Improving my cooking skills (2003)

MatthewB · December 5, 2003

That's the exact puree, G. We really liked it.
Okay, you want a New Way menu? Here's an idea or two.
I'm thinking about simple oven-seared thick fish fillets (page 222) with a sauce-- say, the red pepper-juice sauce (page 649).
Along with that, some steam-roasted leeks vinaigrette (page 56) and one of the buttermilk mashed potato recipes, maybe the roasted garlic ones (page 78). Or a squash dish instead of the potatoes.
All three things I proposed involve use of the oven, but the garlic puree can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a couple weeks (pages 37-38). And you can put the leeks in the oven for their approximately twenty minutes of roasting en papillote, then stick in the fish while the leeks rest (the fish only takes about ten minutes), and you're done.
My menu planning sucks. Maybe the vinaigrette and the red pepper sauce are too acidic to be paired with each other? You tell me.

I think I'll do this menu Sunday night.

Nice work, Seth! :smile:

edemuth · December 5, 2003

I have not proposed a menu for this weekend yet because, during the two chances I've had to glance through ANWTC over the last couple of days, all the entrees sounded so good that I could not decide which one I wanted to make, let alone what sides should go with it. :wacko: I promise to make a suggestion of some sort tomorrow morning, but I'm also happy to go with the flow.

I'm hoping I can get myself and the car safely to Whole Paycheck for whatever goods are required; we're having a 'lil snow/rain/sleetstorm right now that might turn nasty. I can always walk to the co-op for essential items (as redefined to not include meat, since the co-op is vegetarian), but that would mean Steak Diane and whatever entree we decide to make is out.

Heather, I hope you guys are doing OK over in Rockville!

guajolote · December 5, 2003

and one of the buttermilk mashed potato recipes, maybe the roasted garlic ones (page 78).

this means i get to play "mashed potatoes" during dinner again, and do the dance :smile: .

my son robert will also be very happy.

SethG · December 5, 2003

It's snowing pretty heavy here in NYC, too! I'm not sure when I'll be doing the menu either.

hjshorter · December 5, 2003

It was pretty slushy today, but 3-6" expected overnight. This means that everyone will be driving like complete morons tomorrow, and I will elect to stay off the road instead of going to the grocery store. Fortunately I have a big ol' pot roast in the fridge for tomorrow's supper.

The fish and leeks and potatos sound great, Seth.

I did stop by today and folks were loading up on TP like 3-6 feet were forecast. :laugh:

hannnah · December 5, 2003

I did stop by today and folks were loading up on TP like 3-6 feet were forecast.

For some reason, I've noticed that everyone buys bananas when it's going to snow, too. Dave describes it as, "time for everyone to go buy milk-and-banana-flavored toilet paper." Oh, and Spam - like they're going to be stuck in the house until spring thaw and need something that's shelf-stable. :hmmm:

We went to the store last night - there weren't that many people, although it did look like some sort of dairy locusts had been through. And the produce was all scruffy-I wanted to make butternut squash soup this weekend, but the squash wasn't worth buying. Just as well we did do the shopping, though - we got 5-6 inches last night.

guajolote · December 6, 2003

damn, what a good meal. i loved the flavor of the steak diane, but i have to say i'd have a hard time doing this to a ny strip the way beef prices have been lately. the celeriac was also very good, but no one else in the family liked it. i especially liked it with a little bit of the sauce from the steak on it. i served it with some snow peas and butter, italian bread, and a red cotes de luberon.

hjshorter · December 6, 2003

I know what you mean, G. I was shopping today and just couldn't believe the prices.

I'll be doing the fish and potatoes on Sunday, but got vetoed on the leeks. :sad:

guajolote · December 6, 2003

i went o borders to look at the recipe and i see it calls for a juicer. i was going to put the peppers in my blender w/ some of the wine, then strain it. does anyone have a better idea? I already know that i'm going to taste the potatoes and then add about 4 more

Tbs. of butter.

MatthewB · December 6, 2003

i went o borders to look at the recipe and i see it calls for a juicer. i was going to put the peppers in my blender w/ some of the wine, then strain it. does anyone have a better idea? I already know that i'm going to taste the potatoes and then add about 4 more
Tbs. of butter.

G, go see Lizz Fields. :angry:

guajolote · December 6, 2003

i went o borders to look at the recipe and i see it calls for a juicer. i was going to put the peppers in my blender w/ some of the wine, then strain it. does anyone have a better idea? I already know that i'm going to taste the potatoes and then add about 4 more
Tbs. of butter.
G, go see Lizz Fields.

robert is sleeping and the ladies are at a ballet :sad:

maggiethecat · December 6, 2003

i was going to put the peppers in my blender w/ some of the wine, then strain it. does anyone have a better idea?

I don't know if this is a better idea, but it's something we do when we're reconstuting dried anchos and other Maxican peppers for sauce for enchilladas.

Do you have one of those tall canning jars? It has to be a tall slimmish container to be efficient and reasonably tidy. If so, plunk the peppers and some of the wine in the bottom of the jar and puree with an immersion blender. It works.

guajolote · December 6, 2003

Do you have one of those tall canning jars? It has to be a tall slimmish container to be efficent and reasonably tidy. If so, plunk the peppers and some of the wine in the bottom of the jar and puree with an immersion blender. It works.

i have a tall canning jar, of course, but no immersion blender :sad: .

SethG · December 6, 2003

I missed that juicer bit. I don't have one either. I'll try the blender method too.

hjshorter · December 7, 2003

Did anyone make the fish? What kind did you use? I've got to tag along on the inspection of our new home tomorrow morning, but then heading to Whole Foods for some fish and the rest of the meal.

guajolote · December 7, 2003

Did anyone make the fish? What kind did you use? I've got to tag along on the inspection of our new home tomorrow morning, but then heading to Whole Foods for some fish and the rest of the meal.

i'm about to start. i bought swordfish, because it was on sale and very fresh. I'll try to take some pictures.

SethG · December 7, 2003

Assuming my first order from Fresh Direct comes when it's supposed to, I'll be making the menu tomorrow.

guajolote · December 8, 2003

i kind of screwed this meal up. i was stressed because my son knocked over the x-mas tree 30 minutes after it went up and broke a bunch of glass ornaments.

i really like the red pepper sauce. it had a "bright", fresh flavor. i think it would be really good on some grilled meat. i also liked the buttermilk mashed potatoes, except i used 3 varieties of potatoes to make them, some were overcooked and some undercooked. if you look close at the potatoes you can see the crunchy bits. the leeks were good but i think they were a little old. they had some great looking leeks at the farmer's market this morning but i had bought some yesterday. once i peeled off the outside layers they were tasty.

hjshorter · December 8, 2003

i kind of screwed this meal up. i was stressed because my son knocked over the x-mas tree 30 minutes after it went up and broke a bunch of glass ornaments.

You know, we're just waiting for that to happen at our house too!

The fish looks really tasty. Did the potatoes need extra butter? I may skip the potatoes and make pilaf or something.

guajolote · December 8, 2003

The fish looks really tasty. Did the potatoes need extra butter? I may skip the potatoes and make pilaf or something.

the fish was really good. I ended up only adding 2 Tbs. of butter, and they were good. I liked the buttermilk flavor and will do that again. I also didn't roast the garlic, i just threw 5 cloves in the water w/ the potatoes and then put them through the ricer.

I forgot to add that I served this with an inexpensive vouvray, and it was a good match.

SethG · December 9, 2003

Last night I did some prep for the New Way fish meal. I reduced a bunch of red peppers and roasted a couple heads of garlic. Both of them smelled and tasted wonderful-- I think the red pepper sauce will be a keeper, although it almost seems a shame to reduce six or seven red peppers to a cup of liquid when you could make pimiento strips instead. I also found it to be an annoying project without a juicer. I pureed for a few minutes in the food processor, then forced the mixture through a sieve into a saucepan, which wasn't so easy. How did you end up going about it, G? I'll be making the menu on Wednesday night.

Edited to remove a stupid question.

Edited December 9, 2003 by SethG (log)

guajolote · December 9, 2003

I also found it to be an annoying project without a juicer. I pureed for a few minutes in the food processor, then forced the mixture through a sieve into a saucepan, which wasn't so easy. How did you end up going about it, G? And did you include garlic in the potatoes? I can't wait. I'll be making the menu on Wednesday night.

I used a blender and it worked great. i used four red peppers, and there was only about 1/4 cup of pulp left in the strainer. i think a blender works better for this than a food processor because the blade in a blender spins much faster. did you add the wine to the food processor bowl?

i added 5 cloves of garlic to the potato water while cooking then put them through the ricer. it's a different taste than roasted but the potaoes still were garlicky :smile: .

if i make this sauce again it will be in the summer when red peppers are 5 for $1, not $2.79/lb.

hjshorter · December 9, 2003

if i make this sauce again it will be in the summer when red peppers are 5 for $1, not $2.79/lb.

I may not be doing the sauce. Red Peppers were $4.49/lb at Giant yesterday. :shock:

I will be making the celery root and apple puree tonight, since I didn't get it made last week. Emma thinks celery root is the ugliest vegetable she's ever seen. :smile:

SethG · December 9, 2003

I didn't need to add liquid to the bowl-- there was plenty. But I had to puree in two batches. And the blender might have done a better job-- I too ended up with about a quarter cup of pulp, but only after some work forcing bits through the strainer.

guajolote · December 9, 2003

Emma thinks celery root is the ugliest vegetable she's ever seen.

it kind of looks like a mummy head :wacko:

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