Hi,
I posted my latest cooking effort under the week 16 challenge, and it lead to the suggestion we should look at ingredients that work well together.

For example, I would never think about putting pork and chickpeas together, but it works.

What other ingredients seem to go together?

There are the obvious ones like my favourite of chocolate and raspberries - but how about a few more interesting ideas...

Susan

Thanks Cheesecake

After watching a few food tv programs I have learnt (but have not tested yet) that
Ginger & Orange compliment each other
milk/yoghurt&bread help to make meat balls stay moist
a touch of nutmeg adds a new dimension to meatballs

Yes have tried the following and found to be very good.
2 whole lemon halves or a can of beer is a great addition when roasting chicken
Pineapple & cheese is a good combination
Goji/Wolf Berries I really enjoy adding at every opportunity to any meals as do add a little bit extra without dominating.
Lentils again can be added to caseroles/stews/soups without being noticed.

I guess that there are many other options though still a work in progress for me

John

Mushrooms and leeks

I've always been reluctant to try this, as it just seems wrong to me (mind you, I have a 'thing' about not having fruit in savory dishes too). But I tried and it actually works well: Mint in fish cakes.

My other fave combos...
chocolate and orange
banana and raisons
chilli and tomatoes
cheese and mince
lamb and balsamic vinegar
olives and feta cheese
corn and chicken
natural yoghurt/sour cream and chilli
apples and cinamon

[www.farmaway.co.nz]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2010 03:10AM by FarmAway.

Fruit i.e. banana, peaches, pineapple etc. in a thick curry sauce is BEAUTIFUL as a savoury dish.
Regards,
Dawn.

Tomato and Basil
Feta Cheese and Pumpkin or Kumara
Carrot and Ginger
Lamb and Anchovies or Olives
Cabbage and Bacon


There are plenty more these are just some simple combinations that I use, in a variety of ways. For example tomato and basil can be a pasta sauce, a salad, a pizza or brushetta. Pumpin and Feta can be a pasta dish, a salad, frittata or a quiche. Carrot and ginger could be a side dish or a soup or a juice.

I am probably guilty of sticking to the tried combinations rather than more innovative and using new ones!

Strawberries and feta.

...........also strawberries and black pepper.
D.

Onions and star anise - just add a tiny bit of star anise to your sweating onions. It boosts the meaty flavours via the magic of chemistry!!

-- Karl

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What Karl & Fiona have been cooking up!
[edibleplanet.wordpress.com]

Hi Karl
No sure what you mean by a tiny bit? do you take 1 star anise and grind it and then use a small pince? or do you just cut a little bit off?
John

Chocolate and Baileys.
Chips with mayonnaise.
Lime & ginger.
Chocolate & avocado.

Just break of one of the 'arms' of the star - that's usually enough. Remove it once you have finished sweating the onions. The sulphur compounds in the onion react with compounds in the star anise creating other compounds that enhance the 'meaty' flavours. It's a Heston Blumenthal trick and it actually works!

-- Karl

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What Karl & Fiona have been cooking up!
[edibleplanet.wordpress.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2010 08:23AM by summerfieldsfoods.

I was reading the above post by Lorna and thought yes yes yes and then what! Chocolate and Avocado - would never have thought of this combination! How do you prepare/serve this Lorna - I love them both so am up for trying although I have to say I am a little nervous....

Mint sauce as the coleslaw dressing and also as a dressing for diced avocado

Jean

Cheeselover, my favourite chocolate & avocado recipe, is Jus Alpukat which is an Indonesian drink made with 3 ripe avocados, 3 teaspoons sugar, 1 cup of skinny milk, some ice cubes and 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup. Blend all except the chocolate syrup.
Drizzle some chocolate sauce inside a tall glass, making a pleasing pattern down the sides. Pour in the shake and add a bit more chocolate sauce to the top. See a picture here:
[commons.wikimedia.org]

I also like chocolate-avocado smoothie done this way:
[pantrybites.com]

I have seen a recipe for a dairy free chocolate mousse made with avocado and chocolate. Havent been brave enough to try it as yet but may one day. It is meant to be very creamy and healthy of course.

Not only do Indonesians love their chocolate and avocado "juice" they also eat chocolate with cheese as in chocolate and cheese doughnuts, chocolate and cheese toasted sandwiches, chocolate and cheese filled bread rolls. The first time I saw chocolate and cheese doughnuts was at a breakfast buffet and thought the doughnuts'chocolate icing had slivered almonds sprinkled on top. When I ate it I soon found out they weren't almonds at all but slivers of cheese - just a mild cheddar. Surprisingly, it works!

I have been looking up about trying to make a soufle and guess what

Chocolate & eggs go together

working out whether I can make a soufle with a hand whisk etc..May just give it a miss ):

just come across this site
[blog.khymos.org]
and this site from above.... [foodpairing.be]

have to admit that I am quite excited now as in there seems to be a large variety of using an ingredient paired with another ingredient I would have not thought possible.

Many thanks for starting this thread cheesecake

John

maybe not surprising to some - but beetroot and lamb are great together. A new one for me.

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wendalls <3 food

Check out my blog here [takeawaysonthecouch.blogspot.com]