gulfporter

Blackened grilled salmon over corn/bacon/shallot fry, over baby spinach.

Spotted Dick 😎

Grilled shrimp and goat cheese crostini with pesto and pinenuts.

Shrimp with Candied Walnuts and Udon.

Moroccan Couscous Cakes. Great use of leftover couscous!

The mouth taste (read: sliminess) of the cold smoked salmon is a major turn-off. I only like hot-smoked salmon. We are lucky we have a Canadian expat here who smokes and sells it. Hot-smoked hold up better in dishes such as fettucine alfredo and our personal favorite: hot-smoked salmon with local goat cheese in grilled quesadillas with some chipotle.

Moroccan shrimp and Israeli couscous. Recipe, here, https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/quick-moroccan-shrimp-skillet/ I cooked a tad longer until toothsome. Had cold grilled shrimp leftovers, added that after cooking, during resting time. I added fresh garlic to the onions and then sautéed the spice mix. I hardly every follow any recipe completely 😎 Made my own version of Ras el Hanout, pretty close to this one, https://silkroadrecipes.com/wprm_print/1100 Very happy with results, will make again.

Rack of lamb with caramelized Brussels sprouts and cherry-chipotle dipping sauce.

Made mini pavlovas with them. Will get fresh strawberries tomorrow. This prototype I filled with some cherry preserves.

Short ribs.....sorta. Went to small local carnacerIa and asked for costillas (ribs) de res (beef). The owner showed me big long beef ribs. I asked, quisiera mas pequeño (I want smaller ones). He said puedo corte (I can cut them). Well, ok. They were very tender and meaty, made them in Instant Pot with a boatload of carrots and onions. Served over lumpy mashed potatoes with a ton of liquidy sauce. fyi, this butcher shop is on our plaza and is famous for the dogs that line up outside for bones. The dogs never fight, wait their turn patiently.

Wish the picture was better. Had a half ear of corn, made it into crispy corn fritters. Added as little flour and corn starch as I dared, pressed them into panko and let them rip. Super crispy! I used a liberal amount of salt and pimiento picante powder that I brought back from Spain in November. Topped with grilled shrimp.

I disagree: the worst candy concoction ever is Tootsie Rolls. When I lived in US I would buy 4 or 5 packs of Easter Peeps and poke the cellophane several times with a pencil. I'd let each pack sit a minimum of 2 weeks up to 6 weeks Try it and maybe you'll agree that Peeps are best when aged and a tad dry around the edges.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/father-of-peeps-innovator-of-marshmallow-candies-bob-born-dies-at-98#:~:text=Ira “Bob” Born%2C a,had died peacefully on Sunday.

Potato, bacon, onions and peppers hash, topped with burrata.

Was this Meal 5 or Meal 6 of leftover rotisserie chicken?? Went with a lighter salad. Besides the never-ending chicken: arugula, toasted pepitas (they popped and flew all over the kitchen!), caramelized shallots with a minute dollop of burrata. Dressing a lemon and Dijon vinaigrette.

Using up a large rotisserie chicken. Chicken salad with green apple, toasted pecans tossed with mayo, yogurt and a healthy dose of chipotle. Topped with cilantro.

Mi esposo made this cake again. It's fast become our favorite for both taste and easy prep. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023485-chocolate-self-saucing-cake

Arugula salad with toasted pecans and cranberries, topped with burrata. Dressing a simple lemon-garlic vinaigrette.

Forgot to plan ahead for a Lunar New Year recipe. Had grilled shrimp leftover in fridge and some nice toasted peanuts (MX peanuts are great!). Mixed up a sauce of various Asian shelf products....sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, soy, yuzu, hoisin then added grated ginger, fresh lime juice. To thicken a bit I made 1 tsp. corn starch slurry. Heated briefly to get the starch to take effect. Added the shrimp then a small bag of well-rinsed pre-cooked udon noodles. Cooled to just above room temperature. Plated and sprinkled with peanuts. Would have been better with green onions, but alas my intent to grow them from the bulbs remains, well, an intent 😎 Sorry no pic, but would make again. Happy Year of the Rabbit!

I also buy Idahoan instant here in Central Mexico. I don't use them often since mi esposo thinks carbs are the work of el diablo. I find they're best if you cut back the liquid and get as close to 'lumpy' as you can (without them being dry). I don't serve as a side per se, I use as a base for a "wet" dish. This week I am making an oxtail recipe in instant pot that comes out with a lot of gravy.

Grilled shrimp with fresh corn off cob, caramelized shallots and arugula over angel hair.