Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog

[Pat]

Broiled salmon with basil creme fraiche

Leftover tabbouli

Wax bean salad with vinaigrette and tomatoes

With the last of the wax beans I purchased two weeks ago now eaten, I can now say I like wax beans. They're the only food I had a dislike of from childhood, as my mother served the canned ones. Oh, they were vile. I was never forced to eat them, but I would always try everything, and even just a few of them...bleah. It's not a surprise that fresh ones are oh-so-much better, but it took quite a while to take the step of actually purchasing and preparing them.

[monavano]

Braised rack of St. Louis-style ribs. See discussion here.

Succotash with leftover grilled corn, red and green bell pepper, red onion and a can of butter beans. Butter, buttermilk and a splash of half n half.

Baked beans.

Garden salad with ginger-sesame dressing.

[zoramargolis]

no-meat tostadas--I melted some mozzarella di bufala on the beans to give them some heft, and used some salsa guajillo I'd made for enchiladas a week ago. pico di gallo and guacamole on top of the lettuce.

peach crisp with B&J's vanilla

Pacifico and Sierra Nevada summer lager

[Pat]

Green eggs and ham (Top Chef recipe from a couple of years ago)

Roasted poblanos stuffed with creamed corn and pepper jack

[qwertyy]

Panzanella, with fresh bread and two kinds of gorgeous cherry tomatoes from the RRB farmers' market, fresh mozzarella, shaved vidalia onions, and sherry vinaigrette

Vanilla ice cream with peaches sauteed in vanilla and a bit of butter, water, and sugar

Jameson's, rocks

[hillvalley]

Broiled squash blossoms stuffed with Keswick's herb de Provence bouvre (sp?) cheese and basil and mozzarella*

Caprese salad with cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, and purple basil

Hard boiled quail eggs sprinkled with zaatar and Maldon smoked salt

Chocolate covered sunflower seeds

Lemon balm and stevia sun tea

*This was the first time I've tried using mozzarella in broiled squash blossoms. The one I ate right out of the oven was great but by the time I sat down to eat and the cheese had cooled the texture became hard and the cheese taste was rubbery.

[Pat]

Challah with butter

Leftover creamed corn combined with leftover diced country ham and chives

Not surprisingly, the corn and ham went well together. Convenient extras left from Saturday night's preparations.

[zoramargolis]

chilled pea soup with mint

linguini with mushrooms, olives and capers

last of the peach crisp with B&J's vanilla

2008 Cantina Zacagnini montepulciano

[leleboo]

Last night: seared tuna loin with avocado, red onion, and orange salsa.

Tonight: center-cut pork loin chops (boneless) in a pesto wine sauce; steamed haricots verts with lemon zest and crushed red pepper.

For tomorrow: zucchini-dill soup (made tonight, to be chilled and served as a cold-soup starter); shrimp-stuffed sole filets.

I ... don't even know what I'm doing anymore; I'm just throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. These three meals seem ok. It's also entirely possible that the heat, travel, and imbecilic work situation have utterly addled my brain.

[lperry]

I ... don't even know what I'm doing anymore; I'm just throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. These three meals seem ok. It's also entirely possible that the heat, travel, and imbecilic work situation have utterly addled my brain.

You're cooking at home with care and love. That's all that matters.

Tomato paella that was supposed to be a test run on the grill, but with the storms, it was a re-run on the stove. I really want to try it outside before I inflict it upon friends. That socarrat is taunting me...

Cuba libres to lessen the disappointment of not getting to cook outside.

[Pat]

Cantaloupe drizzled with jalapeno oil

Roasted mission figs, stuffed with goat feta, and wrapped in prosciutto

Cucumber-Chive finger sandwiches on buttered challah

Tostada bowl filled with shredded lettuce, avocado-green tomato salsa, and grated pepper jack cheese; drizzled with jalapeno oil

[monavano]

That canteloupe sounds intriguing, Pat!

We had Thai stir-fry with chicken and a variety of vegetables over Jasmine rice. The sauce was Thai red curry paste and lite coconut milk (and some other stuff like fish sauce).

[DanCole42]

Zucchini salad, chorizo sandwiches on homemade buns with chimichurri, zucchini fritters with creme fraiche

[Pat]

That canteloupe sounds intriguing, Pat!.

The ham and eggs from a couple of days before required a jalapeno-parsley oil, which made a huge amount. I've been looking for ways to use the excess .

Tonight was

Green salad (romaine, tomato, cucumber, radishes) with vinaigrette

Greek cold cucumber soup

Southern yellow squash casserole*

Steamed spinach

*No canned soups were harmed in making this.

[yfunk3]

I'm trying to use up all that excess stuff in the fridge that seems to last forever, so tonight I decided to make fancy egg sandwiches for dinner.

Sauteed some shallots and cooked them with 2 scrambled eggs to split between two whole wheat pita halfs (1 whole pita). In one half I spread this jalapeno cheddar spread I had lying around and stuck in one last slice of honey-baked ham from the deli section of the grocery store. The other half, I put in a bit of smoked gouda (not too much, didn't want to overpower the other flavors) and quite a bit of homemade caramelized onions I had in a jar in the fridge.

Very filling and satisfying. You'll never starve if you have eggs and some form of carb in the fridge.

[zoramargolis]

lentil salad with charcoal roasted eggplant and red pepper

cucumbers with yogurt, garlic and zataar

cherokee purple tomato with buffalo mozz and basil

chile olives

ciabatta garlic toast

[lperry]

Squash blossom risotto followed by tomatoes stuffed with chevre and fresh herbs from the garden. These were OK tomatoes picked up at a farmer's market in North Carolina, and they were vastly improved by a little roasting. Maybe if I go outside and stare at mine, they'll ripen sooner.

[Pat]

Mini baguette (Costco) with soy spread

Baby bok choy saute with shiitake and button mushrooms; sake; tamari sauce; cashews

Roasted salmon fillet (seasoned with lime juice, s+p, and jalapeno oil) with tomatillo-avocado salsa (jalapeno, lime juice, EVOO)

[zoramargolis]

slow roasted salmon (farmed)

fresh creamed corn

green beans with roasted red pepper, lemon and garlic

lentil salad

sungold tomatoes

toasted Marvy Market baguette

TJ's mini mint ice cream sandwiches

2009 Domaine de la Petite Cassagne rosé

[DanCole42]

Vichyssoise with homegrown herbs, fresh baked baguettes, antibiotics for sinus infection

[hillvalley]

Nice sized hunk of Red Hawk

Pint of blueberries

Omelet filled with a ton of sauteed squash blossoms and piave

[Pat]

Vichyssoise with homegrown herbs, fresh baked baguettes, antibiotics for sinus infection

Did the drugs go right into the soup?

Tonight was

Leftover pizza

Greek cold cucumber soup

Salmon tacos with tomatillo-avocado salsa, jalapeno oil, and sour cream

[zoramargolis]

iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese dressing

oven roasted herb-brined Eco-Friendly chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and tarragon in the cavity

veg roasted under the chicken--potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, parsnip

Toigo peaches

[zoramargolis]

yesterday:

lunch:

chicken enchiladas with guajillo salsa, refried beans (canned), guacamole and chips

dinner:

charcoal-grilled wild salmon burgers with wasabi-ginger mayo, grilled onion, heirloom tomato and lettuce on brioche bun

cucumbers marinated in rice vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and cilantro

Toigo peaches

2009 Pazo Serantellos Albariño

[Pat]

Cold avocado soup

Provolone cheese sandwiches on mini-baguettes with cucumber, lettuce, and tomato

[bettyjoan]

Last night:

Pepper jack, peach, and chicken quesadillas with honey-lime sour cream

Spinach salad with cumin vinaigrette

This recipe came from the August Cooking Light - and it was definitely a hit! Lots of flavors going on, between the spicy cheese, the sweet peaches, and the tangy dressing on the spinach. I will absolutely make this one again.

[Pat]

We finally got a new grill, so almost everything was prepared on that last night.

Creamy, Garlicky Tomato Gazpacho With Crunchy Pecorino*

Grilled Bread brushed with jalapeno oil

Grilled bratwursts**

Grilled lime chicken

Grilled baby eggplant

Grilled yellow squash

Boiled corn on the cob with butter

*This was a New York Times recipe. I wasn't that thrilled with the way it turned out.

**From German Gourmet. Very good.

[zoramargolis]

We finally got a new grill

Charcoal or propane?

[Pat]

Charcoal or propane?

A compromise: charcoal with propane ignition .

[leleboo]

Gazpacho (I don't make mine with bread, so I guess I should honestly call it "tomato soup, served ice cold!!" -- just tomatoes, cucumbers, Vidalia onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, EAT.)

Pizza with chorizo*, shrimp, escarole, and manchego

*chaofun made the chorizo and zomg om nom nom -- can we get him to go into business making this stuff? Soooo good ... and I have two more links for another try at this pizza, which needed a wee bit more cheese to be otherworldly ...

[Heather]

too hot to cook

tomato & cucumber salad

European-style pumpernickel (I love this stuff)

sliced dill havarti

cherries

ice water

[Pat]

Soft chicken tacos (with shredded iceberg lettuce, sour cream, pepper jack, cilantro, and jalapeno oil).

Corn-tomato-lime salsa

Chunky guacamole

The chicken was left from last night, as was the corn for the salsa.

[bettyjoan]

Spicy poblano burgers with pickled red onions and chipotle cream. Spicy and smoky and pickly and yum.

[KMango]

Charcoal grilled:

*Portabella caps, marinated all day in olive oil, roasted red pepper brine, champagne vinegar, and garlic; once grilled, finished with freshly grated Parmesan

*Veggie kabobs with Vidalia onions, farm share zucchini & eggplant, olive oil salt & pepper

*Chicken wings

*Bison hot dogs (who knew?)

Chased down with a Virginia Beach sunset.

Thanks, Mom.

[zoramargolis]

gazpacho (mine was made with bread) with garlic toast

Eco-Friendly beef burgers with caramelized onions

charcoal roasted corn off-the-cob

apricot-buttermilk cake with orange glaze

Pacifico and Sierra Nevada Summerfest

while we ate we watched Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête on TCM.

[monavano]

Dry rubbed and grilled Truck Patch pork tenderloin with caramelized onions and a blackberry gastrique sauce. Served with Garner's bi-color corn (best of the summer!) and capellini pasta salad with basil, tomato and lemon.

This pork was incredibly tender-we hardly needed a knife to cut it.

[zoramargolis]

last night

chicken croquettes made with leftover roast chicken, potatoes and onions

roasted pepper aioli

braised chard

more apricot-buttermilk cake (the soaking with orange syrup made this amazingly moist and long-lasting)

[DanCole42]

NY strip w/ herbs, butter, and garlic... chilled corn and carrot soup... apple cider biscuits made with whole what flour from Moutoux Orchard in Loudoun.

[lperry]

The neighbors are headed out on vacation and they brought me their perishables, 90% of which came from the Del Ray farmer's market. They could have left it all for the house sitter. Did I mention I love my neighbors?

Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, a Cherokee purple tomato, basil from the window box, decent balsamic, and gray sea salt.

Ginger liqueur topped with prosecco.

[Pat]

More corn-tomato salsa and guacamole with chips

Chilaquile casserole

[zoramargolis]

caprese salad with mozz di bufala and Cherokee purple tomato

Eco-Friendly chicken livers grilled on a plank over charcoal, with caramelized onions, crimini mushrooms, bacon and balsamic

green beans with lemon

last of the apricot cake

[Tweaked]

Pan-Asian night!

Tofu steak with shitake mushrooms, carrots, red onion and dashi

stir fried baby bok choy

stir fried mung bean sprouts

fried rice

[monavano]

Baked EcoFriendly chicken au jus

Fresh black-eyed pea "succotash"

braised rapini

sweet potatoes with pineapple

[lperry]

I managed to get one dish on the table tonight - tarte à la moutarde with the remaining Cherokee purple tomato and the first ripe cherry tomatoes from the garden. Fast, easy, and really good. I need more tomato recipes like this one.

[bettyjoan]

Lemony orzo salad with chicken (from Cooking Light)

Cooked some whole-wheat orzo, made a dressing from EVOO, lemon juice and zest, honey, and garlic (and S&P), shredded some Costco rotisserie chicken, chopped some cukes, red bell pepper, scallions, and dill, and threw everything together in a big bowl. Topped it with a bit of goat cheese. Nice and refreshing - wish there had been leftovers, but after a six-mile run, I'll eat anything in sight.

[goodeats]

Rejection by the little man of last night's roasted corn with coconut milk was Brutal. Brutal with a sideline of "well, it was gross, mama," brutal. Uh.

But I liked it...

[zoramargolis]

Rejection by the little man of last night's roasted corn with coconut milk was Brutal. Brutal with a sideline of "well, it was gross, mama," brutal. Uh.

Get used to it...

last night:

salade nicoise

apricot tart (I made vanilla pastry cream with a mixture of coconut milk, almond milk, and skim milk. It turned out really good!)

2008 Meinklang Burgenland white

[lperry]

Tonight: Summer squash stuffed with feta, sweet corn, spring onion (summer onion?), salt, pepper, and nutmeg

Romaine salad with feta dressing

The squash recipe was adapted from Marian Morash's Victory Garden Cookbook. I'll give it another plug here because I know a lot of people don't know about it. Morash is the wife of an avid gardener (understatement alert), was a restaurant chef, then executive chef for one of Julia Child's shows alongside Sara Moulton, then she went on to the Victory Garden series. This cookbook is AMAZING for vegetable ideas. It has basic preparations for each vegetable, then multiple French treatments (crêpes, timbales, soufflés, quiches, tartes with alternating layers of veg and whipped eggs), then more American fare (quick breads, veg cakes, pancakes, anything with loads of cheese), but all the sections are geared toward the person who has a lot of produce to consider. It is an absolute lifesaver for someone who, hypothetically speaking, lives in a two person family, yet finds herself in possession of ten summer squash, a dozen ears of corn, five or six pounds of tomatoes, seven huge onions...

Edited to say, goodeats - despite your young man's reaction to it, I may steal your corn/coconut milk idea.

[Pat]

Green salad (romaine, tomato, cucumber, radish, green bell pepper) with vinaigrette

Goat cheese and basil ravioli with pesto

Pork chops with caramelized onions and plum-cherry sauce

Zucchini fritters with yogurt

[zoramargolis]

Eco-Friendly poussin, herb-brined then applewood smoked, with no-cook bbq sauce

pineapple-coconut coleslaw

new potato salad

succotash with fava beans

Troeg's Sunshine Pils