ONE SIMPLE THING

Question on the hot sesame oil...

Does it have to be heated, or just dribble it on?

I bought Sesame Chile Oil in the hope it's what is being referred to here.

Hi Eric........yeah, you got the right thing.
Just dribble it on.

I find it just amazingly good.

Apart from fish, I REALLY like it on noodles and rice.

Noodles especially, have never been my favorite....in fact historically I always found them pretty inedible with the usual kind of cream sauce that they are often served in.     Hot sesame oil really helps.

Judd

Coconut oil. It's expensive but very good and adds a lot of flavor.

Since Turkey day is coming up here is a side dish that I am REQUIRED to make for all holiday gatherings.  Real similar to the corn cake at El Torito.  Best made just before serving cuz it rises like a souffle & will fall.  Still great if it falls:

1 (one) CUP SOUR CREAM
1 (one) 7 OUNCE BOX JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX
2 EGGS
2-3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
½ CUP MARGARINE
CHEAP CAN OF CREAMED CORN

8 ½ INCH CASSEROLE DISH (THINK YOU COULD ALSO USED SMALL BROWNIE PAN)

PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES AND MELT MARGARINE IN PAN

MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND POUR INTO MELTED MARGARINE WHICH WILL THEN SURROUND THE MIXTURE. BAKE FOR APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MINUTES UNTIL THE TOP CRACKS AND THE SIDES ARE GOLDEN BROWN.


I usually do 2 batches.  One as above and one with a small can or two of fire roasted diced chiles. 

There's a restaurant in Berkeley called T-Rex (1300 10th St---at Gillman) that has a recipe for corn bread the like-of-which I've never had, but which sets an absolute high-water-mark for wonderful corn bread.

"normal" corn-bread has an off-taste that's reminiscent of hominy....and otherwise "normal" corn bread is annoying because it fragments in your hand.

This stuff at T-Rex.........wow......

I would love to have the recipe for it.

Otherwise, T-Rex is an upscale over-priced yuppie-kind-of-place.

Judd

This one is closerto a souffle than bread.  But the next day, with leftover turkey & gravy it's great!  Really bad for you  - just look at the ingredients - but I can't stop eating it.

I've even made it for meals I was responsible for at a bachelor party weekend & was told it was "like putting a bowl of candy in front of a fat kid"

Gonna give it a try.

GRAVY......now THAT'S "one simple thing"....that is totally wonderful on anything.

At the hotels that have "morning breakfast steam-tables"....the scrambled eggs are always overcooked-to-the-point that they're way past the total goodness of a "proper soft-scramble."

But where the steam counter has biscuit-gravy.......Mmmmmm....that fixes everything.

"One Simple Thing"....next to hot oil, I vote for gravy.

Judd

One word: BACON 

I'm a firm believer that you can add bacon to anything and make it better.
I also have a friend who wrote a paper in grad school about bacon being the key to western expansion in the 1800's. Look back at the supply lists starting with "Lewis and Clark" and on through the 1800's. Nobody ever turned west without an enormous supply of bacon! 

Disclaimer: while the paper was entertaining, I don't think he got a very good grade 

Add some real cream to recipes that call for milk.  Chipotles in Adobo sauce, it is the bomb when I am making stuff I want to be different.  Salsa, gets the Adobo treatment, chicken in sauce gets cream and adobo (killer combo).   

Dill is an essential herb when cooking fish.

Boil garlic and onions along with the potatoes when making mashed potatoes.  Mash them along with the potatoes.

Here is the marinade to one of my favorite salmon recipies.

Equal parts soy sauce and zesty italian dressing. Marinade for an hour.

Grilled on a cedar plank on a weber grill.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle brown sugar on top of the salmon and let it carmalize.

I have converted many non fish eaters with this one.  

When grilling salmon rub some dried fennel on it, man that justs a  ton of flavor to it.