OT: The Food & Drinks Thread

[groovejuice]

@justafan22

Try this out:
500 grams black beans
Mirepoix+Garlic and Bell pepper (I like red, you do you.)
100 ml of EVOO
Salt/Pepper to taste
about 3 or 4 table spoons of vinegar of choice. Apple cider works great here, or use regular white vinegar, every thing works here, theres not enough quantity to change the flavor, it just gives a bit of zing.

Key is to let that tastey crap simmer for hours. I'm talking like 6 or 7.
You might want to soak your beans, all the power to you if you believe in that, I'm lazy, personally, I'll just rinse them real quick.
Cook up your vegs, when everything is dandy, put your DRAINED black beans in there, bam, cover with cold water immediatly, you'll need about an inch of water over the beans. Add in everything but your vinegar and let it cook for as long as needed. (Boil first, then bring down to a simmer for a few hours) You might need to add some water, were not scientists.

Add ham to it for extra prots and extra taste, bone-in is best, but you can do any ham, even bacon would potentially work or italian cured pork of your choice, you just want to add a bit smokiness here. Traditional calls for a ham bone, but **** this, were inovators and who really eats ham these days ?

Should give you about five servings, depending on how much of an animal you are, even more with rice.

Per serving, without rice, it would give you something like :
550 cals
55 grams of carbs
25 grams of fat
25 grams of proteins
Vitamins and minerals THROUGH THE DAMN ROOF.

I missed this post earlier. Very nice recipe. Smoked pork hocks are pretty easy to find in these parts. Great substitute for the ham.

 

[yianik]

Shells are amazing for stock. I always buy raw shrimp in the shell and keep the shells in a ziplock bag in the freezer until I have a nice bunch of them. You just need to roast them or fry them in a little olive oil to extract the flavour. Like the lobster, it makes an amazing stock or sauce.

You could try other thickeners. Egg yolks are great but you have to temper them carefully. Rice starch or arrowroot are also good and taste neutral. I'd stay away from corn starch.

Yeah I have looked at alternatives but Im good with the roux as long as its not overdone. And yes no corn starch for sure, gets pasty. I also use starchier potatoes which helps thicken a little bit.

I have never roasted the shells as I worry about the lobster flavour overwhelming everything ( in a lobster bisque ok ) and besides the lobster I have haddock, shrimp, scallops and salmon. The salmon isnt a usual in many chowders but it actually has just a mildly distinct flavour that I find is a really nice addition.

When I dont go all out I use mussell shells as my equivalent to your shrimp shells to do the stock. I stick to shells because its harder and bothersome gathering up all those fish bones to make a stock with them. I am happy with the shells. .

 

[CalgarySnow]

I use them in a tuna, olive, garlic and anchovy dish which is divine. I’m betting they will be fine, they were in brine. The pasta dish is great btw

 

[CalgarySnow]

I missed this post earlier. Very nice recipe. Smoked pork hocks are pretty easy to find in these parts. Great substitute for the ham.

Really where? My Co-op and Superstore in shawnessy do not sell them

 

[groovejuice]

Really where? My Co-op and Superstore in shawnessy do not sell them

I always find them at Sunterra. They're actually cheaper there then anywhere else I've seen them.

 

[CalgarySnow]

Never mind liking my post @groovejuice where have you found them?

 

[CalgarySnow]

Ok thanks, like Sunterra and they deliver

 

[groovejuice]

Never mind liking my post @groovejuice where have you found them?

Hehe look up

 

[CalgarySnow]

Look up yourself

 

[Runner77]

One of my nephews recently bought a smoker and is getting a lot of mileage out of it.

He's made brisket and ribs with so much flavor while breaking down the meat so much that it melts in your mouth and stays moist even two days later. Also smoked kidney beans with bacon and made his own beef jerky -- to die for.

He makes his own beer.

And has even bought a dry aging fridge for his choice cuts of meat, that he's going to cook several weeks from now.

And despite all of this, he couldn't find his go-to Schwartz's spices. He went to Schwartz's directly and they had run out.

No problem, he's set out to substitute it by creating his own.

Something good cooking at his yard every week, gotta find a way to be a regular on the guest list.

I'm assuming you use dry rubs when you are curing your meats.

Can you share what you use and whether it is advisable to create your own?

 

[CalgarySnow]

Can we swap for my useless son (my own fault) for your nephew? How do I get an invite?

 

[yianik]

One of my nephews recently bought a smoker and is getting a lot of mileage out of it.

He's made brisket and ribs with so much flavor while breaking down the meat so much that it melts in your mouth and stays moist even two days later. Also smoked kidney beans with bacon and made his own beef jerky -- to die for.

He makes his own beer.

And has even bought a dry aging fridge for his choice cuts of meat, that he's going to cook several weeks from now.

And despite all of this, he couldn't find his go-to Schwartz's spices. He went to Schwartz's directly and they had run out.

No problem, he's set out to substitute it by creating his own.

Something good cooking at his yard every week, gotta find a way to be a regular on the guest list.

I'm assuming you use dry rubs when you are curing your meats.

Can you share what you use and whether it is advisable to create your own?

Hot damn Runner you best become his favourite uncle. Lots of good eating to be had in that backyard. Is it the Green Egg or something like the Webber. I have a Webber charcoal BBQ but have been eyeing their Smoker.

 

[Runner77]

Can we swap for my useless son (my own fault) for your nephew? How do I get an invite?

Be patient, there is good in everyone.

 

[groovejuice]

Ok thanks, like Sunterra and they deliver

Sunterra produces a lot of their own bacon, sausages, etc. and yes, smoked pork hocks. That's why they're always available

 

[CalgarySnow]

Be patient, there is good in everyone.

He’s a good kid (he’s 18) doesn’t do drugs and refuses to drink (lectured me and his dad on his 18th birthday when we said have a beer saying just because he can drink doesn’t mean he should), he’s on the Spectrum so has a real sense of rules

 

[Runner77]

Hot damn Runner you best become his favourite uncle. Lots of good eating to be had in that backyard. Is it the Green Egg or something like the Webber. I have a Webber charcoal BBQ but have been eyeing their Smoker.

You betcha, yianik.

I forgot to add that he has an espresso machine, follows that up with Cuban cigars and rare rums and whiskeys, lol. I can't keep up with this guy.

He bought his smoker at BBQ Québec, it's a model that works with pellets, paid near $3000.

It's not this one but similar to this: BBQ Québec

I can ask him if anyone wants to know. It's a horizontal ugly piece on wheels and weighs 300 lbs but works like a charm.

 

[Runner77]

He’s a good kid (he’s 18) doesn’t do drugs and refuses to drink (lectured me and his dad on his 18th birthday when we said have a beer saying just because he can drink doesn’t mean he should), he’s on the Spectrum so has a real sense of rules

Good on him, he has solid values. He only needs to discover where his passion lies and he'll be great.

 

[CalgarySnow]

Good on him, he has solid values. He only needs to discover where his passion lies and he'll be great.

That is the problem not helped by dad saying he still doesn’t know what to do at 50 and joined the Navy because he was unsure where his life was going. Tbh how many people knew what they wanted to do at 18 (other than those with a vocation)?

 

[Runner77]

That is the problem not helped by dad saying he still doesn’t know what to do at 50 and joined the Navy because he was unsure where his life was going. Tbh how many people knew what they wanted to do at 18 (other than those with a vocation)?

Heck, there are people who find their calling later in life. There is pleasure in the discovery process. If he doesn't know what he wants to do, it's a great time to try stuff.

 

[CalgarySnow]

Heck, there are people who find their calling later in life. There is pleasure in the discovery process. If he doesn't know what he wants to do, it's a great time to try stuff.

And while Mum and Dad are paying his bills a great time to think about it lol

 

[Runner77]

And while Mum and Dad are paying his bills a great time to think about it lol

We were all in the same place at some point and if we were lucky, we had someone show excruciating patience while we may not have been at our best.

Plus, the brain of a male is not fully developed until age 25, especially the part of the brain that allows one to gauge the consequences of one's actions:

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have made it possible for scientists to watch the rate at which the PFC matures, and have discovered the male brain doesn't fully develop until age 25. Meanwhile, women experience a maturity rate of 21 years-old.

Since we're having this discussion in a food thread, shall we call it "food for thought"?

 

[CalgarySnow]

I am an only child (female) and after I didn’t make the necessary grades to make further education had to get a job (wasn’t given the option of making better grades), I worked in a police station which taught me never trust the cops,lol, I am so soft on my son and now he is spoilt and has an easy life, luckily he has realized he has to go back to school to get better grades in his diploma so he can go to Uni and get a good job, he is incredibly intelligent (2 psychologists have said this and he’s just hasn’t been challenged) so hopefully he will realize his potential

 

[Runner77]

I am an only child (female) and after I didn’t make the necessary grades to make further education had to get a job (wasn’t given the option of making better grades), I worked in a police station which taught me never trust the cops,lol, I am so soft on my son and now he is spoilt and has an easy life, luckily he has realized he has to go back to school to get better grades in his diploma so he can go to Uni and get a good job, he is incredibly intelligent (2 psychologists have said this and he’s just hasn’t been challenged) so hopefully he will realize his potential

You've done the best you could and that is all that counts. I'm sure you were a good role model. You earned an honest living and his good values didn't come out of thin air, yourself (and I'm assuming your spouse) played a huge role. Maybe you spoiled him but at least you didn't neglect him. You probably tried to give him what you didn't have growing up. As parents, we all make mistakes. It doesn't matter, it's what we do as a whole and who we are, not the times when we faltered. He's lucky to have you. It's a work in progress, keep up the great work.

 

[yianik]

You betcha, yianik.

I forgot to add that he has an espresso machine, follows that up with Cuban cigars and rare rums and whiskeys, lol. I can't keep up with this guy.

He bought his smoker at BBQ Québec, it's a model that works with pellets, paid near $3000.

It's not this one but similar to this: BBQ Québec

I can ask him if anyone wants to know. It's a horizontal ugly piece on wheels and weighs 300 lbs but works like a charm.

Aged meat, real BBQ, fine whiskey and cigars ? Guessing I would be having a good long snooze in one of his lawn chairs after all that. Ha ha ha.

You don't need to ask him on my account. Your nephew has invested in some pretty serious hardware and I wouldn't be spending that amount of coin.

He is certainly putting it to good use though, feeding you and all. Love that he is aging his meat. Man your nephew is on top of this. Doesn't sound like he is entertaining going vegan any time soon.

 

[Brainiac]

Favorite drink: gin and tonic.

Favorite food: a wedge of lime.

That covers it up for me this summer.

Joking aside, I recently lost some weight (around 25lbs) with a combination of cutting on the carbs (it just works) and 3 episodes of gastro (seriously). Feels great, you have the muscle mass to carry on all that fat, but the fat isn't there anymore.

But it also feels like I'm ready for a poutine, as I didn't get any so far this summer.