What MADE your day today?

[ChirpingGirl]

A friend of mine is pregnant again. 


Watcher admits nothing. 


Her husband would murder you. 

I'm in trouble if the child is a blonde....

That would be a huge trick since the kids parents are black. 

[watcher1]

I'm in trouble if the child is a blonde....


That would be a huge trick since the kids parents are black. 

Stranger things have happened. Blonde dreadlocks. Nice. 

[Jed_]

I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday, in the kitchen, making Italian Beef Braciole,

I’m guessing we’re not talking medium rare or medium here, so the pounding flat tenderizes the flank steak sufficiently?

This reminds me of the conversation I had with my mentor a French chef.  He told me he thought my idea of venison Wellington wouldn’t work because by the time the puff pastry was brown and crispy the venison tenderloin would be way over cooked.  So I browned the tenderloin in a very hot pan and stuck it in the freezer until it got a little stiff (pun intended).  I had the puff coated with duxelles and pâté ready, and wrapped the ice cold tenderloin and baked.  It came out perfect with a red center.

[staci]

poor bambi

[_priapism]

I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday, in the kitchen, making Italian Beef Braciole,

I’m guessing we’re not talking medium rare or medium here, so the pounding flat tenderizes the flank steak sufficiently?

This reminds me of the conversation I had with my mentor a French chef.  He told me he thought my idea of venison Wellington wouldn’t work because by the time the puff pastry was brown and crispy the venison tenderloin would be way over cooked.  So I browned the tenderloin in a very hot pan and stuck it in the freezer until it got a little stiff (pun intended).  I had the puff coated with duxelles and pâté ready, and wrapped the ice cold tenderloin and baked.  It came out perfect with a red center.

What a great suggestion.  We are doing a Wellington at Christmas (yes, we are already planning holiday menus.  The requests come in so fast and furious I end up cooking enough for 20).  I have always kept the tenderloin cold in the fridge, pan sear, then bake.  Once my crust is browning, I do a temperature test.  My target is to get the meat up to about 140°.  If I need to make a foil tent, that will keep the pastry crust from over cooking.  Then bring that baby out and let it rest.

[psiberzerker]

(yes, we are already planning holiday menus.  The requests come in so fast and furious I end up cooking enough for 20)

Actually, this is a good idea for John, and I, because he has family, and they tend to come over for Thanksgiving-through-New Years.  At least that's what he says, so it might be a good idea to plan for that, since I do the cooking/housewife stuff.

Don't worry about his nieces, nephews, kids, and step-kids.  They're not his type, he's more tempted by strangers, even though he's quite capable of controlling himself.  It just caused a lot of emotional problems.

[_priapism]

Lawyers always read the fine print.  LOL.

[psiberzerker]

Looks like he's willing to spring for a Chateaubriand, and Nova Lox to wrap it in, one of my specialties.  

#BaconIsForAmateurs.

[Jed_]

I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday, in the kitchen, making Italian Beef Braciole,

I’m guessing we’re not talking medium rare or medium here, so the pounding flat tenderizes the flank steak sufficiently?

This reminds me of the conversation I had with my mentor a French chef.  He told me he thought my idea of venison Wellington wouldn’t work because by the time the puff pastry was brown and crispy the venison tenderloin would be way over cooked.  So I browned the tenderloin in a very hot pan and stuck it in the freezer until it got a little stiff (pun intended).  I had the puff coated with duxelles and pâté ready, and wrapped the ice cold tenderloin and baked.  It came out perfect with a red center.

What a great suggestion.  We are doing a Wellington at Christmas (yes, we are already planning holiday menus.  The requests come in so fast and furious I end up cooking enough for 20).  I have always kept the tenderloin cold in the fridge, pan sear, then bake.  Once my crust is browning, I do a temperature test.  My target is to get the meat up to about 140°.  If I need to make a foil tent, that will keep the pastry crust from over cooking.  Then bring that baby out and let it rest.

My first attempt at a Wellington didn’t go so well.  I put the hot seared tenderloin directly on the puff turning it into a gooey mess.  In the end it was edible, but the puff looked like Swiss cheese.

I haven’t used puff pastry in a few years.  I might get some and wing it as a chicken pot pie with a can of chicken corn chowder I have for tomorrow.  Pre-bake it lined in ramikans, fill with the soup and add a puff top.  I’ll add a Caesar and call it dinner.  I’m trying not to buy too much food right now and creatively use what’s in the pantry and fridge.

[psiberzerker]

I put the hot seared tenderloin directly on the puff turning it into a gooey mess.  In the end it was edible, but the puff looked like Swiss cheese.

Yeah, you want to let it rest after the sear, but that can hold-over cook it to overdone, if you're going to cook it again in a wrap..  TBPH, I haven't done Wellington in the better part of a decade, because it's such a PITA, but you you JUST want to flash sear it.  Cast iron, as hot as you can get it, and fast.  If you have a grill pan (I have a Komal) that really helps, but I've done it on a Pizza Stone.  I haven't tried the frozen trick, but I have tried Ice-Tenderizing tougher cuts of meat.  (The tenderloin, or backstrap of Venison don't need tenderized.)  

It's a neat trick, and it works, but it's also pretty time consuming.  You want to freeze, and thaw it, which takes about 90 minutes off, and on, depending on the cut.  Works really good on Steaks, and Flat "Steaks" like Flank if you don't want to beat the hell out of it.  Pineapple is a hell of a lot easier though.

For wrapped, or layered dishes like Wellington, searing, then freezing it is a neat technique I might try.  Still not all that interested in making Puff Paste dough, though.  I hate baking.

[Jed_]

I made puff pastry from scratch in culinary school:
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
roll, brush with clarified butter, fold
We made cross patterns in the rolling, so you got 5 layers folding each ‘arm’ in to the base; reduces the number of rolls . . . . . at least in theory.

Yeah, or you buy it frozen.

I go with option 2 these days.

[psiberzerker]

I made puff pastry from scratch in culinary school:. . .

Yeah, I'd rather make Biscuit Dough, or Pie Crust.  I buy Philough, too.  We're both DiY types, but at some point, you have to weigh the effort over how much it's really worth it.  Beef Wellington is delicious, but they sell Pastry Dough in sheets.  I don't have enough pride in myself as a Pastry Chef (I'm not, I HATE baking) to make it worth scratch making that dough.  

I'd rather focus on getting the Meat just right.

[Jed_]

I make spanokopita frequently, so guess what ingredient gets bought frozen.

There’s no question mark in that sentence for a reason.

[psiberzerker]

Yeah, I love making Baklava (And other börek.)  Okay, I love eating it enough, to make Baklava.  So, the same goes for Phillo

[ChirpingGirl]

CJ's conversations with her wifey.

Wifey: So, what are you planning for our anniversary?

Me: Trick or treating.

Wifey: I knew getting married on Halloween was a bad idea. Every year you say trick or treating.

Me: Yep. I'm taking the kids trick or treating. You can sit at home and sulk.

Wifey: I married the most romantic white girl on Earth, didn't I?

Me: I married the whiniest Japanese-American girl on Earth.

Wifey: I'm not whiny!

Me: You're literally doing it right now.

Wifey: I want a real anniversary this year.

Me: Fine. You dress up in something nice and we'll both take the kids trick or treating.

Wifey: Sometimes I wonder why I married you.

Me: Me too. Let's get a divorce. Become a same sex couple divorce statistic.

Wifey: I wasn't serious!

Me: That figures. 


Wifey walks away, practically on fire from being so mad at me. 

[Jed_]

Yeah, I love making Baklava (And other börek.)  Okay, I love eating it enough, to make Baklava.  So, the same goes for Phillo

Don’t forget that when making baklava, always wear a balaclava.

[psiberzerker]

Don’t forget that when making baklava, always wear a balaclava.

^That made my day.  It also reminded me of the Harry Potter Paradox:

How does he keep the clay from sticking to his hair?

[Jed_]

I don’t know, but trying to make a balaclava out of baklava would surely stick to your hair.

[IdleBoast]

The inspectors have gone...

[psiberzerker]

The inspectors have gone...

I don't understand this statement.