Dinner! 2007

[agalarneau]

A dinner to remember: Starting from a Washington Post recipe for marinated swordfish stew, my wife came home with the biggest piece of fish I've ever been responsible for - a 3.5 pound slab of swordfish.

Here it is under its blanket of fresh basil, crushed garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, bay leaves and fresh rosemary:

How'd it turn out? Let's just say my brother and his family are visiting for the weekend - and I know what's for dinner.

[Shaya]

Percy, what a perfect little burger.

Bruce what a great birthday gift. I just bought some chipotles in adobo and I'll be tapping into some of your mexican dishes for inspiration...

agalarneau that is quite a fish!

Last night was Greek night in honor of some friends who are flying off to Greece for the month.

Pan-Fried Haloumi with Ouzo Flambee and Fresh Lemon Juice - fresh favas, peas, pancetta

Shrimp Saganaki and Lemon Roast Potatoes - the shrimp are seared briefly then flambeed in ouzo, then baked in an aromatic marinara with Bulgarian feta; on top of pasta for the kids (and some for me too- I can't resist)

[Domestic Goddess]

Live It Up - Happy birthday to you and hubby! I love the tiny food presentation. Drooling over those burgers...

Today, supper was Chicken Afritada with Steamed Rice and Bruce's eternal cukes

←

Doddie: Why thank you so much, and back atcha! So, do tell about the chicken afritada – it looks delicious – and I’m interested to hear about Philippine mangos, too.

←

Shelby and Bruce - Chicken Afritada is a popular Spanish-inspired Filipino dish. The basic components are chicken pieces, garlic, onion, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers and tomatoes. The chicken is brown first and then the garlic, onion and chopped tomatoes are sauteed until well done (tomatoes exuding oil) then the tomato sauce is added with the carrots and this is cooked until the tomato sauce is beginning to exude oil. The chicken is then added and simmered in the sauce, then the bell peppers and lastly the potatoes. The sauce coats all the ingredients and braises everything with a delightlful tomatoey sauce. My mom says that doing it this way also makes the dish keep better in the hot, humid Philippine weather and not spoil easily.

Philippine mangoes - it has been compared to no other ... sometimes foreigners would say it comes close to the best peaches but still is better than it. Our mangoes are firm, very sweet and juicy. The seductive aroma of a ripe one wafts to one's senses, promising a very juicy and sweet fruit. There a many varieties like the huge carabao (water buffalo) mangoes, the peach-like Cebu mangoes, the tiny Pako mangoes with hairy seeds, etc. Green mangoes are a favorite snack in the Philippines, very tart and crisp, which combines well with dips like soy sauce, vinegar and sugar or bagoong (sauteed fermented shrimp paste).

[little ms foodie]

Bruce we have that same Kaffir tree! It is awesome and very pretty!!

Shaya that dinner looks awesome! I want greek food!!

[LittleLea]

Hello all!

I figured I'd join in the fun! =)

Last night I decided to use some of the duck breast thats been in our freezer. I also had a pear at about the end of its ropes so I diced it up and made a sauce by sauteeing the pear in some of the rendered fat from the duck... deglazed with some Calvados, a bit of duck stock, a bit of apple juice, thyme and salt... voila!

Edited June 29, 2007 by LittleLea (log)

[Live It Up]

Live it up your meal looks awesome! happy bday! I have a recipe for pastrami spiced gravlax I've been meaning to try forever- how was it??

←

Thanks everyone for all the birthday wishes! The pastrami spiced gravlax was really good. I linked to the recipe I used in my post (it's from F&W). I thought it was a little too hot spicy to really taste like pastrami, but it was a good flavor. I only got a couple of slices of it, actually, as my guests devoured most of it. There were almost no leftovers of anything.

[Live It Up]

A dinner to remember: Starting from a Washington Post recipe for marinated swordfish stew, my wife came home with the biggest piece of fish I've ever been responsible for - a 3.5 pound slab of swordfish.

Here it is under its blanket of fresh basil, crushed garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, bay leaves and fresh rosemary:

How'd it turn out? Let's just say my brother and his family are visiting for the weekend - and I know what's for dinner.

←

Such a gorgeous picture! I want that swordfish.

[little ms foodie]

Live it up your meal looks awesome! happy bday! I have a recipe for pastrami spiced gravlax I've been meaning to try forever- how was it??

←

Thanks everyone for all the birthday wishes! The pastrami spiced gravlax was really good. I linked to the recipe I used in my post (it's from F&W). I thought it was a little too hot spicy to really taste like pastrami, but it was a good flavor. I only got a couple of slices of it, actually, as my guests devoured most of it. There were almost no leftovers of anything.

←

perfect- that is the one I had clipped out!!

[Kim Shook]

Hi, everyone! I have been sans computer for almost a month now and the stupid public library blocks egullet ! And the stupid computer guy won't be getting the stupid mother board from the stupid Dell people until July 9th . I am at my daughter's apt. helping her pack for moving back home after graduation and thought I would sit down for a second and say hello. Since this is where all my favorite cooks congregate, I thought this was the proper place ! Just wanted to say hello, that I miss everyone and can't wait to have a few days to sit and catch up on all of your wonderful meals and also, to post the meals that I have been cooking!

I was so sad to hear about fifi and I did take the time to read the responses on the thread about her. It is so amazing to me how well we get to know one another in this 'anonymous' medium.

Best to everyone, Kim

[David Ross]

Holy Moly! I want to cook everything that everyone has posted the past week. All of it.

I was busy last week hammering out a little blog for the site. I hope you had a chance to read it.

Now I'm back to posting and talking about Dinner!

Last night I made some delicious fried Razor Clams, simple roast potatoes and green salad.

We get very fresh seafood from the Northwest and Alaska at our local Costco. It is really good quality. I think they must go through a whole lot of fresh seafood at Costco every single day.

If you aren't familiar with Razor Clams they are pretty good size, small ones are around 8-9" long. The piece of clam meat is very big, almost like a clam steak.

I dust them in a seasoned fry mix and saute them in hot oil for about 2 minutes per side. You have to cook them quick so they stay tender. I made a sauce of fish stock, butter, capers, thyme and a bit of cream to serve with the clams.

Hope you like the photos:

[Priscilla]

Wow David the razor clams looks delicious. I love them... I am thankful our Southern California Costcos get PNW wild salmon in season, but wish they had those, too. I marvel at how much seafood they move in a day. As you say, lots!

Kim, nice to see you.

Last evening, 90+-degree day dinner, tostadas with homemade refried pintos, beef -- tri-tip -- which had been braised in mild red chile sauce, and the usual-suspect toppings. The last of the delicious Hass avocados from Ivan's parents' tree, picked after remaining on the tree an extra long time, amassing oil.

[Domestic Goddess]

Hubby did good tonight ... he made his wonderful Beef Burritos

The spread before assembly...

The taco beef meat...

Refried beans....

Tomatoes and Lettuce ....

Chopped white onions for me...

Plated burrito with some nacho chips on the side...

Dessert was store-brought ice cream bonbons...

[Prawncrackers]

This is the first proper meal i've cooked for a couple of weeks. My wife and i have been to New York for the first time on holiday and i was inspired by some fantastic sushi we had there (described in THE BEST: Sushi in Manhattan). Sadly, the fish market was particularly uninspiring this morning and only the salmon looked good Sooo, made a load of vegetable tempura to compensate....

[LaCookrasha]

Hi guys! Thanks to all those that welcomed me!!

Shelby your asparagus salad has got me drooling Please tell me how to make it. It looks sooooo delicious!!

Yesterday i cooked carne guisada con arroz blanco it's a stew like dish made with beef and goes nicely over white rice, we also had some platanitos( sweet plantains).

Edited June 30, 2007 by LaCookrasha (log)

[Dianne]

That is a beautiful feast, Prawncrackers.

[Shelby]

This is the first proper meal i've cooked for a couple of weeks.  My wife and i have been to New York for the first time on holiday and i was inspired by some fantastic sushi we had there (described in THE BEST: Sushi in Manhattan).  Sadly, the fish market was particularly uninspiring this morning and only the salmon looked good    Sooo, made a load of vegetable tempura to compensate....

←

OMG this looks good. I wish my husband liked sushi. *drooling*

[Shelby]

Hi guys! Thanks to all those that welcomed me!!

Shelby your asparagus salad has got me drooling Please tell me how to make it. It looks sooooo delicious!!

Yesterday i cooked carne guisada con arroz blanco it's a stew like dish made with beef and goes nicely over white rice, we also had some platanitos( sweet plantains).

←

Awwww thanks!

I just blanch the asparagus in a bit of water and lemon pepper and then toss it in! I use what ever I can find in the fridge lol. Chopped red onion, cherry tomatoes, cheese and creamy Italian dressing. Oh and I also chopped up some mustard greens from the garden.

[David Ross]

Last night I did a classic bouillabaisse with baby red potatoes, halibut, prawns, mussels and baby squid. Oh, and lots of garlic, both in the fish broth and in the red pepper rouille that I spread on toasted bread. I'm lucky to have a market that gets fresh bread from Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bakery flown in about 3 times a week. I toasted slices of their baguette to serve with the bouillabaisse.

I have to say though while the bouillabaise was good, I prefer our beloved West Coast seafood stew-'Cioppino' much better.

Here are a couple of photos for you:

[Shaya]

David that looks really tasty. The shrimp are amazing. I loved your blog, by the way. You are a great cook and have had a lot of wonderful eating experiences.

Tonight I made Garganelli al Ragu from Emilia Romagna. The pasta dough has eggs, flour, parmigiano, salt and nutmeg. The ragu is based on veal. More details in the Italian forum here.

The Process

Garganelli al Ragu - crispy proscuitto topping

Homemade Strawberry Sorbet - with florentine and fresh berries

[prasantrin]

Shaya--everything looks amazing! You need to do a pasta-making demo. How did you use that mould-type thing to make the pasta? It's just for the ridges, I assume, so how did you make the shape?

And that florentine!! I love florentines--what recipe did you use?

[David Ross]

David that looks really tasty.  The shrimp are amazing.  I loved your blog, by the way.  You are a great cook and have had a lot of wonderful eating experiences.

Tonight I made Garganelli al Ragu from Emilia Romagna.  The pasta dough has eggs, flour, parmigiano, salt and nutmeg.  The ragu is based on veal. More details in the Italian forum here.

The Process

Garganelli al Ragu - crispy proscuitto topping

Homemade Strawberry Sorbet  - with florentine and fresh berries

←

Good Lord if I didn't already have dinner planned I would make that PASTA!

Pasta made by hand-how wonderful. You are to be commended for both the pasta and that delicious looking strawberry sorbet. Is there some sort of caramel topping on the florentine?

[Shelby]

Wow Shaya, that pasta looks so amazing. I so want to try to make my own.....

[C. sapidus]

Kim: A month without a computer – ouch!

LittleLea: Welcome to the fun – your dinner looks scrumptious.

Doddie: Thanks for the information.

Beautiful meals all around, really.

After working around the house today we made a simple summer dinner: grilled chicken with chipotle rub; white corn from a local farm; and a salad of romaine lettuce, scallions, and roasted Poblano chile with a dressing of roasted garlic, roasted chile, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

Blueberries for dessert. Mrs. C and elder son picked about three gallons at the same farm where they got the corn. She hopes to recreate last year’s amazing freezer jam, and I’ll probably make a blueberry crisp or crumble.

[judiu]

Last night I did a classic bouillabaisse with baby red potatoes, halibut, prawns, mussels and baby squid. Oh, and lots of garlic, both in the fish broth and in the red pepper rouille that I spread on toasted bread.  I'm lucky to have a market that gets fresh bread from Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bakery flown in about 3 times a week.  I toasted slices of their baguette to serve with the bouillabaisse.

I have to say though while the bouillabaise was good, I prefer our beloved West Coast seafood stew-'Cioppino' much better. 

Here are a couple of photos for you:

←

David, is that a teeny tiny squid tucked into that mussle shell, or a standard sized on in a really HUGE mussle?

[David Ross]

Last night I did a classic bouillabaisse with baby red potatoes, halibut, prawns, mussels and baby squid. Oh, and lots of garlic, both in the fish broth and in the red pepper rouille that I spread on toasted bread.  I'm lucky to have a market that gets fresh bread from Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bakery flown in about 3 times a week.  I toasted slices of their baguette to serve with the bouillabaisse.

I have to say though while the bouillabaise was good, I prefer our beloved West Coast seafood stew-'Cioppino' much better. 

Here are a couple of photos for you:

←

David, is that a teeny tiny squid tucked into that mussle shell, or a standard sized on in a really HUGE mussle?

←

It is the tiniest of tiny squid. I wanted to make sure I got the little tentacles in the photo so I stuck the little devil on the edge of the mussel shell. I buy the baby squids frozen from a local Asian market. They are just wonderful for presentation and add just the tiniest bit of fishy flavor to soups and stews. Since they are so small I just stir them in the final stew to heat the squid up before I ladle the stew into bowls.