Dinner! 2008

[Dr. J]

Haven't posted in a while, been super busy.

Here are some of the dishes I have recently cooked.

Some are the same dishes with different presentations.

The ravioli are all pumpkin ravioli with a vodka sauce. Came out so great I had it 3 times. I broke about 11 plates on my way back from miami over the holidays so sorry for the repeats

Potato salad is the near blur and on the far side is a pork chop that was just seasone and grilled.

Here is the attempt with the pork chop done differently. Seasoned, then brushed with mustard, wrapped in bacon, brushed with olive oil and covered in panko. Then baked.

Next one is the third attempt. Pork is slow cooked in soy, miso, garlic and ginger with onions. Very nice but not perfect mix with the italian food.

The next dish is a lemon pepper linguini in an alfredo/pesto mix augmented with some spicy peppers. The dish is topped with a salmon steak.

[tlm5150]

Haven't posted in a while, been super busy. 

Here are some of the dishes I have recently cooked.

Some are the same dishes with different presentations.

The ravioli are all pumpkin ravioli with a vodka sauce.  Came out so great I had it 3 times.  I broke about 11 plates on my way back from miami over the holidays so sorry for the repeats

Potato salad is the near blur and on the far side is a pork chop that was just seasone and grilled.

I love this picture! It's like you had to sneak in, paparazzi style, to get a candid picture of the ravioli and its pork chop mistress.

And looks darned good, too.

[Pierogi]

Here's a couple of recent offerings.

From last week, we have orange peel chicken, CalRose rice and grilled baby bok choy, which I drizzled with a little chili/sesame oil and soy sauce:

Last night was KILLER. I made the slow-roasted chipotle rubbed pork roast from the last edition of "150 Best American Recipes". Here it is shredded down:

And plated as tacos with Mexican rice:

I had it with a fennel/blood orange/red onion salad that ImageGullet is refusing to let me upload, so imagine it if you will. That pork was fabulous.

[Graphix]

dockhl i will try my best to get recipes but these are all made by someone with 50 years experience in a kitchen so no recipes to copy. I did ask him tonight to see if he could could write a paragraph or so about how its made which he is going to do. This is why im thinking of doing a video that way i can tape everything then edit together a whole lesson from the video.

tonight was beef stew. Stock was made from vegetable trimmings and beef bones, finishing veggies were each cooked separately to keep the right textures.

this was a perfect meal given the sub zero temperatures outside.

[Shelby]

Shelby I love onion soup and your broth looks wonderfully rich.  But it is your roast beef sandwich that is calling out to me.  Any au jus to dip it in?

Ann, those loaves are perfect!  My sourdough starter died on me a few months back, must get round to growing a fresh one.  Gosh i miss baking bread at the weekend

Tonight, a yellowy Thai prawn curry and Matcha Cheesecake:

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Prawncrackers I was afraid that mine might not survive a recent move and the fact that I hadn't fed it for so long. But it is still going strong. Just needed to be fed twice to get it active again.

I can't wait until our local spot prawns are available this spring. They will be perfect in your Thai prawn curry.

Made pizza for dinner last night. Just used what i had on hand. Italian Sausage, olives and green peppers.

Had today off work, so I baked this morning. Sourdough bread and a sweet yeast dough for Cream Cheese Babka. Shaped one round and one long.

Baguette split.

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OMG that pizza looks SO good. Might have to copy you for dinner tonight!

I dipped my sandwich in the onion soup

[Shelby]

You guys are outdoing yourselves!! Every single dish looks to die for!

Pierogi Your Mexican rice grabbed my eye with those lovely green olives! Any chance you'd share your recipe?

I gotta learn how to make sourdough bread........

*off to Google*

[Andi Pena Longmeadow Farm]

Hello all! I have been missing for awhile, but I am back and looking forward to much participation. I own a farm and after a long day in the cold, chopping ice off of cow troughs, I made this light and airy, bunch of freshness, Prawns in Cream Sauce. Took minutes to prepare, and lit the pan with some brandy, added the cream at the end. You get this beyond extraordinary delectable nourishment. Thanks for looking, and it was wonderful!

[Pam R]

I gotta learn how to make sourdough bread........

*off to Google*

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Or spend a little time over in the Pastry and Baking forum. All you've ever wanted to know about sourdough can be found there . .

Good luck!

[Misplaced_Texan]

Poached Salted Duck Legs

Shelby, thanks for the comment last week.

Edited January 22, 2008 by Misplaced_Texan (log)

[Kim Shook]

Ann T - thanks! It was good.

Bruce - thanks for pointing me in the right direction - I'll be trying that before the weather changes! That salad is one of the simplest things I've ever done and very good - the fennel is raw - you just toss fennel, pears, salt, pepper, bleu cheese, champagne vinegar and EVOO together. I let it sit a few minutes and then topped with additional bleu cheese. So easy!

Graphix - that is one beautiful beef stew! Exactly what I want for dinner tonight. Unfortunately, I have a fridge full of meatballs and chicken !

Andi Pena - lovely meal and beautiful photos!

You won't be getting any pictures tonight, folks - leftovers . I hate leftovers. So why do I cook such large quantities?

Kim

[Bella S.F.]

Bruce, can you point me in the right direction for those yummy looking beans. Anything with bacon and chorizo must be amazing. It does seem like I tend to love the recipes I find from looking at your posts. It helps that we have some of the same cookbooks. Not all however.

Last night I used the broth left over from the Tinga Poblana recipe that I got from you, Bruce. (I had frozen it) In the freezer I also found a ham bone, a package of meat that had been leftover from the ham dinner, and a jar of really yummy beans that I had cooked with a lot of garlic cloves. I have found that when I freeze things that are leftover, I am not sure what I want to do with the single ingredient, I end up looking at what is in the freezer and creating something that is really good. The old "sum of the parts" thing. I started with a nice amount of chopped onions, carrots, and celery. I also added a can of some really good tomatoes and some extra beans. (Three different kinds.) We ended up with one of the best bean soups that I have made in years. What a pleasant surprise.

David, the pork you made looks wonderful also. I am constantly trying new pork recipes, usually using the shoulder/butt. Kim said that she found the recipe on line. I am going to try that. If I cannot find it, I may get back to you.

It's cold and damp here. Leftover bean soup. Yum. Keeping the freezer theme going... I found a bag with a foil wrapped chunk of garlic bread that I forgot about. I have never tried to freezer my garlic bread, but it seems like tonight is the time to try it. Oh, yeah... is anyone familiar with PICKAPEPPA sauce? That really added a wonderful flavor and slight zing to the soup.

[Bella S.F.]

I just found the pork recipe. It calls for a skin-on pork shoulder. I have never seen one out here. I could probably special order one from a butcher. Do you think that it will really make that much of a difference? I have found that slow cooked (like forever in the oven) or even smoked pork turns out wonderfully with a shoulder/butt that does not have the skin.

[C. sapidus]

Bruce, can you point me in the right direction for those yummy looking beans. Anything with bacon and chorizo must be amazing. It does seem like I tend to love the recipes I find from looking at your posts. It helps that we have some of the same cookbooks. Not all however.

Bella S.F., for the frijoles charros we simmered the following mixture for about three hours: 1 pound of pinto beans, 1 ½ minced white onions, a head of minced garlic, 2 chiles de arbol, a pound of smoked pork neck, 2 bay leaves, 3 whole allspice, and ground black pepper. When the beans were nearly soft, we fried and added smoked bacon, chorizo, and the remaining half onion, minced, along with chopped up pickled jalapenos and a few dry-roasted cherry tomatoes (pureed and strained). Simmer for another hour or so, or until the beans are soft and then salt to taste.

If you Google “frijoles charros”, you will see that recipe is pretty flexible so add what you like. I expect that leftover tinga poblana would be a wonderful addition.

Oh, yeah... is anyone familiar with PICKAPEPPA sauce? That really added a wonderful flavor and slight zing to the soup.

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Pickapeppa sauce mixed with Jamaican Hellfire Sauce is the ultimate accompaniment for jerk chicken or Jamaican beef patties.

[pax]

I have been out of commission since Friday, too punk to eat. Tonight my husband made me Cream of Tomato soup with tiny-diced cheddar, and crispy bacon, crumbled. With goldfish crackers on the side.

[Ann_T]

And plated as tacos with Mexican rice:

I had it with a fennel/blood orange/red onion salad that ImageGullet is refusing to let me upload, so imagine it if you will.  That pork was fabulous.

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Pierogi Your pork looks fabulous. I love homemade corn tortillas with pork. I need to add that to our menu again soon.

Wanted comfort food tonight. Buttermilk fried chicken made with boneless chicken breasts.

[MobyP]

black truffle risotto

[Shelby]

Ann, I want that chicken NOW

[Pierogi]

Ann_T - The pork WAS absolutely fabulous. Meltingly tender and so flavorful. Anyone who has that cookbook, that is definately one of the recipes I'd recommend.

Shelby - (and others), I put the Mexican Rice in RecipeGullet. Hope you enjoy it, the olives really did ad a good punch.

Edited January 23, 2008 by Pierogi (log)

[doctortim]

I came across a seller in the market who was charging next to nothing for fresh, juicy golden-colored tomatoes. I decided to buy 2kg, use some in a salad and make a sauce out of the rest. Unfortunately this photo doesn't capture how brilliantly yellow the sauce was.

More pasta, the other night I made lasagna. I was so pleased with how it turned out, I could have eaten the whole thing.

(edited a typo)

Edited January 24, 2008 by doctortim (log)

[Shelby]

Oh wow DoctorTim! I love your lasagna. You use far more noodle layers than I've ever seen. Did you save most of the cheese and put it on top? *drooling*

Pierogi, I'm off to find the recipe right now. Thanks!

[David Ross]

I just found the pork recipe. It calls for a skin-on pork shoulder. I have never seen one out here. I could probably special order one from a butcher. Do you think that it will really make that much of a difference? I have found that slow cooked (like forever in the oven) or even smoked pork turns out wonderfully with a shoulder/butt that does not have the skin.

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Actually, you can always find a skin-on pork shoulder at Walmart. But if you can't find the skin-on pork shoulder you can substitute with a fresh ham, which is just a fresh leg of pork. Both will work well in the recipe which calls for a slow braise.

[David Ross]

Dinners this week were Penne with Sausage

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Ann looks delicious. Do you use a certain type of sausage and olive? Is there a sauce or just olive oil? I'm really dying to try your recipe. Thanks.

[Ann_T]

Wow DoctorTim, I think that is the best looking lasagna I have ever seen. I love all the pasta layers.

David That pasta is very easy to make. I parboiled a couple of Italian sausage (with fennel) just to firm them up so that they slice easily. Remove the casings, slice and saute until lightly brown in a little olive oil. Add garlic and quality canned tomatoes. I break up the tomatoes, leaving lots of chunks. Season with some dried basil and some hot red pepper. Add the olives ( I used Kalamata) and simmer while the water boils for the pasta. Just before serving add lots of fresh chopped basil. If you want it a little richer leave out the olives and add some heavy cream and parmesan cheese.

Dinner last night was Parmesan Crusted Halibut with roasted potato wedges.

[Shelby]

Ann, your meals look straight out of a magazine! Lovely!

[Prawncrackers]

Here are a couple of dishes this week for all you meat lovers. First up was a Braised 'Teriyaki' Beef Short Ribs. First time cooking this cut of meat and i really like the possibilities (and cheapness). Great flavour and texture:

And tonight Cantonese Roast Duck (no explanation required!):