I enjoy cooking and am always looking for new recipes/dishes that are "winners". If you are having company and want to impress your guests, what is your favorite, never fail recipe?
Cajuns don't have many "recipes". When I was in HS and we (guys) started camping at our fathers' camp without them I would cook. First time was pretty much boiled meat. I'd get to a point then, while back at home, would ask my mom. I would get so aggravated that she couldn't give me specifics of what to add, how long, etc. As I became more seasoned I came to understand why.
Same here. Even if I make something new I only use a recipe as a general guideline and use on not use ingredients and amounts according to taste.
one I have started doing with bigger fish filets like big specks, flounder, redfish, snapper, sheephead etc when we are tired of the same old fried over and over is iron skillet grilled fish. put a snapper, trout whatever white flaky fish in a large iron skillet with a little white wine and whatever seasoning you like.....old bay tonys etc. Just season it however you like it doesnt really matter. Top it off with several gobs of butter and grill uncovered for about 15 min more or less. Just check it occasionally and when it flakes through at the thickest part its done. Once its done top it with a little grated(not powder) Parmesan cheese and Italian bread crumbs. Do some biscuits to sop up the wine and butter sauce. Might throw some asparagus, fresh squash, and sausage on the grill with it too.
Corned beef pot roast with potatoes, carrots, onions, and cabbage. A tossed salad, some garlic bread, and peach cobbler.
This could turn into a very long thread with lots of dissenting opinions, I love it. Like tiga said, wait, was it him or the @Bayou Tiger fella, I get those two mixed up a lot, maybe it was @FEMALE Bball Lover03 shit I can't keep em straight anymore. I never use a recipe, I cook and people eat it and love it and say "man, how did you do that"? and my answer is always the same "shit if I know" "can't do it again" because I never write it down and usually drink too much to remember what the fuck I did but it always works out and people keep asking me to cook so I keep doing it.
Had exactly that last night. My sister in law called me with a care package. She is Filipino and can cook like nobody's business. I use recipes as guides. I have studied a lot of techniques, sauces, etc. I typically take an inventory of what I have and make dishes accordingly. But, that are all variations on things I have done before. That said, I have some things that you follow the recipe closer than others. For instance, Bananas Foster. Don't change the damn recipe. Cook it like it should be cooked and don't f with it. It is perfect in it's simplicity. Too often, cooks try to do too much and f up classic recipes.
Man you take this stuff way too seriously. I'm not sure I'd know what "Bananas Foster" is if it fell on my head. I get it though, always best when you keep it simple and that is what I aim to do. I don't get crazy with seasonings or other exotic shit. Most of the flavor comes in browning the meat properly. After that it is always a different path to success.
Dude, impress your friends. Learn Bananas Foster. Cool show with the fire and who the hell doesn't like ice cream and sweet, buttery, cinnamony sauce? I used to cook that shit table-side at Del Lago in Baton Rouge in the early 80's for about $9/serving. The show was awesome and it raised my tip by increasing the bill and by putting on a fiery show. Pro tip: When you are flaming stuff, throw a little cinnamon in the flame...it sparkles like Tinkerbell. The drunk (if you did your job right) chicks at the table love it.
Are you trying to get me killed? Did you not read anything I've posted in this thread? My FIRST ingredient in anything I cook is at least a cold beer, sometimes a few fingers of bourbon over a couple of cubes. If I start trying to light things on fire other than the burner there is at least a 70% chance I'm going to end up one of them.
