The cooking forum requests thread!

Glaucus said:
What are people's tried and tested batters for fried calamari.
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I like do do them with Tempura batter - light fluffy batter that lets you taste the calamari

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

150g/4oz plain flour
pinch of baking powder
250 ml sparkling water (cold)

½ squid, cleaned and cut into strips

Mix 135g flour, baking powder, chili and some seasoning

Gradually add the sparkling water as necessary and whisk until the mixture forms a smooth batter with the consistency of single cream.

Heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it.

Sprinkle the remaining flour onto a plate, dredge the squid rings in it, then dip them into the batter. Lower the battered squid rings into the hot oil in bathces and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining squid rings.

Serve with favourite sauce - you can add chopped chili, coriander etc to flour
depending on how you wish to flovour it.
 
Salt and pepper in the above!! Cant forget that. I use a lot.

Also, hotter oil, less cooking time. You want a crisp outside but not overcooked squid so make sure your oil is up to 180-90 before you chuck in.
 
I think scallops with a cauliflower purée, rye crisps and a chorizo reduction would be nice. you get the different textures there and think it would work well.
 
Well, I may have ballsed it up a bit as I was unsure that the Scallops were cooked through but it was yummy.

Scallop on Black pudding mash with pea purée and pea shoots.

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Thanks for all the input - esp. glitch.

We drank (still drinking) a dry White Bordeaux that worked fantastically.
 
How much stock would 5kilos of bones make and how big a stock pot would you need?

Am I right in thinking its about a litre of water per kilo of bones for a good stock.
 
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I've got a LOT of pork chops in the freezer that I picked up reduced. Ideas? Some of them are boneless loin chops and the others are those thin loin steaks.

MofoKilla said:
Does anyone have a good recipe for base gravy for currys?

the ones ive found on the net aint to good tbh.
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Indian or Chinese?

I did a thread on making Indian style curry: http://91.151.218.11/showthread.php?t=17798333

For that 'takeaway' Chinese curry sauce, have a look for curry stock cubes in Chinatown or a Chinese supermarket, particularly the Golden Curry ones. Mix them up with water or coconut milk and it's pretty much identical to the takeaway stuff.

Glaucus said:
How much stock would 5kilos of bones make and how big a stock pot would you need?

Am I right in thinking its about a litre of water per kilo of bones for a good stock.
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That's going to be a big old stock!
 
Jonny69 said:
That's going to be a big old stock!
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need a suitable pot first.
Want to make a stock reduce it and freeze it and turn some into gravy and do the same.

Found 2 kilos of veal bones for £5.
want to do the master class veal stock/sauce of the austrialian masterchef.

http://www.masterchef.com.au/brown-veal-stock.htm
http://www.masterchef.com.au/red-wine-sauce.htm
http://www.masterchef.com.au/caramelised-veal-jus.htm

Wouldn't mind doing beef and chicken as well.
It's annoying doing mash and sausages or similar and having to make gravy from scratch.

I'm thinking the stellar 6000 8litre stock pot. Maybe if I can sell my car I can buy it.
 
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I tend to use a pressure cooker for it's size. Although the flat I've just moved in to (furnished) has the most massive pan in! I'll get a pic of that badboy but I've been looking at what I can actually do in it, apart from cook an entire sheep!
 
Glaucus said:
I'm thinking the stellar 6000 8litre stock pot. Maybe if I can sell my car I can buy it.
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You must have a really cheap car - you can pick one of those up for less than £50 ;)

I have the Stellar 7000 stock pot. Has a 7.5l capacity and can easily hold 3 chicken carcasses to make stock - brilliant pan.
 
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