weinoo

I received a fairly humongous delivery the other day: Let's just say this was part of it; the counter on the opposite side was covered with stuff as well. Shopping during these times is much different than I was used to, where I'd go out 4 or 5 times a week to different places, bring home a little from here, a little from there, etc. Now I deal with practically a week's worth of groceries at one time - and it's a pain in the ass, as I've basically been prepping and cooking for 2 days; I feel like a caterer, and I thought I gave that career up! Any way, where was I? Oh right - it's also so damn hot here, and the hottest room in our small apartment is, of course, the kitchen. So I wanted to move into some Middle Eastern/Med salads, cold soups, etc. - stuff that I can pull out of the fridge and put it on a plate with very little other work, once it's all been prepared. To help, I pulled a few books off the shelf: Simply for inspiration. And I started cleaning, prepping and cooking. Always lots of trimmings, so vegetable stock was made right off the bat. I'm not a huge fan of lentils, but Rancho Gordo's were calling to me from the pantry, hence the lentil salad above was made - and it's not bad. Not much unusual going on in the salad; dressed while warm with vinaigrette. (I did make a garlic oil, by heating up some EVOO with a lot of minced garlic in it; it almost burned, because I walked away, but then smelled garlic cooking and ran back to the kitchen and caught it just in time.) Anyway, lentils are more to my liking when they're served cold (or tepid), as opposed to hot or as soup. And Significant Eater loves lentils lots, so there! Next: Sort of a faux tabouli - no tomatoes, and probably more bulgur than in a classic tabouli. As Claudia calls it, a bulgur salad. Good. Next: Was gonna go with a classic macaroni salad, the picnic staple of my youth, had my youth included picnics - it didn't. Anyway, this non-classic macaroni salad is a little more developed than one with tons of mayo; there's a little mayo (Duke's!), that garlic oil, some lovely white wine vinegar, mustard, herbs, pimentos, etc. etc. To Significant Eater, macaroni salad memories mean much more. Not shown - a pint of pesto, made sans cheese. I think I learned this from Marcella - to make the pesto in the food processor, and add the cheese after, for better texture. Also, I froze the pre-cheese pesto in large cube trays, and I think it freezes better without the cheese, and it's not hard to add the cheese when throwing the pasta together (with potatoes, for that authentic feel). To Significant Eater, pasta, potatoes, pesto - perfect. Not shown - a big batch or borscht, as 2 lbs. of beets came along with the delivery. Steam-girl roasted in foil till well cooked (these were big beets, and they took a good hour). I grated one (for textural appeal), and the rest went into the blender with some full-fat yogurt, some less fat kefir, dill, a few house pickled red onions, etc. etc. To Significant Eater, (cold) beet borscht be best.

Yes - even though the instructions may say otherwise, I do the same. It's nice to get all the parts good and hot before bread or pizza, especially if I'm putting the small pizza stone in there.

I guess when I learned about, and even took cooking classes about "Chinese" cooking (as if there's any one Chinese cooking), it was always garlic, ginger and scallions. Since I cook a fair amount of Spanish rice based dishes, the sofregits/sofritos are often trinities of garlic, peppers, and tomato. Surprisingly, onions are often not considered essential to paellas. Italy, for me, is onion, carrots, and celery. Garlic makes an appearance when necessary, but probably less called for than Americans think (see Marcella).

The holy grail! And so lovely to be able to cook it outside on the BGE...great job! And great minds... Not paella, but a close cousin - soupy rice with chicken and duck and a little chorizo. Gotta have some greens...

Dinner was a production. Literally... Much of the mise for dumpling production. Then I got a bright idea... To not only make pork wontons, but also make some out of duck. And here putting to use my grandma's chopping bowl and hockmesser, to chop up some raw duck with some of the other ingredients. It worked great. I'm way beyond making these one at a time. I made a lot - like 30 or so with duck, and 60 with pork. Now, if I could only remember which were which. The triangles are made so that they can be pan fried (I'll try actual potsticker shapes soon). Boiled and fried dumplings, stir-fried cabbage, dipping stuff.

Thank you - I actually just cover almost the whole pan for like 30 seconds, almost steams it a little, I guess.

Before... And after... Been making crisps lately; they're so easy and fool proof. This one is blueberry, strawberry, and peach.

Last night's Sichuan chicken with snow peas, carrots, and celery. Over jasmine rice. Spicier than it looks.

Franci, I find (as do many chefs) that frozen Bird's Eye or Green Giant BABY SWEET PEAS are quite good. It's one of those products where, in most cases, they're better than fresh peas, unless you're going out to your backyard and picking them that day. In fact, I almost always have a bag or two in my freezer.

Jambon de Bayonne, 2 melons. Served with a simple borscht I whizzed up from some house pickled beets, sour cream, kefir, dill.

I'm a simple man; therefore, Romaine lettuce, tomato and cucumber. French vinaigrette which I make weekly and keep in the fridge.

To me, a rotisserie is neither - rather, it allows the bird to baste itself as it rotates slowly.

I think RR was replying to LZ. Anyway, a bird allowed to get older will most certainly get bigger.

But sometimes it's a chef, shall we say, pleasuring himself.

Do you have a grill set up with a rotisserie. Nothing like a good rotisseried bird.

Nothing like our east coast littlenecks.

Good breads they do make. Lots of good bread (certainly, lots more than 20 years ago) is/was being made in our city.

I hope he remebered the trip - it was 18 years ago.

First of all - Happy Birthday! Second, I know what that crab costs at Wu's, and I'm glad to see your wine matching up with it. Too bad you couldn't be sitting around a big, round table at Wu's, but your wine is probably at a better temp at home. Though much fun has been had with wine at Wu's. Thank you! Heat had nothing to do with the salad, though; perhaps just the light? It's a Caesar like dressing, only missing the coddled egg (and croutons, obv.).

They'll walk away - until they're hungry enough. Shit - I was cooking for myself (and some others) when I was 14.

This was the night before the lamb ribs. Simple tomato sauce, shrimp over casarecce. Some sort of green vegetable on the side.

Have you ever tried making just one or two things (it's known that there are food allergies) and see what happens? I would think if people get hungry enough, they'll eat. In any event, last night... Caesar. Lamb ribs, slow roasted in the steam girl, then blasted under her broiler to crisp up. Japanese short-grain brown rice. Sautéed mushrooms. My brown period.

Speaking of Alinea... I wonder - could you ask the kitchen to leave out the coronavirus inspired dish? https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/07/08/alinea-made-a-coronavirus-themed-dish-its-not-going-over-well/

I've had some good luck with World Market, and they have a decent free shipping policy too. @Franci - have you ever been to Marky's? It's a fun store, with lots of high end stuff. https://www.markys.com/showroom.html

How's the water table under the house?