30 Go To Cooks
If I look in a fridge, these are probably the types of meals I'd cook for a group
Random Observation/Comment #903: If you ever pop by my house, I can probably make a number of these random things for a snack.
//Can’t go wrong with steak and potatoes
Why this list?
It's clear that I love cooking. It's therapeutic and shows love in the most instinctual way. I cook to connect and show my trust. Of course, I have already written a list of 30 about it:
30 Reasons Why I Cook
Random Observation/Comment #857: It’s my pleasure to make provide sustenance to my friends.
I've also cooked all through covid different meals for 150+ days straight. I do weird things.
30 Day Coronavirus Cooking Challenge Reflections
Random Observation/Comment #659: Cooking is a great coping mechanism. “Coronavirus-15” + stress eating –> Better workout routine
I'm also teaching Evie how to cook and hoping she shows interest so she would eat her own meals.
Daddy-Daughter Cooking Challenge
Random Observation/Comment #868: Hopefully Clembot doesn’t start taking over my cooking hobbies.
So is this another random list of meals? A bit? I was just wondering what my signature dishes would be based on different ingredients in the fridge. These are the things I quickly whip up and they're usually pretty solid less than 1 hour preps. These also happen to be the things I cooked with friends for the past year.
Pan fried tofu - A bit of oil splatter, so definitely pat dry before putting it in the pan. Flakey salt after the light fry.
Crispy baby potatoes roasted in the oven for hours - Blumenthal does it right. I do think a peel of the potatoes helps with getting more crispiness. Be brave in the oven.
Asian cabbage slaw - This is my go-to compliment to a fatty meal or to bring to a BBQ. I like the sesame oil addition to this and using sushi rice vinegar for the acidity. Use a peeler for the super thin slices. Half a cabbage is more than enough.
Beer (Guinness) bratwurst with a onion mustard glaze - Just started doing this one using Guinness as a base for cooking through for 20 minutes. Finish on the Rock or grill for some lines. Leftover beer is thickened with onions, mustard, and a bit of butter for a yummy sauce.
Slowly grilled chicken wings with a soy ginger honey glaze - This always tastes better on some charcoal. The marinating is key. Low and slow is best. Santosh’s grill is actually pretty solid for making a smokey wing. I need to recreate the ghost pepper sauce from Post Oak.
Potato leek soup hand blended with a touch of cream - The taste of this reminds me of a Hale and Hearty type of soup. It’s a great meal all together.
Spring vegetable pesto pasta - The basil pesto from Costco is such a key staple to just throw in at the end. Any vegetables will do. Mushrooms and zucchini are solid, but anything works.
Pork cutlet katsu pan fried in shallow oil - The panko gives it some crust. Let it drain a bit. This is a winner for the family. It scales to around 10 people. Great over rice.
Garlic confit over rice - Avocado oil with some vertically half cut garlic cloves. Cover with aluminum foil. Oven in 350 for 20 min. Check to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Steamed egg over rice - Boil water add to beaten eggs. Steam covered. Add some soy sauce. Childhood feels over rice. Takes around 10 min.
Instapot smoked turkey congee with century old egg - I make this once a month because it’s just so good. Tip is to freeze the washed cup and a half of rice so it breaks down more. Use pre-smoked turkey wings/legs. About 8 cups of water per cup of rice. Set it and forget it.
Eggplant parm - Panko breading is great. Definitely need mozzarella to broil at the end. I love layering with some flavors. Takes around an hour.
Chicken matzo ball soup - This tastes even better if you have some smoked ham. Ham and chicken just brings such great flavors. I add the packet matzo ball rolled balls at the end, which takes a lot longer than you think to cook.
Mapo tofu with a mild miso base - I need more wok-hay to get the pork crispy. Boiling water to melt the miso and then add your soy sauce and oyster sauce. This is a great base to add to any Asian meal. You can cook this in like 5 min.
Toasted cherng fun - Whenever I go to the nearby Chinese supermarket, I get the cherng fun noodles. Evie loves this. Definitely buy the hoisin sauce with sesame paste for the dip. Takes 10 min.
Split lentil ham hock soup - This is a once a year staple when I get a bunch of Christmas or Thanksgiving ham. I like split lentil over split pea.
Oven roasted thick cut fries - It’s so much healthier when you know the ingredients. This does take a little bit of time to oven roast (rather than deep fry). I usually head up The Rock stone so it’s already hot and doesn’t steam too much.
Grilled cheese made with love and mayo - My girls love daddy’s grilled cheese sandwiches. My trick is to use the toaster first for 4 minutes and put the cheese on the toast towards the end while still in the toaster oven. From there I end with butter/mayo and some pressing on a medium heat pan.
Pan fried Gyoza with hot vietnamese chili vinegar dip - Usually accompanied by some steamed soup dumplings or buns. I would make this for any larger party like a BBQ or July 4th party.
Slow cooked Louisiana pork ribs with rice - Another rice dish that goes really well with low and slow. I also just like ribs in general regardless of the seasoning. Definitely needs a little trim.
Beef and lamb Meatballs - My meatballs have milk-soaked panko for the extra body. I also sear and then let it cook in the sauce so it stays moist.
Breaded and fried cod bites - This is the same technique as the eggplant parm and pork katsu. Fish needs a little bit of paprika and lemon juice at the end.
Pork tenderloin with soy sauce gravy over rice - I’m such a sucker for a sauce over rice. The pork tenderloin technique is to cook it on a cast-iron and then finish it in the oven.
Green chili pulled chicken burritos with bacon - I literally just cooked this one at the end of August. I use the Costco hatch green chili jar and throw a bunch of chicken thighs and breast in there. I take it out to debone, deskin, and shred before serving.
Omurice with ketchup sauce - I need to make a better demiglace sauce, but I think I have the fried rice and runny omelet down. Making Japanese omelets are so much fun.
Assorted grilled vegetables - I love a vertically/plank cut zucchini or squash or some slow roasted carrots and cauliflower. A roasted veggie platter is so good with just a simple salt and pepper mix.
Boiled whole chicken with a garlic ginger sauce over rice - More rice! I learned this recipe from my Mom in high school. It’s literally just boiled chicken, but the finely diced ginger sauce is so good. I cooked this for a Thanksgiving while living in Japan.
Prosciutto wrapped truffle burrata - This isn’t really a cook, but the appetizer is always a winner. I just buy truffle burrata, drain it, and cut to wrap in prosciutto. So good.
Stuffed mushrooms - Another BBQ staple. I stuff it with the diced stems and random things with herbs. Make sure to cover in the oven at first and then open it up for second half of cooking as a lot of moisture comes out.
Mashed potatoes - Still my favorite food. I have altered it a bit with some fresh minced garlic, but you still need a lot of butter and milk.
~See Lemons Love Cooking
