Dinner! 2011

[dcarch]

Paul Bacino, great idea, baking outside. You have shown that it is possible to bake stuffed Egg plant and basil potato Gnudi in a Weber.

C. sapidus, I have not made Beef rendang for years. Yours look wonderful. I will have to remember star anise for wings the next time I make mine.

Kayb, yellow squash is in season now, it goes so well grilled with steak. I highly recommend GWR green tomatoes.

Panaderia Canadiense, Nice place setting with the placemat matching the dishes. I agree, the burger looks great.

SobaAddict70, thanks for the step-by-step photos of ricotta gnocchi and Pasta with sardines, fava beans and tomatoes both are beautifully photographed.

Norm Matthews, Nice corned beef. I am not sure why I have corned beef only once every year.

Scottyboy, that’s a very fancy pork chop dish. Truffle flavored polenta and garden squash blossoms and beans.

rarerollingobject, “non-artistically drizzled with worcestershire sauce and olive oil.”? It’s in the eye of the beholder. This beholder disagrees with you. I also think your tuna tartare and octopus sausage artistically plated.

FrogPrincesse, a dish does not have to be photogenic to be delicious.

Kim, sandwiches, salad and corn can be very satisfying for a quick meal.

Genkinaonna , nicely shaped and baked ricotta calzones.

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

I made sous vide 7-bonme steak with Isreali couscous on pickled napa cabbage.

Dcarch

[Paul Bacino]

I love the 7 bone roast.. but what is the best pc IM ( cut ) in that thing?

[patti]

Katie,yes, we always had a lot of fried green tomatos at the end of the season, when frost was due. That was also when Mama canned "green tomato pickle," which, best I recall, included chopped tomatos, jalapenos, onion and I'm not sure what all else. It had a sort of sweet-sour-hot taste. Daddy loved it on hamburgers and hot dogs.

I use green tomatos as part of my trinity when I'm cooking Cajun, because I don't like either celery or bell pepper.

kayb, pickled green tomatoes that are sweet-sour-hot are also a great accompaniment to rice & gravy meals served here in south Louisiana. I can hardly eat rice & gravy without it. Actually, I am trying not to eat rice & gravy at all, but still.

[mgaretz]

dcarch, that chuck roast looks great. How long and at what temperature did you cook it?

[Dakki]

C. Sapidus, gorgeous wings.

RRO, that octopus sausage looks brilliant. If you want to seed the peppers and stuff them with cheese next time, that should bring down the heat some. I like them grilled like that.

Okay, for my offering I bring you tacos de tripa with three different tomatillo-based salsas. On the left, a simple salsa verde with shredded cilantro, on the right, salsa de chile morita, and top, salsa de chile de arbol.

Image is straight from the camera with no post whatsoever.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Dakki (log)

[kayb]

Bruce, do you mind sharing your recipe for rendang? I tried to make it once, but not knowing how it was supposed to come out, I didn't do it right. It tasted OK, but it certainly didn't look like yours.

dcarch, love the plate, as always. You are such an artist!

[C. sapidus]

Dakki - thanks! I love to see the great variety of tacos that you make, and the salsas look scrumptious.

dcarch - thank you. Your meal is gorgeous as always!

Bruce, do you mind sharing your recipe for rendang? I tried to make it once, but not knowing how it was supposed to come out, I didn't do it right. It tasted OK, but it certainly didn't look like yours.

kayb - thanks! I used the recipe in Cradle of Flavor - excerpted here on The Splendid Table (clicky),

Mrs. C made BLATs tonight (bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato sandwiches). I added some leftover tomatillo salsa to mine. Elder son tried to steal all the tomatoes, but that would have made the sandwiches BLA.

Edited July 18, 2011 by C. sapidus (log)

[Kim Shook]

kayb – thanks – I’ll try all cornmeal next time.

Elise – that casserole sounds wonderful. I’m a big fan of casseroles, but almost never use fish. I need to try that.

RRO – that soup sounds marvelous! I’ve roasted tomatoes, but never smoked them – I’ll have to get Mr. Kim right on that.

Soba – gorgeous gnocchi! I keep seeing your gnocchi and am determined to make it soon.

Panaderia Canadiense – Those bagels are incredible looking! What kind of cheese? And I LOVE fries dipped in mayo – especially if it’s homemade mayo!

Dakki – gorgeous tacos! Are those corn tortillas? Are they fried, or what? They look crisp, but flexible, if that makes any sense.

Dinner tonight started with the traditional Shook Salad:

Pan roasted duck breast with blueberry/balsamic sauce, fried corn and roasted potatoes:

We really liked this sauce a lot. The balsamic cut the sweetness of the blueberries and it went really well with the duck. I’m sure that the duck was overcooked for a lot of people, but rare poultry is just revolting to me. I literally cannot get it down. It’s like trying to swallow a wad of wet paper towel. I just keep chewing and chewing and it doesn't seem to get any smaller and I cannot manage to send it on its way! The corn was some we had bought last Sunday in MD and, while still good, was not good enough to eat plain – so fried in butter with a little salt, pepper and sugar it came alive again. It was so nice to get busy in the kitchen again. The duck breast was from the freezer – I’d needed leg quarters awhile ago and couldn’t find them without buying a whole duck. So I had the breasts and a bunch of scraps in the freezer. I roasted the scraps today and will let them simmer in the slow cooker all day tomorrow. I’m hoping to get some fat, as well as some good stock. Then I just have to figure out what to do with a couple of quarts of duck stock.

Dessert was homemade fudgsicles:

Emily_R made these and posted them on the desserts thread a few days ago. This was Smittenkitchen’s version of a Matt Armendariz recipe. Really good. I made it with milk chocolate, since that’s what I had and with Splenda so Mr. Kim could eat them.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Kim - inside the bagels (and hence invisible) was gouda and parmesan. On top is a local type called Sanduche, which is similar to mild Colby.

[Parmhero]

Mega Burger

Edited July 18, 2011 by Parmhero (log)

[Shelby]

THAT is a mega burger for sure!!!

I just sat here gazing at all of the wonderful food you guys have prepared. Even if I've just eaten, you all manage to make me hungry again!

I have a few pictures.

I watched a foodie show the other day that featured a restaurant that specializes in pizza pot pies. They looked delicious, so I had to try to make my own. I have no idea if I succeeded, but they were pretty good. I also made regular pizza just in case the pot pies were no good.

It's like living on the sun here (I know, I'll stop complaining now, I swear) So, I made a rice noodle salad to try and cool us off.

I also had an overwhelming need for good seafood after browsing here recently, so I ordered prawns from Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle. Ridiculously expensive, but I had to do it.

Made a Caesar salad to go along with it. I got some wonderful anchovies that I used.

Finally, you HAVE to make this pie. Seriously, it's the best no-bake pie ever. Here is the recipe from Serious Eats.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/07/10-minute-lime-cracker-pie-recipe.html

My picture is horrible, but it's so nice and refreshing. I am thinking about making a bathtub full and just sinking in lol.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Shelby (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

WOW. Shelby, the roe in your prawn dish looks absolutely unbelievable!! I bet it must have tasted wonderful.

[ScottyBoy]

Wow yeah, product like that is always worth the extra $!

[Norm Matthews]

Tilapia with red cherry salsa, rice, peas and cucumber salad

[Dakki]

C. Sapidus: Thanks. I'm glad you like the tacos because that's all I ever post here. I can make other food, I swear!

Kim Shook: Thank you. I hate to "waste" good meat drippings so I heat up my tortillas in them so they pick up some of the taste. Kinda like the Ducasse flavor reinforcement thing. They come out semi-fried; they're soft and bendable but there's a certain crunchy mouthfeel, if that makes any sense?

BTW, I really like that duck breast.

Shelby: Everything looks delicious (the prawns in particular make me wish we got decent seafood here, not for the first time) but I really want that pie, and I don't even know how a no bake pie works!

[Genkinaonna]

Kim-That duck looks amazing! I had an incredible french onion soup that used duck stock as the base...you might try that if you have the stock just hanging around.

Shelby-I'd totally sink into a bathtub of that pie! And the seafood from Pike Place is worth the money, we went there for our honeymoon and my favorite meal was huge prawns sauteed in a little butter and garlic and covered in chiffonades of fresh basil. We get up to Seattle 3-4 times a year, and we always end up bringing home lots of seafood.

Last night we had lettuce from the garden with roasted chicken, crispy olive oil potatoes with thyme, and ranch dressing. Light and summery, but filling at the same time. I wish I could say I made the dressing, but it was Kraft (hangs head in shame...)

[rarerollingobject]

Shelby - that prawn roe is incredible! I get pretty good seafood here but THAT is gorgeous.

C. Sapidus - I'm going to try your rendang, I think.

Kim Shook - duck breast looks perfect, and I agree about Dakki's tacos - I'm slightly obsessed with his tortillas..(and no, that's not a double entendre!) They just look so so textural and rustic and..corn-y.

Genkinaonna - your (warm?) salad is definitely in my wheelhouse, although would you believe I have NEVER cooked a potato?! Hehe.

Parmhero - that is one hell of a burger. The mushrooms must have really upped the umami hit.

And dcarch - incredible as usual. That cabbage is just so beautiful against the plate. You are a true artist.

Dinner here was more seafood - something I saw a local TV chef make and incredibly, I had all the ingredients on hand..couldn't believe it, that NEVER happens!

Anyway, scallop crudo with a shaved fennel, chervil, and lemon zest salad, scattered with broad beans and then crisp maple-glazed bacon crumbled over.

[nikkib]

Feeling slightly embarrassed about the contents of my fridge right now RRO - and very jealous!

[SobaAddict70]

Kayb -- sorry, haven't been checking this thread lately.

Yes, the gnocchi are boiled for 1-2 minutes before being coated in melted butter.

Have a pot of boiling water ready. Plop gnocchi in. The gnocchi will quickly rise to the top; lift out with a slotted spoon when done. If you used enough flour when making the dough, they will retain their shape; otherwise the gnocchi will fall apart.

Ideally have your butter melted, then sauté, then serve at once.

Dinner tonight will involve lettuce in a way you've never seen it done before. Stay tuned.

[gfweb]

Small cookout for a few friends + dog.

Italian sausages precooked but not yet grilled. Unfortunately I forgot to take the post-grill shot. Had burgers too.

Pepper/onion/tomato topping for the sausages

Potato salad made with deeply caramelized onion...really neat flavor.

Pasta salad with tiny broccoli florettes

A good time was had by all, esp the dog who was roundly fed.

Edited July 21, 2011 by gfweb (log)

[Emily_R]

Dinner tonight was a good one... Roasted corn and basmati rice salad. Roast the corn on the grill, cut it off the cob and combine with cooked basmati rice. Add chunks of fried pancetta, green onions, a little feta (in the past I've also used cubed monterrey jack), some spicy baby greens, and then dressed it with the pancetta fat, lime juice, and rice vinegar. My husband goes crazy for this salad!

[SobaAddict70]

Hey, Kraft bottled dressings are good sometimes when you've got no other alternative.

Mostly Greenmarket-inspired dinner:

Braised Boston lettuce, with peas, young onions, baby squash and mint

I used chicken stock for the braising liquid; replace it with vegetable stock and this dish becomes vegan.

I'll post the recipe on the blog later tonight or tomorrow.

Shrimp and fava beans, with bacon, thyme and lemon

Recipe adapted from this NPR article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9163283

[Pierogi]

....

A good time was had by all, esp the dog who was roundly fed.

*ALWAYS* the mark of a successful evening !!!

[Carro- atyoursenses.com]

I am getting hungry just reading this.

Yesterday: Janssons Frestelse. For those who don't know... a mouth watering side dish (that we eat as a main course) of chopped potatoes, anchovies, heavy cream, onion and bread crumbs. Mainly eatten at Midsommar and Christmas- but I love it all year. Snap peas from the farmer's market near my office.

Tuesday: Gas Grilled sour dough pizzas with parmasan (I smuggled home from Sicily), Italian sausage, chanterelles (dried from last fall), leek, tomatoes, spices. A bunch of aurugula on top.

Monday: Root veggie mush. Or what would be a real name from that? Mashed root veggies. Though not in season, we were craving. Chick pea- falafel type patties.

[Emily_R]

SobaAddict -- those two dishes really capture the peak of freshness. I breathed a little sigh of pleasure just looking at them.