Cooking with Croc

[Croc]

Empty carbs? For cheap? Really? I gotta try that!

If you like baguettes, look to Vietnam - banh minhs are perfect for student budgets like mine. $2 and you get a baguette with cold cuts, pate, jalapenos, pickled veg... or grilled mystery meat meatballs, or BBQ pork...

Subway, eat your heart out!

Where are some good places for banh minh? I know Chinatown has a few, and there are others scattered about, especially in SGV, but I haven't received any specific recommendations, nor any names I could find on yelp. My only criteria is the place has to have at least a B, preferably an A since AFAIK there is no reason to have a B for banh minh...unlike Cantonese in which the millenian-old method for preparing dried and smoked duck pretty much forces a place to have a B.

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Ahh cucumbers, one of natures delicacies that takes more energy to digest than the food itself provides.

A grand way to lose weight, but probably not a proper meal.

That being said, i do love cucumbers.

Your first meal sounds delectable.

[Croc]

How about some "croc" pot recipes. . .

I love the crock pot.

Here we go...this one is a really nice way to use leftover Korean food to make juk--the korean version of the Chinese rice porridge congee.

Croc's Juk

Rice*

Water*

Leftovers (optional--see notes)

Meat & Garnishes (optional--see note)

*Anywhere from a 1:6 to a 1:12 rice-to-water ratio (depending on whether going Korean/Japanese/Chinese and/or personal preference...Chinese congee tends to be thin)

Directions:

Place rice and water in a Crock Pot overnight on low. If making with meat and garnishes, add the meat at this time. In the morning (at least 6 hrs later), you will have a traditional Asian breakfast! Add in the garnishes just prior to serving, or add them to the individual servings at your preference.

Quick Leftover Suggestion: If you have leftover Asian food, like bulgogi, banchan, kimchi, bibimbap, beef & chinese broccoli, or any other dish that is primarily meat and vegetables (not deep fried), place these in the Crock Pot overnight with the rice and water for a delicious ready-to-eat congee the next morning. I typically use leftover bibimbap, bulgogi, banchan, and any leftover rice. You could even add any leftover miso soup to the mixture--this is very much an "Asian casserole," so be creative.

Suggestions

Garnishes

For Chinese congee, use chopped green onions, soy sauce, century eggs, freshly grated ginger root, bamboo, bean sprouts, gai lan, tofu, etc. as garnishes.

For Korean juk, use kimchi, tofu, any traditional banchan, raw egg, etc. as a garnish.

Meats

For Chinese congee, use chicken, or salted shredded pork. If using the chicken, make the congee with a chicken carcass for added flavor, just remember to remove the bones prior to serving.

For Korean juk, use beef, abalone (traditional hangover cure), or pork.

Honestly, I just make the quick "throw everything in the Crock Pot and go to sleep" leftover version, preferably with Korean food (bibimbap, bulgogi, banchan, kimchi), and it turns out great.

[ocnblu]

If you want to describe your junk, please open a thread down in "Rated R". Thanks!

Lipton's Onion Soup mix is full of salt. How about just 93/7 hamburger, olive oil, dried onion flakes and a splash of Worcestershire? Your choice of cheese slice will have plenty of sodium to add flavor. A toasted bun also makes it good.

Ocn's simple sweet-hot relish:

bread & butter pickle slices

sliced jalepeno pepper from a jar

put enough pickles and peppers in food chopper to make enough relish for the number of burgers. Chop, spoon out onto burgers and salivate.

Edited April 5, 2009 by ocnblu

[Croc]

If you want to describe your junk, please open a thread down in "Rated R". Thanks!

Lipton's Onion Soup mix is full of salt. How about just 93/7 hamburger, olive oil, dried onion flakes and a splash of Worcestershire? Your choice of cheese slice will have plenty of sodium to add flavor. A toasted bun also makes it good.

Ocn's simple sweet-hot relish:

bread & butter pickle slices

sliced jalepeno pepper from a jar

put enough pickles and peppers in food chopper to make enough relish for the number of burgers. Chop, spoon out onto burgers and salivate.

Sodium doesn't have calories, but olive oil and worcestershire do. My blood pressure is fine, so I don't really worry about sodium. Here is the nutrition for the Lipton mix, and the sodium isn't too bad when you spread it out over 4-6 patties. As I said, you don't need anything on these burgers to make them taste good if made in this manner. I'm also not sure why one would add olive oil to hamburger meat...it just adds fat, but not really any flavor. Worstershire would be good, though.

The relish sounds alright--is the jalepeno pre-sliced? I'm actually not a fan of pickle relish--that and tomato slices are the two things I avoid on a burger, though I love ketchup and pickle slices--go figure.

[ocnblu]

Oh I've had recipes using Lipton Onion soup mix, and they turn out very good, just saying the mix is salty. Because I use 93/7 hamburger, the olive oil adds juiciness to the finished burger without all the bad fat of, say, 80/20 burger.

Yes, you can buy sliced jalepenos in a jar. That's what I use in my relish. Using relish allows you to spread the flavor across the patty, in lieu of a localized slice of pickle. The burger I had last evening, though, I just put two B&B pickle slices on it. Too lazy.

[Paolino]

We started the food unit in school and a student gave me a recipe for a burger she loves... 1/2 ground turkey, 1/2 ground beef, marinate in wasabi-teriake sauce, grill it and put pineapple slices on top, and then a couple of slices of swiss. Sounded good.

[pow]

Where are some good places for banh minh? I know Chinatown has a few, and there are others scattered about, especially in SGV, but I haven't received any specific recommendations, nor any names I could find on yelp. My only criteria is the place has to have at least a B, preferably an A since AFAIK there is no reason to have a B for banh minh...unlike Cantonese in which the millenian-old method for preparing dried and smoked duck pretty much forces a place to have a B.

If you happen to wonder out to the SGV, I like Banh Mi My Tho. It's in Alhambra, about 15-20 min from where I am in Eagle Rock. Give it a Yelp... it's not worth driving there just for the sandwiches, but if you're on Valley Blvd doing Asian food exploration or whatever, check it out.

http://www.lapublichealth.org/phcommon/pub...ating/index.cfm <- It has an 86 rating.

[Intrepidation]

Got some suggestions for ribeye steak?

[pow]

Got some suggestions for ribeye steak?

I love rib eye. No fancy marinades or sauces needed. Salt (coarse) and pepper (freshly ground) both sides, on a super hot cast iron pan. Throw in a twig of rosemary and an unpeeled garlic clove if you must. Last thirty seconds, dump in a knob of butter and baste the steak a little, if you want.

Let rest before eating. Don't move the steak around when searing!

[Intrepidation]

Sounds good. I'm marinading it in Montreal Steak seasoning...which is basically salt, pepper, garlic, and oil.

[Croc]

If you happen to wonder out to the SGV, I like Banh Mi My Tho. It's in Alhambra, about 15-20 min from where I am in Eagle Rock. Give it a Yelp... it's not worth driving there just for the sandwiches, but if you're on Valley Blvd doing Asian food exploration or whatever, check it out.

http://www.lapublichealth.org/phcommon/pub...ating/index.cfm <- It has an 86 rating.

Yeah, SGV is a bit far for me to go for a sandwich. Dim sum, yes...a sandwich? No...

What school do you go to living all the way in Eagle Rock?

[pow]

Yeah, SGV is a bit far for me to go for a sandwich. Dim sum, yes...a sandwich? No...

What school do you go to living all the way in Eagle Rock?

Occidental... it's in Eagle Rock.

[Croc]

Occidental... it's in Eagle Rock.

Oh cool...yeah I should have known that.

[Croc]

Croc's Easy Chicken Salad

2c boiled chicken, shredded

¼ c mayonnaise

¼ c pomegranate seeds

¼ c chopped celery

¼ c chopped onion

2 tsp curry

2 tsp dill weed

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp white pepper

½ tsp paprika

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir.

[ocnblu]

Sounds pretty good, o' reptilian one, except for the dill. Ixnay on the illday, ew.

[Croc]

How can you not like dill weed? That's my favorite spice for chicken and fish!!

[ocnblu]

Because it's disgusting, that's why. Next question, please.

[Croc]

Just tried a new recipe I invented, and it was so good! I don't have a name for it, but here's what I did:

1. Boil water and cook pasta (I used wide egg noodles).

2. Cook ground beef (I used beef chorizo) in a skillet, season to taste, drain, and set aside.

3. Make a medium Béchamel sauce,* seasoned with freshly ground pepper, 2 bay leaves, and salt and nutmeg to taste.

5. Melt in 1/3 cup each of Queso Quesadilla, Queso Cojita, and Queso Asadero to make a Mexican Mornay sauce.

6. Combine the cooked, seasoned ground beef with the Mornay sauce.

7. Drain the pasta and toss with 1/2 cup Crema Mexicana.

8. Serve by topping each bowl of pasta with a helping of sauce.

*Béchamel Sauce

3a. Make a Golden Roux by melting 2 Tb butter in a saucepan and whisking in 2 Tb flour, continuing to whisk the mixture for a few minutes until it turns a golden yellow.

3b. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly, to create a classic medium Béchamel sauce.

[daves87rs]

Sounds pretty good!

[Croc]

OK I outdid myself for the 4th of July--I made greenbean casserole from SCRATCH yes homemade cream of mushroom soup. Soooooo good.

For the soup:

Saute 1/2 c grated yellow onion in 6 Tb of melted butter. Blend in 4.5 Tb flour, 1 Tb salt, .5 Tb Paprika. Stir in 3 c half and half and 3 c vegetable stock and heat until the boiling point. Add in porcini mushrooms (chopped), season with black and cayenne pepper, and simmer to reduce for about 45min-1 hr. (you want it nice and thick).

Green beans:

Boil a large pot of water. Chop a generous amount of thick-cu bacon and add to boiling water. Grate remainder of yellow onion (from above) and add to boiling water and bacon. Wash and slice 2 lb fresh green beans, and boil until "al dente." Pour through a colander, retaining the bacon and onion. Remove remaining fat from bacon, if desired.

Fill a casserole with the beans and no more than half of the soup. Top with crispy onions (available at Whole Foods) and bake at 350 until the onions are browned, and the casserole is bubbling. Sorry, I don't have anything more specific than that...maybe 15-20min?

As for the leftover soup? It's so good you'll be happy there's some leftover for later

Edited July 11, 2010 by Croc

[Intrepidation]

Jessica would probably like this, she likes green bean casserole. I'm not big on it, but I'd be willing to try a new version.

[ocnblu]

That actually sounds fantastic, Jeff. Perhaps I'll try it. I've made cream of mushroom soup before, but with regular white mushrooms. It is so much better than canned, with those tiny suggestions of mushroom.

[Croc]

Amazing-amazing new recipe I developed...use it as a pudding, pastry cream, or whatever you like:

Spiced Dark Chocolate Pastry Cream

1 ¾ cup milk

½ cup sugar

¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa

2 T flour

2 egg yolks

¼ t salt

1 vanilla bean, split

2 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed

4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Combine the cloves, stick cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla bean and milk in a saucepan and scald the milk. When scalded, remove from heat but let the spices steep for 10-15 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and cocoa.

3. Add egg yolks, and whisk with a little milk, just enough to dissolve the dry ingredients.

4. Add remaining milk and strain. Retain vanilla bean, but discard the other spices at this time.

5. Place mixture in a saucepan and cook on low heat until boiling, stirring constantly, to form a pastry cream. Let boil for 1 minute.

6. Remove from heat and transfer to mixing bowl, removing vanilla bean at this time, but ensuring the pod is scraped clean.

7. Melt the chocolate chips and combine with the pastry cream.

8. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream to prevent formation of a skin and place in a refrigerator until chilled.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Croc

[Drew Dowdell]

Croc,

Do you ever do any bread making? I've been doing home made bread of various recipes every week now. and they've all turned out fantastic.

just wanted to get your thoughts on it if you had any.

Oh... and I need new kitchen knives...preferably that were dishwasher safe... and looking for recommendations.

[Croc]

Croc,

Do you ever do any bread making? I've been doing home made bread of various recipes every week now. and they've all turned out fantastic.

just wanted to get your thoughts on it if you had any.

Oh... and I need new kitchen knives...preferably that were dishwasher safe... and looking for recommendations.

I've never done bread. I don't eat a lot of bread, anyway, but when I do it's Milton's Multigrain. Sooooo good, and made in Del Mar. My family had a bread machine my mother attempted to use once, and my sister used about 6 or 7 times. Don't know anything beyond that.

As far as kitchen knives, I have no clue. My knife skills are embarrassingly childish, and a friend of mine and I are trying to sign up for a knife skills class at a local Sur la Table sometime this month. Maybe I can get more info then? Right now I have these &#036;h&#33;ty KitchenAid knives I got from Target a few years ago that have trouble cutting...pretty much anything.

[Croc]

A set of Wüstof classics should be the last set of knives you'll ever need: http://www.wusthof.c.../categories-121

You can't go wrong with a set of Henckel Classic or Forged Synergy knives either:

http://www.j-a-henck...ergy--3590.html

http://www.j-a-henck...ssic--2982.html

I always love it when sites conveniently leave off the price.

[Drew Dowdell]

I've never done bread. I don't eat a lot of bread, anyway, but when I do it's Milton's Multigrain. Sooooo good, and made in Del Mar. My family had a bread machine my mother attempted to use once, and my sister used about 6 or 7 times. Don't know anything beyond that.

My advice for the bread machine. Don't use it to make bread. The best thing I found for it is as a dough machine, but I never actually cook the bread in it... which somewhat defeats the purpose. Bread really requires two rises to be any good. Bread machines can only do single rise, which is why all bread machine bread comes out too dense and basically tasteless.

If I use the bread machine (it's good for making pizza dough ahead of time), I punch down the dough after the first rise, remove it from the machine, form it into whatever type of loaf or roll I'm going for, and then let it rise again in an OFF oven with a bowl of hot boiled water under the pan.

I've been getting artisan quality bread this way.

As far as kitchen knives, I have no clue. My knife skills are embarrassingly childish, and a friend of mine and I are trying to sign up for a knife skills class at a local Sur la Table sometime this month. Maybe I can get more info then? Right now I have these &#036;h&#33;ty KitchenAid knives I got from Target a few years ago that have trouble cutting...pretty much anything.

I've got a set of 13 year old Ginsus that can't even.. cut through bread.

[Croc]

Yeah dense and...not optimal...is what I remember my sister's bread tasting like. But she's the carb queen and I prefer proteins and fats.

[ocnblu]

So the "bunch of red bananas" are just there to comfort you while you make the sauce... for some reason?

[Croc]

So the "bunch of red bananas" are just there to comfort you while you make the sauce... for some reason?

Good catch. Sorry about that...I gave the recipe for the spiced chocolate pastry cream, but I copied it from the document for another one of my recipes that it's used in. The ingredients list has been corrected.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Croc

[regfootball]

My advice for the bread machine. Don't use it to make bread. The best thing I found for it is as a dough machine, but I never actually cook the bread in it... which somewhat defeats the purpose. Bread really requires two rises to be any good. Bread machines can only do single rise, which is why all bread machine bread comes out too dense and basically tasteless.

If I use the bread machine (it's good for making pizza dough ahead of time), I punch down the dough after the first rise, remove it from the machine, form it into whatever type of loaf or roll I'm going for, and then let it rise again in an OFF oven with a bowl of hot boiled water under the pan.

I've been getting artisan quality bread this way.

yeah bread machines are really great for making just the dough. the tips about getting the bread to rise in the over and getting artisan quality with it is a great tip, thanks.

the last few loaves of bread we made in the bread machine turned out pretty good, but they do have that weird density to them, not to mention the weird loaf shape and the hole on one end. hardly impresses company or anything.

[Drew Dowdell]

Cooking with Croc

[Croc]

No no you have me mistaken for Sandra Lee. It's not really like that.

[Croc]

Okay, I have a new one!! This recipe is for a Coconut Crème Patisserie, so it can be used on its own as a Coconut Pudding, used in a Coconut Cream Pie, or some other recipe of yours where a coconut pastry cream would be yummy.

Coconut Crème Patisserie

In a small saucepan, scald 1¾ cup Half-and-Half along with Half of 1 Vanilla Bean. In a medium mixing bowl, combine:

½ cup Sugar

2 tbsp Flour

2 Egg yolks

¼ tsp Salt

Slowly add the scalded half-and-half to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk to avoid scrambling the eggs. Add ½ cup Coconut Cream and stir to combine. Strain the mixture by pouring through a mesh strainer and into the small saucepan, discarding the vanilla bean. Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming and chill.

Note: This recipe does NOT call for Coco Lopez or any of that sugary, sweetened crap. The "Coconut Cream" required is the kind you'll find in an Asian market. This is what I used, and it came in a little 200mL box for 99¢. I also bought a much larger "1000mL" package for $2.99...so this stuff should be cheap.

[Turbojett]

My brother does makes a recipe for Chicken Curry over rice that's similar to your Chicken Rice in your first post. But now that I've read that I know what's for dinner tonight.

He chops up chicken, and boils it with carrots and potatoes (and celery if I'm not around), and then once it's thoroughly cooked, he adds in cream of chicken soup and enough curry powder and other spices to make your nose run. He renders it for quite a while though, it takes him usually around a couple hours to finish after he gets started. He makes the rice separately, because you're supposed to use the rice as a bed for the sauce; and for some odd reason he likes sticky rice.

I used to make Alfredo sauce from scratch myself, but it's hard to get real dairy cream (price- and availability-wise), and I hate to use half & half; it just doesn't come out as good. But if I'm making pasta sauce, you can always bet there's a generous amount of garlic, cilantro and cayenne or crushed red pepper used.

They say my taste buts (and probably my esophagus) will be gone by the time I'm forty.

[Croc]

Cool, yea...I think the next recipe I'm going to attempt to create will be some version of khao soi...I gotta do something with all of my leftover coconut cream...

[ocnblu]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have a lot of leftover coconut cream myself. It's turning things blue.

I've been using curry powder lately as well, since I found a spice blend for a cabbage dish that's really good in the International Foods section of my local supermarket. I just rubbed it on chicken thighs and roasted them at high heat as a main dish compliment. But I think next time I'll try marinating the thighs in a simple yogurt and curry situation to see how the yogurt affects the meat.

[Turbojett]

Made spaghetti last night actually, and I couldn't find any cayenne. Substituted with curry powder, and it was definitely hot, but it also made it oddly sweet-ish; maybe slightly bitter. Don't think I'll do that again unless I can figure something to balance it out.

[Croc]

Okay, I have a new one!! This recipe is for a Coconut Crème Patisserie, so it can be used on its own as a Coconut Pudding, used in a Coconut Cream Pie, or some other recipe of yours where a coconut pastry cream would be yummy.

Coconut Crème Patisserie

In a small saucepan, scald 1¾ cup Half-and-Half along with Half of 1 Vanilla Bean. In a medium mixing bowl, combine:

½ cup Sugar

2 tbsp Flour

2 Egg yolks

¼ tsp Salt

Slowly add the scalded half-and-half to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk to avoid scrambling the eggs. Add ½ cup Coconut Cream and stir to combine. Strain the mixture by pouring through a mesh strainer and into the small saucepan, discarding the vanilla bean. Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming and chill.

Note: This recipe does NOT call for Coco Lopez or any of that sugary, sweetened crap. The "Coconut Cream" required is the kind you'll find in an Asian market. This is what I used, and it came in a little 200mL box for 99¢. I also bought a much larger "1000mL" package for $2.99...so this stuff should be cheap.

If making for a pie filling:

Add ½ cup Unsweetened Finely-Shredded Coconut to the chilled Coconut Crème Patisserie and stir thoroughly to combine.

[Croc]

Made spaghetti last night actually, and I couldn't find any cayenne. Substituted with curry powder, and it was definitely hot, but it also made it oddly sweet-ish; maybe slightly bitter. Don't think I'll do that again unless I can figure something to balance it out.

Yea I'd never use curry as a substitute for cayenne. Now, spaghetti in a curry sauce as opposed to a tomato sauce seasoned with curry could be really good.

OR take a tomato sauce...add some cream/half-and-half/whole milk to it and then the curry...that could be good, too.

[ocnblu]

Ewww... coconut. Can bananas be susituted?

[Croc]

Ewww... coconut. Can bananas be susituted?

Well, the Coconut Crème Patisserie is already coconut-flavored from the coconut cream...so unless you want coconut pudding with bananas.............yea if coconut isn't your thing, might want to follow that recipe, eliminating the coconut cream in the cooking process. That'll give you a standard vanilla crème patisserie that you could pair with bananas...but I'd slice the bananas into the pie crust and pour the crème patisserie over them.

[Turbojett]

Made spaghetti last night actually, and I couldn't find any cayenne. Substituted with curry powder, and it was definitely hot, but it also made it oddly sweet-ish; maybe slightly bitter. Don't think I'll do that again unless I can figure something to balance it out.

Yea I'd never use curry as a substitute for cayenne. Now, spaghetti in a curry sauce as opposed to a tomato sauce seasoned with curry could be really good.

OR take a tomato sauce...add some cream/half-and-half/whole milk to it and then the curry...that could be good, too.

Ha, yeah, I've learned that now. I usually like curry, but it doesn't mix with tomato. I did find chili powder after the fact. that probably would have worked a lot better, but I don't know how old it is.

That's how I learned to cook, though: trial and error.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Turbojett

[Justin Bimmer]

Tomato mixes with curry when you make country captain.

[Turbojett]

hmm? what's that? sounds interesting...

[Croc]

hmm? what's that? sounds interesting...

Country Captain

[ocnblu]

Oh now that sounds yummy. I'll have to try that. As for a recipe, I'll wing it.

[Turbojett]

sounds good, sans raisins.

[ocnblu]

It would prolly be good as a full stew with potato cut up in it instead of over rice. But then it might not be Country Captain.