New Episodes Discussion: Cooking for Jeffrey!

[Bastet]

34 minutes ago, Lura said:

Ina roasted AN ENTIRE BEEF TENDERLOIN ($$$$$) for the occasion,

Did she use this technique, from a previous episode, where she roasts it for a short time in a really hot oven?  That's what we did for Christmas Eve dinner, and it came out just delicious.

[annzeepark914]

Just looked at Ina's recipe (and the reviews with suggestions) and I need to make this (but I'm going to only roast 2.5 to 3 lb).  When I've seen the episode where Ina makes this and the gorgonzola sauce, I'm salivating like Pavlov's dog!!

[sunsheyen]

On 1/16/2017 at 3:00 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Just looked at Ina's recipe (and the reviews with suggestions) and I need to make this (but I'm going to only roast 2.5 to 3 lb).  When I've seen the episode where Ina makes this and the gorgonzola sauce, I'm salivating like Pavlov's dog!!

I can't get the videos to play on FN's site, but apparently this ep is airing Feb 10, so I can't wait to watch!

[Lura]

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 10:19 AM, Bastet said:

Did she use this technique, from a previous episode, where she roasts it for a short time in a really hot oven?  That's what we did for Christmas Eve dinner, and it came out just delicious.

 Your Christmas dinner sounds delicious.  A few more of us may join you next year! 

See my post below. 

Edited January 24, 2017 by Lura
deletion

[LisainCali]

On 10/17/2016 at 1:23 PM, huahaha said:

Aww, I love Barbara! She looks like the stereotype of a cold, skinny, blonde, rich northeastern woman. But she's actually lovely and warm and down to earth.

I was sad not to see Ina make the polenta. Mine comes out terribly, so I could've used the tips. My husband also noticed that there wasn't any birthday dessert. Maybe that was at Jeffrey's request.

I have made this duo twice for company.  It is absolutely delicious!  The meatballs are soft and flavorful.  

The main reason I decided to make it is because I bought 3 or 4 Anson Mills products online and didn't know what to do with them. I'd had them in the freezer for awhile. 

After a lifetime of eating Quaker Instant grits, these were a revelation.  You make them kind of like gravy, adding the chicken stock a little bit at a time and whisk.  Really easy, but these are time consuming to make....maybe 45 minutes? 

Honestly, this duo is up there with Ina's Onion Dip, Orzo with Roasted Vegetables, and Chicken Pot Pie - just outstanding!  

[Lura]

Actually, we chose to follow Alex Guarnaschelli's recipe (almost identical to Ina's) because Alex roasted a 3 rib roast, which is what we bought for two people.  Also, Alex roasted hers to a medium doneness, which is how we prefer it.  Ina tends toward rare.  Ours still came out very pink (bordering on red) in the center, which was fine because we planned to rewarm it for leftovers.  It was the best I'd ever tasted.  We've frozen the remainder for some good dinners and sandwiches yet to come.

[ShoePrincess]

Ina's new show - Cook Like a Pro - starts next Sunday. The subject of the first episode is chicken. Of course!

[OneWouldHope]

Well, I watched it... anyone else?  Frankly, I had a lot of fun, imaginging Bob and Susie (I.e., the heads of the Food Network for a long time) blowing up their heads at Ina cooking that chicken liver pate... such a Fechie recipe! What un-American techniques! The horror!

[chenoa333]

So her new show is on Sunday? I'm going to check it out this weekend. Thanks for the info

[annzeepark914]

Didn't Bob get fired?  Sheesh I can't stomach those two smug, condescending individuals.

[Lady Iris]

I caught a bit of the new program on Sunday and I did not like the graphics they used. Guess I'm getting older but with a show like Ina's they were zipping in and out so fast they made my eyes hurt.

[Spunkygal]

I enjoyed today's episode but laughed at the size of bowl she used to mash those avocados. She had four Haas avocados, which are pretty big, heaped into a small bowl and as she squished, the avocados tried to hop out of the bowl. Maybe we should take up a collection and send her a bigger bowl? Ha! 

I will try the pork loin marinade recipe...it looked good. And I think I will make salmon tacos tomorrow. I'm trying to eat salmon twice a week. The roasted shrimp was not new but still looked deeelish! My arteries clogged watching the chef make the grilled cheese sandwich and when Ina made the lemon butter pasta. I'm sure they were wonderful dishes but I have to turn over a new leaf.

It's so good to have her back! She never gets old even if the recipes are similar to past ones.

[ShellSeeker]

11 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

I enjoyed today's episode but laughed at the size of bowl she used to mash those avocados. She had four Haas avocados, which are pretty big, heaped into a small bowl and as she squished, the avocados tried to hop out of the bowl. Maybe we should take up a collection and send her a bigger bowl? Ha! 

I will try the pork loin marinade recipe...it looked good. And I think I will make salmon tacos tomorrow. I'm trying to eat salmon twice a week. The roasted shrimp was not new but still looked deeelish! My arteries clogged watching the chef make the grilled cheese sandwich and when Ina made the lemon butter pasta. I'm sure they were wonderful dishes but I have to turn over a new leaf.

It's so good to have her back! She never gets old even if the recipes are similar to past ones.

I thought the pork tenderloins looked great. I'm going to try the roasted shrimp too -- most recipes have you stir fry them, so that would be a nice change. 

I'm really glad she's back too. I love her wink-wink with the food preparation...."I just happen to have one all ready right here!" And I always learn something about cooking when I watch Ina's show, unlike Ree Drummond, where I only watch to see what new and grotesque atrocities against food she's dreamed up.

[annzeepark914]

I missed the show ;>( and hope they'll show it some time this week.  It really is great to have her back amidst all the other TV cooks/chefs.  IMO her show is such a comfortable retreat from the babble of daily life (and from the other shows--if you know who/what I mean).  Love her roasted shrimp, & her herb roasted pork tenderloin (don't know if that was the recipe for the show but it's a favorite around here). I really do miss having BC on Mon-Fridays at 5:00.

[biakbiak]

I just noticed that my Tivo doesn't have this Sunday's episode marked as new, so it wasn't going to record. 

[jcbrown]

16 hours ago, biakbiak said:

I just noticed that my Tivo doesn't have this Sunday's episode marked as new, so it wasn't going to record. 

Thanks for the heads up! My TiVo did not realize it was new, either.

[annzeepark914]

I watched Ina's show this morning - lotsa pasta!  Even some tips from Mario Battali.  It was pretty good.  Has anyone made that pasta dish with the shells & cauliflower?  Everything looked good and I like the way she explains how to do things (easy for new cooks to learn).  Then there was a repeat of an older show in which Antonia & a grown up Tess came for dinner (I think I've seen this before).  Michael made an elegant floral/fruit display down the outdoor table.  Frank was a guest and so was that LA guy.  I just appreciate any new show that Ina appears in.

[anneofcleves]

I really enjoyed today's show and think I may make the pasta shells and cauliflower this weekend. It was nice to see Mario Batali, if only briefly.  I practically wanted to take a bath in what he was making, which looked to be an Alfredo.

Edited June 11, 2017 by anneofcleves

[biakbiak]

Yeah I will definitely make the shells and cauliflower and the rigatoni and fennel and sausage dish.

[annzeepark914]

If anyone makes that pasta & cauliflower dish, let me know what you think.  When she spooned the ricotta on top of the first layer of pasta/cauliflower, I thought "gee, I wonder if that ricotta needs a little seasoning first before adding to the casserole".  I always add something to ricotta before adding ricotta to a dish.  Thanks.

[ariel]

I taped this episode & haven't watched it.  Is it new?

[biakbiak]

9 minutes ago, ariel said:

I taped this episode & haven't watched it.  Is it new?

Yes though it didn't show up as new on some dvrs.

[ariel]

It didn't show up new on mine either.  I'm glad I taped it.

[grisgris]

Yum! That cauliflower and pasta dish looked delicious. I'm going to try it but will probably wait until it gets a little cooler.

In the meantime, I have everything line up to make lemon chicken with broccoli and bow-ties this weekend. That is one of my Ina staples and really enjoy it in the warmer months.

[Spunkygal]

Does anyone else follow the general FN forum? One of the posters shares weekly FN show ratings and Ina dropped to tenth in the most current ratings. Why did they put her at such a crappy day and timeslot?

http://forums.previously.tv/topic/15902-food-network-and-cooking-channel-one-is-about-food/?page=7#comment-3370424

[ariel]

1 hour ago, Spunkygal said:

Does anyone else follow the general FN forum? One of the posters shares weekly FN show ratings and Ina dropped to tenth in the most current ratings. Why did they put her at such a crappy day and timeslot?

 

They need the other timeslots to show Guy & Ree non-stop.  That's what their viewers want.  I wish Ina would go to PBS.  The viewer there would appreciate her.

Edited June 14, 2017 by ariel

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, ariel said:

They need the other timeslots to show Guy & Ree non-stop.  That's what their viewers want.  I wish Ina would go to PBS.  The viewer there would appreciate her.

I agree and posted that just now.  I knew FN was getting worse but this is it for me.  Sunday morning is not good for Ina.  It would be good for Guy's Grudge Match, right?  Oh - I just got a like for my post over there on FN. Maybe we need to start emailing Ina, asking her to move to PBS.  Great idea, ariel.

[ariel]

Long Island, NY has a great PBS station WLIW.

As far as the horrible time slot Ina got, they gave the same one to the Hardy Boys years ago.

[annzeepark914]

Today's episode was ok but I wasn't really interested in the food she was making (although Anna Pump's tomato tart looked good).  However, what a waste of Jose Andres.  He demonstrated how to separate the yolk from the egg white using a bottle.  She could've shown that herself.  Why waste this wonderful chef/restaurateur's time showing something so basic?  He could've shown us how to make his fabulous Romesco sauce.  Jeffrey learning how to make pizza from the pizza truck guy was next but I skipped that.

[Mondrianyone]

44 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

 However, what a waste of Jose Andres.  He demonstrated how to separate the yolk from the egg white using a bottle.  She could've shown that herself.  Why waste this wonderful chef/restaurateur's time showing something so basic?  He could've shown us how to make his fabulous Romesco sauce.

Couldn't agree more.  That was so dopey.  Anyone who's had Internet access over the past decade has already seen that trick a hundred times.  I thought he was going to show it as a little joke and then go on to do something chefly.  But no--suck egg, plop yolk, adios.  Who thought that was a good idea?

[biakbiak]

I have had Internet access for a lot longer than a decade and never seen that trick but then again I have never had issues separating egg yolks from egg whites.

[Mondrianyone]

The trick only showed up sometime in the last decade, so it wouldn't matter if a person had Internet access for the last hundred years, which is how long I feel like I've been on the Web.  I think the point is it was a moronic thing to have one of the world's greatest chefs demonstrate.  We could have learned something wonderful from him.

The first time I tried the water-bottle trick was about five years ago.  It works well if the opening of the bottle isn't sharp and breaks the yolk.  Now they sell gadgets with soft edges to do the same thing.  I love gadgets, so I bought one on eBay.  I also bought one for my friend who has a hand tremor.  She really does have issues separating yolks from whites.

[Spunkygal]

I learned two things from this episode. Lightly run your finger around the soufflé dish but don't disturb the sugar and butter rather than using a collar. Also, using the baking sheet on a baking sheet to blind bake. (I don't bake a lot so love baking shortcuts.) However, the Jose Andres segment was criminal. I am the most basic cook on this forum and I use my hands as Jacques Pepin taught me to separate an egg and there is no way these chefs use the water bottle method. In fact, I argue that the bottle method is harder than the hand method. 

[larapu2000]

16 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

I learned two things from this episode. Lightly run your finger around the soufflé dish but don't disturb the sugar and butter rather than using a collar. Also, using the baking sheet on a baking sheet to blind bake. (I don't bake a lot so love baking shortcuts.) However, the Jose Andres segment was criminal. I am the most basic cook on this forum and I use my hands as Jacques Pepin taught me to separate an egg and there is no way these chefs use the water bottle method. In fact, I argue that the bottle method is harder than the hand method. 

I think I learned the hands thing from Sara Moulton who probably learned it from Jacques herself.  I think she used to say "No sharp edges here!  I've never once broken a yolk with that method.  What a waste of Jose Andres!  Surely he has more professional tips than that???

The tomato tart looked fantastic, I think it would make a great hors d'oeuvres dish.  I love tomato pie, but I never have a basic recipe, I just kind of make it up on my own.  Does anyone have a good one to share?  I'd love to have one that I can at least reference to make my shopping trip easier.

[Spunkygal]

37 minutes ago, larapu2000 said:

I think I learned the hands thing from Sara Moulton who probably learned it from Jacques herself.  I think she used to say "No sharp edges here!  I've never once broken a yolk with that method.  What a waste of Jose Andres!  Surely he has more professional tips than that???

The tomato tart looked fantastic, I think it would make a great hors d'oeuvres dish.  I love tomato pie, but I never have a basic recipe, I just kind of make it up on my own.  Does anyone have a good one to share?  I'd love to have one that I can at least reference to make my shopping trip easier.

Here is a tomato pie recipe my friend gave me in 1997! It is so oinky, but so good. I've made it only a couple of times.

one 9" baked pie shell

fill with sliced fresh unpeeled Roma tomatoes

sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1 T sugar and crushed basil to taste (I used dry not fresh but use what you want)

Top with 1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1 cup grated sharp cheddar. Spread over entire top of pie.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Serve warm. Messy to serve but delicious!

[MargeGunderson]

@larapu2000, my favorite version is this one: https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/08/tomato-and-corn-pie/

[maggiemae]

Sigh. Not like FN is really promoting her show. Not when they can promote their Ree/game/reality/Guy crap.

[annzeepark914]

14 hours ago, maggiemae said:

Sigh. Not like FN is really promoting her show. Not when they can promote their Ree/game/reality/Guy crap.

Ain't that the truth!  I rarely watch FN these days.  Who the heck could I watch now that BC is a rarity and the non-gimmicky cooks/chefs are gone?

[merriebreeze]

Just watched "Big Breakfast Buffet" and I'm with Eli on the Belgian Waffle toppings - smoked salmon and creme fraiche (instead of bananas, coconut and syrup) would be my preference. That was a massive amount of food for four people. Wonder how comfortable Ina was having dogs in her kitchen? She doesn't strike me as a dog person. 

[chessiegal]

15 minutes ago, merriebreeze said:

Just watched "Big Breakfast Buffet" and I'm with Eli on the Belgian Waffle toppings - smoked salmon and creme fraiche (instead of bananas, coconut and syrup) would be my preference. That was a massive amount of food for four people. Wonder how comfortable Ina was having dogs in her kitchen? She doesn't strike me as a dog person. 

Well, she has a recipe for dog biscuits and has an episode of a birthday party for a dog. I have a feeling she rolls with the flow. I don't have children or dogs, doesn't mean I don't like them.

[Spunkygal]

Thank you, Ina! I always go to my BFF's for the 4th and her hubby always makes vanilla ice cream and she makes a cake. This year I will take the apple pie bars. "How good would that be with the homemade ice cream?" 

[SoCal Mema]

We just tried the roasted shrimp recipe that aired recently.  It was good; however, way too much lemon juice in the recipe.  It almost overpowered the dish.  Also, the 2 pounds of shrimp was enough for the 3 of us, but it definitely would not have stretched to feed 4.  And the two pounds of shrimp with an 8-10 count/pound can get pretty pricey.  We may try it again with much less lemon.

Edited June 28, 2017 by SoCal Mema

[biakbiak]

22 minutes ago, SoCal Mema said:

Also, the 2 pounds of shrimp was enough for the 3 of us, but it definitely would not have stretched to feed 4

This will be the first time ever that someone suggested Ina's serving size was too small but not the first time she has been accused of overdoing the lemon.  I like a lot of lemon so I tend to go with her rec the first time but I definitely taste as I am adding it.

[Irlandesa]

On 6/11/2017 at 8:32 PM, annzeepark914 said:

If anyone makes that pasta & cauliflower dish, let me know what you think.  When she spooned the ricotta on top of the first layer of pasta/cauliflower, I thought "gee, I wonder if that ricotta needs a little seasoning first before adding to the casserole".  I always add something to ricotta before adding ricotta to a dish.  Thanks.

I made this recently.  One of the changes I would make is to add some seasoning to the ricotta.  I was impressed with the amount of flavor the rest of the dish had with only a few simple ingredients so it didn't absolutely need more seasoning.  I just think it would be improved with it.  And as @biakbiak pointed out in the recipe thread, it is a much dryer dish than I initially thought it'd be.  I was okay with that and felt it went well with some protein but I did notice other commenters on FN.com say they intended to add more cream to the dish.

I really liked the episode today on eggs.  I don't fry eggs but I almost want to try with the Jose Andres tip about wrapping up the yolk.  And her Caesar salad looked good.  Never will make it but definitely good. 

[Mondrianyone]

I enjoyed today's show a lot, too.  Much better use of Andres than having him demonstrate the bottle trick--which (hilariously, I thought) Ina didn't use when she separated an egg.  I will try his frying technique, just because the end product seems so magical.  The pavlova was beautiful, but I hate meringue.  It's good for me to make things for people that they like, not just what I like, so maybe . . .

[annzeepark914]

Oh noooooo...I forgot to watch.  Sheesh.  I hate this Sunday morning time slot for Ina.  So she brought Jose back?  Maybe that trick with the bottle and egg separation is good for folks who aren't comfortable holding the cracked egg and letting the eggwhite slide out (but I doubt Jose has issues with that!!)

[ariel]

I don't like this time slot for Ina either.

I love Jose.  He took #45 to task over his racist comments.

[Lura]

MargeGunderson, many thanks for the link to the tomato pie recipe at Smitten Kitchen.  The fresh sweet corn and cheese sounded good to me.  I'm making it this weekend!

I didn't think the Jose Andres clip was even recorded for this show.  I thought it came from file footage of Jose.  The segment had a different look on my TV than her show does.  The idea was featured prominently on the web last year.  Clever, but I wouldn't use it.

I love Jose, too, ariel.  :)

Edited July 6, 2017 by Lura
add-on

[annzeepark914]

Oh fer cryin' out loud...I missed it again.  I guess I'll have some episodes to watch for the first time when they re-run them. ~sigh~

[Spunkygal]

15 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Oh fer cryin' out loud...I missed it again.  I guess I'll have some episodes to watch for the first time when they re-run them. ~sigh~

My DVR shows that the egg episode from last week is on Friday at 11:30 am central and today's episode of chocolate will be reaired on Saturday at 8 am central.