One of the easier creations then is get your preferred vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, whatever). Add your spices. If if were me I’d add chili flakes, garlic, onion, parsley, thyme. Let it sit at least a week, then check flavoring. In there you may want to add some peppercorns, or sugar. If you add sugar, or salt heat up your vinegar or create some heated liquid to put your salt or sugar into solution or dissolve those solids.
I’d also add some distilled water to get to the flavor that I was looking for if it became too strong with just vinegar and spices alone.
Just my suggestions.
Short answer, is yes I cooked professionally for a long time. So, if you were to eat at my place I sometime make complex stuff, but mostly it’s fairly simple stuff that I can throw together in an hour or less. There are things, like if I’m smoking that take much longer, but I don’t plan many menus out for our home consumption. I hate leftovers is part of it. It’s not easy cooking for 2 people.
Time to bring this thread back to life, as it were. I’m making garlic confit right now. Smells wonderful in my house. I use garlic confit in my mashed potatoes, as well as in a dip. Too much and it gets a bit gross. I use the oil when I saute some dishes that require garlic, just a little extra zing.
Recipe: garlic cloves, enough oil (EVOO-canola mix is best IMO) to cover plus a little more, a sprig or 2 of thyme, and a bay leaf. Put on heat to just under a simmer. You’ll know it’s done either by color, kind of like a latte color or by how soft the cloves are. The cloves should squish like a mashed potato, super soft.
If you like salmon (I do) this is a quick and easy recipe. (I recommend making sure you have all the ingredients–most of them are things the ordinary kitchen has, but I didn’t have avocado oil or fresh parsley in our cupboards. I used this live oil and dried parsley and my family pleased with the outcome anyway.)
Reviving an old topic, as I’m starting to cook a lot more again and wanting some feedback from others on the topic. This was a popular topic during the pandemic as everyone was at tome cooking :):
I just cooked my lifelong favorite meal for my wife and I (I usually refer to it as my Birthday meal, as it is special enough, I rarely prepare it more than once ore perhaps twice a year):
Cocktail: Manhattan up, with a dash of orange bitters, garnished with a cherry.
Traditional Wedge Salad
Steak au Poivre, (Filet mignon in peppercorn sauce, I have this sauce down to a science - my version only takes a few of minutes)
Duchess Potatoes (old world French recipe)
Haricot Verte (very young/small green beans French style, sautéed with a bit of shallot in butter)
Red Wine with main course
After dinner:
1 shot espresso
Chocolate Cake
1 finger of Brandy
I’m now in my mid-sixties, and am being treated for high cholesterol, and some minor heart arrhythmia issues, so I make all the following concessions for my health:
1/4 lb. Eye-of-Round steak, instead of the 3" Filet Mignon
Harmons premade mashed potatoes, rather than the traditional Duchess Potatoes
Butter substitutes for sautéing the beans and the sauce
WAAAAYYY less Blue Cheese dressing than before and Bacon substitutes for the salad
1 glass of red wine max
no espresso
no dessert
no brandy
I cycled 40 miles today, (which was heaven) in South Eastern Idaho, Western Wyoming, which allowed be to finish the day, moderately healthily with my favorite meal.
Sorry I didn’t post any photos, but I only thought of reviving this thread when posting on Utefans was the alternative to dessert.
I’ve been eating salads and broccoli to make up for a Crumbl Cookie bender from last week. Yeah, I had 6 freaking cookies. I did not share, although the intent was there. I KNEW they were not 180 calories each even though that is what is advertised with an asterisk*****. I gained 8 pounds. The scale does not lie. I was tempted to put this under the Pet Peeves thread regarding the asterisk and the calories as it was 1/4 of a cookie is 180 calories, but I would be lying to myself.
I believe the only person on this message board who truly likes broccoli is Ma’ake. True story. (I can say this as he’s my brother)
Layer a blistered, peeled and seeded hatch chile on a piece of applewood smoked bacon, then add it to a grilled cheese sandwich. Trust me it’s awesome.
…well, then there are at least two of us… I love broccoli! It’s my favorite vegetable, and my go to any time I’m having beef. But it has to be done MY particular way:
Cut the heavy stems off so you have nice florets, with only a small amount of stem, cut each floret in half thru the stem, so the stem is exposed on each half, sauté on med high heat in a small amount of olive oil, for three or four minutes, stirring often. Add a small amount of very thinly slice garlic cloves (not minced). Stir and sauté another 3 or 4 minutes.
Turn down the heat, and pour into the pan just enough vegetable broth to cover the bottom of the pan, and immediately cover the pan with a lid. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes, until the broccoli and garlic begin to soften.
Turn the heat to med high and uncover the pan, allowing most of the moisture from the broth to evaporate. Stir and serve.
On a good day I am at best an average cook. I made these on Sunday and they were so-so good and easy. Why wouldnt they be the main ingredient is heavy whipping cream
And its one of those dishes that tastes even better as leftovers.
