http://cooking.mvmanila.com Just another WordPress weblog Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:01:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Maybe you haven't seen Jacques Pépin latest PBS shows. You might find episodes here. What got me excited was how he prepared store bought gnocchi (you might call it scrambled eggs and potato dumplings). I've got a hard on for pasta Carbonara. So simple, and yet so hard. Mine is ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2008/10/19/try-again/ A 100% hydration poolish overnight, roughly 75 to 80% final hydration so it's a very difficult dough to handle. Difficult is not impossible, however. [caption id="attachment_158" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Focaccia 2008-10-09"][/caption] The green bits are chopped fresh rosemary. Some of the brown spots are grated Asiago cheese. Spinkled with some kosher ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2008/10/09/focaccia/ This is my adaption of the traditional Cochinita Pibil, using what I have for a smoking pit (Weber Smokey Mountain, the cut of pork, the ingredients I happened to have and my guess on what would work or not suck too bad. The hurdle is low: I want some "Mexican" ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2008/09/18/cochintia-pibil-on-a-wsm-my-cheap-ass-way/ A few months ago, I got another starter from Mom's friends in Port Townsend, Washington. It was a little different than mine. While there, I baked a loaf of bread with it. It might be slightly faster acting (not by much). Flavor is a little ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2008/05/26/spelt-starter/ It's been a while since I posted here. Mostly because I haven't done anything new food wise that's interesting or dangerous or out of my comfort zone. Now it's spring and hormones are running and "why not" my companion. I dissected a 8.75 lb pork butt into 4, 2, ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2008/05/05/hillybilly-tasso/ I'm not really stealing this from Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen. I'm ambivalent about them. Pretentious Pricks in Print. Not so bad on TV though. I've used enough of their hints in the last year to know they know more than me. They also have have a pay ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2008/01/01/steak-sauce-diane-call-me/ Sometimes good things happen or I get lucky or maybe I learned something. I had a some leftover refritos in the fridge, some crap brand bargain bacon and a hankering for eggs. That's enough for a meal but could I use that green pepper and that big ass green onion ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2007/11/13/refiguros-eggs-bacon-and-beans/ Sausage Goulash I'm not really making this up. I found a recipe sort of like it but I changed everything so I guess it's mine. Exact amounts don't matter and should be adjusted to your tastes and what's on hand. Serves 2 probably. 1/2 lb cheap Kielbasa (Polish) sausage, cut into smallish ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2007/10/17/kielbasa-goulash/ I've got a Winco not that far from me. That's a NW food chain with slightly more charm than a WalMart. They cater to the thirfty and our hispanic population so they have cuts of meat you don't find in the big chains and of course low low prices and ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2007/09/06/frugal-or-cheap/ I haven't written much here in the last few months. That's because I haven't done or discovered anything all that news worthy. I've pretty much dialed in my sourdough bread. No doubt someone does better and good for them. Mine's what I like (or vice versa). I play around with ... http://cooking.mvmanila.com/2007/07/29/spread-wtf-is-spread/