Dinner! 2005

[Daniel]

Trout with Serrano ham and garlic. Served it with sauteed beet greens

Dessert: Orange pudding cake.

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Foodman,

I have been cooking trout the last couple of weeks.. One thing I have found, that left overs are good on bagels... That looks like a well done fish.. .Great job

Edited December 22, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[Pan]

Also, it was chilly chicken day.  Has anyone tasted chilly chicken before?

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Of course! But how do you make your version?

[vkn]

how do you make your version?

Pan - I am sorry I had missed giving you the link. Here is the link - Chilli chicken recipe details

[I_call_the_duck]

Susan, that sushi looks so good, and so beautifully presented. Between the poached eggs, the sushi, and beef, it looks like you're on an egg kick (not that it's a bad thing)!

[Jason Perlow]

Last Night:

Jambalaya

Tonight:

Stuffed Cabbage with Kasha Varnishkes:

[vkn]

We cooked the most simplest chicken dish today - the Ginger Chicken along with Fried Cabbage to go with plain boiled rice.

[Chufi]

While doing some more prep work for Saturdays Christmas party (frying up 100 meatballs, and things like that ) I needed something quick and easy for dinner. I took a single serving of soup from the freezer that was simply labelled "wintersoup".. fortunately it was delicious.. a thick and creamy white bean, tomato and sage soup.

Some grilled cheese toasts to go with it.

Dessert: a couple of pieces of green tea shortbread that did not make it off the baking sheet in one piece....

Edited December 22, 2005 by Chufi (log)

[Meez]

Wow, the bar is high around here. Great pics, everyone.

Going light this week with black beans and rice on Mon and Tue and a bi bim bap type deal last night and tonight. Probably won't get a picture.

Hitting the road tomorrow. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

[Meez]

Just a quick handheld shot.

Bi bim bap type deal

[Daniel]

Defrosted a veal chop that I can of found or forgot about..Grilled, sliced and served with parsley salad radish and sherry vinegar..

Cooked on a cast iron grill until it was 130.

Served it with a piece of bone in the back there.. Even though its a salad I like the bones

Had a red zinfandel with dinner.. A beer for dessert..

Edited December 23, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[racheld]

We had nibbles for dinner with our two best friends. They always have Christmas Dinner at home, so we get together one evening of the holidays, just the four of us.

We had a little buffet of Spanakopita triangles (spinach, bacon, Feta, garlic in phyllo) with tsatziki; snow peas and celery sticks; a hot dip of flaked salmon, cream cheese, scallions, Old Bay and garlic, with a cup of strands of fresh Parmesan to provide lovely long, stringy, cheesy warm bites. Roasted baby potatoes with creme fraiche and chives; egg-and-olive dip in Bibb leaves; wheat, sesame and butter crackers; a cheese tray with smoked Gouda, a crumbly deep-orange wedge of Cheddar, Brie en Croute with crisp Fuji apple wedges.

Trays of the sweet goodies I made yesterday: Kahlua fudge, Latte Fudge, Macaroon bars, lemon bars, and banana bread. Snow-chilled Mead for the guys, an Oliver red for the lady guest, decaf iced tea for me. Port all around with the cheese; macadamia Kona in the presspot.

[Grub]

Kashmir Pork Chops with Aloo Mutter

Tried Monica's Kashmir Lambchops but with pork -- worked out fairly well, except I should have let it go longer in the milk to cook it properly tender, and I also used too much chili powder in the batter, so it overpowered the subtle flavor of the milk mixture.

But the aloo mutter (potatoes & peas) came out perfect. My new favorite Indian side-dish, I think -- especially for dishes that aren't of a curry/stew-like consistency, with their own sauce.

[BryanZ]

I haven't posted any food I've cooked here since the summer. But now that I'm home I plan to resume full force posting.

Dinner tonight was Sous Vide Part I: Seafood to the Maxxx

[Shalmanese]

Professor Shalmanese's Cooking School - Day 1

Stir Fry with toasted sesame seeds

Edited December 23, 2005 by Shalmanese (log)

[Pan]

how do you make your version?

Pan - I am sorry I had missed giving you the link. Here is the link - Chilli chicken recipe details

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Very good-looking chicken dish!

One thing that stood out in your ingredient list was the soy sauce. Please talk about your use of soy sauce in the dish. Is that unusual in your cooking?

[Megan Blocker]

Megan, that green apple sauce is stunning.  Did you cook it with the peels on?

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Thanks, Abra!

Actually, I didn't cook it at all, which is probably why it kept its color!

Basically, I chopped up to Granny Smith apples and threw them in the food processor with the juice of one lemon and a couple teaspoons of sugar, then added about a tablespoon of water. Zoom - instant applesauce! Probably more like apple puree...

I covered it with plastic wrap (pressing it down to touch the puree, so as not expose it to air) and put it in the fridge while I made the latkes...the sitting time really helped it, I have to say.

But no cooking! Lazy applesauce, let's call it.

Edited December 23, 2005 by Megan Blocker (log)

[Abra]

Cool idea - apple relish! I have to copy that.

[Daniel]

Megan, that green apple sauce is stunning.  Did you cook it with the peels on?

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Thanks, Abra!

Actually, I didn't cook it at all, which is probably why it kept its color!

Basically, I chopped up to Granny Smith apples and threw them in the food processor with the juice of one lemon and a couple teaspoons of sugar, then added about a tablespoon of water. Zoom - instant applesauce! Probably more like apple puree...

I covered it with plastic wrap (pressing it down to touch the puree, so as not expose it to air) and put it in the fridge while I made the latkes...the sitting time really helped it, I have to say.

But no cooking! Lazy applesauce, let's call it.

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Megan,

I do something like that also.. Then I take the mixture and put it in an ice cream maker.. Makes a great apple slushy..

[Alinka]

Great dinners, everyone! Love the thread...

I didn't have to be at work this morning, so I decided to use this rare occasion when I am actually home during daylight to show you my kitchen "studio," as promised. Besides, I had some white chocolate, milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate and butterscotch chips that needed to be used, so I decided to bake cookies.

I took this photo standing on my knees and practically hugging the plate :

Then I got up, took a few steps back and, without changing anything, snapped a more general photo:

That's it! My only device that can be considered special studio equipment is a sheet of white paper taped to the wall for white background.

Hope this helps .

[Jake]

Alinka, it just tells us that you are incredibly talented in your own right, have a great eye for food photography, and definitely don't need any special props!! Thanks for sharing.

[BryanZ]

Megan, that green apple sauce is stunning.  Did you cook it with the peels on?

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Thanks, Abra!

Actually, I didn't cook it at all, which is probably why it kept its color!

Basically, I chopped up to Granny Smith apples and threw them in the food processor with the juice of one lemon and a couple teaspoons of sugar, then added about a tablespoon of water. Zoom - instant applesauce! Probably more like apple puree...

I covered it with plastic wrap (pressing it down to touch the puree, so as not expose it to air) and put it in the fridge while I made the latkes...the sitting time really helped it, I have to say.

But no cooking! Lazy applesauce, let's call it.

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If one wants to get a little more involved with the no-cook applesauce/relish, I suggest substituting apple cider for the water. I also might suggest adding a bit more of water/cider/liquid of your choice, as it's easier to get a more silken texture in a food processor or blender. It might be a bit too watery so you can strain through a couple layers of cheese cloth to get the desired consistency. Not only will you have great applesauce but a freshly infused little bowl of apple cider

[FoodMan]

The leftover Trout from the night before became last night's dinner :

Trout and potato cakes mixed with parsley and little onion, dredged in breadcrumbs and fried in oilve oil and butter. Served topped with creme fraiche and a celery leaf salad.

[rlibkind]

Last night was fresh smelts simply dipped in milk, flour then deep fried. Nothing but a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper on the plate. But I had half of the batch left over. What to do?

Alan Davidson, "North Atlantic Seafood", had the answer. He's got a Danish recipe in which fried herring sits overnight in a mild vinegar pickle made with with sugar, black pepper, onions and (optional) cloves. Well, smelts may be in a different family than herring, but their eating characteristics are close enough. It worked beautifully. I enjoyed the marinated fried smelts cold over rye bread tonight with a beer. A great, hearty dish.

[Abra]

BryanZ - good suggestions, nice technique escalation.

Elie, Yum! That looks so appetizing.

Rlibkind, I've eaten that exact fried-then-marinated herring in Sweden, many years ago. Do you have an actual recipe, or did you just follow the concept. I remember it being delicious.

Alinka, ok, no studio, but do you have a special lense that does such close focus? I want my pictures to look just like yours!

My dinner was a head of roasted cauliflower, a bowl of roasted squash, and a dish of homemade applesauce. I'm saving up for tomorrow and Sunday, when I have a lot of food and drink planned.

[Ann_T]

I haven't been reading or posting for the last 6 weeks or so as we were in the process of moving. I haven't had time to look at all of the dinner posts that I missed but I'm trying to catch up. I've looked a many of the pictures and there are some amazing meals.

Alinka, I'm drooling over those cookies. Megan your latkas look so good. Wonderful picture too. And Shalmanese, I love your stirfry with sesame seeds.

I don't usually cook Chinese food, but tonight I made Lemon Chicken. And now that we are settled in and all the boxes have been emptied I've started baking bread again. My husbands favourite.

Ann