Cooking/Food Thread

[knowledge]

I couldn't cook 5 months ago, but developed a liking for it after I got tired of eating sandwiches and missing homecooked food. I especially like regional dishes from other places. Can we post basic recipes in here for others to try out? I wanna get better. I don't think that food has to be loaded with butter or be unhealthy to taste good; minimalist dishes/recipes are also welcome. But so is everything else (poutine recipes, anyone?)

Risotto (or rice) with smoked Salmon for 3
Ingredients:
- Onion (half of a large onion is fine)
- Risotto (or rice)
- Feta or goat cheese (about 200g/1 package. I would recommend using half of the package and modifying to taste)
- spinach (one bag is fine. If you'd like to add more, you can just drain more of the spinach juice afterwards so it doesn't overwhelm)
- smoked salmon (150-200g is enough)
- baby tomatoes

1) dice the onions, wash the tomatoes, rice (if you need to) and wash the spinach
2) put a little bit of oil and lightly roast the onions on medium to high heat for a couple of minutes, followed by the uncooked rice/risotto for another couple of minutes
3) cook the rice/risotto in a pot (you can use soup stock to give it more flavour, if you'd like. I'm fine without it)
4) while that's happening, start steaming the spinach and let it cook in its own water. You can use a lot as it shrinks down quite a bit
5) you also use this time to cut the salmon into small pieces
6) you can either cut the feta cheese or microwave it to melt it. Add it into the rice and stir so that the cheese is evenly mixed.
6) add in the salmon and mix
7) add in the spinach and mix
8) cut up the baby tomatoes and put it on top of the dish

I'm new to this so I apologize if it's a bit hard to follow. But this one's hard to mess up, which is why I chose it

 

[Wingboy]

Great idea.This is something we all have in common.Food! I vote sticky.

 

[crankcall]

Costco has a pineapple/mango/coconut/tequila sauce by the bottle, grill up chicken breasts and when about 5 mins from done baste liberally. Once you plate them baste a second time.
If your keeping sauce in the fridge, warm it a bit since cold sauce/hot food= fail.

Take tortilla, warm brie cheese, chop a jalapeno pepper and stir into whole berry cranberry sauce, spread warm brie on tortilla and then spread on jalapeno/cranberry sauce, fold over and put on hot bbq grill and warm through. Makes a great appetizer

 

[eljay]

Hamburger

Ingredients:
Buns
Patties - as many as you want per bun
Bacon - 3 strips per patty
Cheese - 2 slices per patty is good
Mustard
Yellow onion
Ketchup
Pickles
Tomato
Lettuce
Mayo

Recipe:
Prepare bacon beforehand per bacon instructions.
Slice tomatoes, onions, pickles.
Cook patties on flat pan or bbq at medium to high heat.
Douse raw side with some salt, to taste.
Press when sizzling and flip.
Repeat 4 times. Cook until you are satisfied you would eat it.
Lightly toast buns.
Put cheese slice on bottom bun, then alternate patties and cheese. Cheese slice on top of last patty.
Apply bacon to top in orderly grid fashion.
Dollop of mustard on top of bacon.
To top button apply dollop of mayo, then ketchup, then pickle slices on ketchup.
After pickles add onion slices, then two tomato slices (more makes it too runny), then leaves of lettuce.
Apply top half to bottom half.
Enjoy.

 

[toshison]

Here is a basic go-to fish dish that is not very fishy so does not stink up the house when cooking, is fast, easy and is protein-centric without much else making it good if you are counting your protein/calorie consumption.


Steamed Tilapia with Ginger

Ingredients

4 Tilapia Fillets (I buy the frozen bag of them from costco, each fillet is 110gm)
1/4 cup of grated ginger
3 Stalks of chopped green onion/scallions
1/2 Stalk of chopped lemongrass
3-4 Tbsp of Soya Sauce "seasoned for seafood" (look for this type of soya sauce in asian grocery stores)
1 Tbsp White cooking wine
pinch of white pepper (optional)

Required tools: A pot + Bamboo Steamer or you can use a rice cooker with a steamer tray..


Method
Combine all ingredients except fish into a bowl and mix well.
Then add fish to bowl and if you have time, let the fish marinate for 20 minutes (optional)

Bring water to boil in pot/rice cooker

Place fish and sauce/chopped ingredients on a plate that can fit inside your steamer. The idea here is that you want the fish to be steamed in its sauce mixture and you don't want all those bits of flavouring to fall through the steamer. If you don't have a plate that can fit inside your steamer, construct a shallow bowl/plate using tin foil making sure that it fits inside your steamer but with some room left over around the sides so that the vents of steam can still get into the steamer.

Place fish and sauce mixture in the bowl/plate and put in steamer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with Cilantro. Thats it.

You can experiment with adding/removing ingredients as this is more a method of preparing fish that a set recipe. I only recently added lemongrass and I sometimes use more ginger. This recipe basically works with any kind of fish and steaming is pretty hard to screw up, you will never end up with dry overcooked fish. If you leave it in the steamer longer, it will just get more tender to the point of falling apart. I tend to not overdo it in the steamer so the fish stays firm. I have done it with salmon too and it was good but I prefer tilapia.

 

[toshison]

This is a simple marinated chicken recipe and I assure you that it is real tasty and perfect for BBQing. It might sound a little strange using Mayo as a base to a marinade but I assure you that this recipe packs flavour and much better than any store bought marinade. Im all about simple cooking throughout the week and it does not get much simpler than this.

Canuck Souvlaki Marinade:
2-4lbs of boneless/skinless chicken thighs or breasts (I prefer thighs for this recipe)
¾ cup Mayonnaise (light or low fat is okay if you want)
3 cloves garlic (crushed in a garlic press or finely chopped)
½ tsp.dried oregano
¼ tsp. dried basil
2 tbsp. lemon juice (bottled is okay)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. Whole Grain dijon mustard
2 tsp. seasoning salt (not plain salt, the redish mixture kind)

Method

Add all ingredients in a tupperware and mix thoroughly. Let chicken marinate overnight in the fridge (this is important).

Next day, grill in the oven or on the BBQ.

 

[Wingboy]

A different way to cook fish.My fave fish....Catfish!
[video=youtube;iKszPKCyPRM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKszPKCyPRM&feature=em-upload_owner[/video]

 

[BusaBob]

the secret to a perfect rib roast:

buy it on sale...leaves more $$$ for the bike

generously salt and pepper the outside of the roast (or use montreal steak spice).
use a meat thermometer
(for real, this is essential)
allow the roast to warm up to room temperature (remember, it's salted, so no worries about spoiling)
place in a 150 degree Fahrenheit oven (uncovered)
SLOW roast for several hours (can take 5 to 9 hours depending on the size of the roast),
DO NOT allow the internal temperature to rise above 135 degrees (this is critical)

Once it's at this magical temperature, take the roast out of the oven and tent with foil so it does not dry out
Crank the oven to 500 degrees and allow it to reach this temperature (20 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven).
Place the roast back in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes until the outside becomes crispy and brown (the Millard reaction, critical to flavour and eye appeal).

* note, the roast can be "held" at 135 degrees F almost indefinitely (covered). My experience has been that the longer it's held there, the more tender the meat

once browned, remove the roast. There is no need for it to "rest" as it is only the outer crust that has been exposed to the high temp.

slice and serve with a glass of red and home made beef broth gravy...heaven.

 

[markopas]

Great idea.This is something we all have in common.Food! I vote sticky.

+1

Let's all try to add pictures to these posts, adding a recipe just doesn't help justify what's being made.

OP is a perfect example of this.

 

[Jampy00]

Cola-Marinated Flank Steak with Frito Chilaquiles

• TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN
• SERVINGS: 4 TO 6

1. 4 cups cola, preferably made with cane sugar
2. 2 teaspoons jarred Thai green curry paste
3. 2 Fresno chiles or jalapeños, thinly sliced crosswise
4. One 1 1/2-pound flank steak, cut lengthwise and crosswise to make 4 steaks
5. 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for brushing
6. Kosher salt
7. Freshly ground black pepper
8. One 16-ounce jar salsa verde
9. 8 ounces Fritos
10. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
11. 2 Hass avocados, diced
12. 3 tablespoons freshly grated Cotija cheese
13. Lime wedges, for serving

1. In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, whisk the cola with the green curry paste and sliced Fresno chiles. Add the flank steaks and turn to coat thoroughly. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
2. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan and oil the grate. Remove the flank steaks from the marinade and pat them dry. Brush the steaks with canola oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until the steaks are medium-rare, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a work surface and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the salsa verde and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly reduced and thickened, about 4 minutes. Add the Fritos to the salsa and cook, stirring, until the chips are soft with some crunchy bits but not falling apart, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro and transfer the chilaquilesto a platter.
4. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain. Top the chilaquiles with the sliced steak and any accumulated meat juices. Scatter the avocados, Cotija cheese and remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro on top and serve immediately with lime wedges.

 

[absolute]

sub'd!!