Lunch! What'd ya have? (2017)

[blue_dolphin]

Host's note: this topic is broken into segments to improve server efficiency.  The previous segment is here.

 

 

This is the Baked Romanesco Broccoli With Mozzarella and Olives from the NY Times.  @kayb recently posted her cauliflower adaptation over here on the dinner thread where she declared the recipe a keeper and I agree.

I picked up a head of Romanesco broccoli at last week's farmers market for this purpose.  I didn't add any additional salt but with the olives, anchovies, capers and pecorino Romano cheese, it was plenty salty enough to perk up a few slices of chicken breast.

Edited to add that the other thing I did differently was to briefly microwave the broccoli (instead of blanching in salted water) then tossed it with the olive, anchovy, caper, red pepper, olive oil mixture instead of drizzling that over the top.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2017 by Smithy
Added host's note (log)

[liuzhou]

I had a totally different plan for lunch but it required a bit of shopping. However, I woke up this morning to torrential rain which refused to stop no matter how much I shouted at it.

 

So, a couple of cheddar cheese sandwiches with spicy mango relish. No butter. That was on the shopping list. But it didn't really need it. The bread was freshly baked and the mango relish provided lubrication as well as a nice kick.

 

Here is one of them.

 

 

Of course, as soon as I finished eating it the rain stopped! It's a communist plot!

 

 

Edited February 8, 2017 by liuzhou
typo (log)

[Anna N]

Damned communist plots.  We get them rather frequently over here in North America.   Happy not to see banana bread under your cheese.  I am very partial to good cheddar and Branston pickles.   Mango pickle will work in a pinch.

[HungryChris]

Reuben sandwich, of sorts. Leftover kielbasa slices, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, grilled on Tuscan bread.

HC 

[robirdstx]

A cool salad for a ridiculously warm day in early February!

 

 

Tuna and Egg Salad with Avocado, Black Olives and Radishes on Butter Lettuce

Edited February 8, 2017 by robirdstx (log)

[Dejah]

@robirdstx: Looks so fresh! Love everything in it ...except for the tuna. I love canned salmon but just can't do the tuna. I keep try!

[scubadoo97]

Interesting.  Different strokes.  I find canned salmon fishier than canned tuna and rarely buy it, but tuna and mayo....love it 

[Anna N]

6 hours ago, Dejah said:

@robirdstx: Looks so fresh! Love everything in it ...except for the tuna. I love canned salmon but just can't do the tuna. I keep try!

OMG.  I thought I was the only one in the whole world who couldn't stomach tuna.  I gag when I open a can. Canned salmon good.  Canned sardines good. Canned tuna horrible.   Love most fish-- can't even do fresh tuna.   Love to celebrate our differences but always glad to find a soulmate.

[chromedome]

Seriously, it's the water. 

 

I've had people do blindfolded taste tests of tuna packed in water vs. tuna packed in oil. When it's packed in oil, tuna tastes like tuna. Packed in water, it tastes like the inside of the can. I'm not talking about the fancy, super-expensive stuff from Spain or Italy, mind you, just plain old supermarket varieties. 

 

Fat phobia is so 1980s, people. It's a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil, which you'll usually drain away anyhow. Buy oil-packed. 

[IowaDee]

Canned tuna is nothing but cat food with a fancy label to try to make it in to people food.  Can't fool me!

[Kim Shook]

I am an oddity, I think.  I love canned tuna.  Oil or water.  Albacore or regular.  I can eat it right out of the can.  And I detest fresh tuna.  <blush>

[liuzhou]

15 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

I am an oddity, I think.  I love canned tuna.  Oil or water.  Albacore or regular.  I can eat it right out of the can.  And I detest fresh tuna.  <blush>

 

My mother is the same with salmon. Detests fresh salmon, but often tucks into the canned stuff. But she is odd, too.

Edited February 10, 2017 by liuzhou (log)

[IowaDee]

To be fair, my dislike of canned tuna stems from the nasty sandwiches I had as a kid.  My mother's idea of a tuna sandwich was barely drained  oil packed tuna mixed with mayo and piled on white bread.  This creation sat in my tin lunch box until noon.  Eating that and drinking the milk that was always rather tepid from my cheap thermos is not the thing of good memories.  That reminded me of another of her creations, something she called a Swiss Miss sandwich.  It was equal parts chopped ripe olives and grated Swiss cheese, held together with mayo.   Strange, but so much better than the tuna stuff. 

[robirdstx]

I prefer tuna canned in oil, rather than water, but I can not find it on the shelves at my regular grocery stores.

[TicTac]

12 hours ago, Anna N said:

OMG.  I thought I was the only one in the whole world who couldn't stomach tuna.  I gag when I open a can. Canned salmon good.  Canned sardines good. Canned tuna horrible.   Love most fish-- can't even do fresh tuna.   Love to celebrate our differences but always glad to find a soulmate.

Not sure how canned salmon is for anyone but cats...

 

But then again, I quite enjoy Oil packed tuna (Rio Mare brand preferably).

 

 

[sartoric]

Just for all you tuna haters, my lunch was leftover Tuscan tuna and bean salad. I always buy it oil packed, and for the record, don't care for canned salmon (unless it's in salmon patties)  

 

 

[liuzhou]

I always have a can of tuna in the pantry (usually this Hong Kong brand). Always in oil - here soya oil. There is sometimes another brand which is in olive oil. I'll buy that for preference, but haven't seen it for a while.

 

But I only eat it in the direst emergencies. Like when I've run out of shoes to stew.

Fresh tuna on the other hand, I love. Especially as sashimi.

I've never seen canned salmon here. Not that I'm crying myself to sleep every night craving it.

Edited to add: I've just checked on Taobao, China's main online shopping platform and they have Princes Canned Salmon from England. A 160g can costs ¥64.80 + ¥20 delivery. That's a total of approximately $12.50 USD. I can get another tasty pair of shoes for less!

Edited February 17, 2017 by liuzhou
more typos (log)

[Anna N]

Canned salmon,  at least the kind I like, is usually almost 5 dollars a can. Tuna depending on the variety costs not much more than cat food.   I have no point to make.

[suzilightning]

Love this discussion.  Growing up I didn't realize tuna came in a can until I went to college.  Our "fish salad" was whatever cold leftover meaty fish we had - poached tuna, blowfish, weakfish, sea robin - with a bit of finely grated onion, some drained pickle relish and just enough Miracle Whip to hold it together. 

OK......if I can get out today I need to get a nice piece of fish and poach it for fish salad.

[liuzhou]

Yesterday, took my can of tuna from the pantry (actually a shelf in the kitchen - China doesn't do pantries) to photograph it for the post three above this.

 

After posting, I left the can sitting on my desk as I got busy with wasting time on the interweb. For some reason, the tuna didn't disappear overnight and this morning sat there looking sad. I decided to take one for the team and attempt to try to make it worth eating.

I first thought of hiding it in a powerful sauce with 217 masking ingredients. but felt that was cheating, So, I then decided to go in the opposite direction and keep it as simple as possible without just slurping it from the can - which clearly wouldn't work.

So this is what ensued for lunch today.

 

 

I cooked some rice, drained the tuna well. Flaked and piled the fish on top of the rice with some capers. Seasoned mightily with sashimi togarishi and sea salt. The ingredients other than the rice were all rather cold so I nuked the plated dish long enough to heat them through then sat down to lunch.

 

To be honest, to my shock, it wasn't at all bad. Not up there with Doc Marten Casserole to be sure, but perfectly edible. I don't think Heston is going to be calling me up for the recipe, just yet. Probably needs a few tweaks first.

The big question is "would I make it again?" Probably. I've pencilled in May 27th, 2035. If we haven't already eaten all the world's tuna, by then.

 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2017 by liuzhou (log)

[Kim Shook]

Well, since we ARE discussing tuna and I have a tunafish salad sandwich probably once a week for lunch, I should also say that I utterly detest hot canned tuna.  Like tuna casserole.  I had never tasted it until I was an adult and in the early, poor years of our marriage I tried making it.  Mr. Kim said that it tasted like every one he'd ever eaten.  I was appalled that anyone could stomach it.  Years ago, Mr. Kim's mom served us a lunch of curried tuna casserole (her invention).  The suspiciously reddish color of the tuna reminded me of nothing more than 9 Lives.  She is very frugal and frequents the kinds of stores that sell de-labled canned goods for almost nothing and to this day, I believe that we ate cat food casserole.

[liuzhou]

26 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

I utterly detest hot canned tuna.

 

Mine wasn't exactly hot. I just nuked it enough to take off the extreme chill in my kitchen at this time of year. Iced tuna was never going to work.

[TicTac]

Any warmed up previously cooked fish gives me the heeby jeebies.

 

 

[robirdstx]

Speaking of tuna casserole, that reminds me of the Kraft Mac and Cheese with Tuna and Peas I used to make for my siblings when I was a teenager. We all loved it then, but I'm pretty sure it should just be kept as a fond memory from long, long ago.

[HungryChris]

Dirty water kimchi dog with onions and ball park mustard.

HC 

 

Edited February 11, 2017 by HungryChris (log)