This is why You're Fat: Cooking with whisk.e (2012-02-13)

[whisk.e.rebellion]

Mexican:
Salsa Verde (Green Salsa) [V/VG]
Salsa Roja (Red Salsa) [V/VG]
Crock-Pot Carnitas
Black Bean and Bacon Quesadillas

Indian:
Chana Curry (Chickpea Curry) [V/VG]
Chicken Curry
Dal (Lentils) [V/VG]
Gobi Aloo (Cauliflower with potatoes) [V/VG]

Sandwiches:
Sausage and Onion Sandwich
Grilled pancetta, mozzarella and basil sandwiches, PAW style.
PORK CHOP SANDWICHES!!

Grilling:
Stuffed Flank Steak

Meats:
Brown Sugar and Rosemary Porkchops

Pizza:
Basic Pizza Dough

Deserts/Sweets:
Bacon Torte
Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Dust and Chocolate Frosting [V]

Canning/Preserving:
Plum Jam/Preserves [V]
Moroccan Style Preserved Lemons [V/VG]

Quick Tips:
Leftover Avocado?

V = Vegetarian
VG = Vegan

Feel free to leave comments/criticisms/suggestions/requests.

I've been kicking this around for months, and if I have a partially filled thread I'll be more inclined to actually do this.

[whisk.e.rebellion]

This is an easy slow cooker recipe, but can also be done on the stove top. This vegetarian recipe can be made vegan by substituting vegetable oil for the ghee. Also, feel free to substitute butter for the ghee.

Hat tip to my wife, airexurb, for finding the recipe. I just made it more "authentic."

Assemble the goods:






We have:
* 2 cans of diced tomatoes
* 2 cans of chickpeas
* 1 small onion
* 3 Serrano peppers
* 5 cloves of garlic
* Salt (I use kosher)
* Ghee (feel free to substitute butter of vegetable oil)
* Whole coriander seeds
* Whole cloves
* Ground turmeric
* Garam masala
* Whole cumin seed
* Whole cardamom

Regarding the peppers: these are necessary, but the amount and kind you use are optional. I like Serranos because they're cheap, readily available here and hotter than Jalapenos. The quantity you use is up to you. These Serranos are rather hot, and I would use 5 or 6 if cooking for myself, but my wife and mother-in-law both thought this batch was a little too hot.

Regarding the whole spices: I buy nearly all of my spices whole. Whole spices keep longer, and -- depending on where you get them -- tend to be of a higher quality. Plus, I can toast the spices myself. If you only have ground, feel free to use them, but skip the toasting and grinding steps.

Chop up all of your aromatics:



Let's mix and toast our spices:



2 TBS of cumin



1 TBS of coriander



8-10 whole cloves



5-8 whole cardamom pods:



My grandma taught me to break the cardamom pods apart. You can just use your thumbnails to peel the pod and shake out the seeds:

Preheat a skillet to medium-low:



Throw all of the above spices (no turmeric or garam masala) into the skillet, tossing frequently, and cook until slightly browned and very aromatic:



Meanwhile, preheat another (large) skillet to medium heat.



The flash kind of washes out the "done" color of the spices.



Bust out your trusty spice grinder. I don't actually own a spice grinder, but I have two coffee grinders, one of which is dedicated to my Indian spices. I've had this Krupps grinder for probably 13 years. The stains you see on the side are from where I taped the lid shut through 4 moves.



Grind the heck out of those spices. You want to end up with a relatively fine powder.





Heat up two tablespoons of fat (I prefer ghee) over medium heat.



Add your onions.



And peppers.



And a heavy pinch of salt (probably a teaspoon's worth)



Once the onions have started to sweat down a bit, add the garlic.



Then the toasted and ground spices.



Stir it all up.



Add 2 TBS of ground turmeric and keep stirring. A technical SNAFU involving a broken spice jar broke the picture taking rhythm.



Add in both cans of tomatoes (juice and all)



Stir it all up.



Drain and rinse both cans of chickpeas.



Cauliflower is optional, but a great addition.



Add the cauliflower and chickpeas to the slow cooker.



Add the sauce from the pan (or, add everything else to the pan if not using a slow cooker)



Stir it all up.



Spinach is also optional, but a welcome addition.



Chop it up and just set it on top.



Put the lid on and set the slow cooker to low.



Set a timer for one hour.



The garam masala (whole).



Toast up about 2 TBS.



Grind it up.



Mix everything up.



Add the garam masala.



Stir again.



Set a timer for half-an-hour.



Stir and serve over basmati rice. Garnish with fresh spinach and cilantro, if desired.


DO NOT SPILL THE MIXTURE ON YOUR CLOTHES. Turmeric is often used as a clothing dye and will not wash out

[Biggin]

nom

[mboyce]

I am definitely trying this! We have recently started using sweet potatoes in curries, very tasty.

[juiceleague]

I really like where this thread is going.
Keep it up sir.

[airexurb]

tagged for future reading









and to annoy the cook.

[man in black]

this thread is relevant to my interest.

[whisk.e.rebellion]

This is totally not authentic, but I guess you could say it's "Mexican inspired" but it's your chance to go hog-wild with a quesadilla.


Let's start with my lovely assistant.


Who insisted on taking a picture of me.

Back on topic...




Let's meet the players in this act. Flour tortillas, cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, bacon, black beans and lemon/lime juice. Now, you can go all fancy here with artisan cheeses, real onions and garlic, hand squeezed organic, local, free trade limes, etc, but this is my go-to "we went out too late, let's get the kids to bed *now*" type dish. This dish could easily serve four.



Start with 3 rashers bacon. Granted, the bacon I get comes in rather large rashers. Adjust accordingly or per your tastes.



Chop all that bacon up.



And add it to a pan.



Wait until the bacon starts to cook on the bottom and give up some of its tasty fat.



Add all your spices. I don't measure, so just add to taste. Once the bacon cooks, taste a bit. If it's bland, add whatever is needed.



Mix it up and keep cooking...this would be a good time to...



Drain and rinse your black beans.



And pre-heat your comal, or whatever vessel you normally use for making quesadillas or grilled cheese.



Ahhh, the bacon's about done. Do not drain it. Notice that the bacon fat isn't clear? That's because that delicious fat is filled with delicious spices. We want those.



Add the beans.



Mix everything up.



Add a couple of splashes of lemon/lime juice. Since we didn't drain the bacon grease, we really need some acid to cut through that fat.



Protip: This also applies to grilled cheese. We want to warm up the "inside" of the quesadilla. A warm inside helps to melt the cheese more quickly. Drop two tortillas on the comal.



Keep the tortillas on until you can feel the heat coming through the top tortilla.



Flip the stack over.



Drop the warm tortillas on a plate.



Grab your favorite oil spray. Or coat the comal oil or butter, whatever you prefer.



Drop the first tortilla on the comal, "warm" side up.



Sprinkle with your choice of cheese(s).



Add the black bean and bacon mixture. This is where you can go wild. Add some cilantro, hot sauce, spinach, whatever you want. I would normally add a bunch of veggies, but this was a "dinner in a hurry" night.



Top with another sprinkling of cheese.



And add the second tortilla, warm side down.



Give it about 3 minutes on medium heat and flip.



Yeah, that first side is perfect.



Flip onto a plate.



And slice it up. I recommend a mezzaluna (pictured) or a pizza cutter. When not starving and rushed, I like to smear sour cream or crema Mexicana over the top and sprinkle lettuce on top of that. Feel free to go crazy with cream, veggies, and/or guacamole.

[whisk.e.rebellion]

Mmmm, sausage and onions...

I like to use hot Italian sausage for these, but mild would also work. If you've got breakfast sausage patties, the same cooking method works great for an awesome English muffin sandwich.


Put a splash of olive oil in a pan, swirl it around and set over medium heat.


Add your sausage and cover.

While the first side of the sausage browns (about 5 minutes), preheat your oven to 350 and prepare your bread.


I like to use a wide roll, Dijon mustard and mozzarella. All I had was string cheese, though.


Slather on your mustard.


And lay the cheese on the bread.


Slice up your onion. I like thick slices. If you have a bell pepper, add that, too. I didn't have one


Check your sausage and flip when it's got a nice brown crust on the one side.


Cover it back up.


Throw your mustardy, cheesy bread in the oven.


Check your sausage after another 5 minutes or so. It should be nice and brown on the other side now.


Slice the sausage in half (yes, I know it's not cooked through yet.


Drop the sausage back in the pan, cut side down.


Drop your onions on top.


Cover, drop to medium-low and let sit for 2-3 minutes.


Flip everything over. Ideally, you want the onions that were steaming on top of the sausage to now be in direct contact with the pan.


Cover it back up and kill the heat.


Crank up the broiler and keep an eye on that bread.


When the edges get nice and toasty and the cheese gets brown and bubbly, pull the bread out.


Pile on the sausage and onions.


And serve.

[silversnake]

Why did I have to start reading this on lunch break at work while eating a bland tuna sandwich and the crappy "emergency rations" stashed in my desk drawer? You inspire me to want to go home and cook tasty food now and I can't for another five hours.

[Dugger.NW]

these are some tasty looking items, will have to keep watching this thread for more tasty looking ideas.

[Chef]

As a cook, a bon vivant, and someone who appreciates the value of sharing information via well-constructed procedurals, the only thing I have to add is a hearty:

[Tommy Tran]

Thanks for contributing to my PAW reserve belly!

[fattycakes]

This thread made my mouth water. I will be trying these recipes.thank you sir!

[whisk.e.rebellion]

Technically, this is a roulade, if you wanna get all fancy.

Everything you'll need: A flank steak (about 2lbs), pancetta, garlic, green onion, spinach, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper.



Cook the pancetta:


While that's cooking, mince your garlic:


Slice your scallions:


Rinse and drain your spinach:


Dry your spinach:


Chop your spinach:


The pancetta is about done:


Add your garlic:


Mix it all up:


Drop the heat and let it all cook for a couple minutes longer, until the garlic softens:


Drain on paper towels:


Get a big bowl and a spoon:


Scoop out some of the ricotta:


Add the pancetta and garlic:


Add the spinach:


Add the scallions:


And start mixing:


Add more cheese or veg if necessary or desired:


Unroll your steak. Mine came with a few extra pieces:


Liberally salt and pepper both sides:




Spread the cheese mixture all over one side. Try to keep it even:


Fold/roll it up:




Truss it up. I like a surgeon's knot for this:




Fire up the grill:




Start over high, direct heat:


Close the grill and give it about 10 minutes on the first side. Check every minute or two after the first five minutes to make sure it's not burning:


Roll the steak and do it all again:


Third side:


After searing the third side, roll the steak over so that it can finish cooking over indirect heat then close the grill up again


This is where things get tricky. Cooking a roulade isn't like cooking a regular steak. You've got nearly three pounds of food, tightly packed. This first time I made this, I cooked it over indirect heat for about 30 minutes. The end pieces were a perfect medium rare, but the middle was on the raw side of rare and I had to finish those slices in the oven. This time I cooked it for about 40 minutes, and the almost whole thing was a near perfect medium with end pieces being on the medium side of medium-well.

40 minutes later:


Put it back on the cutting board and remove the string and let rest for about 10 minutes. I tented it with foil, but forget to grab a pic.


Slice and serve:

[whisk.e.rebellion]

Salsa verde (green sauce) is my favorite type of salsa. It's tangy and flavorful and usually has just a little kick to it. While this salsa will go with pretty much any Mexican dish, I like salsa verde best with pork and chicken dishes.

Here's what we'll need:




* About 3/4lb of tomatillos
* Half an onion
* 3 cloves of garlic
* 1 bunch of cilantro
* Lemons, for juice. There are two pictured, but I only used one this time
* Fresh peppers. I used jalapenos. Again, there are two pictured, but I only used one and a half
* Salt to taste

I normally use serranos for almost everything, but I'm making this batch of salsa for a dinner party where I don't know everyone's taste. I find jalapenos to be a bit more mild than serranos. Plus, jalapenos were cheaper and better looking this time. Start with fewer peppers than you think you need. You can always add more later, but you can't take any out after you blend them.

Tomatillos:



Tomatillos are not green tomatoes. They're part of the same family, but not the same at all. First thing we need to do is get rid of this husk.



You'll notice there's a stem where the husk was attached. We need to get rid of that stem. Grab a paring knife and cut it out. You don't have to go too deep, just circle around the stem and pop it right out:



Now we need to blanch the tomatillos. Sure, you can bring some water to a boil then dunk these in until they're done, but I like to throw them in a pot, fill with cold water then let the water come to a boil and cook the tomatillos while I'm prepping everything else. Once the water starts boiling, the tomatillos should be ready in about 5 minutes.





With the tomatillos blanching, let's turn to the rest of the ingredients. Don't drop these into your blender yet. Put them all in a bowl. You want the tomatillos at the bottom of the blender since the liquid in those will keep everything moving.

Take your half onion and give it a rough chop. Remember, everything's going into a blender so we don't need to get too fancy with the cutting:





Peel your garlic and do the same:





And the peppers. No point in taking the seeds out. Despite what you've heard, the seeds aren't the hot part of a pepper; the pith is.





And the same thing with the cilantro. Rough chop, stems and all.





Here's everything:



Take your lemon, cut it into wedges and get the seeds out. Or lime. Doesn't matter. I had some older lemons laying around that I didn't want to go to waste.





Back to the tomatillos. You'll know they're done when they turn a nice olive drab color. Pull them out of the water and let them cool.



Here's a raw one (on the right) and a done one (on the left) so you can see the color difference



Once the tomatillos are cooled, quarter them



And toss them in the blender



Along with everything else



Squeeze in your lemon juice



I like to add a heavy pinch of salt



Lid up



And blitz





If you're having trouble getting everything to blend, try stopping the blender and stirring everything up. Also, if you didn't add enough tomatillos, you may need to add some water to thin things out.

Pour the salsa into a tupperware and let it chill a couple of hours before serving

[whisk.e.rebellion]

I love carnitas. I look forward to Mothers' Day every year when my best friend's dad digs a hole in the back yard, builds a fire in it and braises various parts of a pig in lard for several hours.

While that's delicious, it's not necessarily the healthiest thing, which is probably why he only makes carnitas once a year.

I set out on a quest to create something almost as good but without the lard and the hole digging and the fire building. What resulted was Crock-Pot Carnitas.

Here's what we need:



* 1 pork shoulder, bone in (I'm going with a 5lb one here)
* 1 onion
* 1 lemon (or lime)
* 1 orange
* 5+ cloves of garlic
* 2 whole, fresh chiles (serrano in this case)
* Cumin
* Chili powder (I used dried, ground pasillas)
* Salt
* 5+ dried whole chiles (I use chiles japonese)
* 1 can chicken broth
* Water
* Secret ingredient TBD

Put your pork in the pot:



Spice it up. I don't measure here. What you want is to get a thick layer of all the spices on the top of the pork:







When it looks like this, you've got enough spices:



Take your onion, peel it, half it, and quarter the halves:





Cut the stems off your chiles and half them, lengthwise





Smash and peel your garlic:





Add all this to the pot, along with the dried chiles:



Cut up your orange the same way you did the onion (half, quarter the halves)



Squeeze the orange juice into the pot then throw the orange parts in:





Same with the lemon/lime:





Add the broth to the pot. Yes, it's going to wash the spices off the top of the pork. It doesn't really matter, though:





Now for the secret ingredient. Yup, a cup of regular old Coca Cola Classic. Not diet, not zero, not Pepsi, not RC, Coke Classic:





Pour it in, then top the pot off with water. Because my pork shoulder was too big for my pot, the top of the pork wasn't covered. Not a big deal; it' still gonna cook plus we're going to flip the pork over eventually:







Set the crock-pot to high. Cook on high one hour for each pound of pork. Flip the pork half-way through.



Fast forward five hours. Internal temp of the pork is 160 degrees. Remove pork.



Careful, it might fall off the bone:



Let cool a bit, then shred:



If necessary, heat or crisp in a cast iron skillet:

[Jeriah]

The recipes look awesome, but my favorite part is your Space Invader cutting board.

[whisk.e.rebellion]

The recipes look awesome, but my favorite part is your Space Invader cutting board.

Haha, thanks. airexurb got that for me for Christmas a few years ago. Unfortunately, I was watching so much ATHF at the time that I thought it was a Mooninite cutting board at first

[hatchtrikk]

Tag for later

[Shiloh]

I'm going to have to print up some of these for college next year. Those black bean and bacon quesadillas look amazing. Being able to cook should count for something against the swirlies and freshman jokes, right?

Right?

[skelco]

awesome thread!

[Jeriah]

Indian:
Chana Curry (Chickpea Curry) [V/VG][/url]

Cooking this now. Thanks!

[Ruppism]

The sausage onion sammitch was amazing thanks for the recipe