Dinner! 2012

[huiray]

Nice to see all that (non-SV) duck being served over the 24th /25th Dec for dinner. :-) All look very tasty!

[Mr Holloway]

Thanks Rotuts

Here is a link some info,

http://ruhlman.com/2009/03/duck-prosciutto/

really as simple as

packing the breast in salt for 24hrs

then rinse,pat dry, wrap in cheescloth and hang till firm

Give it a try and let us know what you think

Shane

[Mr Holloway]

Great holiday meals everyone

Two turkeys this year

one in the oven

one on the Egg

Mad Max turkey on the Egg was the clear winner

Shane

[C. sapidus]

I love seeing everyone’s holiday meals.

No pictures, but a delightful Christmas open house with the theme, “And now for something completely different” (which describes the guests and hosts as well as the food . . .).

One of the guests runs a restaurant and brought her wonderful cream of crab soup (with huge chunks of crab) and her equally wonderful cappuccino brownies. Mrs. C took care of snacky things like chicken-cashew pate, crock pot meatballs, raw veggies and dips, cookies, and mulled wine.

We served potato rendang (Cradle of Flavor) and the braised beef and potatoes from Revolutionary Chinese Cooking (with toban djian, cinnamon stick, and star anise), both made earlier, and a big pot of basmati rice with spices.

The most successful (and most un-repeatable) dish was the East-West Buffalo wings. For the first batch I inadvertently turned the Egg into an 800F smoke-billowing ball of flame. I cut the air way back and went off to grumble for a while. When I came back the wings, by some miracle, were perfectly cooked and wonderfully smoky. Guests fought over the wings.

The second batch, cooked more conventionally, lacked the same magic.

[ScottyBoy]

Christmas roast is something I dream about all year!

[rotuts]

looking at that pic, I just died and went to heaven!

very nicely trimmed, BTW. Im not a fan of those blobs of fat left on and around the meat. And decently thick cut pieces !

Edited December 26, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[ScottyBoy]

Thank you! Yea I just figure why have everyone come back for seconds? Just carve them a huge slab to begin with (they all cleaned their plates).

Unfortunately I wasn't able to let it rest properly because of babies/timing issues. It was delicious nonetheless.

[gfweb]

Nice roast, Scotty!

We had unphotographed filets mignon topped with soy/Cabernet onions...smoked mashed sweet potatoes...augratin potatoes...asparagus and cherry tomatoes (Xmas colors)...and steamed persimmon pudding.

[cookalong]

Made my first real menu this year for Christmas. Before I've only cooked 3-4 dishes, so this was way outside my comfort zone. It turned out fine, obviously lots of stuff inspired by the Fat Duck / el Bulli.

Whiskey Sour with passion fruit (el Bulli)

Olive made with alginates (el Bulli)

Spreadable olive oil with thyme/rosemary, bread (MC)

Watermelon infused with tequila/lime, dried olives, feta cheese

Crab biscuit, seared foie gras, poached rhubarb (partial Fat Duck recipe)

Sous vide pork belly, choucroute, pork sauce (partial Fat Duck recipe)

Mushroom purée, mushroom consomme, Madeira/Sherry-reduction (Heston at home)

Roasted duck breast, pommes purées, sauce gastrique

Mango and Doulas Fir Purée (Fat Duck)

Mini-tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream

Pâte de fruit of mandarin and mandarin esential oil (inspired by Fat Duck recipe)

Plus a Cointreau granita and some cheese.

[huiray]

Nice work.

[menuinprogress]

Duck seems to be a theme this year! We did ours on the smoker:

[patrickamory]

We roasted a heritage goose this year Plus stuffing, gravy, scalloped potatoes, ham, red cabbage, green beans and salad.

[SobaAddict70]

tonight:

Zuppa di radicchio e scarola -- radicchio and escarole soup, with toasted garlic croutons

The version pictured above isn't vegetarian (b/c of chicken stock), but you can switch to vegetable stock instead, if you were inclined. To that, add shredded escarole and radicchio. Bring stock to a boil, add the greens and cook for 5 minutes or until greens are tender. Fry cubes of bread that has been rubbed with a clove of garlic beforehand in olive oil until golden brown. Taste soup for salt and pepper, then ladle into serving bowls. Add croutons, stir in a spoonful of pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, then serve at once.

The pic above also contains 2 tablespoons fried breadcrumbs that was also seasoned with anchovy, sea salt, black pepper and chopped Italian parsley. I keep a quantity of fried breadcrumbs on hand at all times.

Lenticchie e salsicce -- lentil and sausage stew

This version contains lentils from Umbria, as well as wild boar sausage (wild boar, salt, pepper, red wine).

Takes about an hour, including prep. The vast majority of that time will be the lentils (if you cook them from scratch). Canned lentils are okay, but there isn't a "clean" taste that shines through, as with dried ones.

Begin with 1 cup dried lentils and combine that with 6 cups water; 1 large celery rib (with leaves), coarsely chopped; 1 bay leaf and a generous pinch of salt. Bring that to a boil, then simmer over low heat or until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the lentils, reserving 2 cups lentil cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaf and celery.

Next, fry the sausages in olive oil or until browned all over. Although I used wild boar sausages here, you can use sweet Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage, lamb sausage, turkey sausage or any other good-quality sausages of your choice. Pierce the sausages with a fork to let some of the fat drain out. When the sausages have browned, remove from heat and drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat and drippings.

Then, sauté in the pan drippings, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 finely chopped celery, finely minced celery leaves, 1 finely chopped carrot and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat or until the battuto has softened. Add the lentil cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the pan. Bring to a boil, then add the lentils and sausage. Raise heat to medium, cook for 5 minutes or until the stew is heated through. Taste for salt and pepper, stir in some minced Italian parsley, then serve immediately.

Edited December 27, 2012 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[rod rock]

Excellent work!

[liuzhou]

That sausage and lentil dish looks amazing! I feel hungry just looking at it.If only I could get

a) lentils

b) decent sausages

I can only get horrible sweet Chinese sausages. And making proper sausages myself is not a real option. I can get the skins, the pork, the fat, but not the spices I would prefer.

Just these over-sugared lengths of fat.

(Did I mention that I don't like 99% of Chinese sausages?)

Edited December 27, 2012 by liuzhou (log)

[Baselerd]

You could try a garlic sausage, I like it with just lean pork + fatback + garlic + nutmeg.

[liuzhou]

You could try a garlic sausage, I like it with just lean pork + fatback + garlic + nutmeg.

Nutmeg? The nearest nutmeg is still on the tree in the Moluccas. Which I why I said I can't get the spices.

Edited December 27, 2012 by liuzhou (log)

[rotuts]

odd on the sausages and spices. they do look like sugar + Fat.

wonder why? guess the chinese sausages here in the US might be from Hong Kong or Canada. have to take a look.

I like the ones that do not have liver in them.

[liuzhou]

Hong Kong / Cantonese sausages tend to be rather sweet, too. No experience of Canada.

[huiray]

@rotuts: I presume you mean the typical "dried"/smoked sausages generically known as "Lap Cheong"? (臘腸; Yale: laap6 cheung4)) [The liver ones are yeun6 cheung4, 膶腸] These should be fairly similar between the US, HK and Canada - differing in quality from brand to brand and place of manufacture but not that much in characteristics. I presume Liuzhou is looking for FRESH sausages of the sort corresponding to what SobaAddict used - that wild boar sausage, or sweet Italian, t9Fresh ground meat) turkey sausage, "garlic" (with fresh pork or whatever) sausage, etc etc.

@Liuzhou - suppose one did try it with Lap Cheong? OK, if you find the ordinary pork ones too sweet maybe the liver ones, or one of the other varieties like the soy-flavored or grain alcohol-flavored ones? One could steam them first to soften them - or use a pressure cooker which gives really soft cooked lap cheong - instead of the sort of sausages SobaAddict used? It would be a different dish (if you had the lentils - I recall you used the last of your supply recently) but I think it might be quite nice...

Just thinking out loud.

I am surprised that spices like nutmeg, thyme, oregano etc are not at all available where you are. No stores or large groceries w/ a "Western" section or sections catering to expatriates?

I believe there is a Northern Chinese/Manchurian sausage literally called "Red Sausage" (紅腸; Yale: hung4 cheung4) similar to Polish kielbasa in characteristic - I don't suppose that is available somewhere in your area?

[rotuts]

Wow. thats good to know. indeed my Sausage is as you linked. I just dont like the flavor of those that have liver added. I also get the brand that has the least fat.

what brands do you think are superior? in Chinatown BOS there are at least 6 - 8 brands.

thanks for the tips!

[huiray]

rotuts, I don't really have a favorite brand. I just select the "best looking"/"best feeling" ones available [usually prepackaged] when I buy them. Neither do I buy enough of them to make meaningful comparisons over many brands over time. Sorry. Other folks may have their recommendations.

My folks used to buy lap cheong as well as other sorts of preserved meats, waxed chickens, ducks, cured pork, belly pork etc etc hanging "out in the air" on strings or hooks or whatnot in open-front shops in olden-type Chinatowns or elsewhere. Some of the stuff was made in-house, some made locally. It was great fun. In the US I believe one place you can still do that is in San Francisco's Chinatown. In NYC Chinatown there were (still are?) groceries where they have "free-hanging" lap cheong available in a section of the store. I don't know about Chinatown in Boston.

[Baselerd]

You could try a garlic sausage, I like it with just lean pork + fatback + garlic + nutmeg.

Nutmeg? The nearest nutmeg is still on the tree in the Moluccas. Which I why I said I can't get the spices.

Well the nutmeg adds a nice subtle touch, but I'm sure the sausage would still be delicious without it. Most of the flavor comes from the garlic, salt, and pork anyway. Just sayin...

[liuzhou]

I am surprised that spices like nutmeg, thyme, oregano etc are not at all available where you are. No stores or large groceries w/ a "Western" section or sections catering to expatriates?

I don't see why you are surprised. The ingredients are available in very few places in China. I live in a relatively small city with few expats. Stores are going to cater to the locals, not a handful of foreigners. Beijing and Shanghai etc are different, but Beijing is 1,150 miles away, Shanghai 880 miles.

I believe there is a Northern Chinese/Manchurian sausage literally called "Red Sausage"

There is indeed, but that part of China is even further away. China is very regional in its cuisine. Few things from one end of the country reach the other.

[SobaAddict70]

Three courses tonight:

"Eggs and potatoes" -- poached farm egg, homemade salt-and-vinegar heirloom potato chips, crispy leeks.

It only looks complicated, but you can do this in about half an hour (including prep). Poach the egg, fry the leeks in vegetable oil until crisp (after first cleaning them to remove all traces of grit and sand, then pat them dry with paper towels) and place on paper towels to drain. Then fry thinly sliced potatoes in vegetable oil and lay them out on paper towel-lined plates. Liberally salt, then season with red wine vinegar or malt vinegar.

To plate, lay the leeks on the bottom, along with a few potato chips. Add the egg, then top with more potato chips. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Warm radicchio, pear and hazelnut salad, with pecorino Crotonese cheese.

I'll have the recipe on the blog later this weekend. This is quite simple -- not counting salt, pepper and the vinaigrette, the salad consists of six ingredients. Doable in a little over half an hour, including prep.

Rigatoni with cabbage, anchovy and capers