To Serve Man - It's a Cookbook!

[Vol]

What is the deal with pasty dough? Why does it need to be bought premade? I'm looking at pot pie recipes, and they all say to use it, and I'm not familiar with the differences in dough here.

[TheodoricFriede]

What is the deal with pasty dough? Why does it need to be bought premade? I'm looking at pot pie recipes, and they all say to use it, and I'm not familiar with the differences in dough here.

Uh... I make my own pot pie dough so I have no idea.

If i had to guess its more an issue that making pastry dough is very tedious. Even with a pastry mat and a lot of practice i still almost never get the dough rolled out right. Have to do some patchwork in the pie tray.

I think it tastes better though. When you make your own, you can season your crust

[Vol]

Really wish they'd offered Home Ec to non-pregnant students in high school.

So how do you make it then?

[TheodoricFriede]

Honestly, I just use the recipe on the back of the Crisco can and season to taste these days.

It really helps to have a good pastry mat if you are going to roll out dough though. Maybe watch some youtube videos on how to properly roll out dough.

[Mazder]

Binging with Babish does some really good tutorials.
Plus he does food from movies, TV, games, etc.

[Rune]

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[TheodoricFriede]

Today I made a meal called Flammkuchen. It's a sort of French German pizza that is common in the border regions of France and Germany. A French acquaintance of mine told me about it and i wanted to give it a try.

Its essentially a very thin pizza using sour cream as a sauce. Then minimally topped with onions, lardon (Bacon), Gruyere and muenster cheese, and sometimes mushrooms.

flammkuchen.jpg

I have no real way to know how well I did, considering i've never had the real thing, but it tasted pretty good!

[Vol]

Apparently corn starch is markedly superior as a base coating for frying. Crispier, cooks slower, not sure why recipes recommend flour to begin with now.

[TheodoricFriede]

Apparently corn starch is markedly superior as a base coating for frying. Crispier, cooks slower, not sure why recipes recommend flour to begin with now.

This is also, apparently, the case with potato starch. That's the only way they do it in japan and apparently their fried food stays crispy for a matter of hours rather than minutes.

I have been meaning to try each for months and keep forgetting.

[Vol]

With potato starch, imagine you could actually crank the heat up. Had to fry at medium-low with flour or the coating would burn way before the meat would finish, and that meant soaking in extra oil.

[TheodoricFriede]

As far as I read you ideally want a blend of flour and corn starch or flour and potato starch. You get food with 'glass-like crispness' that way.

[SciFlyBoy]

I have no real way to know how well I did, considering i've never had the real thing, but it tasted pretty good!

The ingredient list tells me that it tasted phenomenal. I'm the same way with Japanese Okonomiyaki. I made it the way I'm sure it should be, but there's no way for me to really tell. Short of going to Japan.

[SciFlyBoy]

As far as I read you ideally want a blend of flour and corn starch or flour and potato starch. You get food with 'glass-like crispness' that way.

That's the same with waffles. I substituted some corn starch for some of the flour and it came out with a fluffier, but crunchier waffle.

[TheodoricFriede]

I have, In the past, posted a recipe for Japanese Curry that I found shortly after playing Persona 5 back in 2017.

I have since refined the recipe, and after several attempts, feel like I finally have a recipe suitable to show off. Anything in parentheses is stuff I have added or modified from the original recipe.

Japanese Curry Recipe

Ingredients
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound stewing beef (Cut up a nice roast for better texture. Use more than a pound)
1 large onion peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger peeled and minced
1 apple peeled, cored and minced, like honeycrisp
(1/2 orange – peeled, chopped)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (4)
2 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped on the bias (rangiri cut)
1 large potato peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
4 tablespoons curry powder (S&B Curry Powder, Oriental)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups red wine
1 1//2 tablespoons granulated sugar (1 sugar, 1/2 mirin)
6 tablespoons soy sauce (10)
3 cups water (2)
(1 cup heavy cream)
(a goodly amount of 7 Pepper Spice Mix (Nanami Togarashi) to taste)



Directions
In a large pot over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and stewing beef. Cook for 5 minutes or until meat is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Lower heat to medium low and in the same pot, add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil with onions and cook for about 10 minutes, until onions are translucent and slightly caramelized.

Add garlic, ginger, orange, and apple and cook for 2 minutes.

Add flour and stir for 1 minute.

Add carrots, potatoes, garam masala and curry powder and stir well.

Add tomato paste, stir well and slowly add red wine and bring to a boil.

Add sugar, soy sauce and water (cream), stir and bring to a boil again.

Add beef and lower heat to a simmering boil. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Take the lid off and cook for another 30 minutes or until curry soup has reduced by a third.

(Optional: By then transferring the curry to a slow cooker overnight on low, you will end up with more tender meat, and more flavor.)

Season with salt and pepper and serve with short grain rice.

This is curry I feel like would be suitable for the title Leblanc.
Sojiro would be proud... Or at least would offer me surly advice.

Addendum:
Placing the curry in a slow cooker overnight does change the overall flavor profile of the meal. It does add a more caramelized flavor. After trying it again with both methods, I find that the batch that i had before the slow cooker was much smoother and more mellow. Ultimately it is a matter of what taste you prefer.

[SciFlyBoy]

Oh boy! Substituting the peanut oil for any high smoke point oil is fine?

[TheodoricFriede]

Fuck I dont know. I just know its common in a lot of Asian cooking. Probably?

[Vol]

I would think so. Of all the oils I've used, really only coconut oil and lard have imparted notable flavors, and peanut is a common allergen.

[TheodoricFriede]

My first batch of mead finished a few days ago. More accurately, my second batch finished before my first, but who's counting?

mead attempt one.jpg

While I wouldn't call it a failure, I wasn't able to get quite the flavors i wanted. I was going for Lemon, Mint, and Ginger. I feel like I got a bit of ginger and maybe a tiny bit of lemon, but there's no trace of mint at all. (The clarity is excellent though.)

Ive had worse wine. This is very very dry, and I dont tend to like dry wine. That said, mead ages in the bottle, so it should improve with time. I was able to finish a bottle (only 12 oz) on my own, so it wasn't so bad I couldn't drink it. Ultimately, I think there were several issues with this attempt. Too little honey that was of too little quality, not enough mint, and I should have included the ginger with the initial heating of water and honey. Another possible issue is the use of champagne yeast, which may have contributed to the dryness.

Anywho my current batches in production are Orange Blossom Honey, which was my first mead and should finish soon, and Raspberry Honey with Raspberry, which is my third batch. That one will probably take a while. I feel like both of those will be excellent when they finish.

I'm thinking my next batch will omit water for cherry juice, use orange blossom honey, and add a blood orange. Maybe a few cloves for spice.
Generally mead using cherry juice is called Vikings blood, but I believe, due to my brilliant additions of blood orange and spice, I will call it 'Blood magic."

[SciFlyBoy]

I don't think I'll ever step into the alcohol making world, even though my great grand parents were neck deep in applejack.
I'm looking forward to hearing about your orange and raspberry.

[TheodoricFriede]

Aaand started my Cherry, orange blossom, blood orange mead. This will be the first one I have made where I will actually take gravity readings.

That will allow me to determine sweetness, as well as alcohol content.

I'm really excited for this one. It'll be the most complex one I have made yet.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your orange and raspberry.

Thank you. It really is a fun process.

[TheodoricFriede]

So I decided to test my orange Blossom Mead as it really seemed to be getting close to being done.

It is exactly what I was hoping for. I'm debating whether or not I should bottle it now, or wait a bit longer so it can lose just a touch more sweetness.

This is an enormous confidence boost, because the one that previously finished wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I had hoped it would be. This one is damned near perfect!

[Mazder]

So my uncle just dropped off 500g of yeast to me today.

Looks like I might make bread in the future.

Or maybe I'll follow in Theo's footsteps and make some mead.
Pretty sure you need a different yest for that, no?

[TheodoricFriede]

You can use bread yeast if you just want to give the process a try. Ive never done it personally, but apparently it turns out to be drinkable.

Your yeast is very important though. Different yeasts have a different alcohol tolerance. So they drop out of the products at different times. That's how you know when to bottle, so the bottle dont explode.

Champagne yeast has a tolerance of upwards of 16 to 18% ABV, Lavin 1122 is closer to 14%. You can get beer yeast that's closer to 10%. Depending on how sweet you want the end product to be, you pick a different yeast. I dont really know what bread yeast will give you, but I'm sure someone has figured it out. I KNOW it works.

[Mazder]

You can use bread yeast if you just want to give the process a try. Ive never done it personally, but apparently it turns out to be drinkable.

Your yeast is very important though. Different yeasts have a different alcohol tolerance. So they drop out of the products at different times. That's how you know when to bottle, so the bottle dont explode.

Champagne yeast has a tolerance of upwards of 16 to 18% ABV, Lavin 1122 is closer to 14%. You can get beer yeast that's closer to 10%. Depending on how sweet you want the end product to be, you pick a different yeast. I dont really know what bread yeast will give you, but I'm sure someone has figured it out. I KNOW it works.

Ah, maybe as an experiment, I have plenty to spare.

Might pick up some proper mead/champagne yeast once this whole crisis is over.

Gonna make bread though, for sure!

[TheodoricFriede]

Champagne yeast will leave you with a very very dry end product. Its a mistake I made before. You can fix that by adding more honey later, but that's a more advanced technique.

[Mazder]

Ooooh, yeah I can imagine, champagne is usually very crisp/dry so, yeah.

If I try mead making I am gonna have to find some nice flavours that pair with honey well. Cinnamon is a given. All spice is another.

[TheodoricFriede]

The most basic recipe's tend to include spring water, honey, orange and one or two cloves. But I have seen more complicated ones using anything from dandelions to jolly ranchers as flavoring.

You can use just about anything as flavoring, just make sure not to overdo it.

Also remember that this takes a while. I started my first batch in mid march, and it is only now reaching the point in which I can bottle it soon. Grant it, it was a traditional (honey and water) and those tend to take longer, but dont expect to have something drinkable for at least two months.

[SciFlyBoy]

Ooooh, yeah I can imagine, champagne is usually very crisp/dry so, yeah.

Don't be fooled, Champagne yeast is just like any other sparkling yeast. You're just buying the name associated with the area where it's made.

[SciFlyBoy]

I made Theo's curry.


I used chicken. Everything else is by recipe. Wish I had cream, but I used milk and I finished it in the slow cooker for about 6 hours.

Mmmmm, delicious.

thumbnail_20200528_182813.jpg

[TheodoricFriede]

Huh... I didn't think anyone would actually make it.

Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I imagine it is also good with chicken.

[SciFlyBoy]

I've never had curry other than chicken. I've made it twice and my brother once or twice and I had one bowl at a Japanese place once and I've had a bowl of curry ramen and that's been it. It's not really something I'm exposed to a lot. It's something I have to seek out if I want some.

But I'm glad I made it. It has a warm, wholesomeness to it. Like you're eating a dish explicitly made to show just how much someone cares for you. In my case, me.

[TheodoricFriede]

I am glad someone enjoyed the recipe. I am... very proud of it. I cook a lot of things, but this feels like something that is truly mine.

[Mazder]

I am currently making Pizza from scratch.
Just finished the dough and it's onto it's prove. I had the dryer running for a bit and placed it in there becaue I don't really have anywhere warm for it to prove right now, lol.

Will return once I have done the prove and assembled pre-cook and then post cook.

[SciFlyBoy]

I am currently making Pizza from scratch.
Just finished the dough and it's onto it's prove. I had the dryer running for a bit and placed it in there becaue I don't really have anywhere warm for it to prove right now, lol.

Will return once I have done the prove and assembled pre-cook and then post cook.

I use the dryer too!
Thin crust, regular crust?

[SciFlyBoy]

Oh, I found that if you form the dough and prepare the pizza on parchment paper (put a little flour on it first) and cook it on the paper it makes transporting it such an easy breeze. And little to no cleanup. Just remove the extra flour on the sides because that will burn.

[Mazder]

I use the dryer too!
Thin crust, regular crust?

Whatever the amount in the end allows, lol.
I think the base will be slightly thinner due to the fact I don't have a pizza oven that reached 400'C!

Oh, I found that if you form the dough and prepare the pizza on parchment paper (put a little flour on it first) and cook it on the paper it makes transporting it such an easy breeze. And little to no cleanup. Just remove the extra flour on the sides because that will burn.

Ah, cool tip.
I have also heard Semolina is a good...uh...lubricant?

[SciFlyBoy]

I have also heard Semolina is a good...uh...lubricant?

Anything that helps prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. I got tired of serving squished, crappy pizzas.

I try to get my oven close to *500f. And I usually start checking the bottom of the pizza after 10 minutes or so. I look for the transition from pale color dough to a golden brown look. I found 11 minutes at 475 gave me a good balance between chew and crunch. (Still salivating over that)

I also have a pizza stone, which you might not have. Are you doing it on a cookie sheet?

[Mazder]

Anything that helps prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. I got tired of serving squished, crappy pizzas.

I try to get my oven close to *500f. And I usually start checking the bottom of the pizza after 10 minutes or so. I look for the transition from pale color dough to a golden brown look. I found 11 minutes at 475 gave me a good balance between chew and crunch. (Still salivating over that)

I also have a pizza stone, which you might not have. Are you doing it on a cookie sheet?

I have a round "pizza tray" that has little perforated holes in. I guess to stop the bottom getting too hot.

[SciFlyBoy]

Good, then you form it and put everything into that. Awesome. I can't wait for you to share how it comes out.

[Mazder]

Pre Cook


Post Cook


It was fucking delicious.

[SciFlyBoy]

Aww man. That look great. Good work!

[Alienmorph]

Yep, that looks pretty good indeed!

[TheodoricFriede]

Never made a traditional pizza before. Closest I have come was that French/German one I made a little while ago.

[Mazder]

Yep, that looks pretty good indeed!

I don't wanna be racist but seeing as it's you, the Italian, saying it, I am gonna mark that as approval of goodness, lol!

Never made a traditional pizza before. Closest I have come was that French/German one I made a little while ago.

Yeah, I considered trying that sometime, but I don't really like Sour Cream so I kinda wrote that off.

But definitely give this a try if you can.
I also would say you don't need as much Tomato Puree/sauce as you'd think.

[SciFlyBoy]

Never made a traditional pizza before. Closest I have come was that French/German one I made a little while ago.

And what goes on those again?

[TheodoricFriede]

And what goes on those again?

It is essentially a very thin pizza using sour cream as a sauce. Then minimally topped with onions, lardon (Bacon), Gruyere and muenster cheese, and sometimes mushrooms.

[TheodoricFriede]

IMG_20200529_205600.jpg

Orange Blossom Traditional Mead. Turned out perfectly.

Took fucking forever, but it turned out perfectly.

[SciFlyBoy]

Cheers! Good work.

[Alienmorph]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4a7WxMdx3I

I don't even like carbonara all that much, but this made me chuckle a fair bit. Way to overcomplicate a very simple recipe. At least by the looks of it Ramsay didn't overcook the pasta

[TheodoricFriede]

As someone who thinks Gordon Ramsey is a pretentious ass, this is very satisfying to watch.