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- DictionaryHome cooking
noun
- 1. food prepared in the home as opposed to made in a restaurant or bought ready-made: "the twins always enjoyed their mum Jean's home cooking"
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YummlyWhat's so great about meatballs, besides their meaty taste and texture, is that they are so versatile in how they can be served. Besides the most popular choice, with spaghetti, rice, or polenta, or piled onto a hard for for a meatball sub. These meatballs are prepared the traditional way, with a ground beef and pork and the usual seasonings and egg and breadcrumbs as the binders. They are also first cooked until browned all over and then simmered in tomatoes to cook through.Food52I'm going to say right up front that this is a project, and while it can absolutely be assembled in a single session, it wouldn't hurt to consider dividing the labor over two days, or between morning and late-afternoon/early evening (i.e., around dinnertime). Not because it's particularly complicated--don't be intimidated by length of the ingredient list; it's mostly the contents of your spice rack--but because after the initial busywork, it's mostly waiting around for the meat to slow-cook at low heat over an extended period. And don't stews always taste better the next day? Anyway, the back story: I was home sick (read: hungover) from work one day about five years ago, trying in vain to find a Law & Order marathon on the tube, when I came across Good Eats on Food Network. The episode was "Beef Stew," and Alton Brown was preparing a goulash in a way I had never seen before. He took several pounds of English-cut short ribs and seared them on a griddle pan. Then he blended tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, paprika, and herbs, and coated the browned meat in it. Then he sealed it in foil and cooked it in the oven for 4 hours at 250. The meat was then separated from its juices, which were refrigerated until a fat cap formed and could be easily removed (and saved). He then cooked onions and potatoes in a little of the reserved fat before returning the meat and de-fatted sauce to the mixture and stewing them together briefly to complete the dish. I became fascinated with this technique and decided to try adapting it to the classic Hungarian Szekely Gulyas, which is a pork and sauerkraut stew, usually seasoned with paprika and caraway, sometimes cooked with tomatoes and banana peppers, and always finished with sour cream. I've tried this method several times now, with varied cuts of pork including cheek, butt, shoulder, neck, belly, and sparerib. A combination of belly, butt, and neck has yielded the best results so far, so that is what I call for here. Some notes about esoteric ingredients: Lecso is like a Hungarian version of ratatouille. It's a stew of tomatoes, peppers, and onion, usually seasoned with garlic and paprika, and if you're into canning, it's a great way to preserve the late-summer bounty. (In the colder months, many Hungarian cooks substitute lecso for the out-of-season fresh tomatoes and peppers in their recipes.) It's admittedly not the easiest ingredient to source, but there are two varieties I have seen: the one by Bende is like a chunky sauce and has a sweeter, more tomato-y flavor than the Gossari brand, which is slightly more bitter and emphasizes the pepper flavor, while also having a higher oil content, which gives it good body when pureed. If you can't find either of these, stewed tomatoes make an acceptable substitute. But if you want to be really DIY about it (and have the basis for another meal altogether--lecso is really good cooked with smoked sausage and/or eggs), it's super-easy to make. These are good recipes: http://homepage.interaccess.com/~june4/lesco.html OR http://zsuzsaisinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/10/hungarian-ratatouille-lecso.html OR http://www.thehungarydish.com/lecso-recipe-guest-post-by-peter-pawinski/. The basic rule of thumb is a 2:1:1 (by weight) ratio of peppers:tomatoes:onions. Cook the onions (and garlic, if using) in a little lard or bacon fat until soft, then add some paprika to taste (do this off heat so as not to burn the paprika), then throw in the peppers and cook a few minutes before adding the tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and simmering until a saucy consistency has been achieved. As for which peppers to use, traditionally you'd use Hungarian wax, a mixture of sweet and hot to taste, but you can use banana, bell, cubanelle, green Italian frying peppers, whatever is available, basically. If you do make your own, you can omit the stewed tomatoes and banana peppers when finishing the goulash and substitute an equivalent amount of lecso. Dill seed is, yes, the seed of the dill plant, and it has a flavor reminiscent of caraway, but lighter. Information here: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/11/spice-hunting-dill-seed-how-to-use.html As mentioned above, this is an adaptation of Alton Brown's "Good Eats Beef Stew" recipe, which can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-beef-stew-recipe/index.htmlFood.comThis recipe is adapted from "What to Cook" cookbook. Other than slicing the onions, it doesn't take a lot of prep time. This is what I make when I come home from work hungry and exhausted and want something yummy and filling for dinner.Food52Were do I start. We raise chickens for our table and all I can say is they are delicious and like nothing I have ever eaten. There is no need to brine them because they are succulent, juicy and have a flavor profile all their own. Different breeds have different flavors and what we raise is different from commercial breeds. When we started raising meat birds we let them free-range until butchering day. The result was tough as nails and only meant for the pressure cooker. So, being OCD, I got online and started researching how they raise the famous French Bresse chicken. The end results are unbelievable. I like big birds but for this I like them smaller. Years ago I learned from the Dean and Deluca cookbook their recipe for Bistro chicken. They rub them with goose fat and roast them slow and low. I like the goose fat but for smaller birds I like a high heat oven. The goose fat I use comes from our black peppercorn and thyme crusted Christmas goose (Trotter Cooks at Home). So imagine the flavor of the fat but duck fat will also work here. I stuff the cavity with aromatics not so much for flavor but anticipation. The aromatics and roasting chicken make the house smell wonderful creating the anticipation of eating, especially if there are home made rolls in the oven too. One final note, the night before I cook the chickens I set them in the fridge, uncovered, on a tray with edges to catch any juices. It allows the skin to dry, creating a pellicle, and the chicken browns more evenly.YummlyMany store-bought soups are made with a long list of unrecognizable ingredients and include tons of added salt or preservatives. This recipe is easy to make at home and comes together with only eight ingredients. ## Minimal Prep Time Since this soup doesn’t require much hands-on time or effort, you can enjoy it any day of the week! You can even make it ahead of time and simply bring it back to temperature over medium-low heat until it's ready to serve. Because it reheats so well, it’s perfect for weekend meal prep. Then, just heat it up on busy nights when you need a quick, healthy meal. ## Quality Ingredients The vegetable broth is studded with onions, garlic, and mushrooms to form this simple, yet flavor-packed soup. Using a blender or immersion blender creates a silky smooth texture. But the highlight of this creamy mushroom soup, of course, is fresh mushrooms. Too many other ingredients, like heavy cream or half and half, will take away from the deep, earthy flavor of the mushrooms. Not to mention how light and refreshing this version is! Most mushroom soup recipes call for tons of butter and cream, but this recipe is low-fat, low-carb, and low-calorie, making it a much healthier option than traditional versions. It's also vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo — suitable for just about any diet! ## Health Benefits Mushrooms have been used for their healing properties around the world for centuries. They've been shown to boost the immune system, and prevent many serious health conditions. There is promising research being done that suggests the power of mushrooms in cancer prevention and treatment. According to [this 2016 study] (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27447602 "this 2016 study"), mushrooms contain a class of proteins called lectins, which are able to bind to abnormal cells and cancer cells and label the cells for destruction by our immune system. Additionally, they're low in calories, high in fiber, and increase satiety, which can aid in weight loss. They're popular among vegans, thanks to their meaty texture. They provide many critical nutrients, including B vitamins, potassium, copper, and selenium, and they're packed with antioxidants. ## Range of Options You may be wondering what type of mushroom to use in this recipe. Here's an overview of commonly used mushrooms and their characteristics, so you can decide for yourself which ones you'd like to use! For this soup, you can use one type or create a mushroom mixture by using two or three varieties. Be careful with wild mushrooms, though, since some are toxic to humans and not edible. Better to stick to store-bought ‘shrooms. ## Portobello Mushrooms Dense portobellos are commonly used in Italian cooking, thanks to their rich flavor and the depth they lend to sauces and pasta dishes. Use them in this mushroom soup recipe for an amazing depth of flavor! ## Shiitake Mushrooms Shiitake mushrooms originally grew wild in the forests of Japan, but most are cultivated these days - so they ’re easy to find in your local grocery store. They have a relatively light flavor which, when dried, can be much more intense. When used in this soup recipe, they add a lovely earthy flavor. ## White Button Mushrooms White button mushrooms are the most commonly used mushroom and they are also the mildest in taste. Most of the dishes you order at a restaurant or recipes you see call for this variety. They are readily available, which means you'll have no trouble finding them for this recipe. ## Preparing Mushrooms To prepare the mushrooms for this recipe, use a moist paper towel to brush off any dirt. You can also lightly rinse the mushrooms and pat them dry, but don’t soak them so they don’t absorb extra water. ## Mushroom Soup Recipe Ready to get to the good part? Here's how to make it! If you want to make it thicker, you can blend in pureed beans or cashews to keep it vegan. If you want a non-vegan, non-vegetarian version, you can use chicken stock in place of the vegetable stock and top it with Parmesan cheese.Food52This recipe came about when recently asked the question, "If you were a recipe what would you be?" I spent an entire week pondering the question. I wanted to create something that represented me - a mix; a fusion of several cultures over three continents and two hemispheres. In short, it had to be something part Japanese, part Australian, adopted Italian and definitely something sweet. To be honest, I’m much more of a purist when it comes to recipes, so at first I wasn’t sure about creating a fusion recipe, I felt like I was concocting something only Morimoto could get away with, but after turning the kitchen into a science laboratory, I think I’ve found it, me in a recipe, and something I'd like to remembered for: Plum wine tiramisu masquerading as a pavlova. Or, what my husband has decided to call, tiramilova. The pavlova part of the recipe forms the outside casing - this dessert is not only a national culinary icon of Australia and New Zealand, but is something that was present at practically every Christmas when I was a child. The idea of mixing the soft pavlova insides with the mascarpone comes from a beautiful gelato I tried for the first time one summer along the Tuscan coast – meringue gelato. It had little crunchy, melt-in-mouth pieces of meringue, which were just gorgeous. The Japanese part of the recipe is a delicate touch of plum wine, umeshu, a liqueur made out of ume, a Japanese plum that looks like a small, unripe apricot. It is steeped in shochu and sugar and is quite often homemade. It has a sweet, perfumed, slightly sour taste and is delicious served on its own or with a bit of ice. It also makes a great summer cocktail when mixed with some green tea. A hint of mandarin rind always reminds me of trips to Japan too. The adopted Italian part of the recipe is the inside - the tiramisu! Italy has been my adopted home for the past six years and the greatest influence on what I eat and cook at home. The tiramisu itself is a fusion recipe, originally being a variation on zuppa inglese, the classic English trifle. For this fact, I think it lends itself pretty well to other variations and recreations. Be prepared for the incredible indulgent quality of this dessert – it is, after all, like eating two desserts at once!Food and WineWhen you grow up close to the water, be it by an ocean, lake, or river, you develop a natural affinity for fish. You start to appreciate the subtle differences in flavor and texture between various types of fish and learn to cook and eat them in a thousand different ways.In India, where I grew up, fish was steamed, fried, or cooked in curries and served over beds of warm scented rice or bread—and it was always on the menu for weekends. These days, although I live on the other side of the world, seafood is still a mainstay in my Bay Area kitchen, and pan-seared and fried fish are popular options at my home when guests visit. What I like about serving dishes like this Rechad with Trout is the convenience it offers; the spice blend can be made ahead of time, and fish cooks rather quickly, so I’m not trapped at the stove when I want to be spending time with my guests.I lean on rechad masala quite often; it’s a bright red paste that’s prepared by grinding down Kashmiri chiles with vinegar and a few spices. It’s a staple in many kitchens in Goa, a region located on the west coast of India. Goan cuisine is renowned for its use of chiles, but that wasn’t always the case. When the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century, they introduced chiles from South America, which quickly became an integral part of the local cuisine. In Portuguese the word “recheado” means stuffed and in Goa, you’ll see it spelled as either “recheado” or “rechad” on restaurant menus.In this recipe, I lean on Kashmiri chiles for their bright red lycopenic color. These chiles are mild in their heat level and are only sold dry. They’re readily available at Indian grocery stores and spice markets; if you can’t find them, use any dried red chile that you like.The classic choices of fish for this recipe are usually pomfret or mackerel, but I’ve found trout to work exceptionally well. Once it’s fried, serve this fish with warm rice and a light salad and a few wedges of fresh lime or lemon to squeeze over the top.Food and WineI’m a cook who loves to hover over a pot and observe the transformation of ingredients, but let’s face it, most people just want to get into the eating action. That’s where modern, time-saving appliances like pressure cookers such as the Instant Pot come in. They can’t do everything well, but they’re fabulous for certain things, like dishes that normally require long simmering and slow cooking.This Vietnamese beef stew (bo kho, pronounced “baw caw”) from my book, Vietnamese Food Any Day, is the perfect example. It appeared in the February issue of Food & Wine prepared in a Dutch Oven with a three-hour cook time. This French-inspired stew is a dream simmering on your stovetop with the aromas of lemongrass and star anise wafting through your home. But you can still enjoy the same flavor in about half the time with a little help from your Instant Pot.I quickly discovered that adapting traditional recipes for the pressure cooker isn’t as simple as cutting regular cooking time. Appliances require you to adjust to their functionalities. Here’s a quick rundown of the changes I made to the recipe and why. And don’t worry if you don’t own an Instant Pot; you can get the original Dutch oven version of the recipe here.Pressure cookers extract and meld flavors fast. But there’s a lot of hedging and guessing because once the lid is locked in place, you can’t see what’s going on inside the pot. Cooking happens as pressure builds, during actual pressure cooking, and while the pot depressurizes. From past experiences with pressure cookers, I guesstimated that the beef would require about 40 percent of the normal cook time (1 hour and 15 minutes) for the beef to become tender-chewy. That’s why in the recipe below, the beef is cooked at high pressure for 10 minutes and naturally depressurized for 18 minutes; also factored in is a little cooking time at the front end as the pressure builds.There’s a difference between a regular stovetop pressure cooker that ventilates and whistles while it works and an electric multicooker like the Instant Pot that operates in silence. Whereas some evaporation happens in stovetop models, there’s little to no moisture loss in machines like the Instant Pot. To compensate, I cook with less liquid in a multicooker than in a regular pressure cooker.During the last step, when you’re simmering the beef with the carrots, that’s when things start to slide back into comforting and familiar. The lid is off while things bubble away—you can the verify the meat’s tenderness and witness the cooking first-hand. At the end of the day, the Instant Pot recipe conversion was a success. My home still smelled wonderful—and I had an entire extra hour all to myself. Combining old-school recipe with a modern appliance turned this weekend project into a deliciously doable weeknight ditty.CookingLightMaking your own sauerkraut may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually easy to prepare and just needs a little bit of babysitting as the fermentation process unfolds. The result is a most delicious science experiment. This sauerkraut has all the flavor and probiotic benefits of a traditional fermented kraut but with less salt. The cabbage has a great crunch and tang along with the added flavor from the caraway seeds. This is a traditional sauerkraut, perfect for adding to hotdogs and sandwiches, as a side with sausages or pierogies, or just straight from the jar. Here's what you need to know, followed by the recipe: Start with the Basics You don’t need any special tools to make sauerkraut—just cabbage, salt, a big jar, and your hands. But if you get serious about your "krautkraft," you might consider investing in some tools of the trade. Here are three handy tools, and their alternatives: Fermenting Crock. This will seal the kraut, while still letting gasses from the fermentation escape—and let you avoid having to "burp" it every day. However, any big jar will work. Wooden Vegetable Tamper. It can be handy, especially when making a big batch, to have something to press the cabbage with. But you can also use your hands or a wooden spoon. Glass or ceramic weights. It's important that the cabbage doesn't rise above the liquid while fermenting. But you can use anything heavy as long as it's food safe and not likely to corrode (glass and ceramic are best) This base recipe can easily be multiplied to make larger batches (an average crock can hold about 10 lbs of sliced cabbage). Be aware that the larger the batch the longer it will take to ferment. This recipe is written for a lower salt content than the average at-home sauerkraut, but you should feel free to experiment to find what suits your personal taste. In fact: you can make this recipe completely salt free! To do that, we recommend subbing in 1/2 teaspoon of celery seeds and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and, because the cabbage won't release as much liquid, topping off the jar with filtered water. Speaking of Taste There's no need to stick solely to cabbage. Try using other vegetables in your kraut, such as carrots, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, beets, or garlic, as well as other herbs and spices, such as dill seeds, celery seeds, curry powder, or red pepper flakes. Just be sure to taste the mixture as you’re making it (to make sure your flavors are what you want) and then every three days after the fermentation begins. This will help you judge when the kraut has reached the point of being “done.” Again, it’s based on your personal taste, but it’s worth it to continue to taste the kraut at different times to know what you like the best. Temperature Matters The warmer the temperature (70 degrees and above), the quicker the kraut will ferment, but it can result in a softer, less textured product. The cooler the temp (anything above freezing), the more time it will take the kraut to ferment, but the result will be a crunchier texture. The sauerkraut will keep for an extremely long time in the refrigerator after fermenting (Some people keep kraut up to a year in the refrigerator.) No need to can or “process” the mixture—the high temperature needed for canning will kill all the good bacteria. And here’s the most important thing to remember—sauerkraut is best served in its cold state. If you warm it up or cook it, you’ll kill all the good bacteria and lose all the awesome probiotic potential.
