Summer 2021

A whole summer of stated cooking goals, most of them checked off: salsas, pickled peppers (salinity dialed in against four different reference recipes), roasted peppers, pastas and pizzas. A bread post-mortem diagnosed a too-hot oven behind some gummy loaves, a mushroom soup potage method with cashew cream “worked well,” and a pizza dough reset (Detroit style, a few failed attempts along the way) kept the pizza streak alive.

Undated.

Food goals!

This is a list of things I want to get better at cooking during Summer 2021.

• Salsas (make every few weeks)
  • ✅ Verde → Salsa verde
  • Red enchilada
  • ✅ Tomato/Gina’s → Gina’s tomato salsa
• Corn bread
• ✅ Pastas and pizzas
• ✅ Roasted peppers
• Quick dressings
  • Vinaigrettes
• Pickles~
  • ✅Jalapenos (inspiration)
• Chowders/creamy soups
  • ✅ mushroom/roasted cauli and corn
• Salads
  • → Chopped salad (from Wooden Spoon) ←
    • Romaine, kale, brown rice, carrot, broccoli stems, pumpkin seeds, roasted corn, gem tomatoes, cucumber, feta, craisins, yeshi dressing
  • ✅ Broc
• Write about food:
  • Mushroom soup
  • Cashew cream
  • How I find and select recipes (or: why the internet is a pile of turds)
  • Forcing functions (ways to build better food thinking habits)
  • Rework cheat sheet into web page / doc

Al pastor nachos

We’re going to make al-pastor style nachos this weekend (some notes so I don’t forget what we talked about):

• Refried beans (dip)
• Fresh salsa (dip)
• Al pastor fried
• Cheese
• Tortilla chips
• Pickled jalapenos
• Olives
• Red/yellow pepper chunks

(Update: these were delicious!)

Google cookoff!

I was part of a Google API seminar that included a 2 hour cooking interactive demo. The challenge included 2 chicken dishes:

• Chicken Lemon Piccata
  • Chicken (pounded flat, seasoned, lightly floured)
  • Butter, olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Capers
  • White wine, chicken stock, lemon (juice and zest, and/or lemon slices)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Top with herbs (parsley, basil, etc.)
• Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms
  • Chicken (pounded flat, seasoned, lightly floured)
  • ~2-3 cups of mushrooms (chopped, criminis or similar)
  • Butter, olive oil
  • Garlic
  • 2 cups marsala wine, 2 cups heavy cream
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • Top with herbs (parsley, basil, etc.)

Brutus salad

More of the Chef John inspiration with a Brutus salad:

• Dressing
  • ¼ cup real French Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper
• Salad
  • Toasted pecans (salt, tiny bit of sugar)
  • Apple thinly sliced
  • Romaine hearts cut
  • Dill, tarragon (fresh)
  • Cheddar sharp (white)

Al Pastor

I want to try John’s Al Pastor recipe (for salad and chilli rather than on a bun).

On second thought, I want to try a reverse-pastor like they worked on for Serious Eats. I was thinking that breaking it into 2 steps would make it easier to nail at home.

I made a home-pantry version of the al pastor style marinade, and have ~2kgs of pork marinating. Tomorrow I’ll bake it! → Al pastor marinade (pantry hack)

Pickled peppers success

I ended up making a 500ml brine using the Pickled banana peppers recipe (from Serious Eats), and bumping up the salt to 3.2% (from 1.6%). The peppers were spiced with fresh thyme, crushed garlic, carrots, and onions (and 1 tablespoon of pickling spice).

• 250ml : 250ml : 200g : 16g (vinegar, water, sugar, salt)
• 3.2% salinity
• per 500g veg

I boiled the brine and spices until combined and poured over a sieve into 2 x 250ml canning jars. I let these cool and popped them in the fridge. I tasted a few peppers 12 hours later, and the spice level is good, and they’re at about the right level of saltiness.

Overall cost was about $2.50 / 500ml (commercial pickled jalapenos are $4-5/500ml), so not a huge savings, but a much better product overall. Next time I’ll use more carrots and onions, and treat it like a sandwich mix.

Post mortem: bread bake problems

I suspect that my oven runs a bit hot. In today’s bake, the loaves took much longer than expected (~2x longer), and even then they were still gummy in the middle. The dough going into it had a great bounce and feel, so it seems like temperature is the culprit. I also have a tendency to aim at a crustier bread and I had the oven set to 190C, which is already on the high side.

One interesting note is that measuring the temperature of the bread seems to produce wildly inconsistent results, at least while a bread is gummy. I need to test this out a bit more, but I think testing temperature can only work if the bake temp/time is closer to ideal (i.e., somewhere after gummy). So perhaps measuring temp works best to prevent a loaf from drying out versus figuring out when it’s minimally done?

What I learned:

I baked 3 styles of loaves today. The dough going into it was pliable and wasn’t overly sticky. It was a ~60% hydration dough with a small amount of malted barley for flavouring.

If it weren’t for the buns, you might assume a dough issue. A few improvements I’ll aim for in my next build:

• Longer final rise
• Larger dough portions across the board (need to get a log of what works, maybe some research)
• Lower temperature (176 c, possibly lower)
• Bring the dough up to temperature (measure this and log it)

Pickled peppers

• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 sliced carrot
• about 5 jalapeños sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoon of sea salt (27g) ← 4.3% salt
• ¾ cup of white vinegar (375ml)
• ½ cup of filtered water (250ml)
• 1 tablespoon of whole black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 ½ spoon of dried onion flakes

Examples:

• Pickled peppers (Serious Eats):
  • 500ml : 500ml : 36g (vinegar, water, salt) per 500g of veg
  • 3.6% salt
• Pickled jalapenos (Serious Eats):
  • 750ml : 18g (vinegar to salt) per 500g of veg
  • 2.4% salt
• Pickled banana peppers (Serious Eats)
  • 250ml : 250ml : 200g : 8g (vinegar, water, sugar, salt) per 500g veg
  • 1.6% salt
  • 40% sugar
• Pickled jalapenos (internet rando):
  • 1500ml : 500ml: 136g (vinegar, water, salt) ← this one seems salty
  • 6.8% salt

Goal ratio will be 2 - 4% salinity, and up to 40% sugar.

If using kosher salt, add ~20% - 50% more salt (as pickling salt is finer). Pickling salt is 74g/125ml (or .58g/ml volume), making 1 tablespoon (14.78ml) 8.6g.

Boil, combine brine ingredients, add veg until it resumes boiling (blanching), remove from heat.

From Fine Cooking:

The brine’s salinity level depends on what you’re pickling and the results you’re going for. Crisp leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, are fermented into sauerkraut or kimchi at 1% to 2% salinity, which allows different bacteria and a variety of flavors to develop as acidity increases. The most typical brine strength for home pickling is between 5% and 6% salinity, which is slightly less than the 7% to 8% full-strength brine used to preserve lemons and olives. Half-sours, a popular Jewish-deli-style cucumber pickle, are brined at around 3.5%.

Salt mass ratios suggest a pretty wide difference in mass per volume.

Nut crusted fishy fish fish

→ Nut-crusted salmon

Glue:

• ¼ cup mayo
• 2 ½ tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Salt/pepper

Crust:

• ½ cup toasted walnuts
• ½ cup toasted pecans
• ½ cup parmesan
• Chopped parsley
• Salt/pepper

Spread glue on top of salmon fillets, top with crusty crust. Bake at 220C/420F

Mirin substitute

This is really a teriyaki sort of sauce, but also can sub in for mirin. Is great on salmon, on veg, etc.

• 2 parts saké
• 2 parts sugar
• 1 part soy sauce

Cook down until syrupy. Can add ginger or garlic

Miso salmon

→ Miso salmon

• ¼ - ½ cup miso (any works, white can be sweeter)
• ⅓ cup sake
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk into a peanut buttery consistency. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to a few days, but is more of a glaze and brine (so will start to firm up the meat a bit). Bake/broil to 50-53C (medium)

Ramen noodles

→ Ramen noodles

From Serious Eats:

• 6g baked baking soda
• 4g Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt or other kinds of salt, use the same weight
• 160mL water
• 396g King Arthur bread flour (see note)
• 4g vital wheat gluten (see note)
  • Either make this by washing flour, or buy Bob’s Red Mill version

Also see: Homemade ramen noodles

Or even better, check out how to make low hydration noodles at SE.

On bread doneness and baking temps

• Internal temp of 88C/190F or 94C/200F (enriched)
• Minimum water temp: 41C (and rise in 43C-54C)

Pizza dough test 6:

• 2-3 minutes to shaggy dough (on 1)
• 48C water
• Scrape down 2x (probably shouldn’t make a well)
• (on 4) /;

Reading:

• Temp is key

Butternut squash ravioli prep

• Filling:
  • Roast up squash and garlic
    • (keep half of garlic for sauce)
  • Ricotta + parm
  • Cook half of mushrooms
    • (slice other half for sauce)
  • Parsley
• Sauce:
  • Butter/mushroom/garlic/herb
    • Black pepper, salt to taste
• Make pasta dough

Focaccia

→ Focaccia

• Use pizza dough recipe
• Stretch and fold 4 times, repeating 4 times in 30 minute intervals
• 20g water + 20g oil on top
• Rosemary
• Salt!
• 232C/450F for ~ 25 minutes

Oysters

• Should smell no more sweet and seafoody and def not strong
  • Closed and washed, they should have very little smell
• Scrub and rinse first
• Cut from the hinge which is at the tip, rounded side down
• Keep on ice

Consider: Oyster pasta

Pizza reset, pizza day

I fucked up the pizza dough the other day, but let it ferment an extra day to see if it recovered. Somehow I added the ingredients out of order, not thinking about it when following a new recipe so that the yeast didn’t hydrate properly. I also added the malted barley a bit late, and I’m not sure if it was still good (funky smell, but I was having a weird smell day).

Today’s plan:

• Take dough out of fridge 2-3 hours early
  • Second rise after it comes to temp
  • Freeze extras for this week
• Prep chicken (dry brine, cook off in oven)
• Prep cheeses and deli meats
• Pan style pizza, try reverse toppings (cheese, meats, sauce!)
• Oil and cornmeal
• Oven at 280C, middle rack
  • Finish on stove top (if needed)

Pasta research

• From SE’s best all purpose pasta post:
  • one whole egg (1.4 ounces white and 0.6 ounce yolk) and two yolks (1.2 ounces yolk) for every five ounces of flour (plus alt)
  • Ratio 2:
    • 285g (10 ounces) of flour, a teaspoon (5g) of salt,
    • and two whole eggs (100g), plus four additional yolks (75g)
    • (175/290→60% hydration)

Revisiting pizza

After a few years of decent pizza success, I started to lose interest as my pie quality started to drop. I’m not sure if it was a lack of consistency, the new kitchen, or the 10 different types of pizza everyone likes here. I needed a reset.

Today I’m going to work through Ethan’s Detroit style pizza and cook it in a grill pan with angled sides (if it fits in the oven).

Dough (doubled):

• 400 grams water (warmish)
• Added (and adjusted for):
  • 20 grams olive oil
  • 10 grams diastolic malt powder
• 6 grams yeast
• 600 grams AP flour
• 12 grams salt

This is around 67% hydration.

I added the ingredients out of order today (duh!), so remember to add liquids and yeast and let it sit a few minutes (to dissolve the rapid yeast starch shells).

Sauce:

(makes about 1 large mason jar’s worth)

• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• ¼ onion
• Oregano
• Red pepper
• Salt to taste
• Added:
  • Black pepper (1-2 teaspoons)
  • Olive oil (2 tablespoons), instead of butter
  • Red wine (to taste)
  • Lemon juice (small amount to adjust for acid)
  • Sugar (small amount to adjust for tomato sweetness)

Missing here were some acid and sugar (I used some lemon syrup I had made a few weeks back, and some additional red wine). Acid/sweet balance is fairly variable in canned tomatoes, so taste + adjust!

Sweat down onions in olive oil with some salt in a family pan until they are translucent. Add garlic and gently fry until softened. Deglaze pan with wine, and add tomatoes. Crush with a potato masher or with the spatula and cook until combined. Balance with salt/sugar/acid until a bright sauce emerges. Add oregano (and any other spices).

Lasts up to a week in the fridge (and freezes pretty well). Great for pizza, pizza dogs, parm, or simple pastas.

Food research

Misc:

• Italian grandmother Bolognese
• Simple vinaigrette
  • red onions (or shallots), garlic, lime, vinegar, olive oil (or avocado), seasoned like oregano and thyme, and salt (optional)
    • 6 tbsp olive oil - 2 tbsp wine vinegar - 1/4 of a medium red onion finely chopped - 1 garlic clove finely chopped - juice from 1 lime or lemon - 2 tsp thyme - 1 tsp oregano
    • Optional: 1/2 tsp sea salt - 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Crazy syrup method from SE
  • 200g sugar + 425g lemon or any citrus rinds

Pad Thai:

• Unverified, but recommended:
  • One pan (from She Simmers)
  • Hot Thai pad Thai
  • Another Pad Thai
• Weissman’s method
• Fish sauce replacements:
  • Soy sauce
  • Mushroom soy sauce

Mushroom soup/chowder ideas

→ Mushroom soup

Planning for a cookery day in early July.

Update: made this with Jay, following the veloté style method (using homemade cashew cream).

Basic ingredients:

• Onions/garlic (optionally leek, shallot)
• Mushrooms (crimini at minimum, mix if possible)
• Seasoning (salt, pepper, sage or thyme, rosemary)
• Veg stock (unsalted, preferably homemade)
• Flour, or
  • Corn starch, or
  • Potatoes
• Cream, or
  • Coconut cream, or
  • Cashews + water blended

There are 2 fairly standard methods for a simple cream of mushroom soup:

1. With a velouté (stock roux):
   1. Saute aromatics and mushrooms
   2. Add flour, make a roux
   3. Deglaze with stock (and/or wine)
   4. Finish with cream and herbs
2. Potage style (blended veg):
   1. Saute aromatics, potatoes, and some of the mushrooms. Cook until potatoes soften.
   2. Deglaze with stock (and optionally wine).
   3. Blend cashews and water, adding back to base.
   4. Blend base and set aside.
   5. Saute remaining mushrooms until browned, add creamy base, and finish with herbs.

The potage method uses natural vegetable starches and fibre to thicken, and cashews for creaminess. The colour is a bit less stark than cream (or coconut cream), but flavours should be solid.

The classic French method for velouté has separate steps for the roux, the cream base, and the aromatics, which we tend to abbreviate in North America into a one-pot version of the same.

Add-ins:

• Parsley
• Additional black pepper
• Bay leaves
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Roasted cauli
• Corn

Cashew milk:

• Hot water + cashews (untoasted or toasted) - 20 minutes - 1 hour
• Drain, rinse
• 1:1 water/cashews, blend the living crap out of
• Salt
• (optional lemon)

Research:

• Kenji’s standard chef process ← this one (with cashews) worked well
• Cashew cream style
• Vegan stock
• Mushroom velouté

Cream of coconut syrup

Great for summer rum drinks, especially when the commercial product isn’t available. This version tastes a lot cleaner than the commercial brands, but isn’t stabilized (and you’ll have to shake it before use)

• 1 can of coconut cream, solids + ⅓ cup of liquids
• ½ cup of granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt

Whisk to combine.

Camping prep

Home prep:

• Chilli → Canadian chili
  • Veg stock - made a quicker version of this
  • Consider add-ins
    • More chili powder (other chilis)
    • Masa (thickener)
    • Refried beans (texture, binding)
    • Charred poblano peppers
• Salsa Verde (healthier snacks!) → Salsa verde
  • Made a red salsa instead (no tomatillos), subbing in canned diced tomatos

Ribs

These ribs smelled strongly of sulphur. Apparently this happens with cryovac things (possibly worse when bone-in).

Process

• 1 batch of basic rib rub
• Wash, dry, rub, and double foil
• Let rest for 2+ hours (in fridge)
• Bake on low on sheet pans (in foil still)
  • 145C (300F-ish)
  • Goal is ~86-90C to get fall-off-the-bone
  • Should be 2-4 hours
  • Note that temp can level off
• Unwrap, slather with the sauce, bump heat
  • 190C
  • Repeat until you get some awesome crispers

These ribs were good, but a bit gamey. The best parts had browned sugars, and a bit more sauce (or sugar) would have probably improved these slightly.

Lasagne

Day 1:

• Marinara
• Veg prep

Day 2:

• Noodles
• Grated cheese
• Cheese mixture (2 eggs, ricotta, parm, mozza, salt, pepper, parsley)
• Savouries (mixed veg)

30 minutes covered, 30-ish minutes uncovered to brown. LET SIT FOR 20 MINUTES