What are you cooking?

[Back in the fold1 10]

If you want to approximate the true Jewish Deli experience, buy bakery quality rye bread and a high quality mustard. Then briefly steam the pastrami before building your sandwich. Important no no’s. No mayonnaise or cheese. Have a real kosher pickle and sauerkraut on the side as well as an ice cold beer. To be truly authentic drink a Dr. Brown’s celery soda instead of the beer.

You guys back east have all the real and authentic ethnic foods that just aren’t available , or even known , here in the gastronomical wasteland of the American West . It’s meat and potatoes here . That and not much else .

 

[jaylach2 137]

If you want to approximate the true Jewish Deli experience, buy bakery quality rye bread and a high quality mustard. Then briefly steam the pastrami before building your sandwich. Important no no’s. No mayonnaise or cheese. Have a real kosher pickle and sauerkraut on the side as well as an ice cold beer. To be truly authentic drink a Dr. Brown’s celery soda instead of the beer.

I'll agree with the rye but I prefer marbled. I have some of the best spicy brown mustard around. I have it shipped in. It is the mustard they use at the stadiums in Cleveland but wouldn't likely use. With Pastrami and/or corned beef I prefer yellow mustard. We will have to agree to disagree on the cheese as I like with Swiss. I agree on no mayo but do like a bit of thousand island dressing. Add some kraut and you have a Reuben. Of course you have to grill like a grilled cheese. Now you see Reubens calling for Russian dressing but, to me, that is just wrong. A Reuben demands thousand island.

This is one of the few disadvantages of living in the west; no such thing as a real deli south of Cincinnati Ohio or west of Chicago Illinois. Another disadvantage is some sides. In the mid-west beer battered button shrooms are all over the place but most in Texas, Florida and Wyoming (where I've lived for an extended time other than Ohio) never even heard of such a silly thing yet with some blue cheese dressing for dipping the things are to die for. One of the reasons that I have a 2-basket, gallon oil capacity, deep fryer. Add a steak or BBQ 'sticky' wings and it is a perfect NFL Sunday chow down.

Sigh, I remember a deli I used to visit in ancient history like mid 1970s in Cleveland. I'd go there at least once a week for a corned beef and Swiss. Of course this was 50 years ago but I paid a grand total of $1.75 for a sandwich with so much corned beef you just about had to unhinge your jaw like a snake to get your mouth around the thing.

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[gwand21 137]

I’m a purest when it comes to great deli. It’s all about the meat. Cheese is a distraction.

 

[jaylach2 137]

I’m a purest when it comes to great deli. It’s all about the meat. Cheese is a distraction.

That is why I like a mild cheese such as Swiss or provolone as they are mild and don't over power the meat. I would NEVER use sharp cheddar. Actually smoked provolone is awesome but, due to the smoking, it doesn't melt well at all.

I just like some of the 'old school' stuff. Sheppard's Pie or Cottage pie are some of the best comport foods ever. Sheppard's Pie is made with lamb while Cottage pie is made with beef. I don't normally do lamb and can't stand lamb chops but for Sheppard's pie, or Greek Gyros, lamb works.

 

[fishorama 10]

We on the far left US west coast have different "ethnic" foods although I'm sure NYC has those too. Thai, Indian, Mexican, etc are in many places but surprisingly no near to me good Chinese restaurants. Also ethnic markets for DIY. In MA there even a Cape Verde restaurant but we never tried it, too much fish for husband? We used to have a close Papa Murphy's but since covid it's a drive now, it's an occasional treat not an every few weeks thing. I'm with gwand, almost never mayo, cheese only on some things. I'm not a huge sandwich fan...

I do have to defend hots dogs to a small extent. I grew up in Michigan & the meat standard was (is still?) higher than most of the US. There were higher limits on the # of rat hairs & insect parts per lb. It's not nitrite & nitrate that gross me out as much as there is an "allowable limit"

Tonight we're having meat cakes, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, asparagus & a green salad. Except for the gravy & salad dressing it's pretty healthy. Husband scored a deal on Olive Garden Italian dressing 2/28oz bottles for $1. We like it & I will not read the ingredients, lol.

 

[Fishmanic21 137]

Getting ready to make the chicken parm and spaghetti.

 

[Essjay21 136]

chicken parm

I mis-read that as chicken parmo at first and I thought why is someone from northeast USA making a Teesside delicacy?

I've never actually eaten a chicken parmo, looking at one is enough to clog the arteries. Originally called a chicken parmesan, the EU banned the name as parmesan is an Italian cheese, but no-one called it a parmesan, it's always been called a parmo for short so no-one took any notice.
A chicken parmo is a chicken breast in breadcrumbs cooked in a deep fat fryer, then covered in béchamel sauce and grated cheddar cheese and grilled until the cheese is bubbling.

 

[gimme301]

....making a Teesside delicacy?

Isn't that beans on toast?

 

[Essjay21 136]

No, that's a whole of the UK delicacy

 

[Fishmanic21 137]

I brown the breaded chicken in a thin layer of olive oil in a pan on the stove at medium heat for a few minutes to brown the outside. Then bake it in the oven for 14 minutes at 425 degrees.

 

[Fishmanic21 137]

Chicken Parm
Mangiare

 

[jaylach2 137]

When I do chicken parm I have two methods.

• Use an already breaded chicken cutlet. In this case I will brown the cutlet on the stove. When I flip the cutlet I will put sketti sauce on the already browned side then cover that with an Italian blend of cheese with more sauce on top of that and cover.
• I use a boneless chicken breast with no breading. I'll grill up the chicken stove top with fairly heavy Italian herbs. When about half done I'll slice and make layers of sauce, chicken, cheese and repeat in in a small personal sized casserole dish with a cover and bake.

Both ways work very well but have different aspects. If I'm going for a chicken parm sandwich it will be the breaded cutlet. If going along with pasta it will usually be the baked casserole dish.

Just as a suggestion, if having an Italian dinner party, do the not breaded method as it can make for a MUCH better presentation. Picture a plate of pasta with sauce and a personal casserole of chicken parm on the same plate but still apart. This also allows for a different meat in the sauce on the pasta with no interference from the chicken parm. Trust me, it just works.

 

[jaylach2 137]

Actually I haven't been able to do the individual casserole chicken parm above due to a lack of individual casserole dishes but that will be solved in a couple of days.

Dimensions are 8.7 inches long by 5.3 inches wide by 1.8 inches high. Won't be just for parm but also things like Shepard's/cottage pie. I could even see individual peach cobblers.

Only ordered 2 but may get 2 more if I like. Not cheap but decent cookware normally isn't. Should be here Friday. 2 will probably be fine for me as I'm sort of a hermit and don't often have company.

Amazon.com

 

[fishorama 10]

I have a few dishes about that size, 1 has a lid. Also, round smaller 1s w/lids for veggie zapping, dips, leftovers, etc. I use them all the time! Because there's 2 of us, I make shepherd's pie, au gratin potatoes, etc. in larger Corelle casseroles, I have several sizes.

 

[Fishmanic21 137]

Shephard’s pie or cottage pie… whatever you want to call it

Ground beef, lots of veggies including corn, carrots, onions, and green beans, gravy mix, spices and real mashed potatoes…YUM