Dinner! 2004

[hillvalley]

Homemade meatballs in a tomato pancetta sauce served over perciatelli (again)

It was the last weekend for fresh herbs at market and I wanted to a recipe where I could use a lot. The chunks of pancetta added a great smokiness to the meatballs and sauce and a bit more texture.

[Milt]

Tonight we had Picadillo from Sri Owen's The Rice Book - a Mexican dish with an Indonesian twist. I have prepared this recipe several times over the years, and each time it is a little different from its predecessor versions. This time I used ground ostrich rather than beef. We also had salad with various bottled dressings and water to drink. Tasty, filling and healthy - what a combination.

[Susan in FL]

Russ cooked, since I am working five days and three evenings this week (I'm acting like it's going to kill me or something), although there need be no excuse; he likes to cook almost as much as I.

As I was finishing up work tonight he told me he was serving dinner family style, which is unusual for us, and I thought uh-oh... Well it was a beautiful presentation and it tasted as good as it looked. He used left-over duck and made a pasta sauce, served on top of egg noodles, surrounded by a tasty "pan-roasted" vegetable combination of Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, onions, and garlic cloves. On the side was a plate of perfectly cooked buttered pencil thin asparagus, and Merlot.

[Jason Perlow]

Korean-Cantonese fusion tonight:

Bulgogi Mei Fun Noodles with String Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Shitakke and Scallion.

I marinated sliced ribeye bulgogi beef in a traditional Korean bulgogi marinade, stir fried it in a wok, removed the beef and then stir fried the vegetables and then stir fried the mei fun (which was par boiled for 30 seconds) noodles. Some of the remaining marinade was made into a slurry with cornstarch/water and incorporated into the stirfry to make a sauce.

Marinade/Stirfry Sauce: Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Minced Garlic (lots), Scallion, Minced Ginger, Black Pepper, Honey, a squirt of Sriracha Sauce

It looks like Chow Mei Fun, but it tastes like Bulgogi.

[Susan in FL]

Korean-Cantonese fusion tonight:

Bulgogi Mei Fun Noodles with String Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Shitakke and Scallion.

I marinated sliced ribeye bulgogi beef in a traditional Korean bulgogi marinade, stir fried it in a wok, removed the beef and then stir fried the vegetables and then stir fried the mei fun (which was par boiled for 30 seconds) noodles. Some of the remaining marinade was made into a slurry with cornstarch/water and incorporated into the stirfry to make a sauce.

Marinade/Stirfry Sauce: Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Minced Garlic (lots), Scallion, Minced Ginger, Black Pepper, Honey, a squirt of Sriracha Sauce

It looks like Chow Mei Fun, but it tastes like Bulgogi.

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Whoa Jason, that's a perfectly beautiful photo! Looks delicious, too.

[curlywurlyfi]

Cracked off the evening with a trip to IKEA. Bribed my friend Tom to come with me with (a) the chance to use his power tools and (b) the offer of home-made chicken pie for dinner. We staggered up my four flights of stairs cursing Pax Brevik (wardrobe), Funda (large carpet), Poklar (tumblers) and Breven (toilet brush). Came back down again minutes later, scowling slightly, to retrieve Komplement (the hinges for Pax Brevik). With all items finally in the flat, Tom set to mantling, and I made chicken pie. Earlier in the day had poached a chicken, stripped the flesh off + made stock. Now, skimmed the fat off the stock + softened some leeks + carrots, then stirred in some flour, curry powder, the stock, splash white wine + some milk. Added the chicken + lots of chopped fresh parsley, topped with puff pastry. Into the oven for 40 minutes then served with baked potatoes + steamed Savoy cabbage. Complete bliss. And, leftovers for lunch! not to mention gleaming new wardrobe in spare room.

[percyn]

Changing jobs, so purse strings are verrry tight right now.  Wandered into Safeway - skin-on chicken breasts on the rib were, miraculously, $0.78 per pound!  Desperate attempt to feel at least a little summery and sunny:

Eunny,

If your cooking tastes half as good as the pictures look, I would seriously recommend going into a catering or personal chef business.

[suzilightning]

got off the hawkwatch and wanted to use up some roasted root vegetables. sauteed some leeks in olive oil, added cut up red yukon potatoes and vegetable stock. simmered for 15 minutes, added the roasted veg(carrots, parsnips, white turnips and butternut squash) for another 10. whiz up in the blender and served topped with sauteed asparagus tips and a blt made with greenleaf lettuce, turkey bacon and yellow heirloom tomatoes.

john's dessert was a riff off his grandmother's apple kucken - with plenty of vanilla lactaid ice cream

[jess mebane]

jambalaya!

[petite tête de chou]

My version of the Soup Nazis chili.

Cornbread and a green salad with blue cheese dressing.

[eunny jang]

Percy, thanks!

Small whole chickens were $.88 to a pound today. Mild enough outside that grilling would be pleasant. Good looking local tomatoes (at the end of October! ), so figured we'd do a bust-out farewell to summer.

Chicken Under A Brick

My first spatchcocked chicken, set to dry in the fridge with garlic, rosemary, tasty olive oil, and lemon juice. Grilled over coals in a Weber kettle, weighted with a foil-wrapped 10 lb barbell weight . Accompanied by the aforementioned tomates, some red bell pepper, zucchini, scallions, and quartered onions, oiled and grilled. Marvelously successful potato "chips", boiled a few minutes, bathed in garlic and oil, and tossed on the grill.

A thing of beauty is a joy...

Until you fall on it and gnaw on the bones like a starving tiger

[lovebenton0]

Eunny, you're such a tough act to follow.

All these fall-inspired meals sound and look so good. Still very much summer here! (76 at 2:00AM!) It was just me for one of those makeover nights -- and I really wanted the pecan smoked pork. Pulled it and warmed with some of my Tabasco/honey BBQ sauce. Then added some raisins and roasted red Anas, scooped it on a toasted bun and topped with sliced scallions. Asian pear and red grape salad on the side with a crumbled bleu and fresh mayo/sour cream dressing. Limeade lurking on the side. No not fresh -- if I'd had limes I might have larbed. But then I wouldn't have thought of doing this.

I'd do this again in a flash for a light picnicky meal. The pecan smoke (my personal favorite) of the pork with the hot/sweet/sour of the sauce, roasted peppers, the added touch of raisins, and bite of scallions was a winner. Sweet crisp Asian pear and popping sweet grapes countered well with the creamy bleu.

Later I had lemon yogurt sprinkled with Kashi for dessert.

[little ms foodie]

I am trying recipes out of my amuse bouche book, last night made truffled lentils with bacon vinaigrette in a spoon. Tasty!

Hubby made sausage and leek soup which was fantastic, served with a green salad- I used up the rest of my onion confit, goat cheese and the leftover bacon vinaigrette in the salad. YUM!

Crusty bread and bottle of Zin....watched the Sox kick some ass!

Edited October 28, 2004 by little ms foodie (log)

[Susan in FL]

I am trying recipes out of my amuse bouch book, last night made truffled lentils with bacon vinaigrette in a spoon. Tasty!

That would be the Truffled Lentil Spoons from Amuse-Bouche...?? They sound wonderful... did you use the proportions as called for in the recipe? The recipe I'm familiar with, to serve four to six, called for three fresh truffles, 1/2 cup of truffle juice, and 1/2 cup of truffle oil!!! That pretty much precluded me from making it strictly by the recipe, but I would love to adapt it. I have some French green lentils I've been trying to decide about. Please do tell.

[little ms foodie]

I am trying recipes out of my amuse bouch book, last night made truffled lentils with bacon vinaigrette in a spoon. Tasty!

That would be the Truffled Lentil Spoons from Amuse-Bouche...?? They sound wonderful... did you use the proportions as called for in the recipe? The recipe I'm familiar with, to serve four to six, called for three fresh truffles, 1/2 cup of truffle juice, and 1/2 cup of truffle oil!!! That pretty much precluded me from making it strictly by the recipe, but I would love to adapt it. I have some French green lentils I've been trying to decide about. Please do tell.

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Susan, I love looking at that book but sadly am just starting to try things out of it. I think I was a bit intimidated last year, but now I'm fearless!! haha!

So yes you are referring to the same recipe. I cut the recipe in half since it was just my hubby and I testing (still have some in the fridge for a snack!).

Here's what I did.... bought a jar of French truffles, 3 in the jar in juice- guess what?It's truffle juice! And I got white truffle oil, needed some as was done to my last drops anyway!

So I just used 1 truffle, the juice which was about 2 TBS and just under 1/4 cup truffle oil. Even pairing back it is STRONG! I can't imagine going full strength and I love truffles! But even if you don't try this try the bacon vinaigrette, you use the bacon grease inplace of oil!! oh man!

Oh and 1 other thing, cook your colored lentils seperately. I cooked the green and orange together and they just look grey next time will cook them seperately and then toss together with the vinaigrette.

Next to try is the potato chips with vanilla foam! I am buying a foamer tomorrow!!

[suzilightning]

eunny - your first spatchcock was as success!! looks succulent and delectable

quick semi change of plans tonight. johnnybird was supposed to go up to poughkeepsie this afternoon to do a quick family birthday celebration with the immediate family(julie my sil's birthday is the 2nd of november; john's 50th will be the 6th). wellllllll..... as per ususal he didn't get out of work (i'm only down for 2 hours) till 4:30 so decided to stay here for the night.

dinner will be bison and ostrich chili(toned down quite a bit), pimento cornbread(was going to be serrano cheddar corn bread) and a green leaf salad with heirloom tomatoes(was going to be a nicely vinerary carrot and jicima salad).

it will be fun to have him home another night before the drunken baccanalia in rochdale(anyone near pok. stay away unless you WANT to go to jail ). course for tomorrow i do have some really neat hot sauces for the leftovers

think i'll drag something easy on the stomach out of the freezer for sunday since i am sure he will be recovering - some poached chicken with noodles maybe - very bland...

[Susan in FL]

I am trying recipes out of my amuse bouch book, last night made truffled lentils with bacon vinaigrette in a spoon. Tasty!

That would be the Truffled Lentil Spoons from Amuse-Bouche...?? They sound wonderful... did you use the proportions as called for in the recipe? The recipe I'm familiar with, to serve four to six, called for three fresh truffles, 1/2 cup of truffle juice, and 1/2 cup of truffle oil!!! That pretty much precluded me from making it strictly by the recipe, but I would love to adapt it. I have some French green lentils I've been trying to decide about. Please do tell.

←

Susan, I love looking at that book but sadly am just starting to try things out of it. I think I was a bit intimidated last year, but now I'm fearless!! haha!

So yes you are referring to the same recipe. I cut the recipe in half since it was just my hubby and I testing (still have some in the fridge for a snack!).

Here's what I did.... bought a jar of French truffles, 3 in the jar in juice- guess what?It's truffle juice! And I got white truffle oil, needed some as was done to my last drops anyway!

So I just used 1 truffle, the juice which was about 2 TBS and just under 1/4 cup truffle oil. Even pairing back it is STRONG! I can't imagine going full strength and I love truffles! But even if you don't try this try the bacon vinaigrette, you use the bacon grease inplace of oil!! oh man!

Oh and 1 other thing, cook your colored lentils seperately. I cooked the green and orange together and they just look grey next time will cook them seperately and then toss together with the vinaigrette.

Next to try is the potato chips with vanilla foam! I am buying a foamer tomorrow!!

←

Thanks! Your modifications sound right on it. I thought full strength might be too much even for me... and like you, I love truffles. Thanks also for the tip to cook the different colored lentils separately.

I'll give the bacon vinaigrette a try, while I'm waiting for the next time I buy a jarred truffle. I do keep white truffle oil on hand, so I've got that part covered.

[the_cow_whisperer]

It's great to see what everyone's making and the elaborate and attractive platings of food - and at home.

I'm new here, so "what's for dinner" is actually from this summer. My wife and I planted over 30 varieties of tomatoes (most heirloom varieties). Sooooo, we were inspired by the FL Cookbook to make Salad of Haricots Verts, Tomato Tartare,

and Chive Oil:

One would not have thought that green beans in whipped cream would be good, but the combination was absolutely wonderful - the very essense of tomato with all the tastes of summer.

[percyn]

It's great to see what everyone's making and the elaborate and attractive platings of food - and at home.

...

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WOW, what a great first post....welcome cow_whisperer (I like that name )

[little ms foodie]

It's great to see what everyone's making and the elaborate and attractive platings of food - and at home.

I'm new here, so "what's for dinner" is actually from this summer.  My wife and I planted over 30 varieties of tomatoes (most heirloom varieties).  Sooooo, we were inspired by the FL Cookbook to make Salad of Haricots Verts, Tomato Tartare,

and Chive Oil:

One would not have thought that green beans in whipped cream would be good, but the combination was absolutely wonderful - the very essense of tomato with all the tastes of summer.

←

THAT is beautiful!! Wow!!! Welcome and thanks for that gorgeous picture!!

[Susan in FL]

I am glad to have this week of working five days and three evenings over. It pulled energy from me that I would have otherwise used toward cooking, photographing, time on eG, and all those things more enjoyable in life than working for a living.

Russ cooked again Wednesday. That was grilled skewers of pork, pineapple and sweet onion, on rice, and with snow peas. Last night was a Chili's To Go while working, and I knew I wouldn't want to eat much of that, so I ate a larger meal than usual during the day. "Linner" in between jobs was a vegetable plate of asparagus, red and yellow plum tomatoes, and cut-up baked beets, with blue cheese. Tonight after happy hour we went to the store that had large snow crab claw clusters (that's a mouthful, pardon the pun) and live lobsters on sale and had them with a potato and watercress salad, and bubbly. Tomorrow I am going to an air show at the NAS in Jacksonville and will probably eat there or out afterwards. I haven't bothered to take photos except for yesterday afternoon. It was pretty as a picture, so I did take one.

[Swisskaese]

I am a little embarrassed to post this picture of my dinner because it is not a beautiful as Eunny's and SusanFL's, but my excuse is that this is my first photo on eG.

I made chicken with pomegranate syrup, ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, onion, garlic and honey. I served it with sweet potato and green beans.

Edited October 30, 2004 by Swisskaese (log)

[percyn]

I am a little embarrassed to post this picture of my dinner because it is not a beautiful as Eunny's and SusanFL's, but my excuse is that this is my first photo on eG.

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Sounds and looks delicious !!

[little ms foodie]

Tonight we had roasted butternut squash flan with parmesan sage sauce. We were so excited to eat it I forgot to take a picture! It was good!

That was our starter, for dinner we had dijion crusted rack of lamb with potatoes Joel Robuchon....so basically we had lamb with butter!! Served with a 1999 Bordeaux

[Marlene]

Tonight we had baked ham, yukon gold whipped potatoes and an asparagus stir fry that was to die for. Pics tomorrow.