Dinner! 2003

[Priscilla]

Toby, sorry about the you heard I was just channeling a British soap opera character there for a second. You didn't miss a post about the bread.

The bread the Consort made was not the two-dough one you describe, which sounds beautiful. Is it from one of Madeleine's books? She's got a very good if brief bread section in In Madeleine's Kitchen, where the three-day starter formula is described. Over the years it has produced the best bread I've made.

[Yossarian]

Jinmyo, thanks for the welcome.

Tonight was grilled steelhead, onions sauteed in butter and Lawry's on the grill, and white rice with a 2002 Jaffelin Beaujolais Noveau.

[Jinmyo]

You're welcome, Yossarian.

Soprasetto calabrese and Canadian prosciutto on ricotta and arugula.

Risotto Milanese (saffron).

Braised shoulder of lamb with onions and much garlic, kalamata olives, reduced jus, fresh mint.

Roasted fennel.

Chilled tomato water with a soft-cooked quail's egg and tomato concasse.

Crostini and shavings of Grana Pandano.

[snowangel]

Since we hit 53 in Minneapolis, burgers on the grill on really good buns. Salad. Green beans with lemon juice and kosher salt. Coca Cola for the kids, gin and tonics for the mom and dad. Home-made praline pecan ice cream for dessert. Almost dined at the picnic table!

[Kim WB]

Tonight, I was a short order cook, but got to clean out the fridge, so it wasn't too bad:

Husaband was working late, so I made sure we had some Ham from the farmer's market and good rye bread for when he comes home late tonight.

Daughter home from college had some roasted egg plant dip and a chopped romaine salad. And a pop tart.

Son # 1 had frozen raviolis, plus a grilled chicken breast, I used the grill pan, I don't love the end product, but he does...this is the kid that eats mostly white food.

Son # 2 had the last half of a bag of baby carrots, boiled and then a quick turn in melted butter and Vermont Maple syrup...college daughter just came back from our house in Ludlow, VT, and brought some back, we were running low. 3 red potatoes, mashed with skins on. loads of butter and salt, and a ham steak.

I had leftover braised cabbage, made with apples and turkey sausage. A chunck of Asiago. And a glass of Archipal Cab/Merlot blend, 1999.

There is finally some room in the fridge, so even though it was a lot of pots and pans, it was worth it!

edited for schpellink.

Edited January 8, 2003 by Kim WB (log)

[Jinmyo]

Kim, it's fun doing a range of different dishes sometimes, isn't it?

[Toby]

Priscilla, I missed the post on the bread -- is it Kamman's bread of 2 doughs -- one white bread and one all different flours with walnuts mature separately for 3 days in refrigerator and then at the end are kneaded together to look like marble cake?  This was the first bread I ever baked -- it's miraculous.  Robert Reynolds, when he owned Le Trou in San Francisco, used to make a bread like it, with golden raisins instead of the walnuts.

The recipe is in her When French Women Cook. It's called something like Two Dough Bread (in French, of course). She has a strange way of doing a starter -- making a little ball of dough and then floating it in water for a while. It made a lovely textured and flavored bread.

edit: How self-referential; I quoted myself when I meant to quote Priscilla in answer to her question.

Edited January 8, 2003 by Toby (log)

[Kim WB]

Kim, it's fun doing a range of different dishes sometimes, isn't it?

Yes, it is..though the kitchen suffers. Looked like a tornado hit it. The biggest difference between home cooks and restaurant chefs is that THEY have a diswashing/clean up staff!

[Jinmyo]

Kim, yes. But cleaning as you go is also standard field procedure. One of the main differences is having enough burners, prep bowls, and surfaces and dedicated areas. But that can be applied in the home kitchen as well.

[Priscilla]

Last evening, in honor of Morimoto's signature rich-upon-rich motif, since we were watching his inaugural Iron Chef battle, rich pasta sauce of sauteed minced shallots, diced bacon, diced Cremini, flamed Calvados, chicken livers, cream. Parsley. A whisper of Microplane'd Reggiano. Sturdy fettucine, not a frequent choice, but suggested itself.

Nice Romaine salad, the vinegar for which was a white wine vinegar from 1989 that just has gotten better and better over the years.

[Kim WB]

But cleaning as you go is also standard field procedure.

Yes, you are so right...and when I'm cooking solo, I succeed. But its actually not very often I have all three kids (13-18) in the kitchen, so it was a bit of an exception.

Priscilla said: "Nice Romaine salad, the vinegar for which was a white wine vinegar from 1989 that just has gotten better and better over the years."

Romaine is an under rated green, in my opinion. It holds up so much better than many greems if you are adding cheese or other proteins.

I was exhausted tonight...had picked up some beautiful tuna, marinated it in a litlle EVOO, lemon, pepper, and a few good shakes of a special dry rub I concoct...a version of Emerill's rustic rub, but better and roasted spices. Then a LOT of chpped parsley, which absorbs the oil and kinda makes a crust. Seared it in the grill plan, rare. I was planning to make quinoa, and a nice salad composed and lobor intensive salad with cucumber ribbons...but instead, threw a baked potato in the oven, , and sliced the cukes with a little Rice Vinegar and sugar.

I have a son, Connor, who is 15 years old, He hates to eat, he dislikes strong flavors, and is very picky. He hated breast milk, soy milk, formula... this is not a new characteristic. He has NO enthusiasm for eating..and its not physical, and he's healthy and growing...but he eats white or beige food.. and will eat a certain brand of jarred tomatoe sauce. He hates any stong flavors: no to soy , ketchup, won't eat a burger. Today, when I boiled his usual pasta and grilled his plain chicken breast, I pulled a fast one. I added a jar of Gerber's carrots babyfood to the sauce. It worked. He ate it. I mean, he takes a multi, but its not the same.

[Priscilla]

Romaine is an under rated green, in my opinion. It holds up so much better than  many greems if you are adding cheese or other proteins.

Me too, KimWB, I love Romaine's structure, and its minerally flavor.

Plus, it's often the best-condition lettuce in the supermarket, and it is quick to rinse and spin, and you can get it very very dry so that you can make a decent salad. Wet greens, can't stand 'em.

[maggiethecat]

Romaine is an under rated green, in my opinion. It holds up so much better than  many greems if you are adding cheese or other proteins.

Me too, KimWB, I love Romaine's structure, and its minerally flavor.

Plus, it's often the best-condition lettuce in the supermarket, and it is quick to rinse and spin, and you can get it very very dry so that you can make a decent salad. Wet greens, can't stand 'em.

I'll third that! Don't understand why everyone's favourite "utilty" grren isn't roamine, for all the reasons mentioned above.

At Frontera Grill, we had Rick Bayless's seafood ceviche in romaine leaves. Those crispy little scoops were perfect.

As was the ceviche.

[Jinmyo]

Romaine lettuce is great. As is a caesar salad.

Smashed baby Yukon gold potatoes roasted with duck fat.

Grilled chipotle-crusted bone-in loin pork chops. (Finished these in the oven atop the potatoes.)

Spinach wilted in butter and cream.

Mushroom and onion soup with red wine and beef stock.

Caesar salad (dressing: EVOO, egg yolk, crushed garlic, Worcestershire, fresh lemon, anchovies) with shavings of parmesan and torn garlic croutons.

[Kim WB]

Caesar salad (dressing: EVOO, egg yolk, crushed garlic, Worcestershire, fresh lemon, anchovies) with shavings of parmesan and torn garlic croutons.

Do you use canned anchovies? About how much in, say, 1/4 c. ceasar dressing? And how do you store the left over anchovies? Thanks.

[Jinmyo]

No, I use salted anchovies. They come in a 2 kilo tin but you can get smaller ones, I assume. Just rinse them off and soak in water or milk for a few hours. Then slit the bellies and pull out the guts and bones.

I make more like 10 cups of dressing at a time with a good handful of chopped anchovies. For 1/4 cup I'd use at least two filets.

The left-over guys still hang out in the salt.

[Suzanne F]

I'll third that! Don't understand why everyone's favourite "utilty" grren isn't roamine, for all the reasons mentioned above.

I'm a fourth. Anyone for bridge? Someday I want to find or develop a dish for a restaurant using the big dark outer leaves; it use to break my heart when the prep guys would toss them in order to get to the heart.

Oh well, as long as I'm here:

Chicken quasi-cacciatore -- dark meat only, canned San Marzano tomatoes, carrots, lots of rehydrated porcinis (added the soaking water and reduced the sauce down).

De Cecco (dried) "Gnocchi" -- more like medium-size shells with extra-wide ridges.

Three-color salad: endive, romain, radicchio, with mixed herb/garlic creamy vinaigrette.

Standing Stone Vineyards "Pinnacle" 1999 (Finger Lakes Red Wine)

[Jinmyo]

So many things are called "gnocchi", including the polenta-like semolina Roman "gnocchi".

All hail tinned San Marzanos without whom winter would be a yet darker and grimmer season.

[SobaAddict70]

I have a son, Connor, who is 15 years old, He hates to eat, he dislikes strong flavors,  and is very picky. He hated breast milk, soy milk, formula... this is not a new characteristic.  He has NO enthusiasm for eating..and its not physical, and he's healthy and growing...but he eats white or beige food.. and will eat a certain brand of jarred tomatoe sauce. He hates any stong flavors: no to soy , ketchup, won't eat a burger.  Today, when I boiled his usual pasta and grilled his plain chicken breast, I pulled a fast one. I added a jar of Gerber's carrots babyfood to the sauce.  It worked. He ate it.  I mean, he takes a multi, but its not the same.

One of these days, he's going to have an epiphany.

When I was growing up, I HATED, absolutely hated garlic/spicy flavors and didn't really get into vegetables in general. Sushi was unheard of. Hot and spicy was out.

My, my, how times change...

Be ready for the wake-up call.

SA

[Kim WB]

[be ready for the wake-up call.

SA

I hope so! But honestly, the pediatrician has been saying, "Don't worry, he'll get bored and his body will crave new foods than bagels, pasta and grilled chicken" ...EVERY year! He won't eat chocolate, even won't eat certain brands of potato chips ( whcih are on the short list of acceptable foods) because they are "too salty". His diet is SO bland, it is amazing.

[Suzanne F]

So many things are called "gnocchi", including the polenta-like semolina Roman "gnocchi".

Indeed. I think they call them "gnocchi" because the shape is rather like the real thing (albeit larger, hollow and slit open).

[Rhea_S]

In an effort to pad my savings account and make up for my excessive Christmas spending, I'm not buying groceries aside from dairy and fresh vegetables until my freezer and cupboards are nearly empty. Last night's dinner was pizza made with a ball of homemade pizza dough and chicken breast from the freezer, canned artichokes, asiago cheese and a tomato sauce made from canned roma tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil (I've got a couple of pots). I also had a simple green salad on the side.

[torakris]

[be ready for the wake-up call.

SA

I hope so! But honestly, the pediatrician has been saying, "Don't worry, he'll get bored and his body will crave new foods than bagels, pasta and grilled chicken" ...EVERY year! He won't eat chocolate, even won't eat certain brands of potato chips ( whcih are on the short list of acceptable foods) because they are "too salty". His diet is SO bland, it is amazing.

I have a 22 year old sister who only eats two foods: grilled cheese (breakfast and dinner) and macaroni and cheese (lunch) all are washed down with deit cherrry coke. I don't know how she has survived this long!

Last night's dinner was leftover recreated:

Chapche (Korean noodle dish) was turned in chapche deep fried gyoza

roasted sweet potatoes were turned into soup

and all the left over veggies in the fridge were made into a stirfry with a black bean sauce

[Kim WB]

Lentil Soup with Porcini mushrooms, on the stove now.

Picked up some Black Olive bread at Wegman's

I need to make a salad, I'm just going to raid the vegetable bin..I have some baby spinach, I think.

Lindemann's bin 65 Australlian Chard

I cooked for myself and only one kid, my youngest son, the the non fussy one! He won't eat the olive bread, It's too chewy and he got his braces adjusted today...I'll make him an english muffin or he'll have a handful of ritz's. And he'll just have iceberg with ranch dressing.

Since its just the two of us, we are going to break a major house rule, and set up a blanket in front of the TV and watch a Friends rerun. His mouth is really sore, and it makes him feel special to break the rules with mom.

[Jinmyo]

Rhea and Kristin, such as yours, creative uses of leftovers can be very engaging.