Dinner! 2008

[Chufi]

I had corn too... in a risotto, with tarragon. No cheese, just a touch of cream added at the end. It was really really good.

lasst week a friend called that he got a huge bag of vegetables at the market in Rome the day before and would I come over to get some ofcourse!!

I got the most beautiful eggplants, peppers, zucchini and tomatoes. I panfried them and had the vegetables with buffalo mozzarella and steak for dinner. Sun on a plate (literally, too )

Edited July 28, 2008 by Chufi (log)

[Megan Blocker]

Is that some balsamic drizzled over the top of the steak, Chufi? Looks great.

[Kim Shook]

menuinprogress - that beef looks amazing - I can't believe that was your first effort!

Megan - I like the idea of using the plums with pork - I've done peaches, but plums never occured to me! Do you pickle the ramps or is that something you bought somewhere?

Ce'nedra - I am just drooling over those mussels! They sound fantastic!

Susan - I just decided what I'm going to use the grilling planks for that we have had stored beside the washing machine for 2 years !

This is what I got with a birthday check from my father:

I decided to make fish and chips - one of my favorites - I never see batter-fried fish anymore:

It was a CI recipe and everything was delicious and crisp and lovely! It called for an odd (to me) method for the fries: in addition to the regular double frying, you toss the raw potatoes with a little oil, microwave for a few minutes, rinse with cold water and dry for 10+ minutes. Has anyone else heard of this method? We had lots of fish left over, so I'll be making chips again tonight - I'm going to just do the regular 2X method tonight and see if there is any big difference. I'll also make the chips a little larger, we all thought they were too thin.

[Megan Blocker]

Megan  - I like the idea of using the plums with pork - I've done peaches, but plums never occured to me!  Do you pickle the ramps or is that something you bought somewhere?

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Hey, Kim!

Yes, the pickled ramps are something I did myself - got the recipe from this Serious Eats post. I pickled about four pounds' worth back in May/early June. I gave one jar away, but kept two for myself and am currently working through the last jar. They're great cooked or just chopped up in salads or salsas.

[SobaAddict70]

Nice pix, all (especially Chufi )

Been on a vegetarian kick lately...

Clockwise from top left -- Yukon gold potatoes with garlic-paprika aioli; fennel braised in wine and with aromatic vegetables; roasted summer squash, heirloom tomatoes and pearl onions

[Lisa2k]

I had some frozen chicken breasts I wanted to use, since they'd been in the freezer for two weeks, so I defrosted them, butterflied and pounded them (not quite scallopine, but thin enough to roll), seasoned them, then spread each of them with chevre, roasted red peppers, and baby spinach (i only added one layer of the baby spinach, forgetting how much it shrinks (brain freeze), so next time, several layers of spinach!). After I rolled them up tightly, I rolled 2 to 3 buttered and seasoned phyllo sheets around each one, then baked, and served with a saute of fresh zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, shallots, and garlic in butter and olive oil, with a few grinds of black tellicherry pepper and a light sprinkling of fleur de sel.

Also, below is a basic baked ziti, with ricotta, cream, Parmigiano Reggiano , homemade beef ragu, fresh basil, oregano etc..BUT, I made the mozzarella, hence why I took photos and posted it. It was the first time I ever made it myself, so I wanted to save and share the first dish I used it on..since we ended up eating the rest of it caprese style (great plum tomatoes at the farmer's market, which I also used for the ragu), and uhh...just as is.

,

[Shelby]

I had some frozen chicken breasts I wanted to use, since they'd been in the freezer for two weeks, so I defrosted them, butterflied and pounded them (not quite scallopine, but thin enough to roll), seasoned them, then spread each of them with chevre, roasted red peppers, and baby spinach (i only added one layer of the baby spinach, forgetting how much it shrinks (brain freeze), so next time, several layers of spinach!).  After I rolled them up tightly, I rolled 2 to 3 buttered and seasoned phyllo sheets around each one, then baked, and served with a saute of fresh zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, shallots, and garlic in butter and olive oil, with a few grinds of black tellicherry pepper and a light sprinkling of fleur de sel.

Also, below is a basic baked ziti, with ricotta, cream, Parmigiano Reggiano , homemade beef ragu, fresh basil, oregano etc..BUT, I made the mozzarella, hence why I took photos and posted it.  It was the first time I ever made it myself, so I wanted to save and share the first dish I used it on..since we ended up eating the rest of it caprese style (great plum tomatoes at the farmer's market, which I also used for the ragu), and uhh...just as is.

,

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I am am am drooooooooling.

[Susan in FL]

Lisa2k, that looks delicious. If anybody can make chicken breasts look good to me, that says something! Great looking baked ziti, too, and congrats on the cheese.

Kim, it looks like your fish & chips were cooked to perfection. They certainly look beautiful. I had not heard of that method for fries. I'm interested in hearing more about that and what else you do with the fryer. I've had one of those on my wish list for a while. Please keep us posted.

Chufi, your food looks gorgeous as usual.

Cleo, the shrimp were first "rubbed" with a spice mixture, mostly cumin and smoked paprika, and after grilling on the plank drizzled with lime juice and sprinkled with cilantro. Next time I cedar-plank shrimp, I'll used less salt. It was a little too salty. (When I cedar-planked salmon, there wasn't enough salt.)

BTW Stash, it's nice seeing you here recently!

Megan, plum with pork IS a good idea, I'll try that.

Hello and great job to anybody I didn't mention specifically. As usual Suzi, it's good to read your tales... except the part about the snake.

Here, not breasts but thighs last night. I grilled them after brining with the recipe for olive-brine in the July Food & Wine. Good one! I didn't brine it overnight, as called for in the recipe and glad I didn't... It would have turned out too salty. What's up with the too-much-salt thing when grilling lately, I wonder.

[judiu]

Here, not breasts but thighs last night.  I grilled them after brining with the recipe for olive-brine in the July Food & Wine.  Good one!  I didn't brine it overnight, as called for in the recipe and glad I didn't...  It would have turned out too salty.  What's up with the too-much-salt thing when grilling lately, I wonder.

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Erm... "personal" life changes? I know my tastes changed when I was going thru it, and again when it was totally done... HTH!

[LaCookrasha]

Everyone's food looks delicious!!!

Thanks Nakji! Yes those are stuffed spanish olives, I also added olive oil, tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, sage, pureed onion and green pepper, fresh garlic and cilantro, salt & pepper, and bijol(powder that gives nice color).

[Susan in FL]

Here, not breasts but thighs last night.  I grilled them after brining with the recipe for olive-brine in the July Food & Wine.  Good one!  I didn't brine it overnight, as called for in the recipe and glad I didn't...  It would have turned out too salty.  What's up with the too-much-salt thing when grilling lately, I wonder.

Erm... "personal" life changes? I know my tastes changed when I was going thru it, and again when it was totally done... HTH!

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That could help explain it about the salt, thanks. My tastes did change, and since then. I like to think for the better.

[Lisa2k]

Thanks Susan and Shelby They were both really delicious, and I wish we could all share our dishes for real! Now, if I could only get photos like Chufi and the rest of you, they'd look even more drool worthy..LOL

Regardless, everyone's dishes look so amazing. I'm feeling plantains, the sweet ones, so I think I want to make a Pinon. It's a Puerto Rican plantain/egg/picadillo/green bean type of thick omelet or frittata. My friend's mom used to make it all the time, but mine will never be as good as hers! Has anyone ever tried/made it?

Edited July 29, 2008 by Lisa2k (log)

[LaCookrasha]

Dakdoritang(Korean spicy chicken stew)

[MikeHartnett]

Dakdoritang(Korean spicy chicken stew)

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That looks delicious. Care to share how you made it?

[Kim Shook]

After making those fries the unusual way on Sunday (microwaving in oil before the first fry), I did them the regular way last night (just 2 frying times). It wasn't really a fair test because I cut them much thicker this time (we didn't care for the really thin ones) - around 1/2". But I didn't detect any major difference in the flavor or crispness. Honestly, we are philistines and while admitting that the potato flavor is more pronounced in fresh potatoes, we really prefer frozen fries for the crispness factor. I know, I know - heathens.

BTW, we had leftover pieces of the fried fish and just dropped them in the fryer for a couple of minutes. They worked just fine - not quite as good as fresh, but not greasy at all. I think I like my deep fryer just a little too much . I am reminding myself that Costco has big, giant, juicy shrimp and that those would be really good fried with a cornmeal crust!

[nakji]

Dakdoritang(Korean spicy chicken stew)

Ooooh, that's one of my favourite dishes from Korea! Once, my friends and I were on an island and stopped into a country restaurant for lunch. We ordered the dalkdoritang and the cook killed a chicken on the spot for us. There's fresh, and then there's fresh.

Recipes for it that I've seen call for a pressure cooker, but that looks like it was baked in the oven - was it?

Edited July 30, 2008 by nakji (log)

[pam claughton]

This picture may not be the greatest, as I took it with my cellphone. But the meal, part of a Prix Fixe dinner at Canteen in San Francisco, was out of this world.

Amuse Bouche was a tasty nibble of goat cheese, capers and plump golden raisins...incredible mix of salty, sweet and creamy.

First course was Sockeye Salmon Gravlax with smoked salmon, fennel and tomato. I wasn't excited about this when I read the menu because I don't love gravlax....but this was phenomenal. The bits of smoked salmon had been marinated in citrus and the flavor was wonderful.

Second course (in the photo) was over the top delicious. Pork tenderloin that was pink and juicy and served with a savory fig glaze, alba mushrooms, cannelini beans and crunchy little croutons that were crispy bits of pork belly...and the portion was generous.

Dessert was a blueberry clafoutis, which reminded me of an elegant blueberry pancake as it was topped with a bitter almond Bavarian cream that was fluffy and fragrant.

I am so glad that I went here, and an added bonus was it was only a short walk to my hotel.

Pam

[LaCookrasha]

Thanks Mike Hartnett and nakji! Nakji I didn't bake the Dakdoritang, I'll share with everyone how I made it. Please excuse my english it's not 100% there.

I am from Puerto Rico but I love to cook food from other countries and this chicken right here is one of my favorite

Dakdoritang(Spicy chicken stew)

Ingredients

Whole chicken cut up into 8 chicken pieces

1 large sized potato cut up large

1 large onion /quatered

1 large carrot cut up

4 garlic cloves minced

1 tbsp kochujang (hot pepper paste)

1 tbsp red pepper flakes or red pepper powder(I put less)

1 Tb tomato paste

3/4 cup of soy sauce (you can put less if you want)

1TB sugar + 1 1/2 TB sugar

1/4 of a cup vegetable oil

2 green onions cut up into 2 inches

2 Tb cilantro well chopped(optional, a must for me)

1 inch piece fresh ginger peeeled and minced

2 cups of water

I don't add salt or black pepper because of the soy sauce ant the red pepper.

I could not find the kochujang, bought something called ground fresh chili paste

that's why I added the tomato paste.

Ok, in a hot pot I add the oil, when hot I add 1 Tb of sugar right in the middle, DON'T move it around, wait till the sugar turns into a dark caramel color. Then add the chicken pieces,(move pieces so they get colored) after one side gets the color turn to the other side, then I continue cooking the chicken until it's half way cooked. Into the same pot the rest of the ingredients on the list get added, including the 1 and 1/2 Tbs of sugar. Mix everything well and cook covered over medium flame for about 20 min, then uncover and cook for another 20 minutes.

Serve hot with rice, and cucumbers and other vegetables on the side!

Edited July 31, 2008 by LaCookrasha (log)

[LaCookrasha]

Hi Lisa! I've made piñon, don't make it often though, my son doesn't like it.

Edited July 31, 2008 by LaCookrasha (log)

[nakedsushi]

Tomato salad with fresh picked basil from my potted plant, and fresh burrata from Gioia. Also made a roasted garlic soup. Very garlicky and rich.

[MikeHartnett]

Thanks Mike Hartnett and nakji! Nakji I didn't bake the Dakdoritang, I'll share with everyone how I made it. Please excuse my english it's not 100% there.

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On the contrary--your English is very good!

Thanks for sharing. I think I might just have to try this out tonight...

[Lisa2k]

Hi Lisa! I've made piñon, don't make it often though, my son doesn't like it.

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Hiya LaCook! Isn't it an amazing dish? My friend's mom would make it in what seemed to be a square pressure cooker, and I think that's what made it so special, as baking it just doesn't seem to give me the same results. Do you use anything different in it? As I mentioned above, her mom would add green or string beans as an extra layer, but most recipes I see for it, do not contain green beans!

Edited July 31, 2008 by Lisa2k (log)

[nakji]

Dakdoritang(Spicy chicken stew)

user posted image

Ingredients

Whole chicken cut up into 8 chicken pieces

1 large sized potato cut up large

1 large onion /quatered

1 large carrot cut up

4 garlic cloves minced

1 tbsp kochujang (hot pepper paste)

1 tbsp red pepper flakes or red pepper powder(I put less) biggrin.gif

1 Tb tomato paste

3/4 cup of soy sauce (you can put less if you want)

1TB sugar + 1 1/2 TB sugar

1/4 of a cup vegetable oil

2 green onions cut up into 2 inches

2 Tb cilantro well chopped(optional, a must for me)

1 inch piece fresh ginger peeeled and minced

2 cups of water

I don't add salt or black pepper because of the soy sauce ant the red pepper.

I could not find the kochujang, bought something called ground fresh chili paste

that's why I added the tomato paste.

Ok, in a hot pot I add the oil, when hot I add 1 Tb of sugar right in the middle, DON'T move it around, wait till the sugar turns into a dark caramel color. Then add the chicken pieces,(move pieces so they get colored) after one side gets the color turn to the other side, then I continue cooking the chicken until it's half way cooked. Into the same pot the rest of the ingredients on the list get added, including the 1 and 1/2 Tbs of sugar. Mix everything well and cook covered over medium flame for about 20 min, then uncover and cook for another 20 minutes.

Serve hot with rice, and cucumbers and other vegetables on the side! rolleyes.gif

Jjang! Thanks!

Gochujang comes in a red tub (or jar, sometimes) but I think you could use any red chili paste to get the flavour, as long as you don't mind the heat. I have a picture of what it looks like here.

I think the cilantro is a good choice, because it has a kind of sharp flavour like ganeep, which Koreans use in a lot of their dishes. Is ganeep the same as shiso, does anyone know? They look the same.

So how did you learn about Dakdoritang? I've never seen it outside of Korea.

[menuinprogress]

Corn Chowder with Andouille:

The sweetness of the corn went really well with the smokiness of the andouille. The andouille was our first attempt at smoking sausage (details on the Charcuterie thread).

[purplewiz]

London broil, done on the grill and sliced relatively thin, zucchini fritters with a dollop of sour cream. Nothing fancy, just a typical summer meal around here. (Not shown: a boring tossed salad. I'll photograph one as soon as the deluge of homegrown tomatoes gets going. It's only just begun.)

Marcia.