Dinner! 2007

[Chufi]

Prawncrackers, that rolled pork is glorious.

We had pork too. look at these beauties:

turned into this: with sage, onion, malaga sauce, jerusalem artichoke mash, and roast asparagus.

Dessert was the rhubarb/strawberry ginger crisp from Dorie Greenspan´s book.

we had a 1998 Amarone to drink..

... and we´re very happy now. I love Saturdays!

Edited June 9, 2007 by Chufi (log)

[GTO]

Great looking crisp, Chufi - It's made itself even prettier by applying it's own lipstick in the oven!

[Eilen]

The recipe that was a winner, however, was quite delicious -- Catalan Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Almonds from the fabulous food blog www.travelerslunchbox.com

Emily

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Emily, I made that last week also! Only when I discovered that I had just one can of chickpeas, not two like I thought, I put in some sliced sauteed chorizo to bulk it up a bit. Not that that's a bad thing! Ate it with crusty bread and a salad with sherry dressing. It really was delicious, a great cool weather meal.

[Peter the eater]

. . . After dinner, Mrs. C improvised a tasty concoction of hard cider, applejack, and lime juice.

Pork riblets look fantastic. What's applejack?

[percyn]

Made a burger yesterday to get into the summer mood...

Handformed patty with red onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a fried egg

[Peter the eater]

We had some fish yesterday. I bought a whole flounder for the first time, a small one and very tricky to fillet. In fact I made enough of a mess with it that he went straight into a fish stock once I cleared away the undesirable bits. Next time I clean a flat fish it will be twice that size.

Fortunately I had also got some mackerel:

It was very good. In the pan was some lemon and onion and a bit of water for steam. I am always amazed at home much oil comes out of the fish in just a few minutes - you can see the droplets of those virtuous omega-3 fatty acids just screaming "eat me".

[C. sapidus]

Pork riblets look fantastic. What's applejack?

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Thanks, Peter! Applejack is a traditional American apple brandy made from distilled hard cider.

Klary: Beautiful dinner, and gorgeous picture of the Amarone. Saturdays are wonderful, aren’t they?

In support of Crouching Tyler’s Cradle of Flavor project (click), we made beef satay . . .

. . . and rojak.

[Emily_R]

The recipe that was a winner, however, was quite delicious -- Catalan Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Almonds from the fabulous food blog www.travelerslunchbox.com

Emily

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Emily, I made that last week also! Only when I discovered that I had just one can of chickpeas, not two like I thought, I put in some sliced sauteed chorizo to bulk it up a bit. Not that that's a bad thing! Ate it with crusty bread and a salad with sherry dressing. It really was delicious, a great cool weather meal.

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Eilen -- YUM! Chorizo makes nearly anything better, but I can really imagine it paired well with the flavors in that chickpea dish. I'll have to try adding some the next time I make it!

[GreekCook]

Made a burger yesterday to get into the summer mood...

Handformed patty with red onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a fried egg

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That is one awesome looking burger, in fact that is what a burger should look like...drool drool drool

[GreekCook]

Bruce Absolutely mouth watering

I have to stop reading this forum at 5.30 in the morning, when all the shops are closed and I can't get supplies to cook up a storm

[dockhl]

We had some fish yesterday. I bought a whole flounder for the first time, a small one and very tricky to fillet.

He is kinda cute, though...........

I don't know that I've had fresh mackerel except for sushi, which was WAY too fishy for me. Cooked, is it pretty strong?

[Chufi]

Peter, I'm quickly becoming addicted to the pictures you take in that little yellow corner, with the food on the marble slab. The lighting and colors are just so gorgeous.

[Shalmanese]

My 22nd Birthday Dinner

22 courses, of course.

Home made Pita Chips 3 ways, Cumin, Paprika & Herb flavored

Corn Chips

Hummus

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Creamed Spinach

Finangled Salumi from Salumi, courtesy of hhlohdesign.

Mizuna, Cherry & Hazelnut Salad with a Mustard Vinagrette

White Rice

Chicken & Shiitake Mushroom with Rice Noodles

Sweet & Sour Ribs

Mojo Pork

Beer Braised Beef

Potato Flavoured Butter

Spice Rubbed Ribs

Corn & Egg Drop Soup

Lamb & Cauliflower Curry

Grilled Mackerel with Lemon

Truffle Roasted Asparagus

Szechuan Long Beans with Ground Pork

Yu Choi & Pork with Oyster Sauce

Edited June 10, 2007 by Shalmanese (log)

[Chufi]

Wow Shalmanese I can´t believe it´s been a year already since your last birthday extravaganza!

Love the potato flavored butter.

Are you going to keep this up.. 50 courses when you turn 50.. etc..

[Dejah]

potato flavoured butter. Gotta love that.

Happy birthday! But then, what birthday wouldn't be happy with that feast! I hope you didn't have to cook it yourself.

[C. sapidus]

GreekCook: Thank you, and apologies.

Shalmanese: What, no dessert? No seriously, that is an amazing and ambitious meal. I’m exhausted and hungry just looking at the pictures. When did you start cooking, and how many contributed?

I’ll start lobbying now for an invite to your 40th.

[Shalmanese]

GreekCook: Thank you, and apologies.

Shalmanese: What, no dessert?   No seriously, that is an amazing and ambitious meal. I’m exhausted and hungry just looking at the pictures. When did you start cooking, and how many contributed?

I’ll start lobbying now for an invite to your 40th.

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Ling brought brownies and I made some fruit frozen yogurt thing which remained uneaten.

I cooked everything myself except the last 2 dishes which were made by Ling. It was fun but I don't think I'll be doing it again. Then again, that's what I said last year .

[Bueno]

White Miso Turbot, Roasted Fingerlings, Asparagus, Balsamic

Black Angus Burger, American Cheese, Texas Toast

[Peter the eater]

C. sapidus: Those beef satays look very inviting. And I'll be on the lookout for applejack.

Chufi: I have a glass door there beside my "little yellow kitchen photo studio" corner so its become the go-to spot. I think I should mix it up a bit. BTW I have been reading your Dutch cooking thread - very cool, I'm getting closer to shedding my phobia for eels. Anguilliphobia I am calling it although I just made up that word. No more coffee for me, when over caffeinated I tend to make up my own words.

shalmanese: Dude, that's a lot of good food.

dockhl: You think that little flounder is cute? As a fish in the larval stage they look pretty normal and symmetrical and upright. When they are around one month in age one eye starts to migrate over to the other side of the head. Next thing you know all the entrails are hidden on one side of the spine. I should have done more research before filleting it.

[Bueno]

Tonight: Pancetta-Painted Steelhead, Roast Fingerlings, Balsamic Pomegranate Reduction

.. garnished with a roasted shallot and thyme spring (thyme in sauce and potatoes also). Steelhead is a tasty fish and I always buy it when I see it (it is actually Rainbow Trout raised in salt-water). Very similar to salmon, but without the pricetag.

[Peter the eater]

Bueno, your meal would command a pretty penny in a restaurant. I love steelhead, I used to catch them with a rod as a kid. The colour on yours is breath-taking.

Earlier today I got a 2lb bag of locally farmed steamer clams.

We had some left over slender asparagus stems so I shoved them through a "frencher" seen in the bowl below.

Some spare button mushroom stems, garlic, onion and two thai peppers went in the pot as well:

Clams were rinsed carefully, twice:

The veggies got a head start in butter, deglaze the pan, then the clams steamed on top.

Here's the result with glass noodles in the mix:

I took the actual shells out along with the siphons (they were big and chewy) before mixing in the noodles a tiny bit of light cream. The taste was very good but their was still some residual grittiness - like getting a bit of sand in your food. I never have this problem with mussels, there must be a trick to it. Also, one pepper would have sufficed for heat as those suckers pack a big kick. There were a few grape tomatoes in their too for colour.

[lucylou95816]

Peter, your photos are totally pornalicious!

Here is last night's dinner, french onion soup with homemade stock, salad with belguim endive and dijon vinegarette and french blue cheese.

As a bonus, here is Friday's lunch.....cheese and serrano ham, bread and olives completed with a nice glass of pinot grigio. Lovely.

[Prawncrackers]

Peter, $4 for all those clams? Is that the norm over there, because that is a steal!!!

Tonight, nice simple roast chicken, spuds and peas:

[Peter the eater]

I took the actual shells out along with the siphons (they were big and chewy) before mixing in the noodles a tiny bit of light cream. The taste was very good but their was still some residual grittiness - like getting a bit of sand in your food. I never have this problem with mussels, there must be a trick to it.

[Peter the eater]

Peter, $4 for all those clams?  Is that the norm over there, because that is a steal!!!