I should go into this first by saying this was my first attempt. I’ve not made breads before, and have very little feel for what consistency or texture dough should have. BUT, overall things went pretty well. I went for a pairing of Tagliatelle / Linguine, with Seared Pork Tenderloin.
Monthly Archives: January 2010
Ugliest. Cranberries. Ever.
Good Price though…
Bread Challenge – Week 1
For week one, I have used the bread recipe from the cookbook “The Naked Chef” by Jamie Oliver. I am prohibited by copyright laws from sharing this recipe with you but the book is well worth the money if you want to pick it up yourself. I can however, show pictures of me and my bread making technique. Also, I did not use semolina flour as I had none on hand so I used all-purpose white flour instead.
For this attempt, I tried making the dough free form (no bowls or mixers just the ingredients and a clean work surface). This was much more challenging than I had anticipated…
Tofu Mayonnaise
Mmmmm Vegenaise…
Salted / Spiced Flank Steak
Of all cuts of Cow, the Flank is so incredibly underrated. It differs from most other cuts in that it really does need proper preparation, and can be extremely temperamental when cooked. Because it is such a thin cut of meat, it is easy to over cook, pair that with its very notable grain, and you can quickly destroy any hope you have of a good meal.
A surprising trick we learned a few years ago was that Salt alone can be a fantastic marinade. This works most notably for Scallops, but also for Flank Steak. The salt seems to have the ability to draw out the water in the meat, and break down the gristly bits. The end result is a fantastically tender flank that will just fall apart.
Tasty Results!
Eating Naturally – Bread Challenge
A few nights ago, Matte and I watched a series by Jamie Oliver called “Eat to save your life” posted on YouTube. Basically, Jamie Oliver was trying to show that people have no idea what they are eating anymore in comparison to 50 years ago and have no idea what it is doing to their bodies. The idea is that all the stuff that is in processed foods can negatively impact your health and even though people have heard the facts they do nothing to change the norm. This is Jamie’s pitch to get people to care about what they are putting into their bodies. And for me it worked. I care. I don’t want fatty organs. I want to know what is in my food.
Our Gear as of January 1, 2009
Hey Hey!
Jenn and I (Matte) are humble home-cooks. We both have day jobs that eat most of 9-5s, and a wonderful daughter that we are grateful to share our time with after work. Cooking, baking, and all things eatable focus the rest of our time. Jenn and I have a love for pasta, fish, pork, and beef. The one thing that we can always count on is a heated stove, a warm pan, a strong appetite.
There are very few things that we have cooked that we dislike.
Turkey a la King – a revised version
As I do not like mushrooms I decided to take the classic turkey a la king and alter it to my own tastes.
Poultry Stock
I bought Matte this great cooking book by Jamie Oliver, “The Naked Chef”, for Christmas. However, I was also highly interested in this book and as Christmas dinner was cooking I decided to try his (Jamie Oliver’s) recipe for chicken stock.
Cookin' In The Galley 