my kind of chef... I don't cook much, but when I do, I play everything by feel, and by ear... How much depends on how many people, etc... me on the pit normally leads to diseaster, but i try... i got time to learn. :thumb:
I got good when I learned to keep one side of the pit hot to sear meat quickly and grill hamburgers and one side with low heat to slow cook those ribs, brisket, and chicken after a quick searing to seal in the juices. It's hard to screw up with low and slow.
One of my winter favorites is Beef Stew. I cube the beefs and dredge it flour before browning it in in oil a big pot. Then I put in a couple of quarts of beef broth (usually just water and boullion cubes). Then lots of garlic, onions, potatoes and carrots with a little marjoram and a dash of Worcestershire. Those whole little onions hold together better than cubed onions. I slow-cooked it until the gravy thickens and the meat and veggies are soft. I spoon some cooked english peas over the top when it is done. I like it best in a bowl with crackers, but it works well over rice, too. An old girlfriend of mine made a variation with mushrooms and wine added that she called Belgian Beef Stew. Pretty dammned good with some garlic french bread. A variation I do is to add some cumin, chilli powder and chipotle to make a Chuckwagon Stew. Definitely corn bread with this one!
You reminded me of when I was in High School, we'd (A bunch of guys) go to camps on the weekends and I was "The Cook" and the first couple of times it was not much better than boiled meat but when you drink enough it's amazing how something can be palatable. When I ask my mother (Who cooks very well) about "How to cook" certain things, she'd drive me nutts saying, "It's hard for me to explain, I don't know how I do it. It's just a coonass cooking, I don't have 'Recipes'". :thumb:
Men. *sigh* Chives are an herb. Shallots are a small bulbous member of the allium family. Scallions are what are commonly called green onions. They are actually immature onions. That is the word you are looking for. :grin:
Thanks, it slipped my mind. I learned that when I worked at Delchamps one summer long ago and I didn't even know what kiwi was. (I was in college) I had to learn to know which code to type in. :hihi:
A Mexican friend made a shrimp dish that was great. I asked her about a particular taste that I couldn't identify. She told me to buy some comino. I couldn't find it at the store and asked where she got it. She says, "you don't have any cumin ?" I already had a big jar at home for making chili. Stupid.
You will get that answer from all good cooks. Best way to learn is watch them do it. Whenever I cook Jambalaya everyone asks for a recipe. I don't have one. Depends on what I have in freezer or what I can find in the store. It's hard to get good sausage in Dallas. BTW...Anyone in the DFW area know of a good meat market that sells andouille and tasso?
