Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with cooking

Itty, bitty, teeney, tiny chicken...how does one cook this?

jeanmari — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:17:13 -0800

In our meat share this month, we got two (adorable) but completely confusing tiny little chickens. What can I do with these things? Friends of ours tried to grill them and, while they proclaimed them to be tasty, recommended that we try to keep them whole.

I've roasted a chicken before, but never something so small. I mean, look at these things! A drumstick is the size of my thumb! I'm super intimidated as I am not the greatest cook to begin with and this is completely foreign to me. Searching for "tiny chicken" on the Internet wasn't as helpful as I thought it would be

Help? Ideas?

its a tureen, its not a tureen. what is it?

chasles — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:27:00 -0800

What is this item? image1 image2(its NOT called a soup tureen, i'm pretty sure) I believe it is used in indian or middle easter cooking...

Help me cut, chop, dice like a pro

Abbril — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:15:46 -0800

Trying to find a good Knife Skills cooking class or workshop in the Ottawa area. Any ideas?

how to make cake in a jar

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:35:14 -0800

how safe are cakes baked in mason jars? I realize that it's not shelf stable canning, but google searches seem to indicate that the cake can stay good for up to 6 months. How successful have you been? Also - i'm looking to ship this from texas to new york and i'm concerned that the seal will break with the heat from the shipping. will freezing the cake before i ship it make any difference at all?

Any other tips or tricks about baking cakes in jars is certainly welcome. this is my first time!

anonymous since this is a gift to a mefite.

How do use corn meal?

wfrgms — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:53:34 -0800

I've recently come into possession of two bags of corn meal. Now what? I received two, two pound bags of "old style", water ground, self rising corn meal, "from selected white corn" as a gift recently. Apparently it comes from Suber's Mill in Greer, SC and is sought after north of the Mason-Dixon.

I'm by no means a cook, but I know this stuff can be used to make corn bread. I love corn bread, but I'm not clear on how to make it. I suppose I need a cast iron pan and some other ingredients...

So I guess my questions is, how do I start?

Also, what other uses does corn meal have?

Thanks!

Are Elmira stoves good stoves, or do they just look good?

fiercecupcake — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:22:44 -0800

Is anyone familiar with Elmira stoves, especially the Northstar? My mother wants to know if they are anything special besides the obvious retro-charm appeal. My instinct is to tell her if she is going to spend this much to buy a Wolf, which is a fraction of the price. I think if the Elmiras are as well-performing as Wolfs or Vikings she might want one regardless of the cost. (I found this, but it's not quite what I'm looking for.) She wants a gas range and I think she is OK with a gas oven. The Elmiras just seem ridiculously expensive to me, and I used to love the Wolf ranges in professional kitchens. I just talked to her and she said the Elmiras sound too expensive to her, too. But she doesn't like stainless and finds that it tends to rust in their beachfront home.

Suggestions?

What to do with all this whiskey?

MaryDellamorte — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:40:40 -0800

What to do with all this whiskey? My boyfriend has bottles of unopened whiskey, but doesn't drink the stuff and I don't either. He has accumulated them as gifts from friends. He was thinking of cooking with it, but the catch is, he's vegan and he's never cooked with whiskey before. Can anyone suggest delicious vegan dishes that involve whiskey?

Picklers of the world unite!

goodnewsfortheinsane — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:28:26 -0800

What's your favourite pickle recipe, and why? And what advice can you offer to a novice pickler? I've embarked on a cautious foray into the world of DIY pickles. So far I've mostly limited myself to trying to replicate the ones I grew up with, i.e. Dutch-style gherkins and onions. They're nice, sure, but not very imaginative.

So in the interest of adventure, let's hear it! What's your favourite pickle? And if you know how it's made or if you've made it yourself, please share! I know I'm not alone in my pickle frenzy, so let's not be coy about these things, shall we.

Some personal quirks:
-I like pickled vegetables. Fruit... not so much. Previous successes include gherkins/cucumbers, onions, carrots, sweet peppers, and celery. I'm very open to pickling other vegetables.
-I really, really like strong tastes. Anyone remember boo_radley's story in MeTa a while ago? That's me. Basically, the pickles I've made so far have come straight from hell. This does not please everyone, however, and they don't have to be super hot or sour or garlicky or anything. But I do like strong flavours. More specifically, I'm looking to add some meat to my pickles, or say a darker / more umami flavour.
-Most of what I've made and/or read about concerns European- and American-style pickles. I'd be interested to hear about other varieties, such as those from our Asian cousins.
-Relishes to relish! Let's not forget about these pulpier, more spreadable citizens of Pickleland (which I'm pretty sure actually exists).
-I'm also interested in advice a pickle master would give to a novice, such as "cold infusions are for total wusses" or "the amount of mustard seeds should never exceed the square root of the amount of coriander seeds". Of course, I'm totally making these up, but I'm sure you catch my drift.

Then again, feel free to ignore the above, as certainly your suggestion will benefit someone.

Thanks in advance, fellow pickle freaks, and stay sour!

I want to fully explore the world of MAYONNAISE.

schroedinger — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:22:26 -0800

I love mayonnaise. I just loooooooove mayonnaise. I love it on burgers, on sandwiches, and in deviled eggs. I love it in tuna salad, egg salad, and potato salad. I may have, on occasion, eaten it by itself, but I admit nothing. But what other dishes highlight the diversity and deliciousness of mayonnaise? What can I do to up my mayonnaise quotient? What are your favorite mayonnaise recipes? Is there such a thing as gourmet mayonnaise? Can I find high-class, fancy mayonnaise created by mayonnaise connoissiers? I want to expand my mayonnaise horizons! I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed.

At what "proof" will spirits burn?

eduke — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:41:09 -0800

At what "proof" will most spirits burn? I am aware that in the 18th century, alcoholic beverages were defined by their "proof," meaning its relative dilution and combustability (A 100 proof liquor would sustain combustion of gunpowder).

But here in the 21st century, I am certain I have seen liquors that are below 100 proof --Sambuca, for example-- be lit on fire, and sustain a flame.

So what's up? Is there an absolute proof lower limit, at which a shot won't light on fire? Or does it depend on the other ingredients in the liquid? Might an 80 proof Sambuca burn where an 80 proof rum wont?

Proper Lasagna consists of RED & WHITE sauce, not PINK.

Mutant — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:10:51 -0800

We love lasagna. But my white sauce mixes with my red sauce and it all ends up looking pink. I'm using a rather basic lasagna recipe but consistently have been frustrated by sauces mixing together. It seems to be happening during cooking to some extent, but cutting portions and serving doesn't help much.

While the mixing doesn't effect the taste, my lasagna is rather unsightly compared to professionally prepared portions.

What can I do to keep the sauces as distinct as possible? It seems that professionally prepared (i.e., restaurant) lasagna has distinct layers of white and red sauce, separated by the pasta itself. Mine tends to mingle, almost to the point where I'm ending up with, at times, a pinkish sauce.

I'm not sure if it is caused by my sauce recipe or technique, but it has happened both with meat and veggie lasagna. The filler for either is as follows :

Meat: 1 lb. browned ground beef
Veggies: 1 lb of coarsly chopped broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, celery, green lettuce, all raw

Here is my red sauce :

Chopped onion, one large
Garlic, four cloves
Salt
Pepper
Tomato paste, two cans

This is generally prepared once a week in a large batch that I use for multiple dishes, lasagna included. Sometimes I'll make and use the sauce immediately, other times I've frozen and reheated it, but this hasn't changed my results.

If I'm making meat lasagna I'll mix it (after browning separately) with the red sauce otherwise, I spoon out red sauce, then cover with the veggie mix.

And my white sauce, which remains the same for meat or veggie lasagna :

Munster cheese
Four tablespoons butter
Four tablespoons of flour
Two cups of milk

I melt the butter, then add in salt & pepper. Blend in the flour then cook over over a low flame for two minutes, finally adding milk. Bring mixture to boil and let boil for two minutes.

Technique:

Parmesan cheese on the bottom, then some red sauce (if veggie then layer chopped vegetables on top of red sauce).

A layer of lasagna pasta sheets, more parmesan, then white sauce.

This is repeated three times in total, with red sauce and more parmesan topping off the lasagna.

Bake and serve.

I still don't have good control, and end up with the sauces mixing. Does anyone have any tips on how to insure that the layers don't intermingle too much? The professionally prepared portions that we get at a restaurant are much more visually appealing (and I seem to recall my great grandmothers as having sharp, distinct layers as well).

Thanks for your help!

kosher picnic

lockestockbarrel — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:49:50 -0800

What snacks can I bring to an outdoor picnic that are easy and kosher? Friday night we're going out with two other couples to an outdoor music venue -- BYO drinks and snacks. One of the couples keeps kosher. Not super-kosher (so I don't think the fact that my knife isn't kosher will be a problem) but kosher enough.

We're responsible to bring snacks to go with the drinks. What should we bring that won't offend the kosher people? Refrigeration isn't a problem, but I'll only have an hour or two to put some things together.

What should we bring?

Recipes for a family covered over in bok choy.

Mimzy — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:50:18 -0800

We got a huge load of bok choy in our CSA last week, and I'm at a loss as to what to do with it outside of stir-fry. Please, no more stir-fry! Bonus points for dishes that could be frozen.

Deep fryer recipes?

bondcliff — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:40:43 -0800

Either because she loves me, or because she wants me to die early, my lovely wife bought me a deep fryer! What are your favorite recipes that end in “…deep fry until golden brown.”? I’m especially looking for recipes for fish and chips and tempura, but anything else will be appreciated. Please note I’m not looking for ideas for novelty items like deep fried Kit Kats, pizza or beer. I’m looking for deep fryer recipes; I’m not just looking to deep fry other recipes.

Home made pu-pu platter? Buffalo wings? Calimari? Bring it on! General deep frying tips are also welcome.

So Many Cherries, So Few Recipes

k8lin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:50:57 -0800

What should I do with all of these cherries? I lucked out, and the house I live in has a cherry tree in the backyard that is bursting with sweet, beautiful fruit. I've already baked three pies, which barely made a dent in the tree's offerings; what else can I do with them before they rot?
I would try making jam, but I am very intimidated by the canning process and do not want to have to purchase anything new (like tongs and jars and whatever else you need to can). However, I've got pretty much everything else in terms of standard kitchen equipment.

I'm not terribly intimidated by complicated recipes. I do like to bake, but I'd like to make something a little different - I have plenty of standard cherry recipes. I also love to cook, so savory dishes would be great as well!

Comprehensive, authentic, good Italian cookbook?

sirion — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:55:50 -0800

Italian Cookbook: I'm going to live in Italy for 2 months this summer. Tell me what cookbook I should bring along! I'd like to come out of Italy with some favorite recipes that I first experienced authentically in restaurants there and then figured out how to reproduce. I'd like a relatively comprehensive cookbook that I can go to when I eat something I like and look up what was in it and how it's made.

(Side question: What food stuff (,spices, cookware, etc) should I bring back from Italy that's hard to get outside the country?)

I want to slice and dice and julienne...but with what?

supramarginal — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:02:49 -0800

How do I choose a great chef's knife? Feeling overwhelmed by all the choices. I'm an avid cook and I'd like to get a great chef's knife. I'm hoping to spend around $100 or less. I've been reading previous askmefi questions, reviews on various online shopping sites, and Cook's Illustrated. I can't reconcile all the information.

It seems to me that the top brands (Henckels, Global, Wusthof, etc.), are all well-constructed and work well given appropriate skills and maintenance. If it comes down to personal preference in terms of the curve, balance, and feel in the hand, how do I choose one? Will any stores let me come in and chop some stuff up? (I'm in Boston. I have small-ish hands, if that makes a difference.) Thanks!

BBQ Rubs and Sauces

netbros — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:08:38 -0800

The barbecue season is upon us (at least in the northern hemisphere), and I'm now in a place that allows outdoor grilling, but I'm a neophyte when it comes to BBQ sauces and rubs. What are your favorite excellent BBQ/grilling sauces? I want to try them all; tomato based, vinegar based, I think there are even some made with mustard. Hot and spicy is good. DIY homemade would probably be even more fun, but if you've found outstanding stuff in a bottle, that's OK too.

I think the pros say there is a difference between barbecue and grilling. See, I don't know this stuff. Apparently, BBQ is done with a closed lid and a rub, while grilling is open lid. Is that right? Do you have any great rub recipes for the smoky kind of closed lid slow cooking? Since I have a chance now, I want to try all this great outdoor cooking.

Meal planning for dummies?

CrayDrygu — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:15:17 -0800

I need help learning to plan meals, both to improve nutrition and cut down on costs. I don't want general advice or strategies so much as specific guides and menus. What's out there? My boyfriend and I eat rather crappily. We don't plan ahead very much, and so typically have very little on hand. We waste money on near-daily trips to the grocery store, we purchase too many pre-made meals, and we eat at restaurants way too often. We also frequently miss out on vegetables and grains, for lack of easy and tasty ways to incorporate them.

I'll admit a large part of this is due to laziness, but there's also a general lack of inspiration that comes into play. So, I'm looking for a source -- either web-based or print -- that'll give us pre-made menus for a week or so at a time.

I picked up a copy of Saving Dinner, which is an awesome concept -- a full menu for every week, complete with grocery lists! But the boyfriend doesn't eat fish, and there's at least one fish recipe every week -- which turns an easy pre-made grocery list into a chore of eliminating unnecessary ingredients -- made more difficult by the fact that some ingredients are shared between multiple recipes. This can be dealt with (I customized one of these lists once, it was a pain), but it'd be so much nicer to just grab a list and go shopping.

So what other resources are out there like that book? Something where I can pull up a full week worth of dinner ideas (a little customizability, like "no fish", wouldn't hurt) and just go shopping?

Casseroles hooray!

2or3whiskeysodas — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:42:23 -0800

Casseroles hooray! Give me your favorite recipes! (Important details within.) In my successful quest to pretty much stop eating out ever, I've been experimenting recently with last-us-all-week casseroles. I've made a couple of pretty tasty ones I found over at allrecipes.com, but everyone knows that there's little at that site that's truly amazing.

Here are those important details:

• the healthier the better, and
• I'm not a vegetarian, but she is. So veg recipes are strongly preferred, but meaty recipes are welcome as well.

As are casserole-ish dishes such as lasagnas.

Lists of super easy meals?

jesirose — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:24:02 -0800

Any lists of super simple meals? I suddenly find myself with no money and rising food prices. I am not a chef, and I either eat out or eat frozen meals. I know, I know. Anyway I am looking for lists of dinners / entrees with 2-4 ingredients so I can save money. Bonus points if they can use store-brand items.

Example:
Fettuccine Alfredo (the grownup Mac & Cheese!) (Got 4 meals out of $3, whereas the frozen one I used to buy cost $6 for one meal)
Peanut Butter & Jelly, obvious staple for lunch
Taco - Tortillas, ground beef, cheese.

I found a lot of websites with "simple" recipes which have more than 6 items and lots of steps to do with them. I made cookies the other day and it cost $15 and took 2 hours. I need to save money and time and eat on the mediocre side for a while.

Thanks for any suggestions or lists! I never did the poor college student thing so I have no idea what to buy. So I am hoping somewhere out there is a list of cheap & easy meals that really are cheap and easy, and not $20 worth of ingredients and 1 hour to make.

sumac?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:41:19 -0800

I just bought a big bag of sumac (the spice, not the poison). Now what? I originally bought it to make Za'atar and the Mediterranean market only sold it in pretty big (though inexpensive) bags. Now I have a lot of leftover ground sumac sitting in my spice drawer. What else can I make with it? I prefer vegetarian or fish dishes so recipes for sumac chicken are out.

More muffins more muffins more muffins!

Mutant — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:14:43 -0800

I can make apple muffins, banana muffins, and carrot muffins. So what else can I muffinise (oh, did I just invent a verb there)? I've gotten my recipes and technique down to the point where I can make, on demand, dozens of very standardised apple, banana or carrot muffins and that's great. But I wanted to expand my repertoire (and our diet) somewhat.

So what other fruits or vegetables can you recommend I include in my next batch of muffins? If it helps, my basic recipe (makes 18 muffins) is :

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup melted, unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (for topping muffins pre-bake)
2 large eggs
1 cup plain (or sometimes different flavoured but always rather light e.g., peach, vanilla, etc) yogurt
1/2 cup milk

Either Apples, Bananas or Carrots to suit, coarsely chopped (four Apples), mushed (four to six Bananas) or grated (six to ten Carrots).

On a whim I'll toss in 1/2 cup of either choco chips, walnuts or raisins (all faves of Mrs Mutant and I sorta like them as well). Technique involves the usual first prepare dry, then wet ingredients separately, then mix shortly together before the oven. I'm using paper muffin cups seated in a non stick pan as well.

Many thanks!

Turning a non-ovenproof skillet into an ovenproof one

imposster — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:00:44 -0800

Can you really ovenproof a non-ovenproof skillet by wrapping the handle in aluminum foil? This suggestion appears in several recipes on the Internet, but I can't find any good source to substantiate it. In my case, it is a heavy stainless steel skillet with a rubberized handle that is supposed safe in oven up to 400 degrees. I'd like to take it up to 450, but wasn't sure if the foil trick really worked.

It's fricassee, it must be Tuesday

Miko — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:06:52 -0800

What are your favorite, efficient, menu-planning sequences that use a limited set of ingredients in several different ways? I love home cooking and like to make really good things, but keep the budget down. A lot of meats I buy locally, so they tend to be complete cuts with bones in and need different handling and planning than convenience cooking. For this I'm finding the tried-and-true strategy of using a few main ingredients in different dishes one after the other can really work.

For instance, I had a great week last week: roasted chicken with wild rice and sweet potatoes on the first night, which became chicken enchiladas on the second night, and also provided for a chicken and wild rice soup with thyme on the third night. Everything got used and was delicious. The best part about this is the variety: it wasn't just chicken, chicken salad, chicken salad, chicken salad.

What are some other meal plans that result in three iterations or so with different spins on a main ingredient or two? I'd love to do this more often!