what do you think are deceptively difficult dishes? easy to take for granted if you're not knowledgable?

645218 what do you think are deceptively difficult dishes? easy to take for granted if you're not knowledgable? Mon Aug 17 05:30:26 -0700 2009 100 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4952261 I had the funniest experience recently. I went to the restaurant where my husband is the sous. I do this from time-to-time and eat at the bar alone, just to check it out and enjoy the food, see what is up with the staff gossip, etc... There was a table of four behind me on a fairly quiet night, so i heard a lot of what they were saying. I often zone in on people talking about the food because it is pretty hard to get unbaised, honest opinions out of people. They had the cold pea soup with a sour cream garnish- I know what goes into this soup and how hard it is to make a soup that is absolutely delicious- First, I hear a diner say, "well this is just gazpacho, isn't it? No big deal. This is a gazpacho!" and i hear one of his tablemates try it and reprimand him that it is far more than gazpacho, not a gazpacho at all, etc... Then he says, "well, it certainly wouldn't be hard to make- jeez, you just toss peas in a food processor- no biggie!" and he proceeds to hold forth about how anyone could make that soup at home and why would you be paying $7 for it and so on... It was killing me. I wanted to take him back to the kitchen and show him how the soup was made, or at least see him try to create what he was eating by simply putting peas in a food processor! At least somebody at the table seemed to know enough to know what went into it, and to discern the difference between it and a poor version, but it was pretty funny. Mon Aug 17 05:30:26 -0700 2009 45437 nummanumma 1 4952381 I get much the same response to my meat loaf. My guests unaware of the four hour prep that goes into it. Mon Aug 17 06:31:32 -0700 2009 4952261 12630 beevod 2 4970797 I'm curious, what do you do with your meatloaf that takes 4 hours? Sun Aug 23 16:21:44 -0700 2009 4952381 15507 Rick 2 4984490 Please, beevod. Don't hold back. Thu Aug 27 19:22:20 -0700 2009 4952381 10743 yayadave 1 4952459 A fresh croissant is a gift. I have such an appreciation for the human who can produce something so wonderful. Mon Aug 17 07:09:03 -0700 2009 4952261 240293 Lewes17266 2 4975787 mmmm, yes bless the souls who make those flaky, buttery bits of delight. Tue Aug 25 08:47:44 -0700 2009 4952459 285186 Popkin 2 4990643 I made them once. If I recall, I think it took about 8 hours from start to finish. Absolutely delicious, but not something I foresee myself repeating as long as I have good bakeries near me. Sun Aug 30 13:27:16 -0700 2009 4952459 111441 gillyweed 1 4952753 I find the timing of food (at least being prepared at home) can sometimes be taken for granted. It's quite a feat to have guests over and have an appetizer served to everyone (maybe a salad or soup), then the main course ready to go for everyone, still warm, all accompanying sides prepared, etc. Not feeling rushed, just enjoying a well-executed, well-timed meal...quite a thing indeed! Mon Aug 17 08:52:06 -0700 2009 4952261 157039 KayceeK 1 4958845 The first category is the potential disaster. One that springs to mind is a souffle. It has to be right, the guests have to be sat at the table - not all that easy if one pops out for a smoke, another goes to the restroom and another is showing-off his new GPS. You have a two minute window. The next category is the little extras that you put time into and which are hardly even noticed by the guests.... The tomato sauce, the pesto, pickled juniper berries, your peanut oil mayonnaise, roasted pepper dressing, diced smoked chicken in the potato salad - you know what I mean. The next category are those dishes that need time in advance... In my eyes a gazpacho is easy. A lot of work, but for me it has to be prepared at least a day in advance to allow the flavours to meld, for the garlic, ginger and heat to mellow. I also believe a fruit salad is the same, provided you do not add the staining fruits or banana or pear till just before serving. A good fruit salad looks easy to make, but it takes a lot of time. A ceviche - relatively easy, but must be prepared a day in advance, and I like to stagger how the fish is added. A fish soup (or if you prefer long French words - a bouillabaisse ) is another. The success is in the stock. The steak will have been ageing in my fridge for three weeks. We dare not tell, as some people would be horrified they are eating 3 week old meat. The sauerkraut; my latest batch is one week into it's 4 week fermentation cycle. Home made burgers with home ground meat and home toasted spices left for 24 hours in the fridge before bringing to room temperature. That's another thing I tend to keep hidden in another room. Some people are petrified that the meat will putrefy in the 1-2 hour interval between the fridge and the grill / oven. My miso, coming up to one year old and still not as good as the stuff you can buy. Well you can't win 'em all. I cook only partially to feed my guests. The other part is for my own satisfaction. To know what I did was right and what was wrong or mediocre. To learn for the future. Wed Aug 19 08:12:08 -0700 2009 4952261 154622 Paulustrious 2 4959338 I'm with you, Paul, on all points. I made an amazing shrimp bisque last weekend, and everyone gobbled it up, and then asked me if I would make more the next day. No idea that it took me a long time to make the stock, etc... But at least they really liked it! As you point out, a lot of what I make is for myself, to learn a process, or try something I haven't. The art, I think, is to make it look easy. Could you post your sauerkraut process, sometime? I have tried it a few times, and haven't gotten a good fermentation yet..... I think a great burger is so much more than the sum of its parts. Wed Aug 19 10:28:43 -0700 2009 4958845 124908 jeanmarieok 3 4959350 Definitely wouldn't make more bisque 'the next day'. We buy raw shrimp with shell on and then collect the shells in the freezer until there's enough to make stock. Our guests are often surprised at how little time we actually need to spend in the kitchen at dinner time. It's all in the prep and doing as much as possible ahead, but a lot of people don't get that. Wed Aug 19 10:34:09 -0700 2009 4959338 139219 Sooeygun 3 4965991 I don't make the traditional huge bucket of whole / quartered cabbage heads. cabbage heads. Just a four pound white cabbage diced in the processor. To each quarter I mix a tablespoon of salt. The lot gets packed tightly (ie punched down) in a stainless pot. I then use another SS pot that just fits inside. In this I put a couple of bricks and water. A cloth on top to stop crud / flies falling in. In 24 hours the water should have risen above the cabbage. For some unknown reason I now stir it up, add a few peppercorns, repack and re-weight. If there is not enough liquid to cover the cabbage in 48 hours then add some extra water. Leave it somewhere cool for a month. At the end of that I pack it into 4 mason jars and top up with the brine. I normally add a teaspoon/tablespoon of sugar and any ground spices I fancy. (Experiment - cumin / fennel / ground mace / Indian spice mix / garlic & ginger / Vietnamese dipping sauce ...whatever) You then decide whether you want to keep it in the fridge and slow the process, or leave it in the basement to continue to ferment. It will get more acidic. with time. The sauerkraut produced is too salty for me unless I give it a quick rinse - my neighbour prefers it if I leave it salty. It needs some cooking before using it on a hot dog. My preferred meal with it is to add finely chopped smoked chicken, some herbs and some whipping cream. I can eat a stack of it. My OH doesn't like pickled or smoked food, so this is a self-indulgence. Fri Aug 21 11:38:28 -0700 2009 4959338 154622 Paulustrious 4 4966033 ooooooh, delicious! Thanks Paul. I have copied and saved this one, for sure. ;) Fri Aug 21 11:47:41 -0700 2009 4965991 52499 ChefJune 4 4972938 Thanks sooooo much! I will start this process this week! Mon Aug 24 10:44:19 -0700 2009 4965991 124908 jeanmarieok 2 4972007 Funny, souffle goes into my "deceptively easy" category. I <3 my Payard chocolate souffle recipe; blows 'em away every time. Though I've only ever made them in individual dishes, not a large one to be divided up and served. I'd imagine that's rather more fall-prone. Mon Aug 24 06:32:33 -0700 2009 4958845 131105 Emmmily 2 5002575 Care to share a bit about your miso method, please? Thu Sep 03 11:39:40 -0700 2009 4958845 13700 ricepad 1 4959389 Eggs! There are a lot of bad poached, scrambled & fried eggs out there. So much so that I think most people don't know what a fabulously poached or scrambled eggs tastes like. When don't right, they are sublime. Wed Aug 19 10:45:29 -0700 2009 4952261 71241 lynnlato 2 4960404 Agreed. Wed Aug 19 15:39:06 -0700 2009 4959389 219993 LA Buckeye Fan 3 4961825 Regreed Thu Aug 20 06:49:23 -0700 2009 4960404 154622 Paulustrious 4 4990779 yep. properly cooked eggs are a lost art - omelet, scrambled, hard-cooked...99% of the time they're overcooked, which is why i usually don't bother eating them unless i've made them. Sun Aug 30 14:38:55 -0700 2009 4961825 103920 goodhealthgourmet 4 5004476 Threegreed. I spent most of my life thinking I hated eggs. Then I learned how to make them myself. lynnlato hit it on the head, sublime is the only word. Fri Sep 04 07:04:35 -0700 2009 4961825 137495 dagwood 2 4973694 Oh, yeah. Mon Aug 24 14:07:02 -0700 2009 4959389 24468 chicgail 1 4960434 Great, great subject. I cook mostly on weekends and my wife is a marvelous cook rest of time. Often I do one of the simplest things: grill a steak, but if she is relaxing, it is not that simple. Running back outside to the grill which has very expensive steaks I don';t want to burn, while cooking the garlic bread and not steaming the asparagus beyond mush or taking up another side dish makes me really appreciate what a cook goes through who is not cooking from mixes and boxes and microwaves. It ain's as easy as it looks. And as for the pea soup, I am quite certain it is more than a handful of peas thrown into the processor. Wed Aug 19 15:49:25 -0700 2009 4952261 12296 steakman55 1 4960438 As for mexican cuisine, chiles en nogada and some mole preparations are a full-day labor of love. And a breakfast torta de lechon (suckling pig sandwich) at 7:00 am means someone has been up most of the night cooking. Wed Aug 19 15:49:59 -0700 2009 4952261 57170 Veggo 2 4961870 It comes as a surprise to some guests that half of what you did was made yesterday, and the time you saved that day was used to go shopping. I wish to add to your list... Pulled pork. Chile rellenos. Ropa vieja Thu Aug 20 07:01:59 -0700 2009 4960438 154622 Paulustrious 2 4962058 Oh yes! Chiles en Nogado and Mole! So much work! So much love! You are so right, I don't think people realize how much it takes to make these dishes from scratch. Part of the problem is the availability of premade mole in jars. They can be good, but they are rarely as sublime as a home-made mole. And these products mean that people think you just opened a jar and spooned the stuff out. There is a resto here in town that makes lovely Chiles en Nogado on Mexican Independence day, they are made from scratch and they are fabulous. They are so much work to make, it is a real treat to have them made for you by chefs who care. I know where I'll be eating dinner this year. Thu Aug 20 07:58:39 -0700 2009 4960438 89969 moh 2 4973705 Mexican cooking, in general, I find to be more complicated and time-consuming than it appears on the face of it. Moles in particular are a big deal. I made an absolutely gorgeous 4-course Mexican dinner for my husband and his brother one day that, between shopping, prep and cooking took me a good six hours. And then my husband got home late. ERRR. Well-prepared food does not last forever. Mon Aug 24 14:10:12 -0700 2009 4960438 24468 chicgail 1 4965683 Pasta is deceptively tricky to cook and serve correctly. I can't handle putting the pasta into the huge pot of salted, rollingly boiling water until all diners are present. Then, the timing of any sauce other than pesto or marinara- flavored oil, seafood, veggies al dente etc-, reserving starchy water and the final mixing step done carefully so that individual ingredients are not overly homogenized, warming the serving bowl at the right time...very easy to screw up. And then the whole thing disappears in seconds, an amount of time inversely proportional to the amount of time that went into not screwing up the end result. Tricky, tricky. Don't agree? Try making cacio e pepe successfully- the "simplest pasta" as far as ingredients are concerned- spaghetti, toasted and cracked black pepper, pasta water, pecorino and salt. Try getting it right the first, second, or even third time. Fri Aug 21 10:07:00 -0700 2009 4952261 209317 SaltyRaisins 2 4977507 Yes, abundantly agree with the pasta. To Cacio e Pepe I'd also add Pasta con Aglio e Alio. Beyond pasta I'd add the following: * Gohan (Japanese steamed rice) * Espresso * Yakitori (Japanese charcoal-grilled chicken, particularly Shio-aji, i.e. salt-flavored) * Sushi Tue Aug 25 16:32:42 -0700 2009 4965683 20300 cgfan 3 4979616 Yep on the gohan and the garlic/oil pasta. Another for the "deceptively difficult" category: I thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster that granulated hon-dashi exists and is such a good product- tried making my own with tons of katsuobushi and it was no better than the stuff in the jar. If there were no shortcut, nice late-night udon with some greens and shiitake would not take ten minutes from the moment of desire to an empty bowl in the sink, especially when tipsy. Cheers. Wed Aug 26 10:33:13 -0700 2009 4977507 209317 SaltyRaisins 4 4994362 There's a dish that we actually call "flying spaghetti monster" in my house. It's garlic/oil pasta with a ton of chopped capers cooked into the oil to make a veggie approximation of anchovies. It is missing the meatballs on stalks, though. Hippie "Stir Fry" is really easy to screw up -- cook one thing too long and you've got mushy bits. Crowd the pan and everything is soggy. Too many ingredients and it all tastes alike. And ignore the appropriate veggie chunk size at your peril. Mon Aug 31 17:48:39 -0700 2009 4979616 10322 the_MU 1 4965801 many of the foods above can be done quickly and easily, often by purchasing prepared ingredients. it is only when you taste the truly homemade version that you appreciate the difference. The sad thing is, many people either don't notice the difference, or just figure that "somehow" it just turned out right this time. Yeah, right, "somehow." I can throw together a bowl of chili in less than an hour, and its not bad at all. But when I take the time and start the day before it becomes a whole different dish. Fri Aug 21 10:41:54 -0700 2009 4952261 57890 KaimukiMan 1 4966029 interesting topic! The two th ings that came immediately to mind as being more than what most people think were risotto. Doing risotto well definitely takes time and the cook's full attention (more or less). Certainly isn't a preparation you can stir up, put the lid on and set the timer! and gumbo. Most of the chefs and home cooks who make gumbo call it "raw" the first day. So they always make it ahead. In restaurants that do it "right," the gumbo you're served today was made yesterday, and should it sell out, they won't serve you the "raw." ;>O Fri Aug 21 11:46:24 -0700 2009 4952261 52499 ChefJune 1 4967697 BBQ - it's not difficult, but putting bbq sauce on somethign and then throwing it on the grill is NOT bbq. an omelet (lost art) Tamales Sat Aug 22 05:49:47 -0700 2009 4952261 111530 gordeaux 1 4967747 Polenta. Luckily I'm not that keen on it. Sat Aug 22 06:22:13 -0700 2009 4952261 154622 Paulustrious 2 4972093 au contraire http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/454690 Mon Aug 24 07:06:45 -0700 2009 4967747 135229 thew 3 4972460 Just to be contrary ... that's still a lot more work that a pound of spaghetti, two cups of boiled rice or some baked potatoes. I did create a polenta desert once that had a stack of butter, all-spice and brown sugar in the it. It was served reheated with ice cream and maple syrup. Turned out remarkably well. Some of the Italians considered it a travesty. Mon Aug 24 08:46:04 -0700 2009 4972093 154622 Paulustrious 4 4972883 i'd say to me it seems it's about the same amount of work as a pasta, or rice , at least unless you have a rice cooker Mon Aug 24 10:32:02 -0700 2009 4972460 135229 thew 4 5004570 You want easier? Try Barbara Kafka's recipe. 1 cup polenta, 4 cups water, and a big pinch of salt in a large Pyrex bowl. Microwave on high for six minutes. Whisk. Microwave on high for another six minutes. Whisk again (with a little butter and cheese if you want). Let stand 5 minutes. Eat. Seriously, this doesn't give up **anything** to traditionally-prepared polenta. Fri Sep 04 07:41:47 -0700 2009 4972460 58743 alanbarnes 1 4967970 Eggplant parmigiano. I'm always shocked at how something that took me hours to make is gone in 20 or 30 minutes. When that dish comes out of the oven, nobody sees the endless frying of eggplant, the freshly made tomato sauce, the dirty pots and pans, the flour and egg all over the counter, the bits of cheese scattered everywhere, and all the cleanup. But I'm certainly not going to tell them! Sat Aug 22 08:40:22 -0700 2009 4952261 14139 Kagey 2 4970034 We've just spend three hours making arancini. Now they are a PITA. If you've not seen them, try to imagine making deep-fried stuffed risotto. Sun Aug 23 10:22:50 -0700 2009 4967970 154622 Paulustrious 3 4970977 You are a God!! When's dinner? Can I come? Recipe please... Arancini or Suppli di Riso are just about my favorite fried cheesy thing ever!! adam edit: just saw your profile and I guess I'm not gonna make it to Toronto from California in time to eat; so bummed ;) Sun Aug 23 17:40:44 -0700 2009 4970034 154787 adamshoe 4 4971892 Recipe? There as many of those as there are Sicilian children that say their mother made the best ever. And every one of them is right. Except mine are better. Although SWMBO thinks her mother's were best. Mon Aug 24 05:39:53 -0700 2009 4970977 154622 Paulustrious 2 4970731 I very much agree about eggplant parma, and lasagna, too, is a dish that requires a good deal of effort. Also: sushi rolls, and many dishes in Japanese cuisine that formally appear "simple" yet require detailed prep, time and patience... Sun Aug 23 15:51:23 -0700 2009 4967970 204204 penthouse pup 3 4972934 My family lasagna! Grandma made it seem so easy! But gosh - the homemade gravy, preparing, rolling and frying the tiny meatballs, the delicate cooking of the lagagna sheets, the layering-, evening out the perfectlt seasoned ricotta, strategicly placing the meatballs in the perfect spot....ugh what a PITA! (but totally worth it Mon Aug 24 10:43:43 -0700 2009 4970731 174753 NellyNel 1 4970829 My mom's thanksgiving dinner! The woman spends three days cooking and baking and it's all gone in about 30 minutes! She makes 7 pies plus a cheescake for 12 people! Sun Aug 23 16:31:38 -0700 2009 4952261 15507 Rick 2 4990740 i think your mom & i may be related. i do the same thing :) Sun Aug 30 14:16:13 -0700 2009 4970829 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 5002536 And mine!! Thu Sep 03 11:26:03 -0700 2009 4990740 290845 KristieB 1 4974865 In addition to those already mentioned, I would add gravy and mashed potatoes. There is an art to both, even though there is a lot served that is severely lacking. They may not take a long time to prepare, but they do require the right touch, an understanding of your ingredients and a careful watch. Mon Aug 24 22:24:23 -0700 2009 4952261 111267 meatn3 1 4978077 Some things are more time consuming than they're presented as being, but not necessarily difficult. Lasagna and layered things always take longer than I expect them to. Salad, with all that washing and drying and picking off all the nasty bits takes longer than it should - I totally get why people buy bags of salad. And stir fries ... by the time I get out the 3000 jars to make some kind of sauce (even tho' I keep them clustered as best I can in a lge container), it seems like I could have made a 3-course dinner. Tue Aug 25 19:43:51 -0700 2009 4952261 1093156 cinnamon girl 2 4990771 salad is *definitely* under-appreciated at times. my mom asked me to make one for her Passover seder this year, and even though this group would honestly be happy with some bagged greens, sliced cucumber, tomato and bottled dressing, that's just not my style. that salad took me *two days* to prep. made two different vinaigrettes from scratch the day before. roasted the red peppers instead of buying the jarred ones. roasted the garlic. did paper-thin slices of cucumber, radish and onion, and soaked all three in separate bowls of ice water to ensure crispness and remove some of the bite from the onions. cleaned and prepped three different kinds of lettuce plus the fresh mint and parsley. sliced and seeded the cherry tomatoes. collected the pomegranate arils from their shells. i *did* stop short of making my own cheese, though...opted for a mild, store-bought feta so as not to overwhelm the many unadventurous palates at the table ;) anyway, i packed each ingredient in a separate container and assembled the salad when i got there so that it would be as fresh and crisp as possible, and look beautiful...and it was, and it did. but you can be sure none of them had *any* idea how much work went into that salad. and if they had known, they'd have questioned why on Earth one would want to go to so much trouble for "just salad." some people just don't get it. fortunately, for those of us who do, there's Chowhound. don't even get me started on the 3 different cakes i also made for that same Seder... Sun Aug 30 14:35:38 -0700 2009 4978077 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 4991743 I've always suspected it, but now I'm certain: I love you, goodhealthgourmet. Sun Aug 30 21:41:03 -0700 2009 4990771 130151 dmd_kc 4 4991781 *blush* damn, dmd, you're easy. the declarations of love usually come after someone's actually *eaten* my food ;) Sun Aug 30 22:09:37 -0700 2009 4991743 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4980150 Sushi rice. I'm easy to please but difficult to impress. Of well over 100 sushi bars I've been to I've only been impressed with a handful. Too much or too little su with off-balanced salt, vinegar, no kombu, etc., falling apart or overworked. And it's not getting better with the focus on cutesy named complex rolls. Macaroni & cheese. It's not hard to make one that's OK, but get the right texture, blend of cheeses, white sauce, etc. a great Mac & cheese is hard to find. (Except mine and yours, of course. Wed Aug 26 12:43:22 -0700 2009 4952261 95291 Richard 16 1 4984489 The simple truth is that any food well prepared is harder than people realize or credit. It just doesn't happen by accident. People on these boards have posted long threads about something as simple as caramelizing onions for 2 hours or 5 hours. And that's only ONE ingredient in a preparation. If you want to make a really good sandwich, don't you agonize over what bread to use? And preparing a whole meal starts with selecting the right elements to put on the plate together. And even if you have a wonderful, proven recipe, you still have to have the technique that is not written in the recipe. Isn't this why we're here? Thu Aug 27 19:21:27 -0700 2009 4952261 10743 yayadave 2 4989835 Well said Dave! A family member made some fried tomatoes with milk gravy over bread slices last week. I was grateful as fried tomatoes do take some effort. I expressed my sincere gratitude but made my own last night and wow! Same ingredients almost but what a difference. Sometimes it really is the little touches that matter. Mine took at least twice as long for me to make. Also, some things can't be rushed. Sun Aug 30 04:10:23 -0700 2009 4984489 184593 givemecarbs 3 4990452 One of the things I like about these boards is finding out about stuff I never heard of, like "fried tomatoes with milk gravy over bread slices." What?!? But I can see that this could be some side that nobody notices or it could be a center piece for a light lunch. It always starts with the amount of care you bring to it followed up with the skill/technique to bring it off. So, can you write up what you did to bring it off and share it for future generations? Sun Aug 30 11:36:28 -0700 2009 4989835 10743 yayadave 4 4991675 Glad to Dave! But first some background. It is my most favorite dish from childhood. Both of my grandmothers made it, and my mom made it too. I was quite the sensible eater as a little girl. Could not possibly finish a whole glass of soda, struggled to finish an ice cream cone, but fried tomatoes was the one thing I would over-indulge on. I can still remember laying on the sofa at my grandmother's farm in Mainland groaning with an upset stomach because when all the fried tomato slices were gone I had slices of bread with the gravy. It is something of a pain to make so it was one of the first dishes I learned to cook. My mom was like, make it yourself when I would beg for it as a teenager. You just start with lovely ripe tomatoes sliced fairly thin so they cook quickly. The slices are coated in flour mixed with salt and pepper and fried in oil. I like mine slightly blackened and thoroughly cooked. While the slices are cooling on paper towels or paper plates the scraps of tomato left over from the slices are stirred with some of the leftover flour until they are nicely browned. I also toss in any slices that got half broken apart. I chop up the cooked scraps with the side of the spatula and then add the rest of the flour from the plate I used to dredge the slices. Usually there is a bit of oil remaining in the pan, but if not I add a little more. When the flour and tomato bit mixture has formed a nice roux I add milk to form the gravy. I like to add a bit of salt and pepper and bring the milk gravy just to the boiling point. Now for my mom's super secret tech! A very light squirt of ketchup is just the ticket! Yum. Just put a coupla slices of white bread on a plate and top with tomato slices and gravy. So good! My family always served this as a breakfast dish but I could eat it anytime I have the energy to make it. In the fall green tomatoes can be used, they turn red in the pan, hold together better, and have a delicious nutty taste, but I like the ripe ones best. When I first made this myself I would undercook the milk gravy so that it had a slightly starchy taste from the underdone flour. But that starchy taste got all mixed up with the swell of pride I felt the first few times I made the dish all by myself. Next time I'm undercooking the gravy! There is no logic to childhood favorites!!!! :) Sun Aug 30 20:58:21 -0700 2009 4990452 184593 givemecarbs 5 4993161 Thank you. I am soooo hungry. This would probably be easier to make if you have a mandolin that's easy to clean. (Mine's a pain.) I couldn't figure out what you were doing for gravy. Dija ever put poached eggs on top? Mon Aug 31 11:29:38 -0700 2009 4991675 10743 yayadave 6 4993472 He he Dave! I got famished just writing about it. Never have tried poached eggs on top. I love eggs now but hated them when I was a kid. In fact the thoughtful family member who made the dish for me dipped the tomato slices in a beaten egg. The slices turned out a beautiful golden color from the egg but ended up being undercooked with a raw tomato taste. Slightly blackening some of the slices just spikes the fried tomato taste. So good! I also like to put the gravy over the bread and then add the tomatoes now so their taste comes through more clearly. To add to the list on this awesome thread, perfectly cooked freshly picked corn on the cob. Corn on the cob is so easy to overcook and it is such a shame when that happens. Mon Aug 31 13:00:30 -0700 2009 4993161 184593 givemecarbs 5 4997152 Try making the same dish with bacon fat in place of oil -- your toes will curl for sure. Tue Sep 01 15:41:25 -0700 2009 4991675 11995 pikawicca 6 5003654 Sounds yummy pikawicca! I've been known to buy bacon just to get the fat for cooking. Not sure I can bring myself to do it with my beloved fried tomatoes though. That little girl inside me, the one who stuffed herself with this dish insists that the recipe must be frozen in time. Hmm that might be a good chowhound thread. Thu Sep 03 18:13:29 -0700 2009 4997152 184593 givemecarbs 1 4987662 A good pasta sauce! Or a lasagna! This is going to sound weird but I find croissants much more relaxing to make! Croissants are time consuming but at least most of the process is just waiting for it! I personally thought croissants are pretty easy to make...=/ But a pasta sauce...oh my god. I had to cut this and dice that, seed these and reduce those. I swear I have to use every cooking method just to make a pasta sauce. The cleaning was ridiculous. But the outcome was fantastic! Fri Aug 28 20:43:34 -0700 2009 4952261 212885 AngelSanctuary 1 4991511 pho given the price point out, adn the work to do it right at home - i expect to eat it out for the most part Sun Aug 30 19:42:24 -0700 2009 4952261 135229 thew 2 4994367 Might as well try to cook gyros at home. Mon Aug 31 17:50:59 -0700 2009 4991511 10322 the_MU 3 4995448 the pho came out great. but when it costs $6 for a huge bowl, i can't see spending 8 hours doing it again. I might try to use a pressure cooker to speed it up next time i try, and probably see if i can get the same flavor is a less "authentic" manner, or with fewer ingredients. Tue Sep 01 07:32:09 -0700 2009 4994367 135229 thew 1 4993410 a perfect hard boiled egg, brioche (it's not just bread), french beef stew (Julia's), perfect scrambled eggs, my meat loaf, stuffed cabbage rolls, excellent fried chicken, potato soup. Mon Aug 31 12:41:25 -0700 2009 4952261 11408 melly 2 5004518 Fried chicken was my first thought too. Fri Sep 04 07:25:09 -0700 2009 4993410 11106 tatamagouche 1 4993439 Really great chicken soup...with or without matzoh balls...or with or without noodles. Mon Aug 31 12:49:45 -0700 2009 4952261 11408 melly 1 4993470 Hard boiled eggs. I know someone mentioned eggs upthread, I just want to simplify that even more, to zero in on that one task that is the punch line of so many jokes. In my mind, it represents a multitude of kitchen tasks that can each be done in many ways, or that can be done properly, but only rarely are, and even more rarely is the proper preparation method acknowledged or appreciated by anyone but the cook. Not sure if this is where OP was going, but I guess I wasn't the only one who thought of this first. My alternate answer would be - a Génoise. Mon Aug 31 12:59:39 -0700 2009 4952261 101197 falconress 1 4993759 A looong time ago I made something that I thought would be superb and even elegant for a holiday dinner. I put a lot into it, and it really was superb. But nobody realized. I guess they all thought double consume is only for when you are sick. Mon Aug 31 14:12:49 -0700 2009 4952261 10743 yayadave 2 4994391 Wow Dave, sorry no one but you appreciated it. My mom told me that her grandmother in Rydal would always start off Christmas Eve dinner with bowls of really rich delicious chicken stock. She always looked forward to it. Mon Aug 31 18:01:33 -0700 2009 4993759 184593 givemecarbs 3 4994544 I think at one time it really was thought of as elegant. Mon Aug 31 19:01:20 -0700 2009 4994391 10743 yayadave 4 4995153 Again, I think part of the problem is that no one makes consomme from scratch anymore. People think soups and stocks come from bouillion cubes and Knorr soup mixes. Wy would anyone get excited about boiled water and powder? It is a hard mentality to beat down. I love a good consomme. I think it is a lost art. But nowadays, people want smoke and mirrors, foams, agar gels, exotic garnishes. "Simple' broths don't excite. Tue Sep 01 05:29:58 -0700 2009 4994544 89969 moh 5 4995778 It was a great recipe that I got from Bon Appetit back when it was a cook's book and I was learning from it. I remember not being able to figure out how to get the broth out of the pot with-out getting the bones and meat and used up vegetables. I bot a length of plastic tubing and siphoned it out. Thinking about it now has me thinking about looking for that recipe to make it again. No sharing the soup, this time!! Tue Sep 01 09:07:22 -0700 2009 4995153 10743 yayadave 6 4996031 "No sharing the soup, this time!!" ~~~~~~ you can still share, just be sure to do it with someone who will appreciate it this time! ;) Tue Sep 01 10:21:46 -0700 2009 4995778 103920 goodhealthgourmet 7 4997034 Like me! I'll appreciate them! Tue Sep 01 14:52:18 -0700 2009 4996031 89969 moh 4 5002150 My mother was the consommé queen. Her two best were a chicken consommé: clear, golden, rich flavor. A thing of beauty in her elegant two-handled vintage bowls. The other was a shrimp consommé with just a few small shrimp floating in a clear briny ocean of flavor. Each seemed so simple to make but took hours of careful execution. Her dinner parties are legendary. Thu Sep 03 09:37:05 -0700 2009 4994544 75332 Gio 5 5002299 Well, back in the day, MY consomme was a belly flopper. TeeHee But, then, Gio is a Chowhound legend. Thu Sep 03 10:17:24 -0700 2009 5002150 10743 yayadave 5 5002547 I suspect Gio's lasagna is an all-day affair, and it's legendary status is just beginning. Thu Sep 03 11:29:19 -0700 2009 5002150 57170 Veggo 2 5004522 Oh, good one Dave! (Heh, name that tune.) Double consomme's a BITCH to get right. Fri Sep 04 07:25:57 -0700 2009 4993759 11106 tatamagouche 1 4995584 Yorkshire puddings. Tue Sep 01 08:19:51 -0700 2009 4952261 110146 greedygirl 2 4996757 Nothing difficult about them. I can turn out saucer-shaped gelatinous puds one after the other. Tue Sep 01 13:36:48 -0700 2009 4995584 154622 Paulustrious 3 4998146 Lots of people can't though. And truly great puds, like my Mum makes, are an art! Wed Sep 02 02:03:29 -0700 2009 4996757 110146 greedygirl 1 4998212 Gnocci. Only 4 ingredients. A lot of technique involved. Plus if you have the wrong potato and/or too much moisture in them, they'll turn into fishing sinkers. --Rich Wed Sep 02 04:31:49 -0700 2009 4952261 1098779 carbonaraboy 2 5004526 Absolutely. I've yet to get gnocchi right after many tries. Fri Sep 04 07:26:49 -0700 2009 4998212 11106 tatamagouche 3 5005058 I'm still working on it too. Moisture is the enemy. Use russet potatoes (lower moisture content), bake them in their skins, scoop out the innards while still hot. Even with that... --Rich Fri Sep 04 10:24:32 -0700 2009 5004526 1098779 carbonaraboy 1 5000327 I've had a lot of simple fish filets that weren't prepared properly--e.g., underdone, overdone, crowded in the skillet or saute pan so that they were "steamed" (and hence a little rubbery) when clearly the chef hadn't meant to steam them, or broken due to improper searing. I don't think it's always easy to cook fish properly. I know it took me a lot of practice, and sometimes I still mess up, though not too often now. But it's one thing I notice in restaurants, and if the chef can cook fish as intended, then I'm confident in his/her cooking abilities. Another item is rice. It can turn out gloppy and mushy, instead of with nice cooked, separate, fluffy grains. I think it does best with a heavy pan and as little "peaking" once it's covered as possible. I add a little oil to the pan and put the rice in dry with the seasonings, saute it a little bit until it just begins to turn golden, then add the water and put the lid on. That method has improved my finished product greatly, and it also cuts the cooking time. You do have to look and check now and then on the liquid, because different batches of rice will absorb liquid differently, and weather also affects it. I just try to resist the urge to check more than once or twice, if I can. Wed Sep 02 16:32:00 -0700 2009 4952261 1104013 Normandie 2 5000424 2 words - rice cooker Wed Sep 02 17:06:33 -0700 2009 5000327 135229 thew 3 5001043 I use my small (2 quart) enameled dutch oven. Works like a dream. Wed Sep 02 21:52:03 -0700 2009 5000424 1104013 Normandie 4 5001254 Normandie, My mother-in-law made perfect rice every time. She cooked it as if it were pasta. I have never seen anyone else cook rice in that way. I have recently discovered the orange box of Uncle Ben's regular white rice. I follow the directions on the box and the result is always perfect. We eat a lot of rice. Thu Sep 03 03:12:47 -0700 2009 5001043 240293 Lewes17266 5 5001557 Lewes, do you mean that she cooked it in quarts of water, versus cups of water, and then drained it? Thu Sep 03 06:47:31 -0700 2009 5001254 1104013 Normandie 6 5002004 answering for lewes, yes. i have seen, though not personally tried, this technique, and many cooks and chefs swear by it. i believe sara moulton used to cook it this way on her show, if i'm remembering correctly Thu Sep 03 08:56:14 -0700 2009 5001557 135229 thew 7 5002533 Yes, fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil, then add whatever measure of rice you need, give it a stir, and let it boil for about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover it and begin checking it for doneness within a few minutes. When it is done pour the rice into a colander. Rice cooked in this manner is not sticky. I did this until recently. The only negative I can see in this method is that you have to stay with it and pour it out as soon as it is done; if you do not, it is no good. Thu Sep 03 11:24:03 -0700 2009 5002004 240293 Lewes17266 8 5002557 TY, thew and Lewes. That's interesting. I've never seen that before. I have a feeling it approaches the same effect the method I use achieves, but from a different direction. In other words, if you're boiling the rice first and the grains have plenty of room, then they must be sealing before the starches can attach to one another. It does make sense to me. I'd think that would be the same purpose of the method I use, coating the grains with the oil before the water is added, so there is that barrier again between starches. A chef told me about this method, also. One of the things I like about it is that the rice and seasons are being caramelized just a little bit (nothing drastic) before the water goes in. I like what it does to the flavor. Thu Sep 03 11:35:03 -0700 2009 5002533 1104013 Normandie 9 5002891 I do that too occasionally. Thu Sep 03 13:10:53 -0700 2009 5002557 240293 Lewes17266 5 5002912 This is the way James Beard recommended cooking rice. --Rich Thu Sep 03 13:16:14 -0700 2009 5001254 1098779 carbonaraboy 1 5000459 carbonara boy's mention of gnocchi reminded me of another one...*really good* matzo balls. the ingredients may be "simple," but without proper technique you end up with a pot full of leaden sinkers. Wed Sep 02 17:20:21 -0700 2009 4952261 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 5001117 Strudel dough is amazing when done well but it is exasperatingly difficult to make. Ive tried hundreds of time but my hands are too warm. I agree with the mention of mole' Wed Sep 02 22:55:47 -0700 2009 4952261 22220 Kelli2006 1 5002982 Homemade pasta. The truly sublime pasta, the artistry. Easy to take for granted. Thu Sep 03 13:35:27 -0700 2009 4952261 36312 HillJ 1 5003997 I didn't have time to read through all the answers but two items pop into my head at once (I'll never make these items at home again). 1. Beef Consumme. It is not made by dissolving Knorr into water. 2. Macarons. Meringues are tricky little rascals. And I agree about homemade pasta (although I don't think it's hard, just time consuming and a lot of elbow grease). But wow, what a difference. Thu Sep 03 21:36:27 -0700 2009 4952261 1106466 eastside foodie girl