What's on the Menu

[iBooz2]

On 12/15/2022 at 9:27 AM, Mickep said:

@iBooz2 Al, mate, we go the heaped teaspoon, it's dang hot but we like it. 

Thanks MickeBoy but I think I will creep up on the amount of chili flakes each time.  Don't want to stick my head up out of the trenches only to have it blown off!! 

[iBooz2]

While we are on the subject of pizza, homemade bases are best.

I find using just 00 flour for my pizza bases is a bit bland, I like a bit of texture so throw in about 30 g of semolina flour in that case.  Now mostly use Lauke - Stoneground Rustic White bread mix just for convenience.  65% hydration seems to be about the sweet spot re water to flour ratio.

Recipe for one 300 mm diameter pizza base (fits on Weber Q pizza tray nicely).

• 178 ml of warm water, by weight.
• 1 x tablespoon EVOO.
• 1 x level teaspoon salt.
• 275 g Stoneground rustic white flour.
• 1 pinch of caster sugar.
• 1 x heaped teaspoon of dry bread yeast.

Note: if I use 00 flour then its 245 g of 00 flour and 30 g of semolina flour.

I make up a mixture of ¼ - ½ cup of tomato paste, 1 x teaspoon crushed garlic (good quality jar garlic) and 1 x tablespoon of finely chopped basil (or that tube basil you can get from the supermarket) to paint over the base.

Edited December 16, 2022 by iBooz2

[stquinto]

On 12/15/2022 at 11:31 PM, Mickep said:

Another chicken - seafood stir fry with the same same ol' 2 minute noodles, and yes it's got heaps of chilli.

I know, I know, I don't deserve the rest of the day off.

 

 

Looks magnifico mate YKTD…

Out of interest, any tricks after you par-boil the noodles so they don’t go mushy (if they are par-boiled dried ones)? Anything like undercook them, stop the cooking in ice-cold water, toss them with a tablespoon of sesame oil, anything like that?

Mine end up ever so slightly mushy, and I ain’t going down the route of using pre-cooked ones no more

Cheers!

[Tricky Micky]

30 minutes ago, stquinto said:

Out of interest, any tricks after you par-boil the noodles so they don’t go mushy (if they are par-boiled dried ones)? Anything like undercook them, stop the cooking in ice-cold water, toss them with a tablespoon of sesame oil, anything like that?

Sainter, SWMBO'd is the master chef when it comes to these noodles. She boils the kettle then pours the boiled water over the dry noodles in a bowl - lets it sit until the noodles just begin to soften and then pours the water out leaving the noodles behind in the bowl.  Make sure all the water is poured out. Do not place a lid over the bowl. Allow the noodles to cool while you cook the stir fry ingredients and when they're almost done add the noodles.

Interestingly, she also does a similar thing with raw prawns going into stir fry's. Makes a cuts on the prawn tail down its back (where the vein runs) then places prawn meat into a bowl. Pours boiling water into the bowl - enough to cover the prawns and allows to stand uncovered for about a minute. Drains them and repeats the process. Added at the last minute to the stir fry - they come out so juicy mate - it's amazing - I think a lot of Asians cook the prawns this way - it's certainly the way the do them in the village in Thailand. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Mickep

[stquinto]

23 minutes ago, Mickep said:

Sainter, SWMBO'd is the master chef when it comes to these noodles. She boils the kettle then pours the boiled water over the dry noodles in a bowl - lets it sit until the noodles just begin to soften and then pours the water out leaving the noodles behind in the bowl.  Make sure all the water is poured out. Do not place a lid over the bowl. Allow the noodles to cool while you cook the stir fry ingredients and when they're almost done add the noodles.

Interestingly, she also does a similar thing with raw prawns going into stir fry's. Makes a cuts on the prawn tail down its back (where the vein runs) then places prawn meat into a bowl. Pours boiling water into the bowl - enough to cover the prawns and allows to stand uncovered for about a minute. Drains them and repeats the process. Added at the last minute to the stir fry - they come out so juicy mate - it's amazing - I think a lot of Asians cook the prawns this way - it's certainly the way the do them in the village in Thailand. 

Thanks a bunch for the secret tricks mate, and especially to your lady wife. I’ll be deffo trying them out. You’re talking about raw prawns, right?

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, stquinto said:

Looks magnifico mate YKTD…

Out of interest, any tricks after you par-boil the noodles so they don’t go mushy (if they are par-boiled dried ones)? Anything like undercook them, stop the cooking in ice-cold water, toss them with a tablespoon of sesame oil, anything like that?

Mine end up ever so slightly mushy, and I ain’t going down the route of using pre-cooked ones no more

Cheers!

I love Noodles & used many times, I have never really had a drama with any of them, for the pre-cooked ones all I do is soak them in a bowl for a few minutes & when the stir-fry is almost ready to serve, I just drain them in a colander, add them & stir through, similar process to dried noodles.

Check this list out.

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2016/07/28/know-your-noodle-ultimate-guide-asian-noodles

Edited December 17, 2022 by Classic Brewing Co

[Tricky Micky]

35 minutes ago, stquinto said:

You’re talking about raw prawns, right?

Yes mate, to be sure.

[Classic Brewing Co]

PIZZA NIGHT.

This is sort of a meat lovers with prawns modified to suit the approval of the ex-girlfriend, all the good things I like anchovies etc were omitted however it got the tick of approval. At end of the day, I didn't mind it either.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Classic Brewing Co

[Cheap Charlie]

Baby corn is different. I love baby corn.

[stquinto]

In the interests of ethnic diversity, and “inclusiveness”, here’s a few pointers on how to cook a cheese fondue (Swiss one, French ones are sh*te).

Now I appreciate that the thought of melted cheese might turn a few of you folks’ stomachs, as you get up to > 30 degrees (perhaps not for Mick I suppose), but spare a thought for those of us in Central Europe, as we hit winter... 
The wooden truck is my gift for 10 years’ service (we’ve got our priorities right with it being a bottle holder)

Edited December 17, 2022 by stquinto
Typo

[Cheap Charlie]

I've always wanted to try fondue, done the proper way. Doesn't turn my stomach at all, in fact I have cheese toasties all the time! Good quality swiss cheeses start here at $100/kg or 60CHF/kg. Great truck too, that's another lost art here - wooden toys/art.

[Tricky Micky]

4 hours ago, stquinto said:

Now I appreciate that the thought of melted cheese might turn a few of you folks’ stomachs, as you get up to > 30 degrees (perhaps not for Mick I suppose), but spare a thought for those of us in Central Europe, as we hit winter... 
The wooden truck is my gift for 10 years’ service (we’ve got our priorities right with it being a bottle holder)

How seventies. I'd love to have a go at this. Brings back fondue memories. 

[Cheap Charlie]

Wings with homemade chilli sauce, buffalo style with butter and sauce, thanks to @beach_life for his fermentation technique. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Cheap Charlie

[iBooz2]

On 12/17/2022 at 11:07 AM, Mickep said:

She boils the kettle then pours the boiled water over the dry noodles in a bowl - lets it sit until the noodles just begin to soften and then pours the water out leaving the noodles behind in the bowl.  Make sure all the water is poured out. Do not place a lid over the bowl. Allow the noodles to cool while you cook the stir fry ingredients and when they're almost done add the noodles.

Interestingly, she also does a similar thing with raw prawns going into stir fry's. Makes a cuts on the prawn tail down its back (where the vein runs) then places prawn meat into a bowl. Pours boiling water into the bowl - enough to cover the prawns and allows to stand uncovered for about a minute. Drains them and repeats the process. Added at the last minute to the stir fry - they come out so juicy mate - it's amazing - I think a lot of Asians cook the prawns this way - it's certainly the way the do them in the village in Thailand. 

Exactly what I do with the noddles too @Mickep works well every time.  Also big thanks for the tip re the raw prawn soak too as I will try this next time as its just so easy to over cook them tender buggers and make em rubbery.  Not that I have ever done that mind you. 

[stquinto]

2 hours ago, Cheap Charlie said:

Wings with homemade chilli sauce, buffalo style with butter and sauce, thanks to @beach_life for his fermentation technique. 

They look amazing TTROTDO

[stquinto]

7 hours ago, Mickep said:

How seventies. I'd love to have a go at this. Brings back fondue memories. 

It is a bit, I’m kinda stuck in a culinary 70s time warp, what with the prawn cocktail and all that

Fondue is Switzerland’s national dish, and they say here “une journée sans fondue est une journée foutue”, which rhymes quite well if you use the local accent (a day without fondue is a wasted day, doesn’t sound so good in English).

Had to eat at around 6:30 (another Swiss trait), quite difficult to digest 200g of cheese late at night

[Classic Brewing Co]

11 hours ago, stquinto said:

In the interests of ethnic diversity, and “inclusiveness”, here’s a few pointers on how to cook a cheese fondue (Swiss one, French ones are sh*te).

Looks good mate, I used to have a fondue set-up, I always liked it but you hardly see it these days due to all of the health regulations, however it could be modified to create individual serves.

[stquinto]

1 minute ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Looks good mate, I used to have a fondue set-up, I always liked it but you hardly see it these days due to all of the health regulations, however it could be modified to create individual serves.

Interesting… what health regulations would they be? Apart from potentially setting your curtains on fire I can’t see what’s “dangerous “ about them?

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, stquinto said:

Interesting… what health regulations would they be? Apart from potentially setting your curtains on fire I can’t see what’s “dangerous “ about them?

It was about everyone sticking their fork in the same pot, like pigs sharing a trough  my thoughts were if you served yourself a small bowl of the cheesy goodness & stuck your own fork in your own bowl - either way it is nice.

[stquinto]

1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

It was about everyone sticking their fork in the same pot, like pigs sharing a trough  my thoughts were if you served yourself a small bowl of the cheesy goodness & stuck your own fork in your own bowl - either way it is nice.

Not sure about that. You have a lump pf bread on the end you see. I will do a quick google on how many people get sick/die from fondue-related hygiene over here, but I doubt it’s a pandemic

Some countries’ health departments are determined to treat adults like babies - in Ireland they won’t serve you a burger unless it’s completely grey all the way though. I said to the waitress I was willing to live dangerously, would sign a waiver etc. to have a rare burger but she said they weren’t allowed to by the law, it was “health and safety”. To people in Ireland and the UK that trumps everything, and it normally stops everyone in their tracks. Some places won’t serve spaghetti carbonara because it has an egg yolk in it.

Compare that to France (or here) where steak/horse tartare is very popular. I don’t see people dropping like flies from them. Having said that, you might not want to order one in the middle of summer. A mate of mine did and he nearly sh*t the bed when the Montezuma’s revenge hit him

Go ahead and order it at you own risk I say, though not an open bar for poor hygiene in the kitchen. IMHO

 

 

[kmar92]

Fondue was big in Aus back in the day but I haven't really seen any for a long time. I didn't think that it was a safety related decline. I thought that it was just more fashion/phase type decline that caused fondue to fall out of favour.

[stquinto]

12 minutes ago, kmar92 said:

Fondue was big in Aus back in the day but I haven't really seen any for a long time. I didn't think that it was a safety related decline. I thought that it was just more fashion/phase type decline that caused fondue to fall out of favour.

Fondue sets were probably popular on the wedding gift list in the 70s too

[kmar92]

6 minutes ago, stquinto said:

Fondue sets were probably popular on the wedding gift list in the 70s too

Yeah all the rage here late 70's, early 80's.

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, stquinto said:

Not sure about that. You have a lump pf bread on the end you see. I will do a quick google on how many people get sick/die from fondue-related hygiene over here, but I doubt it’s a pandemic

Some countries’ health departments are determined to treat adults like babies - in Ireland they won’t serve you a burger unless it’s completely grey all the way though. I said to the waitress I was willing to live dangerously, would sign a waiver etc. to have a rare burger but she said they weren’t allowed to by the law, it was “health and safety”. To people in Ireland and the UK that trumps everything, and it normally stops everyone in their tracks. Some places won’t serve spaghetti carbonara because it has an egg yolk in it.

Compare that to France (or here) where steak/horse tartare is very popular. I don’t see people dropping like flies from them. Having said that, you might not want to order one in the middle of summer. A mate of mine did and he nearly sh*t the bed when the Montezuma’s revenge hit him

Go ahead and order it at you own risk I say, though not an open bar for poor hygiene in the kitchen. IMHO

 

 

It was only a few tree huggers that created an issue some years ago, but I think it just went out of fashion.

When you consider the elements in the wild/outback surviving to keep alive I am pretty sure hygiene wasn't on the top of the list.

[stquinto]

Chinese for dinner tonight - sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, and pak choi. The crispy prawns and the spring rolls were shop bought. A bit of a faff velveting the chicken but it turns out a bit nicer.