Dinner 2024

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

22 minutes ago, Tempest63 said:

Chow Chow obviously has a different meaning where you are to here in the U.K.

 

A very handsome looking Chow Chow.

 

 

I can assure you traditional Maritime Canada chow chow is 100% vegan  😇

 

 

[Tropicalsenior]

I made a small Quiche Lorraine for dinner. I don't like to make pie crust but I'm practicing for my Christmas Tourtiere. If it turns out this good I'll be happy.

[Shel_B]

25 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I made a small Quiche Lorraine for dinner. I don't like to make pie crust but I'm practicing for my Christmas Tourtiere. If it turns out this good I'll be happy.

That looksvery nice ... well done!

[Dante]

Aurora Borealis sandwich (grilled mozzarella with berry reduction, sauteed pear, cream cheese, and maple syrup)

[MaryIsobel]

2 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I made a small Quiche Lorraine for dinner. I don't like to make pie crust but I'm practicing for my Christmas Tourtiere. If it turns out this good I'll be happy.

Your pastry looks great. I have been using "Nathan's Never Fail Pastry" for about 20 years. I think the lard is the key. Having said that, I use half butter and half lard. Since I only make pies once or twice a year now, I don't fret about the lard. I have both cookbooks in the I've Got to Have That Recipe series. - lots of great recipes. Not gourmet by any means, just good, reliable recipes.

NATHAN'S NEVER FAIL PASTRY
**********************************
These quantities make enough pastry for 3 double-crust pies or 3 1/2 dozen tart shells - muffin size.

5 cups flour
1 teasp salt
2 teasp baking powder
1 lb (454 grams) Tenderflake lard
2 teasp white vinegar
1 egg - slightly beaten. Add water to vinegar and egg to make 1 cup
1) Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in lard until crumbly (using two knives.)
2) Add liquid and mix gently with hands. (I use a fork to help me here.) Roll into a ball.
3) Roll out amount needed on a floured board. Refrigerate or freeze remainder.

Source: 'I've GOT To Have That Recipe'
Doubleday Canada - Victoria, B.C. 1986

Edited December 13 by MaryIsobel (log)

[Honkman]

Green Asparagus Ragout - green asparagus, snow peas, peas, onions cooked in vegetable broth thickened with flour. Finished with sour cream, plenty of basil and lemon juice. Served over rice and with a soft boiled egg

[liuzhou]

Basa fish (Pangasius bocourti), black rice, stir fried baby leaf mustard with garlic and pickled baby lotus shoots.

 

 

The fish is known in English as swai, river cobbler, cobbler, basa, pangasius or panga depending on region. Here in China it is farmed and known as 巴沙鱼 (bā shā yú), In its native Vietnam it is cá basa and in Japan バサ and Korea 베트남메기. It is also farmed in those countries.

 

I breaded it in yellow panko after a long hunt for such panko which didn’t use cØrn to supply the yellow colour. Most do. But I succeeded! The other half of the fillet was also eaten.

 

The black rice is sometimes known as ‘forbidden rice’, referring to a legand that it was once reserved only for the emperors family, although there is little evidence for that, More likely it was only consumed by the upper classes due to its scarcity and resultant high prices.

 

The lotus root is bought already pickled in white rice vinegar. The pickled chilli is from the pickle bag.

 

 

 

Edited December 13 by liuzhou (log)

[Maison Rustique]

@Tropicalsenior Beautiful quiche!! I am pastry-impaired.

[Tropicalsenior]

23 minutes ago, Maison Rustique said:

@Tropicalsenior Beautiful quiche!! I am pastry-impaired.

I am too, in fact, I am pastry phobic. I live in fear of making pie crust like my ex mother-in-law. Her own sister suggested that she sell her pastry recipe to a Paving Company. If they paved the roads with her pie crust they would never have another pothole.

I have learned a little trick that has stood me in good Stead for 20 years. Living in a hot climate makes it doubly hard to have flaky pastry but this method works every time. I mix the flour, salt, and whatever shortening that I am using until it is a fairly course texture. Then I put it in the freezer for at least 3 hours. When I remove it and add the water I don't have to use ice water. I mix in a minimum amount of water. Pat it into a disc and return it to the refrigerator for at least an hour to relax the gluten.

I use half butter and lard for a sweet pastry and half lard and shortening for a savory pie.

Knock on wood, I haven't had a failure yet but I live in fear of mother-in-law crust.

Edited December 13 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[weinoo]

 

Made a few pounds of pork/beef meatballs in gravy.

 

 

Spaghetti and meatballs.  Oven roasted carrots and zucchini as a side.

[Kerry Beal]

12 hours ago, MaryIsobel said:

Your pastry looks great. I have been using "Nathan's Never Fail Pastry" for about 20 years. I think the lard is the key. Having said that, I use half butter and half lard. Since I only make pies once or twice a year now, I don't fret about the lard. I have both cookbooks in the I've Got to Have That Recipe series. - lots of great recipes. Not gourmet by any means, just good, reliable recipes.

NATHAN'S NEVER FAIL PASTRY
**********************************
These quantities make enough pastry for 3 double-crust pies or 3 1/2 dozen tart shells - muffin size.

5 cups flour
1 teasp salt
2 teasp baking powder
1 lb (454 grams) Tenderflake lard
2 teasp white vinegar
1 egg - slightly beaten. Add water to vinegar and egg to make 1 cup
1) Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in lard until crumbly (using two knives.)
2) Add liquid and mix gently with hands. (I use a fork to help me here.) Roll into a ball.
3) Roll out amount needed on a floured board. Refrigerate or freeze remainder.

Source: 'I've GOT To Have That Recipe'
Doubleday Canada - Victoria, B.C. 1986

Almost same recipe I got from my mother except only 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tbsp of vinegar. I think it was the one published on the lard box. I make up to 3/4 cup with ice water. I add some everclear to make it easier to handle - it disappears in the baking. 

Edited December 13 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Honkman]

Korean-inspired Chicken Salad - cooked chicken breast, blanched green beans, red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, scallions, cucumber and pine nuts are mixed with a sauce made from pureed pine nuts, mustard, lemon juice, gochujang and water.

[Neely]

Lamb steak again. Carrot and olive salad, nuked potato and a spoonful of tzatziki. 

 

[weinoo]

Did not cook last night; instead, went to this fabulous dinner, which was a collab between the James Beard Foundation and Cervo's Executive Chef, Manager, etc.

 

 

Only took one picture, as we were busy schmoozing. The fried shrimp heads, with the peel and eat shrimp behind.

 

 

The James Beard House is where our class held our graduation dinner, from what was then Peter Kump's NY Cooking School. I got to actually cook in Beard's kitchen.

 

Last night's event took place at Pier 57,  PlatformbyJBF.

 

Pier 57:

 

[MaryIsobel]

On 12/13/2024 at 5:29 AM, Tropicalsenior said:

I am too, in fact, I am pastry phobic. I live in fear of making pie crust like my ex mother-in-law. Her own sister suggested that she sell her pastry recipe to a Paving Company. If they paved the roads with her pie crust they would never have another pothole.

I have learned a little trick that has stood me in good Stead for 20 years. Living in a hot climate makes it doubly hard to have flaky pastry but this method works every time. I mix the flour, salt, and whatever shortening that I am using until it is a fairly course texture. Then I put it in the freezer for at least 3 hours. When I remove it and add the water I don't have to use ice water. I mix in a minimum amount of water. Pat it into a disc and return it to the refrigerator for at least an hour to relax the gluten.

I use half butter and lard for a sweet pastry and half lard and shortening for a savory pie.

Knock on wood, I haven't had a failure yet but I live in fear of mother-in-law crust.

My sweet Nana  (my Dad's Mom) must have used the same recipe as your ex-MIL. Bless her heart, she always put on a big spread for family - sometimes 4 different pies but all with the same inedible pastry. Honestly, you couldn't cut it with a fork and although I never tried, pretty sure a knife wouldn't work either. She was also very proud of her own seasoning mix, which we all called "Nana Spice." Unfortunately she used it in everything, so everything from devilled eggs, to bread, to mashed potatoes, to veggies all tasted the same. None the less, what I wouldn't give to sit at her table again.

[Honkman]

Greek-Inspired Feta-Filled Bifteki with Pepper-Bread Salad and Tomato Dip - bifteki were made from ground beef, egg, soaked naan, mustard, tomato pasta, fried onions, paprika and oregano. Filled with feta, seared in the pan and finished in the oven. The salad had red, green and yellow peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, parsley and quickly fried naan with a sauce made from yoghurt, olive oil and lemon juice. The dip was made by cooking tomatoes, red onions, garlic and fresno chili.

[Dejah]

On 12/9/2024 at 5:03 PM, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

@Dejah

I'm still envious that you can get pickerel 😇 which I still consider one of the best eating fresh water fish.

 

We are lucky to get pickerel fillets, quick frozen and sealed in 1 lb pkgs 3 times a year ($11.00 / lb - no bones). Sobeys also has fresh pickerel, around $15.00 / lb.
I usually have several pkges, 10-15 in the freezer - quick meals!

[Dejah]

Found Pork Buckeye at the local meat packers. This was the cut we used in the restaurant for Char Siu. Made up a batch for baos , for when the family all converge on the 21st. One of my granddaughters, the 11 year old, who lives in Nfld, loves these, so we will make the baos, AND sticky rice while she is here. She loves both of these, so wants to learn! ❤️ She is already learning to cook many different dishes with her Dad.
I got another batch of buckeye, so her Dad (my 2nd son) will mix the marinade together today. It's hard for them to find good reasonably priced Char Siu in St. John's, Nfld
                                                                                

 

 Taste test: with ramen noodles!

                                                                                               

Honey Mustard Baked Chicken. A friend adds a tsp curry powder to the recipe. Will try next time as we love the smell and taste of curry.

                                                                              

Had chicken legs and thighs left from the Honey Mustard chicken, so did a steamed dish with shitaki mushrooms and lap cheung.  Sauteed gailan and rice to soak up the juices!
                                                                             
                                                                             

Son arrived yesterday ahead of the family for the head office staff Xmas party. Lovely that they pay all the expenses. I had a sirloin tip roast (not a favourite cut!) and did a 30 hour sous vide at 130. It turned out well and we had it for supper when he arrived at 6. Was so busy getting the sides while visiting that I forgot to take a picture. These are the outside pieces. Looks dry but wasn't, and it was tender! Sandwiches with leftovers.

                                                                               




       

 

 

Edited December 15 by Dejah (log)

[C. sapidus]

Dinner for the boys, one GF, and two of their friends: beef rendang, masoor dal, turmeric rice, cucumber and carrot pickle. Mrs. C made carrot and pomegranate salad, and at least one other salad. I was hoping to take pics of leftovers, but the vultures had a second dinner and finished everything.

 

Family is coming over today, so I'm working on manchamanteles, palak paneer, and sweet potatoes with maple-ginger glaze. Nephews adore Mrs. C's steelhead with either soy-maple glaze, but I think she's making a honey-sriracha glaze this time.

 

No promises about pics for any of that, either.

[C. sapidus]

Family holiday meal pics:

 

Manchamanteles ("tablecloth stainer") is usually considered one of the 7 moles of Oaxaca. Sauce was dried ancho chiles (toasted and soaked), onion, garlic, peanuts, almonds, and stale bread, plus ground cloves, canela, and black pepper, all blended, strained, and fried. Meats included pork butt, chicken thighs, and chorizo. Simmered the meat in the sauce and homemade turkey stock until tender, and then added cubed pineapple sweet potatoes, and pears. Finished with cider vinegar, a little sugar, and fried plantains. Served with chopped pickled jalapenos. Takes a while but so worth it.

 

Quinoa salad

 

 

Palak paneer and carrot salad with pomegranate seeds. Palak paneer is sis's favorite, so we have it every holiday meal. One of my favorites, too.

 

 

Mrs. C's steelhead with honey-sriracha glaze. Nephew caught in the act, grabbing some before anyone else was even seated.

 

 

Baked sweet potatoes with a maple-ginger glaze

 

 

Last of the baklava and store-bought cheesecake and cookies for dessert. Pre-meal goodies included mulled cider, and cheese, salami, and crackers.

 

[Neely]

This dinner was shop bought sate flavoured tofu with stir fry vegetables and rice. 
 

[liuzhou]

驴肉炒饭 (lǘ ròu chǎo fàn), donkey fried rice with a chilli and garlic dip.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 16 by liuzhou (log)

[YvetteMT]

Quick first night home back from vacation dinner- rice, chicken thigh and a root veg medley with parsnips, onion, sweet potato, carrot.

[C. sapidus]

Beef rendang is not the most photogenic dish, and the last of the leftovers even less so.

 

Tastes amazing, though. If you have never had rendang, picture a soupy curry where all of the lovely flavors have been concentrated to their essence.

 

[Ann_T]

We had what had been intended for last night's dinner as brunch today.

 

Shared a grilled NY Strip with roasted potatoes, fried Cremini mushrooms and deep fried bread zucchini.