Little fact people don’t really know about me: I like to cook. Though, if you saw me in the kitchen you probably think I was there under duress given the rather prominent scowl you’d see on my face. I might like cooking but I don’t always find it relaxing; at least when I’m cooking for people other than myself. I’ve tried a few new things in the kitchen the last few weeks that I thought I’d share (NO! Not that! Get your minds out of the gutter!)
Last weekend it was a recipe from La Tartine Gourimand that I found via Serious Eats: Cocunut Milk Mussel Soup. It isn’t a cheap dish to make, though most of its price is a result of the safron and the mussels. Truth be told I was hoping for a bit of a bolder flaver than what I got but overall it was rather tasty and while I won’t claim the pictures on the site represent my final product they aren’t as far off as I’d feared. It is a damned attractive and really tasty dish to make that while a bit time consuming (the de-shelling of 2/3 of the mussels the main hitch) certainly worth a try. In the future I’d consider forgoing the safron and going for a bit of a Thai blend, perhaps replacing the thyme or shallot with lemongrass and the safron with some green or red curry paste. In truth it might come off as a bit more like a traditional thai curry but might be worth a try, regardless.
I also made sliders. My first attempt was a near disaster. I don’t recommend fitting a square paninni press (from Pampered Chef) into a round pan then covering it to produce steam. Getting to my burgers involved a hammer and a screwdriver. I did manage to save both the pan, press, and burgers so all was well. They were damn tasty too! I would have preferred an iron skillet…but couldn’t find mine. I’m of the opinion that 80% lean chuck makes some damned fine burgers; especially of the “griddle” variety. I also carmelized some onions to top off the burgers. I tried both Pepperidge Farms dinner rolls and Martin’s dinner rolls. Both worked well but I think I preferred the slightly larger Pepperidge Farms rolls. Also, the second time I made them I skipped the steaming process which, truth be told, I’d like to try again. Next time around I’ll be sure to try for the iron skillet. Also, I fully admit that this meal lacks in nutritional value but is both easy AND delicious so you health nuts can go screw yourselves.
I also made the tried and true grilled cheese via Tyler Florence. I highly recommend that recipe and will ad that Vermont Bread Company’s unbleached white is the way to go in pre-sliced store bought bread department.
Last but not least on friday I tried the omlette recipe over here, though I made the recommended switch to goat cheese and was pleased with the results.
