What Have You Cooked Recently?

[A borscht-on]

Unsurprisingly, I made a hearty vegetarian borscht last night. Utterly delicious, since there's no such thing as too much dill.

 

[Army Burger]

I made nachos last night.

 

[Adamska]

Here's my first attempt at pan-frying a steak with onions and oven-fries to go with it:


And here's the cross section:

Sadly, I think I overdid the steak. Still it tasted pretty good for a first try. Cleaning up the oil is gonna be a pain in the ass, tho.

Homemade fries or bagged, because either way they should be browner in my experience before you pull them out.

Also my experience with steak is the trick is to actually bake it first and then sear for finishing. It's a fuckload more controllable that way.

 

[Rakdos92]

Homemade fries or bagged, because either way they should be browner in my experience before you pull them out.

Also my experience with steak is the trick is to actually bake it first and then sear for finishing. It's a fuckload more controllable that way.

The fries were frozen ones from the local supermarket. I baked them for 20 minutes or so, maybe I should try 30 minutes instead.

When you say "bake", do you mean like 5 - 10 minutes at 200 °C/392 °F?

 

[Adamska]

The fries were frozen ones from the local supermarket. I baked them for 20 minutes or so, maybe I should try 30 minutes instead.

When you say "bake", do you mean like 5 - 10 minutes at 200 °C/392 °F?

Nah, you cook to about the doneness you're aiming for in the oven (I tend to do it lower and slower, so 250 for like 45 minutes or so), and then finish up to temp by searing.

It's a lazier and less accurate sous vide method since I don't feel like getting that gadget.

 

[Rakdos92]

Nah, you cook to about the doneness you're aiming for in the oven (I tend to do it lower and slower, so 250 for like 45 minutes or so), and then finish up to temp by searing.

It's a lazier and less accurate sous vide method since I don't feel like getting that gadget.

250 in Fahrenheit? That's... 120 °C. Yeah, that might work. Anyway, the recipe I had claimed that searing a crust keeps the fluids inside, and makes it juicy.
I used this link: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Pan-Fry-the-Perfect-Steak/

 

[Adamska]

250 in Fahrenheit? That's... 120 °C. Yeah, that might work. Anyway, the recipe I had claimed that searing a crust keeps the fluids inside, and makes it juicy.
I used this link: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Pan-Fry-the-Perfect-Steak/

Nahh, you usually char the outside in my experience if you just do it all at once (at least I can't time it too well); you really only do it because you want the maillard browning to add that flavor back in. You can also get that browning by just basting it in butter, which adds a brownness on its own.

 

[Rakdos92]

Nahh, you usually char the outside in my experience if you just do it all at once (at least I can't time it too well); you really only do it because you want the maillard browning to add that flavor back in. You can also get that browning by just basting it in butter, which adds a brownness on its own.

That explains why the butter had to be added. Okay, so pre-heat it in the oven until it's done, then sear it in the pan. Sounds good to me.
I think I will bake the fries for about 30 minutes this time, might be a bit browner.

 

[Adamska]

That explains why the butter had to be added. Okay, so pre-heat it in the oven until it's done, then sear it in the pan. Sounds good to me.
I think I will bake the fries for about 30 minutes this time, might be a bit browner.

You're aiming for a golden to a light brown for the fries in my experience. Don't feel bad if you burn stuff either; lord knows I still do that using the same techniques.

Ah, and a cool trick with butter? you can usually make a compound one with your seasonings. It's just mixing them in and forming a log with it.

 

[mindlessobserver]

Bacon Cheddar burger with bourbon molasses onions and oven fries.

.

 

[melty]

I've been getting CSA boxes of fresh local vegetables delivered since the virus shut things down. I used to get these and stopped because it was sometimes stressful to use all the vegetables up before they went bad, but I have more time now and am cooking more.
Today I needed to use some vegetables up, so I roasted broccoli - just tossed the broccoli with olive oil, salt, and some garlic. Best broccoli ever. I usually hate broccoli, but this was really good.
I also made the Townsend roasted onion that people are talking about in the onion thread, and that was a really nice and easy treat.
I'm thinking for dinner, Thai inspired carrot noodles (spiralized carrot) with spicy peanut sauce.
I also made potatoes au gratin with keilbasa and a little bacon on top yesterday, that was very tasty. Boyfriend loved it.

Edit: I made the Thai carrot noodles and peanut sauce. There were also spiralized beets, and I made some Thai egg omelette to go on top. I was actually surprised how well it worked.

 

[Buster O'Keefe]

Sauteed some asparagus spears in fancy cold-pressed rapeseed oil, topped with a lightly poached egg, parmesan shavings and generous sea salt and black pepper seasoning. Healthy and delicious. Piss will smell weird for a while though.

 

[Rakdos92]

Sauteed some asparagus spears in fancy cold-pressed rapeseed oil, topped with a lightly poached egg, parmesan shavings and generous sea salt and black pepper seasoning. Healthy and delicious. Piss will smell weird for a while though.

Sounds nice. Maybe I will try that out some time.

Anyway, this weekend I tried my hand at a recipe that I failed to do right the first time. I took the advice of @Adamska and prebaked the meat before frying it.
The sauce I had some difficulties in mashing the green pepper-corns. Instead of rehydrating the meat stock, I decided to add the stock powder as it was into the sauce, which greatly helped improve taste and consistency of it. Reducing the sauce was more waiting with occasional stirring. On the side, I made peas with carrots and fries. The fries took the longest to finish.

Here's a picture!

I really need to get a hold on a fritteuse, the oven can't brown the fries properly.

 

[Buster O'Keefe]

I really need to get a hold on a fritteuse, the oven can't brown the fries properly.

Just put the oil in any old saucepan, what's the worst than can happen?

Spoiler

 

[ZenonPeep7777]

Meth

 

[bebeinferanles]

Cinnamon sugar muffins. Too dense but edible, gotta fix the recipe sum more

 

[Buster O'Keefe]

Rabbit stew: first time cooking wild rabbit. Was tasty as hell. Jointed it, dredged in flour and mustard powder and browned it in butter and oil. Sauteed onion, celery, carrot, added more of the flour and mustard to make a roux, added garlic, thyme, bay leaves and a bottle of white wine. Put the rabbit back in and cooked on a low heat in the oven for a couple of hours.. Sifted most of the solids out, added a big spoon of dijon and reduced the sauce, then returned the solids. Served it with mashed potato. Really sweet, subtle flavour. Fuck Myxomatosis, just eat those tasty fuckers.

Edit: It was frozen, skinned and no head (thank fuck), and Wally cat got to eat the heart, one kidney and liver that were left in the cavity.

 

[Syikeblade]

Freezer breakfast sandwiches with English muffins, pork sausage, chedder cheese, and spinach in egg.

 

[Detrogen]

I cooked up some meatballs last night for some pasta I plan on making tonight. They’re just beef, no veal or pork, since I had initially bought the beef to make burgers. I tried one last night and they came out okay, hopefully they hold up in the fridge.

 

[Rakdos92]

I cooked up some meatballs last night for some pasta I plan on making tonight. They’re just beef, no veal or pork, since I had initially bought the beef to make burgers. I tried one last night and they came out okay, hopefully they hold up in the fridge.

I would suggest consuming them quickly anyway; mince meat (if that's what you used) spoils fast unless you freeze them.