Lunch! What'd ya have? (2018)

[HungryChris]

Chicken salad on toast with dill and capers, lightly breaded and fried zucchini with spicy garlic and lemon aioli dip.

HC

 

[weinoo]

Even though we're going out for dinner a lot as I recuperate, it's not as if I'm not cooking at all, as I'm still preparing breakfast, and often lunch...

 

 

Today's lunch was rice, Rancho Gordo Caballero beans, and simply sautéed greens.

Edited July 7, 2018 by weinoo (log)

[chefmd]

Grilled pork chops with potatoes that were parboiled and finished on the grill using mineral B pan.

 

[HungryChris]

Yesterday, I had the season opener tomato sandwich. Today, it was salami, tomato and cucumber with some pickled green tomatoes from last fall.

HC

[HungryChris]

Stadium brat from Aldi with kimchi, onions and ball park mustard.

HC

 

[Kim Shook]

For my birthday gift, Jessica took me to the Jefferson Hotel for afternoon tea.  Mr. Kim went, too. Menu:

 

Jessica and I had the Jefferson blend and Mike had the Richmond blend.

 I adore Hotel Silver and would start a collection if I weren't trying to pare down my others.

 

Tea goodies:

 

Cucumber on pumpernickel, chicken tarragon salad, cheese-arugula wrap and country ham rolls:

All really good, but the chicken salad was a standout.  For me, it is really easy to find tarragon overdone, but this was perfect.

 

Savory scone – sun dried tomatoes and cheese:

 

 

Savory scone, sweet scone, chocolate and yellow slices and a cookie:

The sweet scone was an abomination – they had put mini M&M’s in them. 

 

More sweets:

Macaron, strawberries, lemon curd mini tarts with blackberries and blueberries and a little chocolate mousse filled tart.  Everything was delicious, but the strawberry and the mousse proved that you shouldn’t choose festive-ness over flavor.  Those little sprinkles have a flavor – actually, a fairly strong one and they compromised and cheapened the pure flavor of the fruit and the chocolate.  Since it was my birthday celebration, they brought out a lovely cupcake:

The cake was excellent – like a poundcake, really.  I’m not a big fan of buttercream and since the cupcake had been refrigerated, the frosting was pretty stiff.  What a lovely gift for this Anglophile!

[scubadoo97]

@Kim Shook  happy birthday!

[HungryChris]

This is a meal I have grown to treasure. Dried black fungus that has been brought to life with a simmer in a bit of water, baby bok choy, sugar snaps and zucchini coins that have all been sautéed in a bit of oil, garlic and ginger, Korean noodles (I buy several varieties) , some kimchi, a bit of chili oil and a little pile of pickled ginger for garnish.

Between the kimchi and hot chili oil, the heat will cloud my vision with tears, but does not slow me down!

HC

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, HungryChris said:

Dried black fungus that has been brought to life with a simmer in a bit of water, 

When you say dried black fungus do you mean cloud ear/tree ear mushrooms?

[lindag]

Put together a Strawberry Rhubarb dump cake this morning...when it cools enough I'll have a piece for lunch.

Also shown is 

my jar of Famous Dave's spicy pickle chips for a snack.

 

 

 

Edited July 11, 2018 by lindag (log)

[HungryChris]

54 minutes ago, Anna N said:

When you say dried black fungus do you mean cloud ear/tree ear mushrooms?

Yes, tree ears or cloud ears, but on the package, it simply says "Black Fungus" which is quite catchy, don't you think?

HC

[Anna N]

39 minutes ago, HungryChris said:

Yes, tree ears or cloud ears, but on the package, it simply says "Black Fungus" which is quite catchy, don't you think?

HC

I was curious because I’ve just started using some cloud ear mushrooms.   They do add texture but darn little else. I like the name black fungus but it does sound gothic and might be more readily fit into a murder mystery than a dinner plate. 

[HungryChris]

Salami, marinated zucchini ribbons and roasted red pepper with mayo and Dijon mustard.

HC

[liuzhou]

On 7/12/2018 at 4:14 AM, Anna N said:

  They do add texture but darn little else.

 

and that is precisely why they are prized in Chinese cuisine. They like crunchy contrasts round here. That is why shark fin is still popular (although that is waning). It tastes of nothing, but has that crunchy texture.

[liuzhou]

I have come to the reluctant conclusion, after decades of failure, that it is simply not possible to photograph mushroom soup without it looking like a festering mud pond devoid of desirable life. And no amount of Photoshop rescues it.

 

 

However, it is in no need of Tasteshop or Umamishop, so I continue to make and enjoy it.

 

Today,  I dug various bags of dried mushroom soaking water from the freezer and amalgamated them into a base stock for my soup. Added chopped shallots and sliced king oyster mushrooms (eryngii) and rehydrated shiitake. Stewed them for a while until soft.

 

Blitzed in food processor and returned to the pan. Added regular oyster mushrooms and cordycep militaris mushrooms along with lashings of freshly ground white pepper. Whatever you think is simply too much white pepper is only almost enough. Cooked for a couple of minutes and ate with steamed bread (馒头 mán tóu) for dunking.

 

 

Chinese has two words for soup: 汤 (tāng) is the most common and is used for predominantly liquid soups. 羹 (gēng) is used for thick soups, such as this one - 蘑 菇 羹 (mó gū gēng) thick mushroom soup.

 

 

Still ugly though. But tasty.

 

 

[HungryChris]

My lunch yesterday, haunted me with just how good and satisfying it was. So much so, that I did it again today. This is quickly becoming a favorite sandwich of mine: Cooked salami, marinated zucchini ribbons, roasted red peppers on Tuscan bread with mayo and Dijon mustard. Because I'll be smoking some salmon and pork ribs that I spotted on sale recently, I'll be chained to the furnace, so to speak, for most of the afternoon. Friday the thirteenth seems like a good day to stay home and an adult beverage seemed appropriate.

HC

[robirdstx]

 

Some of the leftovers from last night’s Pork and Vegetable Stew

[heidih]

4 hours ago, HungryChris said:

My lunch yesterday, haunted me with just how good and satisfying it was. So much so, that I did it again today. This is quickly becoming a favorite sandwich of mine: Cooked salami, marinated zucchini ribbons, roasted red peppers on Tuscan bread with mayo and Dijon mustard. Because I'll be smoking some salmon and pork ribs that I spotted on sale recently, I'll be chained to the furnace, so to speak, for most of the afternoon. Friday the thirteenth seems like a good day to stay home and an adult beverage seemed appropriate.

HC

 

 

A special sandwich can be SO satisfying. I have a few simple ones. I am aways quoting Melissa Clark- so again MC quoting her mom:  "Good sandwiches are like interesting people, unpredictable and filled with surprises"  "Each bite should be a little different, otherwise it gets boring"

[shain]

Panang curry with soft tofu, peas and thick bean starch noodles.

[Kim Shook]

Lunch for my mother - grilled cheese and ham:

 

Slaw and baked beans:

 

So what's the deal with old people and this wanting to eat 3 times a day????  I am spending my whole day preparing meals and washing dishes.  😉

[MetsFan5]

@Kim Shook would any of the Wegmans “ready to eat” items appeal to your mom? I started a thread in the Kitchen Consumer topic and their items. Their gazpacho is prettt good, same with the beef on weck. 

  That grilled cheese looks delicious! I buy Wegman’s pre-cooked ham slices and throw them in salads and potatoes au gratin. I don’t really cook that much since my husband is so busy at work I feel like it’s interupting him to ask what he may want for dinner (and I never know what he had for lunch or if he had it) and he comes home so late that frequently he doesn’t want a full meal. So having certain pre-prepped things, like Wegman’s bacon wrapped scallops and Caesar salad are super handy. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by MetsFan5 (log)

[Kim Shook]

10 hours ago, MetsFan5 said:

@Kim Shook would any of the Wegmans “ready to eat” items appeal to your mom? I started a thread in the Kitchen Consumer topic and their items. Their gazpacho is prettt good, same with the beef on weck. 

  That grilled cheese looks delicious! I buy Wegman’s pre-cooked ham slices and throw them in salads and potatoes au gratin. I don’t really cook that much since my husband is so busy at work I feel like it’s interupting him to ask what he may want for dinner (and I never know what he had for lunch or if he had it) and he comes home so late that frequently he doesn’t want a full meal. So having certain pre-prepped things, like Wegman’s bacon wrapped scallops and Caesar salad are super handy. 

 

That is a great idea!  Thank you.  I'll look next time I go.  I've taken her there in the past and she loved the stuff on the hot bar.  It never occurred to me!

[HungryChris]

Smoked salmon, watermelon sticks and leftover potato salad. This beer was opened yesterday and should have been finished then. The things I endure!

HC

[shain]

Linguini a la putanesca.

[heidih]

@HungryChris  Yu just inspired tomorrow's main meal. I have some nice wild salmon - unfortunately smoking not an option but I'll make do.  An eggy potato salad and 'maters instead of melon.