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More food porn pictures!

13 years ago

I enjoyed the last thread and the photos very much - not only enjoyed, but was inspired! I think it was Eliz that recommended a cooking class that a friend offers. I'm not in Toronto, but it did prompt me to finally use one of the two-year old gift certificates I had for a lovely cooking school here in town. One of the recipes I learned was Spiced Baked Tofu Salad. It is incredibly yummy - some of the ingredients: tofu, mango, ginger, snow peas, cucumber, red onion, mint, lime juice ... it goes wonderfully on.

I made it again tonight, so, although I'm late to the party, here are my food porn pictures:

Anybody else cooking up lovely food these days? Please share!

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Comments (28)

kateskouros
13 years ago
looks great ...but i don't do tofu (people with thyroid problems need to stay clear). i still love sneaking a peak whenever i can at your GORGEOUS slabs! for me, it's about your counters ...counter porn, if you will!
John Liu
13 years ago
I missed the original thread, but will have to go back and read it.

Here are some recent pics from me. Blurry ones, as I just snap quick pics w/ the iPhone.

I've been hanging out in the Cooking Forum, which turns out to be a good place to improve one's cooking. I find a thread on some dish that interests me - or I start it - and as members share their tips and techniques, I make that dish repeatedly until I've learned some new things. The family has to tolerate having the same dish over and over for a week, which is not a small imposition - as much as you might like, say, risotto or roast chicken or creamed spinach or beets, you might not like it for the fourth time in a week.

Salmon with crispy-fried salmon skin
Cut the skin off the salmon and pan-fry it to potato chip crispness, then slice into matchsticks

Seared beef and pan-fried beets
I went through a big beet kick, as part of my eat-healthy-lose-weight thing

Pan-fried dumplings with roasted bell peppers and spinach

Roast chicken, larded with bacon under breast skin and stuffed w/ lemons
We had roast chicken four times in six nights. SMWBO became impatient.

Beef stew, starting w/ beef, oxtails, and tendons (lots of gelatin!) . . .
There is so much great stuff in Asian markets, from organs to connective tissue. All that gelatin will make a luscious stew that actually sets up at room temperature.

. . . and ready for service

Tamago (Japanese sweet rolled omelette) with roast potatoes and I-don't remember-what-else
I've gotten quite interested in Japanese foods recently, but only have one picture

Creamed spinach with brie cheese, mushrooms and almonds in Grand Marnier sauce
We've been having a steak thread and a creamed veggies thread in CF, convenient as that is the classic steakhouse combination. Well, I guess we'd need a hashbrowns thread too.
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rjr220
13 years ago
How about something to start the morning? Our PTA hosted the "Welcome Back Teachers" breakfast this morning -- my contribution was the Baked Apple French Toast
Just out of the oven:

Flipped and ready to head out the door:
elizpiz
13 years ago
YUM. Can't believe this got buried after the great responses last time...guess everyone's too busy cooking :-)

Here are a couple recent pix that feature all of the great stuff that's at the farmers' market these days.

Tomato gazpatcho with avocado salsa

Plum jam - first time and super easy!

More please!
Eliz
sabjimata
13 years ago
Sochi, loved that your porn was meat free! Be still my vegetarian heart!

Eliz---yum plum jam yum!

Rjr--they must have loved you at the PTA!

John--I am imagining the veggie versions....looks delish ;)

I try to regularly post my porn at my blog, which I haven't done in a while. I will try to get it up today. Thanks for the inspiration!

Here is a link that might be useful: sabjimata food blog
sochi
Original Author
13 years ago
Eliz, that gazpatcho looks amazing!

Sabjimata - all my meals are meat free (not DH's though, but he has to make it) and gluten free too, so I'm looking for inspiration everywhere. I will check out your blog again, I haven't visited in some time.

Anyone else have pics or perhaps great food stories to share??
segbrown
13 years ago
{{!gwi}}

Hoisin Beef and Edamame Noodles!

Not a great photo, but it was very pretty IRL, and miracle of miracles, the entire family liked it. (in other words, the picky 12-year-old daughter liked it.)
segbrown
13 years ago
(Shown are actually udon noodles, because our market didn't have soba noodles, so if you look up the recipe, it's supposed to be soba.)
scootermom
13 years ago
Gosh, beautiful pictures!

Sochi, I have been thinking of trying some tofu dishes. I made black bean tacos for my husband and he swears he'll never eat another ground beef taco. Since I never would've expected him to say that, I figure I might as well try some tofu on him. Your salad sounds like the type of flavors that would win him over. Are you allowed to share the recipe, or at least give hints as to the tofu prep and dressing?

John - the beef and beets looks amazing! We have become beet lovers this summer.

RJR - The French toast looks really yummy. I remember trying something like that at a B&B once. Ah, memories...

Eliz - The gazpacho looks so beautiful and refreshing that I can almost taste it. Last time we made gazpacho, I made adorable teeny tiny croutons for the top, but that avocado salsa looks wonderful!

Why have I never thought to add edamame to a stir fry dish??
sandlll
13 years ago
you guys are killing me with the great food! Sitting here with a gutted kitchen is tough, these food threads are making me want to cook cook cook!
sochi
Original Author
13 years ago
Scootermom - just send me an email and I will share the recipe. It isn't my recipe, so I'm hesitate to just post it on-line. It is fabulous though, I'm sure your husband will love it.

segbrown - that looks amazing. I've never added edamame to a stir-fry either, must do so soon.

I second (or third) the vote for beets - I just love them and you don't see/eat them often. I'm on a dill kick too. New potatoes with butter and dill .... mmmm.
elizpiz
13 years ago
Sochi, my most recent blog posts have been vegetarian and - I think - for the most part gluten free. The gazpatcho is dead simple and delicious! There's a zucchini pasta dish that could just as easily be made as a risotto or with rice pasta. Link below (skip the first post which is pierogis and definitely not gluten or meat free :-)

I think if you credit your recipe source you'll be okay to put it here...

Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: My blog
rhome410
13 years ago
More amazing and gorgeous food! I am really intrigued by that salad, Sochi!

Before running out with my dh to meet Trailrunner and her dh in Seattle (Fun!!), I made a pan of hamburger buns, a pan of smaller sandwich rolls, and a pan of cinnamon rolls and this is what is left this evening...;-)

But I think this is the most exciting food that's graced our kitchen this week...Straight out of the garden. The best kind!
petra66_gw
13 years ago
Remember Trailrunner's recipe for marinated tomatoes with pasta that started the original thread? This is my take on it with yellow and red cherry tomatoes fresh from my garden.
rcvt
13 years ago
Segbrown, I find that noodle hanging over the right side of the dish terribly endearing. It's so real -- a miniscule imperfection reminding us that an actual person made that lovely stir-fry.

rc
sochi
Original Author
13 years ago
Eliz - I will visit your blog again for recipes, I haven't been in a while. I wish I could have the pierogis though, brings back memories of making them in Russia years ago. DH loves Gazpatcho, so we'll definitely do that recipe.

Rhome410 - here is the Spiced Baked Tofu Salad recipe, do give it a try. I have since made just the tofu and put in on Nachos with onions, sweet peppers, sweet corn and lots of cheese - amazingly good. Very kid friendly. I just bought three new packs of firm tofu this afternoon and everyone just likes to eat the baked tofu as a snack.

The recipe comes from Chef Candice Butler, The Urban Element, a wonderful cooking school here in Ottawa, Canada.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 pack firm tofu, diced into medium sized cubes
1 tbsp curry powder (I use garam masala, don't use that old '70s style yellow curry powder if you can help it)
1/2 tsp 5-spice powder (a chinese spice)
1 tbsp sambal chili paste (a spicy/hot chili paste - adjust depending upon how much of a kick you like)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger root, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp canola oil

1 mango, small dice
1 English cucumber, small dice
1 red pepper, julienne
1/2 cup snow peas, julienne
1 small red onion, minced
1 tbsp each black and white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce (I skip the soy sauce as it contains gluten)
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp mint, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.

2. Combine the curry powder, five-spice, sambal chili paste, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and canola oil together. Toss in the cubed tofu and mix well. Place the tofu on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Season the tofu with salt and pepper. Bake the tofu for 15 or 20 minutes, until it begins to crisp and brown slightly. Remove from the oven and cool. (hint - try the tofu now! The little crispy bites are like spiced candy!)

3. Place all remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Add the cooled tofu. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
melaska
13 years ago
How fun!

My Edamame & Smoked Red Salmon salad...we get great salmon here in Alaska!

Here's my homemade salsa

Edamame Salad

Crispy Cheese Omelet. I found a great way to get my cheese flavor without busting the cheese calorie bank. :)
rhome410
13 years ago
Oh, yum! Those all look so good, Melaska.

Thanks, Sochi, for the recipe! And anything that can be made into nachos is popular around here.

Does anyone know what to do with green garbanzos? I was looking for edamame at Costco and found those instead. (they're frozen)
gillycat
13 years ago
melaska - you cannot say this
Crispy Cheese Omelet. I found a great way to get my cheese flavor without busting the cheese calorie bank. :)
and not give details
not fair!
melaska
13 years ago
LOL muspic...ok..here it is :)

The directions look wordy but after you get the method, it's a breeze. I only do 1 egg at a time but I suppose you can do 2...I wouldn't try more than that until you get the hang of it. Just start with 1 egg. This only takes me less than 2 minutes.

Try to have a dedicated 'egg pan'; good quality, heavy bottomed.

The secret is NOT cooking the egg too much in the beginning. I use a large Pampered Chef rubber spatula. Flop it over on the cheese as soon as you can do it in one movement. Once the egg is on top of the cheese, leave it alone.

Another tip is to NOT use too much cheese (if you do, it won't get crispy, just melt-y...you need the Maillard affect to create the "brownness". I'll link what that is below.)

CRISPY CHEESE OMELET

Have all ingredients prepared before starting.

1 egg scrambled with salt & freshly ground black pepper
Dash of hot sauce if desired
1 - 1.5 Tablespoons cheddar cheese...use real Cheddar, not American. The sharper the better :) Put the cheese aside.
1 heavy-bottomed, good quality non-stick pan. (I use a non-stick crepe pan.)
Olive oil for oiling pan.
1 large rubber spatula
Salsa if desired for garnish.

Heat pan a bit on high, put in a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil, spread around with rubber spatula.

Put egg in hot pan, turn immediately to MEDIUM.

When almost halfway done, push eggs to side. This only takes a few seconds.

Spread cheese on other half of pan and turn the egg on top of the cheese & let cook browning the cheese, don't stir.

When ready to remove, use the rubber spatula to gently scrape it off the bottom of the pan in case the cheese sticks...you want the cheese to stay on the egg! You can also use a non-stick turner.

Don't worry if the egg isn't perfectly shaped...the cheese covers a lot of imperfection. :)

Plop cheese side down on plate.

If you want, you can use a paper towel to blot some of the fat from the cheese. But, there's not much there and that's where all the flavor is :)

Really jazzes up that 1 egg!

Salsa would be good on it, too. Hope this is clear - I tried to imagine myself walking through what I do.

This picture shows the omelet on a salad plate and using 1 egg.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Maillard Reaction
melaska
13 years ago
rhome,

Thanks:) I'll link a site below for green garbanzos. They look really good!

Here is a link that might be useful: Green garbanzo beans
melaska
13 years ago
rhome,

I'll link a news story about green garbanzos plus a couple recipes.

Here are a few more:

http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/category/indian-vegetables/hara-chanagreen-chickpeas/

These look really good!
http://ammaluskitchen.info/2009/07/02/green-garbanzo-beans/

Oven roasted green garbanzos

Pan fried green garbanzos

Here is a link that might be useful: Green garbanzo beans in the news (& recipes)
melaska
13 years ago
bumping for muspic
elizpiz
13 years ago
Sochi, if you're still following this thread, here's a recipe for gluten free piergois from The Daring Kitchen which, BTW, for those interested in new cooking challenges, is a very cool web site. You don't need a food blog to join, but you do commit to making the "challenge" recipe each month and posting it on the forum. Since joining, I have made said pierogis, enchiladas, a bain-marie pate, among other things - all recipes I probably wouldn't have chosen on my own. There's also a Daring Bakers' Forum for those who prefer to bake (RHome?). Anyway, worth checking out - link below.

Not at home cooking right now - in Tokyo on business - but boy am I eating some interesting things. Definitely stuff I wouldn't try at home, but delicious!

Barbecued eel, anyone?

And the instructions for how to eat it

Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: The Daring Kitchen
sochi
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks Eliz, I will definitely give the gluten free pierogis a try.

Lucky you in Tokyo! Hope the trip goes well. Looks like the food is fun - although I don't think I'm brave enough for eel! Enjoy!
rhome410
13 years ago
THanks, Melaska, I'll check out the links.

Eliz, I thought that looked so amazing, until I got to 'eel,' then it lost some of the appeal for me. ;-)
User
13 years ago
the site messed up and my post was placed as a new thread...I am so sorry as I wanted to be here with the rest. Sorry....will post more for the rest of the week on this thread. c
petra66_gw
13 years ago
This is a link to what Trailrunner planned to post here: it all looks awfully good!!

HTH, Petra

Here is a link that might be useful: How did I MISS this???

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