03 Dec 2020

Basics

savory

Hard-boiled Eggs

1. Bring a large pot of water to a hard poil.

2. Gently lower in your eggs, then lower the heat to a gentle boil.

3. Keep at that gentle boil for 10 minutes.

4. Set up a bowl of ice water and move the eggs immediately into it to cool down. (This makes them easier to peel.)

Palacsinta

• 1 C whole milk
• 1 C flour
• 3 eggs
• pinch salt
• splash of seltzer

Yes, butter the pan between each pancake. These are fabulous when greasy.

I flip as soon the first side is no longer shiny/wet, and remove from pan as soon as I see little bubbles on the other side.

I like to eat mine with cottage cheese that has cinnamon and maybe a little sugar stirred in.

Cucumber Salad

Slice cucumbers thin. Mix in some kosher salt and leave out for half an hour or so, then rinse. Squeeze out all the liquid. Put in a container with 1/3 white vinegar 2/3 water, enough liquid to cover. Done.

Roast Chicken

Spatchcock, ideally.

Brine: weigh chicken and water, and add 1% salt and 0.25% msg. Leave overnight.

Under skin: whatever

435, 30% humidity. Until thickest part is 155. Like 30-45 minutes?

Pork Shanks

General marinade instructions: Cover meat with water. Weigh the total amount of meat plus water. Add 1% salt and 0.25% msg. Optionally add some garlic powder. Marinate for 24-48 hours.

Put marinated pork shanks in some water or stock, along with 2 tsp minced garlic per shank and 1 tsp dried oregano per shank. Braise until tender, 4-6 hours. If the shanks have skin, you can finish them by removing them from the liquid and cooking at 425 convection for 15 minutes (?).

Israeli Couscous

Caramelize a bunch of sliced onions and then follow the instructions on the bag.

Optionally, grate a bunch of carrots and caramelize them with thick chinese soy sauce (the molasses-ish stuff) and maybe a bit of port and stir in at the end.

Rice and other basics in the instant pot

Ratios are water:rice (or water:other thingy), times are at high pressure.

• Thai sticky rice - 1.5:1, 6min (Rinse first, and strain out the rinsing water (with a strainer, yes really). It still won’t have the proper texture, but it’s simple and we enjoy it this way)
• Basmati - 1.75:1, 3min
• Wild rice - 3:1, 15min (let sit for a bit, then drain)
• Steel-cut oats - 3:1, 10min (and don’t let “stay warm”). I like to stir in some almond butter and cinnamon immediately after.
• Beans, generally - water 3” above the bean. If soaked, 6min, else 25min.

Chickpeas with herbs and roasted lemon

Cook some desi chickpeas with coriander, salt and msg.

Slice up some lemons (into circles maybe 1/8” thick, ish), coat in olive oil, and roast in the oven. Pay close attention, they tend to be need to be flipped a bunch and then you take out the more done ones every minute or so near the end. I like letting the get fairly dark, but it’s nice to have a mix of donenesses. Chop them up when they’re done, I guess moderately finely.

When the chickpeas are done, stir in the roasted lemons, lemon juice, and lots of chopped herbs. (Dill is great, parsley, whatever. It’s nice to have a mix. But seriously, lots, ideally including some dill.)

Sizzle some garlic and cumin in olive oil and pour that on. Mix.

Matzo balls

1/2 C matzo meal 2 eggs 2 tbsp oil 2 tbsp water or both splash of seltzer (or ginger ale) salt, pepper, dried ginger powder

Mix together, chill 20 minutes, make into 1” balls, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.