Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog

[zoramargolis]

I asked at the butcher counter at Whole Foods if they could grind some beef for chili. They didn't have any of that grind out in the case. He was happy to oblige, but, after at least 10 minutes, another butcher came to tell me that they couldn't find the attachment for that grind . I went back to the case to decide on what beef to get and saw they had boneless beef shanks. I figured shanks cook a long time, chili cooks a long time, so...it turns out beef shank meat works quite well in chili. Very tender by serving time. I had also bought a few pork sausages with habanero and green chile and put that meat in as well. I didn't use any dried chiles, but roasted several fresh hot ones and also chopped some fresh sweet bell peppers to go in with the onion and garlic, and then enhanced the mixture with Penzey's chili powder, plus extra cayenne and pepper flakes, and a bottle of Dos Equis.

Good plan B. Any cut of beef that needs slow cooking can be used for chili con carne. I usually use chuck, cut into small cubes, rather than ground beef.

[Fishinnards]

Wife is away (with the good camera) so I'm cooking for one.

หมูผัดใบกะเพรา pad grapao with pork and eggplant. It's not the best Thai dish, but it's my favorite. Holy basil season is the best.

[thistle]

I'm still trying to find a garden center that carries bai horapa around here, HWV usually has rau ram (Vietnamese cilantro) but hasn't gotten it in yet this spring, I have a couple of mints & regular Thai basil (kind of puny, they didn't like that cold snap). I don't grow regular cilantro (but maybe I should for the roots) because it bolts quickly & you can get it pretty cheap at the grocery store.

[Fishinnards]

I'm still trying to find a garden center that carries bai horapa around here, HWV usually has rau ram (Vietnamese cilantro) but hasn't gotten it in yet this spring, I have a couple of mints & regular Thai basil (kind of puny, they didn't like that cold snap). I don't grow regular cilantro (but maybe I should for the roots) because it bolts quickly & you can get it pretty cheap at the grocery store.

Bai horapa is regular Thai basil. Bai Grapao (kaprow) is holy basil. I saw some last year at the Arlington farmers market but didn't buy any because I already bought some plants from the Thai grocery and started some from seed. I have some seeds started for this year and I'll keep looking for plants. It seems Bangkok 54 has had holy basil for sale once a week since March or April (confusingly labeled Thai basil), so they found a good supplier with a green house this year. It was more like once a month last year. I might get tired of holy basil by the time I have plants going, but probably not.

Great Wall sells cilantro with and without roots (both locations), though lately they've taken to chopping the root off right at the stem (as in the photo above). But that bottom part works better than just upper stems, which is what I use when I can't get roots. I know somewhere around here there are huge piles of cilantro roots rotting in the trash.

[zoramargolis]

herb-brined, spice rubbed chicken (TJ's organic free range) charcoal roasted with applewood smoke chips

braised young kale from Next Step

hybrid baba ghanoush/roasted eggplant salad with roasted pepper, tomato, sauteed fennel, onion and garlic, spices, preserved lemon, tahini, cilantro and mint

basmati rice

[monavano]

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Bang Bang Shrimp (Bonefish Grill).

CI's lemon chiffon pie.

[thistle]

That looks delicious- I love shrimp, in any way, shape, or form. I had lunch w/ my daughter at Sampan Cafe yesterday, & Lizzy discovered she loves har gow, the shrimp dumplings, out of 4 orders I got 1dumpling. We also got lunch specials, shrimp & broccoli for L & Hunan shrimp for me. All shrimp, all the time....

[monavano]

Thanks, thistle. I've been keeping a bag of Giant's ez peel shrimp in the freezer for quick dishes like this. This Bang Bang was cheap and easy.

[hillvalley]

It's dinner from the market season again; I bought everything this weekend at a few markets.

Tonight is burrata on a bed of stewed tomatos and baby zucchini and green garlic

Broiled squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese

Chocolate milk

[KMango]

Red Apron Butcher Beef Shanks, seared in beef suet and spices; deglazed and reduced with Red Apron beef stock and red wine; then into the slow cooker to braise for six hours with garlic and a bouquet of rosemary and thyme from the garden.

Simmered red potatoes, celery, onion, and carrot in the same fond-rich liquid, but in a separate vessel. Served together, finished with a pinch of Maldon smoked salt and wasabi micro greens; Mom's Merrifield has an enviable live sprout selection.

Outrageously satisfying. The moment I had with the marrow is NSFW.

[Fishinnards]

Last night, jasmine rice and squid and Chinese sausage salad (ยำปลาหมึกกุนเชียง)

Tonight, jasmine rice, egg with bitter melon and pork and squid with holy basil (มะระผัดไข่ หมูปลาหมึกผัดใบกะเพรา)

Had a fatty piece of pork, so I rendered the fat and used that to stir fry. It was good.

[The Hersch]

Navarin d'agneau printanier.

[porcupine]

salad of frisée (not from the garden, effin' rabbits), orach and radish (from the garden), tarragon, blue cheese (Keswick Creamery), white wine vinaigrette

strawberries with vanilla crème Chantilly

I feel insignificant posting that after the last few posts.

Tonight: homemade pasta of some sort with morels, beech mushrooms, pea vines, and probably more tarragon

eta homemade strawberry ice cream for dessert

[Fishinnards]

Chef Chen Dailu's Spicy Sesame Noodles (Chen Shifu Hong You Su Mian) from Fuchsia Dunlop's Every Grain of Rice

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[Pat]

Last night:

Red and green leaf lettuce with Campari tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and croutons; Dijon vinaigrette

Smoked salmon, buffalo mozzarella, and herb omelette

Leftover rice pilaf

[monavano]

Last night- Asparagus soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt, Chicken Piccata with cauliflower puree and broccoli sauteed with anchovy paste. Lemon chiffon pie for dessert.

Tonight- more chicken! I have cacciatore with chicken thighs and a spicy chicken sausage in the slow cooker with white wine, chicken stock, onions, garlic, crimini mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, herbs and spices.

I'll throw together a catch-all salad to begin.

[zoramargolis]

roasted wolf fish filet with miso sauce

roasted asparagus

garlic toasted baguette

fresh pineapple

2012 Akakies kir yianni rose

[Pat]

Open-faced radish, cucumber, and butter sandwiches

Linguine with mascarpone cream sauce, bacon, spring onions, radish greens, and grated Parmesan

[Fishinnards]

Daikon radish with hot and sour dressing, snow peas with Chinese
sausage, soup with pickled mustard greens, smoked tofu and
egg. Jasmine rice. New Belgian Rampant.

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[Pat]

Red leaf lettuce, avocado, radishes, and mushrooms; Dijon vinagrette

Macaroni and cheese with bacon and buttered breadcrumbs

[KMango]

Monocacy Chipotle, smashed between Boulder Canyon Hummus & Sesame Chips.

WhatEverTheHeckBrand Vinho Verde, poured over frozen de-seeded kumquat halves, with a touch of hibiscus syrup for color.

Grilled half moons of yellow squash, quarter cut asparagus, and enoki mushrooms courtesy of the Cuisinart Griddler and a quickly composed champagne vinaigrette.

Long Day.

[zoramargolis]

chiles rellenos

roasted tomato/red chile salsa

last of the homemade refried beans

pico de gallo

guacamole

chips

cerveza Pacifico

[Fishinnards]

Farasvi murghi (from 660 Curries), jasmine rice

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[Cizuka Seki]

egg rice -- it's this thing where you take a "Jidori" egg (a jidori chicken is originally a heritage breed in Japan and these days jidori chickens must have a percentage of the original breed in them.). i didn't know we could get these in the US....i'm a little suspicious that it's playing the same game as American bred "wagyu". anyway, i digress -- egg rice is when you break a jidori egg and add a little soy sauce and mix them really well. then you take a bowl of straight-out-of-the steamer, piping hot tamaki rice (which is what we use for all our rice dishes) and drop the mixture in.

"what?", you're thinking....i'm missing the step of cooking the egg, you're thinking. you heard me -- raw egg and rice. IT IS THE BOMB. everyone child in japan has had it. it's the ultimate breakfast comfort food along with a nice bowl of miso soup.

here's a huff po piece on jidori chicken: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Menuism/what-is-jidori-chicken_b_1984579.html

[Pat]

Buttered toast

Baked sweet potato

Chilaquile casserole (old Mollie Katzen recipe)

[zoramargolis]

Dinner for four:

mezze selection:

muhammara (sweet-spicy spread made with roasted red pepper, harissa, nuts (recipe calls for walnuts, but I used hazelnuts), garlic, pomegranate molasses, olive oil)

marinated chickpeas with garlic, herbs and preserved meyer lemon (made from cooked dried beans not canned ones)

various olives

labneh with zaatar

feta cheese

sungold tomatoes

french breakfast radishes

spicy pickled ramps with lemon

afghan bread

2012 Plouzeau chinon rosé

mesclun salad with lemon vinaigrette

charcoal grilled lamb chops, marinated in yogurt, mint, onion and lemon peel for four days

charcoal roasted asparagus

2007 La Bastide St. Dominique Cotes du Rhone

brioche bread pudding with strawberries macerated with sugar, lemon and black pepper, vanilla whipped cream

[Pat]

We grilled a feast last night:

Marinated sirloin and veggie kebobs

Armenian ground lamb kebabs (luleh kebab)

Grilled asparagus

Tabbouleh

Tzatziki

Pita heated on the grill

Strawberries and dark chocolate for dessert

The lamb kebabs came out really great. I'd never made skewers with ground meat before and was worried it wouldn't hold together, but it was perfect.

Leftovers of that for tonight plus yellow cake with chocolate frosting

[monavano]

Flank steak with a red wine and shallot pan sauce.

... served with whipped fingerling potatoes with cream cheese and horseradish, rabe with alepo and Parmesan.

[Fishinnards]

Hit the Crystal City farmers market on the way home from work. Tomatoes, onion and daikon radish (mooli) with chat masala, limes and fresh chillies. Moong dal with ghee, cumin, kalonji, garlic, turmeric, hot pepper, cilantro and garam masala. Radishes (some kind of red radish that's shaped like a carrot) with cumin seeds, garlic, onion, hot pepper, and tomato. Radish greens (from both of the radishes) with black cumin, cloves, cardamon, bay leaf, dried chillies, ginger and onion. Brown jasmine rice. Troegenator Double Bock.

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[monavano]

Pick n Peel shrimp.

Gorgonzola burger, corn on the cob.

[zoramargolis]

home made hummus with pita chips

St. Andre and P'tit Basque with membrillo, baguette

mixed green salad with avocado, fennel, and lemon vinaigrette

watermelon, feta, mint

mixed charcoal grill smoked with cherrywood chips: herb brined eco-friendly pork chops, rib-eye steak, TJ's black cod filet (for the pesc-y niece), asparagus

penne pasta with pesto

rhubarb-ginger buckle with whipped cream

2012 Domaine Guillaman rosé

[Pat]

Tuesday night:

Baguette and Liverwurst spread

Leftover deviled eggs over salad; mustard vinaigrette

Leftover tabbouleh

Braised kale and bacon with buffalo mozzarella and hot pepper flakes

Last night

Baguette and liverwurst spread

Stuffed mushrooms w/leftover kale, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs

Potato salad inc. leftover deviled eggs

Leftover veggie and beef kabobs

Summer squash au gratin

[Josh]

Rose Txakoli

Radishes with sea salt and butter

Salad of beet greens with roquefort

Steak tartare with green garlic

Rye + apple shrub + Dolin rouge

Head + Pillow

[lperry]

Warm quinoa salad made with diced, sautéed vegetables (a pepper, carrot, yellow squash and zucchini from last week's farmers' market run), minced herbs from the garden (garlic chives, oregano, thyme), pecorino romano cheese, and a sherry vinaigrette. Pretty good for a produce drawer clean out.

Very ripe banana topped with still-warm, homemade, dark chocolate "nutella"

Meyer lemon Arnold Palmers

[porcupine]

salad of butter lettuce, frisee, orach, sorrel, radish (all from the garden), fennel, gorgonzola, white wine vinaigrette

fabes de astorias with really good extra virgin olive oil, lemon, fennel, espelette

salt cod fritters

roasted asparagus

[zoramargolis]

salad of butter lettuce, frisee, orach, sorrel, radish (all from the garden), fennel, gorgonzola, white wine vinaigrette

fabes de astorias with really good extra virgin olive oil, lemon, fennel, espelette

salt cod fritters

roasted asparagus

So, how was the salt cod experience? How'd the fritters turn out?

[monavano]

Lemony risotto with big fat shrimp and asparagus. Topped with shave Parmesan.

[LauraB]

Found lovely golden beets at the farmers market and their greens were perfect too. Made a golden beet risotto topped with beet greens sautéed with garlic. Other ingredients were: chicken broth, white wine, unsalted butter, white onion, lemon juice, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and crumbled ricotta salata cheese. Lusciously creamy and delicious.

[Josh]

Wife's out for a business dinner, so it's just me and the sleeping boy. Sometime simple's best.

Linguine with green garlic and olive oil.

A little red pepper and parmesan.

Perfect.

[lperry]

Thanks to a suggestion I read in a cookbook recently, I'm on a mission to use up everything in the kitchen down to the bare shelves. It's pretty easy right now, but things may get weird soon. Tonight was steamed green beans and rice noodles (more beans than noodles) in a peanut sauce.

[zoramargolis]

frittatta with leek, onion, green garlic, golden zucchini and kale topped with Cabot cheddar, P'tit Basque and Reggiano. sliced tomato and basil

barley, corn and poblano chile pilaf with cilantro, lime juice and zest

2011 Botani dry muscat

[porcupine]

So, how was the salt cod experience? How'd the fritters turn out?

Not bad, considering I suck at deep frying. I'd like to try it again sometime, maybe after getting more specific instructions (like, how long to fry at what temperature).

[dcandohio]

Vegetable tian

Lamb and turkey "kebabs"

Garlic yogurt sauce

I mixed ground lamb and ground turkey with zataar, garlic, dill, parsley and oregano and formed into cylinders on skewers, which I then grilled.

[Fishinnards]

Friday I grilled a whole chicken and had it with green papaya salad (ส้มตำมะละกอ), vegetables and rice. That meant I could have grilled chicken salad (ยำไก่ย่าง) on Saturday! with rice and vegetables and pickled mustard green "soup" (แกงจืดผักดอง)

Sunday, (and yesterday, leftovers) red curry with beef and squash (แกงเผ็ดเนื้อ), green papaya salad (it was a big papaya), pickled mustard green soup again, fried eggs with Sriracha sauce (ไข่เจียว), and beef and eggplant with holy basil (เนื้อผัดใบกะเพรา), jasmine rice.

[monavano]

^

Always a feast for the eyes!

[monavano]

... been dreaming about the jumbo lump from Shells Yes all winter long. Did not disappoint. The jumbo lumps were the biggest I've ever seen.

Served over sauteed mustard greens, with a remoulade-type sauce and scorched corn.

[lperry]

There are little green tomatoes on the tomato plants, and two bags of roasted tomatoes from last year remaining in the freezer after last night's meal. Risotto with roasted tomatoes, goat's milk cheese (Four Mile Run Farmer's Market), and pecorino romano.

Mushrooms that looked like shiitakes were purchased at the King Street Farmer's Market, but the taste was not very shiitake-y, so they got the Euro treatment with white wine, shallot, and thyme.

A wonderful mango from a crate purchased at H Mart. The giant Mexican mangoes are a bit fibrous, but excellent in flavor right now.

Dibon NV Brut Reserva Cava

[zoramargolis]

The giant Mexican mangoes are a bit fibrous, but excellent in flavor right now.

When I was in NYC a few weeks ago, I went into a corner store in Little India and found Alphonso mangoes shipped from India. The USDA started allowing them in just a few years ago. I bought two to bring back home to DC with me. I should have bought a whole crate. The flavor was ambrosial and the texture of the flesh was silky and smooth. No stringiness at all. Now I understand what all the fuss was about. Best mango I've ever tasted.

[lperry]

When I was in NYC a few weeks ago, I went into a corner store in Little India and found Alphonso mangoes shipped from India. The USDA started allowing them in just a few years ago. I bought two to bring back home to DC with me. I should have bought a whole crate. The flavor was ambrosial and the texture of the flesh was silky and smooth. No stringiness at all. Now I understand what all the fuss was about. Best mango I've ever tasted.

My friends from India don't understand why we put up with the mangoes that usually appear in our stores, but it's easy to get good ones when you are living where there are hundreds of cultivars. We got stuck with the Tommy Atkins for typical U.S. crappy produce reasons - disease resistance, shippability, etc. The one good thing about the fibrous mangoes is they will go through a masticating juicer really well, and the resulting purée is lovely.

Oddly enough, the canned mangoes in Indian groceries make nice mango lassis and sorbets because they are fully ripe when processed, and they are usually good quality cultivars. The little champagne and other ataulfos are pretty good, but the hot water treatments they give Mexican mangoes sometimes make them rot from the inside. Not a nice surprise when you had something planned for dinner.

[Fishinnards]

On Wednesday I did a little Sri Lankan cooking lesson for my neighbors (who honeymooned in Sri Lanka). We made Kukul Mas (chicken curry), Pol Sambola (coconut sambol), Paripoo (lentils), Mallung (greens), Raabu Thakkali Sambola (radish and tomato salad) and rice.