Create my meal – the game

[sartoric]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

Sartoric - need a ruling according to Hoyle. Can we take one idea from one person and another from another?

 

 

Sure, go for it, then maybe nominate the next challengee.

[Kerry Beal]

 

Here's what we settled on - seafood chowder using the shrimp and scallops, corn, potatoes and last of the red pepper. Cheese biscuit in place of crusty bread - much faster!

 

I think that means Faux Pas is up again - but she may wish to punt.

 

Photo credits: Corelle Vitrelle from Canadian Tire, cutlery WTFK from the Bibles for Missions

Edited July 22, 2016 by Kerry Beal (log)

[FauxPas]

Yeah, I'd prefer someone else take a turn! Isn't there a backup person, as you chose something from someone else, also? Please, somebody? Hahahahaha   

 

PS  @Kerry Beal, I adore your photo credits! 

 

Edited July 22, 2016 by FauxPas (log)

[sartoric]

How about @gfweb ?

[FauxPas]

Could we let people volunteer, if the 'winner' doesn't quite have time or doesn't need cooking suggestions right away? 

 

And that soup looks fantastic, as do the buns! 

Edited July 22, 2016 by FauxPas (log)

[gfweb]

OK.

 

I think.

 

Depending on the challenge...if do-able

 

[sartoric]

Just give us a list of what you have on hand @gfweb. We'll make suggestions.

Choose the idea that appeals to you and cook it !

[suzilightning]

On ‎7‎/‎17‎/‎2016 at 9:37 PM, sartoric said:

I often find myself standing in the supermarket amidst the myriad choices, list in hand, thinking, what am I going to make for dinner tonight ? I end up buying a variety of stuff, then spend hours poring over books and the Internet for inspiration.

So, let's play a game.....I'll go first.

 

1. I provide a list of what's on hand.
2. You have 24 hours to make a suggestion.
3. I cook the suggestion I'm most intrigued by and report the result.

 

The person whose suggestion gets cooked goes next, ie. provides a list, seeks suggestions, cooks the meal, reports the outcome. Rinse, repeat, and the game continues. We could get some wild and crazy meals out of this.

Assume basic pantry items, eggs, sauces, pasta, rice, herbs, cheese etc are available.

No more than 10 items on the list, obviously you don't have to use them all.

 

 

This is originally how the food blogs started all so many years ago ... before we had picture capability.

 

[gfweb]

OK.

NY Strip steak, brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, pasta, salad greens, cucumbers,

[Thanks for the Crepes]

4 hours ago, gfweb said:

OK.

NY Strip steak, brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, pasta, salad greens, cucumbers,

 

Okay, this seems like the ingredients (only nine) for a fairly obvious meal. Since I think this is a really fun thread, and I would like to see it stay viable, I will state the obvious. 

 

To me, good beef should be grilled, preferably over charcoal outdoors. I refuse to waste an expensive treat ingredient any other way. It doesn't need anything else except salt and freshly ground black pepper to help it along to perfection.

 

The potatoes seem obvious as well, but you didn't say what kind on potatoes you have. If I had big Idaho Russets, I'd make twice baked potatoes, which is my favorite side to grilled steaks. You just bake them like you usually would. I often use the microwave for the first bake, but never the second one. Cut a slice off the top of the potato lengthwise, then scoop out the insides gently into a mixing bowl as soon as you can handle them, being careful not to tear the skins. Mash the potato in the bowl with butter and salt, heat milk in a glass measuring cup in the microwave, being careful not to boil it over. Oh boy, does that make a fine mess! Add maybe a little chives or green onion if you like. Some people like to put bacon, and other inclusions, but that ruins the smooth texture to me. What makes this dish to me is cheddar planks, so if you don't have that or colby, hoop, cojack, or pepperjack, I would go another way. After you have your mashed potatoes mixed up to your liking, stuff them into the skins only level with the top of the skins or a little under it. You are then going to slide your cheese planks vertically into the filling level with the top, and try to distribute them kind of evenly around the perimeter and down the middle. Then take your remaining mashed potatoes and place on the top of the potatoes, sealing the edges so you can't see a scrap of cheese. This keeps the cheese from oozing out into your baking dish prematurely and burning. Some is going to ooze out any way, and makes fricos around your potatoes, but that's the best part. Bake in a 350 F/177 C oven for 30 minutes or so until the cheese has oozed a bit and browned, and the potato topping has browned a little. I like to make little peaks in the top so they get a little dark in the heat. You can sprinkle with paprika if you want, but it's not necessary.

 

If you've got new potatoes or fingerlings or something else, you would want to go a different way. There are so many ways to make potatoes.

 

Or you could go an entirely different way with the carb component and have pasta with sauteed shredded brussels sprouts sauced with butter and parm. I would definitely add some crushed garlic to the sprouts toward the end of cooking if you've got that. Angel hair or thin spaghetti would be my first pick, but other pasta would work.

 

I like a salad with my steak, and I'd use the salad greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and a little thinly sliced onion with a light vinaigrette. I had a similar salad tonight with oregano, basil and parmesan cheese in the dressing. I would't use parm in the salad if I was also using in the pasta dish, though.

 

No matter which way you go with those ingredients, I don't think you can go far wrong. The only thing missing is fresh mushrooms. When I'm really putting on the dog with a steak dinner, I wash, dry and slice fresh mushrooms and and saute with sliced onion in butter. When done, I hit them with a little soy sauce and top the steaks with them. Fresh minced parsley is great stirred in at the end if you have it.

 

 

[sartoric]

1 hour ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

Okay, this seems like the ingredients (only nine) for a fairly obvious meal. Since I think this is a really fun thread, and I would like to see it stay viable, I will state the obvious. 

 

To me, good beef should be grilled, preferably over charcoal outdoors. I refuse to waste an expensive treat ingredient any other way. It doesn't need anything else except salt and freshly ground black pepper to help it along to perfection.

 

The potatoes seem obvious as well, but you didn't say what kind on potatoes you have. If I had big Idaho Russets, I'd make twice baked potatoes, which is my favorite side to grilled steaks. You just bake them like you usually would. I often use the microwave for the first bake, but never the second one. Cut a slice off the top of the potato lengthwise, then scoop out the insides gently into a mixing bowl as soon as you can handle them, being careful not to tear the skins. Mash the potato in the bowl with butter and salt, heat milk in a glass measuring cup in the microwave, being careful not to boil it over. Oh boy, does that make a fine mess! Add maybe a little chives or green onion if you like. Some people like to put bacon, and other inclusions, but that ruins the smooth texture to me. What makes this dish to me is cheddar planks, so if you don't have that or colby, hoop, cojack, or pepperjack, I would go another way. After you have your mashed potatoes mixed up to your liking, stuff them into the skins only level with the top of the skins or a little under it. You are then going to slide your cheese planks vertically into the filling level with the top, and try to distribute them kind of evenly around the perimeter and down the middle. Then take your remaining mashed potatoes and place on the top of the potatoes, sealing the edges so you can't see a scrap of cheese. This keeps the cheese from oozing out into your baking dish prematurely and burning. Some is going to ooze out any way, and makes fricos around your potatoes, but that's the best part. Bake in a 350 F/177 C oven for 30 minutes or so until the cheese has oozed a bit and browned, and the potato topping has browned a little. I like to make little peaks in the top so they get a little dark in the heat. You can sprinkle with paprika if you want, but it's not necessary.

 

If you've got new potatoes or fingerlings or something else, you would want to go a different way. There are so many ways to make potatoes.

 

Or you could go an entirely different way with the carb component and have pasta with sauteed shredded brussels sprouts sauced with butter and parm. I would definitely add some crushed garlic to the sprouts toward the end of cooking if you've got that. Angel hair or thin spaghetti would be my first pick, but other pasta would work.

 

I like a salad with my steak, and I'd use the salad greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and a little thinly sliced onion with a light vinaigrette. I had a similar salad tonight with oregano, basil and parmesan cheese in the dressing. I would't use parm in the salad if I was also using in the pasta dish, though.

 

No matter which way you go with those ingredients, I don't think you can go far wrong. The only thing missing is fresh mushrooms. When I'm really putting on the dog with a steak dinner, I wash, dry and slice fresh mushrooms and and saute with sliced onion in butter. When done, I hit them with a little soy sauce and top the steaks with them. Fresh minced parsley is great stirred in at the end if you have it.

 

 

I must try those potatoes, @Thanks for the Crepes, they sound dreamy.

 

@gfweb, I'd go with the suggestion above, except I don't trust my barbecue. I'd do the steak in a cast iron skillet.

An alternative to the twice baked potatoes, a potato gratin with onion, cream and grated cheese would work for me.

[Dave the Cook]

A few weeks ago, we did the twice-baked-potato thing. Since I was building a fire anyway, I made it two-level and baked the potatoes on the cooler side of the grill before removing, cooling and stuffing them. We put them back on the grate to warm them up after stuffing.. The smokiness was a nice twist on what was already a good dish -- good enough that I don't remember what else I grilled that day.

[blue_dolphin]

I'd make a composed grilled-steak salad.  

Cut the brussels sprouts in half, cut potatoes (skin-on) into similar sized pieces, slice onion into thick half-moons.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast (separately) until veg are cooked and edges are nicely browned.   

Prepare a red-wine or balsamic vinaigrette and toss the roasted veg with some of the vinaigrette while they are still warm.  Hold at room temp while steak is grilled.

Dress salad greens very lightly with the dressing and arrange on a platter or individual plates.

Grill steak and cut diagonally into strips.

Arrange the roasted veg, steak and tomatoes on top of the greens.  Ideally, top with crumbled blue cheese, feta or shaved parmesan, romano or dry jack.  Serve additional dressing on the side.

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

Go Japanese.

Cut the Brussels sprouts into quarters, saute in a little oil (or brown butter, non-traditional) until almost done. Cook some wheat noodles while cooking the sprouts, even cheap ramen works here, drain. Add julienne onion to the sprouts (white is good here) and cook until just soft, add a big glug of mirin and the noodles. Allow the mirin to boil off making a glaze, serve.

 

Make a salad: marinate peeled and sliced cucumbers in a mix of rice vinegar, soy, and a little sugar. (or use the sushi style rice vinegar, which already has sugar) Serve over greens.

 

If you feel that you need to eat that steak, marinate it in soy/thin teriyaki and minced garlic for about ten minutes before cooking. Make sure to brush off any bit of garlic before cooking.

[Okanagancook]

First a comment on the potatoes.  CI's take on twice stuffed spuds is to put the shells back in the oven for several minutes until they firm up a little and a little crispy depending on you preference.

 

as far as what I have in mind for the dinner.  First put the Brussels sprouts in the compost........hate, hate bs.

grill steak and make your fav finishing butter, includes the garlic

instapot mashed spuds topped with sautéed onions

Salad using the lettuce and tomatoes and fresh basil from the garden if you have it

you could make a cold yogurt cucumber soup to start....just a little tasting cup

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@gfweb,

 

So... what is going on? Have you made a decision about what you will make from the suggestions you got?

[gfweb]

Haven't cooked much in the last few days

[scubadoo97]

11 hours ago, gfweb said:

Haven't cooked much in the last few days

I sorry to hear.  

My wife can attest,  I get cranky if I don't get to cook something every day.  I have a problem I'll admit 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@sartoric,

 

Since this is your thread, and you laid out the rules, and because it's been three days and a few hours, would it be possible to have @gfweb nominate a new person for your challenge, if he doesn't feel like cooking? Lord knows, I know that feeling. I ate out tonight.

 

I would also volunteer to come up with the next list for consideration, if he doesn't feel like doing that too. Or you, sartoric, could nominate someone.

 

Again, I think this is a fun thread, and would like it to continue, if possible.

[sartoric]

@Thanks for the Crepes, that's fair enough. 

Seeing that webby seems MIA, I nominate you.  

 

My original idea was 24 hours from nomination to provision of list, 24 hours to receive suggestions and choose one, 24 hours to actually cook it and report. Change it as you need to

 

Thanks for your interest, I look forward to your list !

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Okay,

 

I have on hand:

 

Pork butt steaks

Chicken wings

Plantains (ripened for maduros)

Yucca root

Zucchini

Eggplant

Green bell pepper

Fresh tomatoes

French bread (purchased)

T-Bone Steak  

 

In the pantry, I have all manner of stuff, as usual. There are dried beans, including split peas (ham bone and ham to go with in the freezer), baby limas and pintos. There's a pound of cheddar in the fridge along with a half pound of mozz and a pound of muenster along with parm, and a pound of white American. Can you tell we like our cheese here?

 

Rice: jasmine, Arborio, basmati, American long grain, and med grain, for Latin dishes. Pasta: egg noodles, spaghetti, thin spaghetti, angel hair, elbow macaroni and lasagne. I always have canned tomatoes, chick peas, artichoke hearts, black olives. 

 

I also have iceberg lettuce, fresh white corn on the cob, white and Vidalia onions, garlic heads, blueberries, potatoes (big Russets, little Russets and new white small), NC sweet potatoes, 3 black plums and a pluot, and some leftover golden honeydew melon. Chicken stock in the freezer, bulgur grain, cornmeal, wheat flour, duck fat in the freezer. Soy sauce, tamari, fish sauce, frozen ginger root, several hot sauces, including Sriracha, Tabasco, Taco Bell hot sauce, Texas Pete and Louisiana. Flour tortillas, corn tostadas, and crunchy corn American taco shells. I always have jalapeno peppers fresh, and I've got peperoncini pickled and jarred. This is just scratching the surface of all the stuff, but let's run with it. Don't assume I don't have an ingredient unless it's very exotic to my area or fresh, because I have all kinds of crazy stuff in the pantry, including a jar of pickled nopalitos from Dona Maria. I also have an obsessive amount of dried herbs and spices. Also a bunch of fresh cilantro, and I can walk a few blocks to a neighbor's who invited me to harvest all the rosemary I want from her shrub. We have heat advisories every day, so in reality, this will not be happening. 

 

I am weak on Indian cuisine, and know little about it. So I would rather not go in that direction unless you're willing to mentor me.

[Lisa Shock]

How about a visit to Spain?

 

Gazpacho: bread, tomatoes, bell pepper

 

Paella: a little pork cut into bite-size chunks, wings, lots of vegetables and spices (cook on the grill if possible)

 

Steak: rub with Spanish spices (paprika, fennel, cumin, mustard) serve with romesco sauce (grill some of the sauce ingredients as well as the steak)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@Lisa Shock,

 

I have actually made paella before a couple times, years ago with American long grain rice from a Betty Crocker recipe.  This was before I had a clue of what the authentic dish might be. Do any of my rices on hand ( jasmine, Arborio, basmati, American long grain, and med grain, for Latin dishes.) seem at all appropriate for paella?

 

I have all the suggested marination spices for the steak, but again had no clue as to what romesco sauce might be. If Wiki is correct, it seems to be a sauce more intended for seafood. I also looked up chimichurri sauce, because you got me going in that direction, and it's something I've never made before. Wiki only pictures chimichurri rojo, but I have always seen, but never eaten the verde version. They do state that cilantro (that I have) may be substituted for fresh parsley (which I don't). 

 

 

[sartoric]

1 minute ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

@Lisa Shock,

 

I have actually made paella before a couple times, years ago with American long grain rice from a Betty Crocker recipe.  This was before I had a clue of what the authentic dish might be. Do any of my rices on hand ( jasmine, Arborio, basmati, American long grain, and med grain, for Latin dishes.) seem at all appropriate for paella?

 

I have all the suggested marination spices for the steak, but again had no clue as to what romesco sauce might be. If Wiki is correct, it seems to be a sauce more intended for seafood. I also looked up chimichurri sauce, because you got me going in that direction, and it's something I've never made before. Wiki only pictures chimichurri rojo, but I have always seen, but never eaten the verde version. They do state that cilantro (that I have) may be substituted for fresh parsley (which I don't). 

 

 

 

@Thanks for the Crepes, arborio will work for the paella.

 

I was thinking of the t bone with a chimichurri sauce using the cilantro. 

Maybe with a ratatouille type sauté with eggplant, zucchini and tomato.

Personally I would bin the green peppers, you could use them in the saute though.

Then I got stumped. I googled those maduros, they look delicious. I've never tasted them so not sure how it would work with the rest. Steamed new potatoes lavished in butter are always good.

 

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@sartoric,

 

Actually, maduros and yucca frita are traditional accompaniments for South American beef and other meats. I am much less knowledgeable about Spain proper, although I understand it had a very heavy influence on the food and culture in SA and Mexico, and Spanish explorers took many native American ingredients back to their homeland.

 

We even inherited wild Spanish Mustang horses which persist in the Southwest USA until this very day.

 

If you're averse to sweets or fruits with meats, which I used to be, maduros might not be for you. Plantains have two stages of ripening, at the first, less ripe stage, they are quite starchy, and not very sweet at all. They are green then. Then they turn yellow with black spots, and eventually they will blacken. The green stage is suitable for tostones. A good dish, which was my first experience of them, but it doesn't really make me as excited as a good maduro. These must be made from ripe plantains. They are a bit sweet, and have the familiar banana flavor, but also a weird savory note that makes them more of a side dish than a dessert. I discovered them recently, but they are now firmly in my rotation of dishes I cook.

 

Sorry you don't like green peppers, but do you know they have more Vitamin C than oranges? I know that's not likely to make anyone who dislikes them change their mind, I just think folks ought to know how nutritious they are. It surprised me when I found out. (Ignore this rotuts, and other bell pepper haters, please.)