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What's cooking?

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Ken B

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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:01 pm

There is nothing in that last meal that pretty much most folks on this forum are not capable of. I had to rig up a pretty funny looking Rube Goldberg contraption to sous vide those beef ribs, but ultimately it was just a big ole dutch oven on top of my stove, no immersion circulator or anything like that, though I wish I had one. Cook time was quite long but less than a day, and actual time spent active in the kitchen, maybe half an hour - if you didn't want them to come out nice and pink like that, then you could easily do it (with different but no less delicious results) in a crockpot. Kimchi puree was made in a blender. Quick pickled = shaved vegetables, a handful of kosher salt and some sugar and a couple of hours on your countertop. 5 ingredients in that fried rice, if you count the salt & pepper, the others being rice, scallions and bacon fat. Come to think of it, actually 6, I put some sugar in there too. I get a solid couple hours every afternoon of prep time when my youngest naps, so I can cut stuff up or whatever so it looks really nice. Cooking is what I do to have fun & relax, when others might be watching tv, going shopping, etc. I guess the 2 reasons I do not cook professionally (I have staged in a number of restaurants in Chicago, where I know people in the industry) are that 10-12 hour days are not really part of my program right now with my family obligations, and no one seems to want to hire me anyway (nice looking pictures of your food on the internet don't seem to get much traction on a resume).
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Madeline M

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Re: What's cooking?

by Madeline M » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:49 am

Ken B wrote: I guess the 2 reasons I do not cook professionally (I have staged in a number of restaurants in Chicago, where I know people in the industry) are that 10-12 hour days are not really part of my program right now with my family obligations, and no one seems to want to hire me anyway (nice looking pictures of your food on the internet don't seem to get much traction on a resume).


Maybe you should consider doing a blog with more detail. It's crazy how many blogs I run across where the person has gotten a book deal because they can plate the food well and take a good photo, even though their recipes aren't remotely memorable much less spectacular.
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Deb Hall

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Re: What's cooking?

by Deb Hall » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:10 am

Madeline M wrote:
Ken B wrote: I guess the 2 reasons I do not cook professionally (I have staged in a number of restaurants in Chicago, where I know people in the industry) are that 10-12 hour days are not really part of my program right now with my family obligations, and no one seems to want to hire me anyway (nice looking pictures of your food on the internet don't seem to get much traction on a resume).


Maybe you should consider doing a blog with more detail. It's crazy how many blogs I run across where the person has gotten a book deal because they can plate the food well and take a good photo, even though their recipes aren't remotely memorable much less spectacular.

....unlike yours, Ken! :D
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Robin Garr

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Re: What's cooking?

by Robin Garr » Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:33 pm

Spicy Tom Kha soup with tomatoes, spinach, tofu and cilantro in coconut milk with Thai spices. 

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Re: What's cooking?

by Madeline M » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:06 pm

Thanks Deb for the save! I just re-read that and probably should have expanded on that thought! Ken does some really creative dishes...I admit I have had to google ingredients or techniques more than once and I love that! The asparagus and green onion pizza is going to make an appearance on my menu soon.

Robin, that looks awesome! I love Tom Kha, the tomato addition sounds yummy!
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Ken B

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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:10 pm

Thanks, I appreciate you guys' appreciation.

Here are some blogs I take inspiration from, or basically learn about techniques from:

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/ is great for creative, simple and ultimately pretty healthy modern food, French, but with worldly influences. Most of what she uses can be found around town or is already in your own pantry, and she uses simple, no-nonsense techniques that anyone who is willing to use actual kitchen tools (as opposed to a microwave) can master. I like her cookbook, too.

http://foodpornstars.tumblr.com/ is great for plating ideas. Mostly restaurant food, mostly places we will never visit.

this is my friend Steve's blog. He cooks creatively, writes well, and makes me want to make food:

http://mariobatalivoice.blogspot.com/

When you want to get into some crazy techniques, check out:

http://blog.ideasinfood.com/

http://www.playingwithfireandwater.com/

This website is super cool:

http://www.foodpairing.com/en/home/

There used to be a free version of it out there, but now you have to pay for the full pro version. The "lite" version is free, and is okay.

I also highly recommend the Ideas in Food book. Another great one for putting modern techniques within the reach of normal people is Mission Street Food, and of course the Momofuku and Fat Duck cookbooks. There is also a book you can check out from the main branch of the Lousiville Free Public Library called Coco: 10 World Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs - it was a game-changer for me. Actually our library, both the main one and many branch libraries, are filled with awesome cookbooks. Tom Colicchio's Think Like a Chef is great reading to get you away from being dependent on recipes. It was written before he was a household name due to tv in case that matters to you.

Lucky Peach makes me want to cook. Issue 2 was kind of "meh" to me, in spite of Louisville mentions, but issues 1 & 3 are right on.

I did not 100% rip off that asparagus pie from Garage Bar, but my wife had an asparagus pizza there she really loved, so I just riffed off that.
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Ken B

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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:18 pm

I forgot to add, I LOVE the Inventing Cuisine tv series from French TV. The Pascal Barbot episode is essential viewing. You can find them on Amazon for less than $20.
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John Hagan

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Re: What's cooking?

by John Hagan » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:56 am

Steve P's post a few pages back on Chicago Italian beef prompted us to give it a shot. Here is our take on it...served open face(thats what you all do down in Kentucky right?) drenched in juice and piled with giardiniera.
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The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin' on it.
And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a Coke.
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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Wed Apr 25, 2012 3:36 pm

One of my greatest regrets about relocating to Louisville is that my children will grow up without learning the phrase, "Let's go get a beef."

I visit Johnnies every time I go back to Chicago.
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JustinHammond

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Re: What's cooking?

by JustinHammond » Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:18 pm

Ken B wrote:One of my greatest regrets about relocating to Louisville is that my children will grow up without learning the phrase, "Let's go get a beef."

I visit Johnnies every time I go back to Chicago.



Lonnies?

http://lonniesbesttasteofchicago.com/
"The idea is to eat well and not die from it-for the simple reason that that would be the end of your eating." - Jim Harrison

https://www.facebook.com/Louisville-Eat ... 129849554/
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Ken B

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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:11 pm

JustinHammond wrote:
Ken B wrote:Lonnies?


Nope.
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Ken B

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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:13 pm

Pasta prima vera.

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Burger with cheddar goop.

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John Hagan

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Re: What's cooking?

by John Hagan » Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:34 am

JustinHammond wrote:
Ken B wrote:One of my greatest regrets about relocating to Louisville is that my children will grow up without learning the phrase, "Let's go get a beef."

I visit Johnnies every time I go back to Chicago.



Lonnies?

http://lonniesbesttasteofchicago.com/


Johnnies is generally considered to be among the best in the city (Im assuming Kens talking about the one in Elmwood Park). Here is a link to some pics of various Chicago beefs...Im pretty sure Johnnies is included in this line up. Note most of the beefs pictured here are sporting the "sweet" pepper treatment instead of the giardianaira.
http://www.greasefreak.com/beefs.html
The tall one wants white toast, dry, with nothin' on it.
And the short one wants four whole fried chickens, and a Coke.
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Ken B

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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:28 pm

I love the greasefreak!

My favorite beefs, in order of preference: Johnnie's (Elmwood Park), Bombacigno's (downtown), Al's (Little Italy), Freddie's (Bridgeport), Carm's (Little Italy), Lulu's (on Ogden near UIC) and Luke's (Harlem & Belmont). Honorable mention to Susie's on Montrose, who doesn't necessarily make a special beef, but makes a decent one, though the rest of what they make is aimed right at the heart of the greasefreak in all of us (meatball or gyros cheese fries in a fried tortilla shell anyone? or perhaps the infamous cornpole: a cheese stuffed polish sausage breaded and deep fried on a stick like a corn dog?). I think all (or at least most) are represented on the greasefreak.

I actually usually go for a combo though. And no, a combo does not mean with fries and a drink.
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Re: What's cooking?

by Ken B » Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:13 pm

An impromptu lunch inspired by a family meal cooked up by Mike Simmons when I was up in Chicago, and the leftovers in my fridge. Fried rice tacos. Sounds dumb, tastes great.
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