Ultimate Comfort Foods

[deano]

Mind blown re: mayo Dustin. I don't like it either. But is this like looking at that spider I'm super afraid of to overcome my fears? I can't decide.

[dgaddis]

Mind blown re: mayo Dustin. I don't like it either. But is this like looking at that spider I'm super afraid of to overcome my fears? I can't decide.

Mayo on grilled cheese won't make you like mayo. But it will make you like grilled cheese even more!

[David Tollefson]

For me with the grilled cheese, what puts it over the top is to sprinkle some shredded cheese on the grill and then put on the bread. It crisps up nicely, and gives it just that little extra.

[DOOFUS]

the blood of mine enemies

[zetroc]

My grandmother made the best chile colorado in the universe. I have yet to find anything that rivals it. And I still dream about it.

[htwoopup]

As Toots said, eggs over easy on rye toast. My Mom used to make a hole in the toast to put the egg in. Don't know if it is comfort because of the food or the memory.

As Dustin said, I HATE mayo but it is killer on grilled cheese for comfort food. But a little revise....I put mayo on one slice of bread. And mustard on the other. Guldens. Not that silly French's or other watery yellow stuff that is not mustard ATMO nor the frou-frou French mustard I get in Quebec (I have been known to run Gulden's over the border under the front seat of the Volvo).

Plus, a tomato under the cheese.

And if I am lucky and have a piece of ham in the fridge that under the cheese too. Or prosciutto, or bacon.

Basically pork makes it even better comfort food.

Which, speaking of my Mom again, is probably making her roll over in her urn.

And, speaking of pork, I always keep some home made pea soup frozen in the fridge in case of emergency. And, pea soup made with the left over bone from a good ham is just the best in making a comfort pea soup...with a slab of crusty bread slathered in real butter.

[donevwil]

Tonight's comfort food, chicken chile verde enchiladas. Tomatillos, white onion, garlic, serranos and cilantro are from our garden, for that added level of comfort.

[Too Tall]

Here are two oddball ones we will go to if the mood is right.

Roasted Garlic Head + bread >> Cut the top 1/3 off of a entire hand of hard neck garlic. Use a fork pointed straight down and poke a bunch of holes in the tops of all the cloves as if you were tenderizing meat. Sprinkle salt than drizzle heavily with EVO and place under a medium broiler until it slightly burns. Meantime, warm a baguette. When the garlic is done (shoot for 10 mins. you might have to cycle the oven in order not to have a fire) use a kitchen towel to wrap the hand of garlic and use that to squeeze the cooked garlic onto a plate. Go nuts. Stay away from friends for a day.

Brie Heart Attack >> Similar to above. Break the surface of a REALLY good Brie, add a pat of butter or substitute EVO and place in a hot oven for 10 mins. Slivered almonds are optional. When done use a warm baguette and go nuts.

Neither of the above are socially acceptable items for a gathering, best done in private.

[giordana93]

French onion soup done right

[guido]

Here are two oddball ones we will go to if the mood is right.

Roasted Garlic Head + bread >> Cut the top 1/3 off of a entire hand of hard neck garlic. Use a fork pointed straight down and poke a bunch of holes in the tops of all the cloves as if you were tenderizing meat. Sprinkle salt than drizzle heavily with EVO and place under a medium broiler until it slightly burns. Meantime, warm a baguette. When the garlic is done (shoot for 10 mins. you might have to cycle the oven in order not to have a fire) use a kitchen towel to wrap the hand of garlic and use that to squeeze the cooked garlic onto a plate. Go nuts. Stay away from friends for a day.

Brie Heart Attack >> Similar to above. Break the surface of a REALLY good Brie, add a pat of butter or substitute EVO and place in a hot oven for 10 mins. Slivered almonds are optional. When done use a warm baguette and go nuts.

Neither of the above are socially acceptable items for a gathering, best done in private.

I think enthusiasm for garlic is one of the critical factors in friend selection... If they wouldn't join in I'd have real second thoughts...

[Too Tall]

French onion soup done right

Well....don't be circumspect. Make with the details.

[giordana93]

Well....don't be circumspect. Make with the details.

sorry for the terseness; was replying via tiny iphone se, and I was just nominating a great comfort food.... But I do make some occasionally My best ones really start with a cheat: I make an onion beef broth for use in Quebec-style "Fondue chinoise" which is similar to Chinese hot pot. i.e. one (well, dinner guests) cooks thin strips of beef in a bullion. At the end of the fondue dinner, there is invariably some extra meat floating in the pot of now super rich beef broth. My last fondue pot in fact had a starter from the dripping/stock from a pulled pork slow cook, and that is kinda the point of a proper French Onion soup: it starts with leftovers: a stock made up from your roast beef & veggies (peels allowed if you have the patience for that kind of thing) or bone-in something; plus crusty old French bread-you know how it gets hard as a rock; that's an asset as a topper to a soup as it resists getting soggy (if it's fresh, you should dry it out in the oven or by leaving it out cut and unwrapped a few hours); and any good cheese hanging out in the fridge that gets melted on top. gruyère is traditional, but brie, mozz, hell, why not some goat? will do as well. If I'm planning ahead for this specifically (and it is normally part of the fondue broth) I'll carmelize the onions then deglaze with some red wine before adding the stock and cook it down to the right richness (careful with salt content; less is more before reduction if you know what I mean)

[Too Tall]

Giordana >>> that "cheat" is pure gold. I never would have thought of it. I'm a gruyère man. Thanks.

[htwoopup]

My Quebecois better half does essentially what Giordana said above using vermouth instead of other wine. She also tries to use more than one kind of white onion...for instance Vidalia and Sweet White and whatever else she has in the onion bag. And Swiss Emmenthal cheese. But in both recipes they will be very comfy especially in one of those crocks right from the oven.

[rainy rider]

My wife makes an awesome chicken pot pie loaded with potatoes, veggies, etc. Pairing a slice or two with a good porter or stout makes a great hearty meal on a cold fall or winter night.