Dinner 2021

[Annie_H]

17 hours ago, Duvel said:

I am a bit confused - until the Merguez that’s one plate ? Or until the tomato gorgonzola vodka sauce and the Merguez is hidden under the pasta or served separately ? And the artichokes are also part of the pasta dish or part of the kitchen sink salad ?

The merguez is pan seared first, set aside, deglaze pan with miropoix or in this case leek and garlic. Vodka, tomato, gorgonzola instead of cream. Puree smooth with stick blender. Cut sausage into small rounds and return to sauce to keep warm while boiling pasta. Remove sausage with slotted spoon and plate. So yes, the merguez is under the pasta. One is visible in the heaped plated pic. Easier to toss the pasta in the vodka sauce without the sausage. Easier to distribute the sausage evenly or in most cases DH gets a bit more. I take process shots for a co-worker group that are just learning to cook so it is clear in the pics I sent them. 

Or I could just simply write Vodka Sauce over Merguez, : )

 

Shrimp miso soup over seared tofu

 

[liamsaunt]

Fried haddock sandwich with slaw on homemade brioche bun

 

[Kim Shook]

As far as the canned cherry tomatoes go, I’m really wondering what would be the point for us specifically.  Since we don’t like hot tomatoes, I’d mush them up and they would lose the “look” of them.  I was really wondering if there was some inherent cherry tomato flavor I didn’t know about. 

 

@Dejah – I’m impressed with that “fried” chicken – especially since it was cooked in the oven.  It looks very much like oil fried chicken!

 

@gfweb – what beautiful schnitzel!

 

Tree trimming dinner on Saturday was way after normal dinner time (even for us).  We got hungry, but not for a real meal, so I set out an assortment of cheeses and things to go with them:

From 11 o’clock: Alouette ET, crackers, bread, Cabot 3-year Cheddar, and incredibly delectable and perfect yellow skinned pear, Trader Joe’s Fromage Pavé (thanks again, rotuts), Pina Colada flavored Wensleydale, and an aged Gouda in the middle.  The Wensleydale was ok – a little too sweet.  As much as I love coconut, I think that might have been the main culprit.  I’m actually a fan of all the different fruited Wensleydales, but this one was over the top.  I have some peppered Carr’s water biscuits and will give it a try on those.  Also, some salami and a few slices of Havarti:

 Jessica had this which we got caught up on:

The first two bits were very good Gouda and Edam, which I can’t remember EVER buying as an adult.  I was transported back to childhood to one of my mother’s cocktail parties in the 1960s.  I remember she would place a round of each (Gouda and Edam) – still covered in the wax - on either end of the platter and cut the cheeses into wedges down to, but not through, the bottom of the wax.  She would then carefully fold back the wax wedges to form “petals” around the now cut into wedges cheese rounds.  She would decorate the platter with grapes and apple slices and put baskets of crackers and sliced bread on the side.  I love it when food brings back memories like that. 

 Sunday dinner was Old Bay roasted Gulf shrimp:

 

Caesar salad:

 

Crispy Smashed Potatoes:

which got a little extra crispy, but were good dipped in bearnaise, anyway.  Crusty bread:

 

Dessert was a LillyPuds Xmas pudding.  I grew up with Xmas pudding – my English grandmother would make it when she visited in summer and we’d have it at Christmas – so I knew I would like, but not love it.  I was pretty sure that Jessica wouldn’t be crazy about it and thought Mr. Kim would like it at least as much as me.  After steaming:

 

Turned out:

 

Serving with custard:

Here, I made a mistake.  My mother always served this with hard sauce (brandy butter) which I don’t care for.  I asked my FB British ex-pat group if I could use custard instead.  I got lots of positive responses.  Perhaps if I’d made my own custard or even used Bird’s powder (which is exactly what Momma did when she needed custard for trifle or canned fruit), it would have been ok.  But someone in the group mentioned canned Devon custard, which I’d seen at Publix.  It was awful.  Luckily, I just used a dab.  All three of us agreed it was NOT good.  And my predictions about who would like it were true – Jessica not at all and Mr. Kim and I liked it a lot.  Since I wasn’t sure about this pud, I made something I knew we’d all like – a chocolate cream pie:

Complete with a Cool Whip topping 😂:

Jessica was much happier with this and Mr. Kim and I, even though we liked the pud, agreed that we’d never crave Xmas pudding.  We both admitted that we actually preferred the instant pudding/Cool Whip concoction to the beautifully made pud 😊. 

 

There is apparently a gremlin in my computer today.  On this thread and also the lunch thread I seem to have no control over bold and spacing of my letters.  

[blue_dolphin]

39 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

As far as the canned cherry tomatoes go, I’m really wondering what would be the point for us specifically.  Since we don’t like hot tomatoes, I’d mush them up and they would lose the “look” of them.  I was really wondering if there was some inherent cherry tomato flavor I didn’t know about. 

 

It doesn't sound like the canned cherry tomatoes would be your jam, and that's just fine. Personally, I find their flavor to be a bit better than most small cans of tomatoes.  I have a good selection of brands when it comes to larger cans but when you get down to the 400g/14 or 15 oz size, my stores don't have a ton of choice so I've found it handy to keep the canned cherries around for when I don't need a larger amount.  They usually mush themselves up nicely without me needing to do any chopping as I'd likely do with whole canned tomatoes so that's handy as well.   

I'll add that some canned cherry tomatoes are peeled and some are not.  Check the label and if it's important, choose one that makes it clear. 

[Duvel]

3 hours ago, liamsaunt said:

Fried haddock sandwich with slaw on homemade brioche bun

Great minds think alike (though execution might be slightly better on your side):

 

Fried cod sandwich „Bremer style“ (tomato ketchup, vinegar, roasted onions) on a personally purchased brioche bun. Served on an IKEA plate 😉

 

[heidih]

@Duvel Nice coating on the fish though ya lost me at the catsup - but yours with tartar sauce - heavenly.

[Tropicalsenior]

3 minutes ago, heidih said:

ya lost me at the catsup -

Yep, me too.

[Ann_T]

12 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

Yep, me too.

Beautiful looking sandwich, and great colour on your batter,  but can't do ketchup either. 

[rotuts]

I agree, superb looking sandwich

 

I agree catsup isn't for me for a nice 

 

pice of cad.  

 

however , catsup + vinegar  gave me a pause 

 

its like a sweet and sour sauce 

 

that I might try !

[shain]

Focaccia. High hydration dough

Spinach salad in yogurt and garlic dressing; with toasted walnuts and paprika-butter.

Ricotta with spicy and sweet roasted peppers.

Also various olives, Bryndza cheese, Tzfatit cheese with nigella, cherry tomatoes, pickles, olive oil, semi-dry muscat.

 

[Anna N]

@Duvel

,

I am puzzled why people are objecting to you making a fish sandwich Bremen style and using ketchup. According to what I understand the ketchup is usually a given.   It’s a bit like saying I like your Manhattan-style clam chowder but I’m puzzled by the tomatoes. Anyway I would happily eat it. 

[Duvel]

41 minutes ago, heidih said:

@Duvel Nice coating on the fish though ya lost me at the catsup - but yours with tartar sauce - heavenly.

The non-German part of the family had hers with tartar sauce … it wasn’t half bad, but just bot what I wanted tonight.

[Duvel]

12 minutes ago, Anna N said:

@Duvel

,

I am puzzled why people are objecting to you making a fish sandwich Bremen style and using ketchup. According to what I understand the ketchup is usually a given.   It’s a bit like saying I like your Manhattan-style clam chowder but I’m puzzled by the tomatoes. Anyway I would happily eat it. 

I am slightly surprised as well - isn’t shrimp cocktail sauce just ketchup plus acid plus something sharp ? In any case it is what I grew up with and as mentioned I was very much in the mood for something comforting tonight …

[rotuts]

my apologies to :

 

@Duvel 

 

and 

 

@Anna N   for chiming in.

 

how I grew up , mostly a bit later

 

in New England ....

 

'''  Bremen Style ''''

 

is more than mighty fine

 

and Id love to try it ..

 

but for some Philistines :

 

Me !

 

Catsup + Vinegar :::

 

Vinegar + Catsup ? 

 

very worth looking into 

 

I would have sniffed a few of those !

 

gladly

 

rats :

 

I always appreciate

 

@Anna N   chiming in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by rotuts (log)

[heidih]

Of course! It is your comfort need, your tradition. That it does not appeal to me with catsup is my quirk. Not that it matters but I don't particularly like the catsup style cocktail sauce near my shrimp either   

Edited December 7, 2021 by heidih (log)

[Dejah]

On 12/5/2021 at 10:14 AM, heidih said:

On the konnyaku based noodles - I simmer them first in some water and a few glugs of soy sauce.  The fresh rice noodles I usually can get  are oiled, and rolled end over end - versus coiled - but sometimes break and frustrate me as I try to unroll them. 

Yes. The fresh rice noodles I get are laid out end to end to end. There is some oil but because they are packed so tightly, they still will break, usually at the bends.
The fresh are so lovely, but dried ones re-hydrated will do in a pinch.

[Dejah]

Still getting used to my new glass top element with the Ultra Hi setting. I was using the cold cast iron pan method for strip loin steaks doing the flips. Even tho' I was watching carefully, and turned down the heat to med-hi after a few flips, the steaks still came out med-well as opposed to med. rare. But with mushroom sauce, it was ok. Tater tots instead of the tater wedges we've been having

                                                                                

 

Quick throw together supper with goodies from the trip to the city: Cantonese BBQ Duck, rice rolls, and stir-fried bok choy.

 

                                                                               

[Steve Irby]

The last of Thanksgiving leftovers!  Smoked turkey risotto with Tony Chacere's extra spicy seasoning.  I used some very rich smoked turkey stock and really worked the arborio rice to develop a nice creamy consistency.

 

[Ann_T]

Made Moe one of our favourite dinners tonight.

 

 

Chicken Breasts Perigord.

I've been making this dish for over 30 years.

 

Boneless chicken breasts with a mushroom duxelles stuffed under the skin. With a peppercorn port sauce.

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Ann_T (log)

[mgaretz]

Yet another stir fry with noodles, mushrooms, onion, baby bok choy, carrots, spinach and char siu.

 

 

[Tropicalsenior]

10 minutes ago, mgaretz said:

Yet another stir fry with noodles, mushrooms, onion, baby bok choy, carrots, spinach and char siu.

 

 

I see quite a bit of char siu on your plates. Do you have a good source to buy it or do you make your own?

[Dejah]

My cousin is visiting from Burnaby, B.C. Her husband requested my Hot & Sour Soup, so I made a big pot to deliver to her Mom's place tomorrow when we go for a visit. To check the balance of flavours, we had some for supper. My hubby likes rice in his soup. It was a full meal with Shitaki mushrooms, wood ear, bamboo shoots, ginger, char siu, chicken, shrimp, and tofu - tangy and a bit of bit!

                                                                       

 

                                                                       

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I was/am unbelievably tired.  Dinner was rice and stir-fried cabbage.  Nothing I would have rather eaten.  Dessert was peanut butter gelato...

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/152508-home-made-ice-cream-2015–/?do=findComment&comment=2321762

 

[mgaretz]

49 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I see quite a bit of char siu on your plates. Do you have a good source to buy it or do you make your own?

 

I do both.  Sometimes I get it from a local takeout (I buy a lot of it), then portion and vacuum pack and freeze it.  Lately Costco had some really good char siu (Yang Tze brand) so I have been buying a lot of that and slicing/packing/freezing.  But I also make my own.  I use Costco's boneless country-style ribs (really just pork but already cut into char siu sized hunks).  I use NOH brand char siu marinade powder as a dry rub, then bake and finish under the broiler.  Again I make a lot and freeze.

 

Another trick I came up with if you need char siu in a hurry:  Take some thick sliced ham (like ham steaks) and cut into pieces.  Toss with NOH powder and then broil.  

[Dejah]

1 hour ago, mgaretz said:

 

I do both.  Sometimes I get it from a local takeout (I buy a lot of it), then portion and vacuum pack and freeze it.  Lately Costco had some really good char siu (Yang Tze brand) so I have been buying a lot of that and slicing/packing/freezing.  But I also make my own.  I use Costco's boneless country-style ribs (really just pork but already cut into char siu sized hunks).  I use NOH brand char siu marinade powder as a dry rub, then bake and finish under the broiler.  Again I make a lot and freeze.

 

Another trick I came up with if you need char siu in a hurry:  Take some thick sliced ham (like ham steaks) and cut into pieces.  Toss with NOH powder and then broil.  

Country-style ribs was a cut I always used for char siu. The ones I get usually has a bone at the end. The cut, like mgaretz said is cut perfectly for char siu, a mix of fat and lean.
However, our Superstore no longer carries that cut, and no other store in our city carries that cut.