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thistlechaserIt should come as no surprise to anyone who has been reading my LJ for a while that I don't like vegetable. I'll eat lettuce on rare occasion, but iceberg is my lettuce of choice and that's nothing but crunchy water. Corn is the only one I like, but it hardly counts as a vegetable.
This week's recipe is more than half vegetable, and no one would ever know it. Even me, who peers and stares and pokes at food to make sure nothing icky is hidden in it would never ever know there was a single vegetable in it (other than tomato, but all sloppy joes have that).
Full recipe here, but it's basically a sloppy joe with carrot, a half of zucchini, and a whole pepper, as well as onion and garlic.
I followed the recipe almost exactly. At the last moment I realized I hadn't figured out what I would do about "creole mustard" (I had never heard of it previously). I have dijon mustard, but I decided to just skip it instead of guessing if that would be okay or not.
Tasting it when done, it was a bit bland, so I used my new friend garlic salt. A few good shakes perked it right up.
On one hand, it came out perfect. It doesn't taste like vegetables at all. If pressed, I'd say it's a touch sweet, but that's not a bad thing. On the other hand, I've learned I really dislike chili powder. I used slightly less than called for (I worried it would be spicy, and I don't like things even mildly spicy), but even that is overpowering. Every bite had the chili powder flavor, and I really don't like it.
It's less sloppy than I'm used to (I suspect sloppy joes are like pizza and everyone has a different idea of it).
Oddly, adding ketchup improves it a lot. (I think it covers the chili powder some.)
Assuming you have most things on hand already, it would be really cheap to make. Unfortunately I had to buy everything, including the worcestershire sauce and two spices, each were about $6. As the recipe says, it basically doubles your meat for you. I have a darned big pot full, for only a pound of meat.
I'm almost done with my sandwich. It's really a shame about the chili powder, this would be 100% perfect if it were replaced with some other flavor. (I think I might increase the tomatoes and tomato paste if I made this again, that'd make it "sloppier", too.) *laughs* It's funny, each bite reinforces that I really don't like chili powder. It's not hot or spicy, it just has a really odd flavor.
So, if you have picky kids or don't like veggies yourself or just want a healthier version of sloppy joes, I'd highly recommend this! Just adjust the spices as needed.
Edit: Sandwich #2, after it's been in the fridge for a few hours and reheated, has no chili powder flavor at all. Interesting!
This week's recipe is more than half vegetable, and no one would ever know it. Even me, who peers and stares and pokes at food to make sure nothing icky is hidden in it would never ever know there was a single vegetable in it (other than tomato, but all sloppy joes have that).
Full recipe here, but it's basically a sloppy joe with carrot, a half of zucchini, and a whole pepper, as well as onion and garlic.
I followed the recipe almost exactly. At the last moment I realized I hadn't figured out what I would do about "creole mustard" (I had never heard of it previously). I have dijon mustard, but I decided to just skip it instead of guessing if that would be okay or not.
Tasting it when done, it was a bit bland, so I used my new friend garlic salt. A few good shakes perked it right up.
On one hand, it came out perfect. It doesn't taste like vegetables at all. If pressed, I'd say it's a touch sweet, but that's not a bad thing. On the other hand, I've learned I really dislike chili powder. I used slightly less than called for (I worried it would be spicy, and I don't like things even mildly spicy), but even that is overpowering. Every bite had the chili powder flavor, and I really don't like it.
It's less sloppy than I'm used to (I suspect sloppy joes are like pizza and everyone has a different idea of it).
Oddly, adding ketchup improves it a lot. (I think it covers the chili powder some.)
Assuming you have most things on hand already, it would be really cheap to make. Unfortunately I had to buy everything, including the worcestershire sauce and two spices, each were about $6. As the recipe says, it basically doubles your meat for you. I have a darned big pot full, for only a pound of meat.
I'm almost done with my sandwich. It's really a shame about the chili powder, this would be 100% perfect if it were replaced with some other flavor. (I think I might increase the tomatoes and tomato paste if I made this again, that'd make it "sloppier", too.) *laughs* It's funny, each bite reinforces that I really don't like chili powder. It's not hot or spicy, it just has a really odd flavor.
So, if you have picky kids or don't like veggies yourself or just want a healthier version of sloppy joes, I'd highly recommend this! Just adjust the spices as needed.
Edit: Sandwich #2, after it's been in the fridge for a few hours and reheated, has no chili powder flavor at all. Interesting!
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-09 05:56 am (UTC)I had a similar experience in some ways... I haven't ever made chili for myself, so we polled a few friends for vegetarian chili options. We bought 3 cans of tomatoes, 3 cans of beans, sauteed some fresh chopped onion and garlic, and threw it all together. Then came the spices: chili powder, sage, thyme, parsley, and a bit of cayenne pepper. I was surprised that the chili powder is actually pretty mild compared to cayenne... it's got some heat to it but it's mostly kinda... smoky. I looked in the ethnic foods section and bought a small packet of a different chili in powdered form, which was even more dark and smoky.
Anyway, it turned out pretty great, will probably make it again. It was a bit pricey from buying the spices, but second time around will be much cheaper. If I can buy dry beans and soak them, it will be much much cheaper.
I wonder if it is the hotness you don't like, or the flavor of chilis even if they are not hot, or both?
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Date: 2011-01-09 06:08 am (UTC)Just the flavor. Surprisingly the chili had no heat at all. Just an odd, harsh flavor. Sharp, kind of. Stood out too much from everything else. (Though happily time in the fridge and then reheating settled it right down!)
If it had had heat, that would have been a real issue for me; even 'mild' level spice is way too spicy for me.
The friend who recommended the recipe said it tasted a lot like chili (and he sometimes eats it over rice or noodles), so I guess it makes sense it tasted that way.
It was a bit pricey from buying the spices, but second time around will be much cheaper.
That's what I keep running into. I keep having to buy the spices every time I want to cook. One day I will try something I already have all the spices for!
I have so many spices I finally had to buy a spice "rack". A spiffy two-level lazy susan that fits in the cabinet! Really handy.
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Date: 2011-01-09 08:57 am (UTC)Hahahhaha this sounds exactly like me although I occasionally will eat broccoli.
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Date: 2011-01-11 06:07 pm (UTC)as for worcestershire sauce, you can also use it in french onion soup (which is suuuuuuper easy. you just slice onions, saute them in butter, when they've caramelized, add beef broth, worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon) & bay leaf)
the cumin & chili powder, you can make chili with it. that's also pretty easy, too. (soak dried beans overnight. boil beans in fresh water. turn off heat & cover for an hour or two (cover after you turn off heat, so it doesn't boil over). braise beef, ground pork & ground lamb in another pot. remove meat. saute onions & tomatoes (green peppers optional). add meat & beans. add cumin (maybe 1 Tablespoon if it's whole seeds, i crush them before adding) & chili (maybe 1 teaspoon if you don't like it much). i'll often cheat & add pork broth to enhance the flavor.)
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Date: 2011-01-11 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2011-03-01 07:32 pm (UTC)So, you don't like veggies, huh? Would you be offended if I started asking you random questions in gchat, or even in your posts? ...as if that wasn't a random question right there. RIGHT!
Anyway, not necessarily trying to get you to do anything, but like...why don't you like veggies, what flavors do you like, etc. I'm...obsessed with cooking and such, and I love veggies and have tons of recipes. They're actually pretty cheap too, so with you being so close to a farmer's market, you could make 'em for less than two bucks and not have lost much if they make you hurl.
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Date: 2011-03-01 08:06 pm (UTC)My rule on questions: You can ask me anything you like! If I find it too personal or don't want to answer for some other reason, then I reserve the right to make up an answer. ;)
Yeah, I really don't like veggies. I'll eat corn (mmm) and sometimes lettuce, but that's about it.
Anyway, not necessarily trying to get you to do anything, but like...why don't you like veggies, what flavors do you like, etc
Mostly it's the texture. Sometimes I'll try something and be all "ewww it's like eating grass!" or "ugh, I feel like I'm eating a plant! ...wait".
I was a highly picky eater as a kid and no one ever forced me to try things, so I never learned to eat them. My diet is REALLY narrow (I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch every day for five years after graduating college, never once had anything else).
Probably amusingly: I was a vegetarian for many, many years. Still didn't eat veggies, but didn't eat meat either. So really, I was a carbovore. Eventually I went back to meat because it had to be healthier.
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Date: 2011-03-01 08:40 pm (UTC)Texture huh? Okay, have you tried something like Fennel, or maybe roasted carrots? Have you tried roasting veggies period?
What types of spices do you like or not like? I read where you love garlic salt, so have you tried onion salt?
Do you like mushrooms at all? Have you ever tried cooking veggies with something, like in the sloppy joes? I'm talking a tomato sauce for pasta or something.
*Sits and waits for answers*
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Date: 2011-03-01 09:24 pm (UTC)The only spice I don't like is cilantro (I'm one of those folks who taste it as soap). Do you know about sub/normal/super tasters? I'm a super taster, which doesn't generally help me like them.