Lunch 2021

[Anna N]

Sautéed Belgian endive, grape tomatoes and sausage balls. 

[BonVivant]

Creamed spinach. Ate with boiled potatoes (not pictured).

 

Late lunches happen sometimes. Dinner is either beer or wine.

 

Chilean surf clam with rice and pan-fried taukwa tofu

 

Korean-made Udon and same taukwa tofu

 

[KennethT]

 

Indonesian mie goreng

 

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, KennethT said:

Indonesian mie goreng

 

Where you getting those (hopefully wild) shrimp?

 

What brand of noodles do you use?

[KennethT]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

 

Where you getting those (hopefully wild) shrimp?

 

What brand of noodles do you use?

The shrimp are wild key west pink shrimp I get from Wild Fork - like $12/lb - they're really shrimpy.  Noodles I get at HMart.

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by KennethT (log)

[Duvel]

Chili on a cold & rainy day …

 

[robirdstx]

 

Southwest Shrimp & Avocado Salad from Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen ~ Don’t let the photo fool you, this salad is large! I ate the first half at the restaurant yesterday and the second half, with some added cheese, was consumed today. Ranch Dressing on the side.

 

 

[Anna N]

Following @Duvel‘s time and temperature but not seasoning it pre-sv.

”They were not cured before. From my experience with proper salting* before bagging the long SV time produces something similar to a confit (texture- and flavorwise). They definitely are tender and flavorful …”

 

Served with Yukon gold potato coins. 

[KennethT]

32 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Following @Duvel‘s time and temperature but not seasoning it pre-sv.

”They were not cured before. From my experience with proper salting* before bagging the long SV time produces something similar to a confit (texture- and flavorwise). They definitely are tender and flavorful …”

 

Served with Yukon gold potato coins. 

 

What did you think of the texture and juiciness when done this way?  I've been looking for a way to make tender, juicy duck legs without getting the confit texture.  The last time I did it, it was pretty dry - but I think my temp was slightly higher.

[Anna N]

6 minutes ago, KennethT said:

What did you think of the texture and juiciness when done this way?  I've been looking for a way to make tender, juicy duck legs without getting the confit texture.  The last time I did it, it was pretty dry - but I think my temp was slightly higher.

It was exactly what I wanted. It was tender and juicy. The only change I would make would be to use a larger container because at that temperature there was a lot of evaporation and I had to keep a close watch even though I had used a silicon lid as a partial cover. 

[Duvel]

It is somewhat odd how delicious and deeply satisfying a simple plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce can be …

 

[heidih]

Just now, Duvel said:

It is somewhat odd how delicious and deeply satisfying a simple plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce can be …

 

There is a scene in 1000 Days in Venice where she is frustrated by her new Venetian husband's frugality with pasta - he measures out 2 oz dry per person She gets up in the middle of the night and boils up a pot of fat spaghetti, grinds lots of black pepper over it,  tossed with butter or olive oi  (don't recall) and eats until her tummy is Buddha round. I've had nights when that seemed the midnight solution. 

[blue_dolphin]

Brussels sprout salad with mustard & toasted almonds from Shaya and tomato jam mini pie using tomato-chilli jam from Dishoom and the sharp cheddar dough from The Book on Pie

I wasn't thrilled about that salad the first time I made it but it hit the spot today.  Maybe too much dill last time?  I don't have any fresh dill today and just used a pinch of dried. Or maybe too much dressing?  I dunno but I'll happily make it again. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

8 hours ago, KennethT said:

What did you think of the texture and juiciness when done this way?  I've been looking for a way to make tender, juicy duck legs without getting the confit texture.  The last time I did it, it was pretty dry - but I think my temp was slightly higher.

 

I may be a voice crying in the wilderness but I'll put in another plug for NY Times crisp-braised duck legs.

 

[Anna N]

10 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I may be a voice crying in the wilderness but I'll put in another plug for NY Times crisp-braised duck legs.

 

Thank you. And this was my go-to recipe for duck legs for most of my cooking life. It also produces a braised duck leg with a crispy skin.  Still, occasionally I want nothing to interfere with the simplicity of duck. 

[Duvel]

48 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Thank you. And this was my go-to recipe for duck legs for most of my cooking life. It also produces a braised duck leg with a crispy skin.  Still, occasionally I want nothing to interfere with the simplicity of duck. 

True ! And you get lovely bag juices and plenty if rendered duck fat for other thing …

[KennethT]

@JoNorvelleWalker@Anna N@Duvel And sometimes you want to use the duck in something else - like cut up in a noodle dish or something and it's convenient to have the precooked duck legs sitting in the refrigerator for a couple months....

[Duvel]

1 minute ago, KennethT said:

@JoNorvelleWalker@Anna N@Duvel And sometimes you want to use the duck in something else - like cut up in a noodle dish or something and it's convenient to have the precooked duck legs sitting in the refrigerator for a couple months....

Absolutely … would be great to get an instant Cantonese roast duck like that just to pull out of the freezer !

[weinoo]

6 hours ago, Duvel said:

Absolutely … would be great to get an instant Cantonese roast duck like that just to pull out of the freezer !

 

Fortunately for me, I can get one by simply walking down the block. Wu's has 2 or 3 styles of roast duck; there's always a honey basted one, a classic Cantonese one, and usually a pressed duck as well.

 

 

 

I often bastardize Lebovitz's recipe for a faux confit, and simply season the legs with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence, roast them for 2 to 2.5 hours, and they're very good. Of course braising them uncovered does yield a different texture I think, but it also leads to another question: is uncovered cooking really a braise?

Edited November 19, 2021 by weinoo (log)

[gfweb]

@weinoo Uncovered cooking isn't a braise.  Nor is SV duck leg in oil a confit...but it is very close

[Anna N]

26 minutes ago, gfweb said:

@weinoo Uncovered cooking isn't a braise.  Nor is SV duck leg in oil a confit...but it is very close

Here’s Tom Colicchio on open braises. If the unconventional use of the word “braise” is good enough for him. AND The New York Times……🙃
 

“I like to braise uncovered. This is a little unconventional, but I find it works very well. Covering the pan cooks the meat with steam, which speeds the process but produces less flavorful meat and sauce. Uncovered oven braising also allows the exposed meat to roast and brown. It does mean that you should turn the meat occasionally during cooking to ensure even browning and moist meat.

[rotuts]

@Anna N 

 

interesting points .

 

"""   Uncovered oven braising also allows the exposed meat to roast and brown  ''

 

i don't wish to be picky , but meat braised in a covered pan in the oven

 

browns very nicely.  we all know this.

 

and what is ' roast ' :  sounds good and is hopefully 

 

very roast-ey in the end ...

 

but its really ' baked '  if the oven door is shut.

 

does any of this matter ?  not really 

 

we all know what these things are .  

 

as a Famous Member of the Supremes noted :

 

( not the singing group , BTW ) 

 

''   I know it when I see it '

 

in response to defining a ' touchy matter '

 

 

[Anna N]

8 minutes ago, rotuts said:

i don't wish to be picky , but meat braised in a covered pan in the oven

 

browns very nicely.  we all know this.

Yes. It will brown nicely but what it will not do is crisp. To have braised duck meat with a crispy skin I’m willing to call it whatever works!  

[Steve Irby]

Not My Mom's Green's.  Turnip root and tops with jasmine rice and longaniza sausage.   The greens are from Stewart Farms located in Bay Minette AL.  Carl Stewart always has the best  produce at the Saturday market.  It finally cooled off on the Gulf Coast so I made fresh sausage this weekend.  Ten pounds each of Luganeca, Bubba's Five Alarm Hot Links using recipes from Len Poli.

 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2021 by Steve Irby (log)

[heidih]

@Steve Irby Longaniza - one f my favorites. Also like your use of both the root and the green. Comfort food.