Niku-dofu: cotton tofu, thinly sliced beef, enoki mushrooms and scallions simmered in a dashi/soy sauce/mirin/sake/sugar stock
A suimono (vinegared dish) of wakame seaweed, cucumbers, and myouga
Steamed rice

NY Strip basted in oregano butter
"Inside out" ripieno: Swiss chard and ricotta on bruschetta

ground beef tacos on soft white corn tortillas

topped with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar, sliced green olives stuffed with jalapenos, and sour cream

Chicken enchiladas
Refried black beans
Corn and radish salad

Lamb chops that were marinated in garlic, rosemary, thyme, red wine and olive oil. Grilled (inside since we still haven't replaced our old outdoor gas grill)
pommes dauphinoises (sp?) and baked asparagus with parmesan.
This morning, the potatoes, along with more fresh chopped rosemary, went into a delicious frittata.

Hiyayakko tofu with toppings of sliced green onion and myouga
Tamogidake (smallish, shallow yellow irregularly-edged caps on cream-colored stems) mushrooms pan-fried in butter, salt, and pepper
Shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) rice
Sliced angelica, simmered in soy sauce and sake

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As I thought, tonight I put together entree salads with mixed herbs and greens, leftover lamb chops, sauteed fresh peas, roasted golden beets, blue cheese, spring onions and a simple red wine vinaigrette.

Since moving to Atlanta, I've been reeeeeally enjoying my dad's grill (it's not charcoal, but it's nicer than I've ever had)--citrus-marinated halibut with vegetable kebabs turned out wonderfully, and last night's arugula salad with grilled peaches, prosciutto, goat cheese, and balsamic reduction was a lovely, light summer treat. Back to apartment living this weekend...but not before a few more grilled dinners!

Spaghetti and meat sauce with mushrooms, made with half whole wheat and half regular pasta. Topped with Parmigiano.
Onion rolls with butter.

Broiled swordfish topped with seasoned miso
Sauteed spinach, garlic, and tofu
Steamed organic genmai (brown rice)
More of the simmered angelica

Thursday night dinner for visiting relatives:

Hors d'euvres served with a sparkling white Saumur, methode champenoise:
Smoked trout mousse on mini-toasts
Royal Red shrimp poached in shrimp shell court bouillion, homemade cocktail sauce
Fresh black mission figs, stuffed with homemade lavender chevre, wrapped with La Quercia prosciutto and baked

First course:
Chilled fresh pea soup with mint
2006 Las Perdices Viognier

Main:
Charcoal roasted, maple-planked Scottish salmon
Baby new potatoes
Oven roasted asparagus, baby summer squash, zucchini and golden beets
Fresh favas
Salsa verde (Italian-style)
2006 Strauss Gelber Muskateller

Dessert:
Lattice-crust Georgia peach pie with vanilla ice cream
Yalumba botrytised viognier

Friday lunch after graduation:
Maro (fava mousse) crostini with Everona Stony Man sheepmilk cheese
Watermelon and feta salad with mint and lime juice
Poached Royal Red shrimp, cocktail sauce
Baby new potato and cucumber salad with salsa verde vinaigrette
Gigante beans cooked with garlic and thyme, served cold
Mache and frisee salad with local hothouse tomato
Smoked trout mousse on baguette toast
Roederer Champagne

Mussels with bacon-leek cream sauce and baguette
Rib-eye steaks with S&P
Potato salad with cucumber tzatziki sauce and a touch of mayo
Roasted squash and zucchini
Fruit tart from Wegman's

Homemade salsa and chips
Fava beans with a bit of parmesan
Grilled squashblossoms stuffed with goat cheese flavored with herbs and garlic scapes
Sauteed squashblossoms
Grilled lamb chops
Organic cherries

Spinach salad with warm bacon dressing and blue cheese (spinach from my garden)
Ricotta gnocchi with morels in brown butter sauce
Strawberry shortcakes

Cantaloupe wrapped in proscuitto
Chicken andouille sausage "hot dogs" with fried peppers and onions plus edam cheese, on toasted potato rolls

I was pleased to find that Costco has Sausages by Amy chicken andouille sausage again. They're the best chicken sausages I've ever found but are prohibitively expensive to order online. The brand name has changed to Sausages by Amylu, but it's the same company and product.

Spiced almonds and peanuts
Potato and cheese pirogies with cubed salami, sauteed finely chopped button mushrooms, and pea shoots

I plated the pirogies over a nest of sauteed julienned orange bell pepper and vidalia onion, and then added the salami, mushrooms, and pea shoots. I topped the whole thing with a little grated Parmigiano and used a few of the flowering vines with tiny pods as an edible garnish.

Pan-seared Eco-Friendly Spring lamb shoulder chops
Semi-homemade vegetable korma (base was canned Patak's korma sauce)
Basmati rice
Fresh cilantro-mint chutney
Cucumber raita
Corn and coconut salad

2007 Ch. Suau Rosé

Congratulations to Veggie-Teen! Bet they barbecue tempeh real good in North Carolina! (What a great meal, too!)

Awww...

Yes he does. I made the Smoke-Roasted RaspberryNectarine PearBlueberry Crisp, based on his recipe in the Post yesterday, for dessert last night and it was very good. I used some pecan wood for the smoking and the crisp does pick up a good dose of smoke.

Grilled chicken with barbecue sauce
shelled peas
grilled bread brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with fleur de sel
carrot cake

The bread was pugliese from the bread Ovens at Quail Creek Farm, bought at Penn Quarter today. Delicious.

Grilled atsuaage (deep-fried block or cutlet of tofu), served with soy sauce and lots of shichimi (Japanese seven-spice)
Warabi (bracken, a kind of fern) topped with soy sauce and katsuobushi (bonito) flakes
Steamed rice
Martinis

Moved into the new place last Saturday, but not before grilling up some AMAZING ribeye steaks (Australian free-range grass-fed, no less) that I got at the Fresh Market for $5.99 a pound. $5.99 a pound!!! Delicious, especially when paired with an heirloom tomato salad and homemade cilantro salad dressing.

Still acclimating to the new kitchen (and to my new stainless steel cookware), but last night I threw together some salmon (marinated in a pureed mixture of green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, chili-garlic sauce, and sesame oil) with sauteed bok choy and shiitake mushrooms. Delicious!

Last night was fish tacos--sauteed tilapia, red cabbage slaw (with sour cream, lime juice, scallions, and jalapeno), and fresh cilantro. The soft tortillas contrasted with the crunchy slaw, and the warm fish contrasted with the cold veggies. Yum! A very refreshing and light summer din-din.

Lamb merguez sausages with spicy chickpeas
Couscous
Roasted garlic bread (Costco)

I had only bought a couple of the lamb sausages and wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. I supplemented them with two chicken andouille sausages in lamb casings and made a half recipe (more or less). It came out pretty well. I made my own spice mixture from a version I found online. I didn't have preserved lemons, so I used the zest of one fresh lemon.

Mussels with peas, diced chorizo, garlic, dry sherry, and chicken broth. Hit with a little smoked paprika just before serving.
Bonaparte baguette.
Coffee ice cream with chocolate sauce.

No booze, on account of the 20 benadryl I had to take yesterday. Damn hay fever...

Breakfast for dinner last night: bacon, scrambled eggs, home fries, and raisin toast.

Beef carpaccio with a spinach salad in balsamic shallot vinagrette
Tenderloin chain cheesesteaks

Grilled hot dogs with homemade vidalia relish.
Olde-Fashioned macaroni salad.
Vanilla ice cream with sour cherry compote.

Wild Turkey Rye Manhattans

Grilled tofu topped with seasoned (dengaku) miso
Kabocha croquettes (korokke in Japanese)
Steamed brown rice
Shredded cabbage and kaiware (daikon sprouts) salad with ume and shiso (Japanese plum and perilla) dressing

Classic steak au poivre
Mashed potatoes
Vegetable medley
Spinach salad w/ shallot balsamic vinaigrette
Crusty french bread

2005 Crivelli Ruche

Not the most unconventional meal out there, but everything was delicious (homemade chicken stock = depth of flavor = yay)

Family dinner in Los Angeles

Mixed green salad with homemade vinaigrette (Mom's contribution)

Slow-roasted Copper River salmon
Salsa verde
Steamed new potatoes
Roasted red peppers with roasted garlic and basil
Roasted green and golden zucchini
Roasted crimini mushrooms
Fava beans

Coconut jasmine rice pudding with champagne mango

2007 Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes

Porch in suburbs with plaintive cat contemplating leap from railing:

Roasted turbot
on bed of
Sorrel
Pair of smashed potatoes

Five tiny, tart-skinned blueberries
Wedge of bittersweet Toblerone bar

Tap water, tepid

Two stars in sky
Lightning bugs flashing
above the trees

Ramen-ya at home: soy sauce flavored ramen with a side of homemade pork gyoza.

The past couple of days have brought steak fajitas, DELICIOUS turkey burgers (with gruyere, mustard, green onions, and breadcrumbs mixed into the ground meat--so very moist and juicy), and a curried pea frittata with tomato chutney. I've been relying heavily lately on my "Good Food Fast" cookbook (associated with "Martha Stewart Living" magazine), but I think I'm ready to bust into some more advanced dishes now that I'm acclimated to my kitchen and getting settled into a routine.

Fresh peas...ahhhh. What's even better is that Lever Green Farm at Kingstowne market has them shelled. Five bucks gets you enough to make a couple dishes out of. Last night, I used some in a risotto with parmesan, peas and scallops. I even managed to get a nice crust on frozen and thawed scallops. Take that, Spike!

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Lemon sole sauteed in butter and olive oil finished with lemon topped with a salsa verde of garlic, capers, anchovies, basil, and baby gherkins that I riffed 95% off of Jamie Oliver
baby yukon gold potatoes
roasted brocoflower

The sole fell apart (my first time trying to cook it...) but it was darn tasty.

grilled chicken with homemade peach habanero chutney
sauteed summer squash with garlic and basil
grilled pugliese from the Ovens at Quail Creek farm
homemade vanilla ice cream with strawberries

Salt-grilled yellowtail
Parboiled spinach, cut into short pieces and mixed with a dressing of ground toasted sesame seeds, sugar, sake, soy sauce
Steamed rice

Sunday night was rigatoni with fresh goat cheese, spinach, and sauteed mushrooms. Very hearty and satisfying. Monday the low-fat diet started, so dinner was grilled halibut with pineapple lime salsa. Aside from the jalapenos not providing enough heat (I think I'm going to start cooking with habaneros or something else with more fire), it was a really colorful dish with clean flavors.

Last night was Duck Confit Hash. Potatoes and onions browned in duck fat and butter with duck confit added about 3/4 of the way through so that it would warm through and begin to crisp, and roasted red peppers added at the end. Each portion was served with a farm fresh (purchased from the Dupont market on Sunday) poached egg. A Lambrusco di Sorbara Rose did a nice job of rounding out the meal.

Oil poached halibut with toasted pignoli gremolata
Cauliflower mash
Broccoli Rabe

Magic Hat's light summer brew

Okra waika only with substitution of ground lamb for ground beef--my first purchase from Virginia Lamb at Dupont Circle's market. I also substituted canned fire-roasted tomatoes for the red pepper paste and cayenne, cumin & sumac for the ground coriander. Inspired by first sighting of okra on Sunday (Farm @ Sunnyside).

Wonderful w Paula Wolfert's noodle pilaf and Greek yogurt.

Pinot Noir.
A few black raspberries.

Chicken andouille sausages and bacon on wheat hot dog rolls
Baked macaroni and cheese

The mac and cheese was a clean out the fridge project. I don't think I've ever put eggs in it before, but I had several eggs I needed to use, so I added them. Not surprisingly, it gave the final product much more of a custard base than usual. It tasted fine but I think I prefer a more solid (?) texture for baked macaroni and cheese--a different texture. I also used a couple of unopened pints of milk that had sell by dates of June 21 and 27, the remnants of a hunk of Costco edam and some cheap medium cheddar. Some Frank's hot sauce went into the sauce, along with chunked Costco salami. It made a big casserole full and we're going to be eating it for days .

Cornflake crusted pork chops a la Gillian Clark
Scalloped potatoes with cheddar

So delicious and only three pans to clean! It works for the whole family.

A legitimately good cold pasta dish at our favorite local Italian place: capellini sauced with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, a smidge of garlic and balsamic vinegar, shreds of basil, and slivers of fresh mozzarella. The balance in the sauce was excellent.

Last night:
Maple planked wild salmon
Basmati rice
Haricots verts with lemon and garlic
Mixed green salad with miso dressing

White peach, blackberries and sweet cherries with Swiss cherry yogurt

2007 Dom. Tariquet Rosé

Tonight:
Chicken gratinata with eggplant, marinated peppers and mushrooms
Penne pasta
Mixed green salad with Annie's Goddess dressing

2005 Beauzeaux (cheap but drinkable California plonk from Trader Joe's)

DAN: I want bearnaise sauce on my steak!
DAN'S WIFE: Well I want bordelaise!
DAN: Bearnaise!
DAN'S WIFE: BORDELAISE!!
DAN: BEARNAISE!!!!!

Once we'd reached a state of detente, we settled on what I'm either going to call my "Craise-y" or my "Laise-y" Steak Dinner:

Broccoli rabe in savory butter
All-crust potatoes au gratin
Center cut tenderloin roast with bearnaise sauce for Dan
Center cut tenderloin roast with bordelaise sauce for Dan's wife

2005 Pere Caboche Shat a Nerf Dupe Ape

Wegman's cookies for dessert

The potatoes were absolutely amazing, quite possible the best potato dish I've ever had. Benriner-sliced potatoes in two to three layers on a silpat, each brushed with a mixture of garlic, butter, and cream and sprinkled with reggiano-parmigiana, gruyere, and mimolette and then finally topped off with a heaping of the cream mixture, the cheeses, and some panko breadcrumbs. Baked at 375 until starting to brown, then finished under the broiler until crisp.

I must admit, I made an amazing bordelaise. It's a pity that the extra I'd planned to save went down the drain when I absentmindedly decided to strain it directly into my garbage disposal instead of the saucepot I'd reserved.



And for breakfast this morning:

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Tonight:

grilled BBQ chicken
corn on the cob
tomato/basil salad
potato salad
my mom's blueberry pie
vanilla ice cream
ice cold Budweiser

later:
popsicles at the Takoma Park fireworks

I love the 4th of July.

I mostly love the day off, but I am celebrating national multiculturalism from a rooftop:

Tiny lamb meatballs w toasted pinenuts wrapped in onion pita w fresh sliced onion and a yogurt-tahini sauce
Green bean, corn and potato salad (some of these--or just sliced cucumbers)
Cherries

Dan-seriously a last meal if there ever was one! Did you cook your potatoes in a baking sheet with a silpat? I've been into making pommes dauphinoise as a real treat lately...sounds similar-ish.
Heather and Anna-You're 4th dining sounds great. I don't know what's in store for us down the street at our neighbor's get together, but I brought (sorry, made) a dessert.
NY style cheesecake with blackberry coulis (strained through chinois) and a couple big honking whole berries on top.

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ps...the key to a dense NY style cheesecake is?....2 1/2 pounds of cream cheese