The Kitchen: all things delicious and disastrous

I tried dried persimmons today. While they weren't the "carmelized delights that taste better than the best dates" they were pretty good.

made lava cakes today. they turned out fantastically, so that was nice. I made a nutella glaze for them, which...turned out. ish. still tasted good.

next up: I am going to learn to make mousse domes.

Pork shoulder + chicken broth + honey + garlic + oregano + apple cider vinegar + black pepper + chile paste + crock pot on high + 6 hours = fabulous.

Sounds impressive.

An underrated meat = turkey.

An underrated food = pickled herring.

Two important discoveries I intend to act on rapidly.

Pickled fish: you'll love it. You don't just need herring. (Oh: kaffir lime leaves are also good. And, curry leaves.)

And, for best results... you really, really should leave it in a fridge at least overnight to get to know the ingredients properly before serving. If not for 24 hours. It's usually completely evil (and after your diet) after about three days.

edited 7th Apr '14 7:30:21 AM by Euodiachloris

Soooo... pickled turkey?

I love pickled herring. It's a thing I don't get a lot in Indiana but I do like it.

Mmmmmmm. Pickled herring. Yum. Keep meaning to try Euo's Cape Malay pickled fish recipe, but I'd have to order the lime leaves online, and I keep forgetting to do it when I have extra cash, and not having extra money when I do remember.

Going to have it on Easter day, actually. It's the starter!

I've tried and tried but turkey is just not my thing. It's got a weird taste. Fortunately, Boyo agrees with me. chicken and duck though are high on my list of yums.

I don't want to pic spam unless anyone is interested, so i will ask first. Does anyone want to see my new kitchen?

Yeah, go for it!

Try making pesto-turkey burgers. Yum.

Another protip for British tropers: Can't afford to go to fancy places like M&S or Waitrose? Pop in on your way home from work when all the reduced stuff is out. Can get some astonishing bargains.

edited 7th Apr '14 3:41:58 PM by Achaemenid

I have no idea why it took me so long to realize that Hummus makes an awesome sandwich condiment.

I used it as a sandwich spread long before I started using it for anything else.

Made a chicken salad for dinner. In addition to regular chicken breast and lettuce, I also added spinach, chopped in some baby carrots and celeries. It tasted pretty nice.

My grocery store was giving out samples and I snagged some Mediterranean flavored hummus. It isn't as strong as the red pepper versions I've tasted but not as bland as plain. I found my happy median!

I'm also looking into making some homemade gravy to go on my dog's food. That's going to be fun.

edited 7th Apr '14 7:31:10 PM by Gabrael

A lovely combo: chicken-and-hummus salad sandwiches. Much healthier than chicken-and-stuffing. Just as good.

Oh... and a tip for dog food gravy? For some reason, mix up the meats. If you're putting the gravy on dry dog food that is supposed to be beef-like, hit lamb or chicken stock. If chicken, hit the lamb. For some reason, dogs like the contrast rather than the intensification of the main flavour, or so my parents and I found over the years. And, we've had a lot of dogs. Having said that... it's not like they'd ever turn beef-and-beef down, either. It just wouldn't get vaccuumed up quite as fast.

edited 7th Apr '14 7:18:56 PM by Euodiachloris

Well. This is the first time I'm hearing about a recipe involving a dog food.

Hey: dogs have recipes they prefer... just as humans do! And, a gravy that includes kidneys or liver... God help you: they'll be trying to vacuum by remote control.

edited 7th Apr '14 9:02:20 PM by Euodiachloris

Haha I am grateful! Besides, my puppy is nothing but a fuzzy toddler and if I want her to grow up strong and smart then I need to help her eat well.

Gravy's are also good ways to sneak in more vegetables she needs too.

Dog food is just mainly corn. I can't afford the fancy food that has a smaller corn content. Its cheaper and healthier to just use real food and prepare it careful to her needs.

Vasquez deserves it!

Test her out with stuff: she and her digestive system will very quickly tell you if she's a carrot dog or not.

Some generalities that never go well: onions and their relatives. A little can be tolerated. But, generally speaking, a dog will get the runs with them if you push the limit and that limit is very easily reached. It's best to avoid them. Some dogs can take legumes (including fresh peas, here). But, not all by any means. And, those that don't? Really don't. Peanuts can be very dicey: best avoid.

Many herbs actually can be liked in small doses — after all, they're mostly just a take on "grass". Not spices, though: dogs and twigs or bark don't mix if it's tree bark used for more than easing the must-chews. Dogs can't take spicy heat in the way humans can, either.

Oh — and, no nuts or seeds. None. Just... don't go there. >_< Fruits are also generally a bad idea. Except for the odd dog that would kill for banana. Or dried apricots. (Don't ask.) And, even then: their digestive system may well tell you that they want to divorce the taste-buds.

Generally speaking: dogs can take some veg. But, it's best to stick heavily to their carnivore side when adding extras to dried food. Offal. Offal. Offal. No dog will ever say no to offal (and liver and kidneys are good for a growing puplup as well as a dam growing wider by the hour). And, every dog will try stealing your steaks.

edited 8th Apr '14 6:50:45 AM by Euodiachloris

I figured peas, maybe some lentils, but nothing too heavy. Just something besides corn, something I could either steam or blend raw and just ease in with her diet. I have also heard brown rice can help as a mixer between meat and veggies, but she is a little young for that.

She has another vet appointment tomorrow for her second round of shots so I will discuss it with him. I also am trying to get a little more breed specific to try and help her out some. She will be a big dog so her bone health is a concern for me compared to smaller dogs.

A treat that's useful for training or for keeping calcium up: discount chicken wings. Raw. Don't, whatever you do, cook them. Yup: it's cooking the chicken that turns the bones deadly dangerous. Plus, all those little bones and tendons in the wings, not to mention the collagen? Packed full of what a growing pup needs to grow with.

Two or three at a go (we stick with two: medium-sized dogs). No more than three treats a day. As she grows, maybe increase to four treats — depending on her size: best check with the vet for her predicted type, though. They're a lot less messy to keep around than the traditional marrow bones, but still hand out chunks of needed goodness.

Oh... if near a Caribbean influenced shop or just a farm — chicken feat are also good. Not as good, mind. Cheaper, though.

edited 8th Apr '14 7:17:22 AM by Euodiachloris

What do you call a cross between St. Louis and New York pizza? Does it matter if it's being baked in Brooklyn?

(St. Louis dough doesn't appear to use yeast, meaning a Passover version might be possible, but it'll have to be stretched quite thin. I guess I'll find out a week from Friday.)

I made another shrimp scampi, this one served over white rice rather than pasta. I don't think I used quite enough dill.

Passover pizza? That sounds even weirder than vegan pizza, even assuming it's less of an abomination.

Also, I made another batch of chipotle mayo, and this time I decided not to use a squeeze bottle. The mayo jar was easier to fill anyway.