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 Post subject: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 12:35 pm 
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I just succumbed to the temptation. We have been making smoothies lately and as much as I like making them in a mason jar for easy clean up, when I saw a Vitamix 7500 at Sam's for the first time, I caved. I am sitting and having a excellent fruit and kale smoothie lunch that is the consistency of soft serve, which is awesome. But, I can't justify $500 on an appliance for smoothies.

So, what else I do I do with this thing? I am not a blender user, except for margaritas and smoothies. I have a food processor and a good immersion blender.

Thank you!

--Lisa


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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 1:14 pm 
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Tahini, nut butters, Thai curry pastes, gazpacho and other puréed soups, grinding dry ingredients (when you want more than a couple tb of them), and probably a few more things that didn't come to me immediately.

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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 2:39 pm 
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Dave,

Do you have one or more Thai curry paste recipes you would like to share? That sounds promising.

I thought of other nut butters but tahini never occurred to me.

--Lisa


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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:30 pm 
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Lisa,

I may have posted these before, but here they are, with the Vitamix method added. As you can see, the Immersion blender method is my favorite - it gives a texture very close to that of doing it in the mortar. I did burn one out doing this once, so you have to have a powerful one.

Classic Red Curry Paste

3 oz dried nu-mex chiles
10 dried thai dragons
3 tsp coriander seed; toasted, ground
1 large lime zest
2 large stalks of lemongrass; thinly sliced
2 tb galangal or ginger; minced
1/2 cup(s) garlic; whole, peeled
3/4 cup(s) shallots; roughly chopped
1 1/2 tb shrimp paste; dry roasted

A. Stem the numex chiles and remove the cores and any hard ribs. Place in a large bowl with the thai dragons and cover with hot water. Soak 30 min., then drain. Dry roast the shrimp paste by wrapping in a double layer of foil and flattening it. In a dry skillet over med. heat cook 5 or 6 min., turning several times; cool in foil. Toast the coriander in the same skillet 5 or 6 min., shaking around often. Cool and grind. Dry roast the garlic and shallots 5-7 min., or until tender and lightly browned. Trim the tough outer layers from the lemongrass, cut the root away, and all but about 4" of the stem. Slice thin and set aside. If using kaffir lime leaves cut each lengthwise along both sides of the vein, and discard. Cut into shreds, then mince fine. Have all ingredients at hand.

MORTAR METHOD: Pound all ingredients in the mortar or molcajete in the following order: lemongrass, lime leaves and zest, galangal, cilantro root, coriander, garlic, shallots, chiles, and shrimp paste. Only for the truly obsessed.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Place all ingredients in FP and process 3 minutes, or longer, until totally ground into a paste with no large bits of chile skin left.

IMMERSION BLENDER METHOD (my favorite): Place all ingredients in a qt. container with a hole made in a plastic lid which the blender can go through. On high speed push the blender up and down through the mixture until totally pureed, about 45 sec. to a minute.

VITAMIX METHOD - Place all ingredients in blender, and add 4 tb water (otherwise, it gets too thick, and will not circulate), and blend, until smooth, moving the paste around with the tamper, if necessary..

Yield: 1 3/4 cups, or just over 2 c using the Vitamix Store in a wide mouthed pint mason jar.

Storage: 1 month refrigerated, 3 months frozen.

Panang Curry Paste

3 oz dried nu-mex chiles
10 dried thai dragons
4 tsp coriander seed; toasted, ground
1 large lime zest
5 pairs kaffir lime leaves; minced
3 tb cilantro roots or stems
2 large stalks of lemongrass; thinly sliced
2 tb galangal; minced
1/3 cup(s) garlic; minced (1.4 oz)
1/3 cup(s) shallots; minced (1.4 oz)
2 tb shrimp paste; dry roasted

A. Stem the numex chiles and remove the cores and any hard ribs. Place in a large bowl with the thai dragons and cover with hot water. Soak 30 min., then drain. Dry roast the shrimp paste by wrapping in a double layer of foil and flattening it. In a dry skillet over med. heat cook 5 or 6 min., turning several times; cool in foil. Toast the coriander in the same skillet 5 or 6 min., shaking around often. Cool and grind. Trim the tough outer layers from the lemongrass, cut the root away, and all but about 4" of the stem. Slice thin and set aside. If using kaffir lime leaves cut each lengthwise along both sides of the vein, and discard. Cut into shreds, then mince fine. Have all ingredients at hand.

MORTAR METHOD: Pound all ingredients in the mortar or molcajete in the following order: lemongrass, lime leaves and zest, galangal, cilantro root, coriander, garlic, shallots, chiles, and shrimp paste. Only for the truly obsessed.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Place all ingredients in FP and process 3 minutes, or longer, until totally ground into a paste with no large bits of chile skin left.

IMMERSION BLENDER METHOD (my favorite): Place all ingredients in a qt. container with a hole made in a plastic lid which the blender can go through. On high speed push the blender up and down through the mixture until totally pureed, about 45 sec. to a minute.

VITAMIX METHOD - Place all ingredients in blender, and add 4 tb water (otherwise, it gets too thick, and will not circulate), and blend, until smooth, moving the paste around with the tamper, if necessary..

Yield: 1 3/4 cups, or just over 2 c using the Vitamix Store in a wide mouthed pint mason jar.

Storage: 1 month refrigerated, 3 months frozen.

Masaman Cury Paste

3 oz dried nu-mex chiles
10 dried thai dragons; optional
1 large lime zest
1 tb cilantro roots or stems
2 large stalks of lemongrass; thinly sliced
1 tb galangal or ginger; minced
1/4 cup(s) garlic; minced (1.4 oz)
1/4 cup(s) shallots; minced (1.4 oz)
2 tsp shrimp paste; dry roasted
2 tsp oil
1 1/2 tb coriander seed; ground
1 tsp white pepper; ground
2 tsp cumin; ground
1/2 tsp cloves; ground
1 tsp nutmeg; ground
1 tsp cinnamon; ground
1 tsp cardamom seeds; ground

A. Heat oil and ground spices in a small, heavy saucepan over med-low heat. Cook slowly, so spices sizzle gently, for 7 or 8 min., or until spices have a pleasant, toasted aroma, then remove to a bowl to cool.

B. Stem the numex chiles and remove the cores and any hard ribs. Place in a large bowl with the thai dragons and cover with hot water. Soak 30 min., then drain. Dry roast the shrimp paste by wrapping in a double layer of foil and flattening it. In a dry skillet over med. heat cook 5 or 6 min., turning several times; cool in foil. Toast the coriander in the same skillet 5 or 6 min., shaking around often. Cool and grind. Trim the tough outer layers from the lemongrass, cut the root away, and all but about 4" of the stem. Slice thin and set aside. Have all ingredients at hand.

MORTAR METHOD: Pound all ingredients in the mortar or molcajete in the following order: lemongrass, lime leaves and zest, galangal, cilantro root, coriander, garlic, shallots, chiles, and shrimp paste. Only for the truly obsessed.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Place all ingredients in FP and process 3 minutes, or longer, until totally ground into a paste with no large bits of chile skin left.

IMMERSION BLENDER METHOD (my favorite): Place all ingredients in a qt. container with a hole made in a plastic lid which the blender can go through. On high speed push the blender up and down through the mixture until totally pureed, about 45 sec. to a minute.

VITAMIX METHOD - Place all ingredients in blender, and add 4 tb water (otherwise, it gets too thick, and will not circulate), and blend, until smooth, moving the paste around with the tamper, if necessary.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups, or just over 2 c using the Vitamix Store in a wide mouthed pint mason jar.

Storage: 1 month refrigerated, 3 months frozen.


Green curry Paste, concentrated

1/2 cup(s) green chiles; sliced (1.8 oz)
4 tsp coriander seed; toasted, ground
1 tsp white pepper; toasted, ground
1 tsp cumin; toasted, ground
1 large lime zest
4 tb cilantro roots or stems
3 large stalks of lemongrass; thinly sliced
3 tb galangal; minced (.9 oz)
2 tb garlic; minced (.6 oz)
3 tb shallots; minced (.9 oz)
2 tsp shrimp paste; dry roasted
1/2 tsp turmeric

A. Dry roast the shrimp paste by wrapping in a double layer of foil and flattening it. In a dry skillet over med. heat cook 5 or 6 min., turning several times; cool in foil. Toast the spices in the same skillet 5 or 6 min., shaking around often. Cool and crumble up. Trim the tough outer layers from the lemongrass, cut the root away, and all but about 4" of the stem. Slice thin and set aside. Have all ingredients at hand.

This recipe is better done in a small container, using the Immersion Blender or Mortar method. I sometimes multiply it by 1.5 to do it in the Vitamix, adding a little water, as in the others.

MORTAR METHOD: Pound all ingredients in the mortar or molcajete in the following order: lemongrass, lime leaves and zest, galangal, cilantro root, coriander, garlic, shallots, chiles, and shrimp paste. Only for the truly obsessed.

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD: Place all ingredients in FP and process 3 minutes, or longer, until totally ground into a paste with no large bits of chile skin left.

IMMERSION BLENDER METHOD (my favorite): Place all ingredients in a qt. container with a hole made in a plastic lid which the blender can go through. On high speed push the blender up and down through the mixture until totally pureed, about 45 sec. to a minute.

VITAMIX METHOD - Place all ingredients in blender, and add 4 tb water (otherwise, it gets too thick, and will not circulate), and blend, until smooth, moving the paste around with the tamper, if necessary..

Yield: about 3/4 c, or just over 1 c using the Vitamix Store in a wide mouthed 8 oz mason jar.

Storage: 1 month refrigerated, 3 months frozen.

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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 11:33 pm 
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Location: Chico, CA
Lisa, I make lemon curd in the Vitamix, no cooking needed. Steve makes a wonderful asparagus soup and tomato soup. Cuban cracker crumbs for my bistec empanizado and other bread crumbs. He's also made soft ice cream.

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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 1:45 pm 
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Dave,

Interesting ... I'll have to test the immersion blender method vs. Indian food grinder. Except ... I haven't found anything other than the food grinder (and maybe a vitamix) which can chop the tough woody galangal.

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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 6:37 am 
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I always slice the galangal, as well as the fibrous lemonrass and shallots into thin slices across the grain, before grinding in anything.

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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 7:00 pm 
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Thanks, Dave, I will put one of those on the list to try very soon. The masaman is calling my name, but I will have to get my hands on some galangal first. I have dried but I will see if I can find fresh. Thai chilis are available in our local Oriental market.

Alina, I would like to see your lemon curd recipe as well!

Thank you,

--Lisa


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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:26 pm 
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Here's a source for fresh galangal, as well as other Thai produce:
http://importfood.com/galangal_info.html

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 Post subject: Re: Another Vitamix thread
PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:06 am 
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Dave,

Even sliced, I found that a regular FP couldn't handle galangal. It just rattled around the bowl without getting chopped up, and sometimes jammed on the blade.

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