The Cookbook Game #6

#42 for a number. The answer to "life, the universe, and everything"... (Refer to Douglas Adams' book series.)

And no, I don't know what my 42nd book is!

PS I got back from the grocery and realized I thought my recipe said "potatoes" no specification. Nope, red-skinned potatoes. I am eyeing my plethora of Yukons sadly...

Since there's a big taste difference, I will be dropping off on my way out today to a grocery near the highway, which should have either the artichokes (for the one recipe) or the red potatoes (for this one). Cooking Monday!
 
cookieee said:
OK Mexico/Mexican it is. Thanks MG

So far, the next game (#7) we will use the letter A (author/last name) cookbook and/or any cookbook you might have with Mexican/Mexico in the title. If no one has a suggestion for what number cookbook for us to use, I will pick a number Wed. ok?
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OK, #42 it is, thanks MC

Looks like we are all set for the next game. Gee, I have to work so hard on this game. :whistling::giggle:
 
Mountain Cat said:
#42 for a number. The answer to "life, the universe, and everything"... (Refer to Douglas Adams' book series.)

And no, I don't know what my 42nd book is!

PS I got back from the grocery and realized I thought my recipe said "potatoes" no specification. Nope, red-skinned potatoes. I am eyeing my plethora of Yukons sadly...

Since there's a big taste difference, I will be dropping off on my way out today to a grocery near the highway, which should have either the artichokes (for the one recipe) or the red potatoes (for this one). Cooking Monday!
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What a shame, I just love Yukons. I'm sure they will go to good use for something else.
 
Recipe - Fresh Broad Beans with Black Sausage & Garlic Shoots from Rick Steins 'Spain'

See the recipe thread for comments

34012
 
I found the red skinned potatoes yesterday. Also, the artichokes. SO yes, cooking for this challenge today, whether one or both recipes is unknown.

EDIT: I was intrigued by the artichokes, but looking at the cooking time (negligible - which means that even more of the artichoke than usual will end up in the compost), I really don't want to proceed with that one. So yes, the potato, mushroom and onion one is on the go-ahead on this.
 
morning glory said:
...I should add that I skinned the broad beans to add some vibrant colour to the dish - but this isn't necessary.
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From MG
This recipe is from Rick Stein's 'Spain' published in 2011. Its a rather rustic Catalan dish originally cooked for Rick Stein by Antonio Myers the drum player in Los Mustang - a Spanish band from the 1960’s. The original dish calls for Spanish blood sausage (butifarra) and fresh garlic shoots but as Rick says, both are hard to come by in the UK and the dish works just as well with garlic, black pudding and salad onions.

There is little that can go wrong with this recipe; black sausage with broad beans is a combination I've used before so I knew this recipe would work. Its full of earthy flavours offset by salty bacon and fresh mint and the Pernod adds a delicious aniseed note. If you really don't like blood sausage then you could substitute another strong tasting sausage of your choice, although it would change the flavour profile.
 
Mountain Cat said:
EDIT: I was intrigued by the artichokes, but looking at the cooking time (negligible - which means that even more of the artichoke than usual will end up in the compost),
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So what did the recipe say re cooking the artichokes? And which type of artichokes. I'm curious.
 
HEADS UP

It is getting close to the end of this game. FOREVER

From years of experience, I know there are people playing this game, but for reasons of their own, they are not posting. If you are enjoying this game and enjoy finally using your cookbooks, please, if you are not members, join and play along with us. If you are a member already, why not post your book and recipe along with the other members. I have no way of knowing just how many people there are playing this game, especially if you don't tell me. To me, it looks like interest in the game is dropping off. If that is the case, I see no reason to continue on with the game. Let's give it one more try and see if we can't get more players. OK?
 
I think that a couple of members who were playing (or intending to play) in previous rounds have not logged in for a while - they were new members. It often happens that busy (often younger) new members drop in and then out. It goes with the territory.

It does seem that lots of members here don't cook directly from recipe books hence why they haven't joined in the game. In fact I almost never cook from recipe books myself. But its fun for me to have a go and learn a few things - and 'crit' the recipes!
 
cookieee said:
HEADS UP

It is getting close to the end of this game. FOREVER

From years of experience, I know there are people playing this game, but for reasons of their own, they are not posting. If you are enjoying this game and enjoy finally using your cookbooks, please, if you are not members, join and play along with us. If you are a member already, why not post your book and recipe along with the other members. I have no way of knowing just how many people there are playing this game, especially if you don't tell me. To me, it looks like interest in the game is dropping off. If that is the case, I see no reason to continue on with the game. Let's give it one more try and see if we can't get more players. OK?
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Forgive me for keep mentioning the past, but, over the years of running the game, I have had many, many people after they joined the game say that they had been playing for quite a while without posting. They often had many different reasons why they finally decided to join in. This forum does have quite a few guests visiting it every day. I just wish more would join, it is very easy to do.
 
cookieee we had exactly the same problem with the recipe challenge in the early days (2015-2016). It took a long time to get the participation that we have now. It was so quiet that back then, an entire year of the challenge was one thread. Things did pick up, but only because we changed how long it was run over. We tried 2 weeks and it just didn't work. Moving it to 3 weeks was much more successful. It gave a week of thinking, a week to create and a week to write it up. And we just had to accept it.

Also I think one if the biggest issues here is sticking religiously to the recipe. I know I'm not the only one who takes recipes as ideas to base your own dish around and I think that if the competition was amended slightly to be more flexible it would work much better here because the cooks here are much more creative and skilled than 'sticking to a recipe religiously' allows them to be. My last dish for example, the broccoli, apple and peanut soup that I've just made, I know from experience that 1 teaspoon of garam masala or curry powder between 6-8 portions was never going to hack it in this household. 1 tablespoon would be much closer, and tbh, I think 1 tbsp of hot curry powder would be much more to our tastes. It was the first time making that recipe but experience kicks in and says use your common sense. This competition just doesn't allow for that here and that is just as off putting as anything.

Adding a variation and basing your dish around a new recipe, explaining why and how you've changed it may get more participation.
 
SatNav, remember, this game is about the cookbook. The recipe has to be made as mentioned in the book in order to give the book a fair review. If, for some reason the player wants or has to make any changes to that recipe, I suggest they choose another recipe. If none in that cookbook appeals to them, they have other choices or they can wait until the next game. Yes, I would like to encourage more people to play, but not that way. I think anyone that has cookbooks would enjoy the opportunity to use them.
 
cookieee said:
SatNav, remember, this game is about the cookbook. The recipe has to be made as mentioned in the book in order to give the book a fair review. If, for some reason the player wants or has to make any changes to that recipe, I suggest they choose another recipe. If none in that cookbook appeals to them, they have other choices or they can wait until the next game. Yes, I would like to encourage more people to play, but not that way. I think anyone that has cookbooks would enjoy the opportunity to use them.
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I'm simply making an observation on the lack of participation of the game, nothing more. If you want more participation, you may need to be more flexible.
 
Thank you for your help, but trust me, it has to be this way.
 
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