A Food thread
Re: A Food thread
Oct 4th 2020, 9:19 pm
#1296
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA / Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 9,977
Re: A Food thread
Originally Posted by Steerpike
I've tried freezing them 'naked' and yes, they turn to an ugly black mush. Hence the attempt with oil. I've only used the 'result' once so far, and it SEEMED like the leaves retained their vibrant green color once cooked. You do need to accept that you are also adding a bunch of olive oil to the dish, but I love olive oil too! The leaves are decidedly 'limp' once thawed, but then, they are limp a microsecond after you drop in the hot sauce you are cooking!
Here's an article about it ... https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to...-basil-1388437
in which they say, "Use a food processor to coarsely chop washed basil leaves. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse to lightly coat the leaves with oil; this will keep the basil from turning black in the freezer. Scoop the resulting mixture into ice cube trays and freeze".
Here's a nice, in-depth review of 6 methods .. https://anoregoncottage.com/freezing...leaves-6-ways/ She concludes the freezing in oil is NOT successful, but then, she was trying to use small pieces of the whole batch; I just dumped the whole batch straight into my sauce!
But I didn't use a blender as I like my leaves pretty large in my dish, so I just roughly chopped them and then hand-tossed, gently.
Note, this article warns about botulism ... https://susiej.com/the-safe-way-to-p...thout-botulism
Here's an article about it ... https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to...-basil-1388437
in which they say, "Use a food processor to coarsely chop washed basil leaves. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse to lightly coat the leaves with oil; this will keep the basil from turning black in the freezer. Scoop the resulting mixture into ice cube trays and freeze".
Here's a nice, in-depth review of 6 methods .. https://anoregoncottage.com/freezing...leaves-6-ways/ She concludes the freezing in oil is NOT successful, but then, she was trying to use small pieces of the whole batch; I just dumped the whole batch straight into my sauce!
But I didn't use a blender as I like my leaves pretty large in my dish, so I just roughly chopped them and then hand-tossed, gently.
Note, this article warns about botulism ... https://susiej.com/the-safe-way-to-p...thout-botulism
Originally Posted by caretaker
#buzzkill
The packet holds 30 or so leaves (guess) and I want to use 4 or 5 at a time, maybe months apart. I usually go to the Asian market where it's just in baggies and it's the Thai basil, not sure if the plastic clams of basil in the supermarket are any different. It's such a great herb but I hesitate to buy it because I waste most of it.
The packet holds 30 or so leaves (guess) and I want to use 4 or 5 at a time, maybe months apart. I usually go to the Asian market where it's just in baggies and it's the Thai basil, not sure if the plastic clams of basil in the supermarket are any different. It's such a great herb but I hesitate to buy it because I waste most of it.
Pictures -
I will try again shortly
Oct 8th 2020, 5:58 pm
#1299
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Italy
Posts: 2,607
Re: A Food thread
Originally Posted by el collado kid
Made a beef curry today,no pic use your imagination please oh yummy.Oh yeah the chicken curry lasted for 4 days ummm ahhh smoking.
Oct 8th 2020, 7:14 pm
#1300
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA / Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 9,977
Re: A Food thread
Originally Posted by Pica
4 day old curry? Guessing you live on the edge then? Live fast die young?
Oct 11th 2020, 10:01 pm
#1302
BEfuddled
Joined: May 2016
Location: Brasschaat, Vlaanderen, België.
Posts: 4,806
Re: A Food thread
With some 'help' from BIL I caved and invested in a bread machine a few weeks ago, and so far I am pretty happy with it.
After a couple of slight recipe tweaks, I got to a 'near perfect' basic loaf, so now feel ready to move up a gear.
I went last week to the local garden centre to buy cat-food (as one does) and noticed for the first time that they have a bakery section with interesting ready-to-go bread mixes, including some for pita and naan. Pita bread here is generally naff compared to the real thing, even to Sainsbury's whole wheat pita as I remember it from around 30 years ago.
So, thinking to use the machine to prepare the dough, then bake the bread in the oven on the hot stone borrowed from the raclette grill.
After a couple of slight recipe tweaks, I got to a 'near perfect' basic loaf, so now feel ready to move up a gear.
I went last week to the local garden centre to buy cat-food (as one does) and noticed for the first time that they have a bakery section with interesting ready-to-go bread mixes, including some for pita and naan. Pita bread here is generally naff compared to the real thing, even to Sainsbury's whole wheat pita as I remember it from around 30 years ago.
So, thinking to use the machine to prepare the dough, then bake the bread in the oven on the hot stone borrowed from the raclette grill.
Nov 3rd 2020, 3:28 am
#1304
Turning into a PA gal!
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: State College PA, finally!
Posts: 2,961
Re: A Food thread
On Saturday I picked all my remaining tomatoes, peppers and cucamelons. There were 18.75 pounds (8.5kg) of tomatoes. Today I pickled (quick refrigerator and fermented) the 2.5 pounds of cherry tomatoes, turned 2 pounds of green Early Girl toms into marmalade and chopped up 2.5kg of green(ish) San Marzano toms for chutney - they are being salted overnight and will get cooked down tomorrow. Also boozed and jarred the mincemeat today and elder son made stuffed poblano peppers for dinner. The cucamelons were simply snacked on by all of us, none of those now until next summer. Tomato-wise I just have the 9 pounds of green Brandy Boy left to deal with and also the various peppers, though I did start fermenting all the ripe habaneros today for making hot sauce in a couple of weeks.
Nov 3rd 2020, 5:25 am
#1305
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA / Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 9,977
Re: A Food thread
Originally Posted by lizzyq
On Saturday I picked all my remaining tomatoes, peppers and cucamelons. There were 18.75 pounds (8.5kg) of tomatoes. Today I pickled (quick refrigerator and fermented) the 2.5 pounds of cherry tomatoes, turned 2 pounds of green Early Girl toms into marmalade and chopped up 2.5kg of green(ish) San Marzano toms for chutney - they are being salted overnight and will get cooked down tomorrow. Also boozed and jarred the mincemeat today and elder son made stuffed poblano peppers for dinner. The cucamelons were simply snacked on by all of us, none of those now until next summer. Tomato-wise I just have the 9 pounds of green Brandy Boy left to deal with and also the various peppers, though I did start fermenting all the ripe habaneros today for making hot sauce in a couple of weeks.
)!
