Dinner 2018

[Ann_T]

I bought a yellow cauliflower yesterday and it was $3.99 a head.  The white was the same.  On Vancouver Island.

[blue_dolphin]

13 hours ago, CantCookStillTry said:

Can I ask how much a head of Cauli costs you guys on average? (I know there is probably a thread out there but i'm not that invested - I can't afford to be ). The ones in my nearest store today were $8 a head!!!  And said head (I weighed the biggest I could find) was 620g with leaves. I know they're out of season but wow. Or perhaps everyone elses prices are similar? 

 

Cauliflower is in season now at my local farmers market here in So Cal. I usually pay $4.00 for a nice big head of organic cauliflower, over 4 lbs with some leaves.  Yellow and purple are usually the same price but slightly smaller heads.  Romanesco is usually $1 more per head. 

[Anna N]

 

Sv’d chuck eye (56°C x 24 hrs),  roasted carrots potatoes and onions and some horseradish. 

[suzilightning]

4 hours ago, Ann_T said:

 @Rotuts, for me Halibut is second to none.  The only fish that I like.  Even though I grew up in Ontario,

it was Halibut Fish Chips that were sold in the Fish and Chip shops.   And Halibut Fish and Chips is the only fish and chips I will order.

 

Promised Moe I would make him  Halibut Fish and Chips this week.   

Love halibut but when at school also found walleye which I adore.

[Ann_T]

18 minutes ago, suzilightning said:

Love halibut but when at school also found walleye which I adore.

@suzilightning ,  Moe is fond of lake fish, like walleye and pickerel, white fish,  and perch.  Was always on the menu when we lived Michigan, New York State , and Sault Ste. Marie.    So he would often order it.   Not me.  Hate fish with bones.

 

 

[suzilightning]

6 minutes ago, Ann_T said:

@suzilightning ,  Moe is fond of lake fish, like walleye and pickerel, white fish,  and perch.  Was always on the menu when we lived Michigan, New York State , and Sault Ste. Marie.    So he would often order it.   Not me.  Hate fish with bones.

 

 

Funny...I don't remember a lot of bones in the walleye.  Maybe because I was eating filets not steaks.

[gfweb]

5 hours ago, Smithy said:

 

Bumping this so you can get an answer. I think the last time I looked at a head of cauliflower it ran around $3 (USD) per head. I didn't weigh it, but 620g sounds like approximately the same size. We had quite a discussion a year or two ago about why cauliflower prices at the time had exploded. They seem to have deflated since then.

Varies by market. $5 at hideous Acme...$2.50 at the International Market...$3 at Gigante

Edited March 31, 2018 by gfweb (log)

[gfweb]

Air Fryer chicken parm

 

[ElsieD]

Spicy noodle dish with shrimp.  I could eat this stuff three times a week.

[menuinprogress]

 

Our first go at making Khao Kha Moo (Thai pork leg rice). It is pork leg (with plenty of fat and skin) braised in a spiced broth, served with pickled mustard greens, a chili-vinegar sauce and egg.

 

We fell in love with this dish at the famous "cowboy hat lady" Khao Kha Moo stand in Chiang Mai:

 

[Dejah]

Starting to get my mojo back from jet-lag. Granddaughters spent the afternoon, and fulfilling their requests for supper kept me going!
                                         Char siu ribs 

 

                               Shrimp Chow Mein

[CantCookStillTry]

Chicken Wings. Not for me. I'm rubbish at eating meat off the bone. Its a waste of time, and food, the boys like them though.

Trimmed whole wings into flats and drummers and then into lollipops. Wish I could say I get faster and neater with each one but I would be lying. Tips go into my voodoo stock bag in the Freezer. 

 

Marinade in Greek Yog, hot sauce, herbs & spices - I don't think I made it to 11. 

 

 

Dipped in Almond flour because - carbs. Waiting for their hot oil bath outside. 

 

 

Finni. 

 

Would be better with more carbs to be honest. But an ok version. 

[robirdstx]

 

Shrimp Orzo with Tomato and Basil made by my sister-in-law.

 

 

[Nicolai]

[shain]

This passing weekend was passover eve, I've spent the seder with family, which was great fun but not exiting culinary-wise.

 

As for my home cooking, I'm still not feeling the holiday-cooking spirit, so I made some hametz (non-passover kosher) lasagna. I'll probably get to craving mazebrie and kneidlach soon enough.

This was filled with mushrooms - champignon and wild boletes. Spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, plenty of nutmeg and pepper.

 

[Duvel]

A little treat for myself (after watching Peter Rabbit with the little one for Easter):

Dry-cured a Chuck eye steak for 2 days with pink salt, brown sugar and jerk seasoning (mostly allspice, thyme and chili). After that removed spices, rubbed with liquid smoke and SV for 24h at 135 oF. Excellent corned beef ...

 

 

Soft "ciabatta" roll (HK style), dijonnaise made with hot Löwensenf extra, thinly cut corned beef, grated Swiss cheese. Brushed liberally with butter and made into a panini with two hot pans. Pickled cuke because I need to eat more veggies ...

 

 

 

Very, very few things are sooo satisfying !

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by Duvel
Time for "thyme" (log)

[Anna N]

32 minutes ago, Duvel said:

Dry-cured a Chuck eye steak for 2 days with pink salt, brown sugar and jerk seasoning (mostly allspice, thyme and chili). After that removed spices, rubbed with liquid smoke and SV for 24h at 135 oF. Excellent corned beef ...

Would never have thought of doing such a thing. Damn. Just cooked up my two chuck eyes. Will have to wait some time to acquire any more.  I am not a huge fan of corn beef but something small like this… Thank you! 

[Duvel]

7 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Would never have thought of doing such a thing. Damn. Just cooked up my two chuck eyes. Will have to wait some time to acquire any more.  I am not a huge fan of corn beef but something small like this… Thank you! 

It works pretty well with pork neck steaks as well. Bit higher temp for the SV and you end up with a moist & tender sweet ham-style product.

[TicTac]

2 hours ago, shain said:

This passing weekend was passover eve, I've spent the seder with family, which was great fun but not exiting culinary-wise.

 

As for my home cooking, I'm still not feeling the holiday-cooking spirit, so I made some hametz (non-passover kosher) lasagna. I'll probably get to craving mazebrie and kneidlach soon enough.

This was filled with mushrooms - champignon and wild boletes. Spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, plenty of nutmeg and pepper.

 

 

Chag Sameach Lekulam!  That looks fantastic, Shain.

 

My mom made quite a spread last night for 15 of us, some fantastic duck fat (typical is chicken fat, this year she tried my idea on for size!) matzah balls & chicken soup, confit duck legs, beef brisket, meatloaf, braised red cabbage, tzimmus (shredded carrots / raisins ), cucumber salad, pureed spinach, beet salad, sweet potatoes, and the list goes on.

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

1 hour ago, Duvel said:

A little treat for myself (after watching Peter Rabbit with the little one for Easter):

Dry-cured a Chuck eye steak for 2 days with pink salt, brown sugar and jerk seasoning (mostly allspice, thyme and chili). After that removed spices, rubbed with liquid smoke and SV for 24h at 135 oF. Excellent corned beef ...

 

 

Soft "ciabatta" roll (HK style), dijonnaise made with hot Löwensenf extra, thinly cut corned beef, grated Swiss cheese. Brushed liberally with butter and made into a panini with two hot pans. Pickled cuke because I need to eat more veggies ...

 

 

 

Very, very few things are sooo satisfying !

 

 

 

 

 

That looks amazing.  How much liquid smoke do you figure you used?  

[liuzhou]

On Thursday next, two (or maybe three) young Chinese friends are coming to see me. They have never been to my city before and very politely asked me to entertain them for the day, which I am more than happy to do.  Apart from visiting some must-see spots in town, they have also asked that

a) Take them to the best place for the local, legendary speciality,- luosifen or snail noodles, for lunch

 

b)  Cook them dinner.

 

Of course I am happy to do so, but they have made a few specific requests.

 

i) They want to taste and perhaps learn the art of poached eggs. Poached eggs are unknown to most Chinese people and they barely believe it's possible. My friends just saw a picture of one I made a few months back.

 

ii) They want raw oysters with lemon juice. This is particularly brave. Most locals consider eating anything raw utterly foolhardy, but raw oysters are beyond comprehension! I mentioned a while back that that was the only sensible way to eat them and they thought I was joking, but finally realised I was serious. So, bless them, they have decided to try.

 

iii) They want a real hamburger and fries as opposed to a McD's

 

iv) They want some Sichuan food

 

Now, I'm comfortable with all the above, but together? Poached egg, raw oysters, burger, fries and mapo tofu, anyone?

 

I'm going to have to put my thinking head on. In the meantime, I am still eating.

 

Tonight, I messed about and came up with a sort of ravioli which would have every Italian mama rolling in her grave or send her there if she hadn't already departed. A somewhat Chinese stuffing of pork, shiitake and garlic chives.

 

 

I served these (and more) with a long slow-cooked fresh tomato sauce. I totally forgot to photograph the finished dish. Too busy thinking about poached eggs with oysters.

 

Then,

 

 

Mulberries with home made yoghurt. I may well serve my friends that, too. They have no idea that yoghurt isn't thin, sweet industrial effluent.

Edited April 4, 2018 by liuzhou
Got the day wrong and the number may have changed. (log)

[Shelby]

11 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

On Wednesday next, two young Chinese friends are coming to see me. They have never been to my city before and very politely asked me to entertain them for the day, which I am more than happy to do.  Apart from visiting some must-see spots in town, they have also asked that

a) Take them to the best place for the local, legendary speciality,- luosifen or snail noodles, for lunch

 

b)  Cook them dinner.

 

Of course I am happy to do so, but they have made a few specific requests.

 

i) They want to taste and perhaps learn the art of poached eggs. Poached eggs are unknown to most Chinese people and they barely believe it's possible. My friends just saw a picture of one I made a few months back.

 

ii) They want raw oysters with lemon juice. This is particularly brave. Most locals consider eating anything raw utterly foolhardy, but raw oysters are beyond comprehension! I mentioned a while back that that was the only sensible way to eat them and they thought I was joking, but finally realised I was serious. So, bless them, they have decided to try.

 

iii) They want a real hamburger and fries as opposed to a McD's

 

iv) They want some Sichuan food

 

Now, I'm comfortable with all the above, but together? Poached egg, raw oysters, burger, fries and mapo tofu, anyone?

 

I'm going to have to put my thinking head on. In the meantime, I am still eating.

 

Tonight, I messed about and came up with a sort of ravioli which would have every Italian mama rolling in her grave or send her there if she hadn't yet departed. A somewhat Chinese stuffing of pork, shiitake and garlic chives.

 

 

I served these (and more) with a long slow-cooked fresh tomato sauce. I totally forgot to photograph the finished dish. Too busy thinking about poached eggs with oysters.

 

Then,

 

 

Mulberries with home made yoghurt. I may well serve my friends that, too. They have no idea that yoghurt isn't thin, sweet industrial effluent.

 

Oh those mulberries look to die for.  I wonder if we will get any this year......

 

For your meal.....do an early lunch and then spend the afternoon leisurely putting together your evening meal.

 

Oysters for hors d' oeuvres ....on the half shell with lemon wedges and some kind of hot sauce.

 

evening meal #1: Mini hamburgers--sliders if you will--topped with a poached egg and fries

 

evening meal #2: Mapo tofu

 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by Shelby (log)

[liuzhou]

6 minutes ago, Shelby said:

... do an early lunch and then spend the afternoon leisurely putting together your evening meal.

 

Oysters for hors d' oeuvres ....on the half shell with lemon wedges and some kind of hot sauce.

 

evening meal #1: Mini hamburgers--sliders if you will--topped with a poached egg and fries

 

evening meal #2: Mapo tofu

 

Good suggestions, but they have specifically requested that they have everything exactly as in the photographs they saw.

I think I'll do a three parts, three meals in one dinner. Breakfast (egg), lunch (oysters) and dinner (something Sichuan - maybe not mapo tofu).

They'll be happy with anything!

[Duvel]

3 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

That looks amazing.  How much liquid smoke do you figure you used?  

Thanks !

 

I use this brand, a little less than a teaspoon for a 600 gr piece of meat (weight before curing).

[rotuts]

@robirdstx

 

may I ask what sort of pan you are using for the 

 

Shrimp Orzo with Tomato and Basil

 

or maybe its the SIL's?

 

I can not quite place it

 

cheers