Pellet Fan

All Things Considered => General Discussion--Food Related => Topic started by: pmillen on December 06, 2019, 11:22:53 AM

Title: Cooking Aroma
Post by: pmillen on December 06, 2019, 11:22:53 AM
I'll be serving a dinner for about 12 people.  I want the house to smell like great food cooking when they arrive, you know, like spaghetti sauce or soup fills the house and generates anticipation.

It won't be an ultra-formal dinner but BBQ ribs and pulled pork aren't quite what we have in mind.

What do you recommend we serve?
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: MMike on December 06, 2019, 11:28:54 AM
I like your idea...Spaghetti with Garlic bread fresh baked too. 
Shrimp for appetizers maybe.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: hughver on December 06, 2019, 11:52:10 AM
A recent post discussed lasagna which always works with a large group. At our house, our favorite one dish meals are red beans and rice, shrimp or chicken curry, moussaka and of course, meatballs and spaghetti.  :lick:
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: urnmor on December 06, 2019, 11:54:01 AM
have you thought about sautéing garlic and/or onion to add a nice kitchen smell
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: hughver on December 06, 2019, 12:06:49 PM
have you thought about sautéing garlic and/or onion to add a nice kitchen smell

Along that line, a couple of days ago I toasted some cracked fennel seeds in a hot dry cast iron skillet to add to my Italian sausage and the aroma stuck around a while.  ???
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Kristin Meredith on December 06, 2019, 01:15:53 PM
I have made a dish called Arni Kokkinisto (Greek lamb stew) served with currant and pistachio pilaf.  The lamb is stewed in a base of onions, garlic, tomato paste, beef stock, cumin and allspice and smells very good when cooking.  Any version of stew would also have some nice smells.

If that isn't what you had in mind, I think chicken roasted with garlic, butter and rosemary is great.  I saw some sides on Ina Garten's show wich looked good and might have a nice smell -- carrots  and parsnips roasted in a pan with orange zest and fresh squeeze orange juice along with fresh sprigs of time, roasted potatoes with herbs, roasted butternut squash.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Kristin Meredith on December 06, 2019, 01:34:12 PM
Also, shrimp scampi as a appetizer or main. You cook have the wine and garlic sauce reducing beforehand.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Darwin on December 06, 2019, 08:51:47 PM
I love the smell of baking bread.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on December 06, 2019, 09:26:43 PM
I love the smell of skillet potatoes with rosemary and thyme and other spices.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: pmillen on December 06, 2019, 11:22:54 PM
"Skillet potatoes".  Like raw-fries, cottage potatoes, hash browns, fondant potatoes or what?
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Bar-B-Lew on December 07, 2019, 08:23:14 AM
"Skillet potatoes".  Like raw-fries, cottage potatoes, hash browns, fondant potatoes or what?

Raw potatoes cut in slices or cubes and pan fried in butter or olive oil.  Some call them hash browns.  Some call them home fries.  I'm sure there are probably other names for them.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: pmillen on December 07, 2019, 10:41:40 AM
Yep.  We call them raw fries.  I like them best fried in bacon fat but Marcia only allows it when I fry Walleye in bacon fat.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Free Mr. Tony on December 07, 2019, 01:42:14 PM
I just made this today for the first time in awhile. I always forget how wonderful the house smells.

Saute a rough chopped carrot, half an onion, and two smashed cloves garlic. Add a 1.5 pound hunk of flank steak, a little salt, 2 sprigs of thyme, and a bottle of dry red wine.

Cover and put in a 300 degree oven for a few hours. The flank will be fork tender. Remove steak. Strain liquid. Shred steak. Reduce liquid if needed, and mix a little back in with the shredded steak.

I usually make a sandwich out of it. Focaccia, some Swiss cheese, the beef, and whatever else you like.

The house smells amazing for hours.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: Bentley on December 07, 2019, 02:46:44 PM
For the life of me all I can think is turkey cooking in the oven...so many I guess I cant fixate on any.  Maybe cooking some cabbage and broccoli together?    :pig:
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: cookingjnj on December 07, 2019, 07:34:49 PM
How about something like a London broil?  Decent cut of meat that goes a long way with serving many people.  Then saute sliced onions with a pinch of S&P, chopped garlic, a little brown sugar, a couple splashes of dry sherry and a few drops of vanilla extract.  I like to saute until the onions caramelize to a deep brown. Makes a great side with the meat, and smells awesome when cooking.
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: pmillen on December 08, 2019, 12:19:47 AM
Then saute sliced onions with a pinch of S&P, chopped garlic, a little brown sugar, a couple splashes of dry sherry and a few drops of vanilla extract.  I like to saute until the onions caramelize to a deep brown. Makes a great side with the meat, and smells awesome when cooking.

This is very high on my short list.  About how long does it take?  (I ask so I can try to time them to be ready with the meat.)
Title: Re: Cooking Aroma
Post by: cookingjnj on December 08, 2019, 01:31:10 AM
I usually start the onions in EVOO/Butter/ghee with S&P on a medium heat for about 15 minutes to get them soft and translucent.  I add the chopped garlic  and stir to get the garlic starting to cook.   Cook the garlic about 2-3 minutes, add the sherry (you can base the amount of liquid on how much onion you have in the pan), brown sugar and drops of vanilla before the garlic starts to burn.  This is the height of the aroma's!!  Continue on medium to low and stir until you get the color you are looking for.  If it is drying out, add another dash of sherry.      Sorry, don't have a recipe, I usually use 2 medium sized onions, a couple of table spoons of EVOO/butter/ghee, a couple of tablespoons garlic, couple teaspoons brown sugar and sherry to deglaze the pan and continue saute the onions.  Start to finish is about 30 - 40 minutes.  It can go longer if you want to caramelize the onions even more.   

I did not add mushrooms in this description, but they go great as well.  I usually add the mushrooms if I make them with the onions, right before adding the sherry.  I toss them with the onions then add the sherry.  It might not sound like they should go together, but try mushrooms with a little vanilla.  You will not be disappointed if you like mushrooms.

Looking forward to hearing how it all works out.  Thanks.