Dinner 2020

[heidih]

14 minutes ago, TdeV said:

@liamsaunt, delicious looking! I had you in mind when I made my Catfish coconut soup a few weeks ago (and you are a much better photographer 🙃). I put the coconut milk into the soup more than an hour before the soup was done; it was rich, and creamy. By the time the soup was done, the intense creaminess was gone. I've read plenty of recipes which call for putting in the coconut milk at the beginning of the long cooking time. Are these recipe writers all wrong, or is it not the creaminess which the recipe-writer is after?

 

I tend to put it in late otherwise for me it becomes more subtle. It might be different if I used fresh grated and squeezed but that is not the go to.

[kayb]

15 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

More "just for ME".   Husband has put a moratorium on chicken and is never happy to see zucchini.

 

 

 

 

 

Looks perfect. Is that green goddess on the zucchini?

 

[Duvel]

Rabbit was on offer, sooo ...

 

Catalan braised rabbit, with onions, garlic, white wine, whiskey (no brandy in my house) and dried ceps & black trumpets (from my last visit to La Boqueria). Served with creamed spinach. My wife went into a frenzy the minute it arrived at the table, so only my sons plate could be documented. I had Rindswurst, that was about to go wrong (and my plate looked very Zen).

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

4 minutes ago, kayb said:

Looks perfect. Is that green goddess on the zucchini?

 

Torn between GG and this avocado salsa.    Latter won.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

5 minutes ago, Duvel said:

Rabbit was on offer, sooo ...

 

Catalan braised rabbit, with onions, garlic, white wine, whiskey (no brandy in my house) and dried ceps & black trumpets (from my last visit to La Boqueria). Served with creamed spinach. My wife went into a frenzy the minute it arrived at the table, so only my sons plate could be documented. I had Rindswurst, that was about to go wrong (and my plate looked very Zen).

 

 

Looks divine.     When I advertise for my next mate, ad will read "Must be willing to eat rabbit with me."     Perhaps my favorite but least encountered meat.  Here, it is quite expensive and an indulgence to buy for one person.

[Duvel]

3 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

 

Looks divine.     When I advertise for my next mate, ad will read "Must be willing to eat rabbit with me."     Perhaps my favorite but least encountered meat.  Here, it is quite expensive and an indulgence to buy for one person.

Here, a rabbit of about 1.3kg costs 16€, on offer maybe 11 or 12€. It comes with liver, kidneys & heart, which usually are quickly panfried while I break down the rest of the animal & instantly consumed by the lucky cook.

The rest is always braised. I did BBQ rabbit twice, but it inevitably turned out dry and stringy. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I sometimes grill legs in a grill pan.    But, yes, as you say, it needs to cook fast and briefly since it is such a lean meat.    I like it cooked "just", not rare, but neither past cooked through.    With nice sear.

Two of the best rabbits i have enjoyed were at restaurants, Delfina in SF and Eric Frechon in Paris, both braises, and both amusingly "the last portion", which when offered I snagged.    Perhaps they were "day old"?    And perhaps that was a key to their superb flavor and texture. 

[heidih]

56 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

 

Looks divine.     When I advertise for my next mate, ad will read "Must be willing to eat rabbit with me."     Perhaps my favorite but least encountered meat.  Here, it is quite expensive and an indulgence to buy for one person.

 

It was my first time with my first husband at the unfortunately closed Valentinos  https://la.eater.com/2019/1/2/18163217/valentino-closed-santa-monica-last-days-feature. I cooked it pretty frequently. Underappreciated.  

[liamsaunt]

3 hours ago, TdeV said:

@liamsaunt, delicious looking! I had you in mind when I made my Catfish coconut soup a few weeks ago (and you are a much better photographer 🙃). I put the coconut milk into the soup more than an hour before the soup was done; it was rich, and creamy. By the time the soup was done, the intense creaminess was gone. I've read plenty of recipes which call for putting in the coconut milk at the beginning of the long cooking time. Are these recipe writers all wrong, or is it not the creaminess which the recipe-writer is after?

 

I usually add it towards the end of cooking.  A couple of weeks ago I made a coconut curry hake dish, and the soup base had to sit for almost two hours after I put the coconut milk in due to an unforeseen issue.  I ended up having to strain the broth into a fat separator because the coconut oil separated from the broth and there was a thick layer of oil on top of the soup.  Not very appealing!  Of course, then the resulting mostly defatted broth was not as rich as I would have liked.  I think if you add the coconut milk towards the end, it does not have time to separate so you get that nice rich mouthfeel.  

[Captain]

Dinner was to be Rissole sandwiches but I kept adding ingredients and then finally swapped the bread slices for Brioche buns.

Complete burger with mandatory beetroot. Including bacon, egg, fried onion, tomato and cheese.

[heidih]

11 minutes ago, Captain said:

Dinner was to be Rissole sandwiches but I kept adding ingredients and then finally swapped the bread slices for Brioche buns.

Complete burger with mandatory beetroot. Including bacon, egg, fried onion, tomato and cheese.

Is this a knife and fork situation? Look daugnting.

[Norm Matthews]

We had ribeye cap steaks again.  It is hard to cook such a thick steak well. So far the way that turned out best, to my taste, is to start it on the stove top and finish it in the oven.  I tried it sous vide a couple of times , finished it on the stove, and don't really get excited about a steak that is "perfectly cooked". The first was took over 20 minutes, the second way took over a couple of hours.  This time I cut the string holding it together, unrolled it,  trimed it  and cooking it in under ten minutes.  I'll try it this way again but trim it a little more next time.  Part of the reason it tastes so good is because it is so well marbled but there are some parts that are too chewy to enjoy and I'll try to trim that part away. I am going to keep the meat scraps and grind them up for hamburger when I get enough.  (If I ever cook enough of these to get that much to grind)

[robirdstx]

 

Sous Vide (finished on the grill) Lamb Loin Chop, Colcannon and Green Beans (seasoned with minced onion and butter)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Last night of single indulgence -> more of my favorite things

MORE blistered shishitos, "Arzak egg", grilled scallions, redux roast chicken (with Green Goddess), sauteed potato

 

 

Husband coming home tomorrow.    Back to cooking!

 

Edited February 13, 2020 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[Robenco15]

A friend asked that I teach him how to cook so once a week or so we’re picking a dish or two and I’m walking him through it. Tonight was a Soubise Mac and Cheese and Roasted Bronzino. The Soubise Mac and Cheese has some good technique involved and it’s always fun to get your hands dirty with a whole fish.
 

Nice little nightcap too!

[heidih]

2 hours ago, Norm Matthews said:

 don't really get excited about a steak that is "perfectly cooked". 

 

Yes! it is an adventure. Thanks

[shain]

14 hours ago, liamsaunt said:

 

I usually add it towards the end of cooking.  A couple of weeks ago I made a coconut curry hake dish, and the soup base had to sit for almost two hours after I put the coconut milk in due to an unforeseen issue.  I ended up having to strain the broth into a fat separator because the coconut oil separated from the broth and there was a thick layer of oil on top of the soup.  Not very appealing!  Of course, then the resulting mostly defatted broth was not as rich as I would have liked.  I think if you add the coconut milk towards the end, it does not have time to separate so you get that nice rich mouthfeel.  

 

My understanding is that separation of the coconut fat is considered desirable in traditional Thai cooking. That said, I also add coconut milk right before serving (often with an additional drizzle on the plate), but my reasoning is mostly to retain the coconut aroma, which I find to degrade during prolonged heating.

[Shelby]

Salad and hot wings 

 

Finally ran across some oxtail in the grocery store.  $5.99/lb!  Used to be so much cheaper.  But, I've wanted them ever since I saw @Duvel's ragu.

 

I wanted to make the ragu in the IP to see if I liked it as well as a slow and low cook in the oven.  I was pleased with it and it only took 2 hours (plus the time to get to pressure and the time to naturally release)

I made some bread and some pappardelle to go with --I'm calling my pappardelle "rustic" 🤣

 

[liamsaunt]

3 hours ago, shain said:

 

My understanding is that separation of the coconut fat is considered desirable in traditional Thai cooking. That said, I also add coconut milk right before serving (often with an additional drizzle on the plate), but my reasoning is mostly to retain the coconut aroma, which I find to degrade during prolonged heating.

 

Interesting, thank you.  I did cross check the picture in the cookbook I was using and noted some blobs of fat on the surface of the soup but this was a solid 1/2 inch of liquid fat covering the whole soup.  I thought it looked really unappealing, but maybe it would have been delicious.  Next time!  

 

Yesterday I baked up some oversized brioche buns

 

 

And made fish sandwiches for dinner. with the haddock I got in my fish share.  

 

[Duvel]

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

 

Looks soooo inviting 🤗

[Margaret Pilgrim]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

Salad and hot wings 

 

 

 

Finally ran across some oxtail in the grocery store.  $5.99/lb!  Used to be so much cheaper.  But, I've wanted them ever since I saw @Duvel's ragu.

 

I wanted to make the ragu in the IP to see if I liked it as well as a slow and low cook in the oven.  I was pleased with it and it only took 2 hours (plus the time to get to pressure and the time to naturally release)

I made some bread and some pappardelle to go with --I'm calling my pappardelle "rustic" 🤣

 

 

Would be my last meal...

[lindag]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

 

 

 

 

Finally ran across some oxtail in the grocery store.  $5.99/lb!  Used to be so much cheaper.  But, I've wanted them ever since I saw @Duvel's ragu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're $7.99 (frozen) a pound here if you can find them....and this is beef country!  What the heck are the meat producers doing with them!

And why the heck are they called OXtails!?

Edited February 13, 2020 by lindag (log)

[heidih]

2 minutes ago, lindag said:

They're $7.99 (frozen) a pound here if you can find them....and this is beef country!  What the heck are the meat producers doing with them!

And why the heck are they called OXtails!?

 

 

Probably like lamb in New Zealand - shipped out to folks who will pay or restaurants.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

These chic odd-bits, ox-tail, beef cheeks, are sucked up by restaurants where they satisfy the need for less expensive protein, can be sold for pennies less than chops or steak on the plate.    And they are, of course, the most flavorful and unctuous meats.    I asked my butcher for beef cheeks and he told me he could get me a 10 pound box.     I asked him why he couldn't buy the 10 pounds and sell, say, 8 pounds from his counter.      NIH...not invented here.   

 

I paid $18 for the last ox-tail I bought, part of a dinner party, while my mother used to buy this level of meat during the war because it required few if any meat stamps.    Times and tastes change.  

[heidih]

On the other hand chicken feet and cows feet still hyper cheap  I pay more for the yucca that goes in than the feet

Edited February 13, 2020 by heidih (log)