Unconventional cooking techniques

[bonefreakchef]

Recently, I had a conversation with an acquaintance, and after the topic turned to food (as it almost always does), we started talking about food experiences in university (communal kitchens, hotplates, etc). But he seemed a little startled when I said that I used to make grilled cheese sandwiches wrapped in foil using my clothes iron. It actually made a pretty decent sandwich... and I didn't think it was all that odd.

Does anyone else have stories of "unconventional" techniques that work either very well, or failed spectacularly?

[Antilope]

Years ago, I would use the top of my 19-inch boat anchor computer monitor to warm lunch that was stored in the fridge at work. I didn't want to fight for the microwave, so I would just place the item on the monitor an hour or two before lunch. ;-) It didn't get things really hot, just broke the chill and got it a little warmer than room temp.

Of course you can heat canned soup and chili in the hotel room coffee maker. Just make hot water and stand the can of soup or chili in the hot water. Or open a package of ramen noodles into the hot water in the coffee pot.

[hill food]

yeah when busy I've been known to throw a microwave burrito on the back of my monitor for a while.

[luciaannek]

I do a home made sous vide with a freezer bag and a thermos. You just take them temp every half hour or so and reheat with boiling water.

[Antilope]

Popular Mechanics June 1967 - Cook While You Drive - An article about cooking on your car engine with aluminum foil.

http://books.google.com/books?id=79MDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA122&dq=cooking%20car%20engine&pg=PA122#v=onepage&q=cooking%20car%20engine&f=true

Manifold Destiny: The One! the Only! Guide to Cooking on Your Car Engine! Random House Inc, 1998 - 151 pages

http://books.google.com/books?id=tZIFAAAACAAJ&dq=cook+on+car+engine&hl=en&ei=x3NSTuf-DI7UiAKy-5GRAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAA

Weekly World News May 23, 2000 - Barbecue the best meals you've ever tasted - while you drive

http://books.google.com/books?id=MPADAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA13&dq=cook%20on%20car%20engine&pg=PA13#v=onepage&q=cook%20on%20car%20engine&f=false

Weekly World News Jan 9, 1990 - Cook like a master chef on your car's engine

http://books.google.com/books?id=JvQD...

[hill food]

awesome linky-ography Antilope.

[greygarious]

I imagine the principle is that the heat is lower than it would be on the stove, which is interesting in light of what David Bouley said about Japanese methods of fish preparation when he appeared on Charle Rose the other night. In addition to the fish being kept alive until right before cooking, then sliced through a major blood vessel, I think he said the water is only about 140, gently and slowly cooking it. Sous vide accomplishes something similar, as would the dishwasher (though somewhat hotter).

[TheHuntress]

I did have a recipe somewhere for cooking salmon in the dishwasher, but I never actually tried it. I am getting a new dishwasher this week, maybe now's the time to give it a shot.

[Hank Hanover]

Better double wrap it in aluminum foil or maybe a food saver bag.

[hill food]

a mesh bag in a clothes washer set on cold is a great way of washing the grit out of collard greens or spinach. during our recent heatwave in the US the news had someone successfully baking cookies on the dashboard of the car on a cookie sheet (remember THAT next time you want to leave the kids or pets in the car).

I remember sometime back in the 70's there was a documentary about farm families in the Great Plains during harvest where it can take an hour or so to reach the far-flung threshing crews and whoever was bringing the midday meal had a whole set of recipes about how to pack the engine block with casseroles and meatloafs and whatever so it cooked during the drive and was ready when she got there.

and bone - to counter your friend, how is a (protected) flat iron really different from using a panini grill/press? I'd do it.

[chefathome]

I have not tried it but know someone who did with great success!

[Antilope]

How about a 1948 dishwasher that convets to a clothes washer?
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=...
Do you do the underwear before or after the dishes or the salmon?

[hill food]

or a messed-up combination? (goddamn I need a highball and I won't care)

[TheHuntress]

Haha, I could take this so many places, but I'll be banned from CH for life. I'm not sure when the dishwasher is arriving, but the first thing I'm going to do is stick a salmon in it. From memory (which is faulty at the best of times) you wrap the fish firmly in aluminium foil and put it through a wash cycle. Apparently it comes out perfect. I'll post back when I've done it.

[hill food]

if not here on CH there HAS to be some weirdo blog out there that can give technique pointers.

and when you find them, invite them over. odd perspectives are always interesting IMHO

[TheHuntress]

Well I can't let this one pass with my experimental mind. So the pointers are do not attempt to cook a whole fish, you can actually do the dishes at the same time (they recommend a lemon-scented washing powder) provided you have a good enough seal on the foil, place the salmon on the top rack and run through a normal cycle.

Seems uncomplicated enough.

[Antilope]

Kind of a Cascade Sous-vide. ;-)

[Hank Hanover]

It is not so unusual anymore but you can cook a lot in a solar oven. Years and years ago, I saw a boy scout troop demonstrating cooking a giant halibut filet vertically surrounded on 3 sides by aluminum foil.

If it is going to be hot anyway, you might as well take advantage of it and cause a little conversation while your at it.

[porker]

I was in the bush without matches. Started a fire using the parabolic reflector from my flashlight to 1. dry and warm up a bit, and 2. heat a can of chef-boy-ardee right in the fire.

[oldunc]

Sadly, it doesn't seem possible to bake a chocolate chip cookie properly over a BIC lighter.

[Axlsgoddess]

That made me laugh out loud for the first time today!

[ROCKLES]

I wrapped a salmon in aluminum foil, secured it to my motor cycle exhaust and rode from the store to my campsite, about 20 min drive. I had put lemon, butter and herbs in the foil. It came out great

[CarrieWas218]

Rockles, I did a similar thing with meatball sandwiches for a car rally I was in...

They were warm and satisfying straight from under the hood!