Milk Street RecipesAsked Dec 29, 2019 by Mitchell G.
First, a caveat - I hate it when people modify a recipe and then complain about the results, as if it's the original recipe's fault. I'm not complaining - just asking ;-)
I made the Palestinian Upside-Down Chicken and Rice recipe from the recent issue of the magazine. I did substitute boneless, skinless breasts for the bone-in, skin-on thighs and reduced the oil by roughly a quarter. The end result was VERY aggressively spiced. My wife couldn't tolerate it. We both liked the preparation method and thought it had some potential though.
Are the seasoning amounts in the recipe correct? I was thinking that the significant reduction in fat after my modifications might impact how the spices worked if they were fat soluble. I'm planning to try it again in the future, maybe with half the seasoning (and perhaps when my wife is on a business trip to avoid the "are you nuts?" stare :-)
Thanks!
Mitch
Answered by Matthew Card
Hi Mitchell,
The reduction in oil and fat from the chicken thighs does impact how the spices are perceived. The fat will mellow out the spices. I'd suggest in the future reducing by a quarter if swapping out white meat for the thighs.
Read MoreAsked Dec 23, 2019 by Inho K.
I like how to food processor on the show seems to work. Does anyone know the brand and model of the food processor used in the Milk Street kitchen?
Answered by Matthew Card
It is a Kitchenaid model. I'll have to check in with the kitchen for the exact model.
Read MoreAsked Dec 20, 2019 by M L.
Your chewy Molasses Spice Cookies got me thinking since I'm not a huge fan of mild or robust molasses most of the time. Though I do adore pomegranate molasses. I'm wondering about the qualities of the kinds and how differently they might cook up & bake. I did substitute the pom for regular in a Shoo-Fly Pie and it was really good . . . but my spouse usually makes those "on the fly" so one never truly knows til it's done what it is going to be. Saturday's was pretty dry.
In any case . . . Thanks! Blessings!
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.
Read MoreAsked Dec 20, 2019 by Robert P.
Chris commented that he dislikes bay leaf. A recent commentator called and said he grinds them which I have done for years in order to make heirloom melon gazpacho, a recipe from Tierra Sur. I too grind the dried leaves in a blade type coffee grinder that I use as a spice mill. My nuance is that I tap the ground powder into a small tight tea stainer and sieve away the larger pieces and save the dust into a little jar. Amazing stuff.
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.
Read MoreAsked Dec 20, 2019 by Elizabeth K.
Hello, my husband is in the military and we just moved overseas to Japan. We live off base and love it, but my kitchen is lacking an oven. I have a three burner stove top. I am looking for dessert recipes for Christmas that can be created on the stove. Any suggestions?
Answered by Matthew Card
Steamed chocolate cake!
Stovetop Chocolate Cake
Gussy up with whipped cream with a touch of brown sugar, vanilla and sour cream for a tangy accent. A few berries would be great too.
Read MoreAsked Dec 20, 2019 by Mary A.
The most basic of seasonings -- at least in US cuisine -- are salt and black pepper.
Since all living creatures have an absolute need for sodium, it's pretty obvious why we evolved to like salt.
But why pepper? Is there any reason other than because that's what we're used to?
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.
Read MoreAsked Dec 20, 2019 by Judy T.
I made a half recipe of this delicious dish using the timing for the full recipe. Can anyone please offer the timing adjustment for the half recipe? Mine seemed over cooked, but still tasty.
Answered by Matthew Card
I'd probably begin checking at 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Read MoreAsked Dec 16, 2019 by Emily Z.
In the "creamy polenta with savory sauces" recipe, the texture described in the recipe is quite different than the texture in the accompanying images. Do you have any recommendations for achieving the firmer text so that it can be cut into squares? Thank you!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Emily - the recipe for Fried Polenta is linked are the bottom of the Creamy Polenta recipe. Here is the link - https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/fried-polenta. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Dec 09, 2019 by Mike B.
In the Sept/Oct magazine it says "The next day, I return so Pinna can teach me first to make fregola from scratch—easily the simplest pasta to make by hand (see sidebar on p. 18)—then to use it in the seafood dish I’d eaten the night before." I cannot find the sidebar in the digital version. Please give me this recipe.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Mike - If you go here you will find the sidebar in the box on the left side toward the bottom of the page entitled "Homemade Pasta at Your Fingertips." Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Dec 05, 2019 by Howard C.
I can saute mine for an hour and they don't brown. I use sweet onions -- is that why?
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.
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