*****Official Food Experimentation Thread*****

[Fire Me Boy!]

My New Year's Resolution is to make something I've never made before at least twice a week. This is three-fold benefit for me: (1) by forcing myself to cook more, I'll eat out less, which will in turn (2) help to eat more healthily; and (3) I'll open myself up to more kinds of foods and different recipes and, hopefully, find some new "go-to" meals when I'm lazy and need something quick and easy.

But part of this is learning to play with my food, and today I'm starting that by making carbonated fruit. I've got some dry ice that I'll put with some cut-up fruit into a plastic bottle. As the dry ice melts, the CO2 will pressurize the chamber and force itself into the fruit.

And since I have dry ice, experiment No. 2 will be homemade sorbet or ice cream made with dry ice.

So my challenge to my fellow ChiefsPlanet foodies is to play around this year and make something different. And post about it here.

[Fire Me Boy!]

The fruit (a combo of tangerines, apples, and grapes) is carbonating in the fridge.

I decided to make some vanilla bean ice cream, so cooked up a quick custard. Just finished. Wow. Really good, if a little strange. This will dissipate after 15 or 20 minutes, but straight out of the mixer, freshly frozen, the ice cream is carbonated. Super creamy, though, and very easy to do! This will be my new way of making homemade ice cream/sorbet from now on. Just outstanding.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/2569/ira1.jpg

[In58men]

One thing I never did care for was baking or making desserts. I'm trying your bacon recipe soon (as just bumped the thread earlier) and I'll have to give this a try too.

I need to be more open minded this year when it comes to cooking.

[Just Passin' By]

Coincidence, or not.....?



Over the holidays, I spoke with family and friends, and we're going to try to set up a day, once a month, where we all get together to make a meal where we each make and bring something we've never made before. We'll rotate the dish (main, side, app, dessert), and we'll be brutally honest about each effort.

I don't know if it will work out, but it should be interesting to try.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Coincidence, or not.....?



Over the holidays, I spoke with family and friends, and we're going to try to set up a day, once a month, where we all get together to make a meal where we each make and bring something we've never made before. We'll rotate the dish (main, side, app, dessert), and we'll be brutally honest about each effort.

I don't know if it will work out, but it should be interesting to try.

That sounds fun! Cool idea. Good luck with it!

[mlyonsd]

We occasionally pick some country and plan an entire meal around their culture. It's been fun, except maybe for Ethiopian night.

[Just Passin' By]

That sounds fun! Cool idea. Good luck with it!

Thanks. If it works out, I'll try posting some items that get thumbs up, and maybe passing along some warning on the disasters.

[Fire Me Boy!]

We occasionally pick some country and plan an entire meal around their culture. It's been fun, except maybe for Ethiopian night.

Ethiopian is good! I dig it.

[Easy 6]

Apples, tangerines and grapes?

That sounds like a tasty mix, i'm wanting fruit now.

[Stewie]

I've been trying to go meatless a couple of days (or more) per week. It's really easy to do with pasta and I've been doing beans in the crock pot with some really good results. I never realized how easy beans are to prep (from dry) and cook. Tons of flavor from garlic, fresh pepper, or whatever spice you like. Served over some basmati rice and it's killer.

[kepp]

Here's something my wife made recently that I really like: quinoa, steamed kale, kimchi, chopped almonds and tahini sauce. Just mix it all together. It has a lot of good flavors.

[chiefzilla1501]

Can't wait to see what this thread brings up. I've been doing something similar, between trying new techniques and new ingredients. Recently made a steak sous vide. Almost creamed my pants. On the flip side, I tried to cook a fish en papilote (in parchment). I thought it was incredibly dry and flavorless. Anyone have success with this?

[J Diddy]

I don't know about fruit but we used to put dry ice in a pop bottle, add water and seal it. Used to make a really loud boom.

[lewdog]

Over the holidays, I spoke with family and friends, and we're going to try to set up a day, once a month, where we all get together to make a meal where we each make and bring something we've never made before. We'll rotate the dish (main, side, app, dessert), and we'll be brutally honest about each effort.

I don't know if it will work out, but it should be interesting to try.

We actually do something similar at work where once a month we have a potluck and we come up with a theme and make something. It's been a great chance to share recipes and try new things. We have quite a few therapists from the Philippines and I can't get enough of their food!

[Fire Me Boy!]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/oV4y4Dtjd6Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Fire Me Boy!]

At some point, I'm going to do some molecular gastronomy type food - playing around with agar agar, spherification, and the like. And I'm gonna do squid ink pasta, because what's more beautiful than that gorgeous deep black glistening pasta on a white plate?

[bevischief]

But if you a want spaghetti recipe I am slowly rebuilding one.

[chiefzilla1501]

But if you a want spaghetti recipe I am slowly rebuilding one.

http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/10/making-scarpetta-tomato-basil-spaghetti-scott-conant-scarpetta-meatpacking-district-nyce.html
This will change your life

[Just Passin' By]

We actually do something similar at work where once a month we have a potluck and we come up with a theme and make something. It's been a great chance to share recipes and try new things. We have quite a few therapists from the Philippines and I can't get enough of their food!

Sounds great. How many different versions of Adobo have you gotten to try? I've got my favorite (it's a non-coconut milk version), but I'm always looking to try others.

[Fire Me Boy!]

http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/10/making-scarpetta-tomato-basil-spaghetti-scott-conant-scarpetta-meatpacking-district-nyce.html
This will change your life

I will try this sometime. I'm a big fan of Scott Conant's, and I've seen him make this a few times. Glad to get a written walk-through.

[Braincase]

http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/10/making-scarpetta-tomato-basil-spaghetti-scott-conant-scarpetta-meatpacking-district-nyce.html
This will change your life

I watch Chopped and some other FC shows regularly. Rep for this catch!

[Braincase]

Experimenting here tomorrow night. My kids and I made a decision after we knew that my wife was pretty much going to be recovering most of the holiday break that we were going to have a Harry Potter marathon. I tok it upon myself to do some research and hook the kids up with hot and cold butter beers.

Haven't tackled it yet, but picked up ingredients today. Shooting for one or two of these recipes here: Link (http://wizardingworldpark.com/top-5-butterbeer-recipes/2010/08/20/)

[chiefzilla1501]

I watch Chopped and some other FC shows regularly. Rep for this catch!

I love that show so it definitely caught my eye. I've made spaghetti with homemade sauce before so I was surprised how a recipe this simple could be so game changing. Butter was a real nice touch.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Blog post up tomorrow on the dry ice ice cream. I recommend the method.

[In58men]

http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/10/making-scarpetta-tomato-basil-spaghetti-scott-conant-scarpetta-meatpacking-district-nyce.html
This will change your life

I just picked up the ingredients to make this tomorrow. I'll post my review. Kinda excited to try, looks very very simple. I bet that basil, crushed pepper and garlic infused oil is going to taste great.

[In58men]

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Turned out really good. Peeling and seeding the tomatoes was a pain in the ass. Next time I won't rush it.

[Cannibal]

Were trying pork carnitas tomorrow. We browned the pork tonight and heavily seasoned it. Put it in the crock pot with garlic and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and chicken broth.

[Cannibal]

If it turns out looking like this I'll be happy with it.

http://img4-2.myrecipes.timeinc.net/i/recipes/oh/12/oh-pork-carnitas-l.jpg

[mike_b_284]

Neither one of us care for light turkey meat, so for xmas and thanksgiving I cut the breasts out and just cooked the legs/thighs/wings. So we were stuck with these breasts in the freezer. I had an epiphany, sausage. I had a pound or so of pork shoulder left over from carnitas a while back. I added some paprika, anise, salt, pepper, and ground dried chiles to a cup of merlot, then ground 4:1 turkey to pork (roughly 5 lbs), about 5 chiles,and half a head of garlic. mixed it all up and it was great. Had some over angelhair with a pesto, made breakfast sandwiches with it, but I've also just been snacking on it. I wouldn't mind finding some casings and smoking a bit too. Any ideas for the other turkey breast?

[chiefzilla1501]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/03/uga9y3u6.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/03/tanarena.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/03/e3y4atyv.jpg

Turned out really good. Peeling and seeding the tomatoes was a pain in the ass. Next time I won't rush it.

Awesome. Did you cut an x on the tomatoes then blanch them? Skin will peel right off and once you cut the tomatoes, should be easy to scoop out seeds. If you're using canned, I usually use San Marzano tomatoes.

[Cannibal]

Were trying pork carnitas tomorrow. We browned the pork tonight and heavily seasoned it. Put it in the crock pot with garlic and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and chicken broth.

Well, the pork shoulder cooked in the slow cooker all day. I could smell it outside the house before I opened the door. It smelled so freakin awesome. I haven't tried it yet because I pigged out on Indian food at lunch and I'm having some brewski's.

My wife doesn't like or eat pork but she tried this and she's raving about it.

I'll be having some later.

[listopencil]

I microwaved pancakes.

/thread

[Cannibal]

We used a variation of this recipe. But we used bone in pork shoulder and a different spice rub.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/03/mexican-slow-cooked-pork-carnitas.html

[NewChief]

Two jars of preserved lemons from good friends in St. Louis. Going to play around with them over the next month or so.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Two jars of preserved lemons from good friends in St. Louis. Going to play around with them over the next month or so.

It's not authentic in any way shape or form, but I like to chop up preserved lemons (the rind) really finely and add in place of rice wine vinegar in fried rice.

[Buzz]

It's not authentic in any way shape or form, but I like to chop up preserved lemons (the rind) really finely and add in place of rice wine vinegar in fried rice.


Hey FMB, i'm under the impression your wife does a lot of baking, do you guy's ever dabble in pizza? if so have you ever eaten at Fun House Pizza in Raytown? I'm trying to replicate the crust and not having any luck.

[In58men]

Awesome. Did you cut an x on the tomatoes then blanch them? Skin will peel right off and once you cut the tomatoes, should be easy to scoop out seeds. If you're using canned, I usually use San Marzano tomatoes.

Hell no, that was too easy so I used a damn potato peeler lol. You learn something everyday. All jokes aside, I did use a potato peeler :-(.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Hey FMB, i'm under the impression your wife does a lot of baking, do you guy's ever dabble in pizza? if so have you ever eaten at Fun House Pizza in Raytown? I'm trying to replicate the crust and not having any luck.

We do some, but frankly I tend to buy the dough (laziness). Sorry, I'm not much help in that arena.

And I've only had Fun House a couple times (I loved their wings, though).

[Buzz]

We do some, but frankly I tend to buy the dough (laziness). Sorry, I'm not much help in that arena.

And I've only had Fun House a couple times (I loved their wings, though).


:huh:

[Fire Me Boy!]

:huh:

Sorry. One of these days, I'm going to buy one of those Kettle Pizza (http://www.kettlepizza.com/) kits for the Weber that turns the traditional Weber kettle into a wood-fired pizza oven. And when I do, I'll start to play with dough, and I'll start here: http://slice.seriouseats.com/

Maybe that will be of some use to you.

[Buzz]

Sorry. One of these days, I'm going to buy one of those Kettle Pizza (http://www.kettlepizza.com/) kits for the Weber that turns the traditional Weber kettle into a wood-fired pizza oven. And when I do, I'll start to play with dough, and I'll start here: http://slice.seriouseats.com/

Maybe that will be of some use to you.


Thanks, I'll check it out. I have been lurking on http://pizzamaking.com/ for most of my recipes thus far.

[tooge]

FMB, I appreciate your food experimentation passion. However, the science meets food trend if the past several years just doesn't do much for me. I'm more into learning and mastering traditional cooking methods

[Buzz]

FMB, I appreciate your food experimentation passion. However, the science meets food trend if the past several years just doesn't do much for me. I'm more into learning and mastering traditional cooking methods

That comes in a can.

[Fire Me Boy!]

FMB, I appreciate your food experimentation passion. However, the science meets food trend if the past several years just doesn't do much for me. I'm more into learning and mastering traditional cooking methods

I just like to have fun. And this thread is about experimenting just twith new foods, doesn't have to be sciency or anything. In fact, the dry ice is probably the first time I've ever done anything remotely resembling molecular gastronomy.