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The "On my Grill Tonight" thread got me realizing it appears there are some people on this board who like to cook and we might as well devote a thread to just cooking in general.  

 

I personally love to cook and make and eat food.  My cooking philosphy is driven by these four "celebrity chefs"

 

1) Alton Brown - can show you not only how to cook, but gives you the why and makes it fun.  
2) Christopher Kimball (and the Cooks Illustrated staff) - showing relentless testing and tweaking of a recipe can make some really great food
3) Rick Bayless - this man loves food and wants you to love it as well
4) David Chang - rebel attitude, no options, sticking his middle finger right in the face of the fine dinning establishment

 

And tonight I made Ragu alla Bolognese from America's Test Kitchen.  It was yummy, (though I omitted the chicken livers).

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I don't cook anywhere near as much as I used to, but the other day I got a hankering for those delicious cheddar cheese wafers and finally made a big batch tonight. Holy cow--even better than I remember, but so bad for you. Luckily, the batter freezes really well. I just have to remember to forget that they're hanging out in the freezer, just waiting to be cooked up.

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I love to cook, too, and like your choices, Kevin -- esp. Rick Bayless and the Cooks Illustrated bunch.  Had a memorable birthday dinner at Frontera Grill in Chicago a few years ago when Rick Bayless came by to wish me a happy birthday.  That and the smoky margaritas linger in my memory.  

 

My recipe contribution would be a recent triumph with a corn souffle that had my book club friends fighting over the remnants in the souffle dish.  http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Corn-Souffle

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I don't really get into cooking personalities, but I enjoy watching the Anthony Bourdain show (though I don't really care for him - the show is usually interesting) and Top Chef. I love the magazine Saveur - it's the only magazine subscription I have. Most of my recipes come from that magazine (and website), plus Italian stuff from Lydia Bastianich and the Silver Spoon cook book.

 

I'm psyched that the temps are cooling down - that means soup season. I love making Chicken Noodle soup, Ribollita, and Posole.

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I like that French guy who used to partner with Julia. Also, Lydia is pretty good.

Jacques Pepin is his name. Used to love his show, too. One of my most satisfying cooking accomplishments was finally learning how to crush garlic into a paste the way he does it. Seemed like magic the first time I saw it... now I can of it too! :lol

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Favorite cooking show:
America's Test Kitchen

 

Not being much of a "recipe guy", I find the technique and equipment tips on the show incredibly useful... things to incorporate into my own recipes.

 

That said, I am going to contradict myself immediately, by sharing this salsa recipe that I made last week.

Not your typical salsa, this only has 4 ingredients: fresh jalapeños, garlic, lime juice, and vegetable oil. (Salt to taste.)

Spicy as hell, but so delicious that I can drink the stuff.

http://www.cookography.com/2012/creamy-roasted-jalapeno-salsa

IE0A06991-600x600.jpgIE0A07031-400x600.jpg

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I like that French guy who used to partner with Julia. Also, Lydia is pretty good.

 

I love watching the two of them together—just so much fun!

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My friend works for them as a graphic designer. I assume he's responsible for the Cook's Illustrated magazines which have started showing up in my mailbox.

 

That's actually a great magazine.  Recipes I have tried have all been really good.  My nerdy side loves how they explain what the hell is going on at a molecular level to make stuff cook the way it does.

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That's actually a great magazine.  Recipes I have tried have all been really good.  My nerdy side loves how they explain what the hell is going on at a molecular level to make stuff cook the way it does.

Yeah, it's pretty cool. I loved that side of Alton Brown's "Good Eats" show.

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Love AB, but I'll never forgive him for the home brewing episode of good eats. It was so full of errors and bad advice it made me question whether he/his staff actually knew anything about the other topics they tackle.

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I would eat the you-know-what out of that pie. I actually bought all the ingredients for chili tonight, but I may not have a chance to cook it before I leave for the Great American Beer Festival in Denver the day after tomorrow.

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This is going to be a fun thread!

 

I'm a big fan of Cooks Illustrated and Fine Cooking magazines.  I love to make the occasional elaborate recipe, but mostly I love how those publications give you so many tools to be a better cook and not just follow recipes.  My weeknight repertoire has improved greatly in the past year or so, and I credit all the food-related reading.  Little tips like sauteeing onions longer and salting them at the start of a recipe makes a big difference in flavor!

 

Speaking of chili, I found a vegetarian recipe that I started making for my daughter -- it uses a bottle of brown beer, like Dos Equis Amber, and a couple tablespoons of masa.  That is some tasty chili!

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If I dont go camping this weekend, I'll be smoking a pork shoulder, which will be smothered in achiote rojo, in order to make conchinta pibil. Its gonna be delicious!

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Not your typical salsa, this only has 4 ingredients: fresh jalapeños, garlic, lime juice, and vegetable oil. (Salt to taste.)

Spicy as hell, but so delicious that I can drink the stuff.

http://www.cookography.com/2012/creamy-roasted-jalapeno-salsa

IE0A06991-600x600.jpgIE0A07031-400x600.jpg

I gave the chef here in the cafeteria at work this recipe.

He brought in fresh HABAÑEROS from his garden to do a version of this that just might kill me.

Said he's making it today and gonna have me try a great big spoonful. The jalapeño version is spicy enough. Like, pretty damn spicy.

Say a little prayer for me, please.

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He brought in fresh HABAÑEROS from his garden to do a version of this that just might kill me.

Said he's making it today and gonna have me try a great big spoonful. The jalapeño version is spicy enough. Like, pretty damn spicy.

Say a little prayer for me, please.

 

That's all well and good, but there's no ñ in habanero.

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Okee-dokee. I thought that there was. Been pronouncing it wrong all this time, too.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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