What’s your favorite food or dish to cook?

Lamb, veal, shellfish…still learning at 72

No brainer…
Low and slow

Hi,

I like challenging myself as much as possible. My Dad has commented dinner is more like a test kitchen. Apparently there some dishes he has really liked, but only saw come to the table once. He wishes I would stick to a repetoire of 20 dishes I would repeat often.

The long time favorites are family dishes from my Grandma or Oma. Both women learned to cook after arriving to the United States. My Irish Grandmother learned to cook in a German household. Oma was a much better cook with lots of German food, though largely specific to her region of the Black Forest. We love what Oma made, though not all German food we like.

Both woman liked making pork spareribs and sauerkraut and potatoes. Oma made this when her kids still lived at home. I knew she made it, though I don't recall eating her variation. Grandma made this dish at least once a winter.

I hope I answered this sufficiently.

Regards,
Cathy2

I can go a few directions. One is crowd reaction. I love to cook what others love to eat. The highlight is English toffee at the holidays. I've made and gifted batches for 49 years, so it also has the pleasure of tradition.

Speaking of tradition, my mom was an excellent cook. One of her favorites was a red cooked dish she called Chinese Chicken which she adapted from a magazine recipe for Chinese Spare Ribs. It was, and still is, invariably served with mashed potatoes. There are a few of her Christmas cookie recipes that I make every year both to honor her memory and because they're really good.

I enjoy scientific challenges, too. I like to bake breads and I've dabbled in cheesemaking, but my favorite is fermented charcuterie. Of that, my top pick is Lebanon bologna.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I like challenging myself as much as possible. My Dad has commented dinner is more like a test kitchen. Apparently there some dishes he has really liked, but only saw come to the table once. He wishes I would stick to a repetoire of 20 dishes I would repeat often.

The long time favorites are family dishes from my Grandma or Oma. Both women learned to cook after arriving to the United States. My Irish Grandmother learned to cook in a German household. Oma was a much better cook with lots of German food, though largely specific to her region of the Black Forest. We love what Oma made, though not all German food we like.

Both woman liked making pork spareribs and sauerkraut and potatoes. Oma made this when her kids still lived at home. I knew she made it, though I don't recall eating her variation. Grandma made this dish at least once a winter.

I hope I answered this sufficiently.

Regards,
Cathy2

I’ve always enjoyed comments from Cathy 2!

Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe for Kung Pao (Gong Bao) Chicken is something that always makes me happy, because there are so few places that get it right.
Smoked brisket? The gift that keeps on giving.

But when I think about what I look forward to cooking, it's often the "what's in the fridge" egg sandwich that I make not quite once a week. Sunday's was two eggs, three sliced Bob Evans links, spinach, and a truffled cheese, in split-open pita bread. Almost always has greens, almost always has pork, always has cheese, sometimes chiles.

tjr wrote:I can go a few directions. One is crowd reaction. I love to cook what others love to eat. The highlight is English toffee at the holidays. I've made and gifted batches for 49 years, so it also has the pleasure of tradition.

Speaking of tradition, my mom was an excellent cook. One of her favorites was a red cooked dish she called Chinese Chicken which she adapted from a magazine recipe for Chinese Spare Ribs. It was, and still is, invariably served with mashed potatoes. There are a few of her Christmas cookie recipes that I make every year both to honor her memory and because they're really good.

I enjoy scientific challenges, too. I like to bake breads and I've dabbled in cheesemaking, but my favorite is fermented charcuterie. Of that, my top pick is Lebanon bologna.

Wow! Charcuterie, fermentation, baking and authentic Chinese dishes.
I was a pretty good minor league trombonist before my 40 year career cooking, and still love almost all things musical. I think one needs to have a passion for pleasing in order to excel in either a home or pro kitchen.
My idea of the most beautiful sound in the world:
Black tie wedding or celebration, 300+/- ppl in a ballroom, string trio or soft jazz in the background, conversation, glasses tinkling.,.suddenly 300 perfect plates of MR Colorado lamb racks are sliced by two carvers, dropped, sauced, final garnished and then served.
Kitchen is ready with fish, veg, gluten free, no nut, no oil, dry and other alternative plates including WD lamb racks if needed.
300 or so perfect plates are served.

Complete silence

JoelF wrote:Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe for Kung Pao (Gong Bao) Chicken is something that always makes me happy, because there are so few places that get it right.
Smoked brisket? The gift that keeps on giving.

But when I think about what I look forward to cooking, it's often the "what's in the fridge" egg sandwich that I make not quite once a week. Sunday's was two eggs, three sliced Bob Evans links, spinach, and a truffled cheese, in split-open pita bread. Almost always has greens, almost always has pork, always has cheese, sometimes chiles.

Still Jonesing for the Kung Pao at “ A Taste of Szechuan,” not to mention the rest of the menu. Five ingredient Iceberg salad was amazing.
We happen to love leftovers, and won’t have to cook for a few days. Latest convenience food for us is a roast bone in double breast of previously frozen turkey. Crisp turkey hash with poached eggs make my day! Frozen roast turkey frames for a brown poultry stock are money in the bank.

Evil Ronnie wrote:... at “ A Taste of Szechuan,” not to mention the rest of the menu. Five ingredient Iceberg salad was amazing.

This sparks my curiosity. Was it perhaps at Chef Xiong in Chinatown? Such a dish isn't currently listed on their online menu, so I may be out of luck. (An aside: they do have stir fried potatoes, which I have loved long ago.) Or an event or tasting menu with that title? And what were the amazing five ingredients?

tjr wrote:

Evil Ronnie wrote:... at “ A Taste of Szechuan,” not to mention the rest of the menu. Five ingredient Iceberg salad was amazing.

This sparks my curiosity. Was it perhaps at Chef Xiong in Chinatown? Such a dish isn't currently listed on their online menu, so I may be out of luck. (An aside: they do have stir fried potatoes, which I have loved long ago.) Or an event or tasting menu with that title? And what were the amazing five ingredients?

tjr,
GWiv discovered this jewel box around 4600 N Lincoln (?) run by an older Chinese chef and his family and it was amazing! Chef had worked somewhere in Chinatown, but this was top tier stuff. I’m positive there is an existing LTH thread.
I saw Chef making the dressing on the way to the rest room…
Dressing: Industrial generic white vinegar and granulated white sugar.
Rough julienne iceberg lettuce tossed in “vinaigrette,” then topped with roasted skin on peanuts and lots of cilantro sprigs.
GWiv, Alan Lake, help me here….
I remember Gary obsessed with the fish in hot oil. Even hot and sour was memorable.

Evil,

You were thinking of A Bite of Szechuan: MaLa Marvel.

A Bite of Szechuan
5657 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
773-878-8577

Unfortunately it has gone on to restaurant memories only.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:Evil,

You were thinking of A Bite of Szechuan: MaLa Marvel.

A Bite of Szechuan
5657 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
773-878-8577

Unfortunately it has gone on to restaurant memories only.

Regards,
Cathy2

Wow…what a memory you have, Cathy. I’ll try to post pics soon.
Thanks!

I like meals where I go into my refrigerator and pull out leftovers, old vegetables in the crisper, and leftover sauces in the refrigerator and make something that tastes really good.

The problem is that when I do that, my neighbor will call me and say, "Can you make that more often?" Well, not really.

Or using marked down meat to make a first rate dish. Like using beef shanks to make beef tips with mushrooms in lieu of chuck which I did not have in stock.

jlawrence01 wrote:I like meals where I go into my refrigerator and pull out leftovers, old vegetables in the crisper, and leftover sauces in the refrigerator and make something that tastes really good.

The problem is that when I do that, my neighbor will call me and say, "Can you make that more often?" Well, not really.

Or using marked down meat to make a first rate dish. Like using beef shanks to make beef tips with mushrooms in lieu of chuck which I did not have in stock.

Great ideas! We try to keep bell, Hungarian wax, poblano and any other mildish peppers on hand. Cut any leftover bird or roast into thick battonet size sticks along w lots of onion same cut. Sauté veg over high heat and remove still very crisp and remove. Same w protein. Combine and season w typical Mex or Tex spices and garlic, Maggi or dark soy.
Top w a boat load of one inch length cilantro. You have:
Fajita salad, room temp on lettuce
Fajitas
A low carb nosh

Chuck is in the $6-8 range here, but center cut shank closer to $3-4. Tough call…shank might be better???

Frozen catfish nuggets, blackened are a favorite economical meal . You need to score w a sharp knife to prevent curling up while being seared. Then a typical pan sauce, picatta, cream, creole, beurre blanc style.
Enjoy

I always love making stock at home. Makes the house smell great, and it's a cheat code for making other dishes taste fantastic.

Which gets me to my all time favorite thing to make: a rendition of bolognese from Matty Matheson. Its fairly time consuming but the output is fantastic. I probably make it once a year and it's definitely a crowd pleaser.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3ybmk/ ... agu-recipe

https://youtube.com/watch?v=myJHxRuon9w&feature=shares

WhyBeeSea wrote:I always love making stock at home. Makes the house smell great, and it's a cheat code for making other dishes taste fantastic.

Which gets me to my all time favorite thing to make: a rendition of bolognese from Matty Matheson. Its fairly time consuming but the output is fantastic. I probably make it once a year and it's definitely a crowd pleaser.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3ybmk/ ... agu-recipe

https://youtube.com/watch?v=myJHxRuon9w&feature=shares

Hi WhyBeSea,
Some recipes I’ve seen call for small amounts of milk and or chicken liver. Have you seen this? I’m happy w Bolognese style myself, although I researched Amatraciana for weeks before I served it to Riccardo Muti. (who wouldn’t drink French wine or eat French cheese!)

Cathy2 wrote:You were thinking of A Bite of Szechuan: MaLa Marvel

At the end of the thread, there's a link to a group lunch in March 2017. viewtopic.php?f=19&t=43579
At the end of that thread, there's mention that the post-lunch comments will appear at the end of the original thread. That ends in February 2017.?

tjr wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:You were thinking of A Bite of Szechuan: MaLa Marvel

At the end of the thread, there's a link to a group lunch in March 2017. viewtopic.php?f=19&t=43579
At the end of that thread, there's mention that the post-lunch comments will appear at the end of the original thread. That ends in February 2017.?

It continues here.

Cathy2 wrote:It continues here.

Sorry, my bad. Seems there are varying opinions on the 5 ingredient iceberg:

HPglutster wrote:My only grudge against the place is that i asked them to recommend a vegetable appetizer. He pointed at something and i just said yes yes yes. It turned out to be iceberg lettuce with some peanuts on top. Maybe not iceberg. But it was just a dumb salad. At a szechuan place! I still resent that i wasted a dish.

All water under the bridge...

tjr wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:It continues here.

Sorry, my bad. Seems there are varying opinions on the 5 ingredient iceberg:

HPglutster wrote:My only grudge against the place is that i asked them to recommend a vegetable appetizer. He pointed at something and i just said yes yes yes. It turned out to be iceberg lettuce with some peanuts on top. Maybe not iceberg. But it was just a dumb salad. At a szechuan place! I still resent that i wasted a dish.

All water under the bridge...

That salad was exquisite…less is more!

Evil Ronnie wrote:

WhyBeeSea wrote:I always love making stock at home. Makes the house smell great, and it's a cheat code for making other dishes taste fantastic.

Which gets me to my all time favorite thing to make: a rendition of bolognese from Matty Matheson. Its fairly time consuming but the output is fantastic. I probably make it once a year and it's definitely a crowd pleaser.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3ybmk/ ... agu-recipe

https://youtube.com/watch?v=myJHxRuon9w&feature=shares

Hi WhyBeSea,
Some recipes I’ve seen call for small amounts of milk and or chicken liver. Have you seen this? I’m happy w Bolognese style myself, although I researched Amatraciana for weeks before I served it to Riccardo Muti. (who wouldn’t drink French wine or eat French cheese!)

I wouldn't consider this an authentic recipe by any means. The small quantity of liver probably adds body to a bolognese. The way this recipe is designed, I dont think it's necessary but it wouldn't hurt.

I know the end of the recipe calls for milk and egg yolk. Also, completely optional. It definitely adds richness to the final sauce but it's already delicious without them