Your signature recipes (Cooking thread)

[n45048]

For the cooks/chefs among us, I thought I'd share something which I've been making for quite some time and I've yet to find a restaurant who can top my crème brûlée (or creme brulee for the benefit of the search engine). I do have to disclose that this recipe is based on one created by Simon Bryant (former exec. chef of the Hilton Hotel in Adelaide).

I'm not actually much of a sweet tooth myself (I lean towards the savoury and chilli ends of the spectrum) but this one is good for that special occasion. What I love about this recipe is that is actually uses less refined sugar than a traditional brûlée. Instead, I make it with a good quality honey which gives it a whole other dimension (and not to mention just that little bit healthier). I usually prefer to use a Tasmanian Leatherwood honey as it has a great flavour and widely available at most supermarkets.

Honey crème brûlée
Serves 6 (you can halve the recipe for 3 servings)
Total time from preparation to plate: About 4 hours.

Ingredients
600ml Pure Cream
6 Egg yolks
2 Tablespoons (30g) caster sugar
40ml Honey
1 Whole vanilla bean
Dash of milk (optional)

Method
1. Slit the vanilla bean and add to a saucepan with the cream. Optionally, add a small splash of milk if you find your cream is fairly thick just to thin it out a little. Slowly bring the mixture up to 80 degrees Celsius (bellow simmering point) to infuse the flavours, stirring occasionally. The slower and longer you heat the mixture, the more vanilla flavour you'll get. I normally leave it for about 10-12 minutes.

2. Once the vanilla and cream mixture is off the heat, in a large bowl, cream the egg yolks and sugar. (Cream with a whisk until the colour lightens and the mixture appears slightly aerated and fluffy.)

3. Starting with very small amounts, slowly add the hot cream mixture to the eggs, whisking as you go. (Don't add too much too quickly or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.) As you go, you can increase the amount of the cream until everything is combined. Fold in the honey. Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the remaining seeds from the pod and add back into the mixture.

4. Pour the mixture into ramekins (don't forget those vanilla seeds that have floated to the bottom!) and place them in a preheated water bath (I usually just boil water and use an oven tray). Bake initially for about 10 minutes in a preheated 140 degree Celsius (fan forced) oven, then cover with foil and continue baking for about 35 to 40 minutes until a custard is formed. It might take a few attempts to get the "wobble" right, it shouldn't be runny but if it's too firm, you'll end up with an 'eggy' mixture once it cools.

5. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours. When ready to be served, sprinkle some caster sugar on the top and caramelise with a blow torch. These can be prepared the day before.

Notes
When selecting a vanilla bean, try and get one that's plump and moist. Dried up old vanilla beans won't have as much flavour and will crack when you try to split them. If you have no other option other than using a bean that has dried out, split it at the end of step 1 and scrape out the seeds, but always use a vanilla bean (don't substitute it with vanilla essence).

It's hard to describe the correct consistency once cooked. It will be a trial-and-error thing if you haven't made a custard before. The best way I can describe it is give the ramekin a gentle shake; the custard should just wobble briefly. It should not be too liquid as to break the surface tension and start oozing out but it shouldn't be as resistive as a jelly. If you're not sure, err on the side of 'underdone' rather than 'overdone' as it will firm up slightly in the fridge. Once it's cooled, it should have a similar consistency to a crème caramel.

When heating the cream and vanilla bean, I use the lowest setting on my gas cooktop. Do not allow the cream to start simmering or boiling or you'll ruin it. Use a meat thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature if you're busy preparing other things at the same time.

[Mechanical Menace]

Most of my cooking takes the following form

Ingredients

Whatever is in that looks like it could be a meal.

Method

Cook it.



It probably should be surprising how well that generally turns out. I don't really have a "signature dish" but seafood, especially shellfish, is probably my better area.

[GK]

I once did a cupboard cleanout, eating for dinner a 425g tin of baked beans mixed in with a 425g tin of corn kernels, all washed down with a litre of blackcurrant juice. It seemed a good idea at the time, but proved not so good the day after - not a bachelor recipe I think I can recommend. I'll spare the details other than saying that there wasn't even sufficient forewarning being a ~20m sprint to the dunny and even Sampson himself couldn't have clenched tight enough. I later thanked the Lord Jesus that I was alone at home and not out in public.
 

[T3sl4co1l]

I'm generally quite good at cooking, when I set my mind to something, but mostly I'm lazy and boil or fry something.

Here's a "bachelor gourmet" for 'ya (yes, the quantities are exact ) :

Fill 2 qt. saucepan with water to a suitable level; boil.  Add salt to season.
Add pasta until it forms a mound just breaking the surface (2 c?).
Cook until done (al dente usually).
Drain water. Leave pasta in pan, return to low heat.
Add milk to not quite cover pasta (about 1 c?).
Shake on about 2 tbsp. of corn starch (after making this a few times, you'll get a feel for how much starch is needed for how much liquid).  Stir to disperse.  Note: corn starch gelatinizes instantly in hot liquid, so it's important that it gets mixed in with the still-cold milk.  And not, like, sprinkled over still-hot pasta.
Shred enough cheese, about 1 c.  Cheddar, or hard/aged cheese (Parmesan, Asiago, Gruyere, etc.), or soft cheese (gouda, esp. smoked or chipotle; pepper jack; bleu; etc.), or whatever mixture you like / have on hand.
When liquid begins to simmer, sprinkle cheese over and stir.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Variations:

Toss in some broccoli or other vegetable pairings with the pasta (with broccoli at least, throw it in a few minutes after the pasta returns to a boil, otherwise it gets overcooked, mushy and shredded).  Add a bullion cube, onion or garlic powder, substitute up to half the liquid with ale (for beer cheese style), or use other flavorings to spice things up.  Serve with Sriracha sauce, etc.

In the general scheme of carb-and-cheese dishes, there's also risotto, which is kind of a guilty pleasure... I tend to make it for lunch or dinner one day, eat a third of it and be stuffed... then eat it for the next meal, and finish it for breakfast or lunch the next day!

Speaking of carb-and-cheese, I haven't made pizza in a while... hmm damn...

Tim

[Psi]

Be warned, this chocolate cake is restaurant quality. You will have a hard time sharing it.


Psi's Chocolate Cake V3.0

Ingredients -  (This makes one cake around 35mm high, you can mix it up to make two smaller cakes for a 'double deck cakes' but remember a thinner cake will cook faster. Ideally double everything and make two 35mm cakes then stack them together for 70mm of awesome)

    112g dark chocolate - I use Whittakers bittersweet dark block (its 60% cocoa to give you an idea of darkness)
    112g milk chocolate - I use Whittakers 5 roll milk chocolate
    140g butter
    160g white sugar
    4 eggs
    5 'heaped' table-spoons of sifted white flour (yes, that is correct,  this cake only has 5 heaped tbsp of flour)
    2 table-spoons of cocoa (sifted)
    2 ta-spoons of baking powder
    1 tea-spoon of vanilla essence
    4 table-spoons of sour cream (Yes, this is required, don't leave it out)


Ingredients - Filling/frosting  (The cake tastes awesome as is, but you can ice/frost it with even more chocolate..)

    200ml fresh cream
    All the left over choc you have. (If filling the cake you want the filling thick so it doesn't squash out of the sides when cutting the cake)


Method
1.Preheat fan force oven to 160deg C (no idea about non fan-forced ovens, sorry)
2.Grease a cake tin and line with greaseproof paper then grease the paper. Tin should be around 20cm diameter and 5cm high
3.Break the milk and dark chocolate into little pieces in a bowl and add the butter. Place the bowl in the microwave on low or medium-low until it all melts. It will probably separate, give it a quick mix until it's resembles a nice chocolate sauce.
4.In a different bowl break all the eggs, add the sugar and give it a good mix with a beater. Then add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla essence. Mix well until there are no lumps, but don't be too aggressive.
5.Slowly fold the chocolate mix from step 3 into the bowl along with the sour cream.
6.Pour the mixture into the cake tin (or tins) and place in the oven
7.Set the timer for 30 minutes and check every 5 minutes after that. Total cooking time can take between 35 and 50 minutes depending on the oven. To check the cake put a wooden kebab stick into the centre of the cake. The stick should come out with maybe a crumb or two but no raw cake mix or liquid.
This is the critical part of the whole process, you want to get it out of the oven the instant it is in this state. It will start to overcook quickly otherwise. It can be a little tricky to tell when the cake is just right and may take a few tries to get it right as everyones oven is a bit different.
9. Let the cake & tin sit on the bench for 5-10min then put it in the fridge sitting it on top of something to protect your fridge from the hot bottom of the tin.
10. After its cooled down remove the cake from the tin and remove all the baking paper.
11. If you want to ice/frost the cake, do this now.
12. Transfer the cake to a sealed container (something with a lid) and put it back into the fridge (The sealed container is important so the fridge doesn't dry it out).
13. Leave the cake in the fridge for at least 12 hours preferably 24. This is a CRITICAL step to improve the flavor. Something awesome happen to chocolate cake when it's left to cool for a day.
14. Play the game 'Portal' all the way through while waiting.
15. Eat cake the next day.


If you're iceing/frosting the cake..

1.Whip the 200ml of hard cream.
2.In another bowl melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave.
3.Pour the melted chocolate into the whipped cream and gently fold together. Sometimes it goes a bit weird with specs of chocolate not melted, not sure why, it tastes fine though. You can of course use your own favorite icing instead if you wish.

[Psi]

Bonus recipe...

Basil Feta and Spinach salad.

(Don't let the word spinach fool you, this is awesome)

Exact quantities aren't that important but here's what you need.
1x Pack of fresh spinach leaves ~120g
1x 200g tub of basil pesto
1x 200g pack of feta cheese.
A good amount of olive oil to coat the spinach leaves and make mixing it together eaiser.

Break the feta into small squares and mix everything together.
Done.

[tautech]

I once did a cupboard cleanout...... It seemed a good idea at the time.....

That's as funny as hell, thanks for sharing. (I think?)

My signature feed is deep fried spuds....@ party time

Required utensils
Minimum 3 burner gas ring
  LPG regulator for 10 psi output
450mm dia spiral welded pipe with welded on base, 400 deep (pot)
Trivet or scooper for placing & extracting spuds.

20 litres Canola cooking oil
Spuds allow 20 Kg/50 people


New season washed are OK if you select a deep frying type
Best are last seasons, just going soft and with a few eyes.

Peel and dice so no thicker than 40mm and size to to approx 2 matchbox size
Store submerged in a bucket of clean water until needed.

With the above setup test that oil has reached the correct temp if a spud "boils" when placed in the oil.
Be carefull of splashes of hot oil when working with it.

Cook 4-5 Kg at a time, stirring a couple of times for the first 5 minutes to prevent sticking, and for ~15 minutes until the majority are floating and golden coloured.
Remember to heavilly salt on removal. 
If you are doing well a batch every ~20 minutes.
I try to get 2 batches done before dinner, then a batch or 2 over dinner and they all seem to dissappear and I sometimes only get a few. 


Traditionally served with serviettes and from a wooden beer crate lined with newspaper. 

[zapta]

Honey crème brûlée
Serves 6 (you can halve the recipe for 3 servings)
Total time from preparation to plate: About 4 hours.
...

Is it open source?

[n45048]

Honey crème brûlée
Serves 6 (you can halve the recipe for 3 servings)
Total time from preparation to plate: About 4 hours.
...

Is it open source?

Sure :-)

[GreyWoolfe]

Not a signature dish but I will contribute a simple snack recipe-cheesy meatballs.  1 cup of Bisquick, 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese of your choice, and 1 pound of Jimmy Dean sausage-use mild as it seems to come out a bit spicy for some reason.  Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.  This is a bit of a task because there is no wet ingredients to help it.  After mixing well, cover bowl and refrigerate for about a 1/2 hour.  Roll into small balls and place on a pan with aluminum foil with some space as they will spread out a bit.  Preheat oven to 350 F and cook for about 15 minutes.  Don't make in large batches as they don't taste as good when they cool off unless you heat them back up.

I will contribute a signature dish at holidays-sage sausage and portobello mushroom dressing. 
ingredients:
1 pound of Jimmy Dean sage sausage
1 package of portobello mushrooms-dice fairly large
1/2 onion diced small
2 stalks celery diced small
bread cubes-about 1 1/2 pounds worth-I don't make my own but buy unseasoned bread cubes at the local supermarket bakery
3 cups chicken broth- have an extra cup reserved for baking day
2 sticks of unsalted butter
minced garlic to preference-I typically mince 2 to 3 cloves
2-3 tablespoons Italian seasoning divided.  I use it because it has all the seasonings in it I want
salt and pepper to taste

Saute sausage in suitable frying pan until cooked, set aside and do not drain
Saute the onion and celery with 1/2 stick butter, 1 tablespoon of seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper until the onion is almost translucent.  Add the other 1/2 stick of butter and the mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are cooked.

While sauteing the veggies, in a large pot, set the broth to boiling, add the bread cubes, the stick of butter and the rest of the seasonings.  Mix well and remove from heat.  Don't worry if it is a bit dry, there should be enough liquid between the sausage grease and the liquid from the veggie mix.  Blend well.  I suggest that you let this sit in the refrigerator over night to let all the flavors play and blend together.  On the day of consumption-heat oven to 350 F.  Place dressing in suitable sized baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for about an hour.  Check about half way through to see how moist the dressing is and if necessary, add 1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth, mix well and finish baking.  I have served this with turkey, chicken and cornish game hens.  It will also work as a stuffing but it must be very moist so it doesn't draw the juices out of the bird.

[Kjelt]

For the cooks/chefs among us,

Yes a good classic dish, the honey is the interesting ingredient.

Do not allow the cream to start simmering or boiling or you'll ruin it.

Why is that? Cream can be perfectly boiled for short periods of time AFAIK (in sauces for instance to make it thicker) BEFORE the sugar and yolks are added ofcourse.
But it won't gain much too the recipe as long as it is around the boiling temperature the vanilla aroma will mix splendidly.
Creme fraiche on the other hands shifts badly when heated to high so that is not good. But I like to learn.


For something I make every week for my children (they love it)  rijstebrij (no english word for it, it is the consistency between ricemilk and ricepudding)

1200ml full cream milk
100g  dessert rice (no other rice only the one broken for desserts will work)
60g sugar (or more if you have a real sweet tooth)
small touch of salt, yeas salt.
3/4 vanilla bean

Cook the milk with rice and the split vanilla bean as in the creme brulee recipe, stir now and then. As the mixture boils turn the gas down and let it slowly simmer for at least 1 hour with the lid a bit open so it does not boil over (one and a half hour and open lid it gets really thick).
Check on regular basis (15 minutes or so) if the mixture is still around the boiling temperature by turning the gas higher, stir and check if it starts boiling within 30 seconds.
Let it simmer as said for at least an hour to get a good thick and creamy consistency.
Only now add the sugar , stirr and serve (after cooling down a bit).
Biggest problem you will have (as I do) that your children will keep on asking for more each week 

If you like it thicker you can boil it longer with the lid open or use less milk.
The trick is finding the right rice that becomes really soft.

[nctnico]

Rijstebrij.. yuk. I think it's English name rice porridge and Indonesian people eat it a lot as well.

[Yago]

I once did a cupboard cleanout, eating for dinner a 425g tin of baked beans mixed in with a 425g tin of corn kernels, all washed down with a litre of blackcurrant juice. It seemed a good idea at the time, but proved not so good the day after - not a bachelor recipe I think I can recommend. I'll spare the details other than saying that there wasn't even sufficient forewarning being a ~20m sprint to the dunny and even Sampson himself couldn't have clenched tight enough. I later thanked the Lord Jesus that I was alone at home and not out in public.
 

Haha GK, all I could think of Beavis and Butthead "The Great Cornholio"

[GreyWoolfe]

I once did a cupboard cleanout, eating for dinner a 425g tin of baked beans mixed in with a 425g tin of corn kernels, all washed down with a litre of blackcurrant juice. It seemed a good idea at the time, but proved not so good the day after - not a bachelor recipe I think I can recommend. I'll spare the details other than saying that there wasn't even sufficient forewarning being a ~20m sprint to the dunny and even Sampson himself couldn't have clenched tight enough. I later thanked the Lord Jesus that I was alone at home and not out in public.
 

Haha GK, all I could think of Beavis and Butthead "The Great Cornholio"

Do you have TP for my bunghole?

[nctnico]

Bunghole! Bunghole! Bunghole! Bunghole! Bunghole!
Fortunately they made some new B&B episodes so my kids know what the hell I'm talking about.

Something I make every now and then is sort of an omelette:
Ingredients:
- mixed vegetables from a can (wash away the liquid from the can). Green pees, corn, bell-peppers, etc. +/- 400 grams
- small potatoes or kidney beans +/-100 grams
- sliced ham +/- 100grams
- some cheese
- 4 eggs
- a bit of pepper, thyme and oregano
- a bit of olive oil
Mix everything together in a deep frying pan and let it slowly cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

[GK]

Something I make every now and then is sort of an omelette:
Ingredients:
- mixed vegetables from a can (wash away the liquid from the can). Green pees, corn, bell-peppers, etc. +/- 400 grams
- small potatoes or kidney beans +/-100 grams
- sliced ham +/- 100grams
- some cheese
- 4 eggs
- a bit of pepper, thyme and oregano
- a bit of olive oil
Mix everything together in a deep frying pan and let it slowly cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

4 eggs isn't a lot for ~600 grams of filling. For a frittata stuff from the tin is also mush. A combination of pre-boiled diced potatoes (a type that retains a firm texture when boiled), fried onions, frozen peas, sliced capsicum (preferably red for some nice colour) and chilli peppers works for me. Maybe some diced ham also and definitely a decent grated cheddar cheese whisked in with the eggs.

And on a completely different tangent, I can't stand pretentious pratts that put feta cheese on their so-called "gourmet" pizza. That is just completely clueless and wrong. I've just always wanted to rant about that in public.


 

[Kjelt]

- mixed vegetables from a can

Really that is so pre- 1970 to use vegetables from a can or glass jar 

[nctnico]

Technology on canned food has progressed as well. For my recipy to work you need (slightly) cooked vegetables.

[Kjelt]

For my recipy to work you need (slightly) cooked vegetables.

Yes I understand that, in a kitchen they would parboil (blancheren in dutch) the fresh veggies for a short amount of time in a little amount of slightly salted boiling water till they have the required bite.
Yours saves time but decreases the quality which is the personal balance to find: quality vs time.   

[GreyWoolfe]

Technology on canned food has progressed as well. For my recipy to work you need (slightly) cooked vegetables.

The technology may have progressed but I still find that any vegetable that comes in a can tends to taste like the can.  I will take my vegetables either frozen or fresh.  SWMBO loves canned green beans, don't understand it.

For breakfast on the weekends sometimes, I will take a small baked potato, pre-cooked diced, a quarter of an onion sliced very thin, saute them in a little butter until the onion is translucent and then crack 2 eggs in and saute until the eggs are cooked.  I will add ketchup when it is on the plate and enjoy.  Add a nice cup of coffee and I'm good to go.

[SeanB]

My regular fireside snack is a pack or three of mushrooms, the bigger the better, a pack of bacon, some cheese ( Brie, camembert, blue, or stilton are all that I have used), coarse black pepper, garlic (I like the large cloves, but the bottled crushed stuff is easier) and some spices. Take a large piece of thick foil, place a slice of bacon as a bottom, place mushrooms on top and then liberally cover with the cheese and other ingredients. Top with more bacon, then close up the foil pack and cook over the coals for a few minutes, basically putting on the same time as the meat but in the cold spot. A variant is to use bell peppers ( large ones) and stuff with the above mixture, then put the top back on and wrap in foil then cook. Everybody likes it, though I did once use a little too much garlic, which meant it was only 3 of us eating the lot. Another time I used some small devil chillies, which gave a big bite as you got to the finely chopped pieces.

[Stonent]

Recipe 1: Chicken Enchilada Pasta (cooked in a crock pot)

Not quite sure how my wife and I came up with this one, I think we were just experimenting with what we had. Everyone that has tried it has loved it and asked for the recipe, it's very simple really.

1lb box Barilla Faralle (Bow tie pasta, doesn't have to be Barilla, but has to be bow tie, it just isn't as good otherwise)
1 can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Cheese
1 8 ounce block of cream cheese
1 small bag of frozen corn (I think 8 or 10 oz bag)
1 10 ounce can enchilada sauce (the red/brown kind, not the creamy kind)
1 large (I think 12 ounces) can of cooked chicken
1 packet taco seasoning (you won't use all of it)
2 cups of water

Put everything but the pasta and taco seasoning in a crock pot.  You'll want to break up the cream cheese the best you can.
Put about 1/4 of the taco seasoning packet in and mix it all together.

We usually start this in the morning and set the timer on the crock pot cook until we're home with the lid on.
If your crock pot doesn't have a timer, but has "high, low and warm" I'd put it on low.

When you get home (or whenever you determine it's all done)  boil your pasta and then drain it and add to the crock pot, mix and serve

There have been a few times we've added the uncooked pasta in but calculating the time to add it is rather hit or miss.  It's either ok or it turns into an oatmeal type consistency, so probably best to just cook the pasta separately.

You may want to adjust the taco seasoning to taste, and you can choose mild, medium or hot enchilada sauce as well depending on your taste.  I think we use mild because my wife doesn't like things really spicy.

A few things to note, the corn is a really key ingredient in this. It adds in the flavor you would get from corn tortillas if you made enchiladas.  I'm not sure if the fact we let it cook all day matters much, usually there's a little brown-ness that forms around the bottom of the crock pot and it probably adds to the richness of the flavor.  We always use the crock-pot bags that go inside so we don't have to scrub the pot when done.

Recipe 2: 2 ingredient pork tacos
Ingredients
1/2 pork shoulder
1 jar of salsa (what Americans refer to as salsa, other names could be Mexican Salsa, or Picante Sauce. It's what you dip your tortilla chips into at a mexican restaurant that doesn't have cheese in it)

We tend to do this whenever pork shoulders go on sale.  We'll typically get a 6 or 8 pound shoulder (or picnic roast or boston butt roast whatever is the best deal) and cut it in half.
One half will go into this, the other half we'll cut into chicken-breast sized pieces and freeze for later meals.

Remove most of the meat from the bone.  This is mainly just so you don't have meat on bone that isn't in the salsa.
Put both in a crock pot and simmer over night or during the day if you choose.

Then serve on tortillas (warning, very drippy so you might want to serve with a slotted spoon)

[n45048]

Technology on canned food has progressed as well. For my recipy to work you need (slightly) cooked vegetables.

Couldn't you just chop and par-cook actual vegetables? ;-)

[SeanB]

Technology on canned food has progressed as well. For my recipy to work you need (slightly) cooked vegetables.

Couldn't you just chop and par-cook actual vegetables? ;-)

Kind of defeats the quick and fast method though. I do like frozen mixed veg though, as it can go from frozen to ready to eat in 4 minutes in the microwave. Add fresh ground black and white pepper, some fresh ground mustard seeds, chilli powder and eat as a meal.

[nctnico]

Technology on canned food has progressed as well. For my recipy to work you need (slightly) cooked vegetables.

Couldn't you just chop and par-cook actual vegetables? ;-)

Those 'fresh' vegetables probably have been kept frozen for a long time as well and I would need to buy a much larger quantity than needed. Besides that I'm not getting the cheap canned stuff.

[GK]

I was once feeling lazy and tried thickening a sauce (mushroom) by just sprinkling the cornflour into the pot. That doesn't work very well.
 

[Yago]

I was once feeling lazy and tried thickening a sauce (mushroom) by just sprinkling the cornflour into the pot. That doesn't work very well.

...and another mental image of Glen:

[GK]

Why don't you post your first mental image? 

[Yago]

Why don't you post your first mental image? 

The B&B Cornholoi one?
Or reference to my dodgy mental performance in general?
Thought I poted both already

Either way, good to laugh etc, and if my lame ramblings and sub-par humour annoys, tell me to STFU, I am used to it

[GK]

Thought I posted both already

I meant a picture. Just kidding though, its probably in good taste that you don't.

[nctnico]

Another recipy I invented almost 20 years ago; Brocolli with tortellini:
Ingredients:
- 1 big brocolli
- 500gr pre-made tortellini
- 50 to 100 grams of grated cheese (real cheese like Gouda 48+)
- thyme (1 or 2 tea spoons), oregano (1 or 2 tea spoons) and pepper

Cut the brocolli in small pieces. I usually hold the brocolli with the stem up and cut the 'leafs' off with a knife while rotating the stem. Put the brocolli, thyme, oregano and pepper in boiling water. The brocolli shouldn't cook for more than half an hour or it goes totally mushy. Add the tortellini at a time it is ready together with the brocolli (in the same pan; we don't want to wash more than necessary!). When the brocolli is ready get rid of the water, add the cheese and stir. Now it is ready to be served.

[Mr.B]

... for more than half an hour ...

Bloody hell!
What kind of broccoli do you have in Europe...?
In NZ we wouldn't boil it for more than 5 minutes... Tender... Yum... 

I do like the simplicity of your recipe though - nice flavours.

[T3sl4co1l]

Yes, broccoli and pasta are always good together.  Gotta agree on the cooking times though, tortellini takes a long time!  Toss in broccoli when the pasta's about five minutes away from done, that's the way to go.

Tim

[nctnico]

I guess the brocolli over here is fresh because it has to cook for at least half an hour (starting with boiling water). Otherwise it's just like eating raw carrots.

[n45048]

I prefer broccoli crunchy (I don't mind them raw either). Blanched for no longer than just a few minutes in boiling water.

Not a fan of limp vegetables.

[Mr.B]

I guess the brocolli over here is fresh because it has to cook for at least half an hour (starting with boiling water). Otherwise it's just like eating raw carrots.

It doesn't get any fresher than straight out of my garden... And, sorry, but you are cooking yours for about 25 minutes too long... 

[nctnico]

It makes me wonder what the difference is then 
But maybe I like my vegetables overly cooked. It makes them less sour. The last time I cooked Brussels sprouts I let them boil for 45 minutes to make them taste sweeter.

[Mr.B]

Brussels sprouts are my all time favourite vegetable... But please, only 10 to 12 minutes... 

[n45048]

It makes me wonder what the difference is then 
But maybe I like my vegetables overly cooked. It makes them less sour. The last time I cooked Brussels sprouts I let them boil for 45 minutes to make them taste sweeter.

Over-cooking brussels sprouts actually makes them taste worse. It's due to a compound in sprouts called Sinigrin (or for those playing along at home 2-propenyl-glucosinolate). When the cells of the buds/leaves are damaged (i.e.: during cooking) an enzyme in the sprouts hydrolyses sinigrin into a sulfer-like compound. That's what gives it that bitter or pungent taste.

Try cooking them in some salted water or steaming them for a few minutes (cut them in half if they are particularly large) then serve with butter. I usually also add pepper, garlic or dill to add a bit of extra flavour. You could also cut them in half and fry them off with a bit of butter and garlic for a few minutes. I personally never exceed 5 minutes when cooking brussels sprouts.

Or if you like a bit of chilli, try this: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/36956/chilli+ginger+brussels+sprouts

[Mr.B]

...You could also cut them in half and fry them off with a bit of butter and garlic for a few minutes...

My favourite method...

[Mr.B]

I will stop complaining about how other people cook their vegetables. 
I will make a contribution...

One of my favourite winter dishes - pretty quick to prepare.

Venison Stroganoff with Pasta Ribbons

300 g fresh lasagne sheets – cut into 15-20mm wide ribbons
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely sliced
300 g venison loin, trimmed and sliced into 15mm cubes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
250 g mushrooms, sliced thick
1 large bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 knob butter
1 good splash red wine
Beef stock, about half a cup
100 ml creme fraiche or sour cream

At some stage through the following process, cook your pasta ribbons…
Season the meat with salt, pepper and the paprika.
Gently saute onion and garlic until transparent. Set aside.
Fry off meat on a high heat. Do not over cook venison. Set aside.
Brown off the mushrooms.
Add the cooked onions, cooked meat and most of the parsley (Keep a little aside for serving).
Add butter and red wine.
Add enough beef stock so that it is not swimming.
Bring to the simmer.
Add crème fraiche.
Serve immediately atop the pasta ribbons.
Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Serves 2 easily, stretches to 3 people.
Depends if you are a "Venison Stroganoff Piglet" like me or not...

[Rory]

Little smoky sausage soup. Cheap, simple and tasty.  Peeled and quartered potatoes, onion, carrot, minced garlic, canned mushrooms, beef stock made from commercial beef base. "Little Smoky" small mixed meat sausages. 

Cook over medium heat until potatoes and carrots are soft.

[n45048]

...Add crème fraiche....

You just reminded me of this: