Be it vegetables, meat, fish, spices, etc.
What is it you don't buy because you wouldn't know what to do with it?
Kidneys for me.
What is it you don't buy because you wouldn't know what to do with it?
Kidneys for me.
Ingredients you wouldn't know how to cook?
Marrow & Turnips
Never tried either but if I were to buy it I would probably boil them to death 'cos I'd have not other idea on how to prep them.
Never tried either but if I were to buy it I would probably boil them to death 'cos I'd have not other idea on how to prep them.
Kidneys I won't buy because of the taste (or idea of the potential taste more to the point - being introduced to Ulysses at too young and age scarred me for life 
). Marrows are brilliant stuffed - no boiling involved.
I will cook most things - and look up anything that I don't know how to cook in Leith's Cookery Bible or Mrs Beeton. I do fight shy of things like heart and trotters. And there was some sort of white spongy offal on offer at the butcher's yesterday that I would have no idea what to do with. To be honest, I didn't have the guts (no pun intended) to ask what it actually was!
). Marrows are brilliant stuffed - no boiling involved.I will cook most things - and look up anything that I don't know how to cook in Leith's Cookery Bible or Mrs Beeton. I do fight shy of things like heart and trotters. And there was some sort of white spongy offal on offer at the butcher's yesterday that I would have no idea what to do with. To be honest, I didn't have the guts (no pun intended) to ask what it actually was!
Artichokes! I was going to buy some, but then I saw a woman - I forget whom - showing you how to prepare them on the telly. She started off with a vegetable about the size of a cricket ball, but she peeled and chopped and whittled away for ages and by the time she finished, she ended up with an edible disc about the size and thickness of an Extra-Strong Mint and chucked the rest away! I was thinking "That doesn't look very economical!"
Originally Posted by TheFaxMachine:
“Marrow & Turnips”
“Marrow & Turnips”
Turnip is a root veg and good in casseroles and the like, tastes nicer than it sounds.
Marrow scoop out the innards, fill with minced beef in tomato sauce and other flavourings (cumin and similar) and roast in the oven - delicious.
I'm put off by rabbit due to all the bones but I might buy one tomorrow and have it as a roast.
Originally Posted by TheFaxMachine:
“Marrow & Turnips
Never tried either but if I were to buy it I would probably boil them to death 'cos I'd have not other idea on how to prep them.”
“Marrow & Turnips
Never tried either but if I were to buy it I would probably boil them to death 'cos I'd have not other idea on how to prep them.”
I love marrows--cut 'em in half, scoop out the seeds, stuff 'em, wrap 'em in foil and bake.
Turnips, I dice, then boil and mash with butter or whatever--just like potato.
BTW, have you ever tried parsnip chips? Just treat them like potatoes and fry--they're delicious.
I once went to a carvery with my brother. After we'd finished the meal he said 'those chips tasted like lemon'. He'd eaten a pile of parsnips thinking they were normal chips.
I'd be useless at cooking any type of fish as I have never eaten it and wouldn't have a clue how to prepare/cook it!
I'd be useless at cooking any type of fish as I have never eaten it and wouldn't have a clue how to prepare/cook it!
I've never 'dealt' with Artichokes (of any variety) and Salsify. Not even too sure if i'm ever likely to either!! 
Filleting fish i wouldn't be able to do. I know kind of how to do it but it looks like you need practice to do it well.
Veg wise it would have to be artichoke. I've prepped it a couple of times when they were last in season and i really dont like all the faffing about you have to do with them.
Veg wise it would have to be artichoke. I've prepped it a couple of times when they were last in season and i really dont like all the faffing about you have to do with them.
Originally Posted by whoever,hey:
“Filleting fish i wouldn't be able to do. I know kind of how to do it but it looks like you need practice to do it well.
Veg wise it would have to be artichoke. I've prepped it a couple of times when they were last in season and i really dont like all the faffing about you have to do with them.”
“Filleting fish i wouldn't be able to do. I know kind of how to do it but it looks like you need practice to do it well.
Veg wise it would have to be artichoke. I've prepped it a couple of times when they were last in season and i really dont like all the faffing about you have to do with them.”
Ditto, whoever, hey. I also would never even try to prepare oysters for the same reason. (You also need really, really good knives for both jobs.)
As for artichokes, depending on what you want to do with them, snip off the spiky bits of the tough outer leaves, pop in a steamer (this bit takes a while, up to an hour, depending on the age and size of the artichoke). Serve whole with melted butter or vinaigrette, pulling off the outer leaves and eating the tender bases. It does mean that you have to remove and discard the 'choke' at the table, but it is so worth it!
Originally Posted by whoever,hey:
“Filleting fish i wouldn't be able to do. I know kind of how to do it but it looks like you need practice to do it well.”
“Filleting fish i wouldn't be able to do. I know kind of how to do it but it looks like you need practice to do it well.”
You need a very sharp knife - best way is to get your fish monger to do it for you
Originally Posted by TheHistoryGirl:
“Kidneys I won't buy because of the taste (or idea of the potential taste more to the point - being introduced to Ulysses at too young and age scarred me for life). Marrows are brilliant stuffed - no boiling involved.
I will cook most things - and look up anything that I don't know how to cook in Leith's Cookery Bible or Mrs Beeton. I do fight shy of things like heart and trotters. And there was some sort of white spongy offal on offer at the butcher's yesterday that I would have no idea what to do with. To be honest, I didn't have the guts (no pun intended) to ask what it actually was!”
“Kidneys I won't buy because of the taste (or idea of the potential taste more to the point - being introduced to Ulysses at too young and age scarred me for life
). Marrows are brilliant stuffed - no boiling involved.I will cook most things - and look up anything that I don't know how to cook in Leith's Cookery Bible or Mrs Beeton. I do fight shy of things like heart and trotters. And there was some sort of white spongy offal on offer at the butcher's yesterday that I would have no idea what to do with. To be honest, I didn't have the guts (no pun intended) to ask what it actually was!
”
White spongy offal.......sounds like tripe.......I love it sprinkled with salt pepper and vinegar
Crab.......my mum used to dress crabs and I know she used to take out something called ladies fingers, I dont think they're poisonous, just very bitter. I think I know what to look for but I'm not confident enough to give it a go.
Originally Posted by Louismum:
“White spongy offal.......sounds like tripe.......I love it sprinkled with salt pepper and vinegar”
“White spongy offal.......sounds like tripe.......I love it sprinkled with salt pepper and vinegar”
I think tripe looks gorgeous but I'm worried I won't like the taste as it has such a poor reputation.
Originally Posted by Louismum:
“Crab.......my mum used to dress crabs and I know she used to take out something called ladies fingers, I dont think they're poisonous, just very bitter. I think I know what to look for but I'm not confident enough to give it a go.”
“Crab.......my mum used to dress crabs and I know she used to take out something called ladies fingers, I dont think they're poisonous, just very bitter. I think I know what to look for but I'm not confident enough to give it a go.”
My mum calls 'em "Dead mans fingers" she & my dad claimed they were poisonous, but probably that was an old wives tale
Anyway they are the crabs' gills and are whitish and feathery. I suppose the best thing is to get your fishmonger to point them out - assuming you can still find a real living fishmonger that is!
Originally Posted by Shrike:
“My mum calls 'em "Dead mans fingers" she & my dad claimed they were poisonous, but probably that was an old wives tale
Anyway they are the crabs' gills and are whitish and feathery. I suppose the best thing is to get your fishmonger to point them out - assuming you can still find a real living fishmonger that is!”
“My mum calls 'em "Dead mans fingers" she & my dad claimed they were poisonous, but probably that was an old wives tale
Anyway they are the crabs' gills and are whitish and feathery. I suppose the best thing is to get your fishmonger to point them out - assuming you can still find a real living fishmonger that is!”
Yeah, Rick Stein described them as feathery but certainly not poisonous.
I've never fancied crab, the little filaments of meat just don't look right.
Originally Posted by squibble:
“Yeah, Rick Stein described them as feathery but certainly not poisonous.
I've never fancied crab, the little filaments of meat just don't look right.”
“Yeah, Rick Stein described them as feathery but certainly not poisonous.
I've never fancied crab, the little filaments of meat just don't look right.”
you really don't know what you are missing! Crab, Lobster, Prawns etc all lovely.. It is a texture thing though.. I know a few people that don't like the texture of the meat.
