johnson6708's Reviews
11 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 11Sort by: Book Title 
| Date | Rating | Recipe Title
Ad Hoc at Home
By Thomas Keller
Artisan - 2009
Ok, well this was my flagship recipie from this book... and it didn't disappoint. This is the book that was recommended to me from a well established chef in Boston/NY.
He said that he steals recipes from this regularly.
This recipie was hauntingly good. It was easy, fast and was so good that I felt like eating food/crack. I couldn't stop... it was unbelievable!!!
Try it tonight... easy.... too easy not to!!
useful (1)
Ok, so this isn't fair because I used the carrots from my garden and didn't use cheese cloth since I didn't have one but a coffee filter instead.
With my modified version.. I wasn't impressed. It tastes like buttery carrots.
Maybe this is my own fault as I'm not a huge carrot fan to begin with.. but just not overwhelmed by this.
I may need to go buy the correct carrots and cheese cloth and try this again.
I'd hope that it would kill me like his creamy corn did.. wow... but so far this wasn't a A list recipe for me.
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This was good.. not great.
It was interesting and I can see it being a neat side to be paired with a 'wow' factor main dish.
Some of this stuff you have to say.. hey, it's fennel.. just fennel...
So it was nice, and good.. but I think maybe adding something else might have gave it some more pow.
Like some cinnemon, brown sugar.. heck maybe even just browning it more to give it a crunch.
Fennel is neat as it tastes a bit like black liquerice or anise.. so it has a good start and intersting taste.
I'd make it again.. but wouldn't focus too hard on it...
It's ok?
useful (1)
Hmmm.
This taught me the trick to that perfect roasted skin!!!
Pretty good. chicken was great.
But.....
Well, he nailed grandmas cooking, but this isn't gourmet the way I hoped. Other recipes are incredible, but this is easy comfort food. This recipe just wasn't enough. YES I wil make it again as a easy family meal, but not as a wow dish.
As a side note cut the vegetables as meat portion would need. Cut your veggies by 1/4 or 1/3.
Ok......
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Hauntingly good!!! This was so good my girlfriend that is known for her Beef Stroganoff was pissed that I blew her out of the water.. like not a little pissed.. really pissed.
It took 2 days with the Braised beef short ribs.. but hint hint, I can leave out the short ribs.. use hamburger.. or even steal the wine spice mix from the beef shortrib, mix it with the hamburger - lower portions- and let the Stroganoff recipie do all the work.. the fresh mushrooms, heavy cream.. this and the creamed corn have been my two favorites so far!!
useful (2)
Italian Family Cooking: Like Mamma Used to Make
By Anne Casale
Ballantine Books - 1984
I have very high expectations on food, so let me preface any review with that.
Personally I think alfredo sauces are very 'American', or so an Italian chef told me.
SOOO with that said.. this was very enjoyable in that respect.
The Lobster was great.. as it always is, but at $20 for 4 lobsters.. I think a better seafood solution could have been spent on this recipie. Shrimp is cheaper... or even a mass bag solution would have produced the same result.
What I'm saying is that I wouldn't put this on the level of Thomas Keller or an Alice Water's recipie, but as far as an itialian fare..it is far superior to Olive Garden. So if I wasn't as picky of a cook and didn't have such high standards I would give this a 5.. but this is not that kind of review, so I'll give it a 3-4 on a picky scale and 5 on a 'mom's home cooking' scale.
I hope that is fair.
useful (1)
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine
By Rick Bayless
Scribner - 1996
This was ok, but not outstanding. With that said, it may serve as an ingredient in a larger taste pallet of another dish, but simply as a stand alone salsa, I wasn't blown away.
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I loved this. Rick has a talent for presenting flavors you wouldn't expect in a fun and exciting way. Very good.
I made tortillas that we dipped....MMMMMmmmmmm
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It was ok. At the end of the day it was like enchiladas with melted cheese. I used garden tomatoes so the sauce was sweet.
Ok, but I don't think I'd make it again.
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Addictively good.
The green sauce has a yummy grit to it. The chicken breasts marinate in this wonderful sauce that you sop up with Warm tortillas.
It was great. I sent little samplers to my dad and brother.
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Very good. I grilled the chicken and left them a bit undercooked in the middle. As it cooks in the sauce cooks into and finishes the meat.
Very good
useful (1)