The Food and Beverage Thread

[Stumbleweed]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Cumin rules... if you can buy whole cumin seeds, they're WAY better when you can toast them in a pan and then grind them yourself. You can even use a heavy pan to smash them, but a coffee grinder devoted to spices is probably the easiest... I have a mortar and pestle.

But yeah, for beef or something, I like chile molido (just ground red chile powder), toasted cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, diced garlic, Cholula... I almost always toss things with some fresh cilantro at the end too.. sometimes green onions depending on how loaded the meat is with regular onions ha. Putting some lime juice in while you're cooking helps to break down any connective tissue in the meat as well, so if you're doing steak or something, that'll help out with your texture.

One of my favorite Mexican accompaniments that people sleep on is calabasitas. All you need is 2 cans o' corn (or frozen), sliced zucchini, sliced yellow squash, minced jalapeno, minced garlic, seasonings (most of the stuff listed above is great) -- great side dish. Just sautee everything together and make sure it's tender and well-seasoned.. finish with some lime juice and cilantro.

Good call on the ancho chile too... you can throw in chipotles, roasted green chile (option #1 for me when it's in season), you can roast some jalapenos yourself and throw those in there... whoo boy.

[Cusefan]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Getting quiznos for lunch, primerib peppercorn FTW

[wwharton]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Stumble does the damn thing in the kitchen.

No shiggity...

Never thought I'd be looking for this on OS but, Stumble, I SERIOUSLY want to make a good ginger sauce. Either for chicken or maybe a catfish. Got any ideas?

[Stumbleweed]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Grate/mince ginger really finely (a microplane would be great because it gets lots of juice out also), add to some soy sauce (not too much so it doesn't overpower the ginger) and rice wine vinegar in a sauce pan. Add some brown sugar (or honey), garlic.. and chilies if you want. Make a "slurry" with a teaspoon of corn starch and some hot water (just dissolve it and make sure there are no lumps).. add that to the mixture and let it come to a boil, where it will start to thicken quite a bit.

If it gets too thick, just add more soy/vinegar and whisk.. keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools as well. Pour that over cooked chicken (or simmer the chicken in it, even better).

Kind of an Asian ginger sauce/glaze... not sure if that's what you were looking for or not.

[wwharton]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Grate/mince ginger really finely (a microplane would be great because it gets lots of juice out also), add to some soy sauce (not too much so it doesn't overpower the ginger) and rice wine vinegar in a sauce pan. Add some brown sugar (or honey), garlic.. and chilies if you want. Make a "slurry" with a teaspoon of corn starch and some hot water (just dissolve it and make sure there are no lumps).. add that to the mixture and let it come to a boil, where it will start to thicken quite a bit.

If it gets too thick, just add more soy/vinegar and whisk.. keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools as well. Pour that over cooked chicken (or simmer the chicken in it, even better).

Kind of an Asian ginger sauce/glaze... not sure if that's what you were looking for or not.

Yep, exactly what I was looking for. Gonna try it out. Thanks man

[Stumbleweed]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

You could throw some orange juice into that as well in place of the soy if you wanted a sweeter ginger/orange glaze without the saltiness of the soy. Use honey if you do that, as it will make it hold to the chicken better and taste sweeter than with brown sugar. This is similar to how Chinese places make their orange chicken/honey chicken/sesame chicken sauces... just different levels of ingredients depending on which taste you want to dominate.

[KG]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

This thread is going to turn into Stumble's own cooking show

"You're cooking with Stumble"

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Thanks, Stumble. I'll have to check Martin's tomorrow. How much soy sauce/rice wine vinegar and then sugar do you use?

I still can't find rock salt for my ice-cream maker to save my life. I guess I'll have to order it online.

[Stumbleweed]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Eh, I don't usually measure. I almost always have more vinegar than soy because the soy is so strong-tasting and will take over the other flavors if it's laid on too strong. I'd guess it's about 4 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sugar... Really, it's all to taste -- some people want the sweetness to kill the vinegar completely and others like the vinegar twang (me being one of those) and just want a little sweetness to kill the soy saltiness a bit.

[mgoblue]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

I've been liking G2 lately (specifically the grape flavor, but others are ok (just not as good)). I'm drinking more water as well, but sometimes I need something with flavor. Plus G2 goes on sale more often, 10 32oz bottles for 10 bucks, not a bad deal.

It's part of my attempt to not drink as much diet pop, I figure G2 is a halfway decent middle ground.

[Husker_OS]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

I've been liking G2 lately (specifically the grape flavor, but others are ok (just not as good)). I'm drinking more water as well, but sometimes I need something with flavor. Plus G2 goes on sale more often, 10 32oz bottles for 10 bucks, not a bad deal.

It's part of my attempt to not drink as much diet pop, I figure G2 is a halfway decent middle ground.

If you want to ditch cokes, try Diet Lipton Green Tea with citrus. Delicious and has some antioxidants to make it slightly healthy. I go through a 12-pack of 16oz bottles per week.



So cumin for tacos ehh? I'll try that out. Tonight I think I'm going to cook some jasmin rice.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

Getting quiznos for lunch, primerib peppercorn FTW

Extremely good, but that place is crazy expensive. Plus I think the sauteed onions make it a little too soggy, but still great.

[mgoblue]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

If you want to ditch cokes, try Diet Lipton Green Tea with citrus. Delicious and has some antioxidants to make it slightly healthy. I go through a 12-pack of 16oz bottles per week.



So cumin for tacos ehh? I'll try that out. Tonight I think I'm going to cook some jasmin rice.

I all ready brew my own iced tea and drink it unsweetened...I'll give it a shot though...

[wwharton]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

I all ready brew my own iced tea and drink it unsweetened...I'll give it a shot though...

The "green tea" is said to make a difference (if you aren't already brewing that).

I like the grape G2 too! Seems like stores around here are pushing the regular gatorade (and vitamin water) to get rid of them... can't seem to find G2 or vitamin water 10 anywhere all of a sudden.

[N51_rob]

Re: The Food and Beverage Thread

This weekend I took my GF to the oZ. Chophouse (http://www.ozchophouse.com/). Had an incredible meal.

App: Tuna tartar. It was fantastic. great acidity when placed on top of cucumber.
Meal: Cowboy rib-eye cooked more rare than medium. Delicious. Like velvet in my mouth.
Dessert: Creme Brule. It was very good. Caramelized sugar on the top.

Had a glass of white with the tuna and 3 glasses of Merlot with the steak. All in all it was a very, very good meal.

All told I spent about $200 on the both of us. Worth every penny. Plus the GF was happy so it's win-win.