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Thanks, Bella! The cooking technique is pretty simple - the key is to use a good quality dry scallop. If the scallop is shedding liquid it is hard to get that nice caramelized sear. The scallops were coated in olive oil, the presentation side was seared first in a fairly hot pan and then turned and cooked at a lower temperature until the center was cooked to just barely medium.

Mano de Leon scallop. Snap peas, beans and beet green stems. Warm potato salad with bacon.

Ahh, smoking season! We've had the smoker fired up a few times in the last month or so, and are looking forward to much more to come. Quick-smoked (about an hour) tri-tip - with a temperature-probe hole through it for authenticity :-) Smoked homemade bratwurst: While the bratwurst was smoking underneath, we did almonds on top. It was our first attempt at smoking almonds, and they were very nice as a snack to accompany a cocktail.

Yum! I love having leftover pulled pork in the freezer - such great flavor.

That looks awesome!

Miso Ramen

Fantastic! I love the idea of using pickled vegetables in the sausage (although I'd probably still want some more on top).

Veal Sweetbreads with Marsala Shallot Sauce. Chard with Bacon. Roast Potato Wedges.

Wow does that look good!

No need to apologize - those pictures were great!

Now THAT looks amazing. How far away are you? Thanks! We're just a wee bit down the coast :-) The dish was an ingredient-adjusted version of a recipe from The Balthazar Cookbook ("Cod with Cockles and Parsley"). There are a bunch of really terrific fish recipes in that book.

Local day-boat sea bass with clams

Huevos Rancheros

Fettuccine with shrimp and squid in a saffron cream sauce

Fried rice with smoked duck and quail eggs:

I made a batch of these yesterday. Is this the right kind of bean curd to use? It was cut into cubes, but had a more brownish color than that pictured by Ah Leung. I did 3 12oz packages of nuts. For the sauce I used 5 chunks of bean curd. I wok-roasted the nuts one package at a time. After roasting, I put the nuts in a cold pan, stirred in about half of the sauce and put them in the oven pre-heated to 350°F. I did four 10-minute intervals, stirring after each (and adding some more sauce the first few times until I ran out). My nuts didn't seem like they were done (still chewy), so I upped the temperature to 400° for another 15 minutes. I didn't have any trouble with burning. They still seemed chewy to me and I was worried they wouldn't turn out, but they got nice and crunchy once they cooled. Very tasty. I think I might use more bean curd next time, though.

Good stuff, Prawncrackers - particularly that hot and spice spread! What is the source of the rendang recipe you use?

Our current version is a cross between Mario Batali's and Marcella Hazan's. The Batali recipe is online here.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Breaking the yolk: and after it had been swirled through: This was the first time we mixed the yolk in at the table, and by far our best version of this dish yet.

Fantastic looking spread, Baron. Particularly that turkey pâté en croûte.

I use a crappy little pot that doesn't hold heat well (which I think actually helps). I put kernels in to pretty much fill up one layer on the bottom, add oil until the are covered partway up, and move things around until they are well coated. I put a top on so that it mostly covers, but still leaves a vent for steam. Not open so much that you get escapees, though. It is a delicate balance... Then meduim-high heat and just leave it alone - no shaking. I used to shake, but have managed to cure myself of that habit. When popping starts to slow, I take it off the heat. When the popping really slows, I pour it out. Perfect.

Sure - the recipe, along with pictures of the process is online here: Cochinita Pibil.

Thanks, Ce'nedra. The Birria is a recipe from Rick Bayless' Authentic Mexican. The Pibil we make using a recipe that is a mixture of one from Rick Bayless' Mexico One Plate at a Time and the video recipe included the dvd of the Robert Rodriguez movie Once Upon a Time in Mexico. The tacos we just improvised.

Really enjoyed reading this whole thread, Chris. Thanks!

For some reason, we've been on a slow-cooked Mexican dish kick lately. Birria de Chivo: Cochinita Pibil: Tacos de Cabeza: