Chefs and Cooks of ResetERA, ASSEMBLE ! With a new ERA comes a new OT for all things related to food and cooking ! Here we can share our culinary wisdom, recipes, hacks, or simply post whats for dinner :) Whether you are a new cook or a seasoned chef, all are welcome here. Bon Appétit !
Gonna repost this here thanks to Infinitebento :) I just got my Anova Precision Cooker last week and it's been fantastic. Cooked up a few steaks (3 different marinades) to start off. 130 degrees for about 3 hours. Just your typical top sirloin medium quality steaks from Costco. All I have to say is....holy shit. So tender, so perfectly cooked throughout, so easy. Quick sear in the cast-iron for about a minute total and I could eat them with a butter knife. I am a bit perplexed about one thing though....chicken. We tried chicken the other night (2 marinades, one dry, one wet), and while the wet marinated chicken was indeed very tender, the dry marinade ended up surprisingly dry. I expected both to maintain their moistness due to being sealed in the bags. Now, I didn't actually seal the bags myself, and I did notice that the person who did left some air at the top of the bag, even though the chicken was entirely submerged. We also cooked it at 150 degrees for about 2 hours. I'm thinking maybe the remaining air in the bag allowed the moisture to escape the meat? Everything I've seen says the bags need as much air as possible removed, even the parts that aren't submerged. We just got some dedicated sous-vide bags, so we'll see if they work better than the normal ziplocks we've been using so far.
I'd like some advice, y'all. What sort of dessert flavors complement a tomato/meat based main (spaghetti). I'd like a holiday themed parfait, but I was wondering if something else might be more appropriate. Preferably, I'd like to serve it IN a small glass, so it has to be both pretty and delicious. Initially I was going to do chocolate and matcha layers (maybe pudding & oreo layers, w/matcha whipped cream?) but I'm worried that might not pair well, as we're having sweet red wine and whisky. Maybe a coffee to accompany that Or should pasta go with something fruity at the end. Lemon perhaps? Banana pudding? Please help me, IronERA.
Ive always wondered where the cooking thread on Gaf was and just kinda assumed there wasnt one. Never occured to me it was the iron thread. Either way, looking forward to joining! Ive been meaning to cook more and more elaborate stuff.
If there is any air in the bag, it can lend itself to drying out your protein because of the steam that will build up inside the bag. So that might have caused your chicken to dry out so much. It also doesn't hurt to brine your chicken the day before you sous vide it to guarantee you won't ever have dry chicken :) Vacuum tight sous vide bags are definitely better than ziplocks also because of the assurance that you won't deal with air bubbles or tears from the plastic being heated for so long. So they are definitely worth the investment in the long run. After a heavy meal like pasta, + your pairing of a sweet red + whiskey, I would go for a light dessert thats more tart than rich. If you want to do a holiday parfait, I would go the light route. Maybe do a vanilla/caramel pudding (or mousse!), add layers of brown butter streusel, and layers of sauteed spiced apples. You can top it with a dollop of fresh whip cream :) Or you can do a dessert complimenting the cocktails and do something like red wine poached pears with chopped pistachios, bake it into little coin purses (aka line the inside of cupcake tin with butter + sugar, put the pie dough open in it and fill them, close, egg wash, top with sugar, bake ) garnish with a honey whipped cream. The ideas are endless really.
Tiramisu in a glass. Make the filling - 3 eggs & 1/2 cup sugar, beat with electric mixer over double boiler until eggs triple in size & leave a trail Transfer to stand mixer and beat until room tempt, then add 8oz marscapone and 1tsp vanilla. Fridge until cool. 2 T espresso powder, 3C water, 1/4c brown sugar in small saucepan. Heat to just dissolve sugar. Remove from heat add 1/4c rum/kahlua. Cool. Dip ladyfingers in coffee mixture, add to glass, add some of the marscapone mixture, repeat layers. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top.
Thanks Bento, that's what I was thinking as well. Will try with the new bags and see if it turns out better next time!
Looking good I prefer something even easier Add some creme fraiche to a squirt bottle, make a spiral on soup, toothpick and drag lines in and out from center
I tried that the other night with some crema, but the stuff I got was thicker than the Cacique I normally use so it was just like a blob of sour cream. I always forget about the toothpick thing, maybe next time.
Infinitebento - Thanks! I might try that apple pie one, but sub with a pumpkin pie haha bye - That sounds PERFECT except I don't have an electric beater. But, I will keep the tiramisu in mind. If the pumpkin doesn't work I might cheat by getting the individual parts separately.
I would echo Infinitebento and go for something light. Perhaps a lemon budino which is an Italian custard. Not super hard to make. I'm generally not a fan of sweet reds and that makes it more difficult to Branch out on your pairings but a citrus based dessert goes well with them and almost always is a hit. People like "healthy" desserts these days and fruit based stuff is always a winner. If you go the custard route may I suggest picking up some freeze dried fruits from your local grocer? They go amazing in desserts and people will think you did some fancy ass shit
I was just thinking earlier "Hmmm, I hope ERA has a cooking OT". Glad to see one is here! I'm not a fancy chef of any sort, and really just discovered that I enjoyed cooking within the last 2 or so years, but I'll certainly try out any recipes I find here.
Even now, as a pastry chef, I've whisked by hand countless amounts of egg whites and it still fucking sucks every time lmao
So like how you do learn which foods/flavors/textures/things go well with what? Like how to pair drinks with foods and with desserts and whatnot?
Hey all, thought this was FitERA at first, lol. The cooking tips thread in OT has me curious, what are everyone's thoughts on the "holy grail", the cast iron skillet? I've read about them forever, but haven't made the leap despite the low price tag. I'm just worried about maintenance and that the thing is going to just take up cabinet space after a few uses. I'm looking to upgrade my kitchenware a bit this Christmas so I'm looking for ideas! All my things are very cheap from when I first out so pretty much everything needs a refresh.
I've owned a few and I guess I don't cook enough greasy food to keep it "seasoned". They rust very easily. I prefer enameled cast iron for searing purposes (like a Dutch oven), but I do own a 6" cast iron pan for searing scallops and such.
For an all around you might look at a carbon steel pan. A bit more versatile than the cast iron, lighter, sitll non-stick after seasoning and cheap. Also I dig the logo Bento, nice job!
I've had a cast iron for two years now, and honestly I do most of my skillet cooking in it. Has yet to rust on me. I don't do EVERYTHING in it, but most things. I've got two, one is very large and I usually use that for big meals when I'm expecting guests, the other is for just for one or two serving meals.
Honestly, I originally started off in the coffee industry and there I learned to train my palette. We used this chart created by the SCAA to describe what we were tasting. That chart blew my mind + helped me grasp the spectrum of our palettes not just with coffee but with everything I consumed. So that paired with exposing myself to more foods while working in kitchens helped me understand what flavors pair well with others. This is the chart :) Thank you! Thought I would give making a logo a shot. Not too shabby for my first time :p
Have some miso salmon onigiri fam! If you want i can write OnkelC a fb message, maybe he wants to come back? or I can send you his fb profile in fb ^_^ I know he likes when people add him. and @bento, well done and nice to see you here. I had hoped to see you ^_^/
I never considered that but yeah sort of! Its meant to help you grasp what you are tasting on a spectrum of sorts which helps you pair flavors. The hardest part of pairings is understanding what each component is on its own, what highlights it, what dulls it, and layering that with other elements. You really need to grasp salty, sweet, bitter, and umami because those are your basic building blocks. Those fundamentals then unfold into that chart and thats when the real magic happens. You have to think about the basics. It always comes back to it. Its why you know not to put mayonaise on mangos , cheese with raw fish, or sriracha with raspberries. You imagine those flavors together and immediately know one is too pungent to put on the other and those pairings would be gross asf. That's all the logic you have to apply with cooking. Its about understanding each ingredient on its own and layering those ingredients + flavors in your mind before creating and combining them into a physical dish.
Not really (See Serious Eats Article). I tend to just rinse mine out really well and wipe it with a paper towel. If it's clean, then I heat it up to dry it out and maybe add a light layer of oil if it looks dry. If it needs to be scrubbed, I just grab the yellow/green sponge that I use for the rest of my dishes which usually has some soap on it and scrub everything off. You don't have to baby it like some people think, but you do have to just be a little more aware than something like stainless. Don't let it soak full of soapy water overnight and don't scrub it down with barkeepers friend and you'll be fine.
Tonights dinner: Taco Rolls: Spoiler: Review Magnificent! Ghost cake: Spoiler: Review Haven't eaten it yet
Infinitebento Thanks for the help! I consider myself a pretty good cook but I still have a lot to learn!
i can’t find the instant pot thread so here i am. my IP started the countdown with the pin not all the way up, so i restarted it. never happened before. i dunno what’s gonna happen. i got beans in there. worried they’ll blow out.
I've got to do a better job documenting my kitchen adventures. I don't do anything special - just following random online recipes, but heck, it's partially art! Would be a great way to gain confidence with my new camera too.
okay update: the beans didn’t blow out under a full reset. this is the recipe i was using: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-quick-chili-with-canned-beans/ it’s extremely basic so i’ve been messing with it a little. still no idea why the peg was down.
In the time since I last posted in the Iron community, I've become the executive chef of a very promising cocktail lounge + kitchen in my town. I'll have fewer free time, but it'll give me a new dimension in contributing to this thread. :3 If you guys are in Austin, lemme know so I can tell you where I cook.
Dude thats awesome! I too got promoted. I'm officially assistant pastry chef. Im working 60-70 hour weeks but its been so worth it. Ive learned TONS since I last posted in Irongaf. Do share some of your creations when you can because I totally wanna see what you're cookin' :)
Sorry in advanced for the multi-quote. Didn't get in day one so have some catching up to do. Two hours seems on the high end. One hour should be sufficient. While the chicken won't overcook and remain tender it will lose moisture the longer it's in there. Oh wow. I haven't seen this before. I've always gone by experience and instinct. I'll have to study it. Congratulations. So glad to hear that. Great to see you.
Same! I know I didn't post all that often before, but I always kept an eye on the thread. Can't wait to see more awesome recipes/meals from everyone. :) There you are! And zbarron~ Let the food porn commence!
Hi excited to join the community I'm currently in culinary school so can't wait to speak more with everyone
I'm baking chocolate chip-less cookies per my wife's request at this very moment. I also just made her some french press, which I'm sure Bento can appreciate. After that I'm going to catch up on the parenting thread. It's great to see you all here. That's so exciting. Which one?
zbarron ! Great to see you back :) I can't wait to see your creations! Abyss What are you studying specifically? Just going for a general culinary arts degree ? Regardless, my only pointer for school is take as many specific notes as possible. Those tips and tricks will help SO much later down the road. I read my pastry school notes and I'm so sad I wasnt as detailed on certain methods :(
I'll PM you my Instagram. :P We in a rebuilding/rebranding period (basically a Kitchen Nightmares scenario lol), but every week gets better. Very excited to be back here.
Yeah just general culinary arts. Right now I'm in the intro to baking class though. And thanks for the tip notes are definitely a weak spot for me I try my best at it though
