Dinner! 2013 (Part 1)

[weinoo]

I decided to pull the stove top smoker out of the closet and give it a whirl yesterday...

That's a whole 1.25# trout, along with a bunch of wild shrimp. So I made a little salad with arugula, almonds, celery and its leaves and tiny grape tomatoes. Healthy dinner...

[rotuts]

I have one of these buried somewhere. what did you use for smoke? i assume youve used tea, the kind in tins?

[weinoo]

I have one of these buried somewhere. what did you use for smoke? i assume youve used tea, the kind in tins?

I seriously still had some of the wood shavings ("chips") that came with the thing. IIRC, it came with hickory, mesquite and grape vines.

I used the burgundy.

[Kim Shook]

Soba – you know, I don’t like mushrooms, but your mushroom salad reminded me of how lovely a poached egg is on top of a salad. I need to do that soon. Mr. Kim is back on the low carb thing and that with some pork addition (maybe the peameal from below) would make a great low carb meal. Thank you. And those veal ricotta meatballs sound fantastic.

Kerry – that cauliflower is gorgeous. Must think about doing that. That color is exactly what I want (and never get – see below) when I roast cauliflower.

On our last trip to Florida we found peameal bacon at a German store in Sarasota. Finally made it for dinner last night:

With roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes and biscuits. We loved the bacon – very intense flavor, like a cross between country ham and regular ham.

[Emily_R]

Kerry -- I saw that cauliflower recipe on Food52... How was it? I was worried that the cauliflower stalk that is part of the steak would be really tough...

[patrickamory]

Zuni chicken, roasted in our new NXR gas range.

[SobaAddict70]

looks great, Patrick. (pls tell me you made the salad.)

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry -- I saw that cauliflower recipe on Food52... How was it? I was worried that the cauliflower stalk that is part of the steak would be really tough...

Not tough at all - yummy!

[ScottyBoy]

Luckily I live right across the bay from that Zuni chicken. Been going there since I was a little kid!

Salmon mi cuit, brined in salt water for 15 minutes and poached at 104 degrees for 1 hour. Satsuma-champagne buerre blanc with terragon and chives.

[scubadoo97]

Scotty Boy, that salmon looks amazing.

[Shelby]

Not home cooking this time, but dinner you have to cook yourself.

Last night, I had a bit of a reunion with some old friends. One had come all the way from the USA to China; two others had travelled all day to get here.

Being in the last days of the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) holiday, we did the usual and went for a hotpot in a new restaurant in town. It is the last Friday of the holiday and the place was heaving and, as the Chinese like their restaurants, it was 热闹 (literally 'hot and noisy'). There were long lines of people waiting to get in. Fortunately, we had booked.

For the hotpot base we chose the most popular - 养生鸳鸯锅 - which literally translates as 'health preserving mandarin duck pot'. 鸳鸯 can also metaphorically mean 'an affectionate couple' and the pots normally have a couple of sections. Hence the name. But this one seems to have a baby in the centre..

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The centre section contains Sichuan peppercorns, chillies and chilli bean paste. It is perforated on one side (the lower side in the picture above) allowing the flavours to mingle with the stock without the actual peppers etc getting in.

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Each section is filled with chicken stock and placed in the centre of the table with an induction cooker underneath.

Then the additions for cooking in the soup start to pile up

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L-R at the back, tofu and greens; at the front duck blood, taro and potato

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Rice vermicelli

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Daikon

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Tofu (again)

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Potato (again)

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Dried Beancurd Milk Skin (腐竹)

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Beef

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And, of course, rice.

There were other things to be cooked in the soup base which I didn't photograph - the lighting wasn't helpful. I remember shiitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms and lamb. I'm sure there were more.

As it bubbles away the stock evaporates and the chilli side gets hotter and hotter. Fresh stock can be obtained to tame it down again, but it remains HOT. The clear side offers some light relief.

A beer or three were also on hand to douse the chilli heat and a fine time was had by all..

This looks so delicious. I'd love to be able to experience eating something like that!

[Jason Perlow]

Today was a big BBQ and grilling day. Lots of stuff cooked for different meals this week, but highlight of the evening were these charcoal grilled lemon pepper chicken wings

[Kim Shook]

Scotty – the salmon looks delicious. But, my Lord, that photo! That could grace the pages of the most artsy food mag in the world. Bravo!

Like Patrick, I thought that Robirdstx’s chicken pot pie looked wonderful and decided to try it today. Filling before baking:

After baking:

Slice with roasted cauliflower:

This was really, really good. Mr. Kim (who is not the biggest fan of ‘mixed up’ food, loved this). I think it is in permanent rotation in the Shook household. Thanks
so much for posting the recipe, Robirdstx!

[liuzhou]

Meatballs

75% beef; 25% pork

Served with a spicy tomato sauce, grilled asparagus and rice.

[SobaAddict70]

Scotty -- you're killing me, man. LOL.

Thanks Kim. nice chicken pot pie. true comfort food at its best.

Liuzhou -- delish-looking meatballs. yum.

tonight:



Adirondack blue potato and beet salad, with crispy shiitake mushrooms and scallion-ginger relish

The beets and potatoes were simmered whole, then peeled and roasted with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper for 30 minutes at 350 F. They were cooked separately to prevent discoloration. The mushrooms were fried in olive oil, then sprinkled with sea salt.

Scallion-Ginger Relish

2 scallions, sliced (both green and white parts)
1 1" piece of ginger root, julienned
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 teaspoon Cara Cara orange zest, julienned
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
a pinch of cayenne pepper

Warm vegetable or peanut oil in a skillet. When the oil shimmers, add the scallions and ginger to the pan. Fry until the ginger becomes aromatic and the scallion greens turn a bright green, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer scallions and ginger to a paper-towel lined plate. Let cool.

Once cool, transfer to a small bowl. Stir in orange zest, season with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and cayenne pepper. Use as needed.




French omelette (eggs, sea salt, black pepper, unsalted butter)
Brussels sprouts with pancetta (pancetta, brussels sprouts, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper)

[ScottyBoy]

Thanks everyone! I'm pretty stoked on this preparation, being citrus season and all.

[liuzhou]

Isn't it odd?

Shelby says

I'd love to be able to experience eating something like that!

At the same time I'm looking at the last post and thinking why don't the Chinese have brussel sprouts and only have one kind of (highly inferior) potato?

I guess we all want what we can't have.

[patrickamory]

Soba - No, I didn't make the bread salad unfortunately. I have to say, as good as the Zuni chicken was, I think I prefer the Marcella Hazan version that we usually make!

[Wapi]

I have just bought a pasta maker with a gift coupon received from my friends. Needless to say, my weekend was pasta themed

My first attempt at ravioli. Filled with guacamole.

Final dish: guacamole ravioli with tomato sauce finished with sour cream, parsley, coriander and parmesan.

Homemade tagliatelli with truffles. Delicous

I also managed to buy some fresh scallops at a market in Brussels.

Scallops with aerated cauliflower puree.

[Mr Holloway]

Very nice Wapi

Everything looks awsome

More fresh pasta

After a rest

Rolling it out

Sheets were dried for an hour, boiled for 2min, pat dry and assembled

Why cook inside, when it is only -10 outside

Yum

Shane

Edited February 25, 2013 by Mr Holloway (log)

[Antwaan Randle Kay]

Foie Gras Aspic with Celery and Black truffle



Scallops with sunchoke



more scallops, linguine

[Mr Holloway]

Wow!!

I would like to retract my post please

Shane

[Keith_W]

Antwaan is mm84321 in disguise?

[mm84321]

Asparagus with mashed potatoes and an egg

[Wapi]

mm84321, I am so jealous at your presentation skills!

Another similar lamb dish. This time around no gratin with cream but with onions and beef stock. Much lighter and a better match with the balsamico/honey sauce.