Picture Thread: What's For Dinner?

[daepp]

So Cal last night - cold and overcast. Making the roux for a chicken and sausage Gumbo:

[jyl]

Post progress pics! I've never made a gumbo.

[RWebb]

very simple - sear your meat; remove it and use the debris with more oil to make a roux; add veges and meat back; then add beer (never add water) and let it sit on low for a couple of days then eat

[LeeH]

This was the first course of a multicourse "dessert tasting party" my wife and a friend put on as a church fundraiser.

Marinated vegetable crudite with Prosecco, apple quince and walnut tart with Machego cheese.

[Rusty Heap]

Gumbo ain't never simple Orr-EE-goneian-Webber. Roux is a complex mo fo.


Took me 3-4 hours last night of prep and roux reduce and bake.. yeah I got pix. Let me drool you later when I sort and post 'em.

[jyl]

Like the sound of the tarte - tasty.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

Gumbo ain't never simple Orr-EE-goneian-Webber. Roux is a complex mo fo.


Took me 3-4 hours last night of prep and roux reduce and bake.. yeah I got pix. Let me drool you later when I sort and post 'em.

Nah, a roux is easy. A whopping two ingredients. All you have to do is stir. I had that technique whipped when I was just a rug rat. Just don't get any on ya, or you will never make it again...

Now, if I were to throw rocks towards Oregon, I might take note that his recipe was missing most of the actual ingredients needed.

Still, it ain't rocket science.

JR

[Outback Porsche]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Recipe?

Gawd....sorry Jim, like most things I cook I made it up as I went along, and it was a few weeks ago.

I reckon there was rice bran oil, chicken thighs, birdseye chillies (6-8), peanuts (crushed), Malaysian curry powder, onion, garlic, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, snow peas, and coriander (and probably a few other spices).

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

Gumbo ain't never simple Orr-EE-goneian-Webber. Roux is a complex mo fo.


Took me 3-4 hours last night of prep and roux reduce and bake.. yeah I got pix. Let me drool you later when I sort and post 'em.

I'm from Louisiana, you yankee.

[vash]

my friend builds his roux in the oven. he starts it on the stove and just pops the entire thing into the oven..for a really long time. he can get that dark chocolate roux without the risk of burning it.

even knowing my buddy, i've never really stayed around for his gumbo. come to think of it, he has never invited me. what a dick. ahahhha.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Recipe?

Originally Posted by Outback Porsche

Gawd....sorry Jim, like most things I cook I made it up as I went along, and it was a few weeks ago.

I reckon there was rice bran oil, chicken thighs, birdseye chillies (6-8), peanuts (crushed), Malaysian curry powder, onion, garlic, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, snow peas, and coriander (and probably a few other spices).

There several types of curry made in Malaysia. Here's the recipe for one I pulled off of the 'net, to save myself from having to type for the next hour.

Main ingredients:

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thigh and/or breast (cut into small cubes/pieces)
2 lemon grass (cut into 4-inch lengths, use only the white part, pounded)
6-8 pieces kaffir lime leaves
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

1 1/2 inch galangal
1/2 lb fresh red chili (seeded and sliced)
5 shallots (sliced)
1 inch ginger
6 candlenuts (soaked in warm water)
1/2 inch fresh turmeric
1/4 teaspoon belacan (fermented shrimp paste)

Method:

1.Blend all spice paste ingredients to a very fine paste.
2.Heat up some cooking oil in a work and stir-fry paste until aromatic or a thin layer of oil rises to the top.
3.Add chicken and continue stirring until it’s almost cooked.
4.Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes, over low heat.
5.Add salt to taste and serve hot.

The ingredients will be available at any decent asian market. The belacan may be a little hard to find. It's also called blachan, trasi and other things. You could substitute a ground shrimp paste, or shrimp sauce, or anchovy paste, if you had to. Substitute macadamia nuts for the candlenuts. Add however much of the chilis you can stand. You won't be able to get the same ones they use in Malaysia but about any hot pepper will work. Not all are the same level of heat, so use your judgement... I use chicken thighs, as chicken breasts are best fed to the dogs.

There are pre-made curry pastes sold in the stores, also. I'd encourage you to make your own, as the flavor will be better and this recipe uses a different curry blend than what you'll usually find in a market (Thai red, green, yellow, masaman, etc.) I also generally skip curry powders.

I often add onions to a curry. (Gotta have some sort of vegetable ). Note that this is a much drier curry than the one in the previous pictures. You could extend it with more cocnut milk or water, but try it this way first.

Serve it with a decent Thai rice (Jasmine, Hom Mali, etc.)

JR

[Outback Porsche]

G'day JR

That recipe looks good. I too would prefer to make my own curry paste, but I sometimes get lazy. I do make my own sambal though.

I can get a lot of asian food at my local supermarket, including some real nice powders and pastes. This site has some really good recipes, and I can get most of the asian ingredients shown on this site;

Oriental Merchant

Cheers,

[jyl]

Beef stew. Carrots, potatoes, and beets - hence the weirdly red sauce, no Red No. 40 honest.

[BRPORSCHE]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I'm from Louisiana, you yankee.

Webb is from that broadmoore.

[mikesride]

[jyl]

Cute!

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by mikesride

I made my love a pizza tonight. (corney iI know!)

Mike

Fix that for you event though you are a few days late

[azasadny]

[Rusty Heap]

The Holy Grail of Gumbo...........


Based "roughly" on the Creole cooking god of Paul Prudomes recipe:

Chef Paul's Recipes - Chef Paul Prudhomme



Mine was Pulled Chicken, Sausage, Prawns and other yummy bits.




The roux is everything, and must be baked down stirring till a dark brown copper color of a penny.


this wasn't one of my best batches, but was documented well via photos.........dark roux + white peper and cayenne heat and not too sweet = YUMMY

[RWebb]

you used canned okra -- Philistine!