All three of them are citrus fruits, over use will often cause an acidic taste. Did you use the juice? If you did try using the zest next time, its not as powerful and doesnt overide the primary flavour of your dish.
I tend to stick by these rules:
Fruit:
Lemon - Poultry (exlucding duck) and Seafood
Orange - Duck (Possible pork in moderation)
Apple - Pork
Cranberry - Turkey
Herbs and spices (more easy to variate with these):
Rosemary - Lamb
Sage - Again poultry (an obvious one really as stuffing goes so well)
Pepper - Pork + Beef (sounds daft but a cream based pepercorn sauce goes so well with prok)
Garlic - Pretty much anything (wouldnt try with beef though)
Obviously the list is endless, cooking is all about trying new things but its also good to fall back on some of the basics sometimes. Just think about what ingredients you have seen put together before (Roast pork and apple sauce is a brilliant example, Apple and Pork = Pork chops fried in fresh apple and cider. Another good one being Roast turkey and cranberry sauce, Turkey and cranberry = Turkey breast with vodka and craberry sauce).
You just have to think about what complements different foods.
I made tonight (along with my dad, we often share cooking duty when im home) Lamb Shanks in mint gravy with roast spuds cooked with fresh rosemary (we grow it in the back garden) and garlic. Then served it with carrots, sugar snap peas and baby corn. Was lovely.
WOW when I seen you'd replied I was expecting a small piece of advise but my GOD I was certainly not expecting sooo much useful advise. I've been cooking for as long as I can remember helping out in the kichen with my grandmother or mother, but more recently I've become more involved and want to stop eatting the basic foods and start experimenting [FONT="]cultural cuisines. As I'm not a huge fan of a sunday roast
(I know I'm strange, no need to tell me) My brother has recently moved out so there is just my mother and myself, we take it in turns to prepare or prepare the meal together, but are used to cooking 'normal' family meals so all the advise given will be greatly [/FONT][FONT="]appreciated (thank you hun xx ) @ Question on zestWhen using the fruits I grated them then [/FONT][FONT="]squeezed the juices over meat. But also I then put the juices with the other stuff (which now I realise was TOO OVERPOWERING.) So I won't be doing that again, I think I'll just stick to complementing the meat alone.
@ Fruit: The apple and pork all I have to say is "hmmm" *thinks of the crisp bit of pork and drools* Oo is there anything else which would go well with cranberry due to turkey imo is only a festival meat (tbh I dont really like it as it's dry, even when moist :P)
@ Herbs and Spice: I use pepper in all my foods (well after they've been served I add to my own :P) Although I don't add any salt what so ever due to the dish already containing salt. I've used all the herbs you've named except rosemary which as I love lamb I will be trying that and keep you updated on how it went.
@ pure_fusion: Erm please explain why talking about people preparing meals is as you say "bullsh*t" as I'm a little confused how that is possible? Sorry to bring this in to the topic but is it because the majarity of this forum are males?? As to if it was my only answer to that would be, most of the people who have replied are 'older' guys who are in either college or uni and have learn't to cook purely because they either want a better lifestyle and health food or they have had to because they are fending for themselves.Most of the top chefs are males...
Once again to stonehelm, thank you darling for your advise, very much [/FONT][FONT="]appreciated. Oo and I would like to add, if your ever home alone and feel the need for cooking theres always a place at the foot of my cooker for you
:P xX Dream Xx
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