Alright. This is mainly directed to those of you who were able to stop by our tailgate on Saturday. For LA Tech, LSU is having a "cook off" of sorts as part of homecoming festivities. I am asking for input from those of you who were there on Saturday and had a chance to sample the pastalaya. The reason being is because I am thinking of entering it into this contest. Should I go for it?
Heck yeah you should. The only thing I'd do differently wouldn't be so much for "Taste", rather, "Presentation appeal". Add some colored bell peppers cut up. You can get red, yellow, orange ones at Wal Mart. I'd cut them up and the color would give it more of a sauce piquante look than spaghetti. ' I'd also cut up a little sausage- not the Savoies and all the phoney chit, some good sausage from a local butcher shop. I'd slice the sausage, brown it, and then quarter each slice- It will add texture to the noodles and flavor. A little ground beef browned, taken out, and put back when you make the gravy would do that too (Add texture). Bottom line, it was GREAT like it was but I'd "Beef" it up :hihi: for the competition. I'm only suggesting that cause the judges won't eat an entire serving like we did- they sample so you want to make sure the fork or two they stick in pulls some meat, flavor, and visual appeal. (Oh, for those same reasons, I'd cut the meat into small pieces too). White onions as well?? Just "Food for thought". :hihi: I already told you you're the only one (Besides myself) whom I'd seen break the noodles into really small pieces- that's just so "No brainer" to me and makes it much easier to eat. Need a judge?? :wink:
definitely keep cutting the noodles. i do that too with anything i cook with noodles. lsutiga had some good suggestions. the flavor saturday was great! i can see tiga's point about giving it more visual appeal and make sure it's meaty enough that judges get the whole shebang in a small amount. seriously it was the best pastalaya hands down. way better than the pastalaya they make at jambalaya shoppe!
I thought so too and after tigerdro told me such good things about it I was quite disappointed to see the turn this thread took! How bout tex and I get a VIP PM from you, big wee, with some special information!!
Okay, okay!!! geez.:grin: Yeah, I suppose I could have posted the recipe as well. Keep in mind that this recipe is for a 5lb pastalaya. It should be altered depending on how much you would want to cook. Here ya geaux: "Wee-alaya" 192 (1 ½ gal) OZ OF LIQUID FOR 5 POUNDS OF PASTA. FOR THIS RECIPE, YOU WILL NEED 1 &1/2 GALLON (192 OZS) PLUS 3 CUPS (24 OZS) OF LIQUID. YOU MEASURE THE CHICKEN AND BEEF BROTHS AND MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE WITH WATER. 5 POUNDS OF # 3 PASTA (SPHAGETTI) 5 # PORK 3# SMOKE SAUSAGE 1 SMALL JAR OF MINCED GARLIC 2 CANS OF ROTEL TOMATOES 2 CAN OF CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP 1 CAN CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP SEASONING MIX (ONIONS, CELERY, BELL PEPPER, ETC) 1 SMALL LEA AND PERRINS “WORSTER” SAUCE 8 CANS OF CHICKEN BROTH 4 CANS BEEF BROTH ½ CONTAINER OF TONY’S SEASONING KITCHEN BOUQUET BROWN PORK IN BLACK IRON POT. AS PORK STARTS TO BROWN, ADD “WORSTER” SAUCE. ALLOW PORK TO COOK IN THE SAUCE UNTIL PORK IS GOOD AND BROWN. ADD SEASONING MIX AND COOK DOWN FOR A WHILE UNTIL MOST OF THE LIQUID IS GONE. ADD ROTEL TOMATOES AND SMOKE SAUSAGE. (REMEMBER TO STIR OCCASIONALLY) COOK DOWN FOR A WHILE. ADD CREAM OF MUSHROOM AND CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUPS AND STIR INTO THE CONTENTS OF THE POT. ONCE MIXED, ADD BROTHS AND REMAINING LIQUID MAKE UP. STIR WELL. ADD TONY’S TO TASTE. NOT THE WHOLE CAN!! ADD KITCHEN BOUQUET FOR COLOR. LOOK FOR SLIGHLY DARKER THAN CHOCLATE MILK. ALLOW TO COME TO A SLIGHT BOIL. COOK FOR A FEW MINUTES AND STIR. MAKE SURE THE GRAVY TASTES OK FOR SEASONING. WHILE GRAVY IS BOILING, START TO ADD PASTA. DON’T ADD ALL AT THE SAME TIME. TAKE A HANDFULL, BREAK INTO 3 SECTIONS AND PUT IN THE POT. WHILE DOING THIS HAVE SOMEONE STIR THE PASTA INTO THE GRAVY. REPEAT THIS UNTIL ALL OF THE PASTA HAS BEEN ADDED. AFTER. LOWER THE FIRE AND PLACE COVER ON THE POT. DON’T ALLOW TO COOK TO FAST. EVERY FEW MINUTES, RAISE COVER AND STIR, COVER BACK. REPEAT THIS UNTIL PASTA IS COOKED. YOU CAN CHECK BY TASTING A PIECE OF THE PASTA. YOU WILL KNOW IF IT IS TENDER.
