Unutterably Silly I love food porn! so...what are you craving?

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

We tried our hand at making a 'Thai Chili Fish' dinner last night. Saw a lovely Yellowtail Snapper swimming in a tank at the local supermarket, had it cleaned and de-scaled, and brought it home. Marinated for a few hours in a mix of crushed lemongrass, garlic, ginger, Thai Red curry paste, a couple of Thai peppers, sweet chili sauce, cilantro, a dash of Nam pla, and lime juice, then baked for 50 minutes in a hot air oven so the skin was nice a crispy.... We are DEFINITELY going to make this one again!!

Stitchawl

It reminds me of the "Whole crispy fish" from my favourite restaurant, Spirit House:

http://www.spirithouse.com.au/funstu...e-crispy-fish/

That is to say, it sounds delicious.

Cheers,
Marc

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

It reminds me of the "Whole crispy fish" from my favourite restaurant, Spirit House:

http://www.spirithouse.com.au/funstu...e-crispy-fish/

That is to say, it sounds delicious.

Cheers,
Marc

Very similar! In fact, the only reason we baked it rather than fry was to reduce calories. But it certainly was delicious!
I like the looks of your restaurant recipe too. I think we'll give that a go. We lived in Thailand for many years, and only get back once or twice a year these days. It's wonderful to be able to prepare some of the same flavors here at home!

Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

would a "hot air oven" just be a regular oven? or is it super spectacular?

Think back to the TV Infomercial about 20 years ago... "JetStream Hot Air Oven! Complete with expander rings and multiple shelves so you can cook and entire meal at one time!" I just took a look and it's newer cousin is still being sold. I couldn't find an image with the expander rings in place, but just imagine this, which is our 15 year old model;


two or three times thicker from the 'expander rings,' so as to be able to accommodate something like a turkey or standing rib roast. Hot air is forced around the food, gives a very dry heat great for making a crispy skin on a chicken or turkey (or in this case, a fish,) or with shelves, being able to cook several different parts of the meal, adding another shelf of food as shorter time requires.

Japanese homes don't have regular built in gas or electric ovens. The only baking that usually gets done here is in a multi-mode microwave/grill/oven. The ones sold here aren't big enough to hold a large turkey or a standing rib roast...

Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

You lost me at fish cheeks.... sorry.

LOL! If you don't 'see' where it's coming from, fish cheek meat looks just like the rest of the body flesh, but tastes better!

Cooking a fish with the head on it makes it taste MUCH better. The only reason I'd remove it is for room in the pan or oven. Like beef cooked with the bone... it adds a lot of flavor.

When I cook a 'liquid' shrimp dish like Tom Yom Kung, if possible I'll put just the shells into a cheescloth bag, crush them well, and cook the shells for 20-30 minutes in the soup, then take them out , add the shrimp themselves, but only cook for 3-4 minutes before serving. The soup screams SHRIMP that way!!! I do that for a lot of Creole dishes too! Works great!

Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Think back to the TV Infomercial about 20 years ago... "JetStream Hot Air Oven! Complete with expander rings and multiple shelves so you can cook and entire meal at one time!" I just took a look and it's newer cousin is still being sold. I couldn't find an image with the expander rings in place, but just imagine this, which is our 15 year old model;


two or three times thicker from the 'expander rings,' so as to be able to accommodate something like a turkey or standing rib roast. Hot air is forced around the food, gives a very dry heat great for making a crispy skin on a chicken or turkey (or in this case, a fish,) or with shelves, being able to cook several different parts of the meal, adding another shelf of food as shorter time requires.

Japanese homes don't have regular built in gas or electric ovens. The only baking that usually gets done here is in a multi-mode microwave/grill/oven. The ones sold here aren't big enough to hold a large turkey or a standing rib roast...

Stitchawl

I must have been overseas then. haven't a clue. so sounds like maybe having the grill REALLY hot but making sure it can't flame might be a good substitute?

fish cheeks;
there used to be a place we would go to in Germany for Carp and it was served with the head on. the most succulent bit was the fish cheeks

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I must have been overseas then. haven't a clue. so sounds like maybe having the grill REALLY hot but making sure it can't flame might be a good substitute?

Hmmm... I don't think so. It really IS an oven. It bakes beautiful breads and cakes, it does meats perfectly; rare inside but with a nicely browned outer layer if that's the way you like it, the pizza has a great crust, etc., etc. Perhaps it's more like a hot smoker... firebox separated from the food box, and only heated air moving through. Only ours doesn't use smoke, just hot air blown as from a heat gun or super hair drier.

I coat potatoes, onions, garlic bulbs, pumpkin, etc., with various sauces such as Korean spicy bean paste or Chinese hoisin sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, etc., and bake for 30 minutes, then add a rack on top of them for chops, chicken, beef, or just sausages, and bake for another 20-30 minutes. The flavorings from the veggies infuse into the meats. When the little bell rings, everything is done and ready to be plated. Very convenient, very fast, and very little to clean up.


Stitchawl

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Very similar! In fact, the only reason we baked it rather than fry was to reduce calories. But it certainly was delicious!
I like the looks of your restaurant recipe too. I think we'll give that a go. We lived in Thailand for many years, and only get back once or twice a year these days. It's wonderful to be able to prepare some of the same flavors here at home!

Stitchawl

Me and my partner have a joke here that if an international visitor asks us to take them to a traditional Australian restaurant we'll take them to a Thai restaurant (as "restaurant", there is not much "traditional", but Thai we can guarantee and love). If you come to Noosa Heads, we'll take you to Spirit House, Stitchawl.

They have a book. It is quite good. Much less intimidating than David Thompson's thorough and thick, pink tome (which is meant as a compliment to him as well, of course ). My partner is mostly the cook in our house, and Thai is his favourite to cook (and mine to eat).

Cheers,
Marc

[Wetdogeared]

Originally Posted by phenomshel

You lost me at fish cheeks.... sorry.

Cod and halibut cheeks are a delicacy here, often not making it to market because they are reserved for family and friends of the fisher.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

LOL! If you don't 'see' where it's coming from, fish cheek meat looks just like the rest of the body flesh, but tastes better!

Cooking a fish with the head on it makes it taste MUCH better. The only reason I'd remove it is for room in the pan or oven. Like beef cooked with the bone... it adds a lot of flavor.

The fish cheeks often are more fatty. And thus taste better (and fish fat is good for you as well!)

Right now, I'd love anything that needs to be cooked. But that's probably because we don't have a stove anymore. Luckily, our freezer is full of earlier-prepared foods. We did find out you can put almost anything under a grill, though... (and we used the grill feature of our oven/microwave for the first time since we've got it, and that was somewhere halfway the '90's of the last century!)

[MJK2111]

Nurse! I need a chili dog with cheese and onions!! STAT!!!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by MJK2111

Nurse! I need a chili dog with cheese and onions!! STAT!!!

Sounds as if you need to be in Chicago! Or is it Philly where they decorate a hot dog like that? To me, the only things that belong on a hot dog are brown mustard and sauerkraut! Anything else is heresy!


Stitchawl

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

If you come to Noosa Heads, we'll take you to Spirit House, Stitchawl.

I'm ready, Bro! I'm always up for Thai food!

My partner is mostly the cook in our house, and Thai is his favourite to cook (and mine to eat).
Cheers,
Marc

Well! That works out very nicely!! I do most of the cooking in this house (though my wife handles the Japanese dishes) and every night we try to hit a different country's fare. My wife's favorite is that rare, ethnic culinary delight called a 'BLT!' She's never had one before we met, and considers it to be one of the true treasures of Gastronomy! Of course we have to import the bacon... Japanese bacon isn't smoked. It tastes like fatty ham.

Stitchawl

[MJK2111]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Sounds as if you need to be in Chicago! Or is it Philly where they decorate a hot dog like that? To me, the only things that belong on a hot dog are brown mustard and sauerkraut! Anything else is heresy!


Stitchawl

Lucky enough, I am in Chicago!
Here are the rules for topping a hot dog:
A Chicago Style Hot Dog is more than just a Hot Dog; it's a taste sensation with the perfect blend of toppings. So, what exactly is a Chicago Dog? A Chicago Style Hot Dog is a steamed all beef Hot Dog topped with yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomato wedges, pickle spear or slice, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt served in the all-important steamed poppy seed bun.

The toppings are just as important as the order they are applied to the Hot Dog. Add toppings in the following order:

1. Yellow Mustard
2. Bright "Neon" Green Relish
3. Fresh Chopped Onions
4. Two Tomato Wedges
5. A Pickle Spear or Slice
6. Two Sport Peppers
7. A Dash of Celery Salt

Remember: When adding toppings, dress the dog and not the bun!

[Stitchawl]

[QUOTE=MJK2111;1061686]Lucky enough, I am in Chicago! [quote]

That works out very well for you too!! This is a most fortunate group!

Here are the rules for topping a hot dog:
A Chicago Style Hot Dog is more than just a Hot Dog; it's a taste sensation with the perfect blend of toppings. So, what exactly is a Chicago Dog? A Chicago Style Hot Dog is a steamed all beef Hot Dog topped with yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomato wedges, pickle spear or slice, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt served in the all-important steamed poppy seed bun.

Hmmm.... burning at the stake? Dunking stool? Just what is the currently recommended way of dealing with heretics?

'Steaming' a hot dog, not grilling it!???!
Yellow mustard, not brown deli mustard!???!
And everyone knows pickles, tomatoes, and onions go on hamburgers, NOT hot dogs!
(Where, oh where did we go wrong with Chicago? )

Stitchawl

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I'm ready, Bro! I'm always up for Thai food!



Well! That works out very nicely!! I do most of the cooking in this house (though my wife handles the Japanese dishes) and every night we try to hit a different country's fare. My wife's favorite is that rare, ethnic culinary delight called a 'BLT!' She's never had one before we met, and considers it to be one of the true treasures of Gastronomy! Of course we have to import the bacon... Japanese bacon isn't smoked. It tastes like fatty ham.

Stitchawl

One of my favorite, rare, ethnic, culinary delights is called a Philadelphia Cheesesteak Sandwich. I haven't had one since visiting its namesake (well, the State of its namesake) in 2000.

Cheers,
Marc