The Cooking Thread
angelak, yes: you need to be sure everything is thoroughly mixed or else the clumps can be unpleasant tasting. I prefer broken rice flour or potato flour when I get the opportunity to make burgers, rissoles, 'meatloaf' and pancakes. (I'm also out of practice).
My best results were mixing besan with rice flour and some arrowroot, to improve the flow, but I've forgotten the proportions.
re vegetable recipe books:
Since rediscovering all my allergies (as in learning the new categories into which the foods now fall), my large recipe book collection us mostly useless unless I'm entertaining. But I can't whittle any of them down: they represent too much, and many of them are historic recipes (books about certain eras and places).
I'd love new books to tell us a little more, simply, about the veg they're showcasing - why we should try them, what to substitute for flavour and texture if you can't get them, perhaps what to watch for if you have a common food sensitivity (amines, gluten, glutamates) within the recipe so people can quickly judge what they'll need. Up to 20% of families can now be affected by some form of food sensitivity, by the time you build in IBS, various medical treatments and actual food chemical reactions.
Thanks for asking!
I'm thinking of a cookbook app that would generate grocery lists, present a recipe, play related music and narration (and perhaps video) to listen to while you cook, and identify a suitable wine pairing that you could either order or pick up locally. It would link out to a partner site where you could order proper equipment (a particular size pan or thermometer), and another for spices and herbs or other hard-to-find ingredients.
Back to Deborah Madison: the Greens cookbook and Savory Way are two that have really stood the test of time. I still cook from them regularly.
As for Cooks Illustrated, I use the website to search for a recipe in order to find what issue it's in. I always found it strange that a subscription to the magazine doesn't give you an online subscription as well.
kthnry said:
Cooks Illustrated is a good example of how not to do it. If you buy an online subscription, that just lets you page through back issues of the magazine online. I don't believe there's any way to search the entire library for a specific recipe or search by ingredient or save recipes. For me, it makes more sense to keep the back issues.
You are so right about Cooks Illustrated!!! We were founding subscribers, buying the first issue in 1993 (?) on a newsstand in NYC, and immediately subscribing. They printed one Index a few years later, and another around 2001, and then after that if you wanted an index to all the bound year copies of the magazine YOU HAD ALREADY PAID FOR, they expected you to pay extra for access to their online version. Way to treat your early adopters with contempt! My increasing annoyance at precisely this finally made me give up my subscription after almost 20 years.
But we do have the last laugh. Now a days, so many people steal their recipes and publish them on random “cooking” sites and blogs that if you just google “name of recipe” + “cooks illustrated” you will absolutely stumble on some food blogger who has posted that Cooks Illustrated recipe (with varying degrees of attribution.)
I do like the NYTimes cooking app because I can search (sort of) on ingredients. I wanted to use a lime for salad dressing the other day when I made a Mexican inspired meal, and just searched “lime salad dressing” and got many options. The Times, does not, however, pay much attention to comments – which sometimes point out things like ingredients called for and left out of the recipe. Mark Bitman paid attention to some of his recipes for a while, but less so over time. Still, the comments, all from people who have used the recipe, are often helpful.
Oh, and @lanky, I have an immersion blender stick with a mini-chopper attachment which I finally figured out is most valuable for salad dressings! Love it. Probably had it in the kitchen for decade before figuring out how to use it regularly. Threw out all the bottled dressings in the fridge.
I'm a current member of Cooks Illustrated, and you can definitely search for stuff. I think every page has that search field in the upper right. See screenshot.
kthnry said:
NotoriousEAM said:
Online recipe mining is quick and easy but really affects cookbook sales and is the most challenging issue facing authors and publishers.
I find a lot of online recipes to be unreliable.
I would be happy to pay for cookbooks and recipes if they were presented in a handy, searchable online format like NYT Cooking. Cooks Illustrated is a good example of how not to do it. If you buy an online subscription, that just lets you page through back issues of the magazine online. I don't believe there's any way to search the entire library for a specific recipe or search by ingredient or save recipes. For me, it makes more sense to keep the back issues.
I have an old iPad mounted on the wall in my kitchen that I only use for NYT Cooking recipes. So much easier than making room on the counter for a big heavy book. The cookbook industry needs to figure out how to package its product in a way that consumers are willing to pay for. I doubt I'll ever buy another hardcopy cookbook.
regarding Cooks Illustrated - my complaint is that they nickel and dime you to death. As has been mentioned, if you have subscription to their print magazine, you have to pay extra to have full access to all of the recipes that are online (I think the print sub. gives you limited access) They are constantly pushing stuff, whether it be their cookbooks, gadgets or new services.
But I have to admit I enjoy their content. Their companion, America's Test Kitchen can be a bit infuriating. Sometimes ATK will take a time-honored classic recipe, and re-work it so that it's easier. They have pasta meat sauce that I use as the basis for my own sauce and it works really well.
Otoh, sometimes they'll take a classic recipe and turn it into something harder, in an attempt to "perfect" it. I recently did their chicken marsala, and I found it a bit burdensome (though my friend though I was just whining. 
)
For me, the most important tools in my kitchen are my knives--I used Shun, but there are a few fine brands. Buy quality, learn how to use them and how to keep them sharp. They will serve you well. Always wash and dry them and put them away immediately after use; this is a good tip even if you have inexpensive knives--it prevents accidents.
drummerboy said:
Otoh, sometimes they'll take a classic recipe and turn it into something harder, in an attempt to "perfect" it. I recently did their chicken marsala, and I found it a bit burdensome (though my friend though I was just whining.
They once had the chutzpah to "revise" Chicken Marbella from the Silver Palate, one of the most beloved recipes from one of the most beloved cookbooks. And as you say, their recipe revision was certainly no easier.
NotoriousEAM said:
Morganna -- MOOSEWOOD COOKBOOK is awesome. Have you ever tried Deborah Madison's SAVORY WAY or GREENS COOKBOOK? I still cook from VEGETARIAN COOKING FOR EVERYONE. Her last book, VEGETABLE LITERACY is amazing.
Give the Millennium Cookbook a try. The recipes get complicated but worth it. I have brought the Chocolate Mousse Pie with Cashew Crust to many a holiday gathering and it disappeared quickly.
Like BrickPig, I use EverNote for collecting recipes, as well as Pocket. I'm in the NYT cooking app every other day, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything app (please update it for IOS11 !) and I have a love/hate relationship with Melissa Clark.
I'm very fond of a cookbook given me by PeggyC, At Home With Madhur Jaffrey. It's Jaffrey's personal stories and memories associated with the recipes that I enjoy. Very evocative of another time and place. While I haven't used that many of the recipes, I find that's true of most cookbooks I own. I find them inspiring in a daydreamy kind of way. Then I cook however the hell I feel like cooking, since I rarely measure anything. With Indian cooking, I've been known to put two recipes side by side, then concoct something in the middle.
Tonight I made another variation on chili, though I don't know if anyone else would call it that. I use ground turkey, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms and black soybeans. Black soybeans are highly unusual in that they are low in carbs, almost all of which is fiber,but like other soybeans, they're a great protein source. I pulverized a can of San Marzano tomatos in our new Ninja, set it cook with lots of garlic, cumin, some basil. After the mushrooms are sautéed in ghee and coconut oil, I brown the turkey in a bit of olive oil with soy sauce, a splash of Worcestershire, garlic, tons of cumin. Tonight's variation included shiitake mushrooms, garbanzos, and 3 healthy slugs of Pinot Noir: on the meat at the end, to deglaze the pan, and directly in the sauce. It ain't really chili, but like Scotty said, if my granmaw had wheels, she'd be a buggy.
Or maybe it's closer to what that cop said on Hill St Blues, "You can put your shoes in the oven, but that don't make 'em biscuits."
PS. I just realized what I left out, dammit! I usually throw in some cashew pieces for crunch and a bit of almond flour for thickening. It's too late for almond flour, but I gotta go break up some cashews (unsalted, roasted) if the parrots haven't polished them all off.
And I can bear witness to the awesome deliciousness of his end product!!!
I'm a fan of Melissa Clark. Wish her new cookbook was available online.
Speaking of Cooks Illustrated, Christopher Kimball has been developing a new brand including a magazine, radio podcasts, and a PBS tv series launching in the Fall. Name is their address in Boston.
I'm into Claudia Rodan and Kylie Kwong plus a load of older writers.
I have to say though, my favourite books are the ones I inherited from my mother that have hundreds of cuttings shoved in-between their pages, so much so that sometimes there's more in the interleaved pages than in the actual book. There's sooooo much in there, most of which she never used entirely but used a few ingredients here, a presentation tip there, a recovery/recipe rescue tip somewhere else...it's almost an actual conversation with mum were she she still alive. 
kthnry said:
I'm a fan of Melissa Clark. Wish her new cookbook was available online.
Me, too. She does videos on nyt.com and they're great.
Metaphysician -- what made you use black soybeans in your chili? That's a very interesting idea. I'm going to try making your chili. It sounds great!
Morganna -- thanks for the tip on the MILLENIUM COOKBOOK. I totally forgot about this book. It's an oldie but goodie. I have to see if it's still in print.
For history buffs, has anyone read the American Heritage Cookbook?
Notorious, here it is on amazon
The Millennium Cookbook Amazon.com
Ad · www.Amazon.com/Cookbooks
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee is compelling reading. Not a cookbook, though.
Thanks for this. I'm always on the lookout for interesting podcasts to subscribe to.
apple44 said:
Speaking of Cooks Illustrated, Christopher Kimball has been developing a new brand including a magazine, radio podcasts, and a PBS tv series launching in the Fall. Name is their address in Boston.
https://www.177milkstreet.com/
angelak said:
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee is compelling reading. Not a cookbook, though.
Several years ago someone gave me the Frankies Spuntino cookbook. At that time I hadn't heard of the restaurant, and I just kind of offhandedly thumbed through the book while thanking them and then didn't go back to it for a good long while. At some point I eventually picked it up, started reading the preface, and absolutely could not put it down. Read the entire book, cover-to-cover, like a novel. SUCH a great read. And --bonus!-- tasty recipes.
BrickPig said:
angelak said:
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee is compelling reading. Not a cookbook, though.
Several years ago someone gave me the Frankies Spuntino cookbook. At that time I hadn't heard of the restaurant, and I just kind of offhandedly thumbed through the book while thanking them and then didn't go back to it for a good long while. At some point I eventually picked it up, started reading the preface, and absolutely could not put it down. Read the entire book, cover-to-cover, like a novel. SUCH a great read. And --bonus!-- tasty recipes.
Frankies Spuntino Cookbook looks great.
It's available used, in very good condition, for $7.78 and free shipping with Prime.
NotoriousEAM said:
Metaphysician -- what made you use black soybeans in your chili? That's a very interesting idea. I'm going to try making your chili. It sounds great!
I used to do Low carb diets in the past, and it was always a go-to item, since their starch content is much lower. The calories are about the same, since they're higher in fat in the form of soy oil. A side benefit for many is that they seem less likely to produce intestinal 'discomfort'. They contain 40 mg of isoflavones per serving. I'm not intending to do low carb, per se. but soy is a high quality, complete protein and that's very important to me.
Here are the labels for black soybeans and pinto beans:
let's see -
marylago - yes to all you said about knives. I just recently bought a Japanese style chef knife (the one with the sharper cutting edge angle ) and I love it.
If you haven't seen the movie Chef (which I like a lot), there's a scene where the father gives his son his first chef's knife and explains the importance of it to a cook.
metaphysician - your post about chili brings to mind an "invention" of mine - Italian chili. It's basically a chili in terms of meat content and consistency, but the flavors are more like tomato sauce than classic chili. I use it as a meat sauce for pasta, but it's substantial enough to eat by itself like chili. My son can't get enough of it. (I just googled "italian chili". OK, not original, but I did think of it before hearing about it.)
I just recently discovered the magic of sodium citrate for making cheese sauce. Sodium citrate eliminates the problem of the cheese separating in the sauce, so you can use any cheese you want as the base for the sauce. No need for a roux or other thickening agent. You just heat up some liquid, toss shredded cheese into it and blend it with an immersion blender. Then add the citrate, and the sauce just thickens and comes together. Plus you can refrigerate it and just reheat it and the sauce is still perfect. It's a darn miracle.
And lastly, this is a great recipe:
Italian Sausage with Grapes and Balsamic Vinegar
The actual one I used is from ATK though, but I think you have to have an account to view it.
https://www.americastestkitche...
Be prepared to slice many grapes in half.
and speaking of knives, does anyone use the claw grip when slicing and dicing and chopping? I can't get the hang of it myself, and I know I'm gonna slice off part of my fingers some day.
ok, I'm on a roll....
I want to share what I think is a unique recipe. My mom used to make this, and I have yet to see it online or in a restaurant. It's a potato salad, sort of.
Boil some potatoes to your preferred doneness.
Roast some red peppers
mince up a lot of garlic
chop up some fresh oregano (or dried)
Cut the potatoes into bite size chunks. Chop the roasted and peeled red peppers into a similar size. Toss everything together with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Serve cold.
Just wonderful. A garlicky treat.
on the subject of roasted red peppers:
I just found a great way of roasting them, which in retrospect seems obvious. Basically, you slice up each pepper into two pieces (after de-coring and cutting off the ends) and just lay the pieces flat (including the cut off ends) on a baking sheet, and broil. They come out perfectly roasted with none of the unevenness that tends to happen when you try to roast the pepper whole, either on the stove top or in the broiler.
Again, from Cooks Illustrated:
DB, you reminded me of a recipe that I can not clearly remember. It was Sicilian mashed potatoes. They had the juice of an orange mixed in, probably garlic, black pepper and olive oil and I baked them on a cookie sheet. I also remember my grandfather eating oranges as a salad with oil and black pepper on them. Apparently the Arab influence brought oranges and other fruit into the recipes. I know raisins showed up in a Pasta di San Giuseppe, at least in my grandpa's version.
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I keep all my recipes (and just about everything else) in a note-taking app called Evernote. Each recipe is an individual note, each of which can then be tagged as desired ("poultry," "Asian," "Appetizer," etc.), organized in one of more notebooks, and can then be searched for by text. The search function is so powerful I no longer bother to place my notes in different notebooks*. There are three tiers of service, one of which is free. Of course it will take some time and effort to input any backlog of recipes, but after that it's fantastic.
*I actually do have four notebooks: One is "Personal", one is "Work", and within the Work notebook are notebooks for "To Do" and "Completed".