|
Welcome to a brand spanking new edition of the GWS General Questions Thread! This thread is for newbies, regulars, and everyone in between to ask quick questions, get recipe ideas, and have short discussions about cooking. The purpose of this thread is discussing how to make good food. That's it. No matter how new or experienced you are at cooking, if you have a question about recipes (that a quick Google search won't answer), technique, etc. that can be answered with a couple of replies, post it in here. The GWS gestalt will do its best to answer your question in a polite and prompt manner. Please remember when posting: - No Trolling. - No condescending answer or stupid/misleading advice. - Try to define jargon you use. Using the jargon is fine, just make sure a new cook could understand what you're saying without consulting Wikipedia or something. As always, caveat emptor. Or as the previous General Questions thread put it, Croatoan posted:Now, please keep in mind that the advice you get will be coming from people who do things like this: Finally, the amazing Toast maintains a wiki for us and it is full of recipe ideas and other cool stuff. Feel free to contribute, browse, or whatever. Find it here.
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 03:44
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 06:43 |
|
|
Why are half of the threads on the main/1st page closed?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 03:54
|
|
|
Ridonkulous posted:Why are half of the threads on the main/1st page closed? http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3437761
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:03
|
|
|
Real question is why are some food threads left open: cold remedies, wok thread, bbq thread. But others closed: japanese cooking, chili, goon wine.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:07
|
|
|
HClChicken posted:Real question is why are some food threads left open: cold remedies, wok thread, bbq thread. But others closed: japanese cooking, chili, goon wine. Because the treads left open are reccomendation or recipe threads. The ones closed are discussion threads.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:08
|
|
|
In the interest of whirrled peas, I'll kick this off with a question. I made split pea soup tonight (for the first time). It got cold here, I had split peas in the pantry. It was pretty damned bland. I pretty much winged it on a whim, and I substituted bacon for a ham hock because, like I said, I winged it and that's what I had in the fridge. Anyone have a tried and true split pea soup recipe you wouldn't mind sharing so I can make something worth writing home about?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:10
|
|
|
Eat This Glob posted:In the interest of whirrled peas, I'll kick this off with a question. I made split pea soup tonight (for the first time). It got cold here, I had split peas in the pantry. It was pretty damned bland. I pretty much winged it on a whim, and I substituted bacon for a ham hock because, like I said, I winged it and that's what I had in the fridge. Anyone have a tried and true split pea soup recipe you wouldn't mind sharing so I can make something worth writing home about? Can you post your recipe?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:11
|
|
|
Make it a daal, and you'll be fine. Mustard seed, cumin seed, garlic, onion, ginger, and chiles. Obscene amounts of onion and ginger, that is. Optional tomato and coriander leaves if you like it. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice. Salt, black pepper. Call it a night. It should cook up fairly easily, and be done in less than an hour or so. Just add the tomatoes at the end.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:15
|
|
|
^^^edit, that's what I'm talking about. Noted for later. Thanks, dino.!^^^HClChicken posted:Can you post your recipe? Like I said, it was entirely on a whim. Worst case, it would have been a supplement to my dog's dinner. I took about 8 ounces of dried split peas, boiled for a minute in about 6 cups of water. In a stock pot, I added 4 strips of lightly cooked, chopped bacon, a tablespoon of salt, two cloves of garlic, and a bay leaf. Cooked down the liquid, I added a 5-6 turns of a pepper mill. The texture was nice, the taste was okay, but pretty bland. Made two large-ish bowls of soup. vvv double edit, read the Whirrled Peas thread Bart linked. Seems like a month long "back to basics" thing for GWS, focus on the cooking and minimize the off topic stuff vvv Eat This Glob fucked around with this message at 04:24 on Sep 17, 2011 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:19
|
|
|
Ridonkulous posted:Because the treads left open are reccomendation or recipe threads. The ones closed are discussion threads. What the heck is wrong with discussion? Not every thread needs to be question/response... sometimes we enjoy conversing about the food-related topics that interest us. (Or, for more lurkery-types like me, reading the conversations). Not trying to be difficult, I just don't really understand the change. It's like the forum is supposed to be more of a Q&A and less of a community. The topics brought me to this forum, the discussions made me stay. After all, the breadcrumbs do read "The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons With Spoons" EVG fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Sep 17, 2011 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:20
|
|
|
I would really prefer this thread not become a referendum on thread closures. If you have questions about that, feel free to PM me or PXJ. Keep discussions here on-topic.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:23
|
|
|
Dried peas have almost no flavor and really just provide texture (though they are very nutritious). That sucks because fresh peas are delicious, but is awesome because you can make pea soup taste like anything you want! Use more spices and herbs than you would normally, plus a lot more salt.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:46
|
|
|
Does anyone know of any good recipes for a "pot roast" without the meat? Basically just the vegetables since the meat is hardly ever eaten in our house.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 04:59
|
|
|
uapyro posted:Does anyone know of any good recipes for a "pot roast" without the meat? Basically just the vegetables since the meat is hardly ever eaten in our house. You can roast veggies super easy. Just get some stuff you like and chop it up into a pan with some olive oil and salt and pepper and maybe some cloves of garlic if you like it. Put it in a 350 degree oven and check it after 20-30 minutes. Add a little time if you feel like the veggies need it. Things like celery and onion will be roasted before root veggies like potatoes and carrots and parsnips, and the size of the chunks will make a difference. But really, you can season them however you like and just be sure to check up on them and find the best temp and time for the way you like things to be cooked.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 05:20
|
|
|
Dammit, I only figured out what the implication of "Whirled Peas" was after I explained out loud to my husband that "holy crap, half of GWS is closed down!" My parents have about two pounds of quinoa in their freezer that my sister left behind. Seeing as how my sister is into healthy, all-natural food, and my parents...not so much so, what kind of tasty things can my parents make with it?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 05:46
|
|
|
Are wasabi peas actually peas? I had a bag of them at work and someone asked me. I had to tell them to be honest I didn't know and google was vague at best besides trying to sell me more delicious wasabi peas,
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 05:48
|
|
|
I recently moved out, and got a lot of kitchen equipment that my mom never used. I didn't even know she had an enameled dutch oven, so I took it because it was sitting in a cupboard for 10 years. Also, I got her pizza stone and pizza peel. So, if you got those three things, what would be the first thing you'd make with them? I know a dutch oven has a million uses, but since my mom never cooked with one... I didn't learn how to use it! I know you can bake bread, make stews, and all sorts of things. It's an ugly orange monstrosity and I want to harness it. Pizza stone and peel is pretty straight forward, because I'll make a bunch of different kinds of pizzas. I'll have to give the stone a good bake in the oven, it was stored outside for quite a while.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 05:50
|
|
|
If you're in a cooler fall climate? Chili and flatbread (of one of a thousand different varieties) with or without cheese.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 05:58
|
|
|
I was wondering if anyone had a good pizza sauce recipe. I've recently gotten into homemade pizzas and I would like to make my own sauce rather than getting store bought. Also this might be a stupid question, but can you cook steak in a cast iron pan? If so how? Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 06:24
|
|
|
Eat This Glob posted:Like I said, it was entirely on a whim. Worst case, it would have been a supplement to my dog's dinner. I took about 8 ounces of dried split peas, boiled for a minute in about 6 cups of water. In a stock pot, I added 4 strips of lightly cooked, chopped bacon, a tablespoon of salt, two cloves of garlic, and a bay leaf. Cooked down the liquid, I added a 5-6 turns of a pepper mill. The texture was nice, the taste was okay, but pretty bland. Made two large-ish bowls of soup. You need vegetables in that to add flavour. The bacon alone can't possibly cut through all those mushy peas. Carrots and onions are given. Celeriac is extremely well suited as well, if you find it, or parsnip. Finally, use thyme for seasoning. It too has heft and depth enough.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 07:35
|
|
|
What are the best places to eat in Las Vegas? I know all the celebrity chefs have their restaurants there, are they the places to go, or is there better?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 07:37
|
|
|
Quid posted:Are wasabi peas actually peas? I had a bag of them at work and someone asked me. I had to tell them to be honest I didn't know and google was vague at best besides trying to sell me more delicious wasabi peas, They're dehydrated(maybe?) and roasted peas covered with a yummy wasabi-based coating. Mach420 fucked around with this message at 07:41 on Sep 17, 2011 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 07:38
|
|
|
Phadedsky posted:I was wondering if anyone had a good pizza sauce recipe. I've recently gotten into homemade pizzas and I would like to make my own sauce rather than getting store bought. Also this might be a stupid question, but can you cook steak in a cast iron pan? If so how? Thanks! Chop a small onion finely and some garlic. Fry for a little. Add a small tin of tomato concentrate and a couple of tins of good San Marzano tomatoes, and some water. Season with whatever you like, try using salt, pepper, a little sugar, oregano and a few grains of cinnamon. How can you not cook a steak in a cast iron pan? Dry the steak well with paper, season it with salt and pepper, and leave it on the counter for a while, half to one hour should do. Grease the pan, heat the poo poo out of it, and give the steak a nice quick fry on both sides to get a good browning. This is not "sealing in the juices", it is simply for flavour. There is no way to seal in the juices anyhow. Drop the heat down to half and give the steak another few minutes on each side. You need to figure out yourself how you like it and how long to fry it. if you prod it with your fingers and it still feels soft like raw meat, it's cooked rare. A little more springy and it's medium. Practice makes perfect.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 07:43
|
|
|
Thank you so much. I'll definitely try both of these in the next week! Edit: With the garlic should a just add 2-3 cloves? Phadedsky fucked around with this message at 07:48 on Sep 17, 2011 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 07:45
|
|
|
Add as much garlic as you like. I forgot to mention: this needs to be reduced over heat until consistency is right. Try to "fry" the sauce a bit as it reduces. This gives a good flavour to the tomatoes. Basically turn the heat up a little towards the end and keep stirring and scraping.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 07:51
|
|
|
Sjurygg posted:Add as much garlic as you like. I forgot to mention: this needs to be reduced over heat until consistency is right. Try to "fry" the sauce a bit as it reduces. This gives a good flavour to the tomatoes. Basically turn the heat up a little towards the end and keep stirring and scraping. One last question, about what temperature should I cook the sauce at as well as the steak?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 08:02
|
|
|
Phadedsky posted:I was wondering if anyone had a good pizza sauce recipe. I've recently gotten into homemade pizzas and I would like to make my own sauce rather than getting store bought. Also this might be a stupid question, but can you cook steak in a cast iron pan? If so how? Thanks! I do a no cook pizza sauce. 1 can of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz) 1 T. olive oil 1 T. oregano 2 cloves garlic crushed 2 t. onion powder 1 t. paprika pinch of thyme pinch of red pepper flake pinch of salt Drain tomatoes and save the juice. Place tomatoes in a few paper towels and give them a good squeeze to get all the extra water out so the sauce isn't soupy. Put your tomatoes in a food processor/blender and give them a quick spin. Add your seasoning to the tomatoes, spin again. Drizzle in olive oil while the food processor/blender is going like you would trying to make a salad dressing, then spin for another 5 seconds. Refrigerate sauce for 30 min. to an hour so the flavors can meld. If you squeeze too much water out of the tomatoes just add a little of the juice in a little at a time until you like the consistency
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 10:27
|
|
|
I'm about to make lasagne. after i've added all ingredients and want to let it simmer, can it simmer for too long? I want to try letting it simmer for 3 hours, as I've heard that would give good results, but want to make sure im not "over-simmering" it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 12:05
|
|
|
I'm not sure which thread this question would be more appropriate in - but I have a Spanish thyme plant and I'm not going to be able to use all the leaves before the plant inevitably starts dying on me. Anyone know if it's better to dry the thyme (in the oven), or freeze it? I'm hoping to preserve as much flavor as possible, for as long as possible.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 12:43
|
|
|
General Venereal posted:I'm not sure which thread this question would be more appropriate in - but I have a Spanish thyme plant and I'm not going to be able to use all the leaves before the plant inevitably starts dying on me. Anyone know if it's better to dry the thyme (in the oven), or freeze it? I'm hoping to preserve as much flavor as possible, for as long as possible. I don't think tender herbs like that would handle freezing very well. I would dry it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 12:45
|
|
|
Phadedsky posted:One last question, about what temperature should I cook the sauce at as well as the steak? Do the sauce over a burner, at a solid simmer. Less than a boil, but more than steaming hot. Don't cook the tomato sauce in a cast-iron pan. The acid in the tomatoes won't play nice with the iron.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 13:39
|
|
|
I just made a batch of buttermilk biscuits. I usually make them pretty big, since I like to use them for sandwiches, and they typically come out pretty well. However, this was the first time making them in a new apartment with a much smaller oven. I followed my recipe (which tends to make 5 big-rear end biscuits) and arranged them in a "star" pattern on a flat cookie sheet. The one in the middle came out perfectly, but the rest got a bit burnt and didn't rise well on the sides facing to the outside (away from the other biscuits). The insides were barely cooked and I still got significant burning. Is there any way I could remedy the problem, i.e. using a pan with a lip or a cakepan or something, or am I just doomed to lovely baked goods with this oven? 
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 13:52
|
|
|
General Venereal posted:I'm not sure which thread this question would be more appropriate in - but I have a Spanish thyme plant and I'm not going to be able to use all the leaves before the plant inevitably starts dying on me. Anyone know if it's better to dry the thyme (in the oven), or freeze it? I'm hoping to preserve as much flavor as possible, for as long as possible. You can easily hang dry it, by just tieing it with string, letting it hang for 14 days, and then, over a piece of parchment, shake it vigourously, the leaves will drop off/cruble up, store that in airtight containers, and you're good (I do this with herbs every fall, and I always end up with a good result).
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 14:11
|
|
|
Happy Abobo posted:I just made a batch of buttermilk biscuits. I usually make them pretty big, since I like to use them for sandwiches, and they typically come out pretty well. However, this was the first time making them in a new apartment with a much smaller oven. I followed my recipe (which tends to make 5 big-rear end biscuits) and arranged them in a "star" pattern on a flat cookie sheet. If it only was in just one end the remedy would be to turn the plate during baking, but what you're describing basically sounds like you're in a situation where the heat source is a ring(?) in the top of the oven - making the exact center perfect, while the rest of the oven is crap.... Is there a possiblity to turn on a fan in the oven, switching to hot air? That may (if your oven truly is lovely) give you the problem of one end (the end closest to the fan) getting baked sooner, but that can be rectified by turning the plate. Alternatively - you can distribute heat more evenly by adding a plate of either stone or cast irone both above and below your baking plate (I've only seen this done once - but it worked).
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 14:17
|
|
|
Hmmm, I could give it a try with a pizza stone on a rack above the biscuits. Hopefully that'll help. I'm a bit worried about the crumb being underdone before the outside is overdone, but that might just be a consequence of making them so big. Maybe a lower temp would help that out.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 15:42
|
|
|
Lower heat, longer cook time.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 15:57
|
|
|
PRADA SLUT posted:What are the best places to eat in Las Vegas? I know all the celebrity chefs have their restaurants there, are they the places to go, or is there better? Besides Lotus it really depends on what you're in the mood for. Picasso is fantastic if you want the high-end fine dining experience; I'd recommend it over Joel Robuchon. Carnevino is a great steak place, but there are tons of great steak places I haven't tried to make a good comparison. Most of the stuff in the Cosmopolitan is very good - Jaleo (Jose Andres), Scarpetta (if you don't mind giving Scott Conant money), Comme Ça, etc. are all very solid eateries and about average for Strip prices. Give me an idea of what kind of food you want and I can probably throw out some unorthodox recommendations.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 16:20
|
|
|
Casu Marzu posted:Lower heat, longer cook time. Ahh, ok. I'll give it a shot. For some reason, I had it in my mind that biscuits need a short time / high temp bake, but now that I think about it, I don't know why I thought that.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 16:27
|
|
|
I have one of those hams you buy at the grocery store and you cook. I've never cooked one before and all I've had before consists of brown sugar, butter, and sometimes a fruit like pineapple. What is something else I could try to do? It's not been cut at all.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 17:41
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 06:43 |
|
|
Quick question. I'm making stock from leftover chicken bones. I know I'm supposed to be skimming it, but what am I trying to skim exactly? Is it the foam that bubbles to the top, or the gray/brown gunky stuff that collects under the fat? Or both? I feel the latter will be much harder to get as it doesn't collect together the way the foam does.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2011 17:44
|
|
