicious tomatoes too. I do wonder if the quality would drop with lesser tomatoes. Normally I used canned tomatoes for my sauces.

    Anyways, highly recommend to anyone in the mood for some pasta.

    yeah smoked paprika adds a bit more depth but regular or sweet is fine. The guy who runs milk street is the bow-tied food-nerd who used to run America's Test Kitchen, so there's the same sort of methodology and rigorous testing behind their recipes. It's a weird recipe but I figured it would be good

    I usually don't have fresh sage on hand - it's very nice but not critical for the sauce. Since I usually have every other ingredient on hand, you really just need to buy or harvest a shit ton of cherry tomatoes and boom you have a fresh sauce in about an hour.

  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    milk street is also responsible for my favorite scrambled eggs of all time. they cook in about 60 seconds and are fluffy and beautiful and tasty. I love the low and slow method with a lot of butter, but it's tiresome and takes forever. you do need decent / fresh olive oil for it since it's such a big part of the flavor. doesn't need to be fancy, any relatively decent and fresh EV olive oil is fine

    2
    TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

    8
    LARGE EGGS

    KOSHER SALT AND GROUND BLACK PEPPER

    01
    In a 12-inch nonstick or seasoned carbon-steel skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until just beginning to smoke, about 3 minutes.
    SEE DEMO
    02
    While the oil heats, in a bowl use a fork to whisk the eggs and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt until blended and foamy on top.
    SEE DEMO
    03
    Pour the eggs into the center of the pan. Using a rubber spatula, continuously stir the eggs, pushing them toward the middle as they begin to set around the edges and folding the cooked egg over on itself.
    SEE DEMO
    04
    Cook until the eggs are just set, 60 to 90 seconds. The curds should be shiny, wet and soft, but not translucent or runny. Immediately transfer to warmed plates and season with salt and black pepper.

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    milk street is also responsible for my favorite scrambled eggs of all time. they cook in about 60 seconds and are fluffy and beautiful and tasty. I love the low and slow method with a lot of butter, but it's tiresome and takes forever. you do need decent / fresh olive oil for it since it's such a big part of the flavor. doesn't need to be fancy, any relatively decent and fresh EV olive oil is fine

    2
    TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

    8
    LARGE EGGS

    KOSHER SALT AND GROUND BLACK PEPPER

    01
    In a 12-inch nonstick or seasoned carbon-steel skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until just beginning to smoke, about 3 minutes.
    SEE DEMO
    02
    While the oil heats, in a bowl use a fork to whisk the eggs and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt until blended and foamy on top.
    SEE DEMO
    03
    Pour the eggs into the center of the pan. Using a rubber spatula, continuously stir the eggs, pushing them toward the middle as they begin to set around the edges and folding the cooked egg over on itself.
    SEE DEMO
    04
    Cook until the eggs are just set, 60 to 90 seconds. The curds should be shiny, wet and soft, but not translucent or runny. Immediately transfer to warmed plates and season with salt and black pepper.

    Yeah, that's exactly the same as Kenji's recipe for diner-style scrambled eggs (except I guess you can use whatever fat you want, I use butter normally) and it's fantastic and gets you that exact like soft curdy texture that it so good. Pre-scrambled the eggs with salt and then high heat and very fast and don't continuously stir so that the curds form.

  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    it's funny how many completely different ways there are to make perfect scrambled eggs

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    Chanus wrote: »
    it's funny how many completely different ways there are to make perfect scrambled eggs

    This is the quickest and most reliable way I’ve encountered, also it’s my favorite, and thus the best,

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    There's many ways to make scrambled eggs that achieve very different textures and flavours and such. People can pick whichever one they want.

    Though obviously people who don't pick the one Casual Eddy and I are talking about are wrong.

  • Casual EddyCasual Eddy The Astral PlaneRegistered User regular
    I will say that method is not great for cooking enormous amounts of eggs. You need enough room for the eggs to push the heated oil to the edges of the pan, which then flash cooks the edge of the egg

  • AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    Finally a nice day to get out the grill. Cherry and pecan wood go so, so nice with chicken. Great with salmon too!

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