UFOs (Unidentifiable Foodie Objects)

Merkin

In light of Bogman educating us all on the joys of fresh turmeric, I thought it would be good if we post up any unidentified food items here. We're all keen and adventurous gourmands and a lot of us intrepid travellers too so it would be great if the Foodie Boardsie's could post up any weird and wonderful goodies they encounter here. Unfortunately I'm at work at the moment and have two very ordinary satsumas and a rather standard Golden Delicious on my desk, so I won't be adding to the thread for now!

Faith

I don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for, but I was very bemused when I first saw this (I'm just linking the image as it genuinely makes me feel nauseas). Turns out it's tripe.

I'm always seeing it when I walk through the English Market and it's 100% guaranteed to kill my appetite.

Dizzyblonde

Faith wrote: »

Turns out it's tripe.

I'm always seeing it when I walk through the English Market and it's 100% guaranteed to kill my appetite.

You used see it a lot in butchers' windows years ago, I think it's the lining of a sheep's stomach. It looks disgusting.

Merkin

I just nearly brought up my lunch there Faith! I remember a friend brought some tripe back in a tin from Spain and dared me to try it without telling me what it was. Callos Madrilenos is a popular dish there (recipe here http://spanishfood.about.com/od/beefrecipes/r/Madrid-Style-Tripe-Recipe-Callos-Madrilenos.htm containing delicious things like calf feet :eek:)and I can safely say the memory has haunted me since - it looks like it tastes and the texture of it is just vile.

NEVER AGAIN!!

pwurple

The Electric in Cork used to do a really yummy tripe salad I think? It's the best way for newbies to tripe to try it. It's very like calamari. I just checked and they have replaced it with a boring old chicken salad. Boo.

My dad loves it, but I'm not a fan of the slow cooked in milk method. Can't beat breadcrumbing and deep-frying something.

the beer revolu

I've had really nice tripe with white beans and Ham in a creamy sauce in a Portuguese restaurant.

Minder

Roman tripe with tomato and beans is delicious.

Faith

This thread is getting a bit off-track already, so I've started a chat thread here. Maybe we can move the discussion about tripe over there to kick off the thread!

The Hill Billy

Not a food object, but a kitchen implement - any guesses...?

Mrs Fox

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Not a food object, but a kitchen implement - any guesses...?

Is it a smoker?

The Sweeper

Looks like something designed to have a chicken mounted on it for some variety of smoking or other beer-type steaming...

Merkin

Ooooh, interesting. A poacher maybe?

Alun

I've seen similar things for barbecuing chickens where you shove the wire frame thing up it's, errrm, rear end. Is that it?

The Hill Billy

Aye, it is a vertical chicken roasting stand. The idea being that the juices collect in the bottom for easily making gravy.

It is a waste of time really, because you end up with easy gravy & a dry bird.

Mrs Fox

The Hill Billy wrote: »

It is a waste of time really, because you end up with easy gravy & a dry bird.

Ah... I've got one of these Many moons ago from Roches Store but without the bit at the bottom, so I'd put the whole vertical chicken into a deep baking tray to collect the juice.


I've stopped using it years ago for the dry reason, plus I prefer to either spatchcock my bird, or if left whole, I'd stuff it with herbs.

Mrs Fox

Faith wrote: »

Turns out it's tripe.

Tripe satay is quite delicious


Not for the faint hearted, but I love the dish below. Any guesses?

The Hill Billy

Pigs tails?

Merkin

Trotters?

Mrs Fox

Nope and nope

Dizzyblonde

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Not for the faint hearted, but I love the dish below. Any guesses?

I have a horrible feeling it's sweetbreads.....

Alun

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I have a horrible feeling it's sweetbreads.....

I've an even more horrible feeling that it's made from some portion of a male animal's anatomy, 'nuff said :eek:

MissFlitworth

are they...little scaly toes? The kind chickens walk around on?

Mrs Fox

Indeed they are

Well it is Halloween soon so I might as well scare you folks...

Dizzyblonde

*faints

the beer revolu

If you don't mind me asking, Mrs Fox, are you Chinese in origin?
You seem to have a good knowledge of dim sum and like chicken feet.

Mrs Fox

You know, I've wondered the same about you since you've posted up Lo Mai Gai a couple of times before. Either you or Mrs Beer. And Not a lot of Irish find the concept of glutinous rice appealing.
I'm not of Chinese origin. But I grew up in Malaysia, so plenty of cross-cultural cuisine -- Chinese, Malay, Indian, Nyonya, Portuguese, Arabian, to name a few.

the beer revolu

Mrs Fox wrote: »

You know, I've wondered the same about you since you've posted up Lo Mai Gai a couple of times before. Either you or Mrs Beer. And Not a lot of Irish find the concept of glutinous rice appealing.
I'm not of Chinese origin. But I grew up in Malaysia, so plenty of cross-cultural cuisine -- Chinese, Malay, Indian, Nyonya, Portuguese, Arabian, to name a few.

Ah, Mrs Beer's mother is from Singapore.

Minder

What are these?

Minder

and what would this be?

Merkin

Witchetty grubs the first one? Am guessing caviar for the second?

Dizzyblonde

I'm hoping the first one is vegetable and not animal?

The second looks like fish roe.

Minder

Not grubs and not caviar/roe.

dee_mc

Is the second one 'citrus caviar' from limes? I've never seen it but heard someone describing it, sounds cool!

Edit: I'm squeamishly guessing some sort of pasta for the maggoty looking one!

Minder

Citrus caviar, also known as the finger lime.

The first picture isn't animal in origin.

MissFlitworth

Is the vaguely maggoty looking food spaetzle?

the beer revolu

Minder wrote: »

What are these?

Looks like oca to me. Have them in the garden.

Mellor

Are they a type of gnocci

Mellor

Mrs Fox wrote: »

...And Not a lot of Irish find the concept of glutinous rice appealing.

Strange you say that. My dad mentioned to me on skype that he likes going to a thai place nearby and I told him that I cook thai food a bit, even going to the hassle of making glutinous/stick rice at home. And he never heard of sticky rice. I was a bit confused as its on almost every thai menu i've seen over here. Your post above explains it a bit.

Minder

MissFlitworth wrote: »

Is the vaguely maggoty looking food spaetzle?

the beer revolu wrote: »

Looks like oca to me. Have them in the garden.

Mellor wrote: »

Are they a type of gnocci

Not pasta or gnocchi. Oca was close. These are a vegetable called crones or Chinese artichokes. Very easy it cultivate, they grow as tubers and spread like mint. Crispy and juicy, they can be cooked or eaten raw in salads.

the beer revolu

I thought of crones but thought they were redder than that.

Edit: now I look, it seems that oca can be all sorts of colours but ours are all pale yellow.

Mrs Fox

the beer revolu wrote: »

Ah, Mrs Beer's mother is from Singapore.

She must make a killer chilli crabs Mmmmmmmm crabs....

Mrs Fox

Minder wrote: »

Not pasta or gnocchi. Oca was close. These are a vegetable called crones or Chinese artichokes. Very easy it cultivate, they grow as tubers and spread like mint. Crispy and juicy, they can be cooked or eaten raw in salads.

What do they taste like?

the beer revolu

Mrs Fox wrote: »

She must make a killer chilli crabs Mmmmmmmm crabs....

Unfortunately, my mother-in-law is a terrible cook!

Louise77

Tryin to make tom kha gai soup, but struggling to find galangal. Went to Asian shop who offered me this- is this it?! Thanks

Alun

That looks more like a piece of ginger to me. Galangal, or at least the galangal I get in my local Asian shop, is thinner, and has a smoother skin, with a bit of a pink tinge to it.

EDIT: slice a bit off it and smell it. I assume you know what ginger smells like. Galangal has a slightly lemony smell to it.

Louise77

Did that and sliced off - doesn't taste of ginger - tastes more cocountty! Weird. Either way don't think its galangal! My hunt continues...
Thanks for help anyways

the beer revolu

Doesn't look like galangal to me.

B0jangles

Could it be taro?

the beer revolu

Eddoe

Minder

Crones - Mild nutty flavour with a texture or crunch like water chestnuts...

Dizzyblonde

Threads merged - sorry Minder, your last post came up below the thread I merged.