Favorite Foods/Recipes

[Den]

Yay! Let's hear it for a recipe thread - after all food is sometimes what makes life worth living - and doesn't that come under the heading of philosophy? Let me share one of my favourites with you to start it off: It's summer here in NZ now and I am overrun by runner beans out of my veggie garden. However this works equally well with frozen green beans too.

Spicy Tomato Beans

About a large double handful of fresh sliced runner beans after they’ve been put through a bean slicer (or same amount of frozen french or frozen green or runner beans is fine)
2 tsp whole cumin seed
4 cloves finely sliced garlic
Olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 dried crumbled red chili (or more) or equivalent chili flakes
400gm tin of tomatoes or passata – enough to moisten – remembering that the beans reduce and add liquid so you can add more later
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Fry cumin seeds till fragrant; add garlic till just browning - add spice powders and crumbled chili fry till fragrant
Add beans and toss really well
Add tomatoes and cook till beans are done (time will vary depending on whether fresh or frozen)
Check for salt.

This is GREAT at room temperature so wonderful for a dinner with guests as it can be done in advance - but is also great hot too.
BONUS! Cook double the amount you need - it freezes perfectly. :)

[mtbturtle]

I've never heard of runner beans, not sure we have them around here and I'm wondering why not. It seems to be a Central American bean and the flavors you are cooking it with echo that- the cumin and chili. I'll save this recipe though and give it a try this summer with some green beans from the farmers market. I don't grow those myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner_bean
The runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus, Fabaceae) is often called the scarlet runner bean since most varieties have red flowers and multicolored seeds, though some have white flowers and white seeds. It differs from the common bean in several respects: the cotyledons stay in the ground during germination, and the plant is a perennial with tuberous roots (though it is usually treated as an annual).

The green pods are edible whole but in some varieties (the scarlet runner) tend to become fibrous early, and only the seeds within are eaten. The seeds can be used fresh or as dried beans. The starchy roots are still eaten by Central American Indians. The scarlet runner is widely grown for its attractive flowers by people who would never think of eating it.

This species originated from the mountains of Central America.

Phaseolus coccineus subsp. darwinianus is a cultivated subspecies of P. coccineus, it is commonly referred to as the Botil bean in Mexico.

Cooking runner beans

Runner beans are best sliced using a small tool which also removes the sides (the strings) on varieties that have them. If you want to freeze runner beans blanch them for a couple of minutes, plunge into iced water and freeze as soon as possible. Tasty with mushrooms.

[mtbturtle]

These are BIG cookies and one of my favorites. I usually make them with cranberries and sometimes macadamia nuts instead of raisins.

Big and Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Makes about 18 large cookies
If you prefer a less sweet cookie, you can reduce the white sugar by one-quarter cup, but you will lose some crispness. Do not overbake these cookies. The edges should be brown, but the rest of the cookie should be very light in color. Parchment paper makes for easy cookie removal and cleanup, but it is not a necessity. If you don’t use parchment, cool the cookies on the baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg [I also add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and I recommend Ceylon Cinnamon if you can find it]
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups rolled oats
11/2 cups raisins (optional)

1. Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together in medium bowl.
3. Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture with wooden spoon or large rubber spatula. Stir in oats and optional raisins.
5. Working with generous 2 tablespoons of dough each time, roll dough into 2-inch balls. Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between each ball. [this is what the original recipe says - I scope mine out with a 1/4 cup, level it off flat with a knife and then scrape it out and shape them into a rough flattish-ball shape. I come out with 18 - 20 what the recipe says I should get soooooooooo go figure]
6. Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. (Halfway during baking, turn cookie sheets from front to back and also switch them from top to bottom.) Slide cookies, on parchment, to cooling rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes before peeling cookie from parchment.

[BioWizard]

Awesome. I was telling cloudy-a just today that I want to make cookies. Maybe I'll try your recipe. I made a killer cheesecake the other day. I'll post the recipe later.

[cloudy-a]

I made a killer cheesecake the other day.

He really did! It was soooo good. He was instantly the most popular guy in the department!

[tess]

My favorite food :


[img:240:210]http://upload7.postimage.org/121743/MumsholidayinLanzarote020.jpg[/img]

Sorry moderators, for some reason I can’t upload more then one picture to the post.

So the food from above : caught and grilled by the beach

[tess]

[img:240:210]http://upload7.postimage.org/121778/MumsholidayinLanzarote009.jpg[/img]

[tess]

followed by
[img:240:210]http://upload7.postimage.org/121799/MumsholidayinLanzarote043.jpg[/img]

[tess]

Believe me , I have slaved in the kitchen and prepered some gourmet meals , but nothing tastes even close.

[LUIX]

I'm sure some of you will appreciate a place where we can share some good recipes we often make.

Rivotiche: (literally means turned over or rolled over in the dialect of my region) It is a salty pancake..

Ingredients:

Flour type 00
water
salt
extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:
You mix some flour and some water together thoroughly creating a not so liquid and but defenitly not so solid batter. I didn't give the amounts for the ingredients because when I make this I always 'freestyle it'.

Cooking:
Heat a frying pan up pretty well with some oil. Pour in some of the batter, it is important that you dont put too much in because thick rivotiches don't taste as good as nice thin ones. Fry it, flip it, (only 1 time) set it aside. Put the salt on the rivotiche right after you take it out of the pan. Eat. You can also put some tabasco on the rivotiche while you fry it if you enjoy spicy food.

In the end the rivotiche should taste crunchy on the edges and a bit sof in the middle...
it should take about 11 minutes to cook the whole thing.
I use one of these things to mixe the water and flour.. http://www.chewfood.com/wp-content/uplo ... 03/300.jpg

enjoy.

[mtbturtle]

I received Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Christmas and made Cassoulet from our holiday leftovers (goose, lamb, pork...)

[img:240:211]http://www.postimage.org/aV36WbDJ.jpg[/img]


I've made this Alton Brown's Cheddar Cheese Souffle several times times and have had good luck with it. I think a lot of the success is in the prep work, have everything ready to go before you start the final assembly...and I use a really nice 8 year aged Carr Valley Cheddar Cheese. It's like cheese air MMmmmmm


[img:223:240]http://www.postimage.org/Pq2XpmQA.jpg[/img]

[img:214:240]http://www.postimage.org/aV36WAA9.jpg[/img]

[MrMistery]

I love french cuisine, it is one of my favorites.
Ever since I arrived to the United States the thing I had most problems with has been the food. I don't know if all US food is bad or if it's just cause I'm eating cafeteria food, but it's horrible. And everyone here keeps telling me that our dining hall is famous for being one of the best dining halls in the country. I don't even want to think what the others are serving..

[goingtothedogs]

I've never heard of runner beans,

Turtle,

Don't know if you ever tried runner beans, but they are the easiest things in the veg garden to grow, requiring only plenty of water. Chuck your old washing up water over them in a dry year ( complete with detergent) wand watch them grow.

Don't let them get big or they go stringy. Cut the whole pod, young and tender, typically 10 to 15cm long. Slice it into say, 5 to 10 bits and just steam cook. Add melted butter and..., yummy.

Alternatively, just eat 'em off the plant and love 'em.

They're pretty too. Bright orange climbers that brighten up any garden area.

If you can let me know what Americans call them, I'd be interested.

[goingtothedogs]

I love french cuisine, it is one of my favorites.
Ever since I arrived to the United States the thing I had most problems with has been the food. I don't know if all US food is bad or if it's just cause I'm eating cafeteria food, but it's horrible. And everyone here keeps telling me that our dining hall is famous for being one of the best dining halls in the country. I don't even want to think what the others are serving..

When I told an American that I'm a veggie, he asked me if that means that I have sald by the side of my steak.....

[Deftil]

When I told an American that I'm a veggie, he asked me if that means that I have sald by the side of my steak.....

Sounds like the person you spoke with was a moron first, and an American second!

We've got a fair share of vegetarians and vegans and fruitatarians and pretty much any -tarian and such you can think of.

[goingtothedogs]

When I told an American that I'm a veggie, he asked me if that means that I have sald by the side of my steak.....

Sounds like the person you spoke with was a moron first, and an American second!

As a non-American. I think it only politic that I refrain from comment...

[Deftil]

groan

[goingtothedogs]

groan

You would prefer me to comment????

Or am I missing your point?

[Paralith]

Yesterday I made curried shrimp - so easy and so tasty!

For 1 lb peeled and de-veined shrimp
mix in a bowl with 2 tbsp red curry paste (available in cans at your local asian mart) and 2 tbsp sesame oil till shrimps are coated
grill shrimps til golden
spritz shrimps with lime juice, serve over hot rice!

I do so love easy cooking.

[goingtothedogs]

Yesterday I made curried shrimp - so easy and so tasty!

For 1 lb peeled and de-veined shrimp
mix in a bowl with 2 tbsp red curry paste (available in cans at your local asian mart) and 2 tbsp sesame oil till shrimps are coated
grill shrimps til golden
spritz shrimps with lime juice, serve over hot rice!

I do so love easy cooking.

Lovely!!!! Gods but I'm hungry now.......

[Schmungles]

I love french cuisine, it is one of my favorites.
Ever since I arrived to the United States the thing I had most problems with has been the food. I don't know if all US food is bad or if it's just cause I'm eating cafeteria food, but it's horrible. And everyone here keeps telling me that our dining hall is famous for being one of the best dining halls in the country. I don't even want to think what the others are serving..

Trust me, it's your dining hall. Dining hall food (on a college campus, I assume) is always bad no matter where you are and how good they claim the food is. It tastes bad because it's never cooked properly. It's bad for you because it's loaded with sodium, preservatives, and often fried or cooked with an unholy amount of fat. When our dining hall was remodeled they started cooking huge batches of scrambled eggs right in front of you for breakfast. One day I was on campus early enough to have breakfast, and was about to get the fresh-made scrambled eggs until I saw that the eggs came pre-beaten in boxes marked "Liquified eggs with citric acid." After seeing that, I had a bagel instead.

You can get a lot of great food in the US, you just have to know where to look. Sometimes local diners or restaurants have excellent food, almost all made from scratch, at pretty cheap prices. Next time you're around town ask locals who look like they're over 40 what local restaurants are good. I say over 40 because people in their mid-20s to late 30s think that TGI Friday's or Applebee's is "fine dining." If you're in or near my part of the country (central Pennsylvania), the best way to find good food is to see what local restaurants are really busy on Sunday afternoon from 12 to 2. This is the time when all the Christians leave church and decide that Christ's body and blood wasn't filling enough, so they go out to lunch. Hungry Central Pennsylvania Christians will almost always lead you to a good restaurant.

[mtbturtle]

I've never heard of runner beans,

Turtle,

Don't know if you ever tried runner beans, but they are the easiest things in the veg garden to grow, requiring only plenty of water. Chuck your old washing up water over them in a dry year ( complete with detergent) wand watch them grow.

Don't let them get big or they go stringy. Cut the whole pod, young and tender, typically 10 to 15cm long. Slice it into say, 5 to 10 bits and just steam cook. Add melted butter and..., yummy.

Alternatively, just eat 'em off the plant and love 'em.

They're pretty too. Bright orange climbers that brighten up any garden area.

If you can let me know what Americans call them, I'd be interested.

Heya gttd,

From what I've found out, runner beans in the US are simple green beans or pole beans and are pretty common with maybe some regional variations in name like Kentucky wonder beans (haha).


http://www.answers.com/topic/runner-bean

http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/g ... beans.html

By growing Green Beans or Runner Beans as they are also called, you will have an abundance of fresh nutritious vegetables. They arrived from South America not long after the French Bean and were initially grown for their looks - what a waste. We now enjoy growing Green Beans for looks AND healthy eating.

It is in Britain they are called Runner Beans and in the USA - Pole or Green Beans.

I'm not going to plant any green beans this year. Going to do some snow peas, pumpkins, heirloom tomatoes, lettuce and a few other things.

[DrCloud]

Like Paralith, I've come to appreciate ease of preparation in the kitchen -- for one thing, if it's too long and complicated, I get into the second bottle of wine too soon and can screw things up in a truly serious fashion. So here are two easy ones, one real and one ersatz:

Fettuccine ala Alfredo, the Real Deal (from one of those snotty gourmet food magazines whose writer went to Italy)

Per person:

6-8 oz. cooked fettuccine
1 Tbsp softened (or melted) unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Pecorino romano cheese (Pecorino is critical for this)

Place noodles on a hot plate, toss in butter, dump on cheese, serve, eat. Yum.
=============

Ersatz Cassoulet (the easy version of mtbturtles adventure with Julia above; call it fancy franks and beans, if you want)

Per person, with plenty of leftovers:

One can white beans (and if making for two, get different types of beans), pretty well drained
One turkey kielbasa, cooked
Herbes de Provence dried herbs
Dried onion flakes
Dried bread crumbs

Cut up the sausage into coins; vary thickness, mix in baking dish with beans and 1Tbsp herbs & 1 Tsp onions per person, cover with bread crumbs and bake for ~1/2 hour at 350.
===============

I'd say a nice French chablis for the noodles and a lightweight red (such as Beaujolais) for the beans. HPH

[Forest_Dump]

As to your noodles, I would add a few scallops, shrimp and, if available crab and/or lobster. Fresh if you can get it but if not a few bags of fresh frozen in the freezer and quickly sauteed in a garlic butter (careful not to over cook). And of course, since the asparagus will soon start coming up...

[Paralith]

It's so easy to make delicious tasting thai-style curry dishes with the canned curry paste - this is the brand I use, very common in asian marts:

[img:275:275]http://www.asianfoodshop.com.au/images/Maesri%20Red%20Curry%20Paste.jpg[/img]

They're only around 70 cents each.

Chop up whatever assortment vegetables you like - carrots, potatoes, onions, leeks, bok choy, and bell peppers are some of my favorites. You can add a meat or not - chicken is best with red curry I think, but beef and even tofu are great too. Edit - for seafood lovers shrimp is good too!

Brown the meat in a pot, along with those veggies that take longer to cook - potatoes, onions, carrots. Then add any other more delicate veggies, and one can of the above pictured curry sauce with one can of coconut milk. Depending on how many veggies and meat you have you may need two of each. Let it all simmer together for 20 - 30 minutes, then serve over hot rice. Easy and fantastic!

========

Quinoa (pronounced keen - wah), if you've never heard of it, is a type of grain cultivated by indigenous south americans, and is one of the few human foods that has all the amino acids we need at high concentrations AND is gluten free. People use it for all sorts of cooking but my favorite is very simple and very tasty.

Per one person (so if you're by yourself makes a good meal!):

Add to a pot half a cup of quinoa and one cup of water
Add 1 large chicken breast (I use frozen and just pop it straight in from the freezer!)
Add onion and garlic to taste
Add 1/2 a can of tomatoes (stewed with italian spices is best)
Add salt and pepper to taste

optional: sprinkle in any italian type seasonings you like, and carrots and celery work well in this too.

Cover and cook at a simmer until all the water is absorbed and the chicken is cooked all the way through. Cooking quinoa is a lot like cooking rice, and you don't do anything much different with all the stuff in there. And yes, the chicken cooks all the way through and is nice and tender when its done.

[img:262:322]http://www.glutenfreeplaza.com/images/T/Quinoa%20AHTradBox.jpg[/img]

[DrCloud]

As to your noodles,...

Absolutely! The main reason for that spare recipe is (1) it's so easy (and quite vegetarian to boot) and (2) to draw a distinction to the goopy "Alfredo sauce" recipes -- which also work well with shrimp, scallops, and so on. HPH

[kidjan]

My (recent) favorite:

Goodly collection of spinach/chard/arugula/some leafy green
garlic
olive oil
salt

put a goodly dash of olive oil in a pan along with minced garlic. Saute until garlic is slightly browned. Add stems and woody bits of the green first, and allow those to fry for a bit. Add the rest of it, and then salt to taste. The greens will lose a lot of their volume, so it's ok to overload the pan at first. Sometimes topping it with goat cheese is tasty.

I serve it with some fru-fru bread.

[DrCloud]

Sounds good, but now you've got to post up the fru-fru bread recipe. HPH

[BioWizard]

Here's an easy one I like. Just had that for dinner last night. Took me about an hour to make.

Cannelloni with mushroom and spinach

1 clove of garlic, minced
fresh basil, chopped
8 oz mushroom, chopped
15 oz ricotta cheese
spinach leaves, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
cannelloni
parmesan
marinara sauce


Boil the cannelloni for 7 mins, rinse in cold water.
In a pan, saute the mushrooms and garlic with olive oil over medium heat for 5 mins. Add the spinach and continue to cook for another 5 mins.
In a bowl, gently beat the 2 eggs, then stir in the basil and ricotta cheese. Add the mushroom and spinach and mix well.
In a cooking tray, add some marinara sauce (about 1/4 inch).
Stuff the cannelloni with the cheese mix and place in tray. Spread more sauce evenly over surface.
Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top.

Cook covered for 30 mins (350 F), then uncovered for 5-10 mins or until cheese melts (400F).

Result:
[img:320:240]http://www.postimage.org/aVYQ0RA.jpg[/img]

[Giacomo]

How about Tofu dishes?

Anyone has any favorite tofu dishes they would like to share?