Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog

[Xochitl10]

Last night:

Roasted pork tenderloin with roasted red potatoes

Steamed broccoli tossed with lemon, butter, and white pepper

Shirley Corriher's Touch of Grace Biscuits...or cake...or biscuit cake. My dough was definitely too wet, and the biscuits lost their definition in the pan.

York Castle eggnog ice cream.

Tonight: eggplant parmigiana and a 4:1 Bombay Sapphire martini.

[cjsadler]

Bacon and onion tart with mixed green salad

Cod with a leek-tomato-wine sauce (the sauce a J. Pepin classic)

Almond cakes with sour cherry and amaretto compote (from the Bouchon cookbook-- these were really, really good. If you have this book, make these)

2005 Domaine des Chezelles Sauvignon Blanc

Forgot pictures.

[Xochitl10]

Black bean soup, tortillas, and a Negra Modelo.

[Heather]

Lentil and kale soup with harissa and ras al hanout

Merguez meatballs (lamb) with minted yogurt sauce

Lentil soup is on the menu this week, and I like the sound of this variation. Was the soup from a recipe, or did you experiment?

[zoramargolis]

Lentil soup is on the menu this week, and I like the sound of this variation. Was the soup from a recipe, or did you experiment?

I had been reading Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cookbooks (by Ana Sortun and Paula Wolfert), and had a yen for those flavors. I wanted to make something savory/spicy with beans and cooked greens. I was going to make chickpea soup, but didn't have canned chickpeas (???!!!) and didn't have enough time to cook dried ones. So I used French lentils instead. The chickpea and harissa soup recipe in Wolfert's book _Mediterranean Cooking_ had lamb in it, and my daughter is a non-meat eater, so I left that out. I used chicken broth, which she doesn't object to. (A basic aromatic veg. brunoise as the base) And since it seemed like it would be a bit one dimensional without the lamb, and I wanted to ramp up the Middle-Eastern flavor, I added some commercial ras al hanout I got at Surfas (it's a Moroccan garam masala), some Spanish paprika and a little bit of saffron. And Jonathan and I ate lamb meatballs on the side, though we could have put them in our soup instead.

Ana Sortun's recipe for ras al hanout, from _Spice, Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean_:

(makes one cup)

1/4 cup cumin seeds

3/4 tsp. saffron

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 T. turmeric

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 T. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup paprika

1. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin seeds until fragrant. When cooled, finely grind with saffron.

2. combine with remaining spices.

N.B. This makes a LOT--it would be a lifetime supply for me. I used around a teaspoon for a medium sized pot of soup, adding extra paprika and saffron, since my ras al hanout didn't seem to have much if any of those spices in it...

[ashipley]

Mushroom barley risotto (made with portobello stems), broiled portobello caps, caramelized carrots. Followed by homemade spiced-chai ice cream with crumbled biscotti on top.

[Pat]

Matzoh ball soup

Salmon filet with maple glaze

Pearl barley

[zoramargolis]

Charcoal-grilled lamb loin chops

Grilled spiced portobello stuffed with mozzarella di bufala for Veggie-teen

Polenta

Haricots verts with roasted garlic and Meyer lemon olive oil

Blueberry-pear crostata with vanilla ice cream

2003 Mas De Fournel Pic-St.-Loup

[Pat]

toasted baguette and soy spread

leftover vegetable bean soup with leftover barley added

broiled lamb loin chops with tzatziki for my husband and mint jelly for me

[Barbara]

Last night I asked Dame Edna what he wanted for dinner tonight. He pointed out that the Saints were playing for a place in the Super Bowl, so I made Shrimp Etouffe. We ate it after the game was over and it tasted like ashes. Can't New Orleans catch any kind of break?

[Heather]

It was a good day for soup. Lentil & kielbasa, loaded with vegetables and some toasted apple walnut bread from Bonaparte.

Tomorrow will be Emma's day to cook, so we're having chicken with dumplings from Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes, salad, and homemade oatmeal orange almond cookies.

[mdt]

Dinner tonight was homemade chorizo style sausage with lentils and some crusty bread.

[Xochitl10]

It was a good day for soup. Lentil & kielbasa, loaded with vegetables and some toasted apple walnut bread from Bonaparte.

Dinner tonight was homemade chorizo style sausage with lentils and some crusty bread.

Hmm, I sense a theme. We had Italian sausage with lentils, sage focaccia, and a green salad.

[jm chen]

Last night: delicious hybrid stroganoff-paprikash mess made from leftover pot roast and braising liquid with onions and red peppers, seasoned with smoked paprika, tarragon, caraway seeds and a tiny bit of nutmeg. Sour cream on top, served over egg noodles.

[hillvalley]

Comfort Food Night: Mozzerrella sticks and the last container of homemade tomato soup with pieces of rebeloux (sp?) melted in.

[brettashley01]

Last night:

Mixed green salad with champagne-pear-gorgonzola vinaigrette (trader joe's - highly recommended)

Red snapper en papillote with wine, lemon and herbes de provence

Roast onion, stuffed with chevre and sundried tomato

Glass of red wine

Mug of diet hot cocoa

[Pat]

shredded pork tenderloin (slow-cooked in the crockpot with chipotle citrus bbq sauce and other seasonings)

whole grain rice blend

baked beans

[zoramargolis]

Lavender-brined roasted chicken

Black-eyed peas

Roasted garlic mashed potatoes

Braised kale with red wine vinegar

Jalapeno corn bread with Leatherwood Honey

2002 Edmunds St. John "The Shadow" Syrah

[Pat]

A "cleaning out the refrigerator" meal:

Soup (shredded pork, onions, garlic, pickled jalapeno slices, pinto beans, and hot sauce in chicken broth)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese (remnants of 4 different types of cheese--including a couple of kinds of goat cheese) in a bechamel sauce with nutmeg

[zoramargolis]

Braised lamb shanks*

Pan-crisped polenta cakes

Steamed broccoli

TJ's Goat brie**

Cashel blue

2001 Domaine La Soumade Rasteau "Cuvee Confiance"

Rustic apple tart/ rustic pear tart***

B&J's vanilla ice cream

*I have made braised lamb shanks many times. These were by far the best I've ever made--the meat was meltingly tender, yet didn't fall off the bone. I braised them in the oven for about 4 hours at 220 degrees F. They were marinated in a cooked wine marinade for four days prior to cooking, and the marinade made up the majority of the braising liquid, along with balsamic vinegar, soy sauce (one of Michel Richard's recommended ingredients), a slug of brandy, tomato paste, a heaping teaspoon of Better Than Bouilon Beef Base, mirepoix, roasted red pepper, aromatic herbs and a piece of orange rind. After the braising liquid was strained, degreased and then reduced, it made an incredibly thick rich sauce, even without any buerre manie or butter. The Rasteau was so-o-o perfect with the lamb.

**I read not long ago that the Trader Joe's brand of chevre, marked "Sonoma Goat Cheese" is made by Laura Chenel--the only other label other than her own that she produces (she has recently sold her operation to a French firm, but this hasn't changed her relationship with Trader Joe's, as far as I know.) I am guessing that this goat brie was also made by Laura Chenel. It was excellent.

***I made two small tarts. I have had apples in my refrigerator from the Dupont Market, but I can't eat them due to an allergy. My family is apple pie-deprived as a result. I made some pie crust dough today and divvied it in half--made an apple tart for them and a bartlett and comice pear tart with ginger for me. Sweet.

[Pat]

Braised lamb shanks*

Pan-crisped polenta cakes

Steamed broccoli

TJ's Goat brie**

Cashel blue

2001 Domaine La Soumade Rasteau "Cuvee Confiance"

Rustic apple tart/ rustic pear tart***

B&J's vanilla ice cream

*I have made braised lamb shanks many times. These were by far the best I've ever made--the meat was meltingly tender, yet didn't fall off the bone. I braised them in the oven for about 4 hours at 220 degrees F. They were marinated in a cooked wine marinade for four days prior to cooking, and the marinade made up the majority of the braising liquid, along with balsamic vinegar, soy sauce (one of Michel Richard's recommended ingredients), a slug of brandy, tomato paste, a heaping teaspoon of Better Than Bouilon Beef Base, mirepoix, roasted red pepper, aromatic herbs and a piece of orange rind. After the braising liquid was strained, degreased and then reduced, it made an incredibly thick rich sauce, even without any buerre manie or butter. The Rasteau was so-o-o perfect with the lamb.

I'm going to note this for next time I prepare lamb shanks. It sounds wonderful, especially the thick sauce. I used to keep a couple of jars of Better than Bouillon around, but I think I stopped using it when I was being fanatical about staying on a low sodium diet.

I made braised lamb shanks last night too, but I did them in the crockpot (red wine, tomato sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices, with chickpeas) and served them over couscous. The meat was tender and did fall off the bone. It's hard to finesse that (tender but not falling apart) with a crockpot. The sauce could have been thicker, but the overall result was quite nice for such a small expenditure of effort .

Baguette with Nevat cheese

Green salad

Spiced braised lamb shanks

Couscous

[ctay122]

Went to Global Foods in Woodbridge to buy shrimp for dinner tonight. The watercress looked wonderful, so I decided to make this soup tonight along with Shrimp and Butternut Squash Risotto. It's one of my favorites:

Polynesian Watercress Soup:

3 tbs butter

3 tbs flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp curry powder

3 c. milk

1/2 c. boiling water

1 1/2 c. shredded carrot

3/4 c. watercress

Condiments:

shredded coconut

papaya, cut in cubes

macadamia nuts

Melt butter in sauce pan; blend in flour, salt and curry powder. Gradually stir in milk and cook, stirring constantly, till smooth and thickened. Set aside. Put carrots in boiling water in a small sauce pan; cook covered about 3 minutes or until just tender. Chop washed watercress using green part of stems as well as the leaves. Add to carrots and cook about 30 seconds longer. Stir carrots and watercress into hot milk mixture; bring just to simmering point. Serve immediately with suggested condiments.

[DanCole42]

Last night:

Mixed green salad with champagne-pear-gorgonzola vinaigrette (trader joe's - highly recommended)

Red snapper en papillote with wine, lemon and herbes de provence

Roast onion, stuffed with chevre and sundried tomato

Glass of red wine

Mug of diet hot cocoa

This is a far cry from the scrambled eggs you made me back in college. Well done.

[DanCole42]

Quadruple B (Balsamic-Barolo-Braised-Beef) Short Ribs with parsley-Gorgonzola gremolata

Wild mushroom risotto with Parmesan shavings and white truffle oil

I used a lot of the extra braising liquid from the beef in the risotto - added an amazing extra layer of flavor.

The white truffle oil was $2 off at Harris Teeter ($11). Likely imitation, but still delicious. If you're not a total snob, it's an excellent, inexpensive way to experience a rare and earthy flavor.

[Pat]

steamed broccoli

mashed potato and turnip gratin

baked chicken breasts

The mashed potato-turnip gratin was fabulous. That recipe is a keeper.

[Ilaine]

Crawfish and grits, using a shrimp and grits recipe (bacon, mushrooms, green onions as the base for the crawfish, chicken broth and cream as the liquid for the grits, incorporating parmesan cheese into the grits at the end).

Just a wild hair, but I will stick to shrimp and grits in the future. Crawfish overwhelmed by bacon and parmesan.

I thought because crawfish have a stronger flavor than shrimp it would go the other way. Could be a size thing, crawfish being smaller than shrimp, the sauce to meat ratio is higher.

Using sriracha instead of Tabasco didn't help, although I think it would be good for traditional shrimp recipe.

[cjsadler]

Crawfish and grits

Where did you find crawfish? I've been looking for frozen tails.

[Xochitl10]

Sunday night: Butternut squash soup, greens with olive oil vinaigrette, sage focaccia, apple crisp w/vanilla ice cream

Last night: Spaghetti and tomato sauce made with Snider's sausage.

[ulysses]

First full day off in a quite awhile, celebrated with popeyes chicken and strawberry soda. Happy in the kitchen... more like happy on my couch in a food coma.

[Xochitl10]

Pan-seared, Japanese seven-spice-rubbed pork chops topped with a shiitake, garlic, mirin, and soy sauce

Steamed rice

Steamed broccoli tossed with sesame oil and white pepper

[zoramargolis]

Breast of veal roulade, stuffed with spinach, leeks and porcini

Lemon veloute

Lentils de pouy*

Steamed broccoli with lemon and roasted garlic

Basmati rice

2002 Blason de Bourgogne Chablis 1er Cru

*These were from the produce refrigerator at Trader Joe's--precooked and shrinkwrapped, from France. I "fixed them up" with roasted garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil, and they were delicious. Couldn't have been better than if I had cooked them myself. Will definitely get again.

[Barbara]

Breast of veal roulade, stuffed with spinach, leeks . . .

Recipe, please.

[Banco]

We picked up our six-year-old son, Julian, from school yesterday and on the way home he declared, "I don't want to eat meat anymore." Reflexively, I had visions of granola-and-yogurt-eating dowagers at his school making pronouncements on the virtues of vegetarianism. "Did someone at school talk about this today?" I asked. But no, he had thought up this silly idea all on his own. I was at once proud and ashamed.

My wife had just bought two pounds of veal scallopine from Union Meat at Eastern Market. The meat was lying in the car between my legs, and I could smell its warming juices as I imagined how I would cook and sauce it. Just then my son made his revolutionary statement. I brought out the usual half-assed defenses of meat-eating: these animals wouldn't be alive in the first place if we weren't prepared to eat them, etcetera. He held his ground: "Animals are sweet. We should be nice to them and not kill them." My wife and I then launched into a lecture on the nutritional vicissitudes of vegetarianism. We conjured horrific visions of Lima beans and tofu. Like all ideologues, Julian was immune to incontrovertible evidence.

At home I started cooking the scallopine. Julian said he would just have an egg. He also said that, in future, fish would be OK. I probed this chink in his armor: "Fish is more endangered than beef, pork, or lamb. If you really object to eating animals, you shouldn't eat fish, either." (I didn't pursue the egg question.)

While my six-year-old pondered his new life choice, I sautéed the scallopine lightly in oil and butter, deglazing with veal stock and white wine, finishing with cream, lemon juice, and tarragon. "Are you sure you wouldn't like a little piece of this, Julian?" I asked. "Well...OK".

I gave him a full portion. He ate it up with relish. And, despite our coaxing, he didn't finish his vegetables.

[zoramargolis]

Recipe, please.

Breast of Veal Roulade with spinach, leeks and porcini with lemon veloute

Poaching stock

1 quart chicken stock (I used canned, since I didn't have a lot in the freezer)

1 1/2 cups white wine

onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, leek greens

fresh thyme branches, parsley stalks, bay leaf

1 tsp.Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

1 cup water

Approx. 2 lb. boneless veal breast in a single piece

1 large bunch spinach or use bagged spinach

1 leek

1T. butter

Fresh thyme leaves, removed from branch

2 T. dried porcini, soaked and finely chopped

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Simmer stock ingredients together for a couple of hours, then strain--add some water if it has reduced considerably.

Trim veal of visible fat and silverskin. Chop leek and saute in butter until translucent. Add rinsed spinach leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook briefly until spinach wilts. Drain cooked vegetables in a strainer, pressing out some of the moisture. Puree in food processor with thyme leaves and lemon zest.

Lay out veal, which will be a vaguely rectangular sheet. Season meat with salt and pepper. Spread chopped porcini over the meat, then spread the spinach puree, leaving a 1 inch border. Roll the meat up snugly so that the finished roll is the length of the short side of the rectangle. Tie roll with butcher's twine. Wrap roll in moistened cheesecloth.

Use a pot that will allow the veal roll to be fully or almost fully sumerged in the stock. (I used a medium sized oval Le Creuset dutch oven). Bring stock up to a boil, turn down the heat, cover the pot and poach or lightly simmer for two hours. If the meat isn't fully submerged, turn it several times during the cooking period.

Remove veal roll from poaching liquid and allow meat to rest for few minutes while making the sauce. Unwrap and discard cheesecloth and cut the strings. Slice roll in 1/2" to 3/4" thick slices and admire the pretty green pinwheel pattern. Serve with sauce under the meat, so the pattern isn't obscured.

Lemon Veloute

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

2 cups poaching liquid

3 T. creme fraiche

1 T. lemon juice

grated zest from 1/2 lemon

salt, if needed (canned stock was salted, so mine didn't need any extra)

white pepper

I'm sure you know how to make a basic white sauce. So I won't take the time to describe the method.

[porcupine]

butternut squash soup with apple, chestnut, and pumpkin seed

salad of wilted spinach with sherry-plumped raisins and duck confit

farmhouse cheddar

2005 BWC Wines Pinot Noir

[Ilaine]

Where did you find crawfish? I've been looking for frozen tails.

Brought them back in my carry-on in a care package from home (Baton Rouge). Contents of care package -- two pounds frozen Belle River crawfish tails and fat, three pounds frozen tasso, two pounds frozen andouille sausage.

After much meditation, decided not to bring the jars of Savoie roux. Just could not shake visions of exploding jars of roux in the unpressurized baggage compartment.

Next care package will probably be ordered from one of those online grocers catering to homesick Louisianans.

Or, I could always go to Mardi Gras.

[Pat]

Last night:

Belgian endive salad with toasted walnuts and Roquefort (mine) and feta (husband's); ranch dressing

Brisket with root vegetables

Tonight:

Watercress-leek soup

Spinach and sun-dried tomato strata

Butterflied rolled leg of leg lamb stuffed with olives, pine nuts, feta, and arugula

[zoramargolis]

Oven-braised beef chuck roast

Mushroom barley risotto

Roasted Kabocha squash puree

Fennel slaw with meyer lemon vinaigrette

Seckel pear crisp

2005 Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles GSM

[zoramargolis]

*Chickpea and potato terrine stuffed with pine nuts, spinach, onion and tahini

Chopped cherry tomatoes

Lamb merguez meatballs with minted yogurt sauce

*Squash kibbeh with brown butter and spiced feta {Veggie-teen's main)

Hummous

Olives

Cucumbers and yogurt

Feta

Oven toasted pita with olive oil, sea salt and fresh thyme

2003 Nada Fiorenzo Dolcetto d'Alba

*Recipes from _Spice_ by Ana Sortun-- these both turned out to be outstanding vegetarian dishes, with layers of fascinating flavors. Both contained Middle Eastern Five Spice Powder, a simple recipe in the book which consisted of black pepper, allspice, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. The terrine was layered with a puree of potato and chickpeas on top and bottom and spinach, onion, pine nuts, garlic, tahini, dried apricot and raisins (and five spice powder) in the center. Served at room temp, sliced and topped with chopped tomatoes. Truly wonderful first course.

The squash kibbe was made with roasted, pureed winter squash (I had some leftover kabocha puree that I used) mixed with sauteed onion and green pepper (I used poblano). Sweet paprika and a small amount of dried bulgar wheat is mixed in and it sits for fifteen minutes and then brown butter is added. The puree is spooned into a small baking cup and a ball of spiced feta is buried in the center of the squash and covered over. The feta was mixed with five spice, alleppo pepper, and chopped parsley (I used cilantro and skipped the called-for sumac, which I didn't have). It was then baked for fifteen minutes and turned out onto the plate. Very rich and delicious.

[Pat]

Spicy English parsnip soup

Lamb curry with white rice

[ol_ironstomach]

Spud in allium (with apologies to Tallis). Okay, so it's just a potato-leek soup.

[zoramargolis]

Cabbage and beet borscht with sour cream and fresh dill

Seeded corn rye bread and butter

Blueberry crisp

2004 Turkey Flat "The Turk" GSM+cab

[zoramargolis]

American hackleback caviar with creme fraiche

Mussels with vermouth, garlic, shallots, roasted peppers and fresh herbs

2004 Mara Reserve Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Dolinsek Ranch (yum!!!)

Leftover blood orange cheesecake

[DLB]

Lentil Soup with bacon and carrots

Chicken Pillard with Escorole (sp)

Churros and Chocolate

[Heather]

roasted chicken stuffed with lemon and rosemary, with its juices alongside

mashed spuds

steamed asparagus tossed with a little butter and lemon zest

homemade chocolate chip cookies

[Seanchai]

I recently obtained a Michael Chiarello cookbook that I'm really enjoying. Last night pork Bolognese with rosemary and garlic fettucine accompanied by oven warmed rosemary and olive oil focaccia with smoked mozzarella and sundried tomatoes. Tonight chicken breasts alla vendemmia with oven roasted potatoes and spring greens.

[Pat]

Last night was an Armenian meal. I had intended to serve it Sunday, but after 4 long hours in the kitchen, it was still not close to ready. So, we had leftovers Sunday and the Armenian meal last night.

Madzoon (yogurt) soup

Yalanchi (rice stuffed grape leaves)

Topik (chickpea-potato terrine--I looked over a number of recipes but ultimately used the one Zora did, upthread)

[Heather]

Family dance and pizza night. Cranked the oven way up and each pizza took about 4 1/2 minutes, with a beautiful crisp bubbly crust and slightly browned cheese. Mine had fontina, sauteed wild mushrooms & garlic, fresh thyme, a few nicoise olives, and a liberal showering of fresh parsley and red pepper flakes once out of the oven. Carol Greenwood couldn't have done any better.

Plus we were treated to Ian doing his "butt dance" to "Oh Carolina" by Shaggy, and you just can't get that kind of entertainment at Comet.

[Pat]

Family dance and pizza night. Cranked the oven way up and each pizza took about 4 1/2 minutes, with a beautiful crisp bubbly crust and slightly browned cheese. Mine had fontina, sauteed wild mushrooms & garlic, fresh thyme, a few nicoise olives, and a liberal showering of fresh parsley and red pepper flakes once out of the oven. Carol Greenwood couldn't have done any better.

Plus we were treated to Ian doing his "butt dance" to "Oh Carolina" by Shaggy, and you just can't get that kind of entertainment at Comet.

I can't top that! I need to make pizza again. It's been quite a while.

Tonight we're having...

French toast

Well, not exactly. I'm making a strata from stale poppy seed rolls*, milk/eggs/honey, and dried pineapple and chopped proscuitto.

I'm also reheating some parsnip soup. Tonight is definitely a soup night.

*$1 off at Giant yesterday, which was their sale date. I should have been suspicious when I squeezed (gently!) the other packages and they seemed stale. These seemed ok, until I got home and tried one . They're a nice texture for french toasty-foods, though.

[hillvalley]

Last minute dinner thrown together because the stupid weather ruined my dinner plans....

Country pate on a baguette

Scrambled eggs topped with truffle oil and truffle salt (almost made up for the stupid weather)

fleur de sel brownie sundae sans ice cream

vodka