Culinary Arts

Discussion in 'Free School' started by Logan 5, Jul 4, 2013.

  1. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    I have received an okey dokey from Skip to start a class on Culinary Arts.

    In this I will provide a few recipes, and along with the techniques used I will describe the reasoning for some of it. As one student in another thread found out, there can be far more to a bowl of Ramen Noodles than just Ramen Noodles!

    So for the prospective students, I ask that you post and tell me a little bit about yourselves and what kind of food you really like.

    I'll be back in a few days.
     
  2. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    What? No students? Hmmm.
    Guess I'll have to eat this food alllllll by myself...
     
  3. BeachBall

    BeachBall Nosey old moo

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    Ha ha ... hadn't noticed this one before.

    I'm gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant, and unable to ingest anything containing caffeine.

    I'm looking for an acceptable substitute for chocolate profiteroles ... good luck!
     
  4. lively_girl

    lively_girl Member

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    I haven't written about my food preference before, so here it is:

    - good, healthy food, made from fresh/raw ingredients if possible
    - not much spice, I can't eat hot food

    Since I'm from central Europe I'm familiar and like Italian, French, German food, etc.
    I like Asian too, but without their spicy seasoning.
     
  5. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    Well, I've never done anything with chocolate profiteroles before, but I'll hunt around.

    Ok, give me a few minutes....
     
  6. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    Spaghetti


    Spaghetti. Oh boy. Like THAT'S real hard to fix...right? Actually, it is. If you want just something you can pop out of a can and stick in the microwave or if you prefer something with pizazz, something that actually tastes better than the cheap crap from a can.

    Not saying the canned stuff is bad, even I eat it. But my recipe is best (IMO). After all, I used to fix this when I was working as a chef.


    For the noodles....

    • 2 pounds spaghetti noodles
    • 1-½ gallons of water
    • 1/8 cup table salt

    For the Sauce....

    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • Three 6-1/4 ounce cans of tomato paste
    • Two 14.5 ounce cans of petite diced tomatoes
    • one Garlic Clove
    • one medium yellow onion
    • 8 ounces of sliced white mushrooms
    • 3 packets of spaghetti sauce mix
    • 1-1/2 pound of 80% lean ground hamburger


    In a 2-1/2 gallon stainless steel pot add the water and the salt (really, you can start with 2 gallons if you want, just adjust the salt accordingly).

    Bring to a roll boil for two to five minutes before adding the spaghetti noodles. Keep a close eye on these and stir them, making sure the noodles do not stick together. Check on these every few minutes and stir, making sure the noodles do not stick together.


    After you start the water (trust me it’s not going to start boiling right away, so you have plenty of time to work on the rest here), using a stainless steel skillet, crumble and cook the hamburger meat, on low.
    Note- Cook it slow. Make sure you have salted and peppered it before cooking.

    While those two are working, now with the sauce....


    In a 2 quart stainless steel pan, add the olive oil. Put the pan on low heat. You have two minutes until it’s ready....

    Open the tomato cans, minus one can of the diced tomatoes, and gently mix in a plastic, glass or stainless steel bowl.


    Now returning to the olive oil....
    remove from the heat and add the spaghetti powder. Mix very well until there are no clumps left. It may get a bit dry & stiff, if so add a little bit more olive oil. Then add the sauce and stir well. Set aside.

    Now skin the onion (the onion is not a fast skinning) and rinse it under cold water. Then slice the onion on a Ronco Mandoline 1/8" thick (setting “3“), and dice using a Vidalia “Chop Wizard”, using the small razor grid. Add to the tomatoes. Add the mushrooms as well and stir.

    Add the remaining can of diced

    Remove the hamburger from the heat, and using a large spoon, add the hambuger to a wire colander, returning the grease to the skillet. When the meat is strained of the grease, add it to the sauce. Note: You don’t want the hamburger so finely ground that it’s little tiny pieces, having large pieces to bite into is really nice.

    Skin the clove, you have about ten maybe fifteen minutes I think, to do this. Rinse under cold water and blot dry. Then chop the garlic clove using the Vidalia “Chop Wizard”, again using the small razor grid. Now, using a ceramic spice bowl (a ceramic bowl with a course interior with ridges and a wooden “pestil”) mash the garlic. This will not mash all of them, but you want some mashed. Stir them inside the bowl and then add to the sauce.

    Checking the spaghetti noodles, you do not want them “soft soft”, but a firm soft. “Al Dente” is the Italian word for it. Drain the salt water, using a large colander and return to the pot.

    The spaghetti is finished! Now, to serve....

    When you serve the spaghetti, DO NOT, and I say that again- DO NOT! -add the sauce to it. Instead, allow your customer to add it themselves. Pile the spaghetti on the plate, and then put the sauce in the center.

    Instead if using grated Parmesan cheese, get a small block of fresh Parmesan and using a kitchen multi-grater, shave nearly paper thin slices. You MUST put this on when the spaghetti is hot! But when serving to others and using the serving method I suggested, simply add three such shaved slices with a sprig of parsley.

    I have never heard any complaints from customers or neighbors (whom I fix a batch for once in a while).
     
  7. lively_girl

    lively_girl Member

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    Spaghetti bolognese :2thumbsup:

    The canned stuff is bad :D

    I'll use some fresh pelati tomatoes instead :)

    What are packets of spaghetti sauce mix? Seasoning? Can you tell me what's in those, so that I can just add the ingredients to the sauce?

    I'm cooking this tomorrow. Wish me luck ;)
     
  8. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    Yeah, seasoning, sauce mix, same stuff. One trick I failed to add to the recipe is to add a can of Tomato soup. I've done it a few times before, just never added it to the recipe.

    The salt issue is very important. You want the water for the noodles VERY salty. It'll put a salty taste to the noodles. The important part here is that each of the ingredients retain their own flavors. That makes it literally a medley of flavors, and when you have all in one mouthful, it tastes much different. IF done correctly.
     
  9. lively_girl

    lively_girl Member

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    Master :chef:, mission accomplished :)

    I used fresh tomatoes and instead of a spaghetti mix packet added basil, ground red pepper and a little bit of sugar (because of tomatoes). It turned out great. I've never put mushrooms in a sauce like that before and they add to the flavour.
    I cooked the meat really slowly, just as you said and it was perfect.

    Great recipe :2thumbsup:
     
  10. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    Thank you!

    The best mushrooms to use are fresh. EVERYTHING in the recipe is ideal when fresh. If you have a noodle press, make the noodles from scratch. Guaranteed, it'll taste 10,000 times better.
     
  11. FreshDacre

    FreshDacre Senior Member

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    I flunk this clue..
     
  12. Flakeofsnow

    Flakeofsnow Member

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    My question is what about baked goods? XD Got any good dessert recipes?
     
  13. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    This is not my recipe, but it tastes good.


    Bake Free Chocolate Eclair Cake
    Make this the day before you need it.
    It's really good for holidays.


    Ingredients....

    • 1 box of honey graham crackers
    • 2-5.1 oz. boxes vanilla instant pudding
    • 2-1/2 cups milk
    • 16oz Cool Whip topping
    • 1-16oz. container of chocolate frosting

    Line a 9" x 13" pan with graham crackers. You will have to crack a few to
    fit.

    In a mixing bowl, mix pudding, milk and cool whip. Mix until well blended.

    Spread about 1/2 of the pudding mixture on the graham crackers.

    Add another layer of graham crackers.

    Cover that with the remaining pudding mixture.

    Add a final layer of graham crackers.

    Take the foil lid off the the frosting and microwave for a minute or until melted and thin.

    Pour frosting over the graham crackers.

    Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.



    Let me know if that helps!
    :sultan:
     
  14. lively_girl

    lively_girl Member

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    Can we get another recipe? :)
     
  15. Logan 5

    Logan 5 Confessed gynephile Lifetime Supporter

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    Ok. Macaroni & cheese. I’m doing this recipe on the fly, but I’ll do what I can for ya....


    Man, macaroni & cheese, that's a simple recipe! It really is. But if you want something that can really add some pizzazz to your table, it takes a little bit labor.

    The macaroni....
    Fix the macaroni noodles like it says on the box, kinda. When they start to get tender, drain them, and put them in the pan with water and bring it to a boil. This removes the starch and helps tenderize the noodles better. When they are tender to your liking, take them off the burner and drain the noodles. Put them back in the pan.

    The cheese....
    WHILE the noodles are doing their thing, you typically fix the cheese sauce as suggested on the box. But...instead of regular milk, use either fresh un-processed milk or Half & Half. You’re not making this for health, or you wouldn’t be fixing this (seriously, mac & cheese is not a health food). You’re making this because it tastes good and it’s available. So get the milk I suggested. But split the butter. Half of the suggested butter to the noodles and half to the cheese sauce.


    And that’s about it...kinda. NOW for the fun part!

    Macaroni & cheese is so easy to “spruce up”, it’s totally sick!
    You can add....

    • Cheese. MORE cheese! Here you get a block of Velveeta or something similar and slice 1/4 cup of cheese. Half inch cuts are really good and help it melt better. If you don’t have any Velveeta or anything similar, regular American cheese can be used (that’s all Velveeta is, really).
    • Instant rice. I suggest that you cook it separately, but you can add it to the macaroni while that’s boiling. Just add more water use a finer screen to drain the noodles (I usually use a colander for the noodles, is why) and more cheese.
    • Vegetables. My favorite is red & green Bell Peppers. Finely chopped, add to the noodles after the second boiling (I love the crunchyness and taste, but you can add them to the second phase of boiling if you want to make them more tender). Another is sweet peas. When adding sweet peas, open the can and drain them, and add them to the second phase of boiling the noodles. Then add 2/3 of the can of water. A colander works great for draining these.
    • Meat. You can add meat in any quantity. I prefer either ground beef, stir-fry-cut beef, ground turkey, chopped chicken, or tuna. This is where you experiment.
     

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