RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good one

[Robin Garr]

Do you ever combine unrelated foods to see what happens? I was making my lunch the other day from a pot of Rancho Gordo's excellent pinto beans fired up with Mexican spices, and I noticed that Mary was fashioning a dish of just-harvested golden carrots from the garden, simmered crisp-tender and finished with abundant butter and chopped garden parsley.

WHY NOT MIX THEM TOGETHER!?

The idea: Bizarre. The result: Amazing. The flavors and textures came together to create something new and astonishingly good, making a vegetarian/almost vegan dish that I swear tasted like it had slow-cooked short ribs in it.

I'm doing this again ...

Beans n carrots.jpg

[Jenise]

Before answering the question: what a GORGEOUS dish. I would be happy just looking at that! But they're not unrelated, both being foods rooted (pun) in earthy flavor. It's why a horseradish goes so well with beets, just for instance.

That aside, yes I often mix things, usually just like you--suddenly transfixed by a couple leftovers whose mutual attraction would probably have never occurred to me had I not seen them sitting on the same shelf in my refrigerator.

[Robin Garr]

Thanks, Jenise! I think the gorgeousness is largely a matter of our luck ... Mary planted a handful of carrots from seed, not knowing that they would come up that amazing golden color. They were really good even raw - no need to peel them, they were juicy and crunchy but not chewy, with a really interesting earthy sweet but not too sweet flavor. Now I wish we'd planted about 100 more!

Anyone ever tried an 'Elvis' sandwich? Anchovy, almond butter, banana and honey sandwich?

https://food52.com/recipes/26869-the-an ... y-sandwich

Anyone ever tried an 'Elvis' sandwich? Anchovy, almond butter, banana and honey sandwich?

https://food52.com/recipes/26869-the-an ... y-sandwich

I did not know he was pregnant!

Sorry, I don't see anything unusual about carrots and beans.

I've been making a dish for years of slow cooked dried beans (mostly cannelloni with butter beans) with chopped carrots onions and a little chopped celery.

Anyone ever tried an 'Elvis' sandwich? Anchovy, almond butter, banana and honey sandwich?

https://food52.com/recipes/26869-the-an ... y-sandwich

The real Elvis sandwich is peanut butter, banana, and bacon, which I've had a few times. Actually good.

Sorry, I don't see anything unusual about carrots and beans.

Agreed. It's even a classic aromatic for the beginning of the cooking!

Maybe Robin was referencing the flavor profile of the two separate finished dishes. Still, I find beans quite forgiving.

Beautiful Robin ! I do what I call food reincarnation all the time with leftovers as Jenise mentioned. Sometimes planned as in making something like cabbage soup one day so I can make pane cotta in a day or two, but also serendipitous just trying to use whatever leftovers in the fridge in a creative way.

[Jenise]

I've been making a dish for years of slow cooked dried beans (mostly cannelloni with butter beans) with chopped carrots onions and a little chopped celery.

Yes of course, that's called a mirepoix and we all start a lot of dishes that way. Those ingredients disappear into the final dish after substantial cooking. But what Robin did was elevate the carrot to star player, both in size and independent flavor by being a late addition. That's different.

[Jenise]

Not really on-topic, or just barely so, I must confess that I just watched my first ever episode of that popular Food Network program with the red head on the ranch. I didn't mean to, I was channel surfing and became kind of transfixed when I heard her say "chick-enchi-lasagna."

Her mis en place consisted of four pan-cooked b/s chicken breasts that had been liberally seasoned with chile powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt and then fork-pulled while hot, a pile of cooked lasagna noodles, a mixture of ricotta and monterey jack with one egg, one can each green and red enchilada sauces, and grated cheddar. She layered these up: sauce, noodles, ricotta mix, chicken, all four again, and final layer of noodles topped with sauce and lastly, the cheddar. It baked for 45-60 minutes.

I could think of a few things that would have made it more sophisticated, but that aside I have to admit: that would taste pretty good.

I love Ree Drummond. But, I have to admit, her cooking sometimes remind me too much of Sandra Lee, too m any canned goods and mix-ups for my taste. But, I find her, Ladd, the kids, the dog and the ranch entertaining.

I've been making a dish for years of slow cooked dried beans (mostly cannelloni with butter beans) with chopped carrots onions and a little chopped celery.

Yes of course, that's called a mirepoix and we all start a lot of dishes that way.

With respect, not in this recipe. The carrots are large, aren't sautéed at the start and don't vanish and the celery is added shortly before serving so they retain crispness.

[Jenise]

Fair enough, Peter.

Discovered during my after election day fatigue and hangover. Saltines, Oregon bleu cheese, drizzle of caramel sauce (homemade, of course) and a large glass of dark and stormy to wash it all down. Yum!

Discovered during my after election day fatigue and hangover. Saltines, Oregon bleu cheese, drizzle of caramel sauce (homemade, of course) and a large glass of dark and stormy to wash it all down. Yum!

Sounds great. I'm a big bleu cheese lover.

Saltines + blue cheese = Win!