The Cooking Thread
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@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
7 cloves of garlic
Not too much then. I remember having a dish with about 50 cloves of raw marinated garlic in in a restaurant, and it was wonderful. But the road trip the next day was not great; we had to have the car windows all wide open despite it raining quite a bit…
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@dkf said in The Cooking Thread:
As long as it is cooked, there's no such thing as too much garlic.
Example:
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@Polygeekery There's a lot of variants on that recipe; I've not had a bad version yet.
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@PleegWat blending garlic makes it much more pungent, because the active chemical is released when cell walls are ruptured. Supposedly there's a trick where if you blend it first with an acidic substance (like the vinegar), the vinegar inhibits the really strong harsh flavors from forming, so you can blend it without getting blown away by GARLIC!!!!1!
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@Benjamin-Hall Thanks, that's worth experimenting with.
The whole home-made mayonnaise thing is a bit of a work in progress. I'm not really getting consistent results yet. This was my first experiment with adding in spices.
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@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall Thanks, that's worth experimenting with.
The whole home-made mayonnaise thing is a bit of a work in progress. I'm not really getting consistent results yet. This was my first experiment with adding in spices.
I found the source for that idea: https://www.seriouseats.com/make-the-most-out-of-garlic-chopping-acid-heat
And here's their garlic aioli (fancy mayo) recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/two-minute-foolproof-aioli-recipe
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@Benjamin-Hall Interesting, thanks.
I'll also try to remember to add a teaspoon of sugar next time. While I'm not entirely sure the taste needs it, the only time it really stiffened up well was when I remembered to add the sugar.
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
Supposedly there's a trick where if you blend it first with an acidic substance (like the vinegar), the vinegar inhibits the really strong harsh flavors from forming,
I've read that removing the middle, the germ that would become the new plant if you allowed the clove to sprout, will greatly reduce the pungency. (Also, TIL if you're making tincture of garlic for alternative medicine, this is allegedly mandatory because it will allegedly interfere with the alleged health benefits.) According to this Fine Cooking article, whether this is necessary depends on the age of the clove and how you're cooking it.
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@HardwareGeek If the garlic has sprouted and the germ is green, then removing it makes it less bitter.
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Planning to fry some more pork chops tonight but wanted something novel to go with it. I'm going to try these:
Crispy Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
Crispy Broccoli Parmesan Fritters -- baked instead of fried -- is a great way to deliciously stash veggies for both children and adults!
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@boomzilla said in The Cooking Thread:
wanted something novel to go with it.
A while back I was looking for low-carb/keto sides and ran across this list:
30 Best Keto Side Dishes
Looking for the best keto side dishes? From dips to salads to mac and cheese, these easy recipes make low-carb living so much more enjoyable!
I haven't tried them all so I cannot say if they are all winners but some of them were certainly unique and look tasty.
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@boomzilla said in The Cooking Thread:
Planning to fry some more pork chops tonight but wanted something novel to go with it. I'm going to try these:
Crispy Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
Crispy Broccoli Parmesan Fritters -- baked instead of fried -- is a great way to deliciously stash veggies for both children and adults!
My brain says "boerenkoolstamppotburgers". I'm not sure how to translate that.
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@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
I'm not sure how to translate that.
I think the closest you can get to an English translation is,
"I smell burning toast, I think I am having a stroke."
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@Polygeekery my maternal grandfather liked burnt toast. Like...totally blackened.
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@boomzilla The "Nope, you eat that" thread is
.
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@Polygeekery said in The Cooking Thread:
@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
I'm not sure how to translate that.
I think the closest you can get to an English translation is,
Visually, it's what you get if you boil kale and potatoes, mash them together, form the result into burger patties, and fry that.
And from the article title I wouldn't be surprised if they did exactly that, but used broccoli instead. I detest broccoli.
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@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
I detest broccoli.
That.
Mixing Parmesan cheese with broccoli is spoiling some perfectly good cheese.
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@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
My brain says "boerenkoolstamppotburgers". I'm not sure how to translate that.
“kale stew burgers”, apparently.
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@boomzilla said in The Cooking Thread:
@Polygeekery my maternal grandfather liked burnt toast. Like...totally blackened.
Did he ever have a stroke while he was alive? If he did, ya'll really should have seen that coming.
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@PleegWat said in The Cooking Thread:
Visually, it's what you get if you boil kale and potatoes, mash them together, form the result into burger patties, and fry that.
So they look like piles of feces?
@dkf said in The Cooking Thread:
“kale stew burgers”, apparently.
I mean, they might be tasty and I could very well love them if I tried them, but the description so far is not compelling me to give them a go.
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@Polygeekery said in The Cooking Thread:
@boomzilla said in The Cooking Thread:
@Polygeekery my maternal grandfather liked burnt toast. Like...totally blackened.
Did he ever have a stroke while he was alive? If he did, ya'll really should have seen that coming.
He did not. Dinner was pretty good:
The broccoli things were decent, although I forgot to stir in the salt and pepper, so I just put that on before baking. The recipe suggested ketchup and I thought that paired well. Yes, I also made poutine.
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@PleegWat blending garlic makes it much more pungent, because the active chemical is released when cell walls are ruptured. Supposedly there's a trick where if you blend it first with an acidic substance (like the vinegar), the vinegar inhibits the really strong harsh flavors from forming, so you can blend it without getting blown away by GARLIC!!!!1!
ELI5 - Why reduce the pungency with acid when you could just use less garlic?
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@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@PleegWat blending garlic makes it much more pungent, because the active chemical is released when cell walls are ruptured. Supposedly there's a trick where if you blend it first with an acidic substance (like the vinegar), the vinegar inhibits the really strong harsh flavors from forming, so you can blend it without getting blown away by GARLIC!!!!1!
ELI5 - Why reduce the pungency with acid when you could just use less garlic?
Because then you'd have less garlic? Specifically, by taming it with acid you get less of the harsh, bitter, nasty pungency and more garlic flavor. If you just microplane or blend garlic straight, it basically is mouth napalm. And not in a "ooh, spicy" sort of way. Using acid gets you the flavor and texture in uncooked garlic without the burning nasty. And with less of "your breath is a WMD" side.
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
less of "your breath is a WMD"
But why? It's the only WMD that it's legal for a private individual to own.
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@HardwareGeek said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
less of "your breath is a WMD"
But why? It's the only WMD that it's legal for a private individual to own.
I don't know. Giving lactose intolerant people dairy produces a pretty substantial WMD, just from the other end of the body. I speak from experience.
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
If you just microplane or blend garlic straight, it basically is mouth napalm. And not in a "ooh, spicy" sort of way.
Speak for yourself. I love the taste of garlic.
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@Gąska said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
If you just microplane or blend garlic straight, it basically is mouth napalm. And not in a "ooh, spicy" sort of way.
Speak for yourself. I love the taste of garlic.
But the taste of garlic =/= the harsh mouth napalm. At least for normal...oh wait. I forgot what site this is. Carry on.
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@PleegWat blending garlic makes it much more pungent, because the active chemical is released when cell walls are ruptured. Supposedly there's a trick where if you blend it first with an acidic substance (like the vinegar), the vinegar inhibits the really strong harsh flavors from forming, so you can blend it without getting blown away by GARLIC!!!!1!
ELI5 - Why reduce the pungency with acid when you could just use less garlic?
Because then you'd have less garlic?
Doesn't really answer:
g / 2 = acid(g)
Specifically, by taming it with acid you get less of the harsh, bitter, nasty pungency and more garlic flavor. If you just microplane or blend garlic straight, it basically is mouth napalm. And not in a "ooh, spicy" sort of way. Using acid gets you the flavor and texture in uncooked garlic without the burning nasty. And with less of "your breath is a WMD" side.
So, garlic is on a continuum of meh garlic (minimally pungent) to OMG garlic (maximally pungent).
A lot of medium garlic tastes better than a small amount of OMG garlic.
In other words, garlic too pungent makes it difficult to appreciate the garlic taste.
Am I understanding correctly?
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@Benjamin-Hall the funny thing is I'm not even a fan of "classic" spicy food. I cannot digest anything hotter than jalapeńo. But homemade garlic sauce is my favorite sauce. Half sour cream (18%), half mayonnaise, couple cloves of freshly pressed garlic, a pinch of herb mix. Gets even better when you let it stand for a couple hours, it gets much hotter. Goes well with pizza, kebab, fried chicken, and most other low effort food.
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@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@PleegWat blending garlic makes it much more pungent, because the active chemical is released when cell walls are ruptured. Supposedly there's a trick where if you blend it first with an acidic substance (like the vinegar), the vinegar inhibits the really strong harsh flavors from forming, so you can blend it without getting blown away by GARLIC!!!!1!
ELI5 - Why reduce the pungency with acid when you could just use less garlic?
Because then you'd have less garlic?
Doesn't really answer:
g / 2 = acid(g)
Specifically, by taming it with acid you get less of the harsh, bitter, nasty pungency and more garlic flavor. If you just microplane or blend garlic straight, it basically is mouth napalm. And not in a "ooh, spicy" sort of way. Using acid gets you the flavor and texture in uncooked garlic without the burning nasty. And with less of "your breath is a WMD" side.
So, garlic is on a continuum of meh garlic (minimally pungent) to OMG garlic (maximally pungent).
A lot of medium garlic tastes better than a small amount of OMG garlic.
In other words, garlic too pungent makes it difficult to appreciate the garlic taste.
Am I understanding correctly?
Yeah. Basically, there are two parts to garlic. The actual taste, and the "burn" (which often takes on bitter or sulfurous notes). Cooking garlic gives you most of the flavor while taming the burn. But some recipes need raw garlic. Normally, just different ways to cut garlic make a big difference (even for cooked garlic):
Mild - Whole - sliced - hand-minced - mortar & pestle - blended - microplane - Aggressive
But in some applications (like aioli or tahini), you need to blend it for consistency. Which means that normally you'd be left with something that is just GARLIC OW, with the burn driving out any flavor and leaving the mouth incapable of tasting anything else. But those recipes also call for an acid (usually lemon juice), so if you blenderize the two together, you get the garlic flavor without nuking yourself and creating chemical warfare. So you still get very notably garlicy...but without the pain. And in those applications, you want lots of garlic flavor, because that's the primary element. So you can't use less garlic (and even a little bit of microplaned/blended garlic hits hard, overpowering even relatively strong-flavored ingredients), but you can tame it.
Or so I've read. I don't make that kind of thing, because
.
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@Gąska said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall the funny thing is I'm not even a fan of "classic" spicy food. I cannot digest anything hotter than jalapeńo. But homemade garlic sauce is my favorite sauce. Half sour cream (18%), half mayonnaise, couple cloves of freshly pressed garlic, a pinch of herb mix. Gets even better when you let it stand for a couple hours, it gets much hotter. Goes well with pizza, kebab, fried chicken, and most other low effort food.
Pressed garlic is medium on the harsh scale from what I read (somewhere between mortar and pestle and blender). Try it with microplaned garlic next time. Although...I'd bet that the fat and acid from the sour cream and mayo do a bit of the taming effort. Because the role of acid is to delay the enzymatic reaction that creates the allicins that create the heat, thus spreading out the burn/limiting its effects and lessening the sulfur taste of really strong garlic.
And yes, the "hot" from garlic is a very different "hot" than from capsicum. It's similar to horseradish (but way better). Garlic is a good thing, so ways to be able to use it more without engaging in chemical warfare are also good.
For more details, see https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-mince-chop-garlic-microplane-vs-garlic-press
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
Although...I'd bet that the fat and acid from the sour cream and mayo do a bit of the taming effort. Because the role of acid is to delay the enzymatic reaction that creates the allicins that create the heat, thus spreading out the burn/limiting its effects and lessening the sulfur taste of really strong garlic.
That's weird. If that's true, you'd expect the sauce to get milder over time, not hotter.
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@Gąska acid delays the reactions, not stops them. And over time, the flavor spreads.. Because many of the compounds are fat soluble, so the heavy fats extract them from the garlic over time.
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
Yeah. Basically, there are two parts to garlic. The actual taste, and the "burn" (which often takes on bitter or sulfurous notes). Cooking garlic gives you most of the flavor while taming the burn.
To add to this nice explanation, many (not all, but quite a few) people who "don't like garlic" actually don't like what you called the "burn." This is why they're quite surprised when you do things like cooking whole garlic cloves in a stew: they're soft and mushy and garlic-y flavoured, but not harsh in any way (they also do fairly little to the flavour of the rest of the stew since they stay whole, so I usually crush a couple of cloves into the sauce in addition to the ones that stay whole).
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
Try it with microplaned garlic next time.
I think I'll try minced garlic instead, on the grounds that that's the more normal term for that grade of chopping.
It's similar to horseradish (but way better).
And now we can't be friends. I adore horseradish, the hotter the better, and it's particularly great with beef (either hot or cold). OTOH, milder horseradish can be used to make some nice dishes with various sausages of Polish and Swedish extraction, so that's good too…
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@dkf said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
Try it with microplaned garlic next time.
I think I'll try minced garlic instead, on the grounds that that's the more normal term for that grade of chopping.
It's similar to horseradish (but way better).
And now we can't be friends. I adore horseradish, the hotter the better, and it's particularly great with beef (either hot or cold). OTOH, milder horseradish can be used to make some nice dishes with various sausages of Polish and Swedish extraction, so that's good too…
I'm not fond of really sharp tastes.
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@Gąska said in The Cooking Thread:
I cannot digest anything hotter than jalapeńo.
Spanish-
: Jalapeño. (ńdoesn't exist in Spanish.)
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@Gąska said in The Cooking Thread:
@Benjamin-Hall the funny thing is I'm not even a fan of "classic" spicy food. I cannot digest anything hotter than jalapeńo. But homemade garlic sauce is my favorite sauce. Half sour cream (18%), half mayonnaise, couple cloves of freshly pressed garlic, a pinch of herb mix. Gets even better when you let it stand for a couple hours, it gets much hotter. Goes well with pizza, kebab, fried chicken, and most other low effort food.
My pickiness gets me there too.
While, I won't eat a jalapeno straight, you can't good nachos without some. I can handle hot Buffalo wings, I just don't like the Buffalo flavor.
Indian food is just too diverse for me to figure out what I like versus don't like. Some related to flavor, some related to heat.
Considering I have Puerto Rican MIL, she makes the blandest food. With one exception, Pernil (pork) for Christmas. And maybe that's just because the pork is juicy enough itself it doesn't need much help.
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@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
Indian food is just too diverse for me to figure out what I like versus don't like. Some related to flavor, some related to heat.
I like most Indian food, as long as it's not too hot. Not because of pain, but because it loses taste.
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@Gąska said in The Cooking Thread:
@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
Indian food is just too diverse for me to figure out what I like versus don't like. Some related to flavor, some related to heat.
I like most Indian food, as long as it's not too hot. Not because of pain, but because it loses taste.
I can't eat the vast majority of Indian food, because most of it has coconut (in one form or another), and I'm sensitive to that.
Which sucks, since 90% of the "non-dairy" items use coconut oil as the solid fat.
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Sous-vide fail:
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The "Nope, you eat it" thread is
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@Benjamin-Hall said in The Cooking Thread:
@Gąska said in The Cooking Thread:
@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
Indian food is just too diverse for me to figure out what I like versus don't like. Some related to flavor, some related to heat.
I like most Indian food, as long as it's not too hot. Not because of pain, but because it loses taste.
I can't eat the vast majority of Indian food, because most of it has coconut (in one form or another), and I'm sensitive to that.
Which sucks, since 90% of the "non-dairy" items use coconut oil as the solid fat.
It's funny, I don't like actual pieces of coconut, so I thought that meant I didn't like coconut at all. So I didn't even taste my SIL's coquito for many years. I realized I do like the flavor of it.
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@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
It's funny, I don't like actual pieces of coconut, so I thought that meant I didn't like coconut at all. So I didn't even taste my SIL's coquito for many years. I realized I do like the flavor of it.
I hate the texture of coconut. It is like eating food with sawdust mixed into it. But I love the flavor of coconut. Thai Coconut soup
Just don't go putting pieces of shavings of coconut in the food. It has the texture of food prepared next to a sawmill.
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The flavor is nice.
The way the damn flakes always get caught in your teeth aren't.
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@Polygeekery said in The Cooking Thread:
@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
It's funny, I don't like actual pieces of coconut, so I thought that meant I didn't like coconut at all. So I didn't even taste my SIL's coquito for many years. I realized I do like the flavor of it.
I hate the texture of coconut. It is like eating food with sawdust mixed into it. But I love the flavor of coconut. Thai Coconut soup
Just don't go putting pieces of shavings of coconut in the food. It has the texture of food prepared next to a sawmill.
I like the smell in hair products.
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@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
I like the smell in hair products.
Coconut smells in beauty products usually remind me of the generic suntan lotion that girls used when I was a teenager. It is one of those scents that at times can evoke fond nostalgia and intense flashbacks of summer memories. The sort of trigger that is akin to time traveling.
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@Polygeekery said in The Cooking Thread:
Coconut smells in beauty products usually remind me of the generic suntan lotion that girls used when I was a teenager. It is one of those scents that at times can evoke fond nostalgia and intense flashbacks of summer memories. The sort of trigger that is akin to time traveling.
That. I would describe monoi oil (which is coconut-based) as "it's the smell of a summer vacation on the beach".
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@Polygeekery said in The Cooking Thread:
@Karla said in The Cooking Thread:
I like the smell in hair products.
Coconut smells in beauty products usually remind me of the generic suntan lotion that girls used when I was a teenager. It is one of those scents that at times can evoke fond nostalgia and intense flashbacks of summer memories. The sort of trigger that is akin to time traveling.
At least for me, they are different smells.
I mostly use spf 50 mineral sunscreens when going to the beach but those are thick and difficult to rub in.
I have a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic for shorter trips in the sun and that smells like the sunscreen when I was a teenager. In terms of hair products, I was specifically thinking of the Suave Shampoo and Conditioner with coconut scent.
Both the sunscreens and hair products may both have coconut but the other ingredients make them significantly different for me.
40 Cloves and a Chicken
