Dinner 2016 (Part 9)

[Kerry Beal]

 

Dry fried green beans on the Big Green Egg

[dcarch]

Make America (and wherever you are) Delicious!! Come and look at everyone's great cooking here!

 

A few of my recent ones, using local (my garden) organic vegetables.

 

dcarch

 

SV Steak, semi-dehydrated roasted tomatoes.

 

Crab meat roll on a carpet of tomatoes

 

Orange shrimps on stewed yellow tomatoes

Edited September 24, 2016 by dcarch (log)

[sartoric]

4 minutes ago, dcarch said:

Make America (and wherever you are) Delicious!! Come and look at everyone's great cooking here!

 

A few of my recent ones, using local (my garden) organic vegetables.

 

dcarch

 

SV Steak, semi-dehydrated roasted tomatoes.

 

Crab meat roll on a carpet of tomatoes

 

Orange shrimps on stewed yellow tomatoes

 

Oh my ! The plating is amazing.

 

I think I need to know more about the crab rolls please....

[rarerollingobject]

Exquisite as ever, @dcarch.

 

Here's what I ended up making today; mooncakes. Suzhou-style, savoury, with a pork, white pepper and ginger filling and flaky, buttery pork lard pastry. 

 

You have to make two kinds of dough, a water dough and a lard dough, but it's much easier than European puff pastry and much tastier, too.

 

[Anna N]

@rarerollingobject

 

 May I ask the significance of the startling red cross on the buns.  

[rarerollingobject]

@Anna N, most su-style mooncakes traditionally have some kind of red stamp on top, usually just the logo of the bakery.

 

Here's one from the bakery next to my office:

[Anna N]

Ah. Thanks.  I have always thought of moon cakes as being a confection but today I learned something new and I think I would like your cakes much better.  

[liuzhou]

Like mince pies in the UK, mooncakes were originally meat-based but slowly changed into mainly sweet confections, although often with surprisingly salty centres of preserved egg to represent the moon. A few meat based examples still exist in China, but are rare.

 

That said, I've never come across the ones in @rarerollingobject's post, even in Suzhou.

 

As to the red stamp, that is universal in China. A legal document isn't legal without a red stamp. All examples of Chinese art and calligraphy etc are completed with the artists red seal. Exam paper results are given by red stamps. Dim sum foods often have red marks to indicate the contents of buns etc. When I go to the supermarket, the till receipt has to have a red stamp. I never stand still too long in case someone stamps me!

 

When I first came to China, I was required to have a full medical examination. I did this in one of the world's top international hospitals (in Harley St, London). When I got to China it was rejected because there was no red stamp. If I had known, I could have stamped anything on it so long as it was red. I was made to redo the examination in the most backward, dirty, incompetent hospital on the planet. But they had a red stamp so that was OK.

Edited September 24, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[rarerollingobject]

Must be a very Jiangsu regional thing, @liuzhou; I ate about a billion of these in Shanghai, and they're the only kind of mooncakes I saw in Suzhou, I didn't see any Cantonese ones..

 

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=苏式鲜肉月饼&client=safari&hl=en-au&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0g8f_36fPAhUQtJQKHd4HD38Q_AUIBygB&biw=375&bih=559

[liuzhou]

5 minutes ago, rarerollingobject said:

Must be a very Jiangsu regional thing, @liuzhou; I ate about a billion of these in Shanghai, and they're the only kind of mooncakes I saw in Suzhou, I didn't see any Cantonese ones..

 

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=苏式鲜肉月饼&client=safari&hl=en-au&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi0g8f_36fPAhUQtJQKHd4HD38Q_AUIBygB&biw=375&bih=559

 

I didn't mean to imply that I doubted you. Not at all.

But I was in Suzhou a couple of weeks ago over the Mid-autumn festival (not for the first time) and haven't ever seen these.

But then for every one thing I have encountered in China, there are at least a hundred I haven't.

Anyway, bravo to you for making them yourself!

Edited September 24, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[rarerollingobject]

Oh, I didn't think you doubted me, I was just surprised as I'd found them pretty ubiquitous in China.

 

But yes, there's no better way to spend a Saturday than up your elbows in pork fat!

[Anna N]

53 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

Like mince pies in the UK, mooncakes were originally meat-based but slowly changed into mainly sweet confections, although often with surprisingly salty centres of preserved egg to represent the moon. A few meat based examples still exist in China, but are rare.

 

That said, I've never come across the ones in @rarerollingobject's post, even in Suzhou.

 

As to the red stamp, that is universal in China. A legal document isn't legal without a red stamp. All examples of Chinese art and calligraphy etc are completed with the artists red seal. Exam paper results are given by red stamps. Dim sum foods often have red marks to indicate the contents of buns etc. When I go to the supermarket, the till receipt has to have a red stamp. I never stand still too long in case someone stamps me!

 

When I first came to China, I was required to have a full medical examination. I did this in one of the world's top international hospitals (in Harley St, London). When I got to China it was rejected because there was no red stamp. If I had known, I could have stamped anything on it so long as it was red. I was made to redo the examination in the most backward, dirty, incompetent hospital on the planet. But they had a red stamp so that was OK.

 

I yam who I yam and hence the red X brought to mind not China BUT Passover!   But now that you bring it to my attention I am aware of multiple times when I have seen a red stamp associated with a Chinese item. 

[ElainaA]

15 hours ago, NWKate said:

@ElainaA. Can you provide a link for the pie recipe?  Many thanks!

 

 

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/cheesy-vidalia-onion-and-tomato-pie-recipe.html

 

As I said, I think it could use a thickener or binding agent to hold it together. And I also increased the cheese a bit.

[dcarch]

3 hours ago, rarerollingobject said:

@Anna N, most su-style mooncakes traditionally have some kind of red stamp on top, usually just the logo of the bakery.

 

Here's one from the bakery next to my office:

 

It takes a lot of skills to make that kind of pastry. Amazing!

 

dcarch

Edited September 24, 2016 by dcarch (log)

[dcarch]

11 hours ago, sartoric said:

Oh my ! The plating is amazing.

 

I think I need to know more about the crab rolls please....

Thank you for your flattery!.

 

Crab Rolls"

Most crab cake recipes are delicious, but they taste just like fish cakes.

So I am trying something different. I don’t have quantities for the ingredients, because I didn’t use a recipe.

 

Nowadays, canned crab meat is getting to be very good both in taste and in texture.

 

Inside:

1. Roasted flavored Sushi Nori snack. You can find this in Asian stores.

2. Thin sheets of unflavored scrambled eggs.

3. Cooked shiitake mushroom mixed with some flavored stuffing and blend to a powdery paste.

4. Sauce made with tartar sauce, a little ginger, pepper, scallion and wasabi powder. Mix well.

5. I used imitation crab legs unrolled as the wrappers, with a thin layer of the above sauce and rolled everything, with lots of crab meat from the can, into little cigars.

 

No cooking, no frying, to be enjoyed cold.

dcarch

Edited September 24, 2016 by dcarch (log)

[liuzhou]

This is sort of inspired by @Norm Matthews chowder, although it is nothing like his dish.

 

This morning, I went to buy oysters for lunch and they had mussels, too, so of course I bought some. Then remembered Norm's pairing of white fish and mussels. I had some frozen hake in the freezer so dug that out.

 

 

Mussels and hake with garlic, ginger, leek, red and green chillies, Osmanthus wine, Chinese chives and coriander leaf/cilantro. Served with turmeric rice.

The hake was slightly overcooked , but tasty just the same.

 

Next time I'll cook the mussels and the fish separately then combine to serve.

 

Edited September 24, 2016 by liuzhou (log)

[Okanagancook]

Recent dinners.

The not very photogenic East Indian dinner with baby eggplants stuffed with spices, rice and lamb curry, and stir fried cabbage.

Pork chop (SV then pan fried with the Magic Browning Powder), onion gravy, basil pasta tossed in pesto and topped with Romano cheese and grilled zucchini (just a few left in the fridge).

Stir fried beef and peppers over noodles.

[ninagluck]

I did not cook much in the last two weeks, too much work und lack of time. today I went to te market, bought what attracted me und went home cooking. Polpetti di melanzani con Salsa al pomodoro. If you like eggplant, you will love this dish

[sartoric]

Indian dinner.

Chicken (murgh masala), smoky eggplant, dal, potatoes with dill, mango chutney, pappadams and rice.

 

 

[suzilightning]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 4:28 PM, ElainaA said:

Also chicken spiedies and a (slightly out of focus) salad of red and golden beets, apples, celery and pecans. The salad was served over endive and chicory with a lemon vinaigrette.

 

YEAH!!!!!!! Spedies!!!!

For the pie try a Bisquick  type crust.  

 

It is getting cooler so made something that can be eaten over several days and the leftovers frozen in individual portions for Johnnybird: a lactose and gluten free lasagna.  Made spinach and ground turkey meatballs that I mashed up for the meat... basic tomato sauce with herbs... drained some Lactaid cottage cheese so it was thicker then added herbs and a beaten egg with a tiny bit of aged Italian cheeses... some rice lasagna.   Waiting for Himself to come in and taste it with a basic lettuce and tomato salad with vinaigrette.

Edited September 24, 2016 by suzilightning (log)

[chefmd]

Left over rare steak hand chopped and mixed with onion, garlic, capers, mayo, mustard, and the tinies amount of fish sauce.

 

 

[Okanagancook]

How are you serving that?

On a lettuce leaf?  crispy toast?

[chefmd]

Crispy toast and 1/2 martini.  Whole martini puts me to sleep ;).  My goal is to eat as many leftovers as I can while my husband is out of town.  I envision empty and clean fridge that is ready for more leftovers.

[ProfessionalHobbit]

 

Strascinati con pomodoro e basilico.

 

Click here for a walkthrough on how to make the pasta.

 

The sauce is simple:  2 cloves crushed garlic cooked in olive oil until fragrant; remove garlic and discard.  Add diced San Marzano tomatoes; if you don't have San Marzano tomatoes, canned crushed tomatoes are fine.  Salt, black pepper.  Cook tomatoes down until it forms a thick sauce.  Add water to loosen sauce and lighten flavors.  Simmer, partly covered until sauce reduces and concentrates.  Add basil leaves if desired.  Taste for salt and pepper.

 

Pasta will take 5 minutes to cook.  Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to pot of sauce.  Toss a few times, then plate.  Top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, then serve immediately.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I made a quiche out of the leftover hickory smoked ham steak, cheddar, a small piece of mozzarella I needed to use, spinach and a little finely minced white onion. I spiced the custard (2% milk) with a little ground clove, black pepper and cayenne. We had a few halved and seeded muscadine grapes on the side.

 

I preceded this with a Greek salad of sorts. I had picked up some more French Valbreso sheep's milk feta from the mediterranean store. I know I said I did not endorse it anymore because the last batch was so gamy to me. It had been my favorite for so long, I gave it another shot, and this batch is fine. I like to serve this on whole Romaine leaves with the cheese crumbled down the central spine of the leaf. I also put tomato, cucumber and whole mushrooms on my plate. I pick up the whole leaf roll it around the cheese, and eat it out of hand. My husband was tearing his into bits, and making a mess. During the eating, I had an idea. On the last leaf, I rolled the end toward the core as usual almost to the halfway point. Then I folded the top and more flexible half of the leaf down over the top of the roll at the other end, leaving enough of the tip of the leaf to fold down over the end where the leaf was torn off the core. Then I rolled the sides of the leaf over that, and voila, a lettuce wrap with feta filling that is completely enclosed, looks like a green eggroll, and can be eaten easily and neatly! Next time I make these, I'm sneaking some other veggies into the filling of my husband's too, and I think he will eat and enjoy his green "eggrolls".

 

When I asked him if he wanted the additional veggies he said no, so I told him that it would be healthier for him. He said he thought the feta was healthy, and asked for Ranch dressing with it. After rolling my eyes, still facing my kitchen task, I turned to him and I informed him that feta is a cheese and therefore high in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. I ignored the request for Ranch, and after he started eating, he agreed that it didn't need it. He has a stent, so I have to go into stealth veggie mode frequently. I think this "eggroll" idea will work like a charm. 

 

Edit: I totally forgot about the Samoon bread that I served with the Greek salad. We split one of the small loaves that I had wrapped in foil and heated in the oven for about 10 minutes or so while the quiche baked. I thought they were pide because of the Turkish pideler served at Bosphorus restaurant here, but I was wrong. They come from Baghdad Bakery, but are resold for a small markup at my Mediterranean store. I think the guy that owns the store might be from Iraq, because years ago, he was always tuned to a radio station that covered the war closely whenever I shopped there.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Thanks for the Crepes
changed "Iran" to "Iraq" (log)