Dinner 2017 (Part 6)

[kayb]

I have mentioned I bought a small Masterbilt electric smoker. Its maiden voyage was steelhead trout filets, with which I was underwhelmed; they were just too...fishy. But last night, I took the plunge with a sirloin tip roast. Coated it in Santa Maria rub on Thursday night, wrapped in plastic and stashed it in the fridge. Put it on to smoke about 4 pm.

Other than the fact dinner was an hour later than I'd planned, it was excellent. Took significantly longer to get to 130 than I had planned. But it sliced up nice and tender, and I didn't get it too done, and I think it will make fine sandwiches next week.

 

 

 

 

The potatoes were Yukon Gold fingerlings, tossed in olive oil, seasoned salt and black pepper and steam-baked in the CSO for 30 minutes, then fninished for 10 minutes on convection at 450. Perfect.

 

The Brussels sprouts were a riff on several recipes. I cooked 3/4 cup farro, toasting it a skillet and then boiling until tender. I drained it and spread it out on a dinner plate to cool. I sliced the Brussels sprouts thin, then tossed them in a hot skillet with olive oil, salt and pepper; sauteed until they were nicely caramelized, added the farro and some sliced almonds in, and finished off with balsamic vinegar and honey. Got a bit too much honey; I'll hold it to 1 tbsp next time. But these were quite excellent.

 

Sliced tomatoes finished off the plate. Dessert was a slice of chess pie, which was remarkably good considering after I cut it, I found the half-cup of melted butter I'd forgotten to put in it.

 

 

I slept well.

 

[Tropicalsenior]

5 minutes ago, kayb said:

Brussels sprouts were a riff on several recipes.

Nice take on the brussel sprouts. That roast looks beautiful.

[lindag]

Since the weather here has changed dramatically, from the high 80ºsF (31ºC) to 50ºF (10ºC) with rain, I'll be making a big pot of 

 

Vegetable-Beef Soup

3 lbs beef shank cross cuts (or beef soup bones)
8 cups water (use canned beef broth, too)
2 bay leaves
4 tsp salt
½ tsp dried oregano (or use Italian seasoning)
¼ tsp marjoram
5 whole peppercorns
corn (fresh or frozen)
green beans
leeks (2-inch long strips)
kale
cabbage
fennel bulb
16 oz canned tomatoes
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium Turnip
1 medium Rutabaga
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery
1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced ½"

In a large kettle or Dutch oven combine (browned) beef cross cuts, water, salt, oregano, marjoram, peppercorns and bay leaves.

Bring mixture to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove the beef.

Cut meat from bones; chop meat. Strain broth, if necessary, skim off excess fat. Return broth to kettle. Add corn, chopped meat, tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, carrots, celery and onion.

Simmer, covered for 1 hour. (Add cabbage/zucchini (soft veg) last.)

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

I can already almost smell it.  Yum.

 

 

[Tropicalsenior]

6 minutes ago, lindag said:

I can already almost smell it.  Yum.

I can too. What time is dinner?

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, IowaDee said:

Well, unless it was a seal my guess is dog meat.....

Yup!

 

I didn't eat any, not because of any scruples other than I don't find it to be very good meat. There were tastier things on offer. I've only ever eaten it and found it worth the eating one time.

[Tropicalsenior]

54 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

I've only ever eaten it and found it worth the eating one time.

A very poignant story. Thank you.

[Dejah]

@Norm Matthews: Inspired by your Mexican Chicken, I pulled out Rick Bayless cookbook and made the Road Side Chicken for supper! Thanks!

Cooked up some Mexican Rice and grilled bell peppers with the chicken. I can see where BIG bulb green onions would be needed for the grill. I only had small ones and even then, the bulbs were lovely.

                                                          

[Tropicalsenior]

This is my haul from the Farmers Market this morning that will become dinner tonight, somehow or another. The broccoli and the celery are fresh from the farmer's field. The egg vendor assured me that the eggs were still, as he put it, the property of the chicken two days ago. The shrimp are oh so fresh. I would say they are about 16 to 20s and they cost me $5.70 a pound, about half what I would pay in the supermarket and they wouldn't be nearly so fresh. I'm vacillating between a stir fry and a nice fettuccine dish.

In an earlier post, I mentioned turtle eggs. These were for sale there but I didn't buy them. Both on principle and the fact that I don't like them.

Edited September 30, 2017 by Tropicalsenior
Spelling error (log)

[rotuts]

@Tropicalsenior 

 

Yikes!

 

wonderful stuff !

 

Im not so keen on the celery

 

but the tops look fantastic !

 

[ed.:  texture issues w the stalk  ]

 

Id personally consider a fettuccine dish.

 

nice

 

[Tropicalsenior]

14 minutes ago, rotuts said:

Id personally consider a fettuccine dish.

I just found out that my housemate will be out for the evening so I'm going make a very garlicky shrimp and spaghetti for myself. He can't eat garlic or even stand the smell of it and sometimes I do so crave it. I'm going to take advantage of the chance that I've got.

Edited September 30, 2017 by Tropicalsenior
Self editing (log)

[shain]

Hashbrowns with carrots, onion and smoked paprika.

Lentils with garlic, cumin, parsley.

Ugly poached eggs.

[Tropicalsenior]

18 minutes ago, shain said:

Ugly poached eggs

They may be ugly but they are perfectly done and real poached eggs.

[mm84321]

Halibut- a study in white and green 

[FrogPrincesse]

That halibut looks so good! One of my favorite fish.

 

From dinner last night, carbonara with home-cured guanciale (from a pig I've butchered myself in a butchery class). Bliss.

 

http://www.mariobatali.com/recipes/spaghetti-alla-carbonara/

 

 

 

 

 

[lindag]

I'm always startled when I see the price of halibut here in the stores.  It varies some but often at $17.99 per pound.

[Anna N]

16 minutes ago, lindag said:

I'm always startled when I see the price of halibut here in the stores.  It varies some but often at $17.99 per pound.

Ha ha!   I just looked up the price of halibut in my local grocery store and it is $66 a kilo or $33 a pound give or take.  

[lindag]

2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Ha ha!   I just looked up the price of halibut in my local grocery store and it is $66 a kilo or $33 a pound give or take.  

Ouch!

[FrogPrincesse]

26 minutes ago, lindag said:

I'm always startled when I see the price of halibut here in the stores.  It varies some but often at $17.99 per pound.

More expensive here although it's a local catch, but totally worth it!

[chileheadmike]

13 hours ago, kayb said:

 

Other than the fact dinner was an hour later than I'd planned, it was excellent. Took significantly longer to get to 130 than I had planned. But it sliced up nice and tender, and I didn't get it too done, and I think it will make fine sandwiches next week.

 

 

 

It all looks delicious. Barbecue cooks on it's own time. It's done when it wants to be done. 

[TicTac]

On 9/29/2017 at 6:41 PM, mm84321 said:

Duck 

 

Some of the best executed duck I have seen on this forum.  Would be interested to hear your cooking method.

[Norm Matthews]

  There was a steak in the freezer that was too big for either one of us so I grilled and split it. I still could not eat all of mine. The thought of it sitting there defrosting made us hungry and so we ate early.   We had it with grilled corn, salad and mashed Yukon gold potatoes.

[mm84321]

[chefmd]

Tuna steak and baby eggplant.

[mm84321]

For the duck: I cooked it in a pan on the stovetop, entirely. I use a very low heat, as to aid the total rendering of the fat from the skin without burning, while basting the flesh side, turning once to briefly finish the cooking (85% is cooked skin side). Additionally, while resting, I turn the breast over multiple times to redistribute the juices more evenly

[Chris Hennes]

There are going to be a lot of bread-based meals in my immediate future. Tonight was a "simple" charcuterie board, with homemade bread and charcuterie (coppa and finocchiona) :