The General Chat Thread

MissFlitworth · 24-10-2014 01:33PM

Loire wrote: »

Hi Mrs F,

I'l get a van and meet you there - I'll grab one end, you grab the other :pac:

Loire.

Mrs Fox wrote: »

You're supposed to be my addiction sponsor, instead of assisting me to relapse!
Your van smells of French wine, by the way.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing the reconstruction of this caper on CrimeCall

Mrs Fox · 24-10-2014 02:35PM

MissFlitworth wrote: »

I'm very much looking forward to seeing the reconstruction of this caper on CrimeCall

I'd love to wear a Mary Berry latex mask.

Loire · 24-10-2014 07:03PM

Mrs Fox wrote: »

You're supposed to be my addiction sponsor, instead of assisting me to relapse!
Your van smells of French wine, by the way.

LOL, my car actually still reeks of cheese from last weekend...not sure if I like it or not though :pac:

leahyl · 25-10-2014 09:05AM

Can I come too?? I have an unhealthy obsession with cookbooks also :-P

Merkin · 25-10-2014 09:02PM

Just catching up on this thread now. Glad that paellagate/jumbogate/sausageyee ristottogate is now over and we are all still talking.......result

Toulouse wrote: »

That sounds amazing, share pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese?

Here is the recipe my dear. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10583/chorizo-new-potato-and-haddock-onepot

I've adapted it wildly for maximum calorific content. I also serve it on a bed of wilted spinach and add a runny egg on top. Here's a picture of one I made before, it honestly tastes sublime

Minder · 26-10-2014 09:45AM

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Cook books... Cook Books! COOK BOOKS!!!

SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!

Obsessive is...... Scanning that photo to see how many of those books I've already got.

Toulouse · 26-10-2014 10:58AM

Merkin wrote: »

I've adapted it wildly for maximum calorific content.

Thank you! A cook after my own heart

homemadecider · 27-10-2014 03:24PM

It's the birthday of a girl in work tomorrow so I'm baking a blueberry crumb cake to bring on. Oh god my kitchen smells amazing right now! Somehow the cake will need to survive intact until tomorrow... hmm...

Gloomtastic! · 27-10-2014 07:42PM

homemadecider wrote: »

It's the birthday of a girl in work tomorrow so I'm baking a blueberry crumb cake to bring on. Oh god my kitchen smells amazing right now! Somehow the cake will need to survive intact until tomorrow... hmm...

The dog could eat your home work......

dee_mc · 27-10-2014 07:46PM

homemadecider wrote: »

It's the birthday of a girl in work tomorrow so I'm baking a blueberry crumb cake to bring on. Oh god my kitchen smells amazing right now! Somehow the cake will need to survive intact until tomorrow... hmm...

This remind me of a guy I used to work with - he would bake a cake for any birthday, wedding, retirement etc, but every single one would be carved up by the time it reached the staff room - his cover story was always that 'the sides were a bit overcooked', but I've a feeling it might have been because his kitchen smelt temptingly amazing too!

Dizzyblonde · 27-10-2014 08:20PM

I like to 'tidy up' the edges when I make a traybake. Mr. Dizzy doesn't like edge pieces, so when I'm finished with it they're all middle pieces

iwantmydinner · 28-10-2014 10:16AM

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

Mr. Dizzy doesn't like edge pieces

So you get ALL the edge pieces?? No wonder you held on to him

Faith · 28-10-2014 08:02PM

Cooks, I need your help. I'm making cottage pie later, but as we can't afford life's luxuries yet, we don't have a steamer. I abhor wet, soggy potatoes so my question is: Do I take a chance on boiling them (any tips here are appreciated), or bake them and scoop out and mash the insides? Boiling is more likely to lead to mush, baking takes forever.

messy tessy · 28-10-2014 08:09PM

Faith wrote: »

Cooks, I need your help. I'm making cottage pie later, but as we can't afford life's luxuries yet, we don't have a steamer. I abhor wet, soggy potatoes so my question is: Do I take a chance on boiling them (any tips here are appreciated), or bake them and scoop out and mash the insides? Boiling is more likely to lead to mush, baking takes forever.

Boiling does not necessarily lead to mush... when potatoes are cooked, drain and place a piece of kitchen paper ontop of the saucepan and put the lid back on for a couple of minutes. This should soak up extra moisture and leave you with nice fluffy potatoes!

Cottage pie, yum!

Loire · 28-10-2014 08:13PM

Faith wrote: »

Cooks, I need your help. I'm making cottage pie later, but as we can't afford life's luxuries yet, we don't have a steamer. I abhor wet, soggy potatoes so my question is: Do I take a chance on boiling them (any tips here are appreciated), or bake them and scoop out and mash the insides? Boiling is more likely to lead to mush, baking takes forever.

Hi Faith,

here's what I do...

Boil the potatoes
Tip into a colander $ shake around
Put colander over the pot for 2-3 mins to dry out
Empty any liquid from the pot & add the spuds back in
Mash until completely mashed before adding any butter, milk or cream

Loire

Triboro · 28-10-2014 08:14PM

Faith wrote: »

Cooks, I need your help. I'm making cottage pie later, but as we can't afford life's luxuries yet, we don't have a steamer. I abhor wet, soggy potatoes so my question is: Do I take a chance on boiling them (any tips here are appreciated), or bake them and scoop out and mash the insides? Boiling is more likely to lead to mush, baking takes forever.

Peel the potatoes and boil for about 25 mins (still fairly firm), strain them off and cover snugly with a clean t-towel and cover pot with lid,they'll finish cooking in the steam after about 15 mins...wont be mush but a nice crumbly mash that can be adjusted with milk/butter to your liking!!

Faith · 28-10-2014 08:23PM

Awesome, thanks all!

oscarBravo · 28-10-2014 09:18PM

Also: don't boil; simmer.

the beer revolu · 28-10-2014 09:40PM

Triboro wrote: »

Peel the potatoes and boil for about 25 mins (still fairly firm), strain them off and cover snugly with a clean t-towel and cover pot with lid,they'll finish cooking in the steam after about 15 mins...wont be mush but a nice crumbly mash that can be adjusted with milk/butter to your liking!!

This.
But on the other hand, mash from scooped out bakers is amazing.

Dizzyblonde · 28-10-2014 10:21PM

If I have to boil my potatoes I never fully cover them with water and that seems to help too. You might find that the potatoes over there aren't as floury anyway so they'll probably be grand.

Tarzana2 · 28-10-2014 10:29PM

Faith wrote: »

Cooks, I need your help. I'm making cottage pie later, but as we can't afford life's luxuries yet, we don't have a steamer.

You could get one of these:

www(dot)amazon(dot)com/Amco-Collapsible-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000Q4N2LO

Cheap as chips. I have two and that's how I steam anything that needs steaming!

Faith · 28-10-2014 10:44PM

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

If I have to boil my potatoes I never fully cover them with water and that seems to help too. You might find that the potatoes over there aren't as floury anyway so they'll probably be grand.

They're definitely not as floury here

. It's quite a significant problem for me!

Tarzana2 wrote: »

You could get one of these:

www(dot)amazon(dot)com/Amco-Collapsible-Steamer-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000Q4N2LO

Cheap as chips. I have two and that's how I steam anything that needs steaming!

I can't even afford chips until I get a job

MissFlitworth · 29-10-2014 11:07AM

New knives, new knives, I got new knives. No more using other people's weird serrated bendy jobs for me! Popped into Arnott's to buy a cleaver I'd been looking at when away but dismissed as 'not a good thing to have in my hand luggage going through an airport'. Cleaver was €82 and they had a block set, including the same cleaver, on sale for €99 ('reduced' from €270 but I'm skeptical they were every anything remotely near that price) so now I am set for all manner of chopping and no longer need to avoid buying butternut squash.

Watch this space for reports of me forgetting I'm using an actually sharp knife and removing the tip of one of my fingers...

Vivisectus · 29-10-2014 11:19AM

Mrs Sectus is the mashed potato expert in our house, and she swears by a potato that is JUST cooked, well drained, and then run through a potato ricer in stead of bashed to bits. Go easy on the butter / cream / milk, spread over the top of your pie, and make sure to rough up the surface a bit and maybe sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese. Bake off in the oven until the top is golden and slightly crisp.

messy tessy · 29-10-2014 11:24AM

Faith wrote: »

Cooks, I need your help. I'm making cottage pie later, but as we can't afford life's luxuries yet, we don't have a steamer. I abhor wet, soggy potatoes so my question is: Do I take a chance on boiling them (any tips here are appreciated), or bake them and scoop out and mash the insides? Boiling is more likely to lead to mush, baking takes forever.

How did this turn out in the end?? I feel we are all invested here and would like to know!

Miss Flitworth well wear on the new knives!

dibkins · 29-10-2014 11:25AM

I bake them. They do take a while, but its not like you have to be very active with looking after them...
Always remember the difference between something taking a long time to cook unattended versus taking a short time with attention (I go for the unattended option!).

Also, oven will be hot for you to pop in the pie after.

Faith · 29-10-2014 04:14PM

messy tessy wrote: »

How did this turn out in the end?? I feel we are all invested here and would like to know!

So, I followed this advice:

Triboro wrote: »

Peel the potatoes and boil for about 25 mins (still fairly firm), strain them off and cover snugly with a clean t-towel and cover pot with lid,they'll finish cooking in the steam after about 15 mins...wont be mush but a nice crumbly mash that can be adjusted with milk/butter to your liking!!

oscarBravo wrote: »

Also: don't boil; simmer.

And while I'd love to say it went brilliantly, it didn't work out

. Drained the potatoes when they were firm-ish, but you could stick a fork in them. Left to steam under a towel for 15 minutes... Still firm. Gave them another 15 minutes, and nothing. The steaming seemed to do nothing for them. When I eventually mashed them, after waiting as long as I could, they were seriously lumpy

. The flavours were great, and because it went back in the oven for 45 minutes, it was perfectly edible, but the method didn't work for me.

I used Yukon Gold potatoes, which are a bit waxier, so maybe that's why. I think they probably just needed to be boiled until done. But I've had NO luck with potatoes here so far, so there's a lot of trial and error left in figuring them out.

beertons · 29-10-2014 04:40PM

MissFlitworth wrote: »

New knives, new knives, I got new knives.

We need pics!

MissFlitworth · 29-10-2014 04:43PM

beertons wrote: »

We need pics!

Oh don't worry, there will be photos

They're living in a friend's place at the mo but I'll be visiting them tomorrow and getting their mug shots. Also, chopping all the things.

Alun · 29-10-2014 04:45PM

Faith wrote: »

I used Yukon Gold potatoes, which are a bit waxier, so maybe that's why. I think they probably just needed to be boiled until done. But I've had NO luck with potatoes here so far, so there's a lot of trial and error left in figuring them out.

I've never got the hang of Irish potato varieties, especially the floury ones that seem to fall apart as soon as you put them anywhere near hot water, so I usually use the firmer waxier potatoes anyway. I put them in cold water, bring to the boil and boil (not simmer) for 20 mins and that always seems to work for me at least. I've no experience of US potatoes though, so maybe they're different somehow.

The General Chat Thread

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