Whatcha Cooking today?

[Sue_CT]

Wow, not very hot, huh? That is pretty hot to me, lol. This is what I like about those food boxes. I can make indian curry, try indian or thai peppers, without investing in full sized ingredients I might never use again. The biggest problem with them is they like to keep a few secrets or swap things out. So the ingredient list might only say "chili pepper". There might be a packet that says it is a type of spice mix but not give the exact make up of it or brand they use. So this is the first time I have been surprised in the pepper I have received, but I am happy to try a real indian green chili pepper, if that was what it was. Usually I have been given a jalapeno, a poblano, or something similar that I can easily identify. Sometimes it will be in the ingredient list that it is a jalapeno, for example. I think I have received serano before, also.

[Sue_CT]

Buy the way, it is a subscription service so you have give them a credit card when you sign up, but you can skip any or as many weeks as you want and cancel any time you want. I have gone months without receivinga box. But they do give me a limited number of free or discounted boxes I can gift to others. I think if it is a dicounted box I get a 10.00 credit but I don't if it is a free box. This is the current "friends" offer they are giving me but I don't know which it is, if anyone wants to try it. If nothing else, it might be a free box of food and you just cancel when you get it. The company is "hello fresh". https://www.hellofresh.com/pages/share? ... =raf-share

If its not the free box, let me know if anyone wants me to post when they offer that again. I would not normally post that because it seems like I pushing a product and I don't want to do that.

[Tormato]

My simple scale is...

mild - 500
hot - 5,000
very hot - 50,000
super hot - 500,000

Then there are the extracts, like Mad Dog 357 Plutonium No. 9.

[Sue_CT]

Pepperhead212, if I see one again I will take a picture and maybe save some seeds to see if they will germinate. Its winter here like most places, lol, and I don't relish grocery shopping in snow, ice or current temps in the single digits without the wind chill factor. So, this is prime time for me to get new boxes delivered to my door with everything I need, lol. Its a luxury even though I am currently getting discounted boxes. But with COVID still raging, I indulge myself when I get home. I make them on my days off and save half of each recipe to warm up after work on the days I am working.

[karstopography]

DDA063A8-DC54-4CF8-B74A-19630B61D435.jpeg

Chili. Speaking of peppers, Two Jalapeños get simmered in this recipe whole for an hour or so in the pot to add the capsaicin heat to the chili then get squeezed into the pot and discarded, seemed to work well for a nice, but not overwhelming heat.

I once not too long ago ate a native chiltepin pepper raw and whole and that was a mistake. Don’t know the scoville units, but there were too many.

[maxjohnson]

Dirty rice, again.

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[Whwoz]

@maxjohnson , what do you put into your Dirty Rice, looks like something different the kids will eat

[maxjohnson]

@maxjohnson , what do you put into your Dirty Rice, looks like something different the kids will eat

I looked up the cajun/louisianna style dirty rice and used what I have.
Onion, celery, bellpepper. Then cooked beans, parsley/cilantro, mushroom, a lot of seasonings.
Technically should have ground beef in the mix. Also some tomato powder would have been nice.

[worth1]

Just got off a cattle drive and stopped off at the Long Branch in Dodge City for a steak.
Sprinkled with flake salt black pepper and sweet smoked paprika.

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[worth1]

@maxjohnson , what do you put into your Dirty Rice, looks like something different the kids will eat

Traditionally minced chicken livers, gizzards and other organ meat the rich folks didn't want.

[worth1]

While we're on the dirty rice thing.
I find the spice mixes to be way too salty.
One of my long time friends is from Abbeville Louisiana and is of French heritage.
He knows a lot about Cajun cooking.
Abbeville is located south of Lafayette and due east of New Iberia.
Out in the middle of rice country.

[worth1]

Taking full advantage of the cold weather I decided to whip up 8 pounds of sweet Italian sausage.
The garage is 40 degrees and the pork roast is almost frozen solid.
My #22 electric meat grinder is always out on my work bench ready to go.
The ingredients to the sausage is black pepper salt fennel seeds basil leaves and a little garlic powder.
Put it on the meat and grind away.
Takes less than 5 minutes to grind up 10 pounds of meat probably more like 3.
Now if I don't get the odd drill bit or micrometer mixed up in it I'll be good to go.

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20220122_084409.jpg

[Tormato]

Just got off a cattle drive and stopped off at the Long Branch in Dodge City for a steak.
Sprinkled with flake salt black pepper and sweet smoked paprika.
20220121_180424.jpg

Check your hammer at the door?

[Tormato]

Taking full advantage of the cold weather I decided to whip up 8 pounds of sweet Italian sausage.
The garage is 40 degrees and the pork roast is almost frozen solid.
My #22 electric meat grinder is always out on my work bench ready to go.
The ingredients to the sausage is black pepper salt fennel seeds basil leaves and a little garlic powder.
Put it on the meat and grind away.
Takes less than 5 minutes to grind up 10 pounds of meat probably more like 3.
Now if I don't get the odd drill bit or micrometer mixed up in it I'll be good to go.
20220122_083349.jpg
20220122_084409.jpg

How much fennel for 8 pounds?

[worth1]

Taking full advantage of the cold weather I decided to whip up 8 pounds of sweet Italian sausage.
The garage is 40 degrees and the pork roast is almost frozen solid.
My #22 electric meat grinder is always out on my work bench ready to go.
The ingredients to the sausage is black pepper salt fennel seeds basil leaves and a little garlic powder.
Put it on the meat and grind away.
Takes less than 5 minutes to grind up 10 pounds of meat probably more like 3.
Now if I don't get the odd drill bit or micrometer mixed up in it I'll be good to go.
20220122_083349.jpg
20220122_084409.jpg

How much fennel for 8 pounds?

I have no idea
I just sprinkled it in while grinding
About 5 tablespoons of fresh whole fennel seeds.

[worth1]

Just did a taste test and added more fennel from old stock and 1/2 cup of port wine for a little sweetness.
Needs more salt but won't add it at this time.
It's not getting stuffed into casings either.
Next taste test is better and I'm stopping.

[worth1]

The Italian sausage made 7 pounds total.
I forgot to take off the weight of the bowl and taste testing.
I kept one pound back and the rest are in one pound packages in the freezer.

Now I have "Operation Panini", to start and the reason for the Italian sausage.
That last pound had more salt added plus a good amount of chipotle powder and smoked sweet paprika added.
Time to break out the Lodge grill pan.

[pepperhead212]

I had a braunschweiger sandwich tonight, with that rye bread I just baked, plus a small salad, with hydroponics greens.

But I also made some more salsa negra, since this is National Hot Sauce day! This is something that I have to always have on hand, and was down to about 2 tb, so I had to make more!

For cooking these moritas in the oil, in the beginning, I have to turn my fan on, even when it's very cold out! As much I love the smell, it can choke you, if it gets concentrated.
Lightly frying half of the moritas. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The browned garlic, and the little bit left from the last batch of salsa negra. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Ground up mix, in the VM. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Cooked for the firt 3 minutes, before turning down to med-low, for 20 more minutes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

After cooking about 15 minutes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Finished salsa negra - almost black, and almost a solid blob. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Salsa negra in a pint jar, until next time I have to make it! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

This will keep indefinitely in the fridge, and only a small amount is needed to give that chipotle flavor. Even in recipes with some canned chipotles, I'll add a small amount, for an even better flavor.

[Tormato]

Just did a taste test and added more fennel from old stock and 1/2 cup of port wine for a little sweetness.
Needs more salt but won't add it at this time.
It's not getting stuffed into casings either.
Next taste test is better and I'm stopping.

It may not be for you, but I like to finely grind some fennel, adding it sometimes with or without whole seeds. It gives a stronger flavor that completely permeates the meat.

[worth1]

@pepperhead212
The Morita has a wonderful fruitful taste the Chipotle doesn't have.
I always keep them on hand.
@Tormato
I normally grind some fennel up too, but didn't this time.