Dinner 2023

Senior Sea Kayaker · May 1, 2023

There are a lot of things I can't get here (or have to depend on someone picking them up in Halifax) however good seafood is not one of them.

I can, and regularly pick up, mussels that were harvested two to three days prior and are very fresh.

Sobey's brings them in from Newfoundland on the ferry and after a bit of a chat with the person behind the fish counter I can get the most recent shipment.

shain · May 1, 2023

Enchiladas. Filling is cheeses, onion, egg and chili. Roasted chilies sauce with lots of coriander seed.

heidih · May 1, 2023

6 hours ago, liamsaunt said:

Melissa Clark's cognac-tarragon chicken from a recent NY Times article, roasted with some watermelon radishes in the pan. They soaked up some of the juices and were my favorite part of the dinner. Everyone really liked the chicken. It uses quite a lot of tarragon though, so if you don't like tarragon I'd skip it. Mashed potatoes and green beans with almonds alongside.

A cold tarragon and artichoke chicken salad used to be my fave at Trader Joes - Not around anymore. They used dark meat and included angel hair pasta - not my favorite but it worked. Now I need to get some tarragon planted. Grocery store in the clamshell I find tasteless. Thanks for the tarragon + chicken prompt.

heidih · May 1, 2023

4 hours ago, Annie_H said:

The other recent fast meal I've posted before I think. This with the smoked duck breasts are giving me more options. Capra lamb/hatch chili tamales. 25-30min in the steamer from frozen. Extra credit I made a fresh blender green sauce--2 heaping tBsp of plain yogurt. Juice of one lime, a jalapeño, fistful of cilantro stems and same of carrot tops. Splash of rice wine vinegar.

And a special request for a shaved salad side and for a few days lunch salad bowls. Tossed in chili crisp for a kimchi vibe.

You guys with the Wild Fork smoked duck breasts have me thinking - maybe try. Yes that simple green sauce can really perk thngs up and variations are endless. I always like your vegetable centric cooking posts and am intrigued by your shaved veg salad. I also like to make salads that last a few days with good variety. Can you elaborate on "shaved"? Thanks.

C. sapidus · May 1, 2023

Shrimp patia: Shrimp poached in a sauce of fried onions, chile-garlic-cumin paste, ground cumin, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, and garam masala, with tomatoes, tamarind, brown sugar, and curry leaves.

Rice pilaf with broccoli and caramelized onions: Spices included green cardamom, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Broccoli was steamed with a tadka of whole cumin and black mustard seeds fried in ghee.

Edited May 1, 2023 by C. sapidus
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Norm Matthews · May 1, 2023

I used my smoker today to cook ribs, corn, BBQ beans and a potato. The potato needed more time in the microwave. The corn and the beans took two hours and the ribs took about 3 hours, all at 225 º. The beans recipe is from Gates BBQ and letting them get natural smoke instead of liquid smoke made them taste better, IMO.

Honkman · May 2, 2023

Oven Roasted Pork Sausages with Red Cabbage- Spinach Slaw - The sausages were roasted with a mixture of coarse mustard and honey until nicely caramelized. The slaw was made with red cabbage, baby spinach, red onions, blackberries, walnuts, apple and vinaigrette from olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and maple syrup

haresfur · May 2, 2023

On 4/30/2023 at 8:41 PM, Duvel said:

In Germany during Spargel season the white phenotype reigns supreme.

The green one is available year round (imported), typically smaller and predominantly used as a side veggie, while the white seasonal one is the main.

The green phenotype is much cheaper to produce, because you don’t need all that extra work to keep the sunlight away (grown in covered earthwalls until ready, dug out and cut manually, …). Green asparagus can be grown in a regular field and machine-harvested.

How long is spargel season? Any chance I'll get to try some in the second half of May when I'll be in Europe?

Interesting about the mechanical harvesting of green asparagus. When I lived in an asparagus growing area in the US it was all hand-harvested, predominantly by hispanic workers. Still it was cheap enough to pickle.

Duvel · May 2, 2023

3 hours ago, haresfur said:

How long is spargel season? Any chance I'll get to try some in the second half of May when I'll be in Europe?

Tradionally Spargel season ends on June 24th (in Germany), so you should be able to enjoy it - if you are close to Germany. If you are visiting the Algarve or so, it might be different 🤗

Duvel · May 2, 2023

On 4/30/2023 at 6:48 PM, Duvel said:

And a nice bridge towards tomorrows Spargel dinner 🤗

So, this nights Spargel dinner - “whole family” edition …

Fresh from the field - excellent price at 12 €/kg …

Cleaned & ready to blanch …

Something more sweet today (happy wife, happy life) …

Ready !

1.3 kg of Spargel …

Tirolean Speck, Lachsschinken with herb crust, Jamon Serrano, Kochschinken and hard boiled eggs …

And my secret weapon to get the family into Spargel dinner - Schnitzel 😝

Happy family & very happy Duvel 🥳

weinoo · May 2, 2023

2 hours ago, Duvel said:

Fresh from the field - excellent price at 12 €/kg …

First off - that's crazy! (I can get stuff from Europe at $35/kg).

Second off - beautiful looking spargel and prep.

liuzhou · May 2, 2023

Smoked duck breast, matsutake and culantro.

KennethT · May 2, 2023

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

Smoked duck breast, matsutake and culantro.

Do you buy the duck breast presmoked and reheat or did you smoke it? What are the common smoking, er combustibles, in your area?

liuzhou · May 2, 2023

6 minutes ago, KennethT said:

Do you buy the duck breast presmoked and reheat or did you smoke it? What are the common smoking, er combustibles, in your area?

It's pre-smoked. I always buy it in these 1kg packs and repack singly and freeze.

Tea is often used to smoke duck. I'm not sure what is used in these duck breasts but fruit woods are certainly used for some preparations. Lychee wood, apple wood and camphor wood are the most common.

Ann_T · May 2, 2023

Hard shell tacos for dinner last night.

rotuts · May 2, 2023

@Norm Matthews

fine looking meal.

your ribs look like the loin and cap were included :

how was it marketed ?

looks delicious , an the rare side.

Edited May 2, 2023 by rotuts (log)

liamsaunt · May 2, 2023

Flounder broiled with butter, lemon, breadcrumbs, and herbs. Sides of rice and more local asparagus.

Annie_H · May 2, 2023

18 hours ago, heidih said:

You guys with the Wild Fork smoked duck breasts have me thinking - maybe try. Yes that simple green sauce can really perk thngs up and variations are endless. I always like your vegetable centric cooking posts and am intrigued by your shaved veg salad. I also like to make salads that last a few days with good variety. Can you elaborate on "shaved"? Thanks.

I stock a wealth of vegetables in my crisper using a local farm share box and Misfits. Often 'singletons'--a half bunch of various greens, a yellow bell pepper, a purple radish, celery, half a fennel bulb, a beet, 1/4 head of cabbage, etc.

I'm not that culinary literal where something needs to stick to a specific name/recipe. But I do see fennel often referred to as a 'shaved' salad. Using a slicing blade or mandolin. My family just calls it a 'salad'. it is not a traditional slaw like my mother makes.

I'm making this one tonight, recipe, --shaved fennel, celery, parmesan salad to have with a rack of lamb and roasted vegetables. Parmesan crusted croutons. Extra of everything for tomorrows salad bowls. I have a couple ramen eggs, an avocado, and some RG black beans.

I think simple is often best but for pure volume and excess veg needing to be used, (all fresh), I'll use all of it. My husband likes the 'garbage pail'. He will snack on it at the kitchen counter well ahead of dinner. Especially if it has feta, lol.

Work orders from Sweetgreen often. Especially during covid before vaccinations.

Norm Matthews · May 2, 2023

4 hours ago, rotuts said:

@Norm Matthews

fine looking meal.

your ribs look like the loin and cap were included :

how was it marketed ?

looks delicious , an the rare side.

Thank you. They were sold as baby back ribs. I noticed that both times so far that they seem a lot meatier that last year. PS last time I cooked them for 4 hours and they were overcooked so i cut the cook time by l little more than an hour.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Norm Matthews (log)

Anna N · May 2, 2023

6 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Smoked duck breast, matsutake and culantro.

Like @KennethTI would like to know if (and how) you reheat it. If you do reheat, do you manage to crisp it. Thanks.

liuzhou · May 2, 2023

11 hours ago, Anna N said:

Like @KennethTI would like to know if (and how) you reheat it. If you do reheat, do you manage to crisp it. Thanks.

I don't always reheat it. I often just have it cold with maybe a salad. I have however, had some success crisping the skin under the grill/broiler.

Edited May 3, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

Captain · May 2, 2023

Some small Flathead fillets with potato wedges, sour cream and sweet chili sauce.

One of my favourite fish.

Honkman · May 3, 2023

Jjajang Lamb Noodles with Honey-Soy Butter Glazed Turnips - Noodle sauce was made from ground lamb, onion, fish sauce, fermented black beans, Shaoxing wine, gochujang, sugar and silken tofu. Turnips were braised briefly in a mixture of honey, soy sauce, butter and water, afterwards boiled down to a glaze. Both recipes from the Mei Mei cookbook

heidih · May 3, 2023

Anywhooo now I do want to try Spargel properly prepared. Though I live in the produce capitol of US our current climate mess would make the product impossible. Poor farmers with flooded fields. Adjustments will be needed. Having good cooking skills and being flexible a bonus in these times.