*** The La Cuisine 'General Discussion' Thread ***

[jpaul]

would like to see Chef again, was on a couple of months back on c4, engrossed so forgot to record it.

otherwise The founder & East side Sushie, are on my tbd list.

 

[bsoltan]

would like to see Chef again, was on a couple of months back on c4, engrossed so forgot to record it.

otherwise The founder & East side Sushie, are on my tbd list.

Chef is amazing. Probably my favourite from the list. I'd love to be able to work in a food truck.

The Founder sounds interesting but East Side Sushi sounds great. I'll have to find that to watch.

 

[strumpusplunket]

Just saw this thread. Think it's a good idea.

Myself, I really enjoy cooking. Used to spend more time doing it before I had kids and the more constrained meal times. Still cook 90% of our family's meals, including a full roast every Sunday.

The trouble I've been having is that whilst I used to cook something new almost every night, and learn something in the process, over the past decade I've been gradually descending to where I am now, which is going through the same limited repertoire (roast dinner, chicken puttanesca, hunters' chicken, carbanora, salmon tagliatelle, Thai or Malaysian curry, fish pie, mirin salmon, and not much more, tbh).

I actually feel I'm losing my improvisational skills. My wife is still impressed that I can whip up a meal from ingredients when we've not got much in and when she can't see a potential meal from whatever's leftover, but it's a bit limited. Like, quick batter for pancakes, fritters or tempura, something based on a basic white sauce, white wine sauce or tomato sauce, mustard sauce... you get the picture.

So, I'd really like some recommendations for books, Youtube videos, etc. that would give me the basic skills I lack and up my improvisational game. I picked up The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, which I'm slowly working my way through, but would be good to pick up some skills to cook other styles too.

 

[robfosters]

My dad brought me round one of those ready cooked rotisserie chickens. Being a Saturday I dont fancy making potatoes and veg and all that. What else goes well with roast chicken?

 

[Martynt74]

Do you want it as a roast?

Could always just pull it all apart for a curry or stew?

Could just make mash and gravy with it?

 

[Glaucus]

whole chicken, sriracha and mayo. nothing else needed.

 

[strumpusplunket]

Mash and braised cabbage would be nice. Cauliflower cheese always goes well with a roast chicken too, imho.

 

[robfosters]

whole chicken, sriracha and mayo. nothing else needed.

I’ve decided to do this with some crisp lettuce wrapped in a toasted tortilla with fries, like a home made KFC twister. Should go well with a few cold lagers.

 

[bsoltan]

Yeah wraps with leafy salad are great. Or get a baguette, coleslaw and bag of salad.

 

[robfosters]

Found this in Tescos for my dinner:

http://i.imgur.com/9mhzaDs.jpg

 

[the-evaluator]

You couldn't make that image just a little bigger could you?

 

[jpaul]

Maybe he is a vegetarian, but I was equally concerned by the ramifications on the ingredients/taste/calories.
and similarly for the pre-made chinese curry sauce being discussed in other thread, which is predominately oil (500Kcal/100g !)
I would usually try and do a cut-down version of such sauces with the more limited ingredients in the cupboard.

I repost
Michael Pollan’s 64 Food Rules

 

[randomshenans]

I have decided I want to spend some time to properly cook something challenging for my birthday for the family. I haven't done this for ages, and I have so many books I could choose from, this week I think I will dig through and try and create a menu from the mass of books I have.

 

[bsoltan]

Menu crafting is almost as much fun as the cooking for me. Trying to come up with something a bit different while keeping all the flavours and some kind of theme or cohesion through the meal.
I did a four course mother's day and father's day meal this year and it was excellent.

 

[bsoltan]

I'm much more of a savoury man but a friend has asked me to make a dessert for a get together.

Any recommendations on something for 10-12 adults following a roast.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I'm much more of a savoury man but a friend has asked me to make a dessert for a get together.

Any recommendations on something for 10-12 adults following a roast.

Cheescake? That's our go to dessert when there's a few people, tasty and not too much faf. Me and my family are doing a cooking challenge on Sunday where each pair has to cook a course but your given the ingredients that start with your first name. I feel like this could go wrong very easily.

 

[bsoltan]

That sounds like a fun activity and you're going to end up with some bizarre foods!

Cheesecake is a good suggestion. The only thing I'm really used to making is carrot cake.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Cheesecake is quite easy, have a look at some Mary Berry ones, they are pretty good. We need to buy food starting with H & M, standard stuff like butter, flour etc is allowed. So far we have got, Halloumi, Mozzarella, Hake and Ham, not sure what dish that is going to make.

 

[randomshenans]

Cheescake? That's our go to dessert when there's a few people, tasty and not too much faf. Me and my family are doing a cooking challenge on Sunday where each pair has to cook a course but your given the ingredients that start with your first name. I feel like this could go wrong very easily.

Haha be sure to let us know what happens! With pics, of course.

I would have said cheesecake, too. I bloody love a cheesecake.

 

[Mark A]

Currently marinating some chicken breast in 50/50 Pattaks Madras curry paste and plain greek yogurt to make some wraps later with salad and mayonnaise. Also nice in Pitta/naan bread.