Comments

Episode-2040- Cooking With Jack – July 2017 — 13 Comments

  1. I,d have cooked the steak for just a few minutes longer to get that crispy slightly burned taste on the outside, but thats just me and my taste.

    • There was plenty this was sliced and you are not seeing the edge, cooking longer would have ruined it.

  2. You’re spot on about millennials and cooking. I have no idea what it is, but my friends look at me like I’m some kind of wizard performing forbidden dark magic when we have BBQ’s and I cook everything from scratch. It drives me nuts how everyone I know CONSTANTLY wants to go out to dinner, when for what I’ll spend for my girlfriend and I to eat out at some foodie restaurant with a group or another couple I could have spent on an entire week of way better food at home. …And people my age wonder why they never have any money to buy anything of actual value.

    Totally agree on learning the technique being more important than learning the recipe as well. One of the first big fights I had with my girlfriend was caused by me making fun of her because she needed to look up the recipe for green bean casserole. I was dumbfounded, as I just throw in some green beans, cream of mushroom soup, some fried onions, a dash of soy sauce and salt and pepper, mix it up, taste it, and if it tastes right I’ll toss more onions on top and bake it until it looks done.

    …But when you’re never really taught to cook because your family just always eats out, it makes sense why you’d follow a recipe like it was scripture as that’s the only way you know how to do it. You don’t know what “looks right,” because you haven’t done it enough to feel comfortable to take some liberties with what you think might make it better. We do tons of cooking together now, but it just blows my mind how the ability to just look at what you’ve got in the fridge and pantry and come up with a cohesive meal without needing a concrete recipe is some sort of lost art for people my age, PARTICULARLY when you list that as one of the main skills kids should know by the time they’re 14. (Which I totally agree with.)

    I’d just sigh and say, “Kids these days,” but I’m not sure that works still when you’re talking about people in their 30’s.

  3. I’ve heard you mention cooking up lambsquarters in the show a couple weeks ago about uncommon garden plants. I have some (I think), and have tasted the leaves. Do you just cut off a stalk and sautee/wilt it in a pan stem and all?

    Cooking is very important – especially in our fast paced, 1st world stressed society. I enjoy cooking when I can take time to plan, gather, and prepare a good meal – it just becomes such a rare event lately.

  4. FYI – fast fish dish we do all the time (might be good with your chili sauce instead of salsa):
    Get out a covered casserole dish, spray with olive oil, put in thick filet of cod, cover with salsa, microwave on high for 7 minutes, serve with choice of sides rice or other. Beats fast food any day. If fish is well thawed you can do 6 minutes.

  5. The avocado pit is performing the same function as the plastic wrap; less surface area for oxygen to to hit.

    • Based on the results I have seen I am quite sure it is more than that.

  6. I’ll try to keep this short.

    Another variation on the fish soup out of South East Asia is Canh Chua Cá from Vietnam. It’s basically the same thing as Jacks recipe But it adds elephant ear stem (or celery if you cant find it), okra, fresh tomato, sliced pineapple, culantro instead of our cilantro and tamarind. The tamarind ruins it for me so I leave it out. Add the chopped green onion and the culantro at the very end, you want the freshness for contrast. If using celery, chop up the tender leaves and add them at the end also.

    Chipolte Mayo… To this add a very small amount of Worcestershire (not enough to really taste it’s for a chemical reaction thing,) some mashed up capers and a little of the juice, Lawry’s garlic salt to taste (don’t substitute another brand, this is the best,) just a little vinegar and a lot of fresh lime. You want enough lime juice that the mayo starts to get a little watery and fresh ground black pepper.

    Make this first and mix some of it with your thinly sliced cabbage so the acids will have a little time to break down the cabbage. Then drizzle a little more over the fish at the very end.

    After you try this sauce, it will forever be your favorite coleslaw dressing. DO NOT ADD ANY SUGAR TO THIS the first time. Coleslaw does not need to be sweet.

    Jack,
    Why on earth do you not have a patch of Lemon Grass growing on your property? It is stupidly easy to root, almost maintenance free, pseudo-perennial, looks good and tastes better. Van Tran market North East of you should have it fresh. If they don’t and you want some, let me know and I’ll send you a few stalks.

    Another thing, plant yourself some Tabasco plants. When you harvest them throughout the summer just dump them into a gallon ziplock bag in the freezer. They have a great chili flavor, are very consistent in heat and after being frozen nearly dissolve into your dish with a quick mash with a spoon.

    The best way to cook broccoli:
    Rinse it and without shaking it off, chop it directly into a gallon ziplock, you want a little water in the bag. Push out most of the air, zip it closed and throw it in the microwave for about three minutes. Season it in the bag with what ever you want and serve it up right then. Or leave it plain and rinse it in cold water to stop the cooking to add it to a stir fry at the very end.

    It always comes out bright green and you adjust the time for preferred doneness.
    This also works for cauliflower and carrots.

  7. I made the chili sauce today and used it with Tilapia and Cod. I wasn’t sure which fish to try so I bought both! 🙂 It turned out AMAZING!

    Thanks for the recipe Jack! Looking forward to using the leftover sauce with some chicken thighs tomorrow.

  8. WOW! Made the sweet potato greens with bacon crumbles as a side for lunch last two days!! They rock!! Easily a $10/side at a restaurant! And hit with a little cracked pepper, it’s money!!! You mentioned a document or file with the recipe ideas, and I looked, and yet to find it. Gotta try the shrimp/fish tacos this weekend!!!
    Again, MSB is the best $ I spend all year!!

    • Under Resources for todays show it says Document with All of Today’s Recipes

      Near the bottom of the list of links

  9. Loved the cooking episode. Made the sweet potatoes and greens and it was awesome.

  10. Blue Apron has been a great skill building service for me and expanded items that my family has tried. It is spendy but very low stress and educational.

    Pros
    * Easy to follow steps
    * Everything you need measured (except salt and oil)
    * Seasonal ingredients with many I’ve never tried
    * Try it for free (at least it was when I started)
    * Choice of meals and delivery day
    * Info on many of the farm sources
    * Pause or cancel easily. We usually pause off and on to mix it up.
    * Learn how to use herbs to enhance flavors.
    * Meals taste better than many restaurants.
    * They tell you what wine style to pair (wish it was beer style instead).

    Cons
    * Only a few diet adjustments.
    * Pausing or stopping needs to be done a one or two weeks early (I forget).
    * Until you get comfortable meals can take longer to prepare
    * Cost but quality of ingredients is high and it shows up at your door.

    I don’t get anything from this company. There are other similar services. Some sites and apps will provide recipes and lessons at a lower cost but you source your own ingredients.