Dinner! 2011

[robirdstx]

Super Bowl Commercial watching dinner.

We are doing the same with 'nachos grande' - layered corn chips, refried beans, shredded chicken with mole poblano, chopped pickled jalapenos, more chips, and grated provolone and cheddar - baked at 350F until cheese is well melted and served with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. And margaritas!

[emilyr]

Super Bowl Commercial watching dinner. Meatloaf and spinach salad with scallions, almonds, bacon and butternut squash and cranberries cooked together with balsamic and tarragon.

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs061.snc6/167111_685510813874_20305918_38242303_3356941_n.jpg

And here's what that's supposed to look like:

[Kim Shook]

Bruce – Kudos to Mrs. Bruce – that is some fantastic looking BBQ!

Christine – thank you – I will use some oil next time. I thought at the time that it might be a good idea, but I followed the recipe like a good girl. You’d think that at age 51, I’d learn to follow my instincts, huh?

For dinner tonight I tried two new recipes. We got some lovely pork chops at our butcher shop and I did orange glazed chops – browned the chops and simmered with a sauce of mandarin oranges, brown sugar, cinnamon, catsup, vinegar and mustard. Very good. I also tried a Potatoes Anna recipe from Cooking Light. It was…ok. Not crusty at all and a little dull tasting, actually. It had bacon, Locatelli, onions and garlic and should have been very tasty, but somehow wasn’t.

Potatoes before flipping:

After flipping:

It was nicely layered, though:

Plated:

[Honkman]

Conchiglie with roasted cauliflower, arugula, and prosciutto

[dcarch]

Sweet potato ravioli, boiled, then fried in sage brown butter, topped with grated Manchego that had been tossed with a teaspoon of pimenton dulce:

Tonight, quesadillas with coffee-ancho braised beef:

In fact, a whole plate-full of them, which will make lunches next week:

Very nice. I can finish the whole thing, even I am not hungry.

For dinner tonight I tried two new recipes. We got some lovely pork chops at our butcher shop and I did orange glazed chops – browned the chops and simmered with a sauce of mandarin oranges, brown sugar, cinnamon, catsup, vinegar and mustard. Very good. I also tried a Potatoes Anna recipe from Cooking Light. It was…ok. Not crusty at all and a little dull tasting, actually. It had bacon, Locatelli, onions and garlic and should have been very tasty, but somehow wasn’t.

Potatoes before flipping:

After flipping:

It was nicely layered, though:

Plated:

Amazing meal. Good looking potatoes. plain potatoes glamourized.

Conchiglie with roasted cauliflower, arugula, and prosciutto

I like it.

-----------------------------------------

I had sous vide razor clams. A friend was gluten sensitive, so I had tapioca pearls.

dcarch

[Rico]

It was the first nice day around here in what seems like ages, and since it was the Super Bowl, I went ahead and smoked a pork shoulder for some sliders. I'd never made a vinegar-based sauce before, and kind of threw one together with mango juice, dijon, and apple cider vinegar. I thought it might be a disaster, but it turned out really well. The other sauce is my go-to brisket sauce.

Edited to add a photo.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Rico (log)

[Paul Bacino]

1 Small Bunch of Collards-washed, drained and cut into strips.. I don't remove the stalks

2 Links of Italian Sausage- hot for me

15.5 Can of Cannellini beans-washed

1 Shallot

1 Garlic Clove

3 oz tomato paste

1-1/2 Quart Fresh Chicken stock-- I make my own

1/4 cup white wine

Malbar Pepper

One pot cooking : place sausage in pan, brown with a bit of EVOO to start. Once browned well add mince shallot..saute. Add minced garlic.. saute.. then add Collards ( or any greens you wish ) allow them to sweat down.. add wine (I had an old Riesling ) cook till liquid is almost gone.. add paste ...cook till slight browning of the paste happens.. add beans.. cook a wee bit more.. add in stock.. Pepper TT

I will take the sausage out about here and cut into bite sized pcs then re-add back cook 20 mins . I dont like my greens cooked to long..

enjoy

I'll try to get a pic soon!!

[Dakki]

Chicharron en salsa verde. Salsa is tomatillo, green serrano peppers, browned onion, roast garlic, coriander, cumin, a very stingy shot of sherry and salt.

Not my best photo but the aroma was driving me nuts.

[Blether]

Tomato soup and a parmesan cheese sandwich. Now this really is a crummy photo:

The sandwich is buttered toast and thinly sliced parmesan with a scattering of very thinly sliced onion.

For the soup, I made a stock from the remains of two roast chickens, total original weight about 4.5-5lbs. I gave the stock about 5 hours, flavouring only with bay leaves. I wanted something rustic, retaining the meat that had fallen from the bones, so rather than strain, I picked the bones and gristly joint and larger fatty pieces out one by one (picking these over for any remaining meat before discarding).

To this I added two large onions, two defrosted red chillis and three bay leaves, chopped and fried/sweated together; a tablespoon or so of mustard seeds added for the last few minutes; and a couple of tablespoons of coriander seed, ground from whole, for the last minute or so; two tins of tomatoes, crushed; and salt and black pepper, and simmered for half an hour. I'd no fresh cream so I finished it off with a tin of coconut cream, adjusted salt & pepper, and warmed through to finish (the serving in the picture is microwave-reheated in that bowl).

Delicious.

I was surprised at how subdued the coconut flavour is, particularly with the sharpness of the tomato. First time for this combination but I'll surely use it again. A few of the finer bones remained to be picked out, but in the end were soft enough just to chew up. I chewed up a larger piece too, big enough for the marrow to be distinct, and was surprised again at how much of its own flavour the marrow still had.

Dakki, I like your picture a lot, really painterly.

Edited February 8, 2011 by Blether (log)

[Rico]

A pastrami sandwich, with homemade mustard.

I learned how to make homemade mustard from Andie's eGCI course several years back when I was an even smaller culinary pup than I am now. I've changed some things up in my version, but still am eternally grateful for that course - or really, a lot of those courses. Those are greatness.Can we have more of those?

[Dakki]

Rico, is that horseradish in the mustard? What sort of bread did you use?

Your latest photos are turning out really nicely too. Color me intensely jealous green.

Blether, that soup sounds really good. I happen to have some rock cornish birds (which I guess are just small chickens) brining right now, would the salt and sugar from the brine preclude making something like this from the leftovers?

About my photo, I was trying for a more-interesting composition than my usual, showing the orange pot with the meat and so on but the light wasn't cooperating at all. I really wish the sun would come out.

[Blether]

... would the salt and sugar from the brine preclude making something like this from the leftovers?

About my photo, I was trying for a more-interesting composition than my usual, showing the orange pot with the meat and so on but the light wasn't cooperating at all. I really wish the sun would come out.

No, I wouldn't say so, unless you like your stock really, really intense. I made mine concentrated enough that the finished soup jellies up nicely in the fridge, and the flavour's good. Even the stock on its own needed salt added to make it taste right - then of course there were two cans of tomatoes and one of coconut cream to season for, never mind the onions. I don't use sugar for chicken brine/salting amd I don't miss it, but I don't expect it'll affect your stock much.

You're right about Rico's photo(s), too. (Rico, he's right about your photo(s)). Yours is a bit grainy from the low light ? But that's not out of place in that composition, IMO, and you've got a nice light & dark going on without it being at all stark.

Edited February 8, 2011 by Blether (log)

[Shelby]

HUGE blizzard here. It's snowing 2" an hour. Supposed to get 16". Sigh.

A few meals to look at....I'm thinking of making pizza again tonight because the last was so good.

At least my cats aren't bored......

Anchovy

Sausage

Kung Pao chicken with a cold beer

Ribs, tater salad and onion crispies for super bowl

[Ann_T]

It has been a while since I posted to the Dinner thread.

Nice to see so many familiar names.

Kim Your Potatoes Anna certainly looks delicious.

Honkman My mouth is watering. Love this combination of flavours.

Rico - Great photo. Sliders are so cute. Makes me want to run out and buy a smoker.

Shelby, The photo of your cats certainly tells a story.

Here are a few of our dinners this past week.

Asian Style Baby Back Ribs with spicy noodles

Roast Beef dinner with a corn custard as one of the sides.

One of our local grocery stores, with a butcher on staff, has the most wonderful top sirloin roasts. This cut has become a favourite of both Moe and I. Takes less than 30 minutes on high heat so it is one of those quick after work meals.

Greek Lemon Chicken with Potatoes

See's Brownies

[djyee100]

I liked Rico's pastrami sandwich photo too, and Shelby's pic of her cats (gazing at the birds in the snow?). Dcarch, I shall have to think of ways to put tapioca pearls on some shellfish dishes that I make. Stunning!

Here, a busy day dinner of Baked Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Hot Pepper. The recipe comes from Rosetta Costantino's cookbook, My Calabria.

I tossed chicken legs with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil, and seasoned it liberally with fresh oregano and red pepper flakes. The I set everything to bake in a hot oven for about an hour, while I relaxed on the sofa until dinner was ready. At the end of a busy day, that's my kind of cooking.

The recipe is online here:

http://napavalleyregister.com/article_6c5c601c-eba7-11df-9e13-001cc4c002e0.html

[Paul Bacino]

1 Small Bunch of Collards-washed, drained and cut into strips.. I don't remove the stalks

2 Links of Italian Sausage- hot for me

15.5 Can of Cannellini beans-washed

1 Shallot

1 Garlic Clove

3 oz tomato paste

1-1/2 Quart Fresh Chicken stock-- I make my own

1/4 cup white wine

Malbar Pepper

One pot cooking : place sausage in pan, brown with a bit of EVOO to start. Once browned well add mince shallot..saute. Add minced garlic.. saute.. then add Collards ( or any greens you wish ) allow them to sweat down.. add wine (I had an old Riesling ) cook till liquid is almost gone.. add paste ...cook till slight browning of the paste happens.. add beans.. cook a wee bit more.. add in stock.. Pepper TT

I will take the sausage out about here and cut into bite sized pcs then re-add back cook 20 mins . I dont like my greens cooked to long..

enjoy

I'll try to get a pic soon!!

This I added fresh lime juice..Texas Pete Hot sauce.. Veletta OO Dread.. Totally Dread

[robirdstx]

Here, a busy day dinner of Baked Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Hot Pepper. The recipe comes from Rosetta Costantino's cookbook, My Calabria.

I tossed chicken legs with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil, and seasoned it liberally with fresh oregano and red pepper flakes. The I set everything to bake in a hot oven for about an hour, while I relaxed on the sofa until dinner was ready. At the end of a busy day, that's my kind of cooking.

The recipe is online here:

http://napavalleyregister.com/article_6c5c601c-eba7-11df-9e13-001cc4c002e0.html

djyee100, that looks so good. Thanks for the link to the recipe. I'm in line to get the book from my library in the next two weeks but now I won't have to wait.

[Dakki]

I guess it's roast chicken night in this thread?

Rock cornish with mushroom gravy and scalloped potatoes.

[kayb]

We had another six-inch snow -- I know, that's nothing to you Yankees, but two six-inch snows in a single winter -- two weeks apart, yet, with a four-incher in between -- is UNHEARD of down here -- so I've spent a couple of days doing some cooking.

Shrimp and grits, recycling cocktail shrimp I brought home from a reception. To avoid overcooking and rubbery shrimp, I made my sauce, turned it down very low, and just put the shrimp in long enough to warm up.

Tonight, a pissaladiere, sort-of (no anchovies)

wirh Tuscan white bean soup, sans greens, because, well, I don't like greens.

[C. sapidus]

Yay, a whole bunch of dinners from Ann_T! The ribs and brownies are particularly eye-catching.

Unusual dinner tonight - curried bay scallops with shiitake mushrooms a la Julia Child. Fascinating to see French techniques (multiple browning and deglazing, thickening with browned flour) and ingredients (dry vermouth, thyme, and sour cream ), combined with a sorta-Indian recipe. Quite tasty, although folks in India can rest easy.

Served with buttered peas with parsley, and a baguette for sopping up the sauce.

I'm really looking forward to uploading pictures again.

[djyee100]

Dakki, that rock cornish hen looks luscious!

Bruce, I once cooked a Shaker classic dish of swordfish in a curry-cream sauce. I didn't think the combo would work, but it was actually very good. How did the curried scallops go over with your panel of judges?

On the menu yesterday, beef stew. All the talk about beef stew on EGullet got me thinking about it.

This version comes from Alice Waters' Art of Simple Food. It's an intensely flavored stew, no potatoes in it to soften the flavors, and French touches like bacon, red wine, brandy, and orange zest. Herbs like thyme and savory, diced tomatoes, and a load of garlic show a Mediterranean influence. This stew has a wonderful aroma when it's cooking.

Since I like a clean broth in my stews, I removed the meat and vegs at the end of cooking time, and strained the sauce. Then I put everything back into the pot and reheated it.

This article has an adapted recipe. No black olives in the original basic recipe, but the olives are mentioned as a possible variation in the recipe's notes. This adapted recipe also omits a parsley-garlic garnish (1 TB chopped parsley combined with 1-2 finely chopped garlic cloves), and instead stirs raw garlic into the stew and sprinkles on parsley. Otherwise this recipe is the same as the one in the book.

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/oct/10/food/fo-watchrecc

Edited February 11, 2011 by djyee100 (log)

[C. sapidus]

Donna, that stew sounds delicious.

How did the curried scallops go over with your panel of judges?

The panel of judges were unimpressed. They liked the peas and sauce, but the scallops and mushrooms were judged "too mushy". Perfectly cooked scallops, imo, but de gustibus non disputandum est, as they say. I should have dry-fried the mushrooms, which firms them up and usually goes over well with the critics.

A late dinner tonight with no boys. I made spaghetti aio e oio, and Mrs. C made salad dressing to go with green salad. Mixing the garlicky oil with the salad dressing was particularly enjoyable. Vampires beware!

Edited February 12, 2011 by C. sapidus (log)

[Ann_T]

Kayb - Your shrimp and grits look fabulous. I wish grits were more readily available in Canada.

Bruce - Thanks. And why aren't you posting photos?

Djyee - your stew is just the way I like it. Nice and brothy. And the broth looks so rich.

I'm still baking bread most weeks.

Another dinner this week was Pork Chile Verde over homemade flour tortillas, salsa and guacamole

And to use up the leftover pork, last night's dinner was a Tex Mex Layered Supreme - black beans, pork chile verde, cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, olives and chopped tomatoes. Served with fried flour tortilla wedges.

[robirdstx]

Here, a busy day dinner of Baked Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Hot Pepper. The recipe comes from Rosetta Costantino's cookbook, My Calabria.

I tossed chicken legs with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and olive oil, and seasoned it liberally with fresh oregano and red pepper flakes. The I set everything to bake in a hot oven for about an hour, while I relaxed on the sofa until dinner was ready. At the end of a busy day, that's my kind of cooking.

The recipe is online here:

http://napavalleyregister.com/article_6c5c601c-eba7-11df-9e13-001cc4c002e0.html

djyee100, that looks so good. Thanks for the link to the recipe. I'm in line to get the book from my library in the next two weeks but now I won't have to wait.

We had this dish tonight. So easy and so good! I used chicken thighs, peeled russets, plum tomatoes, white onion, garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, and cayenne powder.

[dcarch]

Shelby, very delicious looking pizzas, and the Super Bowl goodies are so good!

Ann, an incredible display of cooking skills, from baking to roasting to ---well, everything.

djyee100, the tapioca pearls were cooked in clam juice. Delicious and fun. I love the way you prepared the chicken. Your beef stew is a reminder to me to make my own soon.

Dakki, your cornish hen caught my eye, not only because it looks super, I think I also have the same plate.

Kayb, the “sort-of pissaladiere“ is nothing short of amazing, and what a great idea to recycle shrimp cocktail.

I made an early Valentine’s Day dinner.

Trying to stay healthy, so no cream, butter, egg yolks, fat, etc.

Sashimi and egg plants with lean ground turkey.

Happy Valentine, everyone!

Dcarch