Outstanding idea. Posting to subscribe.

Damn this is a good thread.

I wonder if part of the problem with the kim chi dish was too much of the liquid throwing off the other flavors of the dish. Did you drain or squeeze the kim chi first?

Re: your kid, maybe it's just the high chair, but wow she looks like she's growing fast!

This thread keeps delivering as a great read.

Thanks.

Although the recipe called for including liquid from the kimchi, there was very little liquid in the jar and most of that was lost to the explosion. When I took the lid off of the jar the kimchi and liquid shot out with such force that I was cleaning spatter five feet away on the floor and my white shirt was covered with red kimchi juice spatter. It is in a mason style canning jar with fermentation clearly continuing after canning and I'm a bit concerned that the jars themselves could explode from the pressure. She makes damn good kimchi at any rate.

curious... i wouldnt think canning would be the best method for storing "fresh" kimchi. Like you mentioned id be afraid of them esploding

Hmm. I still can't help but think that while kim chi is great, the kim chi liquid could easily be overkill and taint the rest of the dish.

I find things with super strong flavor, like sausages for instance, or some kinds of cheese, can easily do that. Or even bacon sometimes. You may think you're gonna be eating something with a variety of flavors and maybe even something aromatic in it, and then ... all you taste is sausage, with nothing standing out as a flavor AGAINST the sausage.

I've ruined a few dishes that way IMO.

I've also used incredibly small portions of highly flavored foods to add a lot of flavor to the dish without it being perfectly clear what the flavor is or where it comes from. I've found a really tiny part of a piece of pepperoni minced nearly to powder can spark up a sauce a lot. Kinda like anchovies.

So I guess the effect goes back and forth. Which is all going to say, I can see how a dish with kim chi in it could easily come out badly.

I immediately thought of bell pepper when I read that.

VOMIT.

go back upstairs....

Tonight: New Zealand



New Zealand cuisine looks a lot like what I know and love here on the US west coast - with emphasis on fresh meats and fish, Mediterranean influences, and good wine. I'm in my element here.

We made grilled rockfish with chermoula on couscous paired with a Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region and Pavlova for dessert. I chose a local fish, Pacific rockfish, because I am informed that it is a reasonable substitute for New Zealand snapper (it is actually sold here commercially under the name "snapper") and I can get it same day fresh. We eat a lot of fish and were excited to finally have a fish recipe after a week without fish.

Grilled snapper fillets with chermoula on couscous:



First, I made a marinade with garlic, salt, onion, cilantro (coriander leaves), parsley, paprika, chili powder, cumin, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and olive oil.





I covered the fillets and marinated for 30 minutes:



I broiled the fillets, and served over couscous with a small bit of reserved marinade and a touch diced roasted red bell pepper.



Paired with a Sunday Mountain 2008 Sauvignon Blanc:



For dessert, we made Pavlova. Pavlova, named after ballerina Anna Pavlova, is a meringue base with whipped cream and raspberry topping.









Results:

The rockfish is similar to some of our regular fare. I am not a huge fan of cilantro, but I tolerate it in small doses. This dish had the perfect blend. If I were to change anything, I would use a lighter whitefish like a perch or sole. Tilapia would work too. The wine was a steal at $4, god I love my wine discounter. Marlborough is known for some of the world's best Sauvignon Blanc. The Pavlova was simple and wonderful. Mrs. Crash tried her first hand at meringue, and did admirably. She only recently took to baking, and is improving by leaps and bounds. There will be more baking coming up.

This weekend - the kitchen hits the road. We kick off summer with more world cup and a camping trip to the Oregon coast. Don't be alarmed if I miss a day, I will try to post daily but I might be out of wifi range.

this thread rules. i will show it to my wife in the morning. we never do stuff like this.

a vita-mix? seriously? I might be confusing it with another brand but arent those things like insanely ridiculously expensive?

crash are you a pro chef?

The vita-mix is insanely ridiculously awesome. Yeah, it was a bit spendy but it is powerful enough to make Jamba Juice type smoothies and makes making creams, sauces, soups, pastes, salsas, etc. really easy. It will crush ice in no time flat. It spins so fast it will boil cold tap water in about 5 minutes on high. It opens up the range of what you can do in your kitchen at home. It also pays for itself after just a few summers of saving money on the kids' smoothie habits.

I haven't been paid to cook anything since 1995, and I was never a pro chef. I do some bulk preservation of homegrown fruits and veggies and I do my own jerky, sausage, custom meat cuts, beer, wine etc. I am really eager to try my hand at cheesemaking, but that will have to wait until at least after the world cup.

I mostly just enjoy the mix of art and science that goes into cooking.

If you want to make some mozzarella sometime we can do a thread on it. I make it fresh quite often....its easy. Fermenting cheese though i think takes a lot of prep (humidity, air flow...)

I want one of those blenders so bad. every time i make soup/lots of sauces and such im always making a mess straining them. One of those would make it so easy.
One of these days....

Today: Slovenia



As I write this up, Slovenia is up 2-0 vs. the USA at halftime. We baked late into the night and made Slovenian Almond Bars for our trip to the Oregon coast. This recipe came up in nearly every Google search for Slovenian food. It is a holiday dessert.



Our local grocer has an almond grinder, making this dish easy.



I grated the chocolate and mixed the ingredients together:







The mix was then placed in an 8x8 greased baking dish and brushed with egg.



Finished product:



Results:

This made a dry, light brownie type dessert bar. I like it. The kids like it. Mrs. Crash is not a fan because it is fairly dry, but I think a cup of coffee cures that problem and goes well together. I think I'll make this to share at Thanksgiving this year.