Saturday, June 6, 2009

Don't believe everything you read

My one faithful reader, Ryan Kelly, has asked me quite nicely to update this blog - so I am trying to get back to our regularly scheduled programming and to stop whining about our governor, Charlie Crist.

I am writing this particular post for two reasons. One is because they have sirloin tip roasts on sale at Sweetbay this week for $1.99 a pound.
I usually buy what is on sale and fell for this cut of meat a few weeks ago when it was on sale at Publix. I have not had a lot of success cooking sirlion tip roasts but it was a price I couldn't refuse. Thinking that maybe it was me, I searched the internet high and low for recipes. I came across one titled Herb-Rubbed Sirlion Tip Roast here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Herb-Rubbed-Sirloin-Tip-Roast/Detail.aspx

The author of one review seemed to have shared my past disappointment and found a way to take advantage of this economical cut.
"This is the First sirloin tip roast that I have made that turned out to excel in flavor and texture. I have tried many times before to make a tip roast with them all ending up to be tough and dry. Your recipe produced comments by all, that it tasted just like prime rib! It was tender and juicy and flavorful. It turned out excellent!"
There were 414 mostly glowing reviews. I figured that many people couldn't possibly be wrong, could they? In a word, yes, yes they could.

The other warning is this, if you see a recipe that proclaims itself to be the best one ever, proceed with care.
I love lasagna. I like it with ricotta, I like it made with cottage cheese. I like it with bechamel and without bechamel, with meat and without. Ever searching for another way to make it I came across this recipe here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/the_best_lasagn/
This recipe has been reposted several places and is always accompanied by page after page of rave reviews.

With much anticipation, I decided to disregard my apprehensions as to the ingredients and make this dish.
Very rarely do I follow a recipe exactly as it is written, maybe it's just against my nature to follow orders, but when I made this lasagna I followed the instructions to the letter.

I just asked William if he remembered that lasagna and he asked, with fear in his voice, "You're not thinking about making that again, are you?"
It was inedible - even Jack, my Irish Setter, wouldn't eat it.
Tomorrow I will post a recipe for a lasagna that was truly exceptional - in a good way.

Grilled Eggplant Lasagna
Now I feel like I need to add a disclaimer: