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Hey all =D Haven't put a blog up in a while (not that anyone cares or remembers :p).
I'll be living alone for the next 3 months so I've decided to take up cooking! Going to be focusing mostly on Italian cuisine, and maybe French after that. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas please feel free to let me know~ (keep in mind that I am a complete noob with no culinary education/experience).
Anyway, this is Week 1 and 2
My first try at an antipasto: Garlic butter mushrooms
Went pretty well for my first ever real dish.
![[image loading]](http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab171/_fOrQQ/P1000003.jpg)
First pasta: a simple Shrimp Marinara with Penne pasta and a 2-cheese sauce (Parmagiano and Marscapone)
This was actually really good, though the cheese sauce was quite thick and maybe too filling :p Kinda melted the cheeses into a pot and let it reduce too much I think.
![[image loading]](http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab171/_fOrQQ/P1000012.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab171/_fOrQQ/P1000013.jpg)
Thats all for now, stay tuned for more of fOrQQ's food adventures XD
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Those look really delicious! I would eat them xD
Lol @ fOrQQ.
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I'd eat the shit out of the pasta dish. (don't like mushrooms so :<)
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MMM did you say shrimp 
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DO WANT
man i'm hungry -_-
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You made me hungry at 12h30am :<
Wow only mushrooms for a meal? hmmmmmmmmm still good :3
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om nom nom. Looks super delicious. Post more pics you get 'em, looking at food never gets old. :D
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great presentation, i hope they tasted as good as they looked 
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Thanks guys :D
@krndandaman: wewt :p wish i was good enough to have a restaurant haha...maybe in 10 years QQ
@firebound12: i had a side of rice and cooked some ham too but i didn't plate it nicely so i left them out of the picture =P
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fuck now i have to go all the way downstairs to the fridge -_-
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just finished working out and this is what i see T_T my fridge has nothing as delicious as that in it atm, need more groceries arrgg
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that looks fuking amazing, dragon you don't eat anything anyways
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As someone who actually really likes cooking and follows chef culture somewhat, this is really impressive to see if its as you say and you have no previous experience with this stuff. As an only child of the youngest in the family I had to learn to cook early on and I've been very grateful. Cooking even decently is incredibly empowering and impressive. I think its a skill every man should have so good luck! You're off to a great start!
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Cool stuff.
When you say garlic butter mushrooms, do you mean that you put garlic and butter on the mushrooms? Or you made your own garlic butter?
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@Ack1027: thanks, it means a lot to me for a vet chef to say that :D i really don't have any true cooking experience other than survival skills (boiling water, defrosting frozen veggies, making ramyun and mac&cheese). never even diced an onion or sauteed garlic before XD my family left me with a bunch of packaged foods but i find it really unhealthy to eat it which is what started me on cooking lol
@Kainzero: well I melted butter and sauteed the garlic and then put mushrooms in. based the mushrooms with a bit more butter after they finished sauteing.
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I just made dinner, but that pasta dish made me hungry all over again.
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Grats on a nice first go at cooking dude. As someone who does it professionally, and has loved cooking for years, I am happy to see another member of TL starting it.
Your mushrooms are a very good start as is the pasta. You mentioned having too thick of a cheese sauce, so next time you can add in a touch of milk or cream to add a liquid base to it.
Very nice first steps though, I hope you keep it up.
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On July 05 2010 14:28 BloodyC0bbler wrote:
Grats on a nice first go at cooking dude. As someone who does it professionally, and has loved cooking for years, I am happy to see another member of TL starting it.
Your mushrooms are a very good start as is the pasta. You mentioned having too thick of a cheese sauce, so next time you can add in a touch of milk or cream to add a liquid base to it.
Very nice first steps though, I hope you keep it up.
Wew another pro :DD thanks a lot~ I'll try that next time I do the sauce. Are there any dish recommendations that you have for amateurs like me? As I mentioned, I'm mostly interested in Italian and French cuisine (Western European I guess, but not exclusive obviously).
By the way, where do you work and what type of cuisine do you cook?
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Its almost 2AM where I live and you just made me really hungry X.X
haha keep it up mr. chef
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On July 05 2010 14:37 fOrQQ wrote:Show nested quote +On July 05 2010 14:28 BloodyC0bbler wrote:
Grats on a nice first go at cooking dude. As someone who does it professionally, and has loved cooking for years, I am happy to see another member of TL starting it.
Your mushrooms are a very good start as is the pasta. You mentioned having too thick of a cheese sauce, so next time you can add in a touch of milk or cream to add a liquid base to it.
Very nice first steps though, I hope you keep it up. Wew another pro :DD thanks a lot~ I'll try that next time I do the sauce. Are there any dish recommendations that you have for amateurs like me? As I mentioned, I'm mostly interested in Italian and French cuisine (Western European I guess, but not exclusive obviously). By the way, where do you work and what type of cuisine do you cook?
At the moment I'm at a breakfast joint, but I have done mexican food, as well as fine dining (mix of french, italian, asian, greek, etc...).
I have no real specialty at the moment as well, I'm still learning which area I like the best.
For very simple starters though start with well known dishes. For instance learning to make a good tomato sauce or the like. Italian dishes at least at a basic level I would start with primarily doing pasta's (yes I am aware there is far more to italian cooking than this), but learning how to properly cook pasta, as well as making really good sauces is a very very good start as they are two very tricky things to learn.
For french food, start with something very simple. I was introduced to doing thinks like chicken fricassee.
Just start very simple, and go from there.
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On July 05 2010 13:48 YoonHo wrote:that looks fuking amazing, dragon you don't eat anything anyways
oh is that what u meant. I actually do eat more food now but it runs out like 1-2 days ahead of grocery day lol.
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Not a big mushroom fan but it does look tasty!
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It's great to see an exploration into food. It's daring and fun and gives you the chance to be creative. I'm only an amateur cook myself (though I did pick up some Italian cooking when I lived there for two years), but I really love food and I think passion can go a long way in the kitchen. Here are a few recipes of the Italian variety that I make regularly.
Lobster Frutti di Mare
![[image loading]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4440778377_6a7c872885.jpg)
I think I must have subsisted on little more than this dish (frutti di mare) in Sicily for almost two years. I'm not sure if it was the easy access to the fresh Mediterranean fish or the simple, fresh ingredients that made - and continues to make - my tastes buds sing, but it's so damn good and simple it surprises me every time.
I changed the recipe just a little by making the version above with just lobster (anniversary dinner for my wife and I), but for simplicity's sake, the recipe below uses shrimp:
Ingredients:
1 pkg. angel hair pasta or other
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
1 large white onion (or 2 shallots, chopped)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, very ripe, roughly chopped, reserving juice. (Or 1 can crushed tomatoes)
Olive oil
Fistful basil
Fistful parsley
1 lemon
Instructions:
Cook pasta according to pkg directions.
In a large pan, over medium-high heat saute chopped onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in olive oil for about three minutes or until fragrant. Add in tomatoes and cook, stirring everything together and reducing those tomatoes down, about 5 more minutes. Add in shrimp and saute until firm and a nice shade of pink, but definitely not overcooked. Chop basil and parsley roughly, add into sauce, a few squeezes of lemon juice and zest. Garnish with extra parsley and plate.
Spinach risotto & Seared Scallops
![[image loading]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4178891215_f462eab9d3.jpg)
Ever since I started making risotto, I can't stop. It's my all-time favorite comfort food and I'm always looking for ways to make it different. Sure, it takes a long time, but it's oh-so-delicious and creamy. I improved upon the regular recipe by just adding pureed spinach into the risotto at the end, roasting red peppers (or buying them that way at the store) and making a sauce out of them, and searing scallops.
Ingredients:
1 cup risotto (arborio rice). It must be this rice or carnaroli. I've always used arborio though.
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine, room temp. (In fact, have a glass! You deserve it).
6 cups chicken broth
1 pkg. frozen spinach
5 red bell peppers
Olive oil
Salt, pepper
2 shallots, chopped
1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
8 large sea scallops (not those little bay scallops)
Wooden spoon
Instructions:
Heat chicken broth just until steam is coming off the top of it. Not boiling or even simmering. You just need to get it hot and keep it that way.
Heat a large pot and cook the frozen spinach until it's done. Add into a blender, puree it with some of the hot water, and set aside in another bowl.
For roasted red pepper sauce:
Roast halved bell peppers in an oven at 400 degrees until blackened. Place in a plastic bag after, seal, and allow to cool. Once cooled, peel skins and add roasted bell peppers into a blender. Puree with olive oil, salt, pepper, a little lemon juice, and vinegar to taste. Go easy on the vinegar.
For the risotto:
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon butter and some olive oil. Add shallots into the pan and cook for about 3 minutes. Add in the cup of risotto and fry for about 7-10, allowing them to be coated with the fat and become transparent, stirring constantly so they don't stick. Next add in the white wine and stir, cooking until evaporated. Once evaporated, begin adding in chicken broth, two ladle at a time, while stirring.
You don't have to stir the risotto the whole time, but often enough so that you can really get to that creamy consistency that is the hallmark of risottos. Every time you add in a ladle of broth, just stir a little, until it's all absorbed. Add in salt and pepper as you go. I determine when to add in the next ladle of broth by drawing my spoon along the bottom of the pan; I should see a smooth trail of just a little 'creaminess.'The whole process should take about 20 minutes and the risotto should be just al dente and have some bite to it.
Next, add in the pureed spinach, the remaining butter, and Parmesan cheese. Stir together and cover, removing from heat.
For the scallops:
Make sure your scallops are completely dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper them liberally. Heat a pan over high heat with 1 tablespoon butter, a little olive oil. Add in scallops one at a time and cook 4 minutes on one side, giving them a great sear and caramelized top. Flip them once, allowing to cook 1 more minute. Please please do not overcook them, as they will become very rubbery in texture.
To plate, spoon some roasted red pepper sauce onto a plate, two dollops of risotto, and 3-4 scallops along with a sprinkle of shaved Parmesan. Enjoy!
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51449 Posts
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On July 05 2010 14:46 BloodyC0bbler wrote:
At the moment I'm at a breakfast joint, but I have done mexican food, as well as fine dining (mix of french, italian, asian, greek, etc...).
I have no real specialty at the moment as well, I'm still learning which area I like the best.
For very simple starters though start with well known dishes. For instance learning to make a good tomato sauce or the like. Italian dishes at least at a basic level I would start with primarily doing pasta's (yes I am aware there is far more to italian cooking than this), but learning how to properly cook pasta, as well as making really good sauces is a very very good start as they are two very tricky things to learn.
For french food, start with something very simple. I was introduced to doing thinks like chicken fricassee.
Just start very simple, and go from there.
That sounds like a great place to start, thanks! What types of pasta and sauces would be awesome for a newb like me to try (and which should I be wary of?) I've always wanted to try pesto, since it seems simple and fresh.
On July 05 2010 15:51 Rayzorblade wrote:
It's great to see an exploration into food. It's daring and fun and gives you the chance to be creative. I'm only an amateur cook myself (though I did pick up some Italian cooking when I lived there for two years), but I really love food and I think passion can go a long way in the kitchen. Here are a few recipes of the Italian variety that I make regularly.
Wow those look amazing :D I'll take your word for it and try it out. I really do want to take a stab at risotto- it seems like the staple Italian dish and I think it would be a good test for me =P
Nah but its somewhat related :< sorry to burst your bubble lol.. Gordon Ramsay is an inspiration for me though :>
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Man I'm a college student living on my own always looking to learn new dishes. I was just wondering if you can give me the list of ingredients for that pasta shrimp thing with step by step instructions with pictures for each step.
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On July 05 2010 16:08 fOrQQ wrote:Show nested quote +On July 05 2010 14:46 BloodyC0bbler wrote:
At the moment I'm at a breakfast joint, but I have done mexican food, as well as fine dining (mix of french, italian, asian, greek, etc...).
I have no real specialty at the moment as well, I'm still learning which area I like the best.
For very simple starters though start with well known dishes. For instance learning to make a good tomato sauce or the like. Italian dishes at least at a basic level I would start with primarily doing pasta's (yes I am aware there is far more to italian cooking than this), but learning how to properly cook pasta, as well as making really good sauces is a very very good start as they are two very tricky things to learn.
For french food, start with something very simple. I was introduced to doing thinks like chicken fricassee.
Just start very simple, and go from there.
That sounds like a great place to start, thanks! What types of pasta and sauces would be awesome for a newb like me to try (and which should I be wary of?) I've always wanted to try pesto, since it seems simple and fresh.
Pesto is a very nice thing to mix in as a sauce, just keep in mind it is very strong in flavour. As for pasta, it is really up to personal preference. Find one via trial that you enjoy more than others and stick with it. Sauces start simple. I would suggest going to a super market and going to a sauce isle and then look at the ingredients on your favourite sauce's and attempt to recreate them. You can then google the instructions if need be, or attempt it on your own (most are fairly straight forward). As you learn one sauce, attempt another, then another, and so on. Take it all in baby steps. If you wish to get a better idea of techniques, recipes, and the like, browse a library or book store for cooking textbooks. If you get one specialized for french cuisine or italian cuisine, they will go into detail on how things should look, what ingredients to use, etc...
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On July 05 2010 16:11 MaRiNe23 wrote:
Man I'm a college student living on my own always looking to learn new dishes. I was just wondering if you can give me the list of ingredients for that pasta shrimp thing with step by step instructions with pictures for each step.
Ah...most of the time I was just cooking it by instinct and usually pretty rushed since I'm afraid I'll burn down the kitchen XD If I got the hang of it I could stop to take pictures for the steps lol.
Ingredients though are pretty simple (I kinda eyeball the amount tho):
Fresh shrimp
Penne Pasta
Marinara sauce (I bought some premade so I'm not exactly sure on how to make it myself but I think you puree fresh tomatoes and add some basil, etc)
Butter
Olive Oil (I used extra virgin)
Parmagiano cheese
Marscapone cheese (You can probably substitute with other cheeses)
Salt, Pepper
Basil
Parsley (roughly chopped or dried)
On July 05 2010 16:34 BloodyC0bbler wrote:
Pesto is a very nice thing to mix in as a sauce, just keep in mind it is very strong in flavour. As for pasta, it is really up to personal preference. Find one via trial that you enjoy more than others and stick with it. Sauces start simple. I would suggest going to a super market and going to a sauce isle and then look at the ingredients on your favourite sauce's and attempt to recreate them. You can then google the instructions if need be, or attempt it on your own (most are fairly straight forward). As you learn one sauce, attempt another, then another, and so on. Take it all in baby steps. If you wish to get a better idea of techniques, recipes, and the like, browse a library or book store for cooking textbooks. If you get one specialized for french cuisine or italian cuisine, they will go into detail on how things should look, what ingredients to use, etc...
Thanks a lot :D will update when I get a new dish going
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On July 05 2010 16:45 fOrQQ wrote:Show nested quote +On July 05 2010 16:11 MaRiNe23 wrote:
Man I'm a college student living on my own always looking to learn new dishes. I was just wondering if you can give me the list of ingredients for that pasta shrimp thing with step by step instructions with pictures for each step. Ah...most of the time I was just cooking it by instinct and usually pretty rushed since I'm afraid I'll burn down the kitchen XD If I got the hang of it I could stop to take pictures for the steps lol. Ingredients though are pretty simple (I kinda eyeball the amount tho): Fresh shrimp Penne Pasta Marinara sauce (I bought some premade so I'm not exactly sure on how to make it myself but I think you puree fresh tomatoes and add some basil, etc) Butter Olive Oil (I used extra virgin) Parmagiano cheese Marscapone cheese (You can probably substitute with other cheeses) Salt, Pepper Basil Parsley (roughly chopped or dried) Show nested quote +On July 05 2010 16:34 BloodyC0bbler wrote:
Pesto is a very nice thing to mix in as a sauce, just keep in mind it is very strong in flavour. As for pasta, it is really up to personal preference. Find one via trial that you enjoy more than others and stick with it. Sauces start simple. I would suggest going to a super market and going to a sauce isle and then look at the ingredients on your favourite sauce's and attempt to recreate them. You can then google the instructions if need be, or attempt it on your own (most are fairly straight forward). As you learn one sauce, attempt another, then another, and so on. Take it all in baby steps. If you wish to get a better idea of techniques, recipes, and the like, browse a library or book store for cooking textbooks. If you get one specialized for french cuisine or italian cuisine, they will go into detail on how things should look, what ingredients to use, etc... Thanks a lot :D will update when I get a new dish going
Thanks I understand u can't do anything about the pics but what about instructions on how to make it ?
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oh god those look delicious. Be my housewife plz?
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damn you're making me hungry. looks absolutely delicious.
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oh my god i want that pasta in my stomach now
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EPT
