tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post3610064395145156024..comments2024-02-17T12:47:30.703-05:00Comments on Beyond Salmon: Even more flavor and How to sear scallopsHelenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-65833066502277519122009-12-13T23:15:33.951-05:002009-12-13T23:15:33.951-05:00Thank you so much for this entry. I'm a restau...Thank you so much for this entry. I'm a restaurant cook myself and this is a very direct and correct way to get across how to accomplish an important task.Some Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09364627800794740139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-81994301885104518102008-12-25T14:07:00.000-05:002008-12-25T14:07:00.000-05:00Awesome looking scallops! I've tried cooking scal...Awesome looking scallops! I've tried cooking scallops on a crappy pan, so now I know where I've been going wrong. Love the mushroom/shallots/cream and garnish too! Thanks for the tips, will def use them next time around (this Sat!). =)Lewis_Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01599772994003240459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-36244489697028127842007-06-25T11:52:00.000-04:002007-06-25T11:52:00.000-04:00Hi rhapsodyinglue,Great idea with mushroom powder....Hi rhapsodyinglue,<BR/><BR/>Great idea with mushroom powder. It makes a great coating for fish, pork, chicken, etc. I've made a bass dredged in porcini powder and seared once and it was fabulous :) Haven't tried adding it to soups and sauces though. It's on my list.<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>-HelenHelenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-12493235090638188562007-06-23T22:02:00.000-04:002007-06-23T22:02:00.000-04:00I too have heard umami associated with savory, tho...I too have heard umami associated with savory, though I wouldn't dispute if it means something else. To the extent that is correct, I'd toss in another suggestion other than MSG for adding a savory bang to some dishes.<BR/><BR/>Buy packages of dried mushrooms. Some stores have wonderful selections of up to a eight or ten different varieties from which to choose. Use a mortar and pestle, or a coffee grinder if you have one dedicated to spices, and grind the heck out of it until it's all powder. Add that into soups, stews and sauces to kick the savoriness up a notch or two. I keep little ziplocks of the powder in my freezer to have on hand.<BR/><BR/>Some people use mushroom soup, canned or powdered, to add flavor, but this is more flexible and doesn't come with lots of salt which might not be needed. Sometimes just a pinch or two can add a depth to a sauce without having people notice and call it mushroom gravy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-49209896269679664892007-06-14T11:56:00.000-04:002007-06-14T11:56:00.000-04:00Yup -- it sounds like the pan might have been too ...Yup -- it sounds like the pan might have been too hot. Though you could pretend you did it intentionally and call them scallops flambee :)Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-78575828850896335212007-06-14T11:33:00.000-04:002007-06-14T11:33:00.000-04:00Nope I waited for the pan to heat up first. I add...Nope I waited for the pan to heat up first. I added the oil and it sizzled smoked and alighted in about 10 seconds. I guess the pan was simply too hot. :)Katerinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13281121494977813591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-64105817839478586782007-06-14T09:54:00.000-04:002007-06-14T09:54:00.000-04:00jinx! We both posted scallops!jinx! We both posted scallops!SteamyKitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09215147623559421585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-18018922596831117552007-06-14T09:50:00.000-04:002007-06-14T09:50:00.000-04:00Hi Katerina,Oil on fire. Oh-oh -- that's not good...Hi Katerina,<BR/><BR/>Oil on fire. Oh-oh -- that's not good. I hope you and your kitchen are ok. I am curious, did you add the oil and then wait for the pan to heat up? I heat and empty pan first, and then add oil just a few seconds before adding the food. This way you don't have oil burning in the pan for several minutes. <BR/><BR/>And you are absolutely right -- what is "high" on one stove is "medium" on another.<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>-HelenHelenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-27660648568170333332007-06-14T00:15:00.000-04:002007-06-14T00:15:00.000-04:00Okay, soo... I sort of tried this on my stove at h...Okay, soo... I sort of tried this on my stove at home (electric) and ended with a pan of olive oil on fire. Tee Hee. I then conceded to a non-stick pan on just under medium and got the results I was looking for.. I guess my stove is hotter then it thinks it is?Katerinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13281121494977813591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-17993057651668089672007-06-13T01:10:00.000-04:002007-06-13T01:10:00.000-04:00Congratulations to you and your husband, Helen. Yo...Congratulations to you and your husband, Helen. You both earned that PhD, you know. And good luck over the next four weeks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-34352126580177635722007-06-12T13:59:00.000-04:002007-06-12T13:59:00.000-04:00aawwwww...my first personal shout-out. thanks! i'l...aawwwww...my first personal shout-out. thanks! i'll definitely be searing up some scallops soon. i'll let you know how it goes. <BR/><BR/>thanks,<BR/>jeffJeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04866520054538761768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-37845179199606958142007-06-12T13:35:00.000-04:002007-06-12T13:35:00.000-04:00Hi Helen,I love your ideas and food knowledge. I ...Hi Helen,<BR/>I love your ideas and food knowledge. I have worked in a Japanese restaurant and can offer this info.<BR/><BR/>MSG is a natural chemical found in the kelp called 'kombu'. Isolated from the kombu in a laboratory, MSG becomes less assimilatable. A lot of the sensitivity one hears about (or experiences) with MSG is due to consuming the partial component rather than the whole kelp.N Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10883185111971067902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-25592604729441745632007-06-12T12:41:00.000-04:002007-06-12T12:41:00.000-04:00Hi Peter,The sauce is sauteed mushrooms and shallo...Hi Peter,<BR/><BR/>The sauce is sauteed mushrooms and shallots finished with a little cream and sprinkled with chives.<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>-HelenHelenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-32885064051288865222007-06-12T12:34:00.000-04:002007-06-12T12:34:00.000-04:00Great looking scallops! If I may ask, What sauce &...Great looking scallops! If I may ask, What sauce & garnish is with them in the photo?Peter Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01907758539058786065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-87462877572487857732007-06-12T07:58:00.000-04:002007-06-12T07:58:00.000-04:00From what I've read on umami/msg is that it is the...From what I've read on umami/msg is that it is the essence of not savory, or meaty quality, but "freshness" (chemically isolated by a Japanese co).<BR/><BR/>Supposedly it can restore some of the freshness balance to meals that are spiced/cooked in such a way that the original essence of such is inadvertenly masked. Although similar effects can be accomplished naturally by adding fresh herbs or spices when heat is removed from a dish. <BR/><BR/>Also, it is present in a lot of canned foods, which leads me to believe that it is used to give "old food" a fresh tasting quality.Alex Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12788030970660575340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-35700703094254562282007-06-11T18:39:00.000-04:002007-06-11T18:39:00.000-04:00Hi Helen,Congrats to your husband!You've now earne...Hi Helen,<BR/><BR/>Congrats to your husband!<BR/><BR/>You've now earned a T-shirt like mine: "I survived my husband's PhD"<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>PamPamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14706036547768116559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-51264481672665889352007-06-11T18:19:00.000-04:002007-06-11T18:19:00.000-04:00Yeah, bluefish doesn't seem to make it off the eas...Yeah, bluefish doesn't seem to make it off the east coast. I guess the reason is that it's a cheap fish, so the transportation costs might not be worth it.Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-195106121411239542007-06-11T18:11:00.000-04:002007-06-11T18:11:00.000-04:00Thanks! Yeah they are the best right? I am lucky t...Thanks! Yeah they are the best right? I am lucky to be up in the pacific northwest where they are easy to come by and they haven't seemed to hitthe mainstream yet. (That said, I have yet to be able to find any of that bluefish you rave about.)<BR/><BR/>I really like them lightly battered and deep fried too. I will try your searing technique on them. Thanks.Katerinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13281121494977813591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-6133215863605643652007-06-11T18:05:00.000-04:002007-06-11T18:05:00.000-04:00Hi Katerina,I LOVE halibut cheeks, though they are...Hi Katerina,<BR/><BR/>I LOVE halibut cheeks, though they are hard to get in Boston for some reason. Searing is definitely a way to go with them (pretty much the same technique as with scallops).<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/>-HelenHelenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12271344371852988017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17422713.post-64945548901116691672007-06-11T17:49:00.000-04:002007-06-11T17:49:00.000-04:00Interesting! I have been following your advice on ...Interesting! I have been following your advice on searing fish and it has been going so well for me I will definitely try this. Out of curiosity have you ever done halibut cheeks, and would you use the same technique? I love the little things but I can't get them quite right at home. All the fishmongers tell me to just "treat them like scallops" but I am not convinced. Congratulations on the grad and the impending newborn!Katerinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13281121494977813591noreply@blogger.com