Dinner 2017 (Part 5)

[mm84321]

I can't describe my level of satisfaction. Words mean nothing to me now. 

[Franci]

3 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

I actually own a 350 ml bottle of Chinkiang vinegar. There is probably a half cup gone from the bottle where I've used it in various things. I cannot make myself like it. It tastes muddy, and makes everything I put it in taste muddy. I haven't thrown it out yet, but every time I come across a recipe that calls for this black vinegar, I go to the pantry, open the bottle, smell it, close the bottle, and just cant bring myself to use it. It's marked with the proper Chinese characters, both on the label and embossed in the glass of the bottle. I wanted to like it. I still want to like it. I can't. I will probably keep smelling it though.  

 

 

 

Ahhh, ahh, in this house we chop a lot of ginger, chinkiang vinegar and tons of sugar (it's a half shainghainese house) and dip steamed crabs. I love this so much more than crab with old bay seasoning.

 

[Anna N]

 

 The plan was pork chop and some sautéed peppers and onions. But I ran across a russet potato that was rapidly going south and remembered I wanted to make roasted fries with beef fat as per Patricia Wells.  Potato was cut up into fries and steamed until just barely tender while beef fat was heated in a 450°F oven. Fries were patted dry, rolled around in hot fat and roasted.  

[HungryChris]

I boned some chicken legs and used the bones with pork neck bones for tonkotsu ramen the other night. Tonight we had the pan sautéed chicken leg cutlets with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and carrots.

HC

Edited May 28, 2017 by HungryChris (log)

[kayb]

@Thanks for the Crepes, if you liked scallion pancakes, you'd probably like okonomiyaki, the Japanese pancake with cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, and I love to put chopped up shrimp in mine. I find one of those 4 oz packages of frozen popcorn shrimp from the grocery is about the perfect size for a recipe. I make sriracha mayo (regular Hellman's, with a dollop of sriracha and a little soy sauce) to go with mine and use some sweet chili garlic sauce as well.

 

Recipe here.

 

[dcarch]

Union Square Farmers Market 

Fiddlehead fern.

dcarch

 

Cod on leek hearts

[liuzhou]

8 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

I actually own a 350 ml bottle of Chinkiang vinegar. There is probably a half cup gone from the bottle where I've used it in various things. I cannot make myself like it. It tastes muddy, and makes everything I put it in taste muddy.

 

"Muddy" isn't a taste I would attribute to Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) vinegar. Is it possible you have a tainted bottle? Not that it goes off. Which brand do you have?

[ninagluck]

tonights dinner: dear with baked yeast buns and spring onions. the yeast buns are traditionally served sweet with a vanilla sauce. I made the dough with very little sugar and lots of thyme. perfect for anything with sauce

[Anna N]

10 minutes ago, ninagluck said:

tonights dinner: dear with baked yeast buns and spring onions. the yeast buns are traditionally served sweet with a vanilla sauce. I made the dough with very little sugar and lots of thyme. perfect for anything with sauce

A  most interesting plating.  While I might often serve buns or bread on the side, I have never thought of serving them on the plate. This appears to work very well in this instance and I shall file it away for future reference.   As always your food looks very sophisticated and delicious.   Thank you, as always, for sharing.   I think many of us gain much inspiration from your posts.

 

 Edited to ask if the deer is wrapped in bacon or something similar? 

Edited May 28, 2017 by Anna N (log)

[rotuts]

@dcarch   

 

although Im not from N.E. , my parents and all the long gone others were from N.E.

 

Ive been back for 45 ++ years

 

and Ive had fiddle heads , and foraged for them etc etc.

 

Ill just say this :

 

someone was very very very hungry quite some time ago

 

they are a bit to ' scratchy ' for me

 

but revered for some reason.

 

Id rather revere a bottle of M.R.  or two

 

much smoother.   

[BonVivant]

I don't often eat pork (unless it's the belly or other fatty cuts)... wanted to give the filet a go (sous vide). Turned out OK. It looked a lot nicer before slicing. Partner said "it looks expensive!".

 

Seared the meat and then some butter, olive oil and more thyme were added to the pan. Strained and poured over the meat.

 

Piping hot gratin. Quinoa and Riesling alongside. Nearly always Riesling, only sometimes quinoa.

[mgaretz]

3 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

"Muddy" isn't a taste I would attribute to Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) vinegar. Is it possible you have a tainted bottle? Not that it goes off. Which brand do you have?

 

I have always thought it tasted vaguely like root beer.

[shain]

Beet gnocchi - roasted beet, ricotta, anise, thyme, pepper, parm, egg yolk, flour. Ricotta smear, medium-sharp gorgonzola, basil, toasted walnuts.

 

 

Not that it was bad, but the pureed beets with the cheeses and spices were so tasty, that I couldn't help but be disappointed by the flavor dilution due to the flour and eggs.

Expect to see beet puree with anise and ricotta on my plate sometime soon.

[sartoric]

Thai green curry with fish and snow peas, curry paste from Charmaine Solomon's Thai Cooking. From the same book Som Tam (green papaya salad) and pan fried bitter gourd. We'd never tried bitter gourd before, liked it a lot.

 

 

[shain]

@sartoric Thai green curry with snow peas and eggplant is one of my favorite dishes. I once grew bitter gourds, beautiful plants and fruits, but I couldn't manage to eat it, it definitely stands to its name. I did found some culinary and ornamental value in its ripe form. The red seed coat is quite tasty.

[Kasia]

44 minutes ago, shain said:

Beet gnocchi - roasted beet, ricotta, anise, thyme, pepper, parm, egg yolk, flour. Ricotta smear, medium-sharp gorgonzola, basil, toasted walnuts.

 

 

Not that it was bad, but the pureed beets with the cheeses and spices were so tasty, that I couldn't help but be disappointed by the flavor dilution due to the flour and eggs.

Expect to see beet puree with anise and ricotta on my plate sometime soon.

 

@shain it looks like "innovations in the kitchen" - never seen something similar

[Tri2Cook]

Rainy, somewhat cool Sunday with no interest in getting too fancy. Seemed like a good day for a Cincinnati 3-way...



With apologies to anybody picturing something entirely different and not, presumably, involving a plate.

I actually made the Cincinnati style chili yesterday with today's weather forecast in mind.

[Captain]

BBQed Pork Belly Adobo with crispy skin.

 

[Anna N]

 

 It doesn't get much better.  I accidentally ordered two bunches of rapini and was wondering how on earth I would get through them. I love rapini so much that I was snatching it from the draining rack after I had blanched it.  Two bunches may not be quite enough.

[liuzhou]

2 hours ago, sartoric said:

We'd never tried bitter gourd before, liked it a lot.

 

It immediately became one of my favourites first time I tried it. I've only ever had it in Chinese style preparations, and never thought of using it in a Thai curry. That will remedied soon.

 

I know it is used widely in Indian cuisine, too but never had it that way either. Indian food is difficult to come by here in China (except Hong Kong).

Edited May 28, 2017 by liuzhou (log)

[Paul Bacino]

 Grilled Spot Prawns

Butter and EVOO / Good Garlic/ Lemon zest and Juice/ Murry River Salt

 

The heads made Killer stock!!

 

 

 

[jvalentino]

Ground some chuck and brisket for burgers. Corn of questionable provenience. 

[kayb]

I ordered a Boston butt and a slab of ribs from a fundraiser being held for some friends who lost their home to the recent flooding in Arkansas. Pickup day was Friday, so it seemed natural enough to have barbecue for Memorial Day weekend dinner today. Though I can take no credit for the barbecue -- just the sides -- it was a fine Sunday dinner.

 

 

I made the eggs and potato salad yesterday, and got the beans ready to bake this morning. Had jail slaw in the fridge, as I most always do. Put the butt and ribs in the oven, wrapped in several layers of heavy-duty foil, for a long, slow warm-up at 250F while I was at church. Pulled out my pickled asparagus, per @HungryChris's recipe, and he's right -- I'm seriously thanking you for that one, Chris!

 

Have mercy. It was all marvelous. Sent my child and her husband home with a gallon zip-loc full of meat, and put another one, as full or moreso, in the fridge to be repackaged in one-pound portions and frozen tomorrow. The butt, cooked was a tad over six pounds.

 

 

There are only three acceptable desserts for Memorial Day in the South. One is ice cold watermelon. One is homemade ice cream. The third is this:

 

 

Albeit I couldn't find room for it until about 5 p.m. After my nap.

 

I may not eat for a week.

 

 

[ElainaA]

Life is finally getting normal enough for me to pay attention to what I am cooking. It's been months.

Last night: pasta with sausage, red and green bell peppers (I know some people hate the green ones but I like them) lots of garlic and home canned tomatoes. With a salad. I wanted to go out for pizza but my AAH ( Absolutely Amazing Husband) spent all day putting up deer fence around my vegetable garden instead of working on his own project (the 1958 MG he is restoring for me. He is amazing.) And he wanted pasta.

 

Tonight: Steel head trout smoked on the grill, beet and horseradish salad, potato salad and a green salad (romaine, cucumber, apples, scallions).

[Thanks for the Crepes]

9 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

"Muddy" isn't a taste I would attribute to Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) vinegar. Is it possible you have a tainted bottle? Not that it goes off. Which brand do you have?

 

I can't read the brand because it's in Chinese. Muddy is probably not a good description. I probably just don't care for this particular style of vinegar, but I don't think mine is off or bad. Given it's one of the few foods I don't care for, I consider myself lucky to be able to enjoy the thousands of foods that I do love.