http://www.recfoodcooking.com/

Vote now! (or not)
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Garlic: the element without which life as we know it would be impossible

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/
>
> Vote now! (or not)

I stumbled on this survey and voted ... apparently I was first. Now what
do I do? Am I supposed to choose a hat, or what?

Dave W.
In the Ozarks

Dave W wrote:

>
> I stumbled on this survey and voted ... apparently I was first. Now what
> do I do? Am I supposed to choose a hat, or what?
>
Yup, you get to choose a TFH - and get your name on the "Winners" page...
and you better look over your shoulder for Steve Wertz - he's after one,
desperately

http://www.recfoodcooking.com/survey/prize.html
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Garlic: the element without which life as we know it would be impossible

Steve Wertz wrote:

> On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:36:45 +0200, ChattyCathy wrote:
>
>> Dave W wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I stumbled on this survey and voted ... apparently I was first. Now what
>>> do I do? Am I supposed to choose a hat, or what?
>
> People in the Ozarks don't qualify.
>
>> Yup, you get to choose a TFH - and get your name on the "Winners" page...
>> and you better look over your shoulder for Steve Wertz - he's after one,
>> desperately
>
> Still working on that script.
>
> -BOFH

<snork> Should have had a "wipe the monitor" warning for that one.

-BWFH
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Garlic: the element without which life as we know it would be impossible

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

> Dave W wrote:
>
> >
> > I stumbled on this survey and voted ... apparently I was first. Now what
> > do I do? Am I supposed to choose a hat, or what?
> >
> Yup, you get to choose a TFH - and get your name on the "Winners" page...
> and you better look over your shoulder for Steve Wertz - he's after one,
> desperately
>
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/survey/prize.html

Well, golly! Only in America could a turkey like me win a contest like
this. I don't usually wear hats but I'd prolly look pretty super in #5
(the Formal Occasions top hat). Now if I could only find my tux.

I feel real bad about Steve Wertz. Really, I do.

I was rooting for you, Steve. Really, I was.

Oddly enough, I'll be visiting Austin this weekend. Hey, Steve! Wanna
buy a hat? ;^)

Regards from the Ozarks,
Dave W.

On Aug 23, 7:06 am, Dave W > wrote:

> I feel real bad about Steve Wertz. Really, I do.

Uh-huh. Sure.

> I was rooting for you, Steve. Really, I was.
>
> Oddly enough, I'll be visiting Austin this weekend. Hey, Steve! Wanna
> buy a hat? ;^)

I'll meet you at the Hot Sauce Festival on Sunday at Waterloo park.
Bring the hat!
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Market/HotSauce

I'll be the guy in handcuffs with 6 cops kneeling on me.

-sw

On Aug 23, 7:07 am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/
>
> Vote now! (or not)

I had to vote MCINL for shellfish. I defrost shrimp right in a brine,
per Cook's
Illustrated. It goes really quickly because of the salt, and the
shrimp
come out season, plump and juicy. I don't really cook any other
shellfish
at home.

Conceivably I could have voted for defrost in cold water, but that
didn't seem
quite right. If I didn't use the brine, I'd probably defrost them in
the fridge
rather than in plain cold water.

Cindy Hamilton

In article om>,
wrote:
<snip>
> I'll meet you at the Hot Sauce Festival on Sunday at Waterloo park.
> Bring the hat!
> http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Market/HotSauce
>
> I'll be the guy in handcuffs with 6 cops kneeling on me.
>
> -sw

I'll look for ya. Should be hard to miss. :^)

Dave W.

Cindy Hamilton wrote:

>
> I had to vote MCINL for shellfish. I defrost shrimp right in a brine,
> per Cook's
> Illustrated. It goes really quickly because of the salt, and the
> shrimp
> come out season, plump and juicy. I don't really cook any other
> shellfish
> at home.

Hmmm. Never thought of that. Doesn't that make them a little *too* salty
tho'? I like to marinate mine in a ginger/garlic/olive oil mixture for an
hour or two (once defrosted) if we are grilling them - which we are going
to do today, BTW - yay!
>
> Conceivably I could have voted for defrost in cold water, but that
> didn't seem
> quite right. If I didn't use the brine, I'd probably defrost them in
> the fridge
> rather than in plain cold water.

Quite so. That's why I remembered to put in the MCINL this time
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Garlic: the element without which life as we know it would be impossible

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 07:06:18 -0500, Dave W > wrote:

>Well, golly! Only in America could a turkey like me win a contest like
>this. I don't usually wear hats but I'd prolly look pretty super in #5
>(the Formal Occasions top hat). Now if I could only find my tux.

Did you look in the bottom drawer?
http://www.tuxedotshirts.com/tuxedoclassic1.jpg


--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for the chicken, a lifetime commitment for the pig.

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:28:49 +0200, ChattyCathy
> wrote:

>Hmmm. Never thought of that. Doesn't that make them a little *too* salty
>tho'? I like to marinate mine in a ginger/garlic/olive oil mixture for an
>hour or two (once defrosted) if we are grilling them - which we are going
>to do today, BTW - yay!

I refresh prawns by soaking first in lightly acidulated water, then in
lightly salted water (5 minutes or so each) and just a quick rinse in
fresh water to knock off any extra salt before proceding. It's
amazing what the flavor difference is. They taste like they're fresh
from the ocean.


--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for the chicken, a lifetime commitment for the pig.

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/
>
> Vote now! (or not)
> --
> Cheers
> Chatty Cathy

Cool.
I voted again with the majority except for the first one.
I often thaw poultry and mammal meats at room temp.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> On Aug 23, 7:07 am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
> > http://www.recfoodcooking.com/
> >
> > Vote now! (or not)
>
> I had to vote MCINL for shellfish. I defrost shrimp right in a brine,
> per Cook's
> Illustrated. It goes really quickly because of the salt, and the
> shrimp
> come out season, plump and juicy. I don't really cook any other
> shellfish
> at home.
>
> Conceivably I could have voted for defrost in cold water, but that
> didn't seem
> quite right. If I didn't use the brine, I'd probably defrost them in
> the fridge
> rather than in plain cold water.
>
> Cindy Hamilton

I always keep shrimp in stock in the freezer. I just defrost in a bowl
of hot water for the two minutes it takes while I prep the sauté pan
with olive oil and seasonings and get it warming. In the two minutes it
takes the pan to warm up I peel the now defrosted shrimp and then they
go directly into the sauté pan.

This method works fast and well every time and while there are all sorts
of dire warnings about defrosting stuff in hot water, they just aren't
applicable to small items like shrimp that defrost so quickly and are
cooked immediately after.

Pete C.

Pete C. wrote:

>
> I always keep shrimp in stock in the freezer. I just defrost in a bowl
> of hot water for the two minutes it takes while I prep the sauté pan
> with olive oil and seasonings and get it warming. In the two minutes it
> takes the pan to warm up I peel the now defrosted shrimp and then they
> go directly into the sauté pan.
>
> This method works fast and well every time and while there are all sorts
> of dire warnings about defrosting stuff in hot water, they just aren't
> applicable to small items like shrimp that defrost so quickly and are
> cooked immediately after.

Are you talking "cocktail" shrimp or "large" shrimp here, Pete? For example,
the frozen whole Tiger shrimp I prefer to buy here (RSA) wouldn't defrost
in two minutes (even in hot water) as they come in a 1kg (2.2lb) box - with
about 20-26 shrimp per box - and are "frozen solid".
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Garlic: the element without which life as we know it would be impossible

ChattyCathy wrote:

> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/
>
> Vote now! (or not)

1. I chose MCINL. Different methods for different
meats was close but it's not just the type of meat
but how long I have to get it done, how big a package
it is, etc. Turkeys I do in the fridge, although when
I don't have enough room I will put it in a cooler for
3 days. If I need something right away, which is usually
the case as I tend to forget to do these things far enough
in advance, I do it in the mw. I've never used the
cold water method. I have on rare occasions used the
hot water method in an emergency, back pre-mw. (Actually,
I have only recent gotten a mw that has a defrost cycle.
Before that I had a very old-fashioned one with a simple
dial and was totally unsuitable for defrosting anything
although I did try on occasion in an emergency. Of course
the outside would get cooked and the inside was still frozen.
;-)) Also, in the old days I often let things thaw on the
counter. I must say it's really nice to be able to defrost
things in the mw.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

ChattyCathy wrote:
>
> Pete C. wrote:
>
> >
> > I always keep shrimp in stock in the freezer. I just defrost in a bowl
> > of hot water for the two minutes it takes while I prep the sauté pan
> > with olive oil and seasonings and get it warming. In the two minutes it
> > takes the pan to warm up I peel the now defrosted shrimp and then they
> > go directly into the sauté pan.
> >
> > This method works fast and well every time and while there are all sorts
> > of dire warnings about defrosting stuff in hot water, they just aren't
> > applicable to small items like shrimp that defrost so quickly and are
> > cooked immediately after.
>
> Are you talking "cocktail" shrimp or "large" shrimp here, Pete? For example,
> the frozen whole Tiger shrimp I prefer to buy here (RSA) wouldn't defrost
> in two minutes (even in hot water) as they come in a 1kg (2.2lb) box - with
> about 20-26 shrimp per box - and are "frozen solid".
> --

Typically I get around the 21-25 size (21-25 per pound i.e. fairly
large) when they are on sale. They are frozen individually, not in a
block so I take the typical 6-8 I want for a serving out and put them in
the bowl of hot water. In the couple minutes they are defrosted pretty
well. Yours are I think more like 8-12 size so a little bigger, probably
defrost in 5 min with a water change to get more hot water.

Pete C.

l, not -l wrote:
> Except for defrosting shimp, "My choice is not listed". Shrimp thaws fast
> enough in a bit of water, that nothing else is needed. For other things,
> when I plan ahead, I defrost in the refrigerator. Other times I use an
> aluminum slab made for quick defrosting. It is simply a 1/8" thick slab of
> aluminum, with cast-in feet to hold it up off the cabinet a bit, to promote
> air circulation; there are a few small channels in the surface and a
> drainage trough around the edges (like on a carving board) to channel off
> any liquid that might be produced during defrost (usually water condensing
> off the plastic wrap).
>
> I have had it for many years and don't recall where I bought it; but, it
> works great.

Sounds good, and like you said, it works great. For me, my 11x17
aluminum baking sheets do a pretty good job of defrosting. I will turn
it upside down, so the surface of the pan is about an inch away from the
kitchen counter. Nothing fancy, but it works. When my children were
young, I placed a piece of ice on the kitchen counter and a piece of ice
on the baking sheet. They were surprised that the ice defrosted so
quickly.

Becca

Pete C. wrote:

> ChattyCathy wrote:

>>
>> Are you talking "cocktail" shrimp or "large" shrimp here, Pete? For
>> example, the frozen whole Tiger shrimp I prefer to buy here (RSA)
>> wouldn't defrost in two minutes (even in hot water) as they come in a 1kg
>> (2.2lb) box - with about 20-26 shrimp per box - and are "frozen solid".
>> --
>
> Typically I get around the 21-25 size (21-25 per pound i.e. fairly
> large) when they are on sale. They are frozen individually, not in a
> block so I take the typical 6-8 I want for a serving out and put them in
> the bowl of hot water. In the couple minutes they are defrosted pretty
> well. Yours are I think more like 8-12 size so a little bigger, probably
> defrost in 5 min with a water change to get more hot water.

We should be so lucky. The whole (heads and all) shrimp/prawns I buy usually
come in a frozen 1kg (2.2lb) "block". I have tried to pry them apart before
defrosting - but without much luck... Of course, we do get large
shrimp/prawn tails aka prawn meat - no heads/shells. Those are easier to
divide as they are sort of "loose" when frozen... But, IMHO, whole
shrimp/prawns are so much tastier if cooked in their shells with the
heads-on - YMMV, of course. Mind you, 1kg of prawns doesn't go far in this
house

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Garlic: the element without which life as we know it would be impossible

On Aug 23, 9:28 am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
> Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>
> > I had to vote MCINL for shellfish. I defrost shrimp right in a brine,
> > per Cook's
> > Illustrated. It goes really quickly because of the salt, and the
> > shrimp
> > come out season, plump and juicy. I don't really cook any other
> > shellfish
> > at home.
>
> Hmmm. Never thought of that. Doesn't that make them a little *too* salty
> tho'? I like to marinate mine in a ginger/garlic/olive oil mixture for an
> hour or two (once defrosted) if we are grilling them - which we are going
> to do today, BTW - yay!

No, it doesn't make them too salty (at least, not too salty for me).
They're
in the brine for about 20-30 minutes, and then they're defrosted and I
remove
them.

Cindy Hamilton

On Aug 23, 10:59 am, "l, not -l" > wrote:
> Except for defrosting shimp, "My choice is not listed". Shrimp thaws fast
> enough in a bit of water, that nothing else is needed. For other things,
> when I plan ahead, I defrost in the refrigerator. Other times I use an
> aluminum slab made for quick defrosting. It is simply a 1/8" thick slab of
> aluminum, with cast-in feet to hold it up off the cabinet a bit, to promote
> air circulation; there are a few small channels in the surface and a
> drainage trough around the edges (like on a carving board) to channel off
> any liquid that might be produced during defrost (usually water condensing
> off the plastic wrap).
>
> I have had it for many years and don't recall where I bought it; but, it
> works great.

I use the back of my 14" teflon frying pan, which is made from
aluminum.
The handle holds it up off the counter for air circulation. I prop it
up
next to the sink, which handles the runoff issue. My arrangement has
the virtue of occupying no additional storage space. If the 14" pan
is
busy, I use the 12". The pan is probably not as thermally efficient
as
your slab, but it's a multitasker.

Cindy Hamilton