Dinner! 2007

[Chufi]

  I looked up "calabacitas" in Recipe Gullet and could not find anything. Emily, could you please let me know where to look for that recipe?

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I´m not Emily, but Bella, the recipe is here

[LittleChef22]

Thanks for posting everyone... these are great ideas for meals:)

[eskay]

Wowie that redcurrant pie looks amazing! They're such a beautiful fruit.

[nonblonde007]

Oh My God Chufi!! Bruce, you have competition....*sheepish look* Those are amazing pics and meals!

ETA, that must have sounded rude, sorry........now, where the *&%$ is the PMS thread?!

Edited August 14, 2007 by nonblonde007 (log)

[little ms foodie]

The Blissful Glutton all your pictures look beautiful!

and everyone with all your corn- yum!!!!

Klary I love leeks done that way! steal away!!

We had a fabulous dinner last week when Shaya and her fabulous husband and sons came to dinner! Unfortunately such a good time was had that I only took a picture of the dessert as it came out of the oven- yes I baked, momentous eh?

plum tart with brandy custard (plums from the neighbors tree!)

also served were a fig and goat cheese salad, slow roasted side of wild king salmon with roumelade, herbed gnocchi with brown butter and sage. lots of wine!

Leftovers the next day also included asparagus with soft boiled egg and breadcrumbs

last night we had a big hunk of manchego with quince and a pitcher of sangria that we enjoyed outside and shared with one of our neighbors who spied out pretty snacks!

then grilled chicken breast with green bean and crispy proscuitto salad

[Marlene]

I haven't posted much either either, but tonight's dinner was rack of lamb, gratin dauphinois and fresh peas sauteed in butter and olive oil.

[C. sapidus]

Klary: Dang, where to start? Silly question – obviously, start with the monkfish in chipotle mayo and fried plantains. More, please!

Wendy: Wait, you had dinner with Shaya and her family and failed to document fully? We wuz robbed!

Brenda: Even it I were a competitive sort (which I am not), I would definitely not throw down against Chufi. Anyway, cooking seems like a cooperative rather than a competitive activity.

Tonight we made stir-fried shrimp with chile-tamarind sauce, a larb-influenced salad, jasmine rice, and cucumbers. Kamikazes for dessert. We were expecting a dinner guest, but she had to work late so we packed up the leftovers and took them over to her at work. Well, except for the shrimp.

[nonblonde007]

Bruce & Chufi............I did not mean to dishonor either of you, in fact the opposite! Please forgive errant fingers.

(exactly why women should NOT be given sharp objects or keyboards at certain times of the month) Much Luv to you both.....

btw, Wow, to Marlene on the best looking rack I have seen in a while. *wink*

And of course Bruce........nuff said.

[heidih]

Haven't posted here in a while, but here are 2 recent dinners:

Wow! The monkfish in chipotle mayo lovingly cupped in the crisp lettuce leaf with sprouts accompanied by fried plantains grabbed me, but then I saw that was just the "starter". I just have to tell you that your combinations are really great and inspire me to play.

[little ms foodie]

Wendy: Wait, you had dinner with Shaya and her family and failed to document fully? We wuz robbed!

I know!! but there were cocktails, wine, lots of chatting and legos!! I think Shaya has pictures but she is moving so it may be a while!

tonight we started with a Swordfighter Swizzle thanks to Cocktail Chronicles Paul Clarke (yum!) with swizzle sticks from Cafe Adelaide in NOLA

with some Beechers Flagship, olives and soppressata

dinner was grilled Italian sausages that eG'er Della made for us with grilled red onions and summer squash and salad with blueberry vinaigrette all thanks to our CSE box

not pictured were peaches with sweeted masarpone from our neighbors mom's orchard!

[Chufi]

Wendy, a party that includes both cocktails and lego sounds perfect to me!

your plum tart looks so good. I think plums are my favorite fruit to bake with, even when the fruit is not of the very best quality, baking makes it sweet and juicy.

[monavano]

Chufi, where do I begin with your post from yesterday? Everthing looks amazing. So fresh and seasonal!

Well, we ordered in some Thai food yesterday, however, i did make dessert! Berry blueberry chocolate chip gelato.

[Shaya]

Wendy: Wait, you had dinner with Shaya and her family and failed to document fully? We wuz robbed!

I know!! but there were cocktails, wine, lots of chatting and legos!! I think Shaya has pictures but she is moving so it may be a while!

We're back from our fabulous trip to Vancouver and Seattle and there has been so much great food being cooked while we were away. We had an incredible dinner with Wendy and her husband along with other meals with fabulous eGulleters. I have lots of photos and will let you all know when I have a chance to post about it all. Right now I am somewhere between unpacking from the trip and packing up our house for an imminent move!

Edited August 15, 2007 by Shaya (log)

[C. sapidus]

Brenda: Thank you! No worries, nothing to forgive. Avoid sharp objects if you must, but keep using the keyboard.

Shaya: Good luck with your move, and we will be patient waiting for pictures. Tap. Tap. Tap . . .

Tonight we made roasted Poblano-potato salad with blue cheese and grilled NY strip steak, a riff from Rick Bayless’ Mexican Everyday. The mix of flavors was wonderful, but Mrs. C wanted more texture (I forgot the lettuce ). The boys gamely tried some, but the blue cheese and cilantro drove them back to their steak and cucumbers.

[monavano]

Caprese bruschetta with tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella and grated parm/provolone. Finished with a little evoo and kosher salt.

[gfron1]

Its so rare that I cook dinner anymore, but with my spouse gone what's a guy to do except throw a party! The whole meal evolved around an idea I had a few months ago to do a cannoli style chicken tandoori filled with basmati mousse. Here's where that idea ended up:

I found some great Indian themed cocktails here on eGullet. First was the Amrit (Bourbon, lemon, palm sugar, vanilla) modelled by Mason my sous for the evening:

Then Patrick, our community's top realtor helped himself to a Jadoo (Gin, mint, lime, sugar, tonic):

Then it was my turn. I prefaced the night for everyone that it would be experimental (my way of saying, some of this may suck). The first course was an amuse - chai tea caviar (sodium alginate ceyon, set in warm honey, sprinkled with brown sugar and chai masala adorned with chai ice). You'll see it wasn't my best sodium alginate - but they didn't know any better:

For the bread course, I prepared homemade chapati naan with tomato chutney:

A nice cucumber, strawberry salad with a mint, walnut oil, orange juice dressing:

The entree was the tandoori chicken filled with basmati mousse. The plate include alu ghobi (cauliflower, potato, tomato) topped with kadaif, sprinkled with chat masala (finger lickin'), a ghee fried turmeric rice patty with browned ghee butter (tapioca maltodextrin), dressed with more chat masala and saffron oil:

The cheese course was homemade paneer fried and topped with a walnut (we were very stuffed at this point):

And for dessert chocolate caviar on a fresh coconut scoop, cinnamon dacquois over chocolate pastry cream, and a hot cocoa with cinnamon, almond and vanilla, with madras curry marshmallow.

We were stuffed, but happy!

[wattacetti]

Then it was my turn.  I prefaced the night for everyone that it would be experimental (my way of saying, some of this may suck).  The first course was an amuse - chai tea caviar (sodium alginate ceyon, set in warm honey, sprinkled with brown sugar and chai masala adorned with chai ice).  You'll see it wasn't my best sodium alginate - but they didn't know any better:

[snip!]

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gfron1: very impressive! First time I've ever seen any molecular gastronomy techniques brought to Indian cuisine.

I can understand the basmati mousse part, but how did you form what looks like a tandoori chicken canoli without it collapsing? Mold?

[dockhl]

I can understand the basmati mousse part, but how did you form what looks like a tandoori chicken canoli without it collapsing? Mold?

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I'd like to know more about the basmati mousse!

[Shelby]

Its so rare that I cook dinner anymore, but with my spouse gone what's a guy to do except throw a party!  The whole meal evolved around an idea I had a few months ago to do a cannoli style chicken tandoori filled with basmati mousse.  Here's where that idea ended up:

I found some great Indian themed cocktails here on eGullet.  First was the Amrit (Bourbon, lemon, palm sugar, vanilla) modelled by Mason my sous for the evening:

Then Patrick, our community's top realtor helped himself to a Jadoo (Gin, mint, lime, sugar, tonic):

Then it was my turn.  I prefaced the night for everyone that it would be experimental (my way of saying, some of this may suck).  The first course was an amuse - chai tea caviar (sodium alginate ceyon, set in warm honey, sprinkled with brown sugar and chai masala adorned with chai ice).  You'll see it wasn't my best sodium alginate - but they didn't know any better:

For the bread course, I prepared homemade chapati naan with tomato chutney:

A nice cucumber, strawberry salad with a mint, walnut oil, orange juice dressing:

The entree was the tandoori chicken filled with basmati mousse.  The plate include alu ghobi (cauliflower, potato, tomato) topped with kadaif, sprinkled with chat masala (finger lickin'), a ghee fried turmeric rice patty with browned ghee butter (tapioca maltodextrin), dressed with more chat masala and saffron oil:

The cheese course was homemade paneer fried and topped with a walnut (we were very stuffed at this point):

And for dessert chocolate caviar on a fresh coconut scoop, cinnamon dacquois over chocolate pastry cream, and a hot cocoa with cinnamon, almond and vanilla, with madras curry marshmallow.

We were stuffed, but happy!

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I'm now quite embarrassed that I ever put any of my pictures on here. Nothing I've done compares to this for sure!

I don't even have any idea what sodium alginate is!

[wattacetti]

I finally got my hands on nice rectangular plates (good ones from Porcelaines Bousquet; not loving the price but pay to play). Have plated on my leaf-shaped Japanese plates, round white ones, octagonal white ones, hideous blue stoneware, fluo-green plastic picnicware… but not on good rectangles. Was also cooking for some friends but sort-of forgot that part because I had these nice rectangular plates.

Chilean Sea Bass amuse

Blowtorched skin served with sake and soy. Just to see if they were willing to eat something squishy.

Chilean Sea Bass ceviche

Toothfish, key limes, chile, salt, onion: it's the new sushi (yes, probably now time to move on). Had to do something with the fish.

Les raisins nus

Quail confit with "naked" grapes, grape/sherry vinegar gastrique and serrano ham. Probably should have gone frugal and served only one grape: peeling the things were easy; picking good-looking mini-bunches was difficult.

Quail polpetti

Ground quail breast meat bound with some egg and breadcrumb. Sauce made from quail fond, tomato and peaches.

Yellow watermelon soup

Yellow watermelon juice, cucumber juice, lobster, ikura sauce (ikura, sake, mirin, soy, rice vinegar). Because summertime soup should be eaten with a fork.

Roast sablefish

Sake-marinated sablefish with snap peas and wild mushrooms (shimeji and chanterelles jaunissantes). The only thing I plated on the rectangular plates because I wound up serving too many things in advance. I think I'll write a menu next time. I'll also think about plating and portion size next time too, since in hindsight this looks contrived.

Quail leftovers

Port-marinated quail breast with serrano ham, shimeji mushrooms, Pinot Noir jus, beans, and the same meatballs. Had to cook the leftover stuff I didn't serve and wanted to practice some more on the plates. Need more practice - still contrived but now reeking of effort.

[gfron1]

I'm now quite embarrassed that I ever put any of my pictures on here.  Nothing I've done compares to this for sure!

I don't even have any idea what sodium alginate is!

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You say that, but then look at the post right after mine...puts me to shame

Here's the topic on sodium alginate. Fun stuff...used only to impress friends who don't know what it is And, the chai was supposed to be a sodium alginate ravioli, but I couldn't get it to form, that's why I have two rounds of caviar in one meal.

[wattacetti]

I'm now quite embarrassed that I ever put any of my pictures on here.  Nothing I've done compares to this for sure!

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Why would you say this? There is nothing wrong with your photos or what you cook.

I don't even have any idea what sodium alginate is!

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One of the two chemical components (the other being calcium chloride) used to encapsulate liquids into little caviar-like spheres (or big egg-yolk size spheres). The techique came out of Ferran Adria at el Bulli.

[wattacetti]

You say that, but then look at the post right after mine...puts me to shame

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Nope. Mine's all smoke and mirrors.

[gfron1]

gfron1: very impressive! First time I've ever seen any molecular gastronomy techniques brought to Indian cuisine.

I can understand the basmati mousse part, but how did you form what looks like a tandoori chicken canoli without it collapsing? Mold?

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The chicken was the easy part. I cut each breast in half horizontally, and flattened them just a bit on the thick sections. Rubbed tandoori blend all over. I had bought 1" wooden dowels at the hardware store, which I soaked in water. Rolled the chicken around the dowel and skewered the seam. Grilled and then removed the dowel and skewer and the shape held. I was going to use cannoli forms, but a customer bought my last set from my store - and the dowels worked just fine (and cheaper than the forms that I sell ).

The mousse I did two ways. For both I made my basmati 3:1 Liquid:Rice using 2 cups coconut milk and 1 cup broth. Added some clove and a bit more salt. Cooked the rice till all of the liquid was gone and let it sit til room temperature. I wanted to try two techniques, so for the first technique, I just put that in a food processor with cream and a bit of coriander. For the other technique I whipped cream, and folded in the basmati paste. The latter was lighter. The taste was the same in both. If I did this again (which I may), I would use a smaller dowel (3/4") since the whole meal was just too much food and the basmati ended up dominating the plate - not a bad thing, but not necessary either.

[Peter Green]

Okay, on the one hand, I hate it when the family isn't here to look after me.

On the other hand, it gives me free reign to try dumb things.

This last few days, I've had sauerbraten on the go.

One nice piece of Australian rib eye roast sitting in vinegar, onion, and peppercorns.

Some potato dumplings worked up, and I'm ready.

After a week of turning and turning, I dredged it in flour tonight, browned it, and then put it as a pot roast in the marinade (removed), with some carrots, celery, and an onion speckled with cloves. (Yup, it's the Joy of Cooking recipe).

Pull it out of the oven after three hours, work in some butter and sour cream, add in the potato dumplings, and...

Voila.

This worked better than I'd hoped. The meat pulled away, but still remained a little chewy. And you have that "my breath is gone" pickled flaour, but then all it takes is one bite of the potato dumpling to clear everything for the next sally.

this should make for a great breakfast.