Dinner! 2011

[percyn]

Took some time between decorating outside trees and shrubs to make Beef Rendang by James Osland. Great reward for all our hard work. Thank goodness the weather cooperated : only -2 today!

Auntie Dejah, snap! I had beef rendang too tonight, ox cheek - my favourite cut for making rendang...

Must have been a Beef Rendang kind of night around the globe as that was my dinner as well, albeit I did not cook it myself.

Terrific posts of incredible meals all....keep it up so that I can keep drooling.

[nikkib]

oh that baklava made my heart jump a little! Wow or as Homer would say mmmmmmmmmm baklava!

[pastameshugana]

Last night was a feast!

My real (full-time) job is as a pastor, so last night we hosted an 'Appreciation Dinner' for a number of the people in our congregation that are a big help (leaders, close supporters, behind the scenes, etc). We were planning for 25 adults.

We decided to do Italian, because I love it and there's not one (!!!) Italian restaurant in our city, not even a bad one.

Planned Menu:

Crostini (3 types):

-Roasted Veg (an Idea I got from a recent trip to Brasov, Romania where several restaurants served a room-temp roasted veg paste you smeared on your bread instead of butter)

-Tomato Basil (Because that's what you'd expect)

-Mozzarella & Chili (an Idea ripped from Jamie O)

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Because who can resist that? And a 'thank-God-my-Jewish-blood-doesn't-mean-I-eat-kosher' dish!)

Salad (Made by Mrs. Meshugana).

Two pastas (Penne & Spaghetti)

Two sauces (Alfredo & a Meat Sauce)

Lemon Ricotta Cheese Cake

Cheese Cake Brownies - Mrs. Meshugana is responsible for all the desserts!

I started my (cooking) day at 9am, chopping veggies to roast, and roasting garlic for my sauces:

Then wrapping the asparagus with bacon for frying:

All fried up (in olive oil): What's nice is that as you go, the bacon fat adds to the olive oil, so the end of it gets MUCH more bacon-ey and artery clogging!

Then I roasted all the veg in the broiler, as well as a few heads of garlic to use later. The garlic was heavenly! Here it is just about to be mashed up:

Diced serrano and some red sweet peppers (for Christmasy colors) for the Mozz crostini:

Which turned out looking like this, with a little olive oil splashed on:

And the tomato basil crostini:

Two sauces and two pastas going on my way-too-small stove:

And here's where it almost got all stuffed up. The breaker kept tripping on my stove (ridiculous! You didn't expect me to be using all four burners and the oven at once?), so my roux for the alfredo kept getting interrupted, so I ended up turning up the heat on the roux, then the doorbell rang and..... badly burnt roux and no alfredo. That also means we'd have 1/2 the food we were planning on. I made a last minute decision to toss the penne with melted butter, garlic, a little oil, pepper, and micro-planed parmesan. It was fantastic! Far better than the four hour meat sauce in my opinion...

It all ended up great - had a good time, and my feet are reminding me why I don't cook for a living!

The aftermath (we used holiday paper plates for serving!)

[mm84321]

Roasted lobster with port poached figs and foie gras.

[ScottyBoy]

I am gonna go out on a limb here and say you are a fan of lobster.

Looks delicious as always!

[Norm Matthews]

A very good friend sent me some rye flour from King Arthur and I made the recipe on the back of the package, baguette style.

Kids both work at Country Kitchen until 9pm and I'll have this standing rib roast ready for them, pulled at 135º, salad with dressing made with olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and malt powder. Sauce made with sour cream= (heavy cream and vinegar) and horseradish.

Meat is currently resting -covered- for the 30 minutes or so until they get home.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Norm Matthews (log)

[Dejah]

Presentation and food over the top, Everyone!

Percy:There seemed to be more sauce with the rendang that you had. I am thinking that I might like to do that next time. My version was tender and moist, but oh boy! That sauce would be fantastic on steamed rice for breakfast next day (sounds like something c.sapidus would eat for breakfast )

Prawncracker: Love how you address me as Auntie Dejah! I am thinking of salt and pepper shrimp for my jam session and food fest next week. I would love the shell-on, but I don't know if my guests can handle that. Did you sautee the shrimp or deep fry with the shells on? Also your Golden Sand Shrimp is calling me...Gotta get a set menu soon...

Had a quick-fix supper tonight after a 5-hour drive from shopping therapy across the border to North Dakota. Had some plain rice rolls in the fridge. Cut 'em up and stir-fried with sweet soy sauce, char siu, green onions, and choy sum. Better than what I had anticipated on the drive home: A & W Grandma burger...

[Norm Matthews]

Dinner is over. Here is how the rib roast looked when cut into.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Norm Matthews (log)

[patrickamory]

Bruce, is that kheema with spinach from Madhur Jaffrey?

[Dejah]

Made the full sandpot of Lap Mei Fan for 4 Chinese students stuck in university residence with only fried chicken quick food cafeteria open for the weekend. Also steamed some fermented soybean spareribs, and winter melon soup with pork neck bones.

Hope they'll think it is comfort food as I do...

[Norm Matthews]

Yesterdays left over bread made todays sandwiches.

[percyn]

..

Percy:There seemed to be more sauce with the rendang that you had. I am thinking that I might like to do that next time. My version was tender and moist, but oh boy! That sauce would be fantastic on steamed rice for breakfast next day (sounds like something c.sapidus would eat for breakfast )

Deja, the beef rendang with soft scrambled eggs was my breakfast as well

Norm, nice Ruben.

Bruce, nice Kheema - did the recipe call for coconut milk or was it an adaptation?

Bought Nasi Lemak from the same place I got the beef rendang.

Edited December 17, 2011 by percyn (log)

[C. sapidus]

. . . sounds like something c.sapidus would eat for breakfast

Dejah, you know me well. Leftover rendang (as if!) or your quick-fix char siu meal, lap mei fan, or fermented soybean spare ribs (more info, please!) would all make lovely breakfasts.

Bruce, is that kheema with spinach from Madhur Jaffrey?

Recipe was from Neelam Batra’s 1,000 Indian Recipes. I have grown quite fond of this cookbook.

Bruce, nice Kheema - did the recipe call for coconut milk or was it an adaptation?

Thank you, percyn - the recipe did include a half-cup of coconut milk for 1.25 pounds of meat.

Mrs. C made borscht and buttered garlic rice for dinner tonight, but no pictures.

[Dejah]

Bruce: I should have just said "fermented black beans" but sometimes readers confuse them with, well, ordinary black beans... You would be familiar with the name "dow see"...the Chinese fermented soy beans commonly used with spareribs, mapo tofu, etc. I steamed the ribs for 50 minutes - tender-fall off the bone!

[mm84321]

More stuff from EMP. I'm really liking this book, as you could probably tell.

Oyster Vichyssoise.

"Fantasy of Eggs"

Scallop Ceviche with Fennel ,Tangerine and Tarragon.

Pink Snapper Poached with Pears, Parsnips and Razor Clams.

[ddelima]

So easy to get inspired on this tread with amazing dinners shared by all of you.

Last night dinner was Filet Mignon with Veal Sauce Reduction and Fried Chickpeas With Chorizo and Spinach. Beef was cooked SV at 131F for 1 hour, flash pan seared and served over a veal stock reduction. The chickpeas were made using Mark Bittman's recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/dining/24mini.html?ref=dining

[kayb]

Roasted lobster with port poached figs and foie gras.

Kill me now, because that looks like what I'd love to have for my last meal.

Oh, and would you come cook it for me?

[kayb]

Dinner is over. Here is how the rib roast looked when cut into.

That is a thing of beauty.

[kayb]

Well, I didn't cook it, but.....

Ravioli and meatballs, from Villa di Roma in South Philadelphia. They've been judged the best meatballs (professional) in Philadelphia. I will not argue with this!

[Norm Matthews]

Thank you Kayb

Those meatballs do look delish. I think having them with ravioli is a great idea.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Norm Matthews (log)

[Norm Matthews]

Dinner tonight was a stuffed pork loin. I looked at some recipes then used some of the ingredients in a couple different recipes to make the stuffing. Son liked the stuffing, Cassie was so-so about it. I used baby bella mushrooms, sweet onion and an unripe pair. I may add bread crumbs next time. And maybe some vermouth. Also on the menu was mashed potatoes, half russet, half gold, with cream and butter, carrots roasted with the pork and spinach. The spinach was kind of bitter even though they were all small and young leaves. Gravy was flour, butter, evaporated milk and chicken broth with a little nutmeg, salt and pepper.

[ChrisTaylor]

A true teacher's dinner after a shitty excursion. I might even get off my arse in a hour or two and go buy a pizza. For dessert or something.

[maggiethecat]

I didn't take a picture, but the humungo butternut squash stuffed with sage, Italian sausage and breadcrumbs was a hit-the-spot Sunday dinner for two.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Country-style one-pan meal here: leftover chicken borscht with fluffy quinua biscuits baked on top. I do so love my cast-iron pan, I do, I do!

[Jmahl]

Lasagna made with homemade hot Italian sausage.

Good stuff - lasagna is hard to beat.