User:Michael/Recipe Hacks
Pasta Salad
- Orzo,
- spinach
- red onions
- feta
- olives
- equal parts Newman's Own "Italian" and "Oil and Vinegar" dressing. Sometimes I add stuff
Rosemary focaccia
- 2c flour
- 1tsp yeast
- Tsp salt
- 1c warm water
- Rosemary
Fridge overnight
Transfer to dish and let rise for 2-3h
Olive oil, season, and dimple
Cook for 25 at 410 until golden
Pasta salad dressing
Everyone freaks out saying how good the dressing is, it's powdered Italian dressing. But the trick is using 1/8 of a cup white wine vinegar and 1/8 cup rice vinegar.
I've deemed it the crowd pleaser- box of colored rotini, halved cherry tomatoes (regular tomatoes when I'm making it for home), cucumber, orange or yellow pepper(or green or red) sliced black olives, and green onion. Good seasons zesty Italian mix that I mix in a jar then pour over everything in a large baggie and shake that, usually let it sit overnight when I'm bringing it to a gathering. There is a plethora of veggie combinations but this is my most basic, it's good with chopped cauliflower and broccoli too.
German potato salad
Potato's, bacon, onion, dill, chives, and a vinaigrette
Sous vide ham
since everyone has a tendency to overcook ham in the oven during the reheating process...I don't have that problem with sous vide. I do add some extra pineapple, brown sugar, marmalade, and honey into the bag while it bathes at 140 for an hour or so until heated up. Then I just torch the outside to brulee the glaze/brown sugar. Everyone thinks I spent all day cooking when in reality, I dumped a bag of ham into a tub water while I watched a rerun of Law & Order before the party.
French onion soup
I don't have a specific recipe. I doubt I've made the same soup twice. But there are plans and guidelines.
It all starts with an obscene amount of cut up onions. They reduce so much during the browning / caramelizing process that you have to start with a big pot of onions. All the way to the top of the pot.
The browning / caramelizing process also takes an obscene amount of time. You are in for hours of babysitting. Or at least checking-up every ten minutes or so.
Some recipes say to deglaze the pan with red wine or similar. Don't. If you do, you will taste that wine flavor in the end result. Similarly, some recipes add too much thyme / rosemary / bay leaf. Go light here too, or you will taste it in the end result. (Too far!)
Once all of the onions are reduced and caramelized, I add both beef and chicken stock. Pretty much 50/50. I also add some amount of soy sauce and Lee and Perrins. The soy sauce seems to be a key thing here for the best end result.
There are a ton of actual recipes online, and I have tried several. What I'm proposing here is following one, while avoiding the pitfalls I've mentioned above.
Take an inordinate amount of time with the onion base. Any recipe that says you can do that part in a half-hour is lying.
Go easy on the rosemary / thyme / bay leaf. Ignore instructions to use wine or cherry.
Soy sauce and L&P to taste at the end.
EDIT: I forgot butter! There is a LOT of butter involved. As well as salt and pepper to taste as well.
Sweet Potato Bowl
Cube a sweet potato and roast it. Then dice an avocado. Put both in a bowl, then season with salt, pepper (lemon pepper is especially good), chili powder, and cumin.
People go nuts for it. It's good served cold or warm.
