Cooking

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Samantha - Great question! I'd say you can use pickled mustard seeds anywhere that mustard might be appropriate. On eggs (especially great on deviled eggs or in egg salad), in soups and stews, in sandwiches (I like to mix them into mayonnaise), with sautéed greens, in marinades. They are especially good with fatty meats such as pork butt, Chuck roast, or pork belly -the heat and acidity really balances the richness. I think they would also be great on our Baked Salted Salmon with Dill, either along with the pickled cucumbers or even in place of them. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Adam - We haven't tested this recipe as a cold pasta salad, but I don't think the goat cheese mixture would yield a creamy sauce in the same way if it's done on cool pasta. The arugula also won't wilt. My recommendation would be to try adding some of the hot pasta water to the goat cheese-oil mixture to try to melt the cheese and then adding that to the cool pasta and arugula. This would coat the pasta better, but I do worry that the goat cheese might become chalky once it's chilled. I would probably not add lemon juice because that might be a bit too tangy, but a little lemon zest mixed in with the cheese-oil mixture might work. I would also chop the arugula into smaller pieces, since it's not going to wilt in the sauce. Finally, this might be best as a room temperature pasta salad than a truly cold one. Again, we haven't tested this but these would be my suggestions to try to make it work. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Diane Unger

Hi Amanda - I knew that milk would add too much fat and make these already soft and delicate meatballs so soft that they would fall apart. Since they are already very moist and tender, I didn't need to use milk anyway. Hope that helps. Diane Unger

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi David - You're somewhat right. Whole grain pasta has a stronger, often nuttier flavor than semolina pasta and can negatively affect the flavor of more subtle pasta sauces like marinara, aglio et olio, pasta al limone, etc. Its texture, which can be granular, doesn't work well with others, such as carbonara or cacio e Pepe. It's best to combine these heartier whole wheat pastas with strong-flavored sauces such as duck or beef ragu, nutty pesto, or any combination of ingredients with strong flavor and texture such as anchovies, chilies, roasted vegetables, crumbled sausage, or bitter leafy greens. Finally, though you should always strive for al dente noodles, it's especially critical not to overcook whole wheat pasta. When cooked too long it tends to mush together. Drain the noodles a couple of minutes shy of al dente and then toss with the sauce and serve immediately. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hi Jean, You could try using heavy cream, half-&-half or alternative milks like oat or almond milk. We have not tested all of our curry recipes using alternatives, so we cannot guarantee the results. We did, however, learn to make Butter Chicken using ground cashews and water instead of cream. You could check out the method we used for that recipe and see if it might work for your coconut milk sub. https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/butter-chicken

Answered by Matthew Card

I'd recommend a smaller amount of good-quality aged sherry vinegar.

Answered by Matthew Card

Pom Molasses generally isn't an even swap for regular molasses. Its made by reducing down pomegranate juice to a sticky syrup and doesn't have quite the same viscosity or sweetness as conventional molasses. If regular molasses doesnt gut it for you, might I just swapping out Lyle's Golden syrup or treacle? Milder flavor, but same basic texture and sweetness.

Answered by Matthew Card

That's a great tip for bold bay flavor without having to pick out bay leaves. You could add peppercorns, thyme, chili peppers, etc for a more complex blend. I use bay leaves by the handful in roasted vegetables to add aroma and flavor. My family is used to picking leaves out of there food! Its easy to underestimate the capacity of bay leaves to add flavor. We've even got sweet desserts flavoured with bay--the flavor cuts through monotone sweetness to add dimension.

Answered by Matthew Card

Western cooking's dependence on pepper is a complicated story tracing back hundreds of years, trading routes and European colonialism. Pepper's punch adds accent to dishes and a mild spiciness, which helps define a dish's flavor. However, there are lots of ways to do that if black pepper isn't your thing. In Morocco, cumin seed is often used instead of pepper. In Turkey, smoky-fruity tasting chilies, like Aleppo or Urfa pepper, are used as table side garnishes.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Howard - I definitely don't think it's the fact that you are using sweet onions. I caramelize Vidalia (or a combo of Vidalia and yellow) onions all the time. It could just be time. Sometimes, over medium-low heat, it can take over an hour to caramelize onions properly. You do want to start them over medium-high to get them softened and then turn them down to medium-low once they soften. You also want to make sure that the pan you are using is stainless steel, carbon steel or cast iron (in other words, not nonstick) and large enough to fit the amount of onions you are cooking. If it's too small and the onions are overcrowded they will steam when they should be browning. A 12" pan can hold about 2 sliced onions. Finally, using butter (or butter and oil) as the fat in the pan can often help the browning thanks to the milk solids in the butter. Making caramelized onions - the classic way - really takes a fair amount of time, attention, and patience. There are some shortcut recipes out there that you could try if you want something quicker, but they can be tricky to avoid burning and, in my opinion, don't produce the same result. If I were to pick one to recommend, it would be this one. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.