The General Chat Thread

LaChatteGitane · 28-02-2017 02:32PM

B0jangles wrote: »

Random cooking tip: Anyone here not happy with the way omelettes can often turn out to be a bit leathery should definitely try the main tip in this recipe:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/04/diner-style-ham-and-cheese-omelette-for-two-recipe-food-lab.html

The key step is to whisk the eggs up with some salt and leave them sit for 10-15 minutes, this apparently changes the structure of the proteins and makes the resulting omelette much more tender and silky than usual. I used to really dislike omelettes but after tasting one made this way, I think I'm a convert

Or just don't overcook them. :pac:

Graces7 · 01-03-2017 06:38AM

Off to the wide world of SHOPS soon.... not sure quite where but sure, ALDi and LIDl etc are all over the place..

Ash Wednesday ... churches everywhere too...

Lady Haywire · 02-03-2017 04:17PM

Knew I was getting a smell of wild garlic while out walking so bought a huge bunch today, went for my usual walk and have identified some!
So now what to do with a few kgs of wild garlic :pac:
Seen a nice recipe for wild garlic & potato soup, also will use some in stir fries. Can I deep fry some as a garnish or would that work at all?

Malari · 02-03-2017 04:25PM

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Knew I was getting a smell of wild garlic while out walking so bought a huge bunch today, went for my usual walk and have identified some!
So now what to do with a few kgs of wild garlic :pac:
Seen a nice recipe for wild garlic & potato soup, also will use some in stir fries. Can I deep fry some as a garnish or would that work at all?

It works really well as a pesto.

Lady Haywire · 02-03-2017 04:27PM

Malari wrote: »

It works really well as a pesto.

Hadn't thought of that, thank you!

Shenshen · 02-03-2017 04:54PM

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Knew I was getting a smell of wild garlic while out walking so bought a huge bunch today, went for my usual walk and have identified some!
So now what to do with a few kgs of wild garlic :pac:
Seen a nice recipe for wild garlic & potato soup, also will use some in stir fries. Can I deep fry some as a garnish or would that work at all?

Chop up a bunch of it and stir it through some cottage cheese, add a little alt, pepper and (important!) lemon juice. Makes a brilliant dip, and is just wonderful on a baked potato.

Lady Haywire · 02-03-2017 05:37PM

Shenshen wrote: »

Chop up a bunch of it and stir it through some cottage cheese, add a little alt, pepper and (important!) lemon juice. Makes a brilliant dip, and is just wonderful on a baked potato.

I have all of these things, but am not a potato fan. Though maybe on some pasta or baby leaves? Ta!

Alun · 02-03-2017 07:24PM

There's an Indian takeaway in Greystones that does wild garlic naan breads when it's in season

I've use it in pesto, as an addition to other salad leaves, as a stuffing for whole roasted or steamed fish and also wilted as a vegetable either on it's own (a bit too much IMO) or together with spinach leaves.

Shenshen · 04-03-2017 08:45PM

Lady Haywire wrote: »

I have all of these things, but am not a potato fan. Though maybe on some pasta or baby leaves? Ta!

Never really thought of that, but yes, you could use it even to dress a salad if you fancied. It's lovely with radishes or carrots.
Back home in Germany I'd have it spread on some fresh sourdough bread, with some sliced and salted daikon radish on the side

Polka_Dot · 18-03-2017 03:22PM

Any ideas for what to have with wild boar & apple sausages? Picked some up in the butchers today but don't really know what to do with them!

Avada · 18-03-2017 03:42PM

Maybe a simple bangers and mash? Gravy made with onions, chicken stock and some cider.

Thats just off the top of my head though.

arian · 18-03-2017 05:28PM

Delia has a good recipe for venison sausages in red wine. I think it would work with wild boar & apple, though it's from her juniper berry phase, and I don't know how they'd fit with the apple. Leave them out?
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/sausages/venison-sausages-braised-in-red-wine

Alternatively, how about serving them with red cabbage braised with apples?

B0jangles · 18-03-2017 05:36PM

I'd second the bangers and mash option with a pork, onion and cider (or microplaned apple) gravy. Really good sausages deserve to be appreciated as they are!

L1011 · 19-03-2017 07:27PM

Anyone ever figured out a rough recipe for the "Govindas Special" (the tofu or paneer dish they always do). Website just describes it as basically every type of vegetable and that's it.

Vegan/Vegetarian is quite quiet so there's a better chance in here I guess.

The Hill Billy · 19-03-2017 10:51PM

Who are "they" & what website are you referring to?

Avada · 19-03-2017 11:05PM

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Who are "they" & what website are you referring to?

Govindas I'm assuming.

The Hill Billy · 20-03-2017 02:31AM

Never heard of them.

L1011 · 20-03-2017 07:46AM

Small chain of vegetarian restaurants - used to have more than they do now

corblimey · 20-03-2017 10:19AM

Is there any culinary science behind how small or big to chop up your chicken breasts, or is purely personal taste? Say you're marinading your chicken pieces, large pieces have more surface area for the marinade to cling to, but smaller pieces would soak up more of the flavours? What about if you're cooking them straight, and then pouring a sauce over them and letting them simmer for 10 mins?

Or is it all irrrelevant and just depends on the size of your gob?

rubadub · 20-03-2017 12:00PM

corblimey wrote: »

large pieces have more surface area for the marinade to cling to,

a single chicken breast will create more smaller pieces so in total the smaller pieces will have more surface area overall.

I cut mine small for a few reasons
-cook faster and so stay moist
-easier to monitor/gauge when its properly cooked (if brown on the outside a small piece is likely cooked inside)
-more marinade/contact with sauce
-bite size for easy eating, no need to cut them again once cooked.

One advantage I have seen for larger pieces is that if you have say a curry, and cut a chicken fillet into 5 equal size pieces, and have lots in the curry then its easier to dish them out equally amongst a group of people.

Gloomtastic! · 22-03-2017 05:53PM

Anyone know where I can get quark in Dublin. Tried Aldi/Lidl without success. Is it a cheese or a yogurt?

Mrs G! has us all on a health kick.....

dee_mc · 22-03-2017 07:02PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Anyone know where I can get quark in Dublin. Tried Aldi/Lidl without success. Is it a cheese or a yogurt?

Mrs G! has us all on a health kick.....

It's kind of like a bland cross between cream cheese and cottage cheese, it's thicker than a yogurt. Great texture. Handy for sauces etc and you can sweeten it to act like cream for desserts with fruit etc.
Tesco do their own brand version that comes in a purple and white tub; Dunnes do a larger tub that's white and blue. It's usually beside cheeses rather than beside yogurts.
I can't say which Dublin stores stock it though.
I think Aldi and Lidl only do it during Polish specials weeks? That used to be the case anyway.

Lady Haywire · 22-03-2017 07:08PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Anyone know where I can get quark in Dublin. Tried Aldi/Lidl without success. Is it a cheese or a yogurt?

Mrs G! has us all on a health kick.....

I've definitely seen it in Centra here, though 'here' is Leitrim. Might be worth checking out a Centra up your way though?

angeldelight · 22-03-2017 08:33PM

SuperValu and Aldi near me also have it - in SV it's in the "specialty cheeses" fridge and in Aldi it's beside the ricotta and mascarpone tubs

Kat1170 · 22-03-2017 08:36PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Anyone know where I can get quark in Dublin. Tried Aldi/Lidl without success. Is it a cheese or a yogurt?

Mrs G! has us all on a health kick.....

''Quark'', sounds like a character from Star Trek

:D

Shenshen · 22-03-2017 08:49PM

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Anyone know where I can get quark in Dublin. Tried Aldi/Lidl without success. Is it a cheese or a yogurt?

Mrs G! has us all on a health kick.....

Any Polish shop should have it, they call it tvarog.

It's like the first stage between milk and cheese.
At this time of year, if you can get your hand on wild garlic leaves, chop them, stir them through the quark, with a bit of salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice. Makes for a delicious dip or spread.
I can also give you a fantastic recipe for baked cheesecake with chocolate crust, but it might defeat the health aspect

Details : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark_(dairy_product)

Gloomtastic! · 22-03-2017 09:00PM

Thanks all. Will look again tomorrow. She had sugar-free jelly on her wish list as well so I reckon she has some sort of dessert planned.

Off topic: In a previous life, many moons ago, I was considered a Quark Expert! http://www.quark.com :rolleyes:

Avada · 22-03-2017 11:17PM

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Never heard of them.

My response sounded a bit smartarsed, not how it was intended.

http://www.govindas.ie/

beertons · 23-03-2017 10:51AM

After swearing blind for years that a deep fat fryer wouldn't pass my front door, I got one. I've wanted to make my own onion bhaji and prawns in batter for ages. So I caved.

http://www.harveynorman.ie/small-appliances/small-cooking-appliances/fryers/tefal-filtra-one-ff162140.html

Testing it out tomorrow night.

Gloomtastic! · 23-03-2017 11:43AM

beertons wrote: »

After swearing blind for years that a deep fat fryer wouldn't pass my front door, I got one. I've wanted to make my own onion bhaji and prawns in batter for ages. So I caved.

http://www.harveynorman.ie/small-appliances/small-cooking-appliances/fryers/tefal-filtra-one-ff162140.html

Testing it out tomorrow night.

When we got one, the first thing we cooked was deep fried pork belly. You only live once!

The General Chat Thread

Comments