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What's everyone cooking this week?

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby jeral » Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:00 pm

Stokey Sue, Egg McMuffins (and a coffee) are something I had a crush on for a few weeks some years ago as McD was near work in times when I felt I'd done a day's work even before I got there! Home made drippy ones are a luxury my time affords now :)

Thanks for the mussels heads up. I'm going to fishmongers tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Freezer fodder today, since emptying it. I'll saute a lot of leek and also mixed peppers, then save some and have some in some premade Yorks Puds for tea later.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby halfateabag » Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:55 am

We are having a lot of pork dishes at the moment. The 4 pork steaks in garlic and honey were a bit tough and the 2nd 2 were cooked again in some tasty stock to soften them. The chinese diced pork sat in a bath of flavoursome stuff from a jar from Wing Yip. It was tasty and melt in the mouth but a tad sweet for me. Then there was some different raised pork which was RTC and looks like it might be better and more 'porky'. I have a pack of Lidl fresh rustic looking noodles (German range) which will go with them. Then there is a pack of duck, pancakes and hoisin which will be easy and a bit of a ding meal.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby jeral » Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:04 pm

halfateabag, I can't cook tender pork loin chops to save my life so switched to shoulder chops and never looked back. Your RTC might be an excellent contender for slow-cooked pulled pork, which also makes jelly (for future gravy flavour) if remaining juices after pork removed are reduced down even more, if necessary.

Today's emptying-the-freezer meals will be: Pizza dough with butternut squash, peppers, red onions, maybe a jarred anchovy and cheddar/feta. (My brined olives went off again, even though I'm assured they don't. I'll buy the vacpack black ones next time.) Edit: Change of plan being now the proud owner of a bag of mussels to play with :)

The last of the smoked salmon will become a toasted sandwich with mayo and smidgeon of green finger chilli for lunch.
Last edited by jeral on Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby WWordsworth » Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:23 pm

Tonight is HM spanakopita from the freezer, with green salad and potato salad.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Kacey » Tue Oct 20, 2020 7:27 pm

Not a lot of fresh stuff in the fridge till I have a shopping delivery tomorrow, so tonight its pasta with peas, onions, garlic and cheese

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby KeenCook2 » Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:33 pm

We had Nigel Slater's Roast tomatoes with harissa and couscous from this selection of Autumn recipes: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/s ... rlic-toast

It was very good, definitely one to be repeated.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby jeral » Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:21 am

Well, I cooked some of the mussels, more than I wanted but didn't know if they'd open - they all did, yay.

The recipe used is not one I'd write home about having made it, but mussels were v.good, rope-grown in Shetland Isles. So...

1) Can I eat the leftover ones cold in the sauce cooked in, fridge'd of course, tomorrow, or must I reheat to piping?

2) Why do some uncooked mussels float yet others sink when put in copious cold water? Or maybe they'd all sink eventually?
That's why I cooked too many in case one or the other wasn't good. The floaters first, being the majority, then sinkers separately. All were closed. All opened in 3-4 mins. :?

Ta.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed Oct 21, 2020 12:54 am

I don’t think you need to reheat the mussels
I think the ones that sink are full of seawater but those that float contain air pockets?

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby jeral » Wed Oct 21, 2020 5:02 pm

Stokey Sue, thanks, I followed your trapped air lead in mussels last night with the majority agreeing that yes, it is if out of water when they snap shut, and that one can safely ignore sink/float. Instead rely on the "don't close when tapped" or "don't open once cooked" for dead ones.

Seemingly mussels like to open and close all the time, which is why it's better to cram them into a net to prevent this. Every day's a school day :D

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby jeral » Wed Oct 21, 2020 5:23 pm

Food tonight will be, yes, mussels :lol: Yesterday's will become soup, highly tweaked, then freezer. Some tonight will be how I really like them best being plain with salt and malt vinegar, and some plain to freeze.

I'd forgotten how hands-on time consuming mussels are, for me at least. Here's a thought, a time contest between cleaning, debearding, cooking and deshelling some, versus skinning a Dover sole :lol:

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby OneMoreCheekyOne » Wed Oct 21, 2020 9:27 pm

Thanks for the mussels tip Sue. I’ll get some at the weekend.

Halfateabag...with pork that can be tough...have you tried velveting? Marinading strips in corn flour, egg white (and rice wine if oriental style dishes). Leave for half an hour or so to marinade before frying? It keeps it very tender with a beautiful crust.

Tonight was one of those nights when you don’t really know what you’re cooking and make it up as you go along :D I started with chicken thighs and it turned into Dijon and tarragon chicken with white Rioja, stock, bay and root veg. We had it with some lovely homemade chips.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby halfateabag » Thu Oct 22, 2020 8:10 am

Thanks Jeral and OMCO for your suggestions. Will bear in mind for the next porky meal :crossed

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby OneMoreCheekyOne » Thu Oct 22, 2020 9:00 pm

Lunch was farfalle with lightly smoked salmon, peas, spinach, cream, pasta water and parmesan. Plus lots of black pepper.

Stressful and late work day so the girls had toasties with salad and fruit for dinner and we’ve just ordered a curry. Don’t think it’ll be here until gone 9 but hey ho! Will pour a glass of wine I think.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Gillthepainter » Fri Oct 23, 2020 8:54 am

I find tarragon a real treat. I'd put it in the category of a special meal when I use it. Especially with chicken and dijon, OMCO.

In a rut meal last evening. Cod cakes, with a twist = lemon & ginger.
Tonight's in a rut meal is pinchos, but I'll make "Andalucian" style ones, that have a little curry powder, rather than morunos.

I need to increase my repertoire of repeat recipes. In fact, I feel a thread coming on.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:00 am

Eldest son is cooking dinner today at school! They are doing chicken and pepper fajitas. Only of course he's using tofu (whole family is veggie) and he doesn't like peppers, so isn't taking any. We'll assemble them into wraps at home for dinner.

Except I can't eat it (what with the parika, lime and tabasco), so I'll have to cook myself something else. They are learning about marinades and how acids tenderise protein, so I couldn't really make him cook it without that so I could eat it!

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Earthmaiden » Fri Oct 23, 2020 10:30 am

Does acid tenderise the protein in tofu (ie. change it) ? I've marinated tofu many times but more to add flavour than change the structure whereas with meat I would use it to tenderise a cheap cut. Just interested as I suppose theoretically it should.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Sakkarin » Fri Oct 23, 2020 12:01 pm

Several Mapo Tofu recipes I've used specify scalding the tofu chunks in hot water to firm them up a bit. For my last batch a couple of weeks ago I used silken tofu instead of the firmer tofus, and couldn't be bothered to scald it - it all turned to mush, so I guess that scalding works.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Hope » Fri Oct 23, 2020 1:58 pm

Earthmaiden wrote:Does acid tenderise the protein in tofu (ie. change it) ? I've marinated tofu many times but more to add flavour than change the structure whereas with meat I would use it to tenderise a cheap cut. Just interested as I suppose theoretically it should.

I have no idea actually. I mean, you don't need to even cook tofu (like you would chicken!)

Interesting about the scalding, Sakkarin.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby WWordsworth » Fri Oct 23, 2020 8:13 pm

Having a go at the Mac and cheese recipe tonight.
I'm really not sure about smoked haddock and chorizo but J fancies it and we have all the ingredients.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/o ... food-shack

ETA
I reduced the butter and cheese as I thought it was too much.
Wish I had reduced the pasta too, I did 50% to feed 2 of us and it was massive.
The fish got lost in the chilli and chorizo.
Otherwise it was delicious and definitely a keeper, but I would probably leave the fish out next time.

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Re: What's everyone cooking this week?

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:22 pm

I made a sort of chicken tagine with loads of veg and had some with a sweet potato baked a alongside it in the oven

100 g pasta is quite a hefty portion I think

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