Picture Thread: What's For Dinner?

[javadog]

I'm glad you liked it. You'll have to do it again though, the Keller way, because his version will blow you away.

JR

[Joe Bob]

Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers clone modified by JB


This clone recipe may be for the whole hamburger, but anybody who knows about Tommy's goes there for the chili - and that's the part of this clone they seek. That's also the part that required the most kitchen sleuthing. Turn out it's an old chili con carne recipe created back in 1946 by Tommy's founder, Tommy Koulax, for his first hamburger stand on the corner of Beverly and Rampart Boulevards in Los Angeles. Daddy JB worked there back in the late 40s and early 50s before getting drafted and going to Korea. BTW, Tommy's only had 'chips' until the 80s. AFAIK this was the place they parodied on SNL.

By adding the right combination of water and flour and broth and spices to the meat we can create a thick, tomato-less chili sauce worthy of the gajillions of University of Southern California (Yes, Sammy USC!) college students that make late-night Tommy's runs a four-year habit. And if you don't live near one of the two dozen Tommy's outlets, you can still get a gallon of Tommy's famous chili shipped to you. But I hope you really dig the stuff, because you'll shell out around 70 bucks for the dry ice packaging and overnight shipping. And don't expect to see the ingredients on the label since the chili comes packed in a gallon-size mustard jug.

Chili
1 pound ground beef (not lean) 70/30
1:1 to 3:1 flour versus poured off fat depending on how thick you want it....I do 2:1, this is the BIG variable
1 1/3 cups beef broth aka 14 ounces
4 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons grated (and then chopped) carrot
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon of black or red pepper

Roux. Something good can come from the French without having to surrender.

1. Prepare the chili by first browning the meat in a large saucepan over medium heat. Crumble the meat as it browns. When the meat has been entirely cooked (7 to 10 minutes), pour the meat into a strainer over a large cup or saucepan. Let the fat drip out of the meat for about 5 minutes, then return the meat back to the first saucepan. Cover and set aside.

2. With the fat from the meat, we will now make a roux - a French contribution to thicker sauces and gravies usually made with fat and flour. Heat the drippings in a saucepan over medium heat (you should have drained off around 1/2 cup of the stuff). When the fat is hot, add 1/4 cup flour to the pan and stir well. Reduce heat to medium low, and continue to heat the roux, stirring often, until it is a rich caramel color. This should take 10 to 15 minutes. Add the beef broth to the pan and stir. Remove from heat.

3. Meanwhile, back at the other pan, add the water to the beef, then whisk in the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour. Add the roux/broth mixture and the other chili ingredients and whisk until blended. Make sure your grated carrot is chopped up to the size of rice before you add it.

4. Crank the heat up to medium high. Stir often until you see bubbles forming on the surface of the chili. Turn the heat down to medium low, and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. The chili should be calmly bubbling like lava as it simmers. Be careful....it WILL burn like lava if it hits your skin. When it's done cooking, take the chili off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before using it on the burgers. It should thicken to a tasty brown paste as it sits.

Burger hints....

Cooking....

1. Preheat grill on high if using a gas unit don't ask about fried....I doan fry burgers.....

2. Burgers should be thick, sprinkled with Lawry's and garlic

3. 6-7 minutes a side.

4. Last 45 seconds apply cheese

5. Last 30 seconds toast buns

Assembly......

1. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of diced onion onto the chili which is on top of the burger with or w/o cheese.

2. Arrange 4 to 5 pickle slices on the onion....I skip the pickles....just my preference.

3. Place a thick slice of beefsteak tomato on next.

4. Spread mustard over the face of the top (I like my toasted as noted above) bun and top off your hamburger by turning this bun over onto the tomato.

5. Eat, then hope your date ate the same thing.....or brush yer teeth.

[RWebb]

chili with ground meat??

my Texan grandparents would shoot people fer less n' that

[Joe Bob]

Ain't MY recipe Webbie....just some dumass Greek that made millions of dollars.

The original Tommy's craphole was a shack on the corner built in '46. Open 24 hours. They have limos arriving with wasted rock stars at 4am. He built an annex on the original site about the same time he started serving "fries"......

[Hugh R]

Slow cooked beef stew.

Beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, a little Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaf and a few other seasonings.

[GWN7]

French Onion Soup

Box of Beef broth, pkg of Lipton Onion soup mix, 4 medium size onions. French bread and Parmesan cheeze.

Shred onions, add Beef broth and Onion soup mix, bring to boil, simmer for a couple hrs adding water as necessary. Slice bread and toast. Sprinkle Parmesan on top of bread.

Feed to Joe Bob when he drops in....... enjoy

[Shaun @ Tru6]

That is just dying for a bottle or two of Guinness Stout.

[PorscheGAL]

Originally Posted by jyl

Abondigas soup, aka Mexican meatball soup.

The meatballs are smallish and spicy. Equal parts ground beef and chorizo, with minced carrots, garlic, cilantro, and (non-authentic) ginger. Cumin, salt, pepper, and plenty of olive oil. Mix and form small balls. Heat oil in a deep pot and cook the meatballs in batches. Why a deep pot instead of a saute pan? It contains the spitting oil and fat, and as the rendered fat builds up, you can tilt and swish the pot so that the meatballs roll through the boiling oil, almost deep frying.

After the meatballs are done, there will be quite a bit of rendered fat, chorizo juices, and browned bits sloshing around in the pot. Save these drippings.

The soup is chicken stock (which I made in the pressure cooker while working on the meatballs), canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste, diced onion and celery, minced carrot, cilantro, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper and . . . the meatball drippings. If you're being all healthy-like, you can eschew the fat and use just the solids, but I used it all.

As the soup simmers, make some white rice using stock instead of water. Mix some tomato paste into the stock, for color.

I usually keep meatballs, soup, and rice separate until each bowl is served. Top with minced cilantro and carrot, because it is pretty.

I had never heard of this until your picture. Made it for dinner last night. My husband, who doesn't usually like soup, thought it was great. Thanks.

[imcarthur]

Boring ole prime rib roast with roast potatoes, carrots & Yorkshire pud. I leave tomorrow for 2 weels + . . . CES (Vegas) & NAMM (Anaheim so I wanted (and made) comfort food. Very, very yum.



And a '04 Rioja Gran Reserva . . .

Ian

[chocolatelab]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Boring ole prime rib roast with roast potatoes, carrots & Yorkshire pud. I leave tomorrow for 2 weels + . . . CES (Vegas) & NAMM (Anaheim so I wanted (and made) comfort food. Very, very yum.



And a '04 Rioja Gran Reserva . . .

Ian

Crap....That looks insane. Wow

[RWebb]

nice

BTW Ian - maybe you'd like to start a thread on the CES...

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by chocolatelab

Crap....That looks insane. Wow

It was very good & surprisingly easy. I am disappointed that my puffy Yorks collapsed on oven exit however . . .

Randy: I see very little of the show. You will learn more watching show reports on YouTube. Two years ago, I didn't leave the Mirage for 3 days.

Ian

[Evans, Marv]

My first paella in probably 25 years. Turned out pretty well.

[jyl]

Delicious looking paella and yorkies! I have never made Yorkshire pudding but have a friend who grew up in Yorkshire, so intend to make some for her. I think the theme will be "boneless". Read about how to debone a chicken while leaving said chicken whole, want to try it, probably stuffed and roasted. Also will debone some whole trout, thinking splayed flat and pan fried, head-on. All this would be just for fun.

[craigster59]

Seeing Shaun's beef stew reminded me of this episode of Americas Test Kitchen. They mention Thomas Keller and come up with a quick variation. I haven't made the stew but I made the second recipe, chicken and duplings and it was THE best c&d that anyone had ever had..
America’s Test Kitchen :: Watch Our Show

[javadog]

You know, I like that show and I watch it a lot. But, that recipe for beef stew....

Not. Even. Close.

You guys really ought to try the real Bouchon recipe. It doesn't take 4 days; you can do it in two and a lot of that time you can be doing other things, while you're making stocks and whatnot.

It's really that good...

JR

[jyl]

Did something fun tonight. Deboned a whole chicken. Was pretty easy, took about 20 minutes.

Brined the now boneless chicken. Made stock from the bones and other stuff. Made stuffing from couscous cooked in that stock, spicy Italian sausage, browned mushrooms, wilted spinach. Stuffed the chicken and sutured it up with paper clips, tied up with random bits of string (we're in a vacation house).

Roasted at 350 F, while glazing with a brown rum, sugar and butter mix.

Very popular!





The chicken was well sealed up, it held pressure, got bigger during the roasting, I was watching through the oven window when the chicken popped a leak and squirted juice - funny.

Only problem is I should have used a higher temp, it took too long at 350 F.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

love the technique and ingenuity. no pics of finished product?

I'm continuing to roast 3 pound chickens at 400. Some say higher, but that just dries out the outer layer I've found, even when reducing time.

[javadog]

When roasting a chicken, you can start it at 475 for 15 minutes or so, then drop the heat to 350 to finish it. Rotate it during cooking. Baste it when you rotate it. Have a little white wine in the bottom of the roasting pan. If any of the skin starts to get to dark, cover that part with foil.

If you brine a bird, or rub a compound butter under the skin before roasting, it should stay moist.

JR

[Rusty Heap]

Start with 2" thick boneless rib eye and a simple BBQ dry spice rub, lots of fresh ground cracked black peppercorns, 20 minutes low and slow on the BBQ, last 5 minutes, top with thick slices of blu cheese and let drizzle melt while meat is resting uncovered.

Side dish was teryaki rib-eye sticks.



Blu Cheese is amazing on steaks,