Gravy's Cooking Thread

Lanx said:

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Wife said she wanted shepperds pie, just did a google for chef jon

should have left it on the counter for 20mins to "settle", first square fell apart, went for seconds later and it was standing up

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Did you make cottage pie or shepherd's pie? Shepherd's pie is made with lamb, beef is cottage pie.

You didn't get any bubbly bits or crispiness on your cheese. Once you achieve that, you pull it out of the oven or just turn off the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes or so.

I am proud of you for trying a truly Western dish, but it really looks like you fucked it up bad. I'm sure it was so tasty though. I mean who doesn't like minced meat, gravy, vegetables, mashed taters, and cheese.

Aldarion said:

It isnt supposed to have cheese on top in the first place, and the potatoes look like theyre sliced instead of mashed

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Typically it doesn't, but who doesn't like some finely grated English cheddar on your cottage pie.

TJT said:

I absolutely hate gratin and scalloped potatoes. It's the one potato dish I avoid. I think my mom just made it some disgusting way when I was a kid all the time which has now become a core memory. Some kind of boxed gratin thing.

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Your mother did you a grave disservice then. Scalloped potatoes is some top tier comfort food.

TJT said:

I absolutely hate gratin and scalloped potatoes. It's the one potato dish I avoid. I think my mom just made it some disgusting way when I was a kid all the time which has now become a core memory. Some kind of boxed gratin thing.

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I guess she was making the Betty crocker or Stouffer's boxed dehydrated au gratin potatoes.

I mean it's not bad in a pinch but if you actually make a true au gratin, it's so delicious. Just bust out your mandolin and get to slicing. Steep your cream with your aromatics for a bit, let it rest, and then start layering with copious an ounce of butter, cheese, whatever, bake and enjoy.

Make this, outside of one of my Francis Mallman books. I know it's not beyond your skill level. I've made it in the past and tweaked it to my own liking. Parsley, lemon zest, and some chili flakes to brighten it up, maybe some more cream depending upon if I want it a little wetter. But it's a good roadmap. You can even char your potatoes with a torch or over some coals not cooking them completely but just to get a little bit of smokiness on the skin, which I typically leave on because I like it. Doesn't hurt to blanch some leeks was well. Ham potatoes and leeks is just a really good combination

Furry said:

I totally get you. I haven't had meatloaf since I was a kid, because of how horrifically awful my mom's meatloaf was. I know on paper I should probably like it, but its been a huge no my whole life. Especially weird with the fact that I'll eat things like chicken feet, fish heads, pig snout or menudo without blinking.

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Man, that's something I haven't made in a while.

We didn't eat a lot of meatloaf growing up, in fact I can't even remember if my mom ever made it. Probably once or twice but it wasn't some daily driver.

I'll make it at least once or twice a year. I don't do a very traditional method, and a lot of the times I just make little mini loafs and not use a loaf pan, just on a foil lined cookie sheet, or even slow roasting or smoking on the grill. Normally pork and beef, but uncased sausage is also a nice addition.

I'll also add barbecue sauce, maybe some diced up Serrano or jalapeno, green onions and sweet, some crushed tomato, whatever herbs on hand. Also layer over a couple pieces of thick bacon, and then just roast and brush with whatever glaze I come up with.

Some cheesy mashed potatoes, some roasted broccoli carrots cauliflower and brussel sprouts, and that's some rib sticking goodness.

Furry said:

I totally get you. I haven't had meatloaf since I was a kid, because of how horrifically awful my mom's meatloaf was. I know on paper I should probably like it, but its been a huge no my whole life. Especially weird with the fact that I'll eat things like chicken feet, fish heads, pig snout or menudo without blinking.

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I have the same issue with cold sandwiches. My mom would buy generic white bread, spread some generic miracle whip on it, and then buy those little packets of 3 micron thick cold cuts that light literally shines through and are meant to be used with like 10 slices on one sandwich and put one or maybe two slices on it and call that a sandwich. I distinctly remember overhearing her ranting on the phone once that "putting meat and cheese on the same sandwich is like 2 sandwiches!". She still thinks if she buys those blister pack cold cuts that are 1/16" thick that's "really nice" sandwich meat.

She's a decent cook and a good baker but makes utterly terrible sandwiches and because of that when I think about having a cold sandwich it gives me a kind of "yuck" feeling even though I know that a decently made cold sandwich can be delicious.

BrutulTM said:

I have the same issue with cold sandwiches. My mom would buy generic white bread, spread some generic miracle whip on it, and then buy those little packets of 3 micron thick cold cuts that light literally shines through and are meant to be used with like 10 slices on one sandwich and put one or maybe two slices on it and call that a sandwich. I distinctly remember overhearing her ranting on the phone once that "putting meat and cheese on the same sandwich is like 2 sandwiches!". She still thinks if she buys those blister pack cold cuts that are 1/16" thick that's "really nice" sandwich meat.

She's a decent cook and a good baker but makes utterly terrible sandwiches and because of that when I think about having a cold sandwich it gives me a kind of "yuck" feeling even though I know that a decently made cold sandwich can be delicious.

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Oscar Mayer Bologna or salami, you got one slice between two pieces of white bread, some mayonnaise and a slice of cheese, and that was a sandwich. I don't remember how many pieces of meat were typically in a pack I mean 20 to 30, but that was a sandwich.

I mean I guess when you were a little kid it's enough food, and I think our mom's knew that, but that's not like will make that stuff nowadays.

I can't complain though because if I brought lunch to school, my mom would package up cheese and crackers which the cheese came from my grandmother who would always ship down stuff from Wisconsin during the winter, and when my grandfather had retired and was living up in Bozeman, he would always send us various jerky and stuff from hunting. We used to get Buffalo chips, which is basically just a big dried sausage disc of buffalo meat.

Apparently one day one of the teachers when I was in first or second grade called my mom and said I was eating buffalo chips because the other kids were asking about it, and she had to explain what the hell it was. Eye of the time had no idea that it meant Buffalo shit, but one or two discs was enough for me to make me a lot of when your little.