The General Chat Thread

iwantmydinner · 19-02-2016 12:01PM

Yep I'll definitely be looking up recipes to use it in, won't be letting it go to waste anyway

Whispered · 19-02-2016 12:14PM

iwantmydinner wrote: »

Yep I'll definitely be looking up recipes to use it in, won't be letting it go to waste anyway

My favourite is: Sautéed onion and spinach mixed with ricotta, pinch of nutmeg and white pepper, layered with lasagne sheets, topped with bechemel sauce and baked. Served with a garlicky tomato sauce. (Ok ok so it's just a cannelloni with pasta sheets instead of tubes)

Pancakes are my nemesis in the kitchen. I even bought ready made ones for Pancake Tuesday. Has a bit of a want today so I attempted to make my own and every single one came out perfectly. I was flipping and all. Delighted!

Harry Palmr · 21-02-2016 10:40PM

Help! I'm going to make bread pudding but have not a single egg, anyone done it without? I thought milk, melted butter and a bit of flour might just about do....

Minder · 21-02-2016 10:47PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Help! I'm going to make bread pudding but have not a single egg, anyone done it without? I thought milk, melted butter and a bit of flour might just about do....

No, twon't work. What you're proposing sounds like the base for a creme patisserie, buy you would still need the eggs to get a custard.

Whispered · 21-02-2016 11:02PM

Can I make pancakes out of "strong white flour"?
What about scones? Google is bringing up conflicting advice.

If you happened to accidentally get strong white flour and did not want to bake a yeast bread, why would you use it for

confusticated · 21-02-2016 11:07PM

I've made scones with it before and didn't notice any difference in taste or texture. And pancakes are fairly forgiving, I'd chance it anyway! I'd imagine it wouldn't be great for queen cakes or sponge cakes, but for anything with a dough like scones wouldn't see any issue with it. Soda bread maybe, if it's just the yeast bread you don't want to make?

Faith · 22-02-2016 02:41AM

Whispered wrote: »

Can I make pancakes out of "strong white flour"?
What about scones? Google is bringing up conflicting advice.

If you happened to accidentally get strong white flour and did not want to bake a yeast bread, why would you use it for

Mix as little as you can and it should be fine. Strong flour is higher in protein and can be tough if over mixed. A bread dough benefits from plenty of gluten but something like scones and pancakes should be light.

Faith · 22-02-2016 02:47AM

Cheese in Vancouver is weirdly expensive, and no-one really knows why. I needed Parmesan and I normally buy really small amounts, but today I saw a wedge of parmigiana reggiano (sp) in my local supermarket priced at $6. I was delighted and bought it with a bunch of other groceries, but when i got home, I turned it over to read the back and saw a price sticker marked $12. Turns out it was $6/100g

. That'll teach me to read the label more clearly!

Markcheese · 22-02-2016 04:15PM

Faith wrote:

Cheese in Vancouver is weirdly expensive, and no-one really knows why. I needed Parmesan and I normally buy really small amounts, but today I saw a wedge of parmigiana reggiano (sp) in my local supermarket priced at $6. I was delighted and bought it with a bunch of other groceries, but when i got home, I turned it over to read the back and saw a price sticker marked $12. Turns out it was $6/100g . That'll teach me to read the label more clearly!

60 dollars a kg . That'd wanna be damn fine parmesan ...
In saying that I had some recently that was cheap at 34 euro a kg . (Around 50-dollars canadian)

Markcheese · 22-02-2016 04:17PM

Harry Palmr wrote:

Help! I'm going to make bread pudding but have not a single egg, anyone done it without? I thought milk, melted butter and a bit of flour might just about do....

How'd your bread pudding go ,i've never made it and havent tried it in years ...
Stodgy but nice ..

Harry Palmr · 22-02-2016 04:21PM

Haven't done it yet! I've found a couple of egg-free recipes but I'll probably buy some eggs tomorrow anyway....

Markcheese · 22-02-2016 04:23PM

Harry Palmr wrote:

Help! I'm going to make bread pudding but have not a single egg, anyone done it without? I thought milk, melted butter and a bit of flour might just about do....

How'd your bread pudding go ,i've never made it and havent tried it in years ...
Stodgy but nice ..
Is there egg in bread pudding ?

Kat1170 · 22-02-2016 04:27PM

Faith wrote: »

Cheese in Vancouver is weirdly expensive, and no-one really knows why. I needed Parmesan and I normally buy really small amounts, but today I saw a wedge of parmigiana reggiano (sp) in my local supermarket priced at $6. I was delighted and bought it with a bunch of other groceries, but when i got home, I turned it over to read the back and saw a price sticker marked $12. Turns out it was $6/100g . That'll teach me to read the label more clearly!

Markcheese wrote: »

60 dollars a kg . That'd wanna be damn fine parmesan ...
In saying that I had some recently that was cheap at 34 euro a kg . (Around 50-dollars canadian)

Even more expensive if it wasn't even Parmesan :eek::eek:

Faith · 22-02-2016 04:33PM

Kat1170 wrote: »

Even more expensive if it wasn't even Parmesan :eek::eek:

Yeah... It's a solid wedge at least, but I must check the rind when I get home. It'll certainly be no better quality than what you'd get in Aldi for half the price.

Markcheese · 22-02-2016 09:55PM

Harry Palmr wrote:

Haven't done it yet! I've found a couple of egg-free recipes but I'll probably buy some eggs tomorrow anyway....

Most of the eggy ones I saw were more bread and butter pudding ...
The nigella one looked decent but huge ..

22-02-2016 10:37PM

Did a makey-uppy soup for lunches tonight - onion, garlic, chilli, carrot, chorizo, baby potatoes, chickpeas, chicken stock and passata. Bit of salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Dead quick and a taste explosion. Having spuds in it dispenses with the need for bread too. V handy.

The Black Oil · 23-02-2016 08:37PM

Wholegrain mustard and a few herbs in mashed spuds turned out well.

Harry Palmr · 24-02-2016 11:34PM

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Help! I'm going to make bread pudding but have not a single egg, anyone done it without? I thought milk, melted butter and a bit of flour might just about do....

Markcheese wrote: »

How'd your bread pudding go ,i've never made it and havent tried it in years ...
Stodgy but nice ..

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Haven't done it yet! I've found a couple of egg-free recipes but I'll probably buy some eggs tomorrow anyway....

Markcheese wrote: »

Most of the eggy ones I saw were more bread and butter pudding ...
The nigella one looked decent but huge ..

Six slices of cheap white chopped up
300ml of warm tea
150g sugar
1 egg
100g melted marg/butter
a sprinkle of flour and a level spoon of baking powder
150g dried fruit

20 minutes in pre-heated top oven at 100c

When cooled in the fridge it tasted lovely.

Kovu · 26-02-2016 08:29AM

Would anyone like anything back from Finland? Mustamakkara, leipäjuusto, lingonberry jam, moose/bear? I think I've gained about half a stone already :pac:

oscarBravo · 26-02-2016 10:30AM

My abiding memories of Helsinki revolve around the food. Oh ye gods, the food.

Whispered · 26-02-2016 12:37PM

What ingredients turn a nice chilli into an amazing chilli? I can't taste as I go.

So far I've fried an onion, red chilli, green chilli and mushrooms, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, beef mince. Added a tin of tomato and some beef stock and simmered. It's looking thick and saucy. Will be adding kidney beans before serving.

I have some fresh coriander but I think it's nearly fit for the bin, it's a bit limp looking. Anything else I should add or do?

Dial Hard · 26-02-2016 12:50PM

Whispered wrote: »

What ingredients turn a nice chilli into an amazing chilli? I can't taste as I go.

So far I've fried an onion, red chilli, green chilli and mushrooms, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, beef mince. Added a tin of tomato and some beef stock and simmered. It's looking thick and saucy. Will be adding kidney beans before serving.

I have some fresh coriander but I think it's nearly fit for the bin, it's a bit limp looking. Anything else I should add or do?

Beer. Might be a bit late now but beer is a key ingredient in chilli, imo. I actually cook my beef in it and then pull it like you would pork before adding the meat and the beer back into the pot with everything else in it (which includes pork mince and bacon bits, which make a huge difference to the end result).

You need something smokey in there too. Have you smoked paprika or chipotles in adobo? Either or both will lift the chilli big time. Even a smokey hot sauce will do.

I also grate some 80% chocolate into mine and add the juice of a lime just before serving.

I usually find you can at least double the quantities of cumin and ground coriander given in most chilli recipes too.

I really want chilli for dinner tonight now! I was actually going to make green chilli anyway but now I want my full-on one.

The Hill Billy · 26-02-2016 01:06PM

Try grating in some dark chocolate a couple of minutes before serving.

Whispered · 26-02-2016 01:10PM

Thanks. Too late for beer and I've no smoked paprika. I'm heading out to vote now so might be able to pick it up, or a smokey hot sauce. Small town centra though so I'll be lucky!

It was just thrown together from what I have available so I didn't buy anything in for it specifically. Might be a bit lacklustre as a result.

Oh I'll definitely try the chocolate! About how much per bowl?
If I'm adding chocolate should I not add the smokey flavour or lime?

Dial Hard · 26-02-2016 01:56PM

Whispered wrote: »

Oh I'll definitely try the chocolate! About how much per bowl?
If I'm adding chocolate should I not add the smokey flavour or lime?

I use all three. The chocolate really brings all the different flavours together, kind of like adding butter at the end of a risotto. The lime then wakes everything up a bit.

Depending on how dark your chocolate is, allow about half a tsp per serving. As I said, I use 80% cocoa solids stuff. But mix it into the chilli before serving, obviously.

Whispered · 26-02-2016 02:01PM

Thanks. One final question, if I can't find a smokey hot sauce, is there anything else to substitute? BBQ sauce, fry up smoked bacon and mix it in, something like that?

Dial Hard · 26-02-2016 03:00PM

Whispered wrote:

Thanks. One final question, if I can't find a smokey hot sauce, is there anything else to substitute? BBQ sauce, fry up smoked bacon and mix it in, something like that?

Personally I wouldn't bother with BBQ sauce, I just find it far too sweet. Smoked bacon won't add an appreciable smokey taste but the bacon will be a good addition to the chilli regardless.

If you can't get a smokey hot sauce but you were planning to serve the chilli with grated cheese, then a smoked applewood or smoked cheddar would be a really good option.

Applause · 29-02-2016 09:41PM

I have a dilemma regarding good old bolognese.

Basically I've always made my bolognese really packed with tomato and garlic, no harm in that right? But my boyfriend doesn't like anything overly tomato flavoured so I don't cook it as often as I'd like to.

What I'm asking is, is there a way to make bolognese or something like it without it tasting of tomatoes?

I miss bolognese, please help. :pac:

DyldeBrill · 29-02-2016 10:08PM

Applause wrote: »

I have a dilemma regarding good old bolognese.

Basically I've always made my bolognese really packed with tomato and garlic, no harm in that right? But my boyfriend doesn't like anything overly tomato flavoured so I don't cook it as often as I'd like to.

What I'm asking is, is there a way to make bolognese or something like it without it tasting of tomatoes?

I miss bolognese, please help. :pac:

Try throwing a glass of red wine in with it as well as some beef stock. It's gonna be hard to get rid of the tomato taste, especially when it's a tomato based sauce.

LaChatteGitane · 29-02-2016 10:43PM

Applause wrote: »

I have a dilemma regarding good old bolognese.

Basically I've always made my bolognese really packed with tomato and garlic, no harm in that right? But my boyfriend doesn't like anything overly tomato flavoured so I don't cook it as often as I'd like to.

What I'm asking is, is there a way to make bolognese or something like it without it tasting of tomatoes?

I miss bolognese, please help. :pac:

A real Ragu Bolognese doesn't contain that much tomato. More often than not only a small amount of tomato paste is added after the meat and sofrito have been coloured/sauteed. The wine goes in after that and then beef stock.
If you make it like this it shouldn't taste tomatoey at all.

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