by Xanthippe 28 Replies latest jw friends
I had this soup in a restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Roasted tomato, red pepper and carrot. Decided to make it myself but added roasted garlic to give it zing, plus tomato purée and a teaspoonful of sugar. Have to say it's delicious. What soup do you make?
I’m mainly cooking from Ottolenghi and Ghayour’s recipes atm, Middle Eastern, god they’re good.
Also keep making an aubergine larb which I can’t eat enough of.
Xanthippe, I love Jazz Cooking (Thanks JP!) It works well for most dishes, but you have to be careful not to go too crazy with altering recipes for baked desserts, otherwise they might not rise properly. My main approach is to read a lot of recipes. I love cookbooks with all the beautiful photos, especially ones focused on a particular culture. I narrow the recipes down to one or two that will provide the best overall structure (proportions, cooking method, fresh ingredients, etc.) and then wing it from there.
Years ago I went through an Indian phase-- curries, dahls, rice pudding etc. I am a huge fan of Mediterranean cooking and love serving Meze and Tapas, even for a weekday dinner. Years ago I ventured into Greek cooking and learned how to make moussaka and how to cook with phyllo dough. I enjoy making spanikopita and baklava-- both a lot of work, but well worth it for a dinner party. I find Mexican recipes (tacos, burritos, tortillas, fajitas, enchiladas, etc.) to be quick and easy and very adaptable to whatever I have in the pantry and refrigerator at the time. Summer guacamole is the best!
One time I made seafood risotto for 30 people, and it was a hit, but I wouldn't do that much work again! One dessert that is simply beautiful is Julia Child's recipe for a French Apple Tart, but it is an all-day project. I just hosted a summer barbecue and finally learned how to make moist and tender grilled chicken. I also found a recipe called Farmer's Market Parpadelle. The only thing I added was shaved parmesan on top. Several guests asked for the recipe-- it just tastes like summer to me, so simple with fresh veggies and herbs. PM me for the recipes if you like.
I'm traveling to Portugal and Spain in a few weeks to check out retirement possibilities and will definitely be checking out the local cuisine!
What soup do you make? - I sometimes heat a can of tomato soup in a saucepan (I know, lazy!) but I often throw something else in to give it a bit of oomph.
Sometimes I chop up onion into small cubes and add that, or grate cheddar on top - something to make it more interesting!
BTW, if you're interested in ME food, check out the following vid ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzrssB83a9E
I think it's a Levantine dish and it looks pure heaven!
Scotsman Ottolenghi's recipes look amazing, especially the seafood and the garlic flatbreads. Thanks.
Sail Away, yes I tend to go online these days and look up two or three recipes for something I want to make and then I mix and match. I love Greek food too, the Greek islands are a favourite destination of mine. Your seafood risotto sounds delicious. I remember making a French apple tart years ago and it was amazing but did seem to take hours. I hope you have a wonderful foodie trip to Spain and Portugal.
LUHE, thanks for the YouTube. I remember making stuffed vine leaves, dozens of them with a Greek woman for her daughter's wedding. She kept telling me I was doing it all wrong!
I spent some time in Sicily and had a fish soup there asked for the recipe and make it often.karter
LoveUniHateExams, have you tried Thai fish soup/stew made with coconut milk? How about red lentil soup?
@Sail Away - no and no.
I don't like fish or seafood (although I do like tuna) so I haven't tried Thai fish soup. I do like Thai cuisine but I've only eaten in two Thai restaurants.
I haven't tried red lentil soup but it sounds nice so I'll remember to try it in future.
caves ...
I really don't think the ones mentioned above are really that unusual. I think a lot depends on what part of the country you are from.
Many people that live in more rural areas get a deer or two every year. We probably had a half dozen or more brothers that went deer hunting in our congregation and we were less than 2 hours from New York City.
Buffalo is available in most food stores and mixing it 50/50 with beef makes for a great burger. Here in South Florida, alligator is quite common and likely is so in other areas that have an abundance of alligators. The tail meat is the best and generally served like chicken nuggets.
Go to many good restaurants and you are likely to find snapper (turtle) soup on the menu. Pour a little sherry on top and enjoy!
I had rattlesnake once I really didn't care for it much either. It was ok, but not something I really liked. Frogs legs are just ok in my book. Again, I've tried them a couple of times but not the delicacy that some people claim they are.
Goat is a favorite of mine and with all of the Jamaicans and Haitians here in South Florida, it is available in any Caribbean market (curried goat, yum, yum).
They eat "Mountain Oysters" a lot in the American South (bull testicles) but I tried them once and the flavor just didn't work for me. I also can't handle liver unless it is from a lobster (the green stuff in the body).
Tripe is ok but not something I normally eat. The same for brains and sweet breads. I've never tried insects but apparently they are common in Asia and would give them a try if I had access to them.
Again, what is exotic to one person is typical food to another.
Rub a Dub
