posted on February 8, 2001 10:29:59 AM new
I hope this is a simple question!
Background: I frequently make impromptu vegetable soup. Good,homemade chicken stock base. Carrots, onions, sometimes potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, chickpeas, and so forth. Maybe cabbage or zucchini; it varies, depending on what I have handy and what I can find in the market. Seasonings - usually a little garlic, thyme, rosemary, some lemon juice. No basil (I don't much like it). I like it brothy, not thick like stew.
Okay, the question. Last time out, I had part of a bottle of Fetzer Chardonnay left, so I added a cup to the soup. Too fruity and almost sweet. Wrong flavor altogether. So... if I decide to add wine again, what would be a better one to use?
(My husband is moderately anti-alcohol, so I seldom have wine on hand. I can get whatever will work.)
posted on February 8, 2001 12:28:59 PM new
I'm no chef but I love to cook and I like my wine. With chicken stock as the base, I'd use a good dry white wine, an Alsatian Riesling should work.
posted on February 8, 2001 09:41:33 PM new
Okay...the first mistake was Fetzer LOL..if you are going to use a wine to cook with, make sure it is one that you would drink!!!
Honestly, if you use a good home cooked and reduced chicken stock there should be NO reason to add wine....
A couple of pointers...
NEVER boil[ the bones when you make stock...boiling makes the stock cloudy
For chicken stock, use a base mire poix of 1 part carrot, and 2 parts each of celery and onion..if you are making beef stock, make the ratio 1:1:1 of each.
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
cuz I wanted to
[ edited by ubiedaman on Feb 9, 2001 05:51 AM ]
Femme is rarely ever here in the evenings. I'm sure that she will comply when she returns, though her pretty clearly indicates that she is joking. Femme has been posting here for two years and she has never intentionally insulted anyone.
posted on February 9, 2001 05:54:05 AM new
I'm not sure of your question sammysue...do you mean the alcohol content?
Most if not all of the alcohol will cook off...different cooking procedures produce different results...if you use wine to deglaze a pan, a goodly portion of the alcohol evaporates. On the other hand, if you use it in a stewing or braising method, virtually all of the alcohol will cook off.
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on February 9, 2001 07:07:30 AM new
Keith, thank you!
I don't boil the bones, AND I skim the froth as I go.
I think my mirepoix is a trifle heavy on carrots; I'll cut back next time and see what happens.
As for wine, I truly am ignorant. I grew up in a teetotal family and married a man who, as I said, is opposed to alcohol. Fetzer Chardonnay was a recommendation from a friend who grew up in the Napa Valley.
True story: After the medical research showing that one glass of red wine per day was beneficial to cardiac health, I tried several different types. Moderately priced to fairly expensive, from Merlot to Zinfandel to Pinot Noir, Californian and Australian. The main thing I discovered is that I often liked the first glass out of the bottle, but subsequent glasses, a day or two later, weren't as pleasant. So I spent one day disposing of the leftovers, and put - oh, I don't remember exactly, maybe five or six - empty bottles in the recycling bin. He came home, saw the recycling, and got very upset. He took the bottles out of the bin and spent the next week carefully burying one bottle per day at the bottom of the kitchen garbage, "so the neighbors wouldn't know we drank."
posted on February 9, 2001 03:52:42 PM new
The real problem with Chardonnay is that a few years ago people came to expect it to be aged in Oak and have a little bite. Marketing being what it is far too many makers decided that more is better. I have never sent wine back in a restaurant until this year I got a Chardonnay that was SO woody and bitter I could not drink it. It was more suited to tanning leather than sipping.
I think that custom would detract from any cooking use.
posted on February 9, 2001 04:24:39 PM new
Gravid -
I've about decided that since I've lived almost half a century without being a wine drinker, I'd best leave well enough alone. Too many things to understand, and I am fighting an uphill battle! (See my last post for explanation why.)
posted on February 9, 2001 11:27:15 PM new
Yup - I understand. It is as complicated as coffee at least, and the range of flavors are as great as from a straight up expresso to a cinnamon mocha latte with nutmeg on top.
I gave up worrying about the neighbors years ago and let them take on the burden of worryoing about me.
posted on February 10, 2001 02:28:24 PM new
I have a basic cooking question.
I cook pretty well but have never cooked a roast that tasted reeeallly good to me in my life.
OTOH, I have never eaten a roast that someone else cooked and not thought it to die for.
All recipes are virtually the same.
What on earth am I doing wrong?
I just took a 3# chuck roast out of the freezer.
I am ready to try again. I grew up on pasta and I am truly lost.
Can anyone help?
posted on February 10, 2001 03:21:36 PM new
Well, here's my method... it pleases Mr. I-Won't-Eat-Anything-But-Meat-and-Potatoes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 chopped onion
1 stalk celery
a little garlic (from 2 to 10 cloves, as you like)
Saute in a couple tablespoons olive oil until tender but not browned.
Place the roast on a big sheet of aluminum foil. (You may have to use two sheets; if so, roll them together to make a gravy-proof seam.)
Pour the vegetables over top the roast. Add some sliced carrots and potato wedges, if desired.
Seasonings: I like to add a sprig or two of rosemary. You might prefer thyme or oregano.
Seal up the packet tightly. Place in oven for 1 hour per pound, if you are cooking from the frozen state. If the meat is thawed, 20 minutes per pound will produce a medium-well done roast.
It comes out juicy and very tender.
Forgot to add: No, I didn't forget to mention salt or pepper. Add those at the table, to taste.
To make Southern-style gravy, remove the meat and vegetables to a platter. Pour off the juices into a measuring cup; add water, if needed, to make one cup.
In a separate bowl, measure out two tablespoons butter or margarine. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to melt. Add two tablespoons all-purpose flour. Mix well. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir, then 20 more seconds. Add the beef juice. Stire until well-blended. Season to taste.
--------
not SilkMoth anywhere but here
[ edited by SilkMoth on Feb 10, 2001 03:26 PM ]
posted on February 10, 2001 06:53:28 PM new
Have you ever tried cooking your roast in a pressure cooker? It's wonderful! Just sear it all around and toss it in the pressure cooker with your seasonings, onions, garlic, and vegetables and cook at pressure about 30 minutes for a 3-4lb roast...YUMMY!
posted on February 10, 2001 07:00:54 PM new
sharkbaby - I have, thank you. I have ruined at least 30 roasts over about 10 years, in various ways. Tender is not the problem, the taste is.
I think "seasonings" is where I break down.
It is like there is a magic amount of salt and pepper or something. I realize this is kind of stupid, but shoot --- I just really was never taught, and I can't see to figure it out.
It is like I could tell someone "add garlic" and I know what I mean. If you do not cook Italian, you may not.
When I was a kid we ate ZERO pot roast and so this is an exotic meal to me
posted on February 10, 2001 08:22:18 PM newVM Sounds like you have tried quite a few different things!..Ever used those "Cook in the bag" things...(method is much like Silk Moth's ^above)..a lot of these pot roast "kits" come with seasonig packets included.
I have a couple of favorite "store bought" blends I like to use..try either Montreal Steak Seaoning (salt pepper garlic citrus etc.) or Oklahome Joe's Original BBQ seasoning (available at Wal-Mart around here..don't see it much in Groc. Stores)
If you wanna try to retrieve that Italian taste, try putting the roast in a bag with a small can of diced tomatoes and some Ital Seas. blend. Before roasting, jab a paring knife into the roast and insert pieces of garlic cloves into the holes..Yum!!!
Best of luck!!!
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on February 10, 2001 11:31:50 PM new
VM - LOL at your husband and the tomatoes!
How did the roast turn out?
Ubiedaman, I thought about those kits you mention, but sodium content of the seasonings is so astronomical that I don't like to even recommend them. That's why I use a lot of herbs and then salt-and-pepper only at the end.
The other thing I did briefly consider was my mother's 1950s "dried onion soup mix and Campbell's cream of mushroom roast in a bag." That's actually my husband's mostest favoritest, but again, sodium is way up there and it doesn't taste as good as using the real stuff.
Besides, my way I can sneak a little garlic in there and he doesn't notice. lol
posted on February 11, 2001 07:34:24 AM new
You are making me hungry! I've used the foil receipe but I put a can of mushroom soup on it along with the potatoes, onions ect. It makes it's own gravy.
posted on February 11, 2001 09:56:22 AM new
VeryModern - I love roasts, especially a nice juicy rib roast. Your best bet would be to invest in one of those Ron Popeil Rotisseries. My wife, an avid QVC fan, finally convinced me we needed to have one of these. Well it turned out to be one of the best investments we ever made. I had my local butcher give me a three rib roast; he prepared it by cutting away the ribs, seasoning it with Montreal Steak Seasoning, and then tying it back together. I put that roast in the rotisserie for 1.5 hours and believe me it was delicious. The roast had a crispy crust with succulent meat tender as butter, better than anything I ever had, either at friends or at the restaurant, and those ribs, after picking them clean our pet Schnauzer gave rave reviews on the bones. Now if you want to talk about how whole chickens come out..........
posted on February 11, 2001 06:28:05 PM new
Ok Very Modern...update time...how did your roast turn out?
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on February 11, 2001 06:42:17 PM new
Thanks for asking Keith, it was pretty good. My best effort to date I think, so that is saying something, but I am still not up to par with normal people
OTOH the vegetables were superb.
I roasted red potatoes in olive oil, w/ rosemary S&P, then added the carrots that were cooked with the roast at the end.
Just before I took them out if the oven, I tossed in a bunch of chunky slices of mushrooms which sucked up the rosemary flavored olive oil.
They mushrooms were so good I have to say it was a great dinner!
posted on February 11, 2001 06:58:50 PM newBigApple
thank you! I was wondering about those Rottiseries from Ron Popiel. I think I will buy one. And I like the fact that they are easy to clean - unlike the oven
I like a lot of grilled foods. has anyone tried the George Foreman Grill?
posted on February 11, 2001 07:31:57 PM new
You can also buy those cooking bags separately without any seasonings. They're called Reynolds Oven Bags.
When I was working at a regular job, I used a Crock Pot for a lot of things. I can't understand why people don't use them more.
You can cook so many different things, and I have never had anything come out bad. You just put what ever you want for dinner in the pot before you go to work. When you come home all you have to do is set the table.
pretty clearly indicates that she is joking. Femme has been posting here for two years and she has never intentionally insulted anyone.