Create my meal – the game

[Lisa Shock]

Sorry guys, last minute change of plans, I can't do anything until Monday, which is when Elaine is up. I will take a pass for right now.

[sartoric]

8 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

Sorry guys, last minute change of plans, I can't do anything until Monday, which is when Elaine is up. I will take a pass for right now.

Maybe Tuesday ? Just a thought, I know stuff happens

[Lisa Shock]

Tuesday is no good, I can do Wednesday, though.

[sartoric]

6 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

Tuesday is no good, I can do Wednesday, though.

Okay, do Wednesday. You're a trooper !

[Lisa Shock]

Will do, Wednesday is a go, still open to suggestions.

[robirdstx]

1 hour ago, Lisa Shock said:

Will do, Wednesday is a go, still open to suggestions.

 

Spanish Tortilla with a Southwest Kick by adding some those NM chiles.

[Lisa Shock]

Feel free to make a suggestion based on a vegetable of your choice, I will be going to the market Wednesday morning and will pick up more vegetables at that time. So, for example, I don't have an eggplant now, but would get one Wednesday morning if a suggested dish seems intriguing enough.

[ElainaA]

Here is my meal, based on @sartoric 's suggestions. Hoisin pork tenderloin - I found a recipe on Food Network and modified it a lot based on comments. The results was really good. Pork tenderloin, sliced in about 1/2" slices, dusted with 5 spice powder and s & p, sauteed. Out of the pan, garlic and ginger added to the pans for a minute or so, hoisin sauce and sherry  added, cooked a minute and pork back in to coat. Green beans with garlic, ginger and sesame oil. The cabbage is a favorite recipe from Irene Kou's Key to Chinese Cooking.  And just plain rice. The cabbage, beans and garlic were from my garden. I overcooked the beans a bit bieng distracted by Serena William's Olympic match on TV. (She won.) This was a really good meal, so thanks to @sartoric. 

[Okanagancook]

Your meal looks delicious!  I will look up that cabbage recipe seeing I have IK's book.  I like your proportion of meat to sides.  Lots of veggies.  Good work.

[ElainaA]

9 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

Your meal looks delicious!  I will look up that cabbage recipe seeing I have IK's book.  I like your proportion of meat to sides.  Lots of veggies.  Good work.

Thanks!  The cabbage recipe is 'stir fried shredded cabbage with carrots' - which is rather obvious.  I do cut the carrots more finely than she calls for. After the chopping is done the cooking takes about 2 minutes. Kuo's book was one of the first cookbooks I bought, probably 35 years ago. It is still one of my favorites. (If you have never made the 'deep fried eggplant with curry beef filling' you should. I think it's my favorite recipe in the entire book.)

Edited August 9, 2016 by ElainaA (log)

[kayb]

@ElainaA, looks like a lovely meal.

 

[Okanagancook]

I bet that deep fried eggplant is good!  I love this book also.  So many simple recipes and variations on a theme of ingredients.  35 years, eh?  Wow.  Kinda like my first book purchase, Claiborne's NYT cookbook.  I used that exclusively for my first five years of cooking.  Good memories.

[Lisa Shock]

@robirdstx wins the Wednesday challenge!  -Although, I didn't exactly follow instructions...

 

I made a dish that I learned from a friend's grandmother when I lived in Santa Fe, NM in the 1980s. (I think this was 1987.) She called it a tortilla, and said that it was an old spanish dish. That said, it uses a red chile sauce like you use for enchiladas, so, it can't be more than a couple hundred years old, probably much newer. Anyway, it's a series of thin omelettes stacked flat with sauce between each layer. I used my 6" Wagner cast iron pan. 3 XL eggs made 6 crepe-like layers. (this is also good cold, I set some aside for tomorrow's lunch) It topped each layer, except the last, with red chile sauce. (chiles, hot water, oregano, salt, a dab of honey, a dash of masa -all blenderized) The very top gets grated white onion. I realized after I ate that I should have used red onion for the color, oh well, next time...

 

The side is braised celery in the spanish style with tomatoes, olives, olive oil, and garlic.

 

I had a couple of fekkas for dessert!

[robirdstx]

Okay, here you go, assuming basic pantry items are available:

 

Duck breast

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Chicken Thighs

Bone-in Loin pork chops

Pork Tenderloin

Avocados

Red bell pepper

Snow peas

Button mushrooms

A variety of canned beans

[robirdstx]

On August 11, 2016 at 7:24 AM, robirdstx said:

Okay, here you go, assuming basic pantry items are available:

 

Duck breast

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Chicken Thighs

Bone-in Loin pork chops

Pork Tenderloin

Avocados

Red bell pepper

Snow peas

Button mushrooms

A variety of canned beans

 

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

 

We like Asian, Mexican, Italian, Cajun, American... Please, don't let us go hungry!

[kayb]

2 minutes ago, robirdstx said:

 

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

 

We like Asian, Mexican, Italian, Cajun, American... Please, don't let us go hungry!

Either the chicken breasts or the tenderloin, with that assortment of veggies, call out for a stir-fry of some sort, with whatever ingredients you have in the pantry/fridge to create an Asian-ish sauce. I tend toward tamari, mirin, sesame oil, sriracha, ginger, maybe some rice vinegar. Assuming your pantry includes rice for a base. Good, quick dinner!

[robirdstx]

I plan to make my meal Saturday night and @kayb's suggestion is exactly what I had in mind when I purchased the vegetables. So, unless I get another suggestion that changes my mind, it will be Spicy Pork Tenderloin and Vegetable Stir Fry with Steamed Rice for my meal.

[suzilightning]

Sure you wouldn't want to make a lovely duck breast ..... slowly cooked on the skin side until most of the fat is rendered then use the fat to saute some snow peas, scallions, garlic, carrots(you MUST have carrots), red peppers and thinly sliced mushrooms.  I'd like some long grain and white rice with it.

 

another possibility would be to poach the chicken breasts and thighs  then shred them and make a mix with sautéed onion, garlic, peppers  then a casserole or fajitas.....

 

just thinking

[sartoric]

A late suggestion, make a spicy sauce with onions, canned beans, tomatoes (canned if nec), chilli and mushrooms. Brown the pork chops, then simmer in the bean sauce until cooked through. Serve with crusty bread and a salad.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@robirdstx,

 

Not in the running for the competition, but a small suggestion for whenever you use the snowpeas. I love them in a stirfry, and we had them Thursday and tonight as leftovers. Note: snowpeas are not as good as reheated leftovers, but the dish was still very tasty.

 

Top/tail and throw into some cold water with ice if you have it and store in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. It will make them extra crispy/snappy. Drain and dry very well. Only put them in your stir fry at the last minute or so of cooking. They are extra good with fresh mushrooms, but I did not have any for the dish I made.

 

I hope you enjoy whatever you end up making, and I'll be eagerly anticipating your report. 

[robirdstx]

@sartoric - Tag, you're it for the next challenge!

 

All of the suggestions were great and will definitely be appearing on the Dinner thread in the near future, but @sartoric's suggestion of pork chops simmered in a spicy bean sauce just did it for me. So, let me present the results:

 

Oh, but wait, first we had to have our appetizer while our meal finished cooking. 

 

 

Guacamole, Salsa and Tortilla Chips!

 

 

And now onto our main course - 

 

 

 

Dutch Oven Drunken Pork Chops and Beans!

 

 

 

[sartoric]

Okay, need a short hiatus though. I'm currently away, and will be home tomorrow arvo. 

I'll shop on Tuesday and try to buy some interesting things/produce. Will post a list after. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

2 hours ago, sartoric said:

Okay, need a short hiatus though. I'm currently away, and will be home tomorrow arvo. 

I'll shop on Tuesday and try to buy some interesting things/produce. Will post a list after. 

 

I had to Google "arvo". According to the results, it's an Australian slang expression for "afternoon" and is pronounced ah-vo. Is that correct, sartoric? I just love getting glimpses into cultures from around our country and the world, that we get here on eG.

 

I'll look forward to your challenge list and the dishes you create with them.

[sartoric]

2 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

I had to Google "arvo". According to the results, it's an Australian slang expression for "afternoon" and is pronounced ah-vo. Is that correct, sartoric? I just love getting glimpses into cultures from around our country and the world, that we get here on eG.

 

I'll look forward to your challenge list and the dishes you create with them.

 

Yes, arvo is an abbreviation of afternoon. Happy to provide an insight into our, ahem, culture. Have a look on YouTube for "how to speak Australian", it's pretty funny.

[Bhukhhad]

I like this topic! Whats next? Please keep posting. I am trying to pick up the nerve to cook non-indian. Especially fish chicken. But there is one uncanny unexplained love that I have to admit I have, and cannot find the essential ingredient for. It is British Bacon Rashers. My love since childhood that no one other than fellow marmite lovers can understand. 

For the life of me I cant find a decent rasher in thw united states of a! Even though some places carry british bangers. Even Heinz baked beans in cans andSchwepps Lemon Barley Squash:))

can anyone tell me where to find British Bacon Rashers in northern california?

Bhukhhad