Milk Street RecipesAsked Nov 05, 2020 by Carol K.
I was listening to a Milk Street Podcast and Christopher was talking about a pulled pork dish that he makes frequently in an instant pot. It had pork shoulder, onions, and about a half of a cup of not too spicy seasonings. Does this sound familiar to any of you? Thanks.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Carol -
I had a chance to check in with Christopher and he based his recipe off this one: https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/ethiopian-chicken-stew-doro-wat. You can make the chicken version of the recipe as it was developed or try his simple pork version: "sauté three onions with a bunch of Berbere (1/3 cup or so) and then add 3 lbs boneless cubed pork shoulder, 40 minutes on high pressure, let sit for 15 minutes after cooking and then release steam." Chris didn't specify if he also adds the 3/4 cup water from the recipe, but I would recommend it so you don't get a burn error in the Instant Pot. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Nov 02, 2020 by Janet M.
I can't find Asiago Fresco. Would it ruin the dish if I were to use regular asiago? I'm guessing the flavor would still be there but it might not be as creamy. Thanks for any input.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Janet - We mentioned asiago fresco in the video, but the recipe itself just calls for asiago. Either will work. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Nov 01, 2020 by John B.
Hi!
I tried the Babylonian Stew. Wonderful recipe.
My question. In the recipe (and any other time I try it) it calls for cooking the onions in the first-ish step to brown them. The leeks needed to be washed but then dried so the moisture wouldn't prevent browning. Well, with or without leeks, whenever I try to "brown" or carmelize onions, it doesn't work. I just get translucent onions because the amount of moisture inherently in the onions leaches out and more steams or boils than fries them. Especially not in the timeframe indicated in the recipes, including this one which I think was about 6 minute. So, how does one actually go about getting carmelized or even just browned onions? I'd love to be able to put some on a bbq sandwich or a hamburger.
Thanks,
JB
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi John -
Browned onions and caramelized onions are two different things. Caramelized onions are generally cooked for a longer time (1/2 hour or so) over lower heat. This yields sweet, soft onions that are great on a burger, pizza, or sandwich. Browned onions are usually quickly cooked and yield crispier, slightly more bitter onions. A couple of key things for properly caramelized onions - make sure to use a large enough pan. If the pan is too small, the moisture released from the onions will not evaporate and the onions won't caramelize. Second, don't overcrowd the pan. Again, if there are too many onions, the moisture won't evaporate and the onions will brown unevenly. For browned onions, we generally cook these over medium or medium-high. Everyone's stovetop is different so our "medium" in a recipe may align more closely with your medium-high. If you find they aren't browning in the time called for in the recipe you can either cook them longer until they start to brown or increase the heat (or both). Hope this helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Nov 01, 2020 by Liz S.
I have store credit for ordering a cookbook, but when I tried to order something else, no credit appeared. How do I go about using the credit?
Answered by Evan Petto
Hi Liz!
Thanks for your question. Your store credit should have been sent to you as a one-time use code via email.
If you did not receive that email or have filed it away, please send me an email at [email protected] with the following information: Your name, email address you used to order the cookbook, title of cookbook purchased, and date of purchase (if you remember).
We can use this information to track down your code so you can get shopping!
Best,
Evan, Digital Content Director
Read MoreAsked Oct 31, 2020 by Joshua F.
What prep or changes to the recipe should I do to my homemade pasta in order to substitute it for pre-cooked or no bake lasagna noodles?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Joshua -
I assume you are referring to our Lasagna Bolognese recipe? We haven't tested this with homemade noodles, but I would probably follow the directions for soaking the noodles, but wouldn't soak them for the full 10 minutes. Just enough to moisten the noodles so they don't absorb too much of the sauce. Again, we haven't tested this in our kitchen, but that would be my advice based on the recipe notes. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 27, 2020 by Anna N.
I have been having issues with Instant Pot and would like to make this recipe in the oven, on stove-top or even in a slow cooker. Is there one available?
Thanks.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Anna - Each of our Instant Pot recipes has a Slow Cook version as well - you can click on the tab that says "Slow" under the directions. Although these are intended for the Instant Pot slow cooking feature I think it will work the same in a traditional slow cooker on low heat. We haven't tested this recipe on the stovetop or in the oven so, unfortunately, I don't have instructions for you there. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 27, 2020 by Samuel W.
My question is really only one question, but it seems to have a few parts that bring it to this one part. I know that a yarn is often helpful to some to better the understanding, so without further ado...
When I was younger, my family resided in a small town in South Carolina. There were few street lights, children rode horses to the local schools, and the area was not very populous or prosperous. We were happy with the things we did have, however. There was a restaurant along Main Street called Grandy's. This was mostly southern comfort and fried type foods, but one of the things they made exceptionally well was their Cinnamon Rolls. These were made fresh daily in the early morning. They were massive, light, fluffy, and delectable. Easily 4 inch square, from baking next to each other and 3 to 4 inches tall. They were made from a dough that had a soft, smoothness with a light sweetness. The inside was, I think, brown sugar with cinnamon and golden raisins. The top was glaze, much like that of a doughnut. I have been trying to replicate this softness for near 15 years, trying different recipes, flours, kneading more and less, proofing techniques... all seem to generate wonderful flavors and nice tight crumbs, but not the light fluffy softness. These were a triumph of flavor, sweetness, and delicious taste. This is a treat we would savor every morsel of. Eating it slowly to make it last longer, but wanting to eat it all and have more afterward. My family would be able to get a single dozen of them as a treat every few months. Since moving in 1990, I have not seen that restaurant ever again, nor been able to make anything close to their Cinnamon Rolls. Now, I have been complimented, and questioned for how I make my own many times, but they are not on the same level. I would say, the difference is a household cook making a familiar recipe versus a Pastry Chef with 3 decades of experience. They were not fancy to look at, no... but the taste could knock you off of your feet.
The only other places I have found a softness that could be a close match, would be the restaurant rolls at a steakhouse recently eaten at called Texas Roadhouse and the packaged dinner rolls from the King's Hawai'ian company that sells in the local grocer.
The parts are all lined up; the softness of the restaurant roll and King's roll, the touch of sweetness in a dinner roll, and the sizing. Even the part about the crumb of the finished piece. Ultimately, I am just hoping you can give me some tips in the industry I just don't know of.
Thank you for taking the time,
Samuel Wood
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Samuel - Cinnamon rolls are usually made from a rich brioche dough with a healthy amount of butter, milk, and eggs, which all contribute to the softness of the dough. In bread roll recipes I have developed over the years, I've found that using a portion of potato makes for a particularly soft, fluffy roll. This could come in the form of an actual mashed potato, dehydrated instant potato flakes, or potato starch. That’s because the starches in potatoes dilute the gluten-forming proteins, which weakens the structural network and makes it softer, moister, and more tender. I'd also recommend trying the tangzhong method. This Asian technique cooks a small percentage of the flour and liquid (water or milk) in a yeast recipe very briefly before combining the resulting thick slurry with the remaining ingredients. This pre-gelatinizes the starches in the flour, meaning they can absorb more water. The bread or rolls may rise higher, due to more water creating more internal steam (which makes bread rise in the oven — along with the carbon dioxide given off by the yeast). Additionally, having retained more water during baking, bread and rolls will be moister, and will stay soft and fresh longer. King Arthur has a great recipe for cinnamon rolls using this method which you can find here. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 21, 2020 by Larry K.
Today I tried the Spicy Pork with Leeks, following the recipe to the letter. I wound up with predominantly tough, dried out pork. I did cut the pork pieces uniformly, and about a third of the pieces were acceptable, whilst the others were not. Did I braise the dish too long, not long enough, at too high a temperature, or should I use more wine? I’m at a loss as almost every other recipe from Milk Street is “dead on”. I do live at 8500 feet in Colorado, but generally this only affects baking.... any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Larry - It actually is probably the altitude. The key factor is declining air pressure at higher altitudes. Falling air pressure lowers the boiling point of water by just under 1 degree Fahrenheit for each 500 feet of increased elevation. The lower boiling point means water will cook off more quickly, and at a lower temperature. Therefore, certain moist-heat cooking methods, boiling and braising, for example, can take up to 25% longer to properly cook food at altitude than at sea level. Next time I'd continue cooking until a knife or skewer inserted in the meat meets little or no resistance. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 20, 2020 by Eileen A.
I made this Austrian Beef Stew today. The taste was great! However, a lot of the "sauce" was stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven. I had the oven on at 325 degrees, followed the recipe exactly. Don't know if this makes a difference or not, but, I live at an elevation of 6,000 feet above sea level. We have no humidity here. Would you recommend more liquid or a lower oven temperature or what? After watching the TV video of Chris making this recipe I was really looking forward to a buttery/paprika sauce. Any recommendations would be appreciated! Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Eileen - At altitude, water/liquid evaporates quicker than at sea level so this may be the reason why the sauce stuck to the bottom. I would recommend adding more broth after the meat cooks for 2 hours before you put it back in uncovered. Start with about 1/4 cup and keep an eye on it and add more as you see it getting too low. This will give you an idea of how much total extra liquid you need to add so you can add it all at the 2 hour mark next time. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Oct 20, 2020 by Joshua F.
Does Chris and crew at Milk Street have any suggested recipe for doing a homemade bacon? I have a kamado grill so will be smoking it after the curing process.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Joshua - We haven't explored making our own bacon at Milk Street, but we would recommend Meathead Goldwyn's recipe, which you can find here. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.
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