What's cooking?

Robin, were the limas fresh or frozen at the start. I like lima beans unlike a lot of people, and think these could easily find their way to my table.

[Robin Garr]

Robin, were the limas fresh or frozen at the start. I like lima beans unlike a lot of people, and think these could easily find their way to my table.

I used frozen, Bob. I like the low, slow braising period with a smallish amount of aromatic liquid, which seems to both improve the texture of frozen limas and enhance their flavor.

Robin, were the limas fresh or frozen at the start. I like lima beans unlike a lot of people, and think these could easily find their way to my table.

I used frozen, Bob. I like the low, slow braising period with a smallish amount of aromatic liquid, which seems to both improve the texture of frozen limas and enhance their flavor.

What about dried?

Robin, were the limas fresh or frozen at the start. I like lima beans unlike a lot of people, and think these could easily find their way to my table.

I used frozen, Bob. I like the low, slow braising period with a smallish amount of aromatic liquid, which seems to both improve the texture of frozen limas and enhance their flavor.

What about dried?

That was my next question Rashaan. I didn't think of it until hitting the send button.

[Robin Garr]

What about dried?

I like dried limas, but to me the process makes them more like, well, dried beans. I would want to do this dish with either frozen or fresh, and while I like fresh, I'll say again that the long-and-slow braise seems not only to infuse the beans with flavor but to plump them up and impart a creamy texture ... it essentially reconstitutes the frozen beans much more effectively than the traditional procedure of simmering in a lot of water. Frankly, I doubt I'll ever use frozen limas cooked that way again. To me, the difference is that significant.

What about dried?

I like dried limas, but to me the process makes them more like, well, dried beans. I would want to do this dish with either frozen or fresh, and while I like fresh, I'll say again that the long-and-slow braise seems not only to infuse the beans with flavor but to plump them up and impart a creamy texture ....

What is the objection to dried beans. Certainly not time? Because why couldn't you do a long and slow braise with dried limas?

[Robin Garr]

What is the objection to dried beans. Certainly not time? Because why couldn't you do a long and slow braise with dried limas?

No objection whatsoever, Rahsaan. I didn't mean to suggest that. In response to questions, what I'm saying here is that I worked out this procedure to improve on the usual quick-simmer treatment for frozen limas. I like to keep frozen limas handy for a quick, healthy dish, but I've never been 100 percent happy about their reconstituted quality until I worked this out based on a great dish at a local diner.

I'd be happy to do it with fresh limas, but I rarely see them out of season, and would just as soon enjoy them from a farmers' market in season anyway.

And I'm not hating on dried limas at all, but to me they do have a different character, and no green left in them at all, so it just seems like a different dish to me.

Again, I'm just responding to Bob's question: I made them with frozen limas because I was on a mission to make frozen limas delicious.

And I'm not hating on dried limas at all, but to me they do have a different character, and no green left in them at all, so it just seems like a different dish to me.

Fair enough.

Although we eat a lot of dried beans and though I often pass over the dried limas after all this discussion I am getting motivated to buy them and see what I can do.

Breakfast of Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Buns:

January 010.JPG

We made a big caldron of Ham and 12 Bean soup earlier this week, but since the photos didn't look all that appetizing, I decided not to post.

Breakfast of Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Buns:

January 010.JPG

We made a big caldron of Ham and 12 Bean soup earlier this week, but since the photos didn't look all that appetizing, I decided not to post.

Get thee behind me Satan!

We are having a dumpling party today. At this stage we just have a batch of ingredients so we'll see what comes out. Prolly tea smoke some fish too. Haven't got that yet.

On the menu:
Tofu - for soup.
Ground pork
scallop
shrimp
Chinese sausage
kimchi
ginger
napa
ground beef
mushrooms

And whatever else we find on the last trip to the market. Wish us luck!

Jason

Limas braised in olive oil and butter with turnip dice, onions and garlic and a shot o' Dijon. 

I am going to try this soon.

J

We are having a dumpling party today. At this stage we just have a batch of ingredients so we'll see what comes out. Prolly tea smoke some fish too. Haven't got that yet.

On the menu:
Tofu - for soup.
Ground pork
scallop
shrimp
Chinese sausage
kimchi
ginger
napa
ground beef
mushrooms

And whatever else we find on the last trip to the market. Wish us luck!

Jason

Jason, This past week I picked up a 6.5qt cast aluminum stove top smoker. Haven't tried it out yet, (still using my Kamado) but one day when it's cold and blustery outside I will do a tea smoked chicken. Sounds good, but good enough for me to wish for the blustery weather, Oh! BTW, good luck.

[Jenise]

We are having a dumpling party today. At this stage we just have a batch of ingredients so we'll see what comes out. Prolly tea smoke some fish too. Haven't got that yet.

On the menu:
Tofu - for soup.
Ground pork
scallop
shrimp
Chinese sausage
kimchi
ginger
napa
ground beef
mushrooms

And whatever else we find on the last trip to the market. Wish us luck!

Jason

Love the idea of a dumpling party--is this for your family or an activity extendable to 10 or 18 guests? Will all be steamed or will you do a variety of finishes?

Could live on that kind of food 24/7.

[Jenise]

A close friend who has been battling esophageal cancer for the last six months or so has just been told there's no more they can do and the end is near. He can swallow fine--that part got fixed, but the spreading cancer has put a lethal mass right next to his kidneys, and though the plumbing's been stented open, digestion is an issue and he's living on things like oatmeal and soup. Now his wife is a fine cook and doesn't need anyone's help in that department, but I don't think she feels like doing much right now so I've spent my day making easily digestable soups for him. So, a homemade tomato bisque is ready to go, as is a hazelnut flavored cauliflower soup. But the one I'm proudest of is the one made from Wednesday's leftover roast chicken that tastes like a provencal chicken pot pie. It's made of chicken, carrots, green olives, chanterelle mushrooms and barley. I threw the barley in hoping for more texture (the soup was broken down to small bits with an immersion blender), and indeed that part's magical, but the barley made two other unanticipated contributions, a glistening appearance and a flavor that actually mimics that of a crust. I think I salted the soups with my tears.

A close friend...

May God bless you and him. That's all.

You're a good soul, Jenise.

Made a big pot of chicken cacciatore tonight: two chickens (cut up), Italian tomatoes, every mushroom I could lay my hands on, a handful of teeny fingerlings, some bacon to start it off, just oregano and basil for seasoning.

, a handful of teeny fingerlings,

Teeny fingerlings? I love chicken cacciatore but I don't understand the fingerlings.

, a handful of teeny fingerlings,

Teeny fingerlings? I love chicken cacciatore but I don't understand the fingerlings.

I don't either Drew, but I sure as heck want the recipe!

Love the idea of a dumpling party--is this for your family or an activity extendable to 10 or 18 guests? Will all be steamed or will you do a variety of finishes?

Could live on that kind of food 24/7.

We did this with our good friends. Our kids are best friends or more like brother and sister. We were going to head up to into town to http://www.dintaifungusa.com/ but we switched so we could have some fun and drink some different wines.

We made Kimchi-Pork, Pork-Shrimp, Mushroom Medley w/ Ginger & Napa, Ginger-Scallop, & Talapia-Leek. We ended up not getting fresh fish.

We made up 4 different sauces but who knows what was in each of them. We just started putting them together

To mix it up we did 4 different preparations. Steamed, boiled, pan fried finished with water and a lid (gyoza style, not sure what it is called) and deep fried a few.

All of them were great IMO but the winner for me was the Pork-Kimchi. I liked all the preparations as well.

We stuffed ourselves silly and then made some vanilla ice cream which I finished with some red sea salt.

I still love Din Tai Fung but we will do this again for sure.

Jason

, a handful of teeny fingerlings,

Teeny fingerlings? I love chicken cacciatore but I don't understand the fingerlings.

Fingerlings are small potatoes that are shaped like fingers.

I've got a slow cooker with winter squash/garbanzo/lentil stew going for tonight's dinner. It's 50 and rainy here today!

[Robin Garr]

Teeny fingerlings? I love chicken cacciatore but I don't understand the fingerlings.

Fingerlings are small potatoes that are shaped like fingers.[/quote]
Was that what they were asking about? Dang, I could have told them that. I thought they were expressing concern about the propriety of potatoes in cacciatore.

Teeny fingerlings? I love chicken cacciatore but I don't understand the fingerlings. Fingerlings are small potatoes that are shaped like fingers.

Was that what they were asking about? Dang, I could have told them that. I thought they were expressing concern about the propriety of potatoes in cacciatore.

You are correct in your thinking Robin, I know what fingerlings are, but had never heard of potatoes in Cacciatore.