Dinner 2022

[Anna N]

10 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

What is the problem with duck? Is it unavailable because people generally don't want it or don't know how to  cook it. Or something else?

Here, it is the most easily available (and the cheapest) major protein and, dare I say, the most delicious. Lends itelf to all sorts of dishes.

I am no expert on this subject, but my suspicion is that it is not a popular meat. But I sense that it is becoming much more so.  At Christmas your chances of finding a fresh duck go up exponentially. Duck parts were never available a few years back but now I have no difficulty finding breasts and legs in Cryovac packaging in certain supermarkets. Most of these are from Pekin ducks, I would assume. One upscale supermarket occasionally carries the much larger moulard/magret breasts.

[heidih]

Similar to Anna's response, here duck is not common.That cycle of low demamd >>>, high prices. The Asian markets near me esp Chinese have the parts reasonably priced. In dicussion with friends it seems they ard just unfamiliar. Also many here still worship at the low fat shrine - think boneless skiness chicken breasts highly values! it is changing but not for average Joe. Oh and roasting whole fowl seems to skeeve people out though they flock to the loss leadr famous Costco rotisserie chicken.. Store ends up marking down whole chicken as folks reach for the packaged parts.

Edited December 21, 2022 by heidih (log)

[Marlene]

I can never find duck here , especially in this small town but even down in the city I have a hard time.   Did a roast pork, roast potatoes and peas and brioche buns for dinner on Sunday.  I know the current thinking is to cook pork to medium so it is pink , but that will not go over well in my house. I tried it once, no one would eat it.  Been on soft foods for a couple of days after a couple of teeth extractions and temp plate put in, but its healing nicely so should be able to eat Christmas dinner which will basically be a reprise of son's birthday dinner. 

 

[heidih]

1 minute ago, Marlene said:

I can never find duck here , especially in this small town but even down in the city I have a hard time.   Did a roast pork, roast potatoes and peas and brioche buns for dinner on Sunday.  I know the current thinking is to cook pork to medium so it is pink , but that will not go over well in my house. I tried it once, no one would eat it.  Been on soft foods for a couple of days after a couple of teeth extractions and temp plate put in, but its healing nicely so should be able to eat Christmas dinner which will basically be a reprise of son's birthday dinner. 

 

Oh my!  Those potatoes! I am odd so would make a meal of just those with some strong horseradish sauce on the side.

[Marlene]

1 minute ago, heidih said:

Oh my!  Those potatoes! I am odd so would make a meal of just those with some strong horseradish sauce on the side.

They're kind of my favourite part too lol. I add some leaf lard to the roasting pan when I can find it and tenderflake when I can't, and roast the potatoes with the roast after I par boil them for 10 minutes or so.  

[TicTac]

Re: Duck - it must be a location topic, because here in Thornhill (just on the border of the "great" 'GTA') I can find fresh duck at Longos and many other markets.  In fact I can get Magret or 'regular ol' King Cole (breasts, legs, whole duck) fresh, consistently. 

 

If anyone in ON wants, let me know - we can arrange a care package!

 

@Anna N / @Marlene

[liuzhou]

I'll just have to franchise out my world famous duckburger and chips with salad themed eatery and get N. America on the duck trail!

 

 

 

[Ann_T]

2 hours ago, TicTac said:

This looks awesome.  Curious as to what liquid you braise your beef ribs in?

@TicTac, red wine and beef broth. 

 

The basic recipe is here. https://thibeaultstable.com/2012/07/27/braised-short-ribs/

 

Not really a detailed recipe. More just the basic idea.  Can be adjusted to

to suit your own taste.  Works with the prime rib bones and with oxtails. 

 

 

[Anna N]

37 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Re: Duck - it must be a location topic, because here in Thornhill (just on the border of the "great" 'GTA') I can find fresh duck at Longos and many other markets.  In fact I can get Magret or 'regular ol' King Cole (breasts, legs, whole duck) fresh, consistently. 

 

If anyone in ON wants, let me know - we can arrange a care package!

 

@Anna N / @Marlene

Thanks for your kind offer. It’s probably partly a location problem and partly a seasonal problem. Fresh duck seems to appear quite miraculously around Christmas and frozen duck seems to be an abundance just after Christmas.
I also think it is becoming much easier to find duck parts than it used to be. Now that I am restricted to ordering online it is not nearly so easy. They show up and then they disappear. Some of it might even be due to current supply issues.

But I thank you for your kind offer.

[scamhi]

bought a 10 pound 5 bone domestic wagyu roast and cut it down into 5 rib eye steaks.

Here are 2 each about 1-1/2" thick.

Pouring rain and windy outside so I reversed seared to 110F and then ran it under my salamander to get some crust.

Had it with a lovely frappato from Occhipinti from southern Italy.

Sides were Israeli salad with feta and a sautéed green bean, little golf ball size new potatoes, shallot and basil.

 

[rotuts]

@scamhi  

 

WoW !

 

I advise the trimming on those RE steaks .

 

the one w that larger Cap : ++++++

 

 

[Steve Irby]

Dinner tonight was whole stuffed flounder.  The dish was a Gulf Coast menu headliner 30-40 years ago (when I had hair)  and is almost unheard of now.   This variation is made with a shrimp and panko stuffing with a lot of butter.  Taste great, looks great and the house smells great.

 

 

 

 

The flounder being prepped.  Both sides of the fish are filleted to the dorsal/anal fins and the backbone removed.

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Steve Irby (log)

[heidih]

Pretty fish, I am in

[Honkman]

German-style dinner - Frikadellen (pork and beef mix) with green beans and crispy bacon mashed potatoes

[liuzhou]

For first time in 26 years here in China, I found myself a lamb's liver. Lamb and mutton are not popular meats in southern China and the offal is never seen. If you are a sheep lover heading to China, go north and west.

 

What I got was a whole liver - bigger than I imagined - and I've sectioned it and frozen three-quarters  for future enjoyment.

 

 

The other quarter became part of dinner. I sort of combined a Chinese way and a western way. The liver was sliced thinly and marinated in Shaoxing with garlic and chilli. I crisped up some bacon rashers and stir fried spinach with the crumbled bacon. The liver was also stir fried at the same time (two woks) and finished with a little stock and freshly chopped coriander leaf / cilantro to make a sauce. Served with rice.

 

Spinach with Crisp Bacon (bottom), Stir-fried Lamb's Liver (top-right) and Rice. Stray TCM material far right!

Not unhappy.

 

Close-up with steam

 

[liamsaunt]

Chicken, cashew, and pepper stir fry

 

[Paul Bacino]

Cauliflower Taco

Cauliflower seasoned in Dukkah. Evoo, Salt,  Ortega

Airfryer 6 mins 400F

Add ons the usual

[Norm Matthews]

Charlie asked for tacos or meatloaf so tacos it was.

[MaryIsobel]

46 minutes ago, Norm Matthews said:

Charlie asked for tacos or meatloaf so tacos it was.

That's quite a taco spread!

[Marlene]

1 hour ago, Norm Matthews said:

Charlie asked for tacos or meatloaf so tacos it was.

Those taco plates I love!  And yes, that's quite the spread, looks terrific!

[FauxPas]

I've been trying to use up some bits and pieces and things have not been that inventive lately. 

 

Chicken fajitas. Also added some sliced avocado on the side. 

 

 

 

That "famous" roasted tomato and feta cheese pasta sauce (with lots of garlic, yum). I had a big container of lovely mixed cherry tomatoes from Costco and it was a good way to finish off the remainder. I only had freeze-dried basil which is tasty, but not nearly as photogenic as fresh. 

 

 

 

 

Filipino pork adobo, a favourite of ours. I made a slightly darker and thicker sauce than usual. 

 

 

Spag Bol with some nice ground chuck and mushrooms and rather a lot of Parm Reg on top. I used Muir Glen's crushed fire-roasted tomatoes and I have to agree with @weinoo that they really can be tasty. 

 

 

With leftover pasta and sauce, I baked in small casserole dishes with mixed cheese topping for the following night's dinner. 

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by FauxPas (log)

[MaryIsobel]

58 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

I've been trying to use up some bits and pieces and things have not been that inventive lately. 

 

Chicken fajitas. Also added some sliced avocado on the side. 

 

 

 

That "famous" roasted tomato and feta cheese pasta sauce (with lots of garlic, yum). I had a big container of lovely mixed cherry tomatoes from Costco and it was a good way to finish off the remainder. I only had freeze-dried basil which is tasty, but not nearly as photogenic as fresh. 

 

 

 

 

Filipino pork adobo, a favourite of ours. I made a slightly darker and thicker sauce than usual. 

 

 

Spag Bol with some nice ground chuck and mushrooms and rather a lot of Parm Reg on top. I used Muir Glen's crushed fire-roasted tomatoes and I have to agree with @weinoo that they really can be tasty. 

 

 

With leftover pasta and sauce, I baked in small casserole dishes with mixed cheese topping for the following night's dinner. 

 

 

 

I'd love your recipe for adobo. There are so many variations if one just does a search.

 

[CookBot]

On 12/21/2022 at 8:41 PM, Steve Irby said:

Dinner tonight was whole stuffed flounder.  The dish was a Gulf Coast menu headliner 30-40 years ago (when I had hair)  and is almost unheard of now.   

 

Memories!  You're quite right, it used to be ubiquitous and now I never see it anywhere.  It takes me right back to the funky old seafood joints along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans.  (Although yours looks better than theirs usually did.)

 

I also wanted to compliment your obviously vintage Pyrex baking dish.  That thing looks like it weighs at least five pounds, the way they used to.

 

 

16 hours ago, liuzhou said:

For first time in 26 years here in China, I found myself a lamb's liver. Lamb and mutton are not popular meats in southern China and the offal is never seen.

 

Don't feel alone.  I've lived in major cities all over the U.S. and don't recall ever seeing a lamb liver anywhere, or lamb offal of any kind except (rarely) kidneys.  Is the liver as gamey as the kidneys are?

 

[liuzhou]

4 minutes ago, CookBot said:

 

Don't feel alone.  I've lived in major cities all over the U.S. and don't recall ever seeing a lamb liver anywhere, or lamb offal of any kind except (rarely) kidneys.  Is the liver as gamey as the kidneys are?

 

 

Lamb's liver is the most common in the UK and was what I grew up on, calves liver being somewhat beyond our means. Here in China, only pig liver is widely available, although beeef liver is sometimes available (I used to feed that to my cat).

Many people here in the south complain of lamb's gaminess in general; not only the offal. The even complain about the smell of raw lamb.

 

In Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang in the north and west, they can't get enough and don't understand what it is people don't like. Despite living in the south, I'm with them. I don't find lamb or mutton particularly gamey and certainly not the livers. Among the major meats, apart from calves liver, it is the mildest. Same with the kidneys.

 

[Honkman]

Brussel Sprouts and Potato Stew - Brussels sprouts and potatoes are cooked in vegetable broth and some milk until quite soft, a little bit mashed and served with kassler (cured and smoked pork) and some croutons