(no subject)

[cherry]

It is possible -- nay, probable -- that I have been heard many a time to proclaim that I have neither interest nor aptitude when it comes to all things domestic.

Seriously, people, I have set off the fire alarm while boiling water. I wish that was hyperbole, but, alas.

With my fancy new apartment, however, and this "taking lunch/supper" places kick I'm on, I am reaching out for help. I have decided that I am going to try to cook at least once a week.

What are your favourite recipes? Where do you find said things? What would you recommend to someone starting out?

Really, I'm very open. I don't eat red meat or bananas, but other than that ...

I adore vegetables and fruit and trying new things, but I appreciate classics. I enjoy both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. I am partial to fast and easy, but am stoked to try things that are a little more involved. I am especially willing to put in the effort for things that are a little different (read: non-North American fare).

I often take lunch and supper to my full time and part time jobs, so reheatable/cold foods are good, and I am also interested in your favourite sandwiches and any awesomely interesting sandwich/salad combos you've tried.

Please: Educate me, mock my ineptitude, it's all good.

Comments

Jewish chicken soup

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

1 whole chicken, cut up (have the butcher do it for you)
3 ribs celery w/leaves
3 carrots
1 onion and/or 3 leeks
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh
1 tsp dried dill weed
a handful of fresh parsley
water
salt and pepper to taste

Cut up the onion into rough dice. Peel and chop the carrots into 1-2 inch pieces, and chop the celery roughly. If you're using leeks, just use the white parts, cut into 1-inch rounds (you can use the green parts for stock for a different soup). Trim and discard the long stems from the parsley. Trim excess fat from chicken pieces if you want (I usually don't bother). Feed the chicken innards to your cat.

Place the chicken and chopped veggies into a large soup pot. Add the herbs and pour in water to just barely cover. Turn the heat up to high until the soup starts to boil, then turn it down so that the soup simmers. Add salt and pepper, partially cover the pot (leaving a vent for steam) and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are fork-tender. Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

If you want to get exciting, you can make matzoh balls. Just pick up a package of matzoh meal and some eggs, and follow the package instructions.

This soup is also good with some cooked rice or noodles thrown in near the end of the cooking time.

Re: Jewish chicken soup

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

This sounds very tasty, but I have another silly question: Would this work with pre-cooked chicken? If you added it later? Or would using a rotisserie chicken create a battle of flavours the like of which soup have never seen before, with taste buds the biggest loser of all?

Re: Jewish chicken soup

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

This soup relies on the chicken, bones and all, to add its flavor to the broth, so I'm thinking pre-cooked chicken wouldn't work so well. If you have pre-cooked chicken you're looking to dispose of, you can use many of these ingredients in the same manner to make soup. Here's how I'd modify the recipe:

1) I'd substitute chicken or vegetable stock for water.
2) I'd cook all the vegetables in the stock until tender, and add the chicken only in the last 5 or 10 minutes of cooking
3) I'd adjust the herbs to match whatever the pre-cooked chicken was cooked in. For instance, rotisserie chicken is often cooked with garlic and rosemary, so you might substitute a pinch of rosemary for the tablespoons of dill.