HungryChris

My own rendition of Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli HC

The last of the corned beef tongue, with baby Swiss on a burger roll with marinated artichoke hearts. HC

Cuban mojo rotisserie chicken. I did 2 because 1 is a gift for Deb's daughter and SIL. We had ours with salads. HC

Char grilled oysters, and steamer clams. HC

Mortadella with onions and peppers. HC

Fried zucchini with aioli. HC

Hickory smoked St Louis pork ribs, potato salad and leftover cole slaw with my own version of Piedmont BBQ sauce on the side. HC

Yesterday, I was given some fresh duck eggs, which I celebrated at breakfast this morning. Poached duck eggs, home fries, toast and fresh salsa. HC

I don't think I have ever seen "deli tongue", at least not around here. I had a corned beef tongue sandwich at the Second Avenue Deli once in New York City, but that has been the only time I have ever bought it in any other form than raw in the cryovac. And I always wait for the sale price. HC

Corned beef tongue and baby Swiss on seeded rye and a glass of buttermilk. HC

Crispy fried chicken drumsticks and thighs, and fresh Cole Slaw. HC

Stuffed shells and salads last night. HC

More duck soup. HC

Often, when I decide to have linguini with white clam sauce, I go with Stop & Shop chopped sea clams. Tonight, I did so, but added a garnish of the fresh mollusks to the mix. This is a meal we both enjoy greatly. It includes a heavy hand with garlic, some finely chopped shallots, chopped parsley, olive oil, and white wine, all reduced by half before the chopped clams are added. The washed fresh littlenecks go into the simmering sauce at the same time as the pasta goes into the boiling water. I have found that the clams will open at the same time the pasta is done. HC

Another grilled Reuben with corned beef tongue (on Aldi seeded rye). HC

Mustard greens and cheese omelet, home fries and fresh salsa. HC

Fried scallop dinner with spicy lemon garlic aioli and Shelby fries. HC

This is something I have been doing, off and on, for a number of years. Injecting plus 3 weeks cure is a method I have arrived at after experiencing spots of a "pot roast brown" appearance in the very center of the meat. It is just my method to insure that the cure penetrates completely. It also seems to contribute to a very tender product. @Shelby, go for it! I look foreword to hearing about your exploits! HC

Well, it's been just about 3 weeks and it's time for an update. Right after I took this pic, I took it out of the cryovac, trimmed a bit of fat off the bottom. Mixed up the brine (6 cups of water and 1 1/2 cup of Tender Quick), put the beef in the brine and injected it well, all over. Added some bay leaves, rosemary, black peppercorns, hot sauce and held it submerged with a dish, covered it and put it in the fridge for 3 weeks. In the past, I would braise it for about 3 hours, but this time I put in the IP with 2 cups of water, a splash of cider vinegar, more bay leaves, raw onions and unpeeled garlic. Cooked it for 90 minutes and released the pressure after 10 minutes. I ran it under cold water to get it cool enough to handle and the skin slipped off in one big piece. Then it went into the fridge to cool. It is much easier to slice when cold. Well, of course, I had to make a sandwich. I went for a Reuben. It just doesn't get much better than that! HC

HC

In defference to @suzilightning, I did try the Cholula chili lime hot sauce. It's good. I definitly can taste the chili tugging towards Mexico, but lime, not so much. Fresh lime flavor is an illusive taste, that seems to only come from the freshly squeezed source (I call your attention to the bar abomination called Rose's Lime Juice). Anyway, if I were having breakfast at say, La Salsa Cantina in the Showcase mall in Las Vegas (sipping a 99 cent bloody mary) , I would be all over it, but if I want a taste of the Big Easy, and I do most mornings, it's back to Crystal for me. Just saying. Now, I know @rotuts will be bringing up the green Tobasco, again, so I'll try that next. Home fries, fried eggs and snow peas. HC

Veal piccata, buttered noodles and garlic and lemon mustard greens. HC

Brie on rosemary and olive oil crackers, beet and onion salad with blue cheese crumbles and our favorite olives brought back from Italy. HC

Home fries cooked in the last bit of duck fat, poached eggs and some of my dwindling supply of shishitos. Trying to keep the bad taste out of my mouth as I head off to vote. HC

I have to side with rotuts on this. Like beef tongue, I was introduced to scrapple ( the porcine version of fried polenta) early in life and am still grateful that I was. HC