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posted by LiquidStrat:
I just tossed out my microwave! Now I used a metal Wok thing, one of those real heavy stir fry jobs, and gas! The weight of a fry pan cannot be underestimated. (only a stew-pot can outcook it, slow-cooker. Or a pressure cooker swing!) I can tell you, real gas heat is better. Heavy and heat, it works. Just skip it otherwise or you wasting you time. The microwave was uneven, unnatural, and unecessary. Seriously, try a real skillet and a real burner, the difference is amazing.
I'm totally with you there. Don't like microwave, never use it. Open flame is ideal; unfortunately no gas lines going into my building, so I had to have an electric range/oven installed instead. It's not so bad as I thought, the sauté pans get hot rather quickly, but sadly lacking the finer sauté technique of open flame such as flambéeing bananas foster et al.
And no grilling with an electric. That's a shame, but I improvise: Marinate meats/poultry/fish, sear in the sauté pan, then onto a sheet pan and into the oven at 350 for finishing.
On a break during a session however, that takes too much time, so I'll do everything on the range. Seafood pasta dishes are a favorite here, for speed and simplicity: One burner for the hot water, and one for the sauté pan.
•Heat water to a rapid boil, add some salt, and dump in the pasta.
•Get sauté pan really hot with minced garlic, butter and olive oil.
•Throw some 41-50 count (RE: small) peeled shrimp into the sauté pan, add a pinch of salt, pepper and chopped chives.
•Flip the shrimp around for a minute or two until they're all pink on the outsides, then add some sliced portobello mushrooms and chopped spinich.
•Flip that around for a few minutes, then add some rough chopped tomatoes and a little tomato sauce. Keep the heat high, shake the pan a lot, and get it to bind.
•Throw in a few rough cut leaves of fresh basil to taste.
•By now the pasta should be al denté. Drain it BUT NOT COMPLETELY, and add the pasta and some of the pasta water to the sauté pan with the sauce.
•Flip the pan, mixing the pasta real well with the sauce.
•Plate it up, y Tutto é tavola al mangaré.
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Hey, a good wine, well it's cheap and pretty good is an Australian Shiraz Bin 555 from Windham Estate. Nice big round velvety red. $10 here Not a great finish but has some blackberry tones.
Good tip. I love Australian Shiraz. In Europe they call it Sirah...so named because the grape stocks originate from Syria.
A favorite winery for the Curve Labs is Chateau Saint Michelle, in Washington state. I haven't tried any of their wines I didn't love...cabernet, merlot, sauvingon blanc, chardonnay...they seem to do it all right, and all for $12/or less per bottle.