What did I cook this weekend.....

[Staestc]

This is actually rotini pasta made with red lentil flour! Haven't tried it before. Looking forward to it though.

This is it:

https://www.barilla.com/en-us/products/pasta/legume/red-lentil-rotini

Hmmm. I guess it's possible to make lentil flour out of my red lentils, then make pasta out of that flour, but it sounds complicated. @passedpawn Andrew?

 

[Staestc]

Fresh lemon and blueberry... These are AMAZING!

Cheers
JayView attachment 760566

Those look amazing!! Man I love blueberry muffins.

 

[Staestc]

So our ice storm was not much of a problem but side roads are very slick. Made pizzas to keep warm last night

 

[passedpawn]

Hmmm. I guess it's possible to make lentil flour out of my red lentils, then make pasta out of that flour, but it sounds complicated. @passedpawn Andrew?

haha, how would I know? But I'll give my 2 cents anyway.

Lentils are gluten free, so I would have guessed that they'd be terrible for pasta or bread/pizza. No gluten = no bubbles. My intuition would be that the lentil pasta would disintegrate in the boil. But I see that pic of the lentil pasta above, so give it a try!

I make pasta a lot (all sorts of it), but i've only used varieties of wheat flour (e.g., GP, semolina). The hard part is milling the beans (pun there I guess). Once you have the flour, just use the standard egg noodle recipe (google it); flour, eggs, salt. Then either use a pasta cutter of some sort or just lay flat and cut the pasta with a knife, then boil. Easy peasy. I make spinach pasta with just the flour and spinach (no water or eggs) and mixing in food processor.

 

[Temptd2]

The Barilla box states red lentils as the only ingredient. Maybe they're using fresh, not dried, lentils and grinding them into a paste and extruding? I have no idea. I just know it was pretty dang tasty. Not quite as "tender" as good semolina pasta but at least do-able on my keto/gluten-free eating plan! Forgot the picture of course. Once food is plated all bets are off around here!

 

[passedpawn]

Once food is plated all bets are off around here!

I know, right?!?

 

[Staestc]

The Barilla box states red lentils as the only ingredient. Maybe they're using fresh, not dried, lentils and grinding them into a paste and extruding? I have no idea. I just know it was pretty dang tasty. Not quite as "tender" as good semolina pasta but at least do-able on my keto/gluten-free eating plan! Forgot the picture of course. Once food is plated all bets are off around here!

It must be some kind of witchcraft!! I can't find anything on how they get red lentils to bind into pasta. My compliments to the food scientists!

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

This is the one that was most highly-rated on the America's Test Kitchen air fryer shootout. I'll probably get one of these. I love my Farberware toaster oven/air fryer but it's a little over two years old so when it croaks - Instant Vortex it shall be!

That's the one I've owned and pretty much made at least one meal a day with for 3 years. ATK recommends for it's larger basket capacity as many are quite small. That one's pretty big and Instapot makes a solid product.

I liked it so much at my bozo company when they give you a raise it's in credit for a store. I bought a second as I've beaten this thing pretty good and it's till ticking. I'd be lost if it broke and the current situations couldn't find a new one.

Only thing that I'd criticize is there's these small little rubber nubs to lift up the tray during cooking. Easily comes off and lost it the second week of use. Not sure if it's a big impact

Buying a mandolin to slice up veggies really ups the game and keeps it even more healthy.

Two other items I'd recommend:
bacon @ 400° for 8 minutes
Eggs in ramakins @ 365° for 5 minutes. Add a little milk in ramakin not to overcook whites and you get a nice runny yolk

Makes breakfast so good and quick with minimum cleanup

 

[TwistedGray]

Made a roast

 

[Temptd2]

That's the one I've owned and pretty much made at least one meal a day with for 3 years. ATK recommends for it's larger basket capacity as many are quite small. That one's pretty big and Instapot makes a solid product.

I liked it so much at my bozo company when they give you a raise it's in credit for a store. I bought a second as I've beaten this thing pretty good and it's till ticking. I'd be lost if it broke and the current situations couldn't find a new one.

Only thing that I'd criticize is there's these small little rubber nubs to lift up the tray during cooking. Easily comes off and lost it the second week of use. Not sure if it's a big impact

Buying a mandolin to slice up veggies really ups the game and keeps it even more healthy.

Two other items I'd recommend:
bacon @ 400° for 8 minutes
Eggs in ramakins @ 365° for 5 minutes. Add a little milk in ramakin not to overcook whites and you get a nice runny yolk

Makes breakfast so good and quick with minimum cleanup

Thanks for your first-hand review on that one! It's on my short list.

Way back when those things first came on the market, I bought a similar one, GoWise I think it was. I liked it and it worked well but it had a very small basket and even for just the two of us, didn't make enough at one time. Then I bought a larger one, forget what brand, and that was better. But I still wanted MORE ROOM so bought this Farberware toaster oven/air fryer that I still have. The first one died after a year, was replaced under warranty, and the one I have now has been going strong for two years, with nearly daily use. It's so great for reheating things like hot wings or roasted chicken pieces or ribs or whatever. It has a large flat basket which will make enough hot wings at one time for both of us for dinner. So I'm pleased with it.

Would like that Instant Pot version for a backup and for use when staying elsewhere though!

 

[VApatriot]

I went to Pizza Camp.

Those look really good. How did you get your crusts so puffy? I can never get any good bubbles in my pizza crusts. What's your secret?

 

[VApatriot]

Those look really good. How did you get your crusts so puffy? I can never get any good bubbles in my pizza crusts. What's your secret?

 

[jrgtr42]

Had a good snowstorm yesterday, so work was closed (I don’t have a rig to work from home at this point.)
So I put up a lasagna. Did it as meat and veg - sautéed hamburger and added the sauce to that, and a pack of frozen spinach into the cheese mix.
also put up a batch of challah bread dough, but baked it to loaves instead of the traditional braided.
Also opened a bottle of wine, something I very rarely do, but it seemed appropriate. (Georges DeBeuf Beaujolais 2019. Very good pairing.)

 

[davidabcd]

I've been putting an air fryer that I bought last week to the test. So far I've used it for chicken parts, salmon, tuna steak, and lamb. I've also done potatoes, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Once I dial in times and temps this thing is going to be a kitchen rockstar. Yesterday's dinner was a 2.5 lb chunk of lamb, a bit overcooked for us, but like I said, I need to dial in the time and temps.

Holy America's Test Kitchen, Batman! That's a lot of use. I'd probably try doing my coffee in one.
Seriously, I just heard of a "Meater." You've probably heard of it already but I always am last on the bus.
I mention it because I'm assuming an air fryer could lose heat quickly and that thermometer would handle it. I kind of want to get one just because.
You make a good case for getting an air fryer with that money shot of the meat.

 

[beermanpete]

Those look really good. How did you get your crusts so puffy? I can never get any good bubbles in my pizza crusts. What's your secret?

I don't know about any secret but I use a comal (cast iron griddle) as a pizza stone. Put the comal in a cold oven and heat to 550 °F or as hot as your oven allows. Let it preheat for a long time . I let it preheat about an hour. Use a peel to transfer the pizza to the comal. 8 to 10 minutes of cook time is about right for a thin crust

I used the dough recipie from Pizza Camp by Joe Beddia. This is a rather wet dough and is bulk fermented in the refrigerator overnight.

 

[davidabcd]

comal (cast iron griddle)

I almost bought one of those at Kroger two nights ago.
I tried to find the pizza camp recipe but it's possible you just bought the book and the recipe isn't on the internet?
Fine looking pizzas.

 

[beermanpete]

Thanks. Yes, I have the book. The Beddia recipie is similar to Jim Lahey's no knead bread which is easy to find on the 'net.

 

[davidabcd]

Made a 1.5 batch of basmati rice with 4T butter, 1.5t turmeric, 1.5t salt, 1T tomato paste and one half of a red pepper, finely diced. I was going to take a photo but it just looks like yellow rice with tiny, red squares and was so boring I fell asleep just contemplating which angle would be best to capture the perfect photo.
In any case, it's a complement to a white bean, sautéed onion and Berbere dish. As far as I know, Berbere is an Ethiopian spice. I can attest to it being fairly hot. I add vegetable stock at one point and then thicken with cornstarch.
The beans go on the rice. Done. I make it for my wife who loves that kind of stuff.

 

[wetmk]

Pork belly... sous vide @ 176 for 7 hours then seared. Picture doesn't do it justice.

 

[davidabcd]

Picture doesn't do it justice.

That's often the case.

 

[beermanpete]

My first attempt at gnocchi. It is good but a but a bit misshapen. Good thing it is a rustic dish.

 

[wetmk]

My first attempt at gnocchi.

I'm always a fan of anybody, especially myself, trying out a new dish.

 

[Dgallo]

For you folks living in areas where you can grow bougainvillea, their petals (bracts) make a colorful addition to a spinach salad (also had goat cheese, almonds, and craisins). I've got a potted bush in front of the house.

Top with a bit of poppyseed dressing if you like, but not necessary with the other goodies in there. I grilled filets and salmon last night and this was one of the sides.
View attachment 760386

We growing hanging bougainvillea at the nursery. Never new they were edible! Pretty cool

 

[Dgallo]

@beermanpete i did some potato gnocchi tonight as well!

 

[aharri1]

I smoked a duck that I injected with rum butter marinade, and rubbed down with Chipotle coffee dry rub. Delicious!
Had stir fried veggies and rice on the side.

 

[wetmk]

I smoked a duck that I injected with rum butter marinade, and rubbed down with Chipotle coffee dry rub. Delicious!
Had stir fried veggies and rice on the side.
View attachment 761093

Bravo! As far as I'm concerned, you could have served that with mudpies on the side; you still would have won the internet! I've never smoked a duck. That will be rectified. (See post 19492)

 

[wetmk]

I smoked a duck...

When you smoke a duck, what happens to all the duck fat it gives up?

 

[aharri1]

Bravo! As far as I'm concerned, you could have served that with mudpies on the side; you still would have won the internet! I've never smoked a duck. That will be rectified. (See post 19492)

Lol. Thanks man! Yeah, it's kind of a learning curve, the first time I did it was too tough. I found a really good website, and basically learned that it takes a couple more steps for duck. Go for it!!

 

[aharri1]

When you smoke a duck, what happens to all the duck fat it gives up?

When you smoke a duck, what happens to all the duck fat it gives up?

You have to put half inch to 1 inch deep crossed cuts across the breast and put a pan below it to capture the fat. I usually get some of the aluminum foil pans from the dollar store. Also, you want to put some water in there too so it retains humidity. It needs to be slsmoked between 300 and 325 so the duck fat renders. I use a toothpick to prick the skin in several places too.

 

[wetmk]

You have to put half inch to 1 inch deep crossed cuts across the breast and put a pan below it to capture the fat. I usually get some of the aluminum foil pans from the dollar store. Also, you want to put some water in there too so it retains humidity. It needs to be slsmoked between 300 and 325 so the duck fat renders. I use a toothpick to prick the skin in several places too.

Thanks.