Dinner 2015 (Part 6)

[kayb]

No photos (we were starving and fell upon the meal like the Visigoths on Rome), but the first pot roast of the fall. Seared off a shoulder roast (grass-fed, grain-finished, locally farm-raised), surrounded it with carrots, potatoes and onions, poured a cup of red wine and a half-cup of water, along with a couple of tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, over all, covered tightly with foil, and into a 300-degree oven for five hours. Meat was meltingly tender, potatoes (Yukon Golds) and carrots and onions all creamy, flavor perfect. Leftovers tonight, and vegetable beef soup tomorrow.

[milgwimper]

Made the Bonci pizza dough recipe a couple nights ago. Not as good as in rome but it was delicious. We had it simply with cheese salami, mozzarella, with a side of salad. No pictures as it was devoured so fast.

The recipe made so much dough that I used another quarter of the dough to make some flat bread for a breakfast bahji recipe I served with eggs. We had them all for dinner and they were great. I still have half of the dough left over, and I am sure it will appear sometime this week for lunch.

Edited November 16, 2015 by milgwimper (log)

[FauxPas]

Last night, I started with a Nigella Lawson recipe for Warm Spiced Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad. Used quite a lot of harissa and skipped the fresh parsley-as-salad-green as had none in the house. Used lots of pomegranate arils.

 

This would go well with various greens or other veggies. I only had one tomato so used a bit of extra tomato paste and next time might skip the fresh tomatoes altogether. Feta cheese on top would work well if serving it as a standalone salad. Last night we also had some ground pork that I seasoned and shaped into patties. 

 

[Shelby]

Not a good picture, too hungry to retake one lol.

 

A ramen of sorts.  Pork belly made in the Instant Pot (see the IP thread for more), a little tofu, ramen noodles, bean sprouts, etc. etc.  I also made a batch of spring rolls for the freezer so we had one of those on the side.

 

 

 

[milgwimper]

I need to find my camera and take pictures. Everyone's beautiful food is making me hungry andI just ate dinner. The ramen and spring rolls Shelby made and the warm  spiced cauliflower what Fauxpas made may be detrimental to my laptop. We had a simple salad of andouille sausage fried, carrots corn, shaved carrots and mixed lettuce. Dressed in a homemade sherry mustard vinaigrette. We also had roasted ripe plantains with mozzarella. I had planned to stuff the plantains with the mozzarella and roast but one of the plantains refused the ripen, so I sliced the remaining two and roasted them served with mozzarella to spread the wealth. No pictures again.

Edited November 16, 2015 by milgwimper (log)

[patrickamory]

Some recent meals -

 

Chicken paprikash, Kenji's simpler version from his recent SE article. I used sweet paprika from the Spice House and No Yolks egg noodles from Pennsylvania (I think). It was excellent, but next time I think I'll try the browning technique - not the fish sauce thanks, I love fish sauce but I can find different ways to add umami for Central European cuisine - and go lighter on the sour cream:

 

 

A couple nights later I did delivery. There are a lot of great Sichuan restaurants in this part of Manhattan and Lan Sheng on West 39th Street is one of them. I got dan dan noodles, pan fried pork dumplings (probably not echt Sichuan but delicious), Sichuan cold pickled vegetables, and what was called "Chongqing braised fish" - and looked like this:

 

 

Yesterday I noticed David Tanis's simple lamb curry and carrot raita recipe in the Times and was immediately intrigued. I always like Tanis's approach to cooking, but I make a lot of Indian food from various regions and had never seen an approach with a dry marinade. So I made it more or less as written, except that I couldn't find lamb shoulder at my butcher on a Sunday so made do with stew beef (pretty sure it was chuck). The raita turned out okay (Madhur Jaffrey's un-cooked version with apple kicks its ass), but the curry was fabulous.

 

 

 

[ElainaA]

I am just back from an impulse long week end in Manhatten. (If you live in upstate NY that is"The City") so we arrived home in the wee hours of Monday morning and had to get up not much later given commitments so no time for grocery shopping or even, really (given how sleep deprived we both were) thinking about meals.

So:

 

Take some sausage out of the freezer, get a can of (home canned) tomatoes from the pantry and make a quick sauce. Luckily enough veggies survived the weekend for a salad. And since one of my commitments ( retrieving Fanny the wonder dog from the kennel) took me past the Ithaca Bakery, we have a sourdough batard.

 

(I managed to fit in J.B Prince, NY Cake and Pastry Co., the Broadway Panhandler  and Kalustyans - as well as a full day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - a good trip.)

Edited November 17, 2015 by ElainaA (log)

[huiray]

A riff on Fegato alla Veneziana, with pasta.

 

 

Calf's liver, soaked in diluted half-and-half plus sea salt & ground black pepper; drained, briefly rinsed, blotted off, cut into strips. Sliced cipollini onions softened in EV olive oil with some browning allowed. (Enough oil is used so that a small puddle is formed when the onions are pushed aside) The onions were pushed to the sides, the liver strips added in the middle of the pan, heat increased a bit, strips tossed/turned, mixed in with the onions when not-pink, a good handful of finely chopped parsley added, everything splashed w/ good balsamic vinegar, seasoned w/ sea salt & generous ground black pepper, fold/turn over well. Serve.

Very wet linguine [De Cecco] (cooked as usual) tossed in the pan (separate pan) w/ sautéed finely sliced fennel bulb & halved Cherub tomatoes plus some sea salt and more of the pasta cooking water.

Edited November 17, 2015 by huiray (log)

[liamsaunt]

My fish share gave me the dreaded pollock again yesterday.  Trying to think of something to do with it other than chowder, I decided on Thai-flavored fish cakes.  I ground up the fish with lemongrass, chiles, cilantro, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, palm sugar, scallions, and coconut milk then formed into patties and chilled to firm up.  Then I fried them and served with lime wedges and a dipping sauce made from sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, and malt vinegar.  I really liked this.  Served with a cucumber salad and steamed rice.

 

 

I also got a piece of Faroe Island salmon in this week's share so that will be dinner tonight.

[sartoric]

We leave tomorrow for nearly a month away, I'll miss my kitchen, but have some cooking classes planned.....The last supper is rice with prawns, wombok, cherry tomatoes and spring onions.

[kayb]

Day 2 of the pot roast, shredded in a thickened gravy (just the jus thickened with a bit of cornstarch in water), served over mashed potatoes with sugar snap peas (which had been the freezer a tiny bit too long, but were still tasty). Followed by a slice of Dutch apple pie, recipe courtesy of Cyalexa, with sliced sharp cheddar alongside. 

 

 

 

Day 3 of pot roast is today -- vegetable beef soup simmering now.

 

 

 

ETA the pie pic.

Edited November 17, 2015 by kayb (log)

[Anna N]

Sv'd rib steak and steamed broccoli. The best meal I've had in many weeks.

[BKEats]

Just your typical night at my house..

 

 

A little blow, a snort of vodka.  

 

 

Oh wait, this was something else.. 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time the pasta was cut, i realized I have not cooked at home in 4 months.. So, all i have is some parm, butter, anchovies and an open bottle of white.

 

 

 

 

 

And as the French say, "valet"

 

[BKEats]

Staff snack:  Our Garlic Bread served on Shewolf Sour Dough.. Roasted Garlic oil, bagna cauda, heirloom tomatoes roasted and blue cheese:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff meal at the end of a long ass night:  Roast Beef stuffed on Shewolf sour dough, pickled onions, arugula salad, horseradish sauce and chips

 

 

 

 

 

[BKEats]

steak night.. I had that 2.5 lb steak from greene grape. Cooked in a cast iron at medium high, then tossed in a 250 degree oven.. 

 

 

a little ramp butter:

 

 

250 degree oven and took out at 123:

 

 

miss a made a lovely salad with a creme fraiche dressing. 

Edited November 18, 2015 by BKEats (log)

[BKEats]

Another dinner from a while back:  This was during ramp season around May:

 

 

friday night, my buddy came over and we helped him prep for a ramp dinner he was cooking the following evening..   We made together a ramp ravioli, a ramp chimchurri, a ramp pesto, pickled ramps and a few other things.. 

 

With the left over potato filling used for the ravioli, we made gnocchi.  I had mussels and chorizo in the house and it made for a good combo.  Basically, in the same pan of wine and butter that I made Miss K's pork chop, i added onions, chorizo and then mussels.  Once that opened up, added butter and a punch of parm, a little paprika. 

 

 

 

we were having "a discussion" on the size of the gnocchi.  i kept coming by and cutting his in  half.  

 

 

Finished dish... It was freaking awesome.. the potato filling was potatoes with ramps and garlic.  

 

one of the better things I have had in recent memory

 

 

Here was the ravioli..  we froze it.  he then had to go on like a hike and prepare this via campfire.  i was nervous it wasn't going to make it but, it did... this was one of several trays. 

 

 

Saturday night, i made red snapper with arugula salad and we had leftover gnocchi:

 

i grilled 4 minutes a side, covered in tin foil and added garlic, tomato, parsley and wine. covered an baked for 10 minutes.. served with arugula salad

 

<a 

 

 

sunday dinner was spaghetti with the leftover pasta dough.  butter, sage, scallion and bacon. My father in law was very happy.  He says, this is his favorite thing i make.  Noodles were pretty great.  Miss K was upset as she had eaten too much pasta to have as much steak as she wanted.. What an amateur. my father in law is always given one of the bones, then Miss K is next to receive one.. But not this time, heh heh heh.  and i got half her potato. 

 

 

A couple of rib eyes from the P-Dutch folks.. Cooked 4 minutes per side, a little butter baste: inlaws and all like it towards the rare side of town.  it was just about 120 when i took it off. these steaks were really lovely.. and 12 bucks a pound.. you know from the pdutch that it's organic and grass fed and well taken care of.  and for 12 bucks an elbow, thats a deal. 

 

 

Served with potatoes:

 

 

A couple of pancakes, a few cheeses and a bacon egg and cheese and that is pretty much what I ate that weekend. 

[blue_dolphin]

Wow, BKEats! That was a whole Egullet foodblog in 4 posts! Very fun to read. Now I need to go eat!

[BKEats]

Wow, BKEats! That was a whole Egullet foodblog in 4 posts! Very fun to read. Now I need to go eat!

 

Hey thanks... Might as well keep going!

 

 

Left over broccoli rabe and mozzarella stuffed inside a pork loin, served over mashed potatoes.. I braised the loin in a wine, mustard, onion mixture.. Made a pan sauce with mustard and capers.  

 

 

 

arugula salad with white balsamic onions and a really nice olive oil.. 

 

[BKEats]

Hamburgers:

 

I bought this scale at a bar that was closing the other day for 5 dollars. Apparently, it's a 100 dollar scale. 

 

Half pound burgers. since it was 90 percent, i added a little melted butter, a little cream, a Worcestershire Sauce, salt, pepper and a little bit of my bbq rub. 

 

 

I bought frozen fries

 

A really juice jersey tomato, mustard and mayo. sadly, i had no onions.  I ate this thing a couple of hours before i went to bed and had the absolutely worst nightmares.. I blame this half pound burger. 

 

[BKEats]

 had my friend and his wife over for tapas style dinner.  while i was about to serve the first thing, the doorbell rings and it's my neighbor who is locked out.. we pour him and a glass and he call the lock smith

 

I am serving clams two ways. I am fairly proficient at shucking clams and oysters. i feel like that's a good life skill. 

 

 

The first is butter and sriracha on the grill,  the second is parsley, garlic, almonds, bread crumbs, lemon in the oven. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this really well made portuguese chourico and pickles. they  take pork butt and soak in wine and thyme and a lot of paprika over night.  there is a lot of garlic too. they smoke them and hang them.  they are so good.  a half a sausage will add a pork smokey flavor to an entire pot of stock.  this deli makes them and they are the best I've had i think. 

 

 

Sardines:  The neighbor leaves, he returns with his wife and a bottle of whiskey. 

 

Friday was an awesome day and it kept getting better.  Miss k got straight A's, we got our liquor license, my fish store had sardines and the butcher had rabbit.  It was a home run all around. Friends came over and i got to hang out with my neighbor for the first time in a year. 

 

 

grilled about 20 of them and then am trying to cure the rest. 

 

 

 

Had this pasta from Eataly from the other night.  it was the escarole and prosciutto.. I had bought it the night we cooked steak but, completely forgot to cook them. 

 

[BKEats]

So, here are the salted sardines.. After salting for two days, i brushed off the salt and am soaking in citrus.. i will then toss in oil to preserve.  This is my buddy's recipe, i am not following exactly but, the process .

 

 

The schaller and weber folk had given us various meats to slice up.  A three hams a couple of different kinds of turkey..   Miss K's bday was this weekend so, we figured it would be a great time to use this.. We essentially had 30 people to the house and only had to buy bread and a few other things.  But, relatively inexpensive for a party.  

 

This is a honey ham:

 

 

 

We walked to Caputo's and got their Italian Sesame and Regular bread, then on our way back we stopped at Bien Cuit.  But, it was nice, we had 30 people over and started hard prep around 1 pm that day.   Potato salad and mac salad from the Amish Folk brought by my mother.  Turkey and various hams, sharp provolone, my green sauce, a little mayo, picked red onions, tomato and arugula. some had regular provolone, some had mozarella and provolone.. I presliced all the meat an hour before and then made the sandwiches as people were coming in.  It was so easy and really good. 

 

 

We made pork sliders from a whole bacon they gave us.. Miss K wanted my mother to make her christmas cookies for her birthday..  I thought that was an excellent choice. 

 

 

 

 

[BKEats]

 White wine, paprika, garlic and salt.  No herbs and I didn't have any. . It was not marinated that long on purpose but, i just couldn't fit it in.. I have a very busy eating schedule.  

 

Tossed the rabbit on the grill:

 

 

Served with scallions and bacon in a cream sauce.  I shot of whiskey, a shot of cream, salt, pepper, sugar and shot of lemon.  

 

 

It was fantastic, really.. So damn good.. Served with roasted radishes as well. 

 

[BKEats]

So, after salting and then soaking the sardines in a mixture of lemon, lime and orange juice, I covered them in olive oil.  

 

 

 

[BKEats]

spaghetti with clam sauce: some diced bacon, half a yellow onion, a pad of butter,  deglazed with some vinho verde, normally this is where i would add some thyme but, i added tarragon instead. then the clams and covered. a squirt of sriracha, after 12 or 15 minutes, the clams had opened (everyone). removed the clams and turned off the heat.  Deshelled the clams and tossed the shells.  When the pasta cooked, add the pasta and clams back into the sauce some calabrian chile.  turned off the heat, added another pad of butter, some scallions and parsley.  

 

had the bowls in a hot oven, plated then a squirt of this really beautiful south african olive oil

 

not the prettiest shot.. but the tarragon added a really nice touch, especially with the scallion and parsley.. kept away from lemon, or parm, or thyme.  it was just enough different to keep a house staple interesting. the clams were cooked perfectly. actually, the stars lined up tonight.  this was as about as close to perfect as I have ever cooked a meal.  I had run nine miles before guests came, i showered, cooked and had everything prepped and the kitchen clean in less than 30 minutes.  

 

 

Branzino.  Simple prep. detached the filet from the spine on the inside.  added thinly sliced garlic, added a scallion in the mouth the ran along the entire cavity, added salt, lemon, and parsley.. tied with a string which helped me turn it. Instead of a spatula, i just grabbed the string and flipped it. 

 

 

I still don't trust this grill though, it has been coming through lately. i am so worried about it imparting the butane taste that ruins food.  i feel like i have made a point to keep flare ups to a minimum.  i am super sensitive and have not found it.  though, i do search for it. 

 

 

4 minutes per side and then 3 minutes in a hot oven.  the grill,  though i have it down, is a wild card.  so, to make sure, i gave it 3 minutes in the heat.. the internal temp was 135. by the time i plated a filet on each plate, it was like perfect. there was smoke but, no butane in the fish.. the garlic had melted and seasoned the fish.. i salted and then finished with that really grassy oiive oil.. 

 

a squirt of lemon. 

 

my friend made delicious chinese snap peas:

 

 

and baked peanut butter and jelly blondies.. 

 

 

[BKEats]

rilled sardines and stuffed squid.. 

 

The squid was a stuffed with rye bread, bacon, wine, onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, lemon,paprika and the tentacles.. cooked, stuffed, cooked in wine and tomatoes. 

 

 

 

bought close to 4 lbs.. A lot of them are salting right now.