El Justo's Cookbook Thread

Rhye said:

serve pasta with bread?

Click to expand...

i'm wondering if he meant that the bread is simply served on the side...not mixed together w/ the pasta.

anyway...if Rhye says it's uncommon or odd to have bread w/ your pasta then i'm gonna listen b/c, well, he's from the country which has created and serves the best damn food on earth: Italian food!!!!

Indeed, Italian is the basis for all Western cooking. The French learned to cook from the Italians you know. Gotta love the Renaissance!

El Justo: another good one by you I love the idea of varying marinades by using 'unusual' ready-made spice-mixes.

carlosMM said:

El Justo: another good one by you I love the idea of varying marinades by using 'unusual' ready-made spice-mixes.

Click to expand...

yes, very true. sometimes, you just have to experiment a little and you'd be surprised at what comes out of it!

btw, do our Euro CFC members even have 'Good Seasons' salad dressing at their local markets?

This is a dish that I made up when I first went to Perth, it is different from the usual chilli mussels that you get anywhere though. It depends alot on the garlic for taste. If it is too spicy for some, substitute the chilli for a milder version or add less.

Chiili Mussels

ingredients:

1kg mussels
2 bunches of garlic
4 shallots
6 dried chilli
3 fresh chilli
1 lime
3X3 cm cube belachan (this is optional)

1.) Clean the mussels, cut or yank the "hair" of the mussels make sure that you don't yank out their fleah as well. make sure that you discard those that are dead, you can tell they are alive if they are closed, if they are open, tap their shell, if it is live, it will close it's shell.

2.) Peel the shallots, garlic and chop the fresh chilli length wise.

3.) Blend the dried chilli, shallots, garlic and belachan together, it does not have to be fine but they have to be mixed thoroughly.

4.) Prepare a large wok or pan, fry the chilli mixture and fresh chilli with an abundant amount of oil at the highest temperature. When it becomes fragrant, throw in the mussels.

5.) Stir the mussels through the chilli mix, ensuring that it is well coated. Do this for 5 min or more, the mussels should be cooked depending on the stove that you have. squeeze in the lime and toss the mussels. you have Chilli Mussels

well i like mussels so i'd probably like this!

El Justo said:

btw, do our Euro CFC members even have 'Good Seasons' salad dressing at their local markets?

Click to expand...

Doesn't ring a bell.

El Justo said:

yes, very true. sometimes, you just have to experiment a little and you'd be surprised at what comes out of it!

btw, do our Euro CFC members even have 'Good Seasons' salad dressing at their local markets?

Click to expand...

No, we don't, but if you list the ingredients I bet I can find one from another brand that tastes the same. We have a bunch....

Shaihulud said:

This is a dish that I made up when I first went to Perth, it is different from the usual chilli mussels that you get anywhere though. It depends alot on the garlic for taste. If it is too spicy for some, substitute the chilli for a milder version or add less.

Chiili Mussels

ingredients:

1kg mussels
2 bunches of garlic
4 shallots
6 dried chilli
3 fresh chilli
1 lime
3X3 cm cube belachan (this is optional)

1.) Clean the mussels, cut or yank the "hair" of the mussels make sure that you don't yank out their fleah as well. make sure that you discard those that are dead, you can tell they are alive if they are closed, if they are open, tap their shell, if it is live, it will close it's shell.

2.) Peel the shallots, garlic and chop the fresh chilli length wise.

3.) Blend the dried chilli, shallots, garlic and belachan together, it does not have to be fine but they have to be mixed thoroughly.

4.) Prepare a large wok or pan, fry the chilli mixture and fresh chilli with an abundant amount of oil at the highest temperature. When it becomes fragrant, throw in the mussels.

5.) Stir the mussels through the chilli mix, ensuring that it is well coated. Do this for 5 min or more, the mussels should be cooked depending on the stove that you have. squeeze in the lime and toss the mussels. you have Chilli Mussels

Click to expand...

awesome! i love mussels.

quick question: is it 'New Zealand' mussels that you use or do you folks not even refer to them as such? here in the States, 'New Zealand' mussels have the greenish coloured shells.

carlosMM said:

No, we don't, but if you list the ingredients I bet I can find one from another brand that tastes the same. We have a bunch....

Click to expand...

i'd have to look on the package to see the exact ingredients. however, i can say that it appears that it's a dehydrated seasoning mix (garlic, salt, pepper, etc).

i prefer this Good Seasons simply b/c it has a fantastic zing to it although you could probably use any other similar type.

I usually used blue mussels, its smaller than the New Zealand ones and its shell is dark blue almost black. I think most countries have blue mussels instead of green mussels, so you could use any that is native to your place.

Shaihulud said:

I usually used blue mussels, its smaller than the New Zealand ones and its shell is dark blue almost black. I think most countries have blue mussels instead of green mussels, so you could use any that is native to your place.

Click to expand...

i see. very well. the colour of the shells here in South Jersey are black, really black actually.

New zealand mussels are too big to be use for this dish anyway. i'll tried it once, not that suitable as the meat are too big to be adequately coated with chilli.

El Justo said:

i'd have to look on the package to see the exact ingredients. however, i can say that it appears that it's a dehydrated seasoning mix (garlic, salt, pepper, etc).

i prefer this Good Seasons simply b/c it has a fantastic zing to it although you could probably use any other similar type.

Click to expand...

well, we have about 1000 different mixes avaiable, as have you - if you can simply post the ingreds here next time you buy one I'd appreciate!


and then there's one more by me:

Chicken Breast with Pesto Genovese á la Killer​

serves 1 (hungry) to 2

chicken breasts (2) or turkey breast (1)(*)
1 glass Pesto Genovese (green pesto with olive oil, basil, Gran Padano & Pecorino cheese, cashew nuts, pine seeds)
Pepper & Salt
needle and kitchen yarn

Sides:
broccoli
some Parmesan or Gran Padano cheese
butter
Pine seeds
Pasta – if you can get them, ‘Breite Nudeln’ (wide noodles)
Pesto alla Siciliana (red pesto with ricotta cheese, walnuts, cashew nuts and olive oil)
alternatively: Pesto Rosso (pesto rich in tomatoes)


Filter the Pesto Genovese through a coffee filter paper or kitchen paper towel – the less olive oil remains in it the better! Keep the oil.
Wash and dry the chicken breasts.
With a sharp knife, make a small incision on one side of the breast, then cut into the breast to make a large cavity. Fill the chicken breasts with the pesto and sew them shut with kitchen yarn.

Prepare the broccoli – I prefer to cut it into small pieces which I steam for a few minutes – al dente. Cook the pasta.
Heat some oil oil in a pan and brown the chicken breasts on high heat for roughly a minute on one side. Initially they stick to the pan; turn them over when you can easily move them about, turn the heat down. After about another minute, flip them over again twice more, keep the heat low. Remember, chicken should always be well done!
Heat some butter in a small pan and roast the pine seeds.

Arrange chicken breasts, broccoli with pine seeds and cheese and noodles (with Pesto alla Siciliana) on a plate. ENJOY!






(*) the turkey breast obviously must be fried at a lower temp to guarantee that it will not turn charcoal on you! Alternatively, you can nuke it after frying until it is well done.

carlosMM,

here's what i found off of the 'net:

1/4 teaspoon dried carrot (instructions to follow)
1/4 teaspoon dried red bell pepper
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, well crumbled
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dry, unsweetened pectin
1 pinch ground oregano
1 pinch sugar

i'd mix this in w/ an olive oil to vinegar ratio of about 5:1 or 6:1.

I love making milkshakes. This is one of my favourites:

Jasmine & Fig Milkshake

Ingredients:
(for one pint, just multiply accordingly)

- 1 fresh fig
- 2 jasmine tea bags / leaves are better
- Honey. Treacle is better (aka molasses)
- Half pint full cream milk
- Vanilla Ice cream (You can also buy Jasmine flavoured ice cream. Of course this should be used if in stock.)

The Method:

Chop the fig up finely. (Open the tea bags) and throw the leaves into the blender with the fig. Pure over about 2 tablespoons of treacle / honey / molasses. Pour in the half pint of milk. Add two big scoops of ice cream. Flick the switch and do the mashpotato.

Pour it into a pre-chilled pint glass and enjoy!

a spendid summer time beverage Rambuchan!

for informational purposes only:
the americanized version of "treacle": molasses

El Justo said:

a spendid summer time beverage Rambuchan!

for informational purposes only:
the americanized version of "treacle": molasses

Click to expand...

Thanks El J. It is edited now. I suggest getting lots of figs cos sometimes you get a few which are not that tastey. In which case you just add more figs.

sorry for the delay on the chicken breast recipe - done now.

I'll take some pics next time i prepare it and post them - maybe even next Friday for our forum meeting

carlosMM said:

sorry for the delay on the chicken breast recipe - done now.

I'll take some pics next time i prepare it and post them - maybe even next Friday for our forum meeting

Click to expand...

no problem carlosMM.

forum meeting?