Dinner! 2007

[Jmahl]

A few Philly eGulleteers were lucky enough to be invited by Monsieur and Madame TarteTatin for a dinner of cassoulet and, of course, tarte tatin! Food and company both were superb.

snacks: lamp pepperoni, truffled popcorn, radishes

cassoulet #1

cassoulet #2

hidden among the two different beans was duck confit, pork belly, pork shank, a couple different kinds of sausages...I'm probably forgetting something...  whatever was in there, it was truly delicious.

if only we'd had something to drink...

somehow in my porky thrall I failed to get a photo of the wonderful frisée salad that served as a nice bright counterpoint to the rich luxury of the cassoulet.

I regained my senses in time for the cheese course:

and how could we have dinner chez tartetatin without Tarte Tatin?

Much respect, and major thanks to chef!

and of course to Madame TarteTatin for the very gracious and generous hospitality.

Thanks too to the other Philly eGulleteers at the table for the fine company and fine wines!

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Ah, the French you have to love them.

Jmahl

[agalarneau]

Viva Le Creuset!

[GTO]

Made a flan the other night. Good texture and super-creamy. I am not a big fan of individual ramekins. My family (from Mexico and Brazil) always made it in a pyrex pie dish and then sliced into wedges.

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That is a SEXY flan.

If i were that way inclined...and made of dairy, also...

Edited March 20, 2007 by GTO (log)

[davidthomas8779]

Friday's dinner. Chorizo, manila clams, and choy sum. Served it with rice to sop up the juice

[philadining]

Viva Le Creuset!

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I got a dose of pretty serious Le Creuset envy in that kitchen. I think they might haul that big blue one out into the yard and use it as a hot tub in the summer...

[DesertCulinary]

I made a Hearty Peasant Soup tonight filled with garbanzo beans, fire-roasted tomatoes and broccoli rabe.

[Nishla]

Ooooooh...cassoulet, clams, peasant soup all look so good...

Yesterday we cooked a duck, along with a few other items:

Started with a cheese plate:

From top center to the right are asian pear with fresh goat cheese and long pepper, humboldt fog, and a pyrenees sheep milk cheese with figs soaked in sherry.

We made confit with the legs and wings, and served it over frisee with dried cherries, pistachios and an orange/mustard dressing:

Mushroom soup topped with a chestnut foam (wanted to play with the iSi whip!). Also in the dish are sauteed mushrooms, crispy shallots, thyme and strips of speck ham:

Five spice duck breast with mashed white sweet potato (with ginger and cinnamon) and brussels sprouts with chili garlic sauce and fish sauce:

We had this with a 1999 Zind Humbrecht Riesling, which I thought might be too old, but it was great with the ginger and other spices.

My first attempt at creme brulee, this was flavored with earl gray (an idea I borrowed after having it at Eastern Standard)

The custard wasn't as smooth as I hoped, but it tasted good

[C. sapidus]

Five spice duck breast with mashed white sweet potato (with ginger and cinnamon) and brussels sprouts with chili garlic sauce and fish sauce:

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OK, I just keep rolling this particular dish around in my head and imagining the flavors together. Five-spice duck breast: yum. Sweet potato with ginger and cinnamon: yum, and great complement to the cinnamon and ginger in the five-spice powder. Brussels sprouts: yum. Brussels sprouts with chili garlic sauce and fish sauce: major double yum.

Warm, spicy, sweet, salty, bitter, succulent, aromatic - man, that sounds good.

[Nishla]

OK, I just keep rolling this particular dish around in my head and imagining the flavors together. Five-spice duck breast: yum. Sweet potato with ginger and cinnamon: yum, and great complement to the cinnamon and ginger in the five-spice powder. Brussels sprouts: yum. Brussels sprouts with chili garlic sauce and fish sauce: major double yum.

Warm, spicy, sweet, salty, bitter, succulent, aromatic - man, that sounds good.

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It's funny, when I was making the brussels sprouts and the kitchen was stinking of fish sauce (a little goes a loooooong way), I instantly thought of your Dinner posts These turned out really well. Let us know if you try it!

[little ms foodie]

Nishla that looks like a spectacular meal!!

we had Normandy chicken tonight- chicken breasts cooked in apples, onions, cognac and brut hard cider. served with some fresh carrots, zuchini and peas and mashed potatoes with marscopone cheese. excellent! I'm not feeling well so while dayne had a glass of red I had a rhubarb Dry Soda which was really tasty with it!

[agalarneau]

Simple coconut milk marinade makes for some tasty grilled shrimp - even kids will eat it. Well, my kids, anyways.

The hows and whys are here.

[Domestic Goddess]

Made a flan the other night. Good texture and super-creamy. I am not a big fan of individual ramekins. My family (from Mexico and Brazil) always made it in a pyrex pie dish and then sliced into wedges.

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Oh Blissful Glutton! Please tell me how you made this creamy slice of heaven. Flan has been my downfall and I aim to make something like your wonderful creation. Will you share/PM the recipe pls? *puppy dog eyes*

[The Blissful Glutton]

Made a flan the other night. Good texture and super-creamy. I am not a big fan of individual ramekins. My family (from Mexico and Brazil) always made it in a pyrex pie dish and then sliced into wedges.

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Oh Blissful Glutton! Please tell me how you made this creamy slice of heaven. Flan has been my downfall and I aim to make something like your wonderful creation. Will you share/PM the recipe pls? *puppy dog eyes*

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DG: I used a variation of a recipe from here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/108137

I do not bother to separate the eggs and whip separately. Just through it all into a blender and mix very well--you want to make sure there is not egg yolk left or you will have a funky consistency. It calls for cans of evaporated milk and condensed milk, but there are no specifics. Use a 12oz can of evaporated milk and a 14oz can of condensed milk along with the cup of whole milk. Just make sure you watch in towards the last 10 minutes of cooking to ensure you don't form a crust on the top. It is so easy you won't believe it.

[Marlene]

After a week's vacation, I'm back in the kitchen. Tonight's dinner was ham steak with cider gravy, corn muffins and potato gratin.

[rooftop1000]

I was SOOOO eying up the ham steaks at the store today but ended up with country style ribs instead. They got grilled with red potatoes, red peppers and portabellas, whcih all got washed down with a tomato cucumber salad.

extra peppers and mushrooms going with salami and fresh mozz tomorrow....if I stop at the deli

tracey

[C. sapidus]

Tonight we made banh mi (hungry kids, no pictures), and sticky rice with roast chicken and scallion oil (xoi ga). We used Sunday’s leftover garlicky roast chicken (ga ro-ti), but I did not have time to pick up baguettes so we made the banh mi with potato rolls. Banh mi makes a wonderful quick dinner – we arrived home very late this evening, and we were eating in ten minutes.

This was my first time making sticky rice. I will probably finish the small bag that we bought, but so far I prefer jasmine rice. The scallion oil garnish added richness and a nice subtle accent, though – we will make that again. Daikon and carrot pickle (do chua) on the side.

Edit: clumsy fingers.

Edited March 21, 2007 by C. sapidus (log)

[Marlene]

I really need to learn how to make sticky rice. My husband keeps bugging me for it.

Very nice Bruce!

[C. sapidus]

I really need to learn how to make sticky rice.  My husband keeps bugging me for it.

Very nice Bruce!

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Thank you, Marlene. We soaked the sticky rice for several hours, drained and rinsed it in a colander, and tossed it with a little salt. After boiling water in the stock pot, we mounded the rice in the center of the stock pot insert and steamed for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula until the rice grains became translucent and chewy. Pretty straightforward, really.

I have not tried it, but Thai Table has a recipe for making sticky rice in a microwave.

[MauiMan]

We had Loco Moco...so ono!! Wish I had a picture.

[little ms foodie]

I love loco moco!! yum! do you serve it in a bowl or a dish?? I like it in a bowl!

tonight we made octaveman's mongolian beef! it was great!! served simply over rice. the beef was sooooo tender! thank you

[Chufi]

I have not tried it, but Thai Table has a recipe for making sticky rice in a microwave.

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I'm seriously rice-cooking-impaired and I always make my sticky rice in the microwave. It comes out perfect every time and it's so easy!

[MauiMan]

I love loco moco!! yum! do you serve it in a bowl or a dish?? I like it in a bowl!

tonight we made octaveman's mongolian beef! it was great!! served simply over rice. the beef was sooooo tender! thank you 

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In a bowl to keep all of that gravy from running off the edges.

[Shalmanese]

I love loco moco!! yum! do you serve it in a bowl or a dish?? I like it in a bowl!

tonight we made octaveman's mongolian beef! it was great!! served simply over rice. the beef was sooooo tender! thank you 

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Wow, is there a recipe for that?

[C. sapidus]

Ask (or search RecipeGullet) and ye shall receive. Octaveman's Mongolian Beef (click).

[Chufi]

Shalmanese, it's in RecipeGullet (search for mongolian )

I haven't posted here in a while. Many not-so-noteworthy dinners, and a couple of good dinners that were safe old favorites.

Yesterdays dinner was good! Dutch 'slavink' (beef/pork wrapped in bacon), details here with mustard/parsley mash and braised cabbage. Lovely comfortfood.

edited to add: Bruce beat me to it (and he even added the proper link )

Edited March 21, 2007 by Chufi (log)