Dinner! 2002

[Priscilla]

Linguine carbonara, salad of nice Romaine lettuce, Argentinian Malbec. Had to be TV-dinnerable, on account of the historic baseball game.

[Miss J]

An old standby:

Roasted a head of garlic with OO

Gently cooked some frozen petit pois in light chicken stock

Squeezed garlic into pop

Added a lots of freshly grated parmesan and a couple of basil leaves

Blitzed in blender

Ladled into bowls and topped with parmesan croutons cut from an on-its-last-legs-loaf

Comforting. And GREEN.

[Wilfrid]

Weekend in the kitchen.

Filled the confit jar with duck legs - so they will be true confits de canard in the course of time, with the distinctive color and texture preservation lends.

Made a couple of huge stews which freeze well - coq au vin, tripes a la mode de Caen, and zipped them into one pint servings for supper on cold nights.

And dinner last night was a beef filet, black and blue, with a dollop of the French Butcher's own pate de foie gras on top. Roast potatoes following the Blumenthal emthod, about which I was somewhat sceptical, but using goose fat. They came out like big fries - golden, nicely crisp, but with very soft interiors. I am still not convinced about the extensive pre-boiling which HB recommends. I think I prefer more of a chew to my roast spuds.

[Jinmyo]

Disclaimer: professional kitchen with staff of three. Still, try this at home.

Butanabe (grilled strips of pork loin with Shanghai bok choy and scallions in a miso broth).

Hiyayako (cold silken tofu cut into a circular tower about three inches high, standing in a sauce made from pureed mint and basil with citrus, lime zest atop).

Chive pancakes with crunchy red Hawaiin salt.

Wild mushrooms (shitake, cremini, reconstituted huagu, straw mushrooms) braised in shoyu and sake.

Onigiri (rice balls filled with chopped Spanish mackerel) rolled in gomasio.

Tsukemono of kimchee, pickled mango.

[Jinmyo]

Wilfrid, that all sounds lovely. How long will you let the confit sit?

[Suvir Saran]

Jinmyo could you teach me how to make Chive Pancakes?

Have always wanted to learn.

[Jinmyo]

Jinmyo could you teach me how to make Chive Pancakes? 

Have always wanted to learn.

Um, not really, Suvir. But I can describe making them a bit.

One makes a basic dough, let it rest for about half an hour. Knead until it's no longer sticky, then cut into portions. Roll out the portions. Brush some sesame oil, put a bit of chives (garlic chives, actually), sprinkle some salt. Roll it up and pinch off the ends. Anchor one end with the thumb and coil the rest around. Fold the other end under. Roll it out. Voila: jui cai bing.

Fry on medium heat until crispy and brown on each side.

I make these so that they're about two inches across but they could be any size.

[Suvir Saran]

Jinmyo could you teach me how to make Chive Pancakes?  

Have always wanted to learn.

Um, not really, Suvir. But I can describe making them a bit.

One makes a basic dough, let it rest for about half an hour. Knead until it's no longer sticky, then cut into portions. Roll out the portions. Brush some sesame oil, put a bit of chives (garlic chives, actually), sprinkle some salt. Roll it up and pinch off the ends. Anchor one end with the thumb and coil the rest around. Fold the other end under. Roll it out. Voila: jui cai bing.

Fry on medium heat until crispy and brown on each side.

I make these so that they're about two inches across but they could be any size.

And how does one make this "basic dough"?

[Liza]

Two lovely little poussins stuffed under the skin with a puree of tomato and bacon. On the back burner: lobster stock from the shells of the night before.

(Right on, SA.)

[torakris]

Jinmyo could you teach me how to make Chive Pancakes?  

Have always wanted to learn.

Um, not really, Suvir. But I can describe making them a bit.

One makes a basic dough, let it rest for about half an hour. Knead until it's no longer sticky, then cut into portions. Roll out the portions. Brush some sesame oil, put a bit of chives (garlic chives, actually), sprinkle some salt. Roll it up and pinch off the ends. Anchor one end with the thumb and coil the rest around. Fold the other end under. Roll it out. Voila: jui cai bing.

Fry on medium heat until crispy and brown on each side.

I make these so that they're about two inches across but they could be any size.

And how does one make this "basic dough"?

Suvir,

Not Jin, but I also make these pancakes with scallions quite a bit. They are positively addicting!

The basic dough I use is about 1 cup flour to 1/2 cup water, you can make as much as you want just keep it in this 2 to 1 proportion. That's it!

Jin if you are reading this,

Are garlic chives what they refer to as nira in Japanese?

I have always made these scallions or the Japanese long onions (naganegi), but I think they would be great with nira.

Also can you elaborate more on your mint and basil sauce for your hiyayakko.

[torakris]

For dinner we had:

Pot-roasted pork in white wine with garlic, fennel, and rosemary a la Jamie Oliver, absolutely delicious!!

roasted alongside was an acorn squash and onions

grilled asparagus and shimeji mushrooms tossed with a thick mustard dressing (also Jamie Oliver, also delicious) and served on (gasp!) iceberg lettuce---the only thing available in the store!

[jhlurie]

Hairdresser kept talking about marlin fishing.  Said marlin was the best eating fish.  Never had it.  Today, there it was in Garden of Eden.  Bought some.  Tonight's dinner: 

Marlin, brushed with melted butter, soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic

Grilled tomato, garlic and parsley

Potato cake, a la L'Ami Louis

Watercress, grapefruit and red onion salad

Bananas macerated in lemon juice and sugar, with the last of the Petite Suisse

Hairdresser may be right.  Marlin is something like swordfish, something like shark, something like mahi-mahi, but better than any of them.

You posted this over a month and a half ago, but yes your hairdresser is right. I've only had Marlin steak a few times, but its completely incredible (and this is from someone who largely is NOT a fish eater).

There's a good reason that screwy old man in the Hemingway book is willing to be towed around until he's half dead!

[LaurieA-B]

One makes a basic dough, let it rest for about half an hour. Knead until it's no longer sticky, then cut into portions. Roll out the portions. Brush some sesame oil, put a bit of chives (garlic chives, actually), sprinkle some salt. Roll it up and pinch off the ends. Anchor one end with the thumb and coil the rest around. Fold the other end under. Roll it out. Voila: jui cai bing.

Jinmyo, these sound similar to scallion pancakes?

I am paid in scallion pancakes every time I shill for mamster's grubshack.

[Suvir Saran]

Jinmyo thanks to you (and now Torakris) I will be able recreate myself those wonderful leek pancakes that I often order from Baby Buddha in the Village. Seems an easy thing to prepare and I am sure with your good tips... I will soon never want to eat them in a restaurant.

[torakris]

Jinmyo thanks to you (and now Torakris) I will be able recreate myself those wonderful leek pancakes that I often order from Baby Buddha in the Village.  Seems an easy thing to prepare and I am sure with your good tips... I will soon never want to eat them in a restaurant. 

Suvir,

I forgot to mention it should be warm water, closer to hot than lukewarm.

Maybe I will make them for dinner tonite with the laab I am going to try.

[Jinmyo]

torakris, yes jiu cai are nira.

For the mint and basil sauce I puree fresh leaves with a bit of blanched spinach for colour with a bit of water and mirin. Pass this through a sieve and season, add lime juice and more mirin.

edit: Also spelled as jiu tsai and for the Cantonese as gow choy.

[tsquare]

Baked noodles with fresh tomato/carrot/mushroom/onion/eggplant/pepper sauce layered with shredded zucchini, homegrown winter squash, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, and hazelnuts. Autumn in a bowl.

[Malawry]

Vegetarian chili spiked with dried pasilla and chipotle chiles, Tillamook cheddar, tortilla chips

Steamed broccoli, Maldon sea salt

And I'm about to polish off the apple pie from the other night for dessert.

[Suvir Saran]

Roasted potatoes

Corn Bread

Basil Pesto Penne

Curried sweet potatoes

Curried Stir Fried Green Beens

Banana Pudding

Best Ever Brownies

[Miss J]

Found some sweet little Scottish mussels last night in Waitrose. So I took them home, bathed them gently in a combination of sake, chilies, spring onions and crushed lemongrass, and ate them over rice noodles.

[Liza]

Potato Chowder on Saturday begat Lobster Potato Chowder on Sunday, which begat Seafood Chowder on Monday.

[Priscilla]

Chicken thighs cooked a long time, after a David Rosengarten I saw once years ago, and roasted potatoes after Heston Blumenthal's method, which even though I tried and tried not to over par-boil them fell apart too much in my opinion but were well-received, served with E. David's green tomato chutney I'd made the other week. Nice collard greens braised with onion, garlic, bacon, and a little chicken broth until way way way done.

[Jinmyo]

Disclaimer: professional kitchen with staff of three. Still, try this at home.

Fried lontong (Southeast Asian style rice cakes) with a Thai holy basil, mint, and tomato dipping sauce.

Huagu (flower mushroom) soup.

Roasted mabo tofu (three kinds of tofu, ground lamb, onion, Thai bird chiles).

Sautéed Chinese long bean knots.

Steamed yu choy with fermented tofu.

[Jinmyo]

Potato Chowder on Saturday begat Lobster Potato Chowder on Sunday, which begat Seafood Chowder on Monday.

That's great, Liza. I once took a pot of congee through a week of permutations.

[Rhea_S]

Roasted mabo tofu (three kinds of tofu, ground lamb, onion, Thai bird chiles).

Your whole menu sounds delicious, but the mabo tofu, in particular, caught my eye. What are the three kinds of tofu and what other spices/flavourings do you use?