Dinner! 2004

[Ovenfrenzy]

I don't know what to call the dish I made for dinner, but it was tasty. Medium-grained rice cooked in chicken broth with green beans, cubes of lamb loin sauteed with garlic, onions, mushroom duxelles, seasoned with lots of Penzey's Lamb Seasoning and Turkish Blend...all tossed together and drizzled with fresh lemon juice.

[bloviatrix]

Chilled melon soup w/mint that I picked up at the market (it was actually pretty good -- I bet it would be very refreshing on a hot day), pan-roasted salmon smothered in some leftover charmoula and macaroni (I had some marinara on mine, blovie went with evoo).

Macon-Perrone to drink.

[Cynthia G]

Wednesday: Dinner cooked with a couple who are close friends (and happen to be neighbors as well) and some of their extended family members from both sides. We were all there to ooh and ahh over the sweet little Palomino colt born yesterday.

The two equally sweet 10-year-old boy and girl cousins made a fabulous mixed green salad with lots of veggies cut into beautiful shapes and textures and colors. They did it all themselves and especially loved the fact that I watched and made suggestions such as "Want to add some chopped fresh basil?" but then let them try it and decide for themselves ("Basil? What's that? Oh, yeah, I've had this on pizza! Cool!".... I love cooking with kids! And they even both remembered to wash their hands before starting... without being reminded! ) Beautiful rare steaks on the grill. Gorgeous sauteed mushrooms, red onions and sweet red peppers. Tres leches cake. And some great pinot noir that I never caught the name of 'cause they just kept pouring it.......

And since it was at their place, I didn't even have to clean up!

[s'kat]

Last night, brined wings that had been in the freezer... juicy and perfect!

Celery, of course, and some Roaring 40s blue because I was too lazy to actually make a dip.

Phaelon, your pizza experiments prompted me to whip up some dough last night.

[NeroW]

Anybody ever cold-bloodedly eat marrow, and is it as fabulous as we're led on?

Yes, and yes!

[Cynthia G]

Pretty plate, S'kat!

[s'kat]

Pretty plate, S'kat!

Thanks. My husband was very amused when he saw it.

[FoodMan]

Anybody ever cold-bloodedly eat marrow, and is it as fabulous as we're led on?

Yes, and yes!

Listen to what Nero is saying, yes and yes. It's like eating butter but with a beef flavor...hmmm that might not sound too good but it is. Here is a picture I took a couple of weeks ago and posted it in this thread. I also used F. Henderson's recipe:

Elie

[torakris]

Thursday dinner (for 7 again):

mackeral simmered in miso

corroke (potato and beef croquettes) served on a bed of cabbage and eaten with okonomiyaki sauce

salad of tofu and mizuna wit a ginger dressing and katsuo bushi

shibazuke pickles

Japanese rice

[handmc]

Jason helped me find a grocer, actually a Mecca of Korean food, outside of Philly. So to quote Homer Simpson "what the hell, I can't fight fate." I made Bim Bim Bap, had some flaming Kim Chi and White Radish and lots of Kochujang. Just for grins I drank some So Ju I brought from Pohang a year ago just to celebrate.

Okay the last part was a mistake. It tasted like soap and was pretty wretched and I gave myself a nice cut on the cap.

Dinner Rocked.

Thanks Jason!

[NulloModo]

Tonight I planned to start my journey into 'How to Cook Everything'. I was, however, sidetracked and ended up creating something on the fly:

Sauteed Pork tenderloin with a sauce made of cream, portobella mushrooms, scallions, tarragon, thyme, and paprika.

I think it tasted quite good, however Portobella may be too strong a mushroom for this sauce, perhaps if I try it again I will use a milder mushroom.

[Majra]

Salad of arugula and romaine with parmigiano reggiano and vinaigrette

Grilled salmon with Italian "salsa verde"

Oven roasted baby potatoes with evoo, garlic, and fresh herbs

Fresh steamed green beans

Cantaloupe

Leftover gingerbread from my 7yo daughter's school presentation on Emily Dickinson

The "salsa" is an old favorite recipe which I haven't made in years. It was delicious and bright, but I think maybe I don't like salmon anymore. Oily and blech. I'll have to try the sauce on something else.

Fyi, it is whirled in processor or blender until smooth: 2 cups italian parsley sprigs, 2 cloves garlic, scant 1 T drained capers, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 cup evoo.

Edited April 23, 2004 by Majra (log)

[Cynthia G]

Fyi, it is whirled in processor or blender until smooth: 2 cups italian parsley sprigs, 2 cloves garlic, scant 1 T drained capers, 2 T lemon juice.

Thanks, Majra. I was just gonna ask that... and welcome to eGullet.

[Majra]

Thanks for the welcome.

Also, importantly, I forgot to type the 1/4 cup evoo that goes into the sauce. Not sure how to edit that post.

And now I have figured it out. Twice.

Edited April 23, 2004 by Majra (log)

[Cynthia G]

Also, importantly, I forgot to type the 1/4 cup evoo that goes into the sauce. Not sure how to edit that post.

Ah. I was thinking it would be a pretty pasty "sauce"......

(To edit your posts... there is an "Edit" button in the upper right hand corner of the posts you make. Right next to the "Quote" button....)

[johnnyd]

Local Fish Market just received FRESH sardines from RI. Doesn't happen often. I'm a big fan from when I lived in Portugal in my teens where they grill 'em on the beach and serve with a "salsa" of diced tomato and onion.

So I bought six fresh sardines for $1.35, cut the heads off, cleaned out the tiny stomachs, then sprinkled seasalt and fresh pepper all over.

The dressing/salsa had slightly sugared juarez vinegar, fresh thyme, hydro-tomatos small vidalia salad onions, parsley and evoo.

Fried to a crisp, slathered with salsa, served with sliced baguette and Sancerre. It was so good I rushed back to the market and bought another dozen before they closed... for $1.99!

PS: also at the market: shad roe appearing for it's annual 2 week window. Hmm!

[HKDave]

Salad of arugula and romaine with parmigiano reggiano and vinaigrette

Grilled salmon with Italian "salsa verde"

Oven roasted baby potatoes with evoo, garlic, and fresh herbs

Fresh steamed green beans

Cantaloupe

Leftover gingerbread from my 7yo daughter's school presentation on Emily Dickinson

The "salsa" is an old favorite recipe which I haven't made in years. It was delicious and bright, but I think maybe I don't like salmon anymore. Oily and blech. I'll have to try the sauce on something else.

Fyi, it is whirled in processor or blender until smooth: 2 cups italian parsley sprigs, 2 cloves garlic, scant 1 T drained capers, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 cup evoo.

That's one of my favorite menus! I've cooked almost the identical meal (sans dessert) a few times recently. That salsa verde recipe is great with a little bit of anchovy fillet or paste - I know, it sounds weird, but it works very well with the salmon. The salsa also works with arugula (aka rocket) lettuce instead of some of the parsley, gives it a slightly peppery flavour.

[merstar]

I think maybe I don't like salmon anymore.  Oily and blech.  I'll have to try the sauce on something else.

Have you ever tried wild Alaskan salmon? It's far superior in taste and healthier than the farm raised, ie, less fatty, with a much lower level of pesticides and other nasty things.

[merstar]

Last night was an exceptionally well balanced dinner: Half a baguette with butter and some Boucheron, 3 or 4 forkfuls of scrambled eggs, and 3 homemade bittersweet brownie cookies with coffee ice cream for dessert.

Edited to add: I forgot about the green salad I had earlier, so it wasn't totally unhealthy!

Edited April 23, 2004 by merstar (log)

[Majra]

The "salsa" is an old favorite recipe which I haven't made in years. It was delicious and bright, but I think maybe I don't like salmon anymore. Oily and blech. I'll have to try the sauce on something else.

Fyi, it is whirled in processor or blender until smooth: 2 cups italian parsley sprigs, 2 cloves garlic, scant 1 T drained capers, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 cup evoo.

That's one of my favorite menus! I've cooked almost the identical meal (sans dessert) a few times recently. That salsa verde recipe is great with a little bit of anchovy fillet or paste - I know, it sounds weird, but it works very well with the salmon. The salsa also works with arugula (aka rocket) lettuce instead of some of the parsley, gives it a slightly peppery flavour.

[Majra]

I think maybe I don't like salmon anymore.  Oily and blech.  I'll have to try the sauce on something else.

Have you ever tried wild Alaskan salmon? It's far superior in taste and healthier than the farm raised, ie, less fatty, with a much lower level of pesticides and other nasty things.

I will give Alaskan a try before I dismiss salmon.

I was wondering if it was an Atlantic vs. Pacific thing. I bought the fish from the most reputable fish monger in this Florida town, but it was the first salmon since moving here from No. Cal.

Does anyone know anything about east vs. west coast salmon?

[merstar]

I'm not so sure that it's a West Coast vs. East Coast thing. I would think it would have more to do with whether or not the fish is farm raised or wild. Although, even the wild varies. I've tried wild salmon from the West Coast, ie, the Columbia River, and it couldn't compare to the wild Alaskan. The Alaskan wild is by far the best salmon I've ever had. Too bad it's not easy to find.

[Jinmyo]

Dashi (Japanese broth) with wakame.

Gyoza (dumplings) stuffed with pork and shrimp with Swiss chard and Chinese vinegar.

Mussels with awabi (abalone) sauce and chile oil.

Shrimp with shoyu.

Rice with gomasio.

[torakris]

Friday, my husband was having a BBQ at work so it was just the kids and I:

leftover homemade mac and cheese from a couple days ago (I had frozen the leftovers) "beefed" up with canned tuna, more cheese and more evaporated milk

avocado slices drizzled with soy sauce

ice cream for dessert

[HKDave]

I think maybe I don't like salmon anymore.  Oily and blech.  I'll have to try the sauce on something else.

Have you ever tried wild Alaskan salmon? It's far superior in taste and healthier than the farm raised, ie, less fatty, with a much lower level of pesticides and other nasty things.

I will give Alaskan a try before I dismiss salmon.

I was wondering if it was an Atlantic vs. Pacific thing. I bought the fish from the most reputable fish monger in this Florida town, but it was the first salmon since moving here from No. Cal.

Does anyone know anything about east vs. west coast salmon?

I agree with Merstar - the biggest difference with salmon these days is wild vs farmed. Your fishmonger should tell you what you're getting. Wild salmon is more expensive and will almost always be labelled as such. Another giveaway is the invariably perfectly sockeye-red flesh, which often indicates the dyes used in farmed salmon feed. The red in wild salmon comes (I'm told) from their eating shellfish, and in most species tends to pinkish rather than perfectly red.

Another rule of thumb that seems to work is the colder the waters, the better the salmon. The salmon I use here is from Tasmania (south Australia) and is comperable to northern BC or Alaskan.