Lunch 2020

[blue_dolphin]

My friends picked up a baguette from the bakery for me today.  Influenced by David Lebovitz's Apéro Hour offerings, lunch was sandwich jambon beurre avec les carottes rapées et cornichons:

I used a generous amount of beurre d'Isigny Ste. Mère.  Just don't tell anyone the "jambon" was in fact jamón Serrano 🙃

My taste buds did not complain.

 

 

[heidih]

An oddly acquired bag of tofu fettuccine shirataki, plump eggplant and lots of flavors. So good.

[BKEats]

So, I am guessing this has been about 2 months... In that two months, i have eaten 3 meals that I have not cooked.. One from my father in law,  a slice of pizza or two and lunch today... As much as I am enjoying cooking 2.5 meals a day, I am pretty tired of eating my own food..And don't get me wrong, I do not think I have repeated a meal.. I have made everything from freaking beer bread and pretzels, to pizza, pancakes, pasta, dumplings, whatever it is..  Trying to keep it fresh and exciting.  But, ultimately, it's hard to surprise yourself..  Well, on that rare occasion it happens and I try to cook with spontaneity but yeh, occasionally, i wouldnt mind eating someone elses food...  Things like, not really knowing what I am going to make until I assess my inventory, not planning too much.. 

 

And, today was that day!   I haven't had thai food since all of this started... And well, I placed a called to my favorite thai restaurant in New York, Ayada Thai.. Its about a 20 minute drive away and it's as good as I remember.. 

 

Now, the thing about Ayada Thai is, when you ask for it spicy, they do not half step... They have a few levels spicy and thai spicy are the two hottest.. They use fresh thai peppers and tons of spice... And during these quarantine time, I haven't really been cooking any spicy food.. So, i guess my palate lost it's ability to easily handle the spice.. I literally use to not be able to tell the heat.. Someone would ask me if something is spicy and I would say, it's not bad.. Only to have it burn their face off.. So, i just went to, you shouldn't ask me.. Well, i normally get it all  thai spicy but, i was a little cautious today.. So, we went spicy and let me tell you, that was about my limit. 

 

Fried watercress salad.. Shrimp, squid, cashews, lots of lime and onion.. This was soo good.. they packed the fried watercress separately and it traveled remarkably well. 

 

 

 

Sour Sausage Salad.. I ordered this thai hot and yes, burned my face off! 

 

 

This was catfish with eggplant.. I forget the thai name but, yes, a very spicy dish traditionally.. Did not disappoint.. we drank a gruner and I passed out for an hour.  The white in this dish are whole cloves of garlic... 

 

 

Crispy Pork with chinese broccoli 

 

 

We also got sticky rice and well, that just hit the spot,... 

Edited May 6, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[Kim Shook]

Ham, salami, and American cheese sandwich, pretzels, and honey mustard:

[Shelby]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

An oddly acquired bag of tofu fettuccine shirataki, plump eggplant and lots of flavors. So good.

Eggplant.  I want.  I usually try to grow some, but this year we didn't go to the nursery ....Ronnie did really well growing in the greenhouse here at home.  Except I didn't buy eggplant seeds 'cause I usually just buy plants.  Oh well, I guess there is always next year.

[KennethT]

3 hours ago, BKEats said:

So, I am guessing this has been about 2 months... In that two months, i have eaten 3 meals that I have not cooked.. One from my father in law,  a slice of pizza or two and lunch today... As much as I am enjoying cooking 2.5 meals a day, I am pretty tired of eating my own food..And don't get me wrong, I do not think I have repeated a meal.. I have made everything from freaking beer bread and pretzels, to pizza, pancakes, pasta, dumplings, whatever it is..  Trying to keep it fresh and exciting.  But, ultimately, it's hard to surprise yourself..  Well, on that rare occasion it happens and I try to cook with spontaneity but yeh, occasionally, i wouldnt mind eating someone elses food...  Things like, not really knowing what I am going to make until I assess my inventory, not planning too much.. 

 

And, today was that day!   I haven't had thai food since all of this started... And well, I placed a called to my favorite thai restaurant in New York, Ayada Thai.. Its about a 20 minute drive away and it's as good as I remember.. 

 

Now, the thing about Ayada Thai is, when you ask for it spicy, they do not half step... They have a few levels spicy and thai spicy are the two hottest.. They use fresh thai peppers and tons of spice... And during these quarantine time, I haven't really been cooking any spicy food.. So, i guess my palate lost it's ability to easily handle the spice.. I literally use to not be able to tell the heat.. Someone would ask me if something is spicy and I would say, it's not bad.. Only to have it burn their face off.. So, i just went to, you shouldn't ask me.. Well, i normally get it all  thai spicy but, i was a little cautious today.. So, we went spicy and let me tell you, that was about my limit. 

 

Fried watercress salad.. Shrimp, squid, cashews, lots of lime and onion.. This was soo good.. they packed the fried watercress separately and it traveled remarkably well. 

 

 

 

Sour Sausage Salad.. I ordered this thai hot and yes, burned my face off! 

 

 

This was catfish with eggplant.. I forget the thai name but, yes, a very spicy dish traditionally.. Did not disappoint.. we drank a gruner and I passed out for an hour.  The white in this dish are whole cloves of garlic... 

 

 

Crispy Pork with chinese broccoli 

 

 

We also got sticky rice and well, that just hit the spot,... 

 

One day, when things get closer to normal-ish, I have to get to Elmhurst... I am sorely missing really good Thai. Do you know anything about Ayada's branch in Manhattan? They might deliver to me...

[BKEats]

elmhurst is the best..  For me, it's like 15 minutes to the restaurant.. We ordered when we got in the car and the order was literally arriving from the kitchen as I walked in to the place.   I also love, Taste Good Malaysian, it's 5 minutes from the taco truck, Birria Landia, there are several good thai, chinese and vietnamese and tawainese and korean places.  Also, there is a branch of new york mart, a great chinese grocery store.. There is also, La Fusta, which is a fun steakhouse.  i also really like or liked, a few years ago, Zaab Elee or something like that, downtown manhattan... I have not been to ayada in chelsea but, the menus are the same...   

Edited May 7, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[gfweb]

@BKEatsme too. I've cooked every meal since mid March. Sometimes it was frozen pizza, or an omelet, or a sandwich,  but mostly real meals for dinner anyway. I enjoy it, but I'd like a Reuben that I don't have to make from scratch with raw meat or  some decent take out Chinese right now. Our only local place has been given bad inspections so often I wont go there in normal times.

The good part of where we are is plenty of produce esp fungi, and our freezer is still more than 3/4 full, and the garden is waking up...but boy would I like a dumpling that I don't have to make myself.

[liuzhou]

6 hours ago, BKEats said:

This was catfish with eggplant.. I forget the thai name but, yes, a very spicy dish traditionally.

 

Pad Ped Pla Duk?

 

ผัดเผ็ดปลาดุก?

Edited May 7, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

[KennethT]

11 hours ago, BKEats said:

elmhurst is the best..  For me, it's like 15 minutes to the restaurant.. We ordered when we got in the car and the order was literally arriving from the kitchen as I walked in to the place.   I also love, Taste Good Malaysian, it's 5 minutes from the taco truck, Birria Landia, there are several good thai, chinese and vietnamese and tawainese and korean places.  Also, there is a branch of new york mart, a great chinese grocery store.. There is also, La Fusta, which is a fun steakhouse.  i also really like or liked, a few years ago, Zaab Elee or something like that, downtown manhattan... I have not been to ayada in chelsea but, the menus are the same...   

 

I think Zabb Elee closed.  Somtom Der is still open (Ave A and 5th St.) and is still really good - although it's annoying that the Isan fried chicken thigh (one of their specialties) has been certainly using a much smaller thigh than a couple years ago, and no longer comes with sticky rice... but the price didn't change.  But the flavor is still really good.

[BKEats]

Went on a few mile walk today.. actually, walked for like 3 hours so, however far that is.. Came home, made sichuan cucumbers... Then cold potato starch noodles that I boiled and cooled.. Once the cucumbers were gone, i added some tahini with a new set up noodles. 

 

 

Super quick and hit the spot:

 

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[weinoo]

On 5/6/2020 at 10:11 PM, BKEats said:

elmhurst is the best..  For me, it's like 15 minutes to the restaurant.

 

You drive fast.

[BKEats]

Google maps says 21 minutes.  I am an over achiever! 

Edited May 8, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We knew that.

[Kim Shook]

Leftover creamed shrimp and noodles.  Plus, the ripest pear I’ve ever eaten.  JUST shy of gone – it literally melted on my tongue.  Delectable:

[BKEats]

Eggplant gratin... I have been reading richard olney's simple french food and decided to follow one of his recipes... And when i say follow, not really... But, i read it and was inspired by it... His was basically like, take eggplants, slice and fry.  Take onions, cook down, add tomato, spices and then cook it until the water is gone... Then take that mush and hold it.. Then take ricotto and parm with an egg and mix, add cream... Then layer..   I floured the eggplant.. I did a ricotta sour cream mix, flavored with nutmeg and parm.. I also added mozzarella and did a similar tomato thing..   

 

I also don't have bread crumbs so, i used self rise flour.. but, he said, dont bread, just fry. 

 

 

here are is the tomato mixture, mozarella and basil.. the ricotta, sour cream, egg, and parm mixture goes on next. 

 

2nd layer of eggplant

 

 

 

Top with mozarella.

 

 

baked at 450 for 45 minutes:

 

It was delicious:  Glass of wine with lunch!

 

 

So, i had an orange and a bag of clementines.. My first thought was to supreme the orange slices but, I was like, f that...firstly, that required getting a new knife and washing and also, well, i had the salad idea as the gratin was cooling..  So, I added cut wedges of oranges with fennel.. Salt, pepper, red pepper and olive oil.. Then I squeezed a clementine over the dressing and then i added thin slices of clementine for the peel and the affect.. i think it looks pretty.

 

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[Kim Shook]

18 minutes ago, BKEats said:

Eggplant gratin... I have been reading richard olney's simple french food and decided to follow one of his recipes... And when i say follow, not really... But, i read it and was inspired by it... His was basically like, take eggplants, slice and fry.  Take onions, cook down, add tomato, spices and then cook it until the water is good... Then take that mush and hold it.. The take ricotto and parm with an egg and mix, add cream... Then layer..   I floured the eggplant.. I did a ricotta sour cream mix, flavored with nutmeg and parm.. I also added mozzarella and did a similar tomato thing..   

 

I also don't have bread crumbs so, i used self rise flour.. 

 

 

here are is the tomato mixture, mozarella and basil.. the ricotta, sour cream, egg, and parm mixture goes on next. 

 

2nd layer of eggplant

 

 

 

Top with mozarella.

 

 

baked at 450 for 45 minutes:

 

It was delicious:  Glass of wine with lunch!

 

 

 

 

Don't look @Shelby!!!!  Criminetly!  I don't even LIKE eggplant and that looks good to me!

Edited May 8, 2020 by Kim Shook (log)

[BKEats]

11 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Don't look @Shelby!!!!  Criminetly!  I don't even LIKE eggplant and that looks good to me!

 

 

I too am not the biggest fan of eggplant...  The same for okra though, okra I haven't tried to make and kind of made my peace and we said our good byes a long time ago... The fact that my bride loves eggplant so much, has made me really try my hardest to enjoy it.. These eggplants were destined to be smoked babaganoush but, oh well.. they were close to turning..

 

The lack of tomato sauce, the custard in the ricotta, it all felt very french.. if there was no mozarella, it would have been very french... the thin fried slices held their shape, the texture added by the ricotta being reinforced with egg... it was all really good.. This could be served hot or cold... I just have had it out on the counter since lunch and well, ate another slice moments ago...  In retrospect, the fact that I have three packs of different sausages in my fridge, a little sausage layer would have been really good.. obviously, less french, obviously much more american.. But, yeh, sausage in this would have been really good.. though, there is rarely a time where a little sausage wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.. 

Edited May 8, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[Kim Shook]

4 minutes ago, BKEats said:

 

I too am not the biggest fan of eggplant...  The same for okra though, okra I haven't tried to make and kind of made my peace and we said our good byes a long time ago... The fact that my bride loves eggplant so much, has made me really try my hardest to enjoy it.. These eggplants were destined to be smoked babaganoush but, oh well.. they were close to turning..

 

The lack of tomato sauce, the custard in the ricotta, it all felt very french.. if there was no mozarella, it would have been very french... the thin fried slices held their shape, the texture added by the ricotta being reinforced with egg... it was all really good.. This could be served hot or cold... I just have had it out on the counter since lunch and well, ate another slice moments ago...  In retrospect, the fact that I have three packs of different sausages in my fridge, a little sausage layer would have been really good.. obviously, less french, obviously much more american.. But, yeh, sausage in this would have been really good.. though, there is rarely a time where a little sausage wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.. 

 

I am with you all the way.  Okra, I will not eat.  Mr. Kim's grandfather was one of the best country cooks I've ever known and I did eat his sliced, fried okra.  It was nothing but crisp.  If I found someone who cooked it that way, I'd eat it.  Otherwise, no thanks.  And eggplant I will eat to be polite.  It is one of those things that folks say, "It doesn't really have a lot of it's own flavor - it takes on the flavor of what you put with it."  Like tofu.  My thinking is, if it doesn't have it's own flavor, then put something GOOD in there instead. 😁  With eggplant, my largest objection is the texture.  But you have fried that so nicely that it might not be a problem for me.  And yes, sausage improves most things.  

[BKEats]

11 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

I am with you all the way.  Okra, I will not eat.  Mr. Kim's grandfather was one of the best country cooks I've ever known and I did eat his sliced, fried okra.  It was nothing but crisp.  If I found someone who cooked it that way, I'd eat it.  Otherwise, no thanks.  And eggplant I will eat to be polite.  It is one of those things that folks say, "It doesn't really have a lot of it's own flavor - it takes on the flavor of what you put with it."  Like tofu.  My thinking is, if it doesn't have it's own flavor, then put something GOOD in there instead. 😁  With eggplant, my largest objection is the texture.  But you have fried that so nicely that it might not be a problem for me.  And yes, sausage improves most things.  

 

another important thing.. I put on a rack and cover in salt... pat dry and then salt the other side.. But yeh, after all that, it was the nutmeg, the tomato and onion dressing, the garlic ricotta and parm,  the hint of basil, that stood out as exciting..   The eggplant did provide a nice textural component and there was plenty of seasoning in the flour

Edited May 8, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[BKEats]

whoops misposted 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by BKEats (log)

[Steve Irby]

It's kind of strange to have limited meat supplies and still have low prices.  I bought some really nice leg quarters at Sam's for 59/cents lb and a prime beef packer for $2.94 lb.  The leg quarters had a portion of the back attached that I filleted the "oysters"  for a later meal.  I marinated the chicken with fresh thyme, rosemary and sage and then grilled.  The chicken with fresh corn and a vinegary coleslaw made a great lunch.

 

 

 

 

Vacuumed bagged, bacon wrapped, deboned leg from a few weeks ago.  The Vacmaster VP112 continues it's yeoman service.

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by Steve Irby (log)

[Amy D.]

Yesterday it was a bank holiday in the UK to commemorate VE day. Lockdown meant any public events were scrapped and instead we were encouraged to have household afternoon tea in our gardens. Any excuse to get baking, my daughters (8 &5) helped make three types of scones (plain, cherry and cheese), union jack iced shortbread biscuits (my eldest's idea), a Victoria sponge, red white and blue meringues, and the essential cucumber sandwiches. We spent the afternoon grazing over it and reading passages from my grandparents memoirs of their london wartime childhoods and the years spent as child evacuees. 

[kayb]

Your eldest is quite creative. Loved the iced shortbreads.

 

[KennethT]

Homemade Thai Chicken noodle soup using some of the stock I made last week. Some crispy fried garlic, garlic oil and sawtooth coriander (not to mention roasted chili flakes on the side) are all traditional. The rau ram is not necessarily traditional in Thai noodle soups, but is tasty nonetheless - and brings is into Saigon territory a bit.