BlackRat Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Having traveled the world a bit, and eaten all sorts of exotica (or is that erotica?? ) basically anything from the far east with a cold beer. Indian, Chinese, Thai, all tastes wonderful (more so if eaten in the country of origin!!). But when you get home, you cant beat a plate of egg and chips (lashings of S&V) with soldiers to dip in the yolk! Washed down with a decent mug (not cup) of builders finest! Or Vimto! ps avoid curried frog, apparently a delicacy in Brunei. Turns ones nether regions into a rather effective pumping station! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste234 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I'll Second Wordsells shout for the Parmo, a couple of thousand calories, good sized piece of pork or chicken escalope, covered in bread crumbs topped with bechamel sauce and tons on cheese (normally cheddar). Best served from a pizza box with a healthy portion of chips, only on Teesside! Heaven on earth! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 ps avoid curried frog, I don't think I have ever read a piece of advice I would have less difficulty following. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted May 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 13, 2012 a couple of thousand calories Per mouthful... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 When it comes to the delights on offer from the UK, eight days out of ten I would probably go for naturally smoked haddock. The other two it would be grilled calves liver, and a huge heap of properly caramelised onions with King Edward potato mash. ...many pubs/restaurants struggle with the concept of what a decent lump of seared cow beef should look like. Hint: it should not be an insipid grey colour all the way through... Just make that most in the UK. A decent butcher for the feedstock, start with it at room temperature, 2 minutes with a red hot grill, followed by ten minutes resting, and you will be doing better than 99% of outlets offering steak in the UK. Even when you tell them explicitly (as previous sentence) what is required most cannot do it, whatever pretentions they have to offering a fine dining experience: so I have given up and gone exclusively down the DIY route on this one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Tonight I cooked ravioli stuffed with mushrooms. Lovely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonesome_whistle Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Just make that most in the UK. A decent butcher for the feedstock, start with it at room temperature, 2 minutes with a red hot grill, followed by ten minutes resting, and you will be doing better than 99% of outlets offering steak in the UK. Even when you tell them explicitly (as previous sentence) what is required most cannot do it, whatever pretentions they have to offering a fine dining experience: so I have given up and gone exclusively down the DIY route on this one. I totally agree with this although I can't get a grill hot enough so usually pan fry my steaks (although a good uniformly hot barbecue also works - I've been known to light up outside even in the depths of winter to avoid splattering the kitchen with oil!) If frying, I find that using an oil that will not smoke at high temperature to a depth of, say, quarter of an inch so the sides of the steak get nicely crisped and a blob of butter put in at the same time as the steak and - as you say - two minutes a side without any flipping, poking or prodding is all it takes to get a first class steak. It's not rocket science and I'm not sure why most can't do it. I have a horrible feeling that many poor pub steaks start in the microwave because they're using meat that has just been fished out of a freezer and I'm not sure that that will ever produce a proper rare steak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 14, 2012 Hmmm...if I'm doing steak I use a redhot pan that has never seen oil in its life and cauterise the beef before allowing it to simmer; otherwise there's just too much juice lost in the first few seconds, and with oil it all ends up slopping around in the pan...I usually serve mine with caramalised red onions and mushrooms, with a nice dollop of English mustard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 ... although I can't get a grill hot enough so usually pan fry my steaks ... It sounds like you need a grill pan like this one (http://www.amazon.co...6995382&sr=1-18). You get it very hot, put in your steak (which you have first rubbed with pepper and a little olive oil - don't salt until both sides are sealed) seal and turn after a minute or three - depending upon steak thickness and the degree of doneness desired. The grill pan will not only make the steak look better (with an almost charcoal grill effect) but the ridged pan stops the steak stewing in its own juices. As for the best food.... well of the 5 major cuisines (defined by some as French, Italian, Indian, Chinese and Japanese), it is interesting to note that 4 of them are really the food of the poor. If the Chinese have turned pig's ears into a tasty Dim Sum, the Italians have turned pig's trotters into a delicious sausage, the Indians have turned tough goat into sublime curries and the Japanese have turned raw fish bits and sour/fermenting rice into delectable sushi, it's cos some rich bu99er has already snaffled the best bits. British food, alas, suffers from the fact that it is a straightforward cuisine which is highly dependent on the quality of the ingredients. For example, rare roast beef is a treat made in heaven when the beef is high quality, properly hung and cut, dry aged for at least 28 days and correctly roasted, but if any of these conditions aren't met, you tend to end up with the sort of bad food that has given British cooking its poor reputation with the continentals... (Unfortunately British cooking has many dishes where the quality of the ingredients and the cooking make the difference between superb and the just edible [just compare the mass produced "cornish pasty" versus a proper home-made one where no shortcuts or low quality ingredients have been used for the pastry and filling]) The current "star" in my culinary repertoire is slow roasted pork belly served with baby new potatoes and green bean slivers (blanched and then quickly stir fried with a little onion). Depending upon size of the pork belly it can take between 2 and half to 4 hours in a very low oven - but you get fantastic crackling and it pretty much cooks itself. F Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2012 28 days? The beef used in the restaurant at work is hung for 42 days. And it really is superb. Edit: and it's all cooked 'on the bone' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonesome_whistle Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Hmmm...if I'm doing steak I use a redhot pan that has never seen oil in its life and cauterise the beef before allowing it to simmer; otherwise there's just too much juice lost in the first few seconds, and with oil it all ends up slopping around in the pan...I usually serve mine with caramalised red onions and mushrooms, with a nice dollop of English mustard There do seem to be two schools of thought with regard to oil and I'm sure both methods produce very acceptable results. I've inclined towards using a bit more oil because I like what it (combined with a knob of butter) does for the outside edges of the steak. I like my steak rare but do appreciate a bit of crispness to the fat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 14, 2012 Maaaan, I'm hungry... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Maaaan, I'm hungry... "Got any salmon?" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopardml2341 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Has to be Shweinshaxe, Semmel Knoedelnn, Saurkraut and a half litre of Weiss bier. (roasted Pig's knuckle, Potato Dumplings saurkraut and wheat beer) in my case at my favourite bar in Leipzig. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon hudson Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Comfort food for me is a big pan of Durham ham shank broth and a few slabs of stottie with thick butter or substitute panaculty for the broth I like curries the hotter the better or for entertaimg a nice seatrout.As my late wife used to say"Hudson you'd eat your feet fried"!! Now wheres the HP sauce Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pirouets Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2012 A nice piece of steak, served with fresh pasta (home made if possible) and a really good sauce. Add in a nice bottle of red with pudding being a rich cheesecake. Also, best Thai meal I had was in Cairo. Go figure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 14, 2012 Also, best Thai meal I had was in Cairo. Go figure. Often the way; the best Chinese meal I had was in Toronto... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 14, 2012 How about curried pasties (VAT free of course)??? No - have to be two seperate meals Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 14, 2012 Steak - I like it well done but not overcooked, it needs to be just not red and then it should be OK Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2012 interesting replies so far. I have another question: If we have lunch at lunchtime, and tea at teatime, when do we have dinner? Ed You have dinner at dinner time, and tea is a nice slice of victoria sponge and a cup of coffee! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2012 Number one son came back from a few days in Cornwall at lunch time. He brought one of my Auntie Nancy's home made pasties for me, which I have just warmed up and had for my dinner. Bliss! I'm not being disloyal to my Mum when I say that her sister's pasties were always better. Apparently it's to do with the temperature of the hands when making the pastry. Any way, back to the title-is there any better food in the world? Ed I think you must be confusing your Aunt Nancy's pasties with my Auntie pearl's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium QWILPEN Posted May 14, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 14, 2012 sorry all lots of great food mentioned above but you just can not beat a fried egg butty on white bread with proper butter, yes i know its a heart attack butty but every now and then as a treat mmmmmm. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumblestripe Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Venison steak served with creamed potatoes, cabbage with bacon and chestnuts and a drizzle of juniper sauce. The finest plate of food I have ever had anywhere from a "Gastro pub" near Blackburn that I used to stay at when I worked in Blackburn. I love Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, etc etc. but I despair of the downer some people have on English Cuisine! It can be incredibly good. And our puddings are second to none. Jam roly-poly, sticky toffee pudding, Eton mess... A good point though about peasant food was made earlier. Often some of the great dishes are just that, the food of the poor. Belly pork, vegetable curry, shepherd's pie and many more from the poor man's table. Not forgetting the noble "parmo"! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Polenta's another one. V. Popular in NYC. Peasant food in Italy. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted May 16, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 16, 2012 Ratatouille, anyone?! My Mum used to make it when I was kid with all the cheapest produce as we couldn't afford meat too often; was the best tasting dish from my youth and I still look for it on restaurant menus - sadly, not many provide it as an option...the best example I found was in the Harvest Restaurant in Ambleside, many moons ago... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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