What's your 'signature' dish?

Cafe Society
1

Even though I’m a bloody marvelous cook in general, when it’s a family birthday or other special occasion, it’s always the same old requests.

For finger food, I have to make many batches of sausage rolls. (In fact, there’s a tray in the oven as we speak…kid birthday in two days)

For sit-down, it’s always roast pork (with crackling) and lashings of roast veg. Chocolate mud-cake w/raspberry coulis is expected too.

All my meals of course are superlative (heh).

What do your friends or family EXPECT of you when it comes to cooking that special thing?

2

I don’t know that I really have such a dish.

I’d love your sausage roll recipe, though. :slight_smile:

3

I don’t know about expecting me to - but I get frequent requests for tostadas, portobello fajitas, and veggie lasagna (with white sauce).

4

It’s dead simple:

1 pkt of puff pastry
Sausage mince
Finely diced onion
Chopped parsley
LOTS of pepper.

(For 750gm of mince, I generally add one onion, and a good handful of parsley) You can also add grated carrot and other vegies like zucchini and potato too if you like!

Mix the mince, onion, parsley and pepper together. For each sheet of pastry, cut it into three…run a small tube of mix down the length. Roll the pastry over to cover, smear some eggwash down the length, then seal by making some crimps with a fork.

Place on oven tray, do an eggwash over the rolls, cut into quarters, then cook for app 15-20 min @190 degrees. (Less for fan forced).

Good hot or cold…and delish. AND dead easy, if a little messy when it comes time to wash your hands of the mince mix later!

BTW, this makes approximately 48-50 sausage rolls. :slight_smile:

5

Looks easy enough, and tasty. I think my DH would like this. Thanks!

6

I make a great apple pie, but haven’t had occasion to make it for many other people, yet. That may change soon.

There’s also a dish that I had in Grenada and taught myself to make. I knew my mother would love it, and it was easier than dragging her to Grenada. It’s chicken coated with coconut and served with an orange-mustard sauce. Yum.

7

I have a nephew who is always begging me to make him my ‘special’ quiche. I have no idea what he is talking about, because my quiches are anything but special. Either he is mistaking me for someone else, or I fluked a brilliant one, ONCE, whilst he was living with me a few years ago.

Rest assured, it probably isn’t going to be repeated. :smiley:

8

Don’t really have one but I am a popular source for tips - I love to make stuff up.

I have a friend who lives in the Lebanese part of Sydney and loves the food. Whenever I see him he gives me some of his latest purchases. Often it is uncooked kibbeh. To get rid of it promptly and enjoyably I turn it into hamburger patties or sausage roll filling. He gets good stuff and it makes awesome herby, lamby sausage rolls and patties.

9

I haven’t made a pie in years, but on my agenda is a caramel apple pie. I’ve never had one, it just sounds like the natural order of things. And delicious.

10

Have you ever made him quiche again, and did he complain it wasn’t what he remembered? Any particular ingredients he remembers?

I accidentally stumbled into what is now one of my favorite omelets - crimini mushrooms, white cheddar, fresh spinach, artichoke hearts and braised asparagus.

11

If you do arrive at a good one, please let me know? :slight_smile:

12

Nah, never made another one, I keep telling him he has early onset Alzheimer’s…he’s 32. :smiley:

13

Note: That’s 190C. You might want to boost the temperature to 375F if you think 30 degrees is a chilly day and you don’t suffer serious burns when you spill 110 degree water on yourself.

Kam, I stir chutney into my sausage rolls these days. It’s really good. I usually use Mrs H. S. Ball’s Chutney; that stuff is awesome.

14

I think I might have noticed that you were writing in British :), but thanks for making sure that was clear. :slight_smile:

15

I make awesome fried rice. Everyone has seconds

And I often get asked to make cheesecake or cupcakes with experimental flavours (most of my experiments turn out well)

16

You seem cluey enough, but you never know who else is reading. :slight_smile:

17

For better or worse, it’s Martha Stewart’s macaroni and cheese. Every thanksgiving, every meal with family or friends, that’s what people want. People swear they try to make it and it isn’t the same.

I use two blocks of Cracker Barrel Vermont Sharp White Cheddar, one regular-size canister of Meijer brand grated parmesan & romano with half reserved for topping, and leave out the bread crumb topping. Meijer brand Cavatappi for the pasta.

18

gingernut biscuits

19

Head of cabbage quartered and cooked over sliced kielbasa sauteed in butter and garlic and onions. Splash or two of wine and a little liquid of your choice, cover and simmer until the cabbage is just soft at the nub. Sliced tomatoes, ears of corn, corn bread, hot sauce, peppers if you have them, and iced tea. Never fails to amaze. But I guess you have to like that sort of thing.

20

It’s hard to say, really, but going by what is asked for the most, it’d probably be bacon chipotle mac 'n cheese.