Where my fellow cooks at???

[columbia]

yes, that was my point.

[count2infinity]

when she's on, I turn the channel... can't take it.

[count2infinity]

I've really been into making pizzas lately based on other dishes (made the cheesesteak hoagie pizza and shared earlier in the thread), and last night it was spinach, artichoke dip pizza. Definitely good stuff. Tasted just like the dip:

Spoiler:

[ville5]

Care to share your dough recipe? Do you use a pizza stone or just a tray? I'd love to do a homemade margherita amongst others.

[OutofFoil]

Oh god, the pizza dough discussion revisited. Ib4 go buy it from the pizza shop.

[count2infinity]

I really really hate to say this, but my pizza dough recipe is water, yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil and flour. I don't really measure anything. I know it's about 2 cups of water, 1 packet or so of yeast, tablespoon of sugar, teaspoon of salt, and enough flour until it feels right (I think it's about 5.5 cups or so). The problem though is that it changes as it goes, so you need to know what the "feels right" is before you let it rest to get it right afterwards. Anyways, once the flour is right, I add enough olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) to coat and keep kneading for about 5-10 minutes. It's quite a workout.

This is where I might differ from most people that make it at home. The above is all done at least a day in advance of the pizza making day. I cover the top in plastic wrap, throw it in the fridge overnight. I usually make a big batch and cut it into portions and freeze the dough in individual balls wrapped in plastic wrap. I just don't think there's any way to get the texture and taste of a good pizza dough without a cold rise overnight in the fridge. Sorry I couldn't be much help on an exact recipe, but I just don't have one. There are plenty available online though... the cold rise is what makes it for me though.

[the wicked child]

I need to stop being lazy and make my own dough sometime.

I've done the cheesesteak pizza thing before and it's quite awesome. pizza lends itself well to those kinds of things.

[mac5155]

Key to a good dough is the flour used, from what I've found.

[tifosi77]

There are two places out here that use NYC tap water in the dough. Lamonica's in Westwood has bottles of the stuff shipped in, and Mulberry Street in Beverly Hills (and other places) actually has it 'manufactured' for them to match the mineral/impurity footprint. Their dough is exceptional, and it easily tastes better than nearly anything else out here.

Saw a show one time with five NY Italian dudes doing a blind taste test of five different slices of pizza. One was made with NY tap water, the others were made with (iirc) bottled water. All five guys ID'd the tap water pizza and preferred it over the others.

[the wicked child]

I saw a similar experiment on the short lived Food Network show w/ Ted Allen that tested various food myths. They brought in water from NY, LA and Chicago and all 3 picked out the NYC dough.

[tifosi77]

Actually, now that you say it I think that's the one I saw. Was Mario Cantone (comedian) one of the tasters?

[the wicked child]

Maybe. I don't remember who the tasters were, just the results.

[the wicked child]

Top Chef

Spoiler:

Kind of annoyed that Melissa gets to go right to the "final 3". I'm hoping this just means top 3 from the current 4 and does not include the winner of LCK. I guess as long as Mei and Gregory both end up in the finale, I don't care how in the grand scheme of things.

The door seems to be opening for Mei as Gregory hasn't been consistently in beast mode.

LCK

Spoiler:

Dougie tried his best to **** that up... not sure how he pulled that pork out of his ass at the last minute. I'm guessing that Adam's dish must have been fairly underwhelming.

[count2infinity]

just got back from the farmers market. got a dozen eggs that my one buddy has been raving about since we found this farmers market. I think the plan is tomorrow to make a braised lamb shank, with pappardelle, and a poached egg on top, and then Sunday for brunch I'll make a broccoli, ham, and cheddar frittata. I'll also measure my cholesterol tonight and again after the weekend

[tifosi77]

Top Chef

Spoiler:

Kind of annoyed that Melissa gets to go right to the "final 3". I'm hoping this just means top 3 from the current 4 and does not include the winner of LCK. I guess as long as Mei and Gregory both end up in the finale, I don't care how in the grand scheme of things.

The door seems to be opening for Mei as Gregory hasn't been consistently in beast mode.

LCK

Spoiler:

Dougie tried his best to **** that up... not sure how he pulled that pork out of his ass at the last minute. I'm guessing that Adam's dish must have been fairly underwhelming.

Spoiler:

Melissa is definitely finding her voice these last couple challenges. She's been under the radar all seasons, and now she starts dropping food like this? Perfect timing, because Gregory is not on form anymore. At this point, I think Mei is the clear favorite.

Frankly, based on the way the judging was presented I thought Mei was going to win the spot in the finale. She got her useless stoner brother and put out a watermelon soup - which is actually a very tricky dish - while Melissa's mom made an egg custard that's very similar to a dish she'd make when Melissa was a child. To me, that means the mom deserves equal credit for that dish, while Mei deserves full credit.

Mrs Tif and I were talking about this group, and we cannot remember the last time a non-restaurant chef made it this far into the competition. Usually the private/personal chefs, caterers and culinary school instructors get weeded out sometime around Restaurant Wars. Honestly can't think of another chef like Melissa making it to the finale.

[tifosi77]

David Chang presents..... the ramlet

[youtube][/youtube]

The magazine he does with Anthony Bourdain (Lucky Peach, great content) just fired up their YouTube channel. It will be worth following.

[columbia]

I work with an (older) woman, who spent at least 10 years cooking in a French restaurant. She once mentioned, "I don't know anyone can eat a French omelette."

[count2infinity]

I much prefer frittata to omelettes

[viva la ben]

i tried durian this morning; I wish I hadn't. It really lives up to its reputation...I couldn't get past the rotten onion BO smell.

[tifosi77]

When I tried it I thought it was pretty good. I'd definitely have it again if the opportunity arose.

[count2infinity]

Here's the lamb pasta I said I was gonna make today... might be the best thing I've ever made. The homemade pasta made it.

[tifosi77]

(That's for the 'laurel, and hearty handshake' bit of the joke, not the....... you know....)

Fresh pasta is insanely easy to make - and equally easy to get completely wrong. And fair play to you, sir, for saucing the pasta appropriately (not in soup) and for using a poached egg as garnish. Would like to eat, so if you'd be willing to share the recipe I'd love to take a swing.

[count2infinity]

ha ha... sure thing.

Lamb: 2 shanks, salt and peppered and browned and removed then mirepoix in the same pot then some garlic, a cup or so of good red wine, and beef stock. Braised at 325 for a couple hours. Allowed it to cool, pulled the meat, and reduced the liquid way way down. Pasta was this recipe: http://www.pasta-recipes-by-italians.co ... pasta.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; but about half a cup of the flour or so went unused. Rolled it out with a pasta roller and cut pretty wide. Once the meat was picked just added it back to the reduced liquid. Cooked the pasta, strained and then combined with the sauce/meat. Plated and added the poached egg. Super simple, but oh so good.

[tifosi77]

Wonderful. I've never made a lamb ragu from shanks before; when I've made it in the past, it was a combination of cubed shoulder and mince (which was probably also shoulder).

I have a duck ragu recipe that I really like. Maybe time to break that out again...... for........ a lasagne?

[count2infinity]

More eggs... Broccoli, ham and cheddar frittata with breakfast potatoes: