Dinner! 2012

[Joel Hicks]

Chicken and dumplings

I load my broth with Chilli to make it a little more adult. For the dumplings I use chicken fat (adds depth of flavour) and a healthy dose of Tio Peppe sherry, parsley and thyme, such a great end of the weekend dish.

Edited July 29, 2012 by Joel Hicks (log)

[nickrey]

Mandarin Duck (or is it Duck a la Mandarine?).

Served with Asian Greens,

[patrickamory]

Very pretty and tasty looking duck Nick.

[Paul Bacino]

The Law Firm of Radiatore, Romano and Pesto!!

I add a spot of sugar to mine.. Yikes

[rotuts]

interesting. never made Radiatore. What brand do you use or have some way of making this at home?

[Hassouni]

Made a small Georgian barbecue dinner for some friends, most of which is not pictured since it all came together last minute. However, here's a picture of the badrijani nigvzit, fried eggplant slices stuffed/topped with a paste of walnuts, garlic, spices, and coriander:

Also made some khachapuri, or cheese-stuffed bread, pork shoulder mtsvadi, or kabab, and the ubiquitous Georgian salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Next time I'll have more pictures!

[Paul Bacino]

Rotuts. Wierd.. This is Not Home made!! This is from Pagliacci out of Chi town!!

That Eggplant looks nice.. How did you do it? I looks folded over on it self? and looks well cooked!!

Hassouni

[Hassouni]

I basically fried the lengthwise eggplant slices (in rather a lot of oil), set them aside to cool and drain, then ground up the walnuts, a bit of garlic and water, added some ground coriander, fenugreek, and chili, and mixed in chopped coriander leaves.

There are several ways of doing it in Georgia that I saw, but I think the most attractive is what I did: spread the paste on half the slice of eggplant, fold it over (good observation!), and then spread more paste on the exposed part. Often they don't do the top surface, or they make it more rolled around the paste vs. folded.

I should say that I used WAYYY more oil than had I been cooking for myself, but of course eggplant can never have too much!

Edited July 29, 2012 by Hassouni (log)

[Norm Matthews]

The oven in this house which I moved into three months ago seems to overcook everything. I tested the temperature the other day. I found that we I set the oven at 350, it was heating to 410. I turned it down 50 degrees and it went down 65 degrees. I turned it up 20 degrees and it went up 35. today I made a meatloaf with some bacon woven across the top. I put it in at 40 degrees less than the recipe and took it out 15 minutes early and it still overcooked. the bacon weave will have to be tossed but the meatloaf under it is still good. Looks like I am going to have to replace this 25 or 30 year old stove soon.

[ScottyBoy]

What a feast of meat, I want!

[percyn]

"Tandoori" Night at a friend's house...

Shrimp and homemade Naan on a wood burning grill

More shrimp

Chicken

Dinner from a few nights ago...Baby octopus Dolsot

And the leftovers were turned into Korean Burritos with some Mole sauce, Chicken and Avacado.

[rotuts]

Norm: as you know thermostats can be replaced cheaper than a stove.

love your loaf. I do mine in a glass pan w bacon on the top. but Im going to try your method as soon as it get cooler with the veg roasting on the side.

Yum. (id eat that bacon BTW)

[rod rock]

@Percyn, wonderful Korean Burittos, very nice combination with avacado!

[Anna N]

Sometimes you just need comfort food. A simple beef and lamb stew over mash. Glued my world back together again.

[SobaAddict70]

Thanks Ashen and patrick.

Last night:

Buttermilk biscuits, sweet butter, Meyer lemon confiture

I suppose I am a baking n00blet no longer, although in the future, investing in some parchment paper might be a good idea.

Carrot pasta, with cauliflower and breadcrumbs

Simmer cauliflower in lightly salted water until tender, then lift out with a slotted spoon and blanch in a bowl of ice water. Be sure to use both the florets and pale green outer leaves. Chop finely. If you use half a head of cauliflower, it will provide enough for 3 to 4 servings of pasta. DO NOT drain the cauliflower cooking water since you'll be using that to cook the pasta.

Prepare the pasta -- I used fresh, but this works just as well with dried. Cook the pasta in the same pot and water that you used to cook the cauliflower in. When the pasta is al dente, drain and reserve one cup pasta cooking water.

Next, fry some garlic in olive oil. To that, add the cauliflower and some coarse breadcrumbs. I used some leftover crostini that I pounded with a mortar and pestle. Taste for salt and pepper.

When the cauliflower begins to brown, add the pasta to the pan. If the pasta seems too dry, add a little pasta cooking water until a light sauce is formed. Or, you can be like me and add a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, along with some of the pasta cooking water. Taste for salt and pepper once more, then stir in some chopped parsley and serve at once. You can, if you like, garnish with cheese, but I find that this is one pasta dish where gilding the lily is unwanted. More flavor is not necessarily better, in my opinion.

Edited July 30, 2012 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[Norm Matthews]

Norm: as you know thermostats can be replaced cheaper than a stove.

love your loaf. I do mine in a glass pan w bacon on the top. but Im going to try your method as soon as it get cooler with the veg roasting on the side.

Yum. (id eat that bacon BTW)

Thanks. We ate the bacon. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I just scrapped off the burnt brown sugar and it was good. It is bacon after all. There is still enough for lunch and sandwiches for the rest of the week. The half pan method of cooking the meatloaf lets the fat drain off as it cooks the vegetables as well. I use a blend of hamburger and bratwurst. It is really good that way.

I know replacing the thermostat is cheaper but it isn't nearly as much fun as shopping for a new stove. This one looks positively ancient anyway. (Ancient as in not in good way)

[MikeHartnett]

SobaAddict70, when you say "carrot pasta," are you referring to pasta made with carrots? I didn't notice any mention of carrots elsewhere in your description.

[ScottyBoy]

Beautiful stuff everyone!

Last night was scallops and pumpkin puree with favas and snap peas.

[mm84321]

Salmon with a warm vegetable salad

Pommes Maxim's

[SobaAddict70]

SobaAddict70, when you say "carrot pasta," are you referring to pasta made with carrots? I didn't notice any mention of carrots elsewhere in your description.

Yes, the pasta contains carrot purée. It's from Knoll Krest Farms, one of the vendors I buy from at USGM.

[C. sapidus]

ScottyBoy: Beauty!

mm84321: What’s the sauce on your lovely salmon?

Fried plantains: ‘nuff said

Picadillo: ground pork, browned with garlic, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, and black pepper. Fried onion and tomato, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, raisins, almonds, and diced potatoes, plantains, and roasted Poblano chiles. Boys were riding bikes around the neighborhood and claimed that the aroma drew them home from blocks away.

Rice with black beans and corn and an un-pictured but lovely salad, both courtesy of Mrs. C

[mm84321]

mm84321: What’s the sauce on your lovely salmon?

Sauce Choron (béarnaise with tomato), charged in a whipped cream canister.

[ScottyBoy]

You should add a stabilizer so it doesn't break.

[patrickamory]

Bruschetta

[dcarch]

Too many great creations to comment on! It's the Olympics of the gastronomic world! Records are being broken on every taste frontier!

Just a couple of very humble and cheap quick dishes.

Pork Scrapple and Beef Scrapple.

People ask me what is Scrapple? I said "Gray Slime". LOL!

dcarch