# One new ingredient/dish in '08



## Porthand (Dec 23, 2008)

It is just about time for year in review stuff, what's the one new ingredient or dish you tried for the first time this past year?

For me it was tamarind. I was making a grilled tofu recipe for DW that called for tamarind paste as a key ingredient in the sauce. never did find the paste but I did purchase a block of tamarind (seeds and all) at a Tacoma Asian market. Love the unique flavor the sauce works equally well on chicken and pork.


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## GrillingFool (Dec 23, 2008)

Hot peppers probably. I have become a chili head for medium hot peppers like cayenne. 
They make me hiccup, but every now and then I just have to eat one or two. Now days fresh peppers (which are amazingly NOT hot if you remove the innards) go in a lot of dishes here at the Fool's. I make a mean 4 pepper carne asada marinade!


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## Jeekinz (Dec 23, 2008)

I'm not sure about an ingredient or dish because I'm always experimenting.  I guess I eat waaay more chilies and fish now than last year.

I did take a liking to the reverse sear method.


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## larry_stewart (Dec 23, 2008)

Maxixe, a brazilian vegetable I managed to successfully grow in my garden last year
Rice paper- to make some vegetable rolls in
Saffron - got a gift certificate to penzy's so spent it on that 
Chinese Broccoli - also grew in my garden this year, experienced it for the first time at the chinese restaurant which caused the soy chicken incident.


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## mcnerd (Dec 23, 2008)

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.  OMG I can't get enough of the stuff.  The taste is amazing and I use it now for everything.


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## sattie (Dec 23, 2008)

garam masala.... cardamon, cooking with whole spices - obviously I made some sort of Indian dish.  Osso Bucco, elk, buffalo, and pheasant.  Kilebasa???  I probably spelled that wrong.  And vanilla beans.

You can trust that there will be more to come in 09!

Oh.. .BTW... this is my 5000th post!!!!  Yippppppeeee!


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## ChefJune (Dec 23, 2008)

I don't know whether or not you'd call it an "ingredient," but this year I experienced Shochu for the first time. That is Japanese whisky.

As for new dishes, I am trying them and creating them all the time.  I wouldn't know where to begin to list them.


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## PanchoHambre (Dec 23, 2008)

A big Asian supermarket opened up near by... They have all of the awesome varieties of jarred sauces, seasonings, marinades etc... i cant resist buying stuff even though I don't really know what to do with it. Some really did not work out so well but I will say the Black Bean Paste is great stuff makes fried rice dishes really nice and nutty.


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## jabbur (Dec 23, 2008)

My son got me a caterpillar roll.  I don't usually like sushi but I have to say this was really good.  It's basically a California Roll with slivers of avacado layered across the top to look like a catepillar.  The avacado makes it yummy!


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## jpinmaryland (Dec 27, 2008)

Bok choy, turnips, escarole, fennel. I am trying to do a different vegetable each week. Next week maybe bean sprouts. I used to detest beets but might have to break down if I cant come up with something else.


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## Robo410 (Dec 27, 2008)

used whole tomatillas for the first time in a green chicken chili.  yum!


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## LPBeier (Dec 27, 2008)

Quinoa, which is now a staple!


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## vyapti (Dec 27, 2008)

The biggest addition for me is vital wheat gluten.  I've made all sorts of mock meats, cutlets, sausages, burgers, etc that vital wheat gluten made possible.


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## JoeV (Dec 27, 2008)

Johnny Walker Green Label. This has served to make the chef so much easier to live with when the kitchen duties appear to be over whelming.


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## radhuni (Dec 28, 2008)

*One new vegetable I tried was **Elephant apple (Chulta ) . I made chutney of chulta.
*


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## Toots (Dec 28, 2008)

As a Southerner, I should have been using this ingredient YEARS ago but I finally got around to cooking with kale. I like it and its good for you too.


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## Constance (Dec 28, 2008)

I tried lentils for the first time, and I loved them!


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## pdswife (Dec 28, 2008)

Paul and I have started making our own Sushi. It's great! We make a mess and it's not as pretty as we can get when we go out but boy does it taste goood! Well worth the effort! 

Oh and thanks to you guys at DC 
I also cooked OX tails for the first time! YUMMY!


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## texasgirl (Dec 28, 2008)

GRITS!! hehe
I cheated and bought the instant flavors, but, I like them.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 28, 2008)

jpinmaryland said:


> Bok choy, turnips, escarole, fennel. I am trying to do a different vegetable each week. Next week maybe bean sprouts. I used to detest beets but might have to break down if I cant come up with something else.



jp, check out this blog: THE GREAT BIG VEGETABLE CHALLENGE

I tried several new things this past year: 

- an Indian dish for the first time, using garam masala
- awesome osso buco
- Israeli couscous
- fresh heart of palm from an Asian market I discovered; there's lots more to try from there, including frozen fish balls that are still in my freezer - thought they'd be good in soup, but haven't used them yet.
- cheesecake! I'm not much of a baker, but I found a recipe that does not require a water bath, and it turned out great.


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## n2cookin (Dec 28, 2008)

The biggest thing I did this year was to grow my own fresh herbs.  Some from seed and others from small plants.  I was so tired of not being able to get quality fresh herbs from my grocery store.  It was wonderful to use just cut herbs in recipes.  I harvested all summer, and still have a rosemary, thyme and oregano plant that have survived on the porch through snow, and overnight freezes.  The rosemary looks great the other two look like what I used to find in the grocery but still alive.

Other spices I froze in ice cube trays and have had available all winter long.  In addition to some Pesto ice cubes.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 28, 2008)

Oh, I also made shrimp ceviche and posole (Mexican pork and hominy stew) - loved them both.


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## HMGgal (Dec 28, 2008)

Mmmmmm, I made posole for the first time, too. SO good! I think I might have to do that for New Year's day, although I usually use up the last of the ham and bone for navy bean soup and cornbread. I'll discuss this with my family, because they really love that bean soup. 

 I also tried a mix of quinoa, Israeli couscous, and a bunch of other grains that come together in a bag from Trader Joe's. What a treat and such a nice variation from rice and potatoes as a side starch.  I cooked it in vegetable broth and my whole family loved it, even the two-year-old grandson, and he's a picky little bugger.

Happy New Year Everybody!!!


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## QSis (Dec 28, 2008)

Edamame ... LOVED it! Must get some more.

I tried the Thai Chili Sauce, too. Very good for a sweet element. I mix it with other Asian sauces to use as a dip for Chinese dumplings.

Beer Cheddar Cheese from Trader Joe's ... Spectacular!

Oh man, I try different ingredients and make new recipes all the time! I get a lot of ideas and recommendations from here and from Food Network, but I sure as heck can't remember them all. 

Two my 2008 keepers are Egg Foo Yung and Oven-Fried Rice. 

I'd say the easiest, delicious and most versatile recipe I've adopted is one from Ol' Blue. I've used this with pork loin, chops, ribs, beef, chicken ... whatever I have! 

 
*Pork Loin, Melt in Your Mouth (Posted by Ole Blue)*

2 1/2 to 3 pound(s) PORK LOIN ROAST; Boneless.
1 clove(s) (small) GARLIC; Cut Into Slivers.
FLOUR
1 to 2 tablespoon(s) OIL
1 package(s) LIPTON ONION SOUP MIX
1 can(s) (10 3/4 ounce) CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
2 cup(s) WATER; Hot.
SALT; To Taste.
BLACK PEPPER; To Taste.
_____

Poke holes all around pork loin, insert garlic.
Season pork with salt and pepper to taste.
Coat meat well with flour.
Heat oil in cast iron skillet or a heavy skillet.
Brown meat on all sides.
Mix the mushroom soup and onion soup mix together with the hot water.
Slowly add soup to the roast allowing some of the onion pieces to rest on the top of the pork loin as much as possible.
Cover pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.
Serve gravy over mashed potatoes if desired.

Lee


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## Porthand (Dec 28, 2008)

Since GG got things going on a Mexican tangent. I tried then made atole last winter. What a great winter comfort drink.


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## deelady (Dec 28, 2008)

For me it was tahini...I've eaten it plenty of times, but this was the first I made something myself with it.


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## RobsanX (Dec 28, 2008)

I made leeks for the first time this year. I braised them with some carrots and tarragon... Very earthy and delicious!


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## scoobagirl (Dec 29, 2008)

I made the Cream of Jalapeno soup (recipe was passed to me by a friend) which was a keeper. I also tried a recipe from Allrecipes.com for an easy Peanut Butter/Marshmallow fudge candy which is a keeper. We've tried several types of Thai cellophane noodle packages and enjoyed them! We're going to keep trying new foods and new recipes next year.


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