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RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good one

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Robin Garr

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RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good one

by Robin Garr » Thu Oct 22, 2020 4:20 pm

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
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Jenise

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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jenise » Thu Oct 22, 2020 5:30 pm

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.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Robin Garr » Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:49 am

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!
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Bill Spohn

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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Bill Spohn » Sun Oct 25, 2020 1:11 pm

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

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

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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jeff Grossman » Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:15 pm

Bill Spohn wrote: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!
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Peter May

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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Peter May » Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:30 pm

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.
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Larry Greenly

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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Larry Greenly » Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:13 pm

Bill Spohn wrote: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.
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Rahsaan » Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:07 pm

Peter May wrote: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.
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Christina Georgina » Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:31 pm

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.
Mamma Mia !
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jenise » Sat Oct 31, 2020 1:46 pm

Peter May wrote: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.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jenise » Sat Oct 31, 2020 1:58 pm

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.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jo Ann Henderson » Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:04 pm

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.
"...To undersalt deliberately in the name of dietary chic is to omit from the music of cookery the indispensable bass line over which all tastes and smells form their harmonies." -- Robert Farrar Capon
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Peter May » Tue Nov 03, 2020 7:35 am

Jenise wrote:
Peter May wrote: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.
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Jenise

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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jenise » Wed Nov 04, 2020 5:58 pm

Fair enough, Peter.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jo Ann Henderson » Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:05 pm

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! :P
"...To undersalt deliberately in the name of dietary chic is to omit from the music of cookery the indispensable bass line over which all tastes and smells form their harmonies." -- Robert Farrar Capon
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Larry Greenly » Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:43 pm

Jo Ann Henderson wrote: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! :P


Sounds great. I'm a big bleu cheese lover.
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Re: RCP discussion: Mixing unrelated dishes to make one good

by Jeff Grossman » Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:58 pm

Saltines + blue cheese = Win!

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