Text 14165, 89 rader
Skriven 2007-04-17 13:29:22 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: HAWG TIED  70417
========================
 -=> Quoting Carol Shenkenberger to Glen Jamieson <=-

 CS> Much of this would have to do with cooking style and as Ian notes
 CS> above, marbling.  Due to health concerns in a culture tht eats a LOT of
 CS> beef per capita compared to most others, the fat content has gone down.
 CS> This mandates a change in cooking techniques that if not followed,
 CS> will destroy the flavor to a good degree.

I have eaten beef there which was low in fat, and then "tenderised" to
the point of disintegration.  The only flavour was the horse-radish I
slopped onto it to make it edible.
 
 CS> Heheh My ship won the NEY award just a month ago.  Thats a fleet award
 CS> for 'best of the best'.  Now, you've heard shipboard food is pretty
 CS> good.  Sure, sometimes I get to wanting 'other' but my ship is pretty
 CS> good. 
 CS> Want good beef pot roast?  We make *killer good* pot roast.  I would
 CS> be very happy to pay 20$ a plate for it.  It's that good.

You seen to get lucky on your ships; is that because you manage to
educate the cooks, or are they all like that in the US Navy?  :)

 CS> Lunch today was fresh baked catfish with herbs and butter (my choice),
 CS> pepper steak (they do this rather well and i'd be happy to pay in a
 CS> restraunt for as good), braised potatoes au gratin, asparagus (canned
 CS> stuff and mushy but i happen to like it that way), mixed veggies (corn,
 CS> green beans, limas, carrots), stir fry cabbage with garlic and peppers,
 CS> fresh yeast rolls, dutch apple betty pie, COOKIES HOT FROM THE OVEN
 CS> (major SNARF!), and other stuff. 

Whoever is responsible for catering knows his onions!  Do all ships
have that sort of cuisine?  Are they provisioned through a central
Naval source, or do ships buy stuff individually from whatever port
they happen to be in.

 CS> Yesterday we had one of our little fun days at sea when we sorta say
 CS> 'screw the work, lets have a holiday'.  We did all sorts of sporty
 CS> things like volley ball in the hangar bay, a movie on a big screen
 CS> (Happy Feet was the movie and major surround sound effects) and 'Iron
 CS> Chef' championship.  The 4 mess decks competed for 'best plate' and the
 CS> limiter was 'has to be what we have on the menu today'.

What a brilliant idea to boost enthusiasm in the galleys.

 CS> Iron Chef has a new meaning with that limiter!  No 'strange food item
 CS> to cook' but a very 'set' menu.  That night was: Trout (frozen whole
 CS> but cleaned), fresh cabbage stir fry (only allowed to vary the oil and
 CS> veggies but no meat allowed), Potatos with only spices and type of
 CS> slice variations. 
 CS> The main mess decks won the award for best stir fry version.
 CS> The CPO mess won the fish version.
 CS> The wardroom won on the potatoes.

Who were the judges, or did the entire crew vote?  What were the
prizes?  "Acclaim of the entire ship"?

 CS> Same for beef tactics.  The lower the fat, the more needed to either
 CS> fast sear and serve right away, or slow-cook.  The main problem with
 CS> slow-cooked beef is probably the same as Roo.  Too much water leaches
 CS> the flavor out too far so you need to be minimal on water or accept
 CS> that the broth is 'meaty while the meat is not'.

The flavour does come out of the meat into the water, but this is kept
to a fairly low level, so it remains as a soupy meat rather than a
meaty soup.  Spooned over rice or noodles, it all makes a lovely dish.
 
 GJ> From what I have read, MLoo cooks his beef to get that same burnt
 GJ> outside and tender, warm red inside that I aim for with the 98%
 GJ> fat-free roo steaks.

 CS> Probably does!  I use the same 'wave it over a flame just enough' most
 CS> of the time.  Old USA recipes will use the broiler?  Thats an oven
 CS> thing I dont see elesewhere.  USA ovens have a top and bottom heating
 CS> element.  Top one only is a 'broiler'.  I see little difference in
 CS> using it vice the bottom (bake) unit as normal cooks do.  Could be I am
 CS> missing something, but then, I'm a totally self taught cook.  Mom,

My oven has the top and bottom elements, which can be operated
together or separately to grill or bake, with or without fan
circulation.  For roo steaks I use an old, steel pan which once had
teflon which has long gone.  I can heat that to almost incandescence
and then throw a steak on for a few seconds on each side, with all
doors open to dissipate the smoke.  Then let it sit for a few minutes
in a warm place before serving with a mushroom-based sauce.  Yum!

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