The Washington Post’s Food staff recently discussed all things edible. Here are edited excerpts from that chat.
Recipes can be found in The Post’s Recipe Finder at washingtonpost.com/recipes.
Q: I just saw a recipe for butternut squash and apple soup that looks fantastic, but it calls for bacon, and we don’t eat pork. Can I substitute turkey bacon or should I leave it out? Is there some other non-pork item that will add flavor?
A: I’d go with turkey bacon. Or you could add Spanish smoked paprika to get that smoky flavor. — Kara Elder
Q: Suddenly I’m seeing recipes that call for toasted sugar. Is this a new culinary meme? Can it be bought or does it have to be made — and if so, how?
A: I’m going to pin the blame and credit on this for Stella Parks, the pastry genius in residence at Serious Eats. Everything you’ll ever want to know about toasted sugar is in a blog post of hers: www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/05/dry-toasted-sugar-granulated-caramel-recipe.html. — Becky Krystal
Q: We would like a hearty, one-pot, warming dish this weekend. What beef stew and veggie chili recipes do you recommend?
A: I know when people think of chili, they typically think of Texas and Southwestern flavors: cumin, coriander, chili powder, etc. But I’d encourage you to try the recipe for Paneer and Butternut Squash Kashmiri Chili, a subcontinental take on chili. As for a beef stew, you can’t go wrong with Anthony Bourdain’s Boeuf Bourguignon. It remains one of the most popular recipes on our site, for good reason. — Tim Carman
Q: What is the minimum size stock pot you would recommend for someone trying to make soup for the first time (with carcasses rather than just using purchased stock)? My largest pot is eight quarts, and it is a tight fit even making spaghetti sauce.
A: I’d say you need at least a 12-quart pot if you plan to make stock with animal carcasses.
This weekend, I simmered a 7-pound octopus in a 12-quart stock pot. It was a tight fit! I think I’ll be investing in a 15-quart pot in the near future. — T.C.
Q: My beloved sister-in-law gave me a bottle of vanilla extract that she made for Christmas. What kind of recipe should I be looking for that would best show it off?
A: One that’s lighter on other flavors, like maybe a panna cotta or cookie (if you didn’t eat enough of those last month, that is!). — K.E.
Q: One of my New Year’s resolutions is to learn to make yogurt, and my yogurt maker arrives today. Try though I might, I don’t like most fruits (exceptions are apple, lemon, banana, orange and pineapple), but I find plain yogurt too tart. Any ideas for flavoring homemade plain yogurt using those fruits or with other things (maybe honey, maple syrup, or chocolate?) to cut the tartness?
A: You’re on the right track. Adding fruit or syrups is the best way to cut the tartness.
You can use a blender and pulse a small amount of banana into the yogurt until you reach the desired sweetness. You could also mix in a spoonful of, say, orange compote to do the same thing. Or just pour in a little maple syrup. I would avoid using granulated sugar since it won’t dissolve well enough to blend into the yogurt. — T.C.
Q: I have the usual olive-drab colored lentils and also a bag of the red ones and a smaller amount of yellow. Can I mix them up or do they have different cooking times?
A: I wouldn’t mix the red/orange/yellow ones with the green/brown ones, because the former really disintegrate into a dish (which is great for some purposes) and the latter don’t. And yes, the latter take longer to cook. — Joe Yonan
Q: Does coconut milk taste like coconuts? I hate the flavor of coconut, but am a vegetarian and see coconut milk in a lot of recipes that I’ve shied away from for fear of not liking the taste.
A: It does. You could try other milk, though — dairy, soy, nut milk, etc. Or try the refrigerated kind of coconut milk, which is a little lighter on the coconut flavor. (Although if you hate it, might be best to just avoid it!) — K.E.
Q: I’m a vegetarian, and I find myself consistently adding butter/cheese to dishes for that creamy, fatty element. Short of adding avocados to everything, what is a more healthy way to add that element to dishes?
A: Have you tried tahini? I love it, and it often gives just that thing. I’m a new fan of the brand Mighty Sesame because it comes in a squeeze bottle (and is delicious), which has just increased my use of an already beloved ingredient tenfold. I recently added some to my morning oatmeal and … whoa. — J.Y.
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