Iron Chef WAYCT - What Are You Cooking Today
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One thing to consider about the "garbage in, garbage out" maxim though: would you eat a raw potato? And plenty of animals are inedible, or would be unpleasant to eat, prior to cooking. Cooking transforms things, so I don't think it's necessarily fair to generally state that what goes into something has to be delicious or even edible before it goes in.
You're absolutely right, but we're talking about a classic base for countless dishes across several cuisines. Cooking does transform things, but in the case of stock (which is what we're discussing), you get out of it what you put into it. I wouldn't eat carrot peels or pepper pith before or after cooking due to their bitterness, and it doesn't add anything flavor-wise to your end product that make it worthwhile.
Don't want to take my word for it? Here's the Cook's Illustrated take on carrot peels:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5864-the-importance-of-peeling-carrots
"To test whether peeling carrots has a noticeable effect on their flavor or texture, we compared batches of scrubbed unpeeled carrots with peeled carrots. We tasted the samples raw, cut into coins and glazed, and roasted in a 425-degree oven.
Although a few tasters found the unpeeled raw carrots to be earthier tasting than their stripped siblings, most were distracted by their “dusty exterior” and “bitter finish.” The results were even more clear-cut when the carrots were cooked. Tasters unanimously preferred the peel-free carrots in the glazed and roasted samples. In both cases, the skins on the unpeeled carrots became wrinkled, tough, and gritty. Their flavor was “again earthier, but not in a good way” and they weren’t particularly appealing looking. On the other hand, the peeled versions remained bright orange, tender, and sweet."
Or some deeper reading:
"Bitterness is considered as an undesirable taste of carrots. Quantitative chemical analysis of potential bitter compounds of different carrot genotypes was combined with sensory analysis in order to identify key compounds likely to be responsible for the bitterness of carrots. Eight carrot genotypes (‘Bolero’, ‘Mello Yello’, ‘Nairobi’, ‘Tornado’, ‘Purple Haze’, ‘Line 1’, ‘Line 2’, and ‘Line 3’) representing extremes in sensory-perceived odour, flavour, and taste. Potential bitter compounds like polyacetylenes, isocoumarins and phenolic acids were quantified in the peel and the corresponding peeled carrot, and their contribution to bitterness in raw carrots was analysed by sensory profiling using multivariate data analysis. Falcarindiol and a di-caffeic acid derivative were highly related to bitterness in contrast to falcarinol and other potential bitter compounds. Falcarindiol and the di-caffeic acid derivative were primarily present in the peel whereas falcarinol was almost evenly distributed in the root. Investigation of bitterness revealed that high sugar content to some extent could mask the bitter perception of carrots. As falcarinol is the most bioactive of the carrot polyacetylenes the results of the present study indicate that there is a basis for improving the health effects of raw carrots without affecting sensory quality."
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Lovely thank you. I feel I may need one. Can you put a spice crust on the rice with it?
Yes I think so, you just had to be aware that they can be burnt when roasted to long. The bottom can also layerd with potatoe slices or the rice can be filled with anything like vegetables or meat which can be cooked together with the rice.
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Yes I think so, you just had to be aware that they can be burnt when roasted to long. The bottom can also layerd with potatoe slices or the rice can be filled with anything like vegetables or meat which can be cooked together with the rice.
Hmm, my rice cooker does the same thing, but I always considered it a flaw. I like this approach. I'm going to have to experiment with ways to make a tasty rice puck.
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Did a nice Italian-style braised kale today that I thought I'd share.
Chop up some shallot and sautee in a large vessel (a wok or large pan that you can cover) in olive oil until glassy.
Add some red wine vinegar and thinly shaved garlic (I used 2 cloves) and simmer covered.
Add an equal part (to the red wine vinegar) of balsamic vinegar and some Italian herbs (I just used a dried blend that was actually German in origin). Crack some pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and let simmer covered until the garlic is cooked, stirring as needed.
Probably added an equal part of water to the liquid.
Add to bunches of de-veined, chopped kale and braise in the liquid, stirring when not covered. Taste as you go and adjust seasoning. It's easiest to use tongs to make sure all kale pieces are dredged through the braising liquid.
Right when the bright green of the kale is about to dull, add the zest of one lemon and stir it in. Take off heat, ready to serve.I think that adding tomato to get a fourth acid in the mix would have been a great idea too. We had this with pork tenderloin.
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You could just add more red wine vinegar before serving. The cooked vinegar will probably have lost a lost of its acidity. In fact, you could cook with red wine, and finish with vinegar…
Kale is pretty darn good. The problem is that you have to remove all those center stems, leaf by leaf...
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The lemon zest is a different kind of acid that comes out much different than adding more red wine vinegar. Another option is pickling lemon, but having tried both the zest is better.
Kale is super easy to process. Try gripping the fat end of the stem making a ring with your fingers on one hand and just pulling it through the ring with your other hand.. Each leaf takes seconds using this method.
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Nice!
"Slaughtered in," even if y'all occasionally mince meat, not mincing words there
I hear the term "harvested" used in the States, and I'm not even sure the FDA requires that information on label.
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I prefer this directness. People should understand where food comes from.
I hope you post pics of the end product!
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I loathe the bullshit use of 'harvested' when referring to animals. Corn and wheat is harvested, chickens, cattle, pigs, are slaughtered.
And since I'm screwing up this thread another eye roller is the the various euphemisms people use in obits instead of "died". They might have "passed," though what they passed isn't mentioned, perhaps they went "home to be with the Lord," maybe they're "with the angels" ::) but the only certainty is they're dead. Or harvested, if you prefer, by the Grim Reaper. ??? -
…the one time "harvested" makes sense
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Looking forward to it G! That looks like a nice hunk of chuck. I wonder if when being sold as a smaller portion it's named braising steak, and when you buy the entire 6+ kg chunk they call it chuck? Either way, I'm glad you found the cut you were looking for. Looks like it has some nice marbling. Plenty of leftovers! If you cut it down into smaller pieces (maybe 3?) they'll cook a little faster, and you'll have more surface area to sear which will add to your flavor development.
That's a lot of information on that label.
