(Part 2) Best products from r/seriouseats

It's pretty fun, because (1) there are endless new toys to acquire (if you're into that!), and (2) it's actually fairly budget-friendly after you get the initial hardware out of the way (ex. KitchenAid mixer etc.)...I mean, a 50-pound sack of flour is like twenty bucks, and you can make a zillion loaves of breads & cookies out of that! I do get a few premium ingredients for specific recipes here & there, but mostly I just use run-of-the-mill ingredients & get really great results!

It's also really fun amping up both the quality of your results & the experiencing of your cooking & baking time. For example, I cook these amazing five-hour carnitas in the oven, which is one of the things that got me into using leaf lard (which then turned into other incredible things, like lard-based oatmeal cookies). But then the off-the-shelf tortillas were disappointing with those stellar carnitas, so I picked up a cast-iron tortilla press (for smashing, not baking!). I then combined that with a lard-based tortilla recipe and oooooh yeah that's an awesome combination of textures, flavors, warmth, and happiness, hahaha! So going down rabbits holes is quite fun with baking!

I do a lot with my 8-cavity mini-loaf pan, which surprisingly freeze well! Banana bread & pumpkin bread with sweet cream cheese spread, cornbread, chocolate chocolate-chip bread, the list is endless! I also bake excellent homemade Twinkies in various flavors on a regular basis. I was never an overly-huge Twinkie fan, but one of my favorite bakeries makes them in a million flavors with a million different fillings & coatings (chocolate-dipped, white-chocolate dipped & dark-chocolate striped, peanut-butter filled chocolate twinkies, raspberry cake coated with coconut, etc.). So endless variations are also quite fun with baking!

If you want to build up your skills on the more technical side, Bigger Bolder Baking is a fantastic website to check out. If you want a few top-notch (I'm talking like "WOW!") recipes to try out right off the bat:

• Chocolate-chip cookies with this specific dark chocolate (only for very special occasions, because $$$)
  
• Glossy fudge brownies with this specific pan ($$$ but will last forever) & this particular cocoa powder ($$$, but the economics actually aren't bad, once you calculate out the price-per-batch, haha!)
  
• Sour-cream pancakes (without blueberries) - great way to test your Danish dough hook!
  
  You'll discover a lot of little tricks over time. For example, which those chocolate-chip cookies above, whipping the cream & sugar & butter & eggs into something that literally resembled whipped cream is a really great trick to know about...most people just stir those together until combined, but they will actually change color, texture, and consistency when whipped long enough! Side note, if you have a KitchenAid, I highly recommend getting a SideSwipe blade (available on Amazon, be sure to get the right blade for your mixer!).
  
  On that topic, I also recommend getting a coated dough hook & an 11-wire whisk. Wait until you try homemade marshmallows! (super easy with that whisk attachment!) When it gets cold out, I cut those bad boys into 2" chunks, skewer them, heat up some water for the delicious Stephen's hot cocoa powder mix, and then torch the marshmallows. That combination came out so good that I started hosting annual hot chocolate parties, lol!
  
  You can get as creative as you want to with baking, too...like with cakes, you can airbrush them, do drip cakes, mirror glaze cakes, you can torch the tops of cupcakes, make cake pops, the list is endless! Depending on what stage you're at in life, especially in my case as a working adult with a family, I don't get a lot of opportunity for creative outlets due to a lack of free time (and energy, tbh lol), but my family has to eat, and baking is a fun way to amp up your enjoyment in life by making cool stuff you can eat & having fun doing it!
  
  Plus pretty much everything is actually really easy, no matter how complicated it looks...you're just following someone else's step-by-step directions, that they have painstakingly figured out for you through probably dozens of iterations to get it perfect (as Stella did when perfecting her lacy brown-butter cookies!), and that mostly boils down to (1) mix stuff in a bowl, (2) bake it, (3) don't burn it, (4) let it cool down & "set". That little four-step process yields amazing no-knead bread, pan pizzas, twinkies, cookies, brownies, you name it!

>> grilled chicken livers with pepper jelly

>I'm a long-ass way from Louisiana so I had to google this, and it seems like most people buy their pepper jelly rather than making it(?) I've never seen it here (UK); is it something you'd consider making yourself, or is that something best left until I find it in an Exotic Foods aisle one day? I've never made jam before, but I think I understand the basic premise.

Here are a few fun pepper jelly and liver recipes for ya!

http://thefoodalmanac.com/joomla1/index.php/?option=com_content&view=article&id=1363

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/04/fried-chicken-livers-with-hot-pepper-glaze-recipe.html

It's possible to make. The process is relatively easy but it can be somewhat of a pain. Apparently pepper jellies sometimes have difficulties settling properly. Here are a few decent looking recipes (have not tried these):

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2008/10/01/pepper-jelly-recipe/

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spicy-red-pepper-jelly-236699

http://www.realcajunrecipes.com/recipe/green-pepper-jelly/

It's very cheap to buy if you can find it. I like Tabasco brand or a local brand we have in Louisiana called Pepperland Farms. I did find this though, and from the ingredient list, it looks like this one would work fine:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00MWU6YOM/ref=mp_s_a_1_102_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478553701&sr=8-102&keywords=pepper+jelly

>Re: rice/meat dishes and cabbage rolls, I'm wondering if they'd work with or against a gyoza filling for some extra depth. We like both offal and Asian food in the UK but they're not really overlapping spheres, I'm not sure if they'd work together? Is that a combo we've overlooked, or is it just a bad mix?

Authentic Asian cooking uses a ton of offal actually! It can be hard to find depending on your location because many Asian restaurants make very Westernized versions of Asian dishes or sometimes things that aren't found in Asia, period. Then they have a few oddities, such as with Vietnamese food; chicken liver pate is often used due to the French-Vietnamese intertwining over the years when the French occupied Vietnam. examples:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/06/stir-fried-liver-and-onions-with-oyster-sauce-recipe.html


https://food52.com/recipes/14289-vietnamese-spiced-pate

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_m%C3%AC (typically uses pate as a spread)

http://zenkimchi.com/featured/versatile-chicken-korean-chicken-giblets-gochujang-sauce/

https://washoku.guide/categories/liver

Pork and chicken liver go very well together. It would work great as a gyoza filling, seemingly.

>I can definitely see them working in a gravy though, and I was going to do roast pork that week as well which often yields more fat than meat juices. I'll fling a couple of livers in there and report back, I think they'll work great.

That sounds good! Let me know how it comes out :)


Oh, I also forgot to mention liver and eggs! Omelets, chopped liver on toast with a fried egg, liver and scrambled egg, liver, egg, and jam sandwich, etc.

I have the Swissmar Borner V-1001 V-Slicer Plus Mandoline 5 Piece Set. I purchased it in May 2013 for $31.95. Now its going for $49.99. I'd pay $50 for it, but I'm also not convinced that for $50 its the best value. I will say that its still sharp (and I'm a horrible person who runs it through the dishwasher gasp). I use it at least 1x per week, if not 3-5x per week on average. Note: IT. IS. SHARP. Use the guide and/or cutting gloves. I have nicked myself more than once (read: more often than I'd like to admit, I guess I'm just a slow learner).

If I were to purchase another, I think I'd look for one that stores better. All of the pieces hook together and it has like a holder, but it doesn't necessarily stay together very well, nor does it lay down very well. If I were to get another I'd look for one that stores a bit nicer. Some have like a catch compartment as well that's pretty nice.

Yummy mango & sticky rice!!
 


I know personally, I learn better by watching so if you find it easier to make this while following along with a video, just click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZLs1ZIRZAs&t=12s
 


Check out my blog for tasty pictures and details on the recipe!: https://lyndygates.com/
 


Ingredients:
 


1 cup of sweet rice soaked in water overnight
 


1 mango
 


1 cup of coconut milk
 


3 tbsp of sugar
 


A big pinch of salt
 


Sticky rice steamer basket & pot (linked down below)


Directions:
 


    ⁃    Soak your sweet rice in water overnight!
 


    ⁃    The next day, drain your rice and place in steamer basket
 


    ⁃    Fill a pot with water a little less than half way and place over the stove to bring to a boil
 


    ⁃    Once the water is completely boiled, place the steamer basket with the rice in it over the pot and cover with a bowl or damp towel
 


    ⁃    Let the rice steam for about 20 minutes, checking at 10 minutes to stir the rice to give an even steam
 


    ⁃    Once the texture reaches sticky rice, remove from the pot and place in a bowl or on a plate
 


    ⁃    To make the sauce, place your coconut milk, sugar and salt in a pot and over the stove on a medium heat. You only need to HEAT UP the mixture so DO NOT bring to a BOIL. The coconut milk cooks very fast and will turn into an oil if you over cook it. Just mix everything together and wait till the sugar dissolves and your mixture is heated. Once you see a little steam come out and the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and place in a bowl.
 


    ⁃    Add a little of the sauce to your rice and stir, just to coat the sticky rice and bring out a little more flavor. Don’t pour too much because it will make the rice soggy. Plate your rice however you want and slice your mangos. Place the mangos next to the rice and drizzle a little more sauce over the top. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds if you would like and serve!
 


So simple! This recipe is PERFECT for any occasion, fancy or casual. It is a huge hit for everyone and it’ll having you crawling back for more! I know it might be hard to find the steamer basket and pot so here’s one I found on amazon that’s very similar to what I have (NOT SPONSORED): https://www.amazon.com/Sticky-Rice-Steamer-Pot-Basket/dp/B00019MRRE
 


Enjoy! :)

a good wok, is about as important as a good heat source for it. as i understand, the problem is, western stove tops don't put out enough heat to use regular woks effectively. so for me, all regular asian wok's are out of the question.

teflon wok can be convenient, but still not good. yes the coating wears down, but you can't get it hot enough to do a good wok cook.

the closest thing to success i've used? dutch big ass oven https://smile.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DOL3-Handles-Pre-Seasoned-5-Quart/dp/B00063RWYI/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1487267253&sr=1-6&keywords=dutch+oven

why? on electric, or gas stove top, you just let it heat up until it starts to smoke. put a little oil in, and put some food to stir fry. by not putting much food in at a time, you allow it to get a ton of heat, closer to an actual wok cooking. scoop it out, let it heat back up, and do more.

lodge logic stuff comes pre-seasoned, and ive never had to strip mine down and re-season it. i just wipe it clean with paper towel, maybe scrape some bits off with a metal spatula or big cooking spoon, and let it dry/cool.

IF you really want an actual wok, i think some turkey fryer burners can put out enough heat to do it justice. but you'll likely want to use it outside. i thought i remember you needing around 100,000 BTU to cook on a wok well. this should be enough https://smile.amazon.com/Portable-High-Pressure-Single-Burner-Adjustable-Regulator/dp/B01LTBH2UO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1487267502&sr=8-3&keywords=high+btu+propane+burner

edit: one thing worth mentioning. cast iron and carbon steel both rust if not taken care of. i think, given the same thickness and same dimensions, carbon steel is heavier. also, i think carbon steel conducts heat better/faster. i have not looked into using a carbon steel dutch oven. my cast iron one was $40 like 7 years ago and it has been a dam trooper ever since. i even do long cooks with tomato sauce and it's fine.

You could try to make some simple dishes but with some cool plating techniques!

One of my favorite examples is a mozzarella, tomato and basil salad (Caprese)
You can arrange the slices in a pretty pattern and then drizzle olive oil and balsamic over the top, adding ground pepper in the end.
You could also use grape tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls on skewers as a nice appetizer.

Also, consider purchasing some plastic squeeze bottles for plating sauces: https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Kitchen-Restaurant-Condiment-Containers/dp/B077ST4HYN/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540261468&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=squeeze+bottles+sauce&psc=1

Last, try using garnishes such as chopped parsley, mint, basil, etc. since the pop of color helps make things look exciting.

Maybe this will also help:
https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/impressive-but-easy-recipes

I know people laugh at them but the dedicated Breakfast Sandwhich makers do a fantastic job, the muffin is toasted perfectly, the cheese melts all over the meat and the egg doneness can be adjusted pretty easily in a 1 minute window. 4 minutes for a bit runny and 5 minutes for fully cooked (like McDonalds)
http://www.amazon.ca/Hamilton-Beach-25475A-Breakfast-Sandwich/dp/B00EI7DPOO

Marecella Hazan has an amazing Italian Cookbook.. That was one of the first cookbooks that really got me into Italian Cooking.

This book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756613027/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is what really got me started me and taught me the basics.

The Inn at Little Washington's Both Cookbook was a big influence

Rick Stein's Complete Seafood is comprehensive and really unique approaches to seafood

Beal Neals Southern Cooking is to Southern Food what Marcella Hazan is to Italian.

Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis, the Gift of Southern Cooking is another.. Or any Edna Louis Book is

Molly Stephens All About Braising is another wonderful book that is incredibly comprehensive with regards to Braising.. Some amazing recipes.

Fuschia Dunlop's book, The Land of Plenty is a wonderful intro to Sichuan Food

And really, just for incredible inspiration, i think everyone should have a copy of Ecoffier's Book


I am a self taught cook and these books started me.

I did buy that fancy Italian spatula a few years ago and I've been 110% happy with it. It gets into tight spaces easily, it's tough enough to be your scraper (better than my bench scraper and more ergonomic), and it has lots of other uses around the kitchen. Great for serving lasagna. When making a quesadilla it's firm enough that it can cut the finished product without using a knife.

IMO the new Kenji setup is really for pros. You need a lot of room in the griddle to use that dedicated scraper that some pros use (many others use their spatula with good results).

BTW another good burger purchase for me has been a heavy gauge carbon steel griddle. Chef King 7 Gauge Carbon Steel Griddle. Holds a lot of heat, double burner size works great for a crowd or for bacon, season it like cast iron.

> https://smile.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Magnet-Licorice/dp/B001HW3VG0/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1487875243&sr=1-1&keywords=OXO+Good+Grips+Silicone+Oven+Mitt+with+Magnet

Love these. I love the little magnet sewn in as well.

I've had one of these for years:

https://smile.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Silicone-Magnet-Licorice/dp/B001HW3VG0/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1487875243&sr=1-1&keywords=OXO+Good+Grips+Silicone+Oven+Mitt+with+Magnet

Silicone outer shell with padded lining. The round pot holders like this are nice too.