Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog

[monavano]

St. Marcellin--a soft ripened cheese packed in its own little crockery dish. Dead ripe and gooey. Goooood.

Roasted Eco Friendly chicken

Roasted fingerling potatoes--they were the "oven rack" for the chicken

Farro and black lentil salad

Puree of roasted Kabocha squash

Pear crisp with B&J's vanilla ice cream

2005 Ch. Thivin Brouilly

Saint-Marcellin-an amazing cheese which I sought out when making Molly Steven's Savoy Cabbage Gratin with Saint-Marcellin. It was so delicious and really turned me on to this cheese (I use the crock for nuts to feed a couple precocious squirrels).

Last night I made wedding soup with pork meatballs (Italian spices and grated parmesan) and served it up with Atwater's sourdough. The greens are Next Step's tat soi and Sunnyside's escarole.

[cjsadler]

Brussels Sprouts from Momofuku.

Just used chili-garlic sauce in place of the garlic and chilies. At first I was like "yeah, this is ok". Then I ate another bowl. Then I ate the entire two pounds of brussel sprouts.

[chickenlover]

I am consistently impressed by and jealous of the meals people are putting together out there. Seriously, where do you folks find the time? For those of you wondering what a person with significantly less time, talent and ambition eats on a Monday night:

-Store bought hummus and pita

-Leftover turnips

-Red leaf lettuce w/ oil and vinegar

Then I folded the laundry and went to sleep.

[Tweaked]

Curry-roasted butternut squash and chickpeas

Quick, easy, healthy, delicious. Recommended.

As cjsadler says quick, easy, and delicious! After I made it a couple times I was inspired with a new idea. I took this recipe, modified it and turned it into a curried butternut squash puree

Chop the squash into 1/2 inch chunks

Toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and curry powder (omit the chickpeas, cayenne pepper, yogurt sauce)

roast at 400 for about 45-50 minutes until very soft

mash with butter and cream until like mashed potato

[DanCole42]

I am consistently impressed by and jealous of the meals people are putting together out there. Seriously, where do you folks find the time?

Zora is actually a team of fifteen people. They just share a login.

[zoramargolis]

I am consistently impressed by and jealous of the meals people are putting together out there. Seriously, where do you folks find the time?

When I was working full time, I only cooked multi-course complex meals on weekends. During the week, we ate a lot of "thirty minute meals." Knowing how to cook is a big piece of it. The best investment you can make toward an improved quality of life is cooking lessons, IMO.

Zora is actually a team of fifteen people. They just share a login.

I wish. Even some help with the dishes would be huge.

[Pat]

I do a fair amount with leftovers. Even if just one component of a meal is already made, it helps a lot.

Last night we had all leftovers: potato skins, pigs in blankets, spare ribs, and chicken. It's actually unusual for us to have a meal that's all leftovers, but I was running late.

Tonight I'm making some kind of green salad, hamburgers on biscuit buns, and bulgur with mushrooms (a Martha Stewart recipe I make periodically). The soaking of the bulgur accounts for most of the time devoted to that part of the meal. I'll start the bulgur first and then make the salad. I'll cut the mushrooms and shallots to go in the bulgur dish while I'm making the salad. The biscuit dough is leftover from the batch I made for pigs in blankets. That requires rolling out, cutting, and baking. The burgers will cook while the biscuits bake. I'm also planning to make a quick batch of guacamole, as the avocados I have are already overly-ripe and won't last another day. Some of that may go on the burgers or we'll have it with chips before the meal. It should take just over an hour to have everything done and on the table.

[Anna Blume]

Don't forget a cinnamon stick. Two, if you're using that cheap shit from the bodega around the corner.

I know it's just a bunch of bluster for effect, but cf. Rick Bayless on the glories of the less expensive type of Mexican cinnamon that I like to pick up, too. A whiff tells you just how different it is from the spice that comes from afar and has all the mystique of your preferred French colonials... (Dinner sounds like a great save.) Makes a mean hot chocolate with a pinch of cayenne.

I am consistently impressed by and jealous of the meals people are putting together out there. Seriously, where do you folks find the time?

I'm a fan of making things on weekends like a good pasta sauce, a pot of beans, casserole or stew, and one kind of soup. If you make a smooth, puréed soup that isn't too thick, heat it up and sip it in a mug to tide you over as you put together the rest of the meal. A good way to get in vegetables, too, if need be, or your entire meal w toast if weary.

[Xochitl10]

Mabo doufu using another block of amazing cotton tofu from the little tofu shop near my house

Steamed rice

Ryozeki Kome no Shizuku (Drops of Rice) sake from Akita Prefecture

[legant]

Brussels Sprouts from Momofuku.

Just used chili-garlic sauce in place of the garlic and chilies. At first I was like "yeah, this is ok". Then I ate another bowl. Then I ate the entire two pounds of brussel sprouts.

dah-um! this is great! I shoulda bought more sprouts]

[Erin11]

I do a fair amount with leftovers. Even if just one component of a meal is already made, it helps a lot.

I agree. I plan my meals for the week prior to my Saturday morning grocery trip. In addition to helping me shop more efficiently, I also have a good take on what leftovers I'll have for lunches and for freezing. Since I cook for one mostly, planning ahead for leftovers allows me to do the cooking I love without wasting extra food as most recipes create 4 or more servings. On that note, I had some shredded cooked chicken in the freezer that I decided to turn into enchiladas. Last night's dinner was:

Chicken and black bean enchiladas in tomatillo sauce with a small green salad on the side.

[Pat]

guacamole and chips

pigs in blankets

cuban -style black beans

chipotle macaroni and cheese

[Xochitl10]

Another round of tofu dengaku (grilled miso-topped tofu)

Steamed brown rice

Hourenso no goma-ae -- spinach dressed with sesame, sake, sugar, and soy sauce

Takuan (dried, pickled daikon) from a neighbor and my own rice-bran-pickled cucumber

[zoramargolis]

Osso bucco with gremolata

Risotto

Haricots verts

Macerated strawberries and Haagen Dasz coconut-sesame brittle ice cream

2005 Willamette Valley Estate Vyd Pinot Noir

[Pat]

Moroccan chicken with olives and prunes, served with naan. P'tit Basque cheese and flatbread crackers before the meal.

I had bought a big pack of whole chicken legs, so I used the three smallest of those in place of the four thighs called for in the recipe. There are no chicken pieces left but still a decent amount of the sauce, and that will be good served over couscous.

Naan was made with the last of the yeast angel biscuit dough from this Post chat.. While it may not be a classic biscuit recipe, that turns out quite a versatile dough. Over the course of a week, I've made two batches of pigs in blankets with it, hamburger buns, regular biscuits, and naan. I've still got one naan loaf left.

[rkduggins]

Hot and sour cucumbers

Lion's head casserole

Chicken roasted with onions and soy sauce

Jasmine rice with garlic, ginger and cilantro

[DonRocks]

The question I'm asked more than any other, usually with looks that combine skepticism, horror, and pity, is: "Do you really eat out EVERY SINGLE NIGHT?"

Well, yes!

But yesterday I stayed in, and had my first home-cooked meal of 2008: lugaw, served with tokwa't baboy. Boiled pig ear, mmmmm...

Which brings me to the question I'm asked the second most: "Do you cook?"

Goodness no - how would I find the time?

Cheers,

Rocks.

ETA: Correction, make that two in a row - Chả giò with Nước chấm, and yes I'm going out for dessert (Barry Koslow, R U N 2 Nite? Wee shell sea.)

Edited February 12, 2008 by DonRocks

[zoramargolis]

Last night:

Cabbage borscht with Greek yogurt and fresh dill

Caraway rye with sweet butter

2005 Montes Alpha Syrah

[hillvalley]

Sunday night:

Lobster for those who eat lobster

Talapia with garlic butter for those who don't

Big green salad with market goodies

Steamed new potatoes with garlic butter

Green tea mochi, a first for everyone but me

Monday night:

Basil and garlic lasagna

Salad with ginger dressing

Valentine day colored hershey kisses

Pomegranate gin fizzes

[Heather]

There is nothing like pho on a rainy, cold, crappy day.

[Anna Blume]

There is nothing like pho on a rainy, cold, crappy day.

True, though I am trying to decide if Scotch broth would do the trick. Or maybe reheated vegetarian Shepherd's Pie and Brussels Sprouts. Save the smidgen of leftover lamb shoulder for this tomorrow since I have cooked chickpeas and slices of raw butternut squash to use up in the fridge. Or...

[ol_ironstomach]

There is nothing like pho on a rainy, cold, crappy day.

Word. Doubly so when you're both fending off incipient colds.

[Pat]

Beefy mac and cheese with peas, tomatoes, and a shot of hot sauce.

Steamed asparagus with grated Romano cheese

Cornbread made with bacon fat (no sugar)

[DanCole42]

Insalata Caprese, made with a lovely bufala from Wegman's

Chicken parmesan*

*This is my wife's favorite food, and I've been working for the more than seven years we've been together to earn the title from her of "Best Chicken Parm Ever." Last night I finally achieved it. Now I have no goal in life.

[zoramargolis]

Last night:

Eco-Friendly chicken livers with onion, mushrooms, bacon and balsamic pan reduction sauce

Mashed potatoes

(Veggie-teen had mushroom duxelles on her mashers, and some mozzarella di bufala)

Haricots verts

2005 Dom. Nicolas Rossignol Volnay

[Anna Blume]

Dan, I'm sure you'll come up with another goal.

Meanwhile, mozzarella di bufala lovers, ain't you herd this?

* * *

So, tonight I transformed leftovers into that lamb and butternut squash dish linked in my erstwhile post, improvising and improving part of it by roasting wedges of squash before adding them to the pan. Served w couscous. Yummy. Tomorrow, more tofu, if earless.

[zoramargolis]

tonight:

Buttermilk fried chicken

Deep-fried cheese grits cakes

Stewed chard

2006 Heidi Schrock Muscat

Valentine dessert:

Homemade meringues

Strawberries macerated with lavender and sugar

Mascarpone-coconut cream scented with vanilla and rosewater

Chocolate fudge

[hillvalley]

Sigh

Sometimes the kitchen gods are against you but what can you do?

It started when I realized that the box of polenta on the top shelf was actually lentils. Then, half way through preparation, the disposal clogged and started shooting grey guck around. Fortunately KG is just happy when there is food.

Sauteed chanterelles and shallots on top of lentils with smoked mozzarella

Arugula salad topped with an Italian cheese whose name I don't remember but tasted like a richer granna

(we were supposed to have roasted beets and heart shaped goat cheese napoleon, plus tomato basil salad but I was too frustrated at that point)

Blueberry pie (which was supposed to have a mango sauce with it but again, frustration won)

[Pat]

Soup and Salad, both from The Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook:

Jalapeno Jack Cheese Soup

Spicy Fried Oysters on Roasted Peppers with Spinach and Radicchio Salad

I had originally intended a more complex menu but was exhausted and running out of time, so we'll have Valentine's Dinner Pt. 2 tonight.

The soup was good but was intended to be part of a duo with black bean soup. I had decided only to do one of the duo because I had so much else planned, and I imagine it would have been better as the cookbook suggested. I also omitted the smoked pepper cream that was supposed to top both, and--too late--realized that I should have substituted another garnish. It needed another flavor, as the cheese flavor was not discernible, and jalapeno was the only strong note.

The salad took a lot of work but was worth it--much better than I expected. I am not competent at shucking oysters and that really slowed me down. I still have all of my fingers intact, however .

The base of the salad was a chiffonade of spinach and radicchio, tossed with an anchovy balsamic vinaigrette. This was topped at intervals with small mounds of julienned red, green, and yellow roasted peppers, which had their own light dressing of lemon juice and olive oil. Each mound of peppers was topped with a chile-cornbread crumb breaded fried oyster. Additional anchovy vinaigrette went over top of the salad. I would totally make the salad again, knowing better how to time everything and probably using preshucked oysters .

[TinDC]

Insalata Caprese, made with a lovely bufala from Wegman's

Chicken parmesan*

*This is my wife's favorite food, and I've been working for the more than seven years we've been together to earn the title from her of "Best Chicken Parm Ever." Last night I finally achieved it. Now I have no goal in life.

How did you make it this time? I love chicken parm too.

[DanCole42]

How did you make it this time? I love chicken parm too.

Reprinted from my blog:

The Chicken

Take some high quality, kosher chicken breasts and pound them to an even thickness of one half inch. Season both side with salt and pepper.

The Flour

Mix some all purpose flour with salt, oregano, black pepper, and tons of sage. Dredge the chicken in the flour.

The Batter

Thoroughly whisk two sticks of butter, three tablespoons of dijon mustard, two eggs, and three tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add a few handfuls of the above flour mixture. Rub the batter onto the floured chicken. It's okay if it goes on thick (in fact, you want it to).

The Fry

Dredge the floured, battered chicken in panko breadcrumbs and fry in olive oil over medium high heat until browned on both sides. Remove and drain.

The Sauce

Start the sauce before the other steps, then just keep it on low until you need it here!

Caramelize a mixture of one onion and 75% that amount of celery root over low heat. Add three cloves of minced garlic and some salt towards the end of the cooking process. Increase heat to medium high and add one cup of marsala wine. Cook until the wine evaporates and the vegetables have a sweet, golden coating. Add one can of fire roasted tomatoes and one bottle of V-8 juice. Canned tomatoes are best here because they're always canned at the peak ripeness, as opposed to ones purchased in the produce section (which can be inconsistent). Cook over medium-low until reduced by 25%, then place in a blender and liquify. Return to the pot and increase the sauce's volume by 50-75% by adding tomato juice. Continue cooking until reduced by 50%. Add a few palm-fulls of diced basil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the sauce over the cooked chicken.

The Cheese

Two parts shredded mozzarella to one part grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Sprinkle over the sauce-covered chicken in an even coat.

The End

Broil the chicken for about one minute or until the cheese is melted with a few small splotches of brown. On the plate, top with a few spoonfuls of sauce. Indulge.

[youngfood]

Sigh

Sometimes the kitchen gods are against you but what can you do?

I had originally intended a more complex menu but was exhausted and running out of time, so we'll have Valentine's Dinner Pt. 2 tonight.

I'm a firm believer that not only are week night VDays a good night to stay in, but that they are a good night to not cook and instead have a smattering of prepless dishes. Second year in a row we've done olives, cheese, etc with bubbly and I couldn't have been happier.

Mixed Greens

Mixed olives

Port Duck Pate with Aspic

Boucheron

Cantaloupe

Roederer Estate NV

[monavano]

Lenitl soup with macaroni- crushed tomatoes, chili flakes, marjoram, cumin, oregano, chili powder, onion and garlic. Topped with crumbled Keswick Creamery Feta de Provence.

Shrimp Scampi.

Ah....Lent.

[Pat]

I'm a firm believer that not only are week night VDays a good night to stay in, but that they are a good night to not cook and instead have a smattering of prepless dishes. Second year in a row we've done olives, cheese, etc with bubbly and I couldn't have been happier.

I never seem to learn that and often attempt something far too elaborate.

Part Two was less successful than part one. It took forever to construct the dishes, even though I'd done a lot of the prep previously. I think some of the issues were with the recipes. (I'll post something more in the cookbook challenge thread.)

Mango Margaritas

Tequila-Cured Salmon Tostadas

Zarape De Pato (Stacked Enchiladas with Duck)

The margaritas were excellent. The tostadas looked pretty but that was about it. The enchiladas were okay. Again, they looked pretty, but the creamy poblano sauce was really the highlight, both visually and tastewise.

[zoramargolis]

Part Two was less successful than part one. <snip> I think some of the issues were with the recipes. (I'll post something more in the cookbook challenge thread.)

Pat--you've been cooking for a long time. You undoubtedly know a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Perhaps the issue is that it's time for you to spend less time following someone else's recipes to the letter, even if they do seem to be an expert. Just trust your knowledge of technique and your own sense of what combination of flavors work best. I've learned that it is essential to read recipes with a critical eye--they rarely are a guarantee of success. I use cookbooks as inspiration, not prescription, unless it is baking a cake, where specific ratios are critical.

[Pat]

Pat--you've been cooking for a long time. You undoubtedly know a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Perhaps the issue is that it's time for you to spend less time following someone else's recipes to the letter, even if they do seem to be an expert. Just trust your knowledge of technique and your own sense of what combination of flavors work best. I've learned that it is essential to read recipes with a critical eye--they rarely are a guarantee of success. I use cookbooks as inspiration, not prescription, unless it is baking a cake, where specific ratios are critical.

Mostly I follow recipes to the letter when it's the first time I'm making them. Subsequent times I will vary what I do, based on what I've learned. For magazine recipes similar to many other recipes I've made, I'm more likely to substitute and improvise than for those from more "authoritative" sources. In this case, I was trying to replicate recipes from restaurant cookbooks. I did think temperatures for a couple things were awfully low, but that didn't seem like it would be a problem...until it ran into the next thing I needed the oven for, with the previous thing still not finished.

Given that I get very exasperated when I try to follow complex recipes to the letter, I should probably follow your advice . I was actually quite surprised at how successful I was making The Mansion on Turtle Creek recipes. I had held off even trying them for years because they looked so complicated, but it seemed silly for the book to take up shelf space I don't have if I wasn't going to make any of the recipes. I'm glad I finally tackled the book. It's earned its space on my bookshelf .

[zoramargolis]

I spoke to a friend recovering from surgery, who is just starting to eat again--offered to cook dinner for her and asked her what she wanted to eat. Potatoes, she said. Leek and potato soup? I asked. No. Scalloped potatoes. Knowing that she is vegetarian at home, and that this would be her main dish, not a side, I layered paper thin sllcies of Yukon Golds with layers of equally thin slices of Kabocha squash, minced onion, chopped parsley and thyme, butter, S&P and cream. When Jonathan heard what I was up to he said: "But I love scalloped potatoes, too." So I made two casseroles--but I left the squash out of the one we'd eat at home. His would have to be classic scalloped potatoes or I'd never hear the end of it. I had a lot of sliced squash left, after I made my friend's dish. I made escalloped squash and quince, with onion, butter herbs, cream and sprinkle of granulated cactus honey--a sweet/savory concoction that was extraordinarily delicious. And I made some baked apples--some for my friend and her kids, and some for us--filled with brown sugar, figs, prunes, apricots, raisins and spices.

Our dinner:

Pan-seared spice-crusted rib-eye

Scalloped potatoes

Haricots verts with fresh tomato, garlic, and lemon

Roasted baby bok-choy

Escalloped squash and quince

Baked apples with heavy cream

2004 Twenty Rows The Grappler

[Sthitch]

Vicks 44 Cough

Nyquil

and for dessert Vapor Cherry Sucrets Complete

2008 Cup of hot salt water

The flu really sucks.

[legant]

(It's a Cook's Illustrated sort of night...)

Meat Loaf with Brown Sugar-Ketchup Glaze

Freezer Biscuits

(Glory) Collard Greens

Woodbridge Pinot Noir

Black Pearl Cake

[rkduggins]

For the lady: Hendrick's gin and Fever Tree tonic with lime

For the gentleman: Brown Shugga

Moroccan spiced tri-tip roast with garbanzo bean mash

Creamy rose panna cotta

[Heather]

Since they won't brag on themselves...all prepared by Waitman and Mrs. B.:

fresh sea urchins

oysters mignonette

brandade toasts

pissaladiere

spanakopita

crispy pig tails a la Fergus Henderson

creamed spinach with quail eggs

roasted turnips, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga

short ribs with olives

polenta

cheeses

pistachio baklava

pomegranate sorbet with rosewater

orange sections in syrup

Many, many wines

[Erin11]

Inspired by recipes from the Leite's Culinaria website:

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder using rub from this recipe

served over Warm Apple slaw from this recipe

[monavano]

I was cooking all weekend-chicken stock, meatballs, braised lamb. I've just about had enough of my kitchen for a while, but want to make one more thing-gnocchi. I would like to replicate a dish that I ate at Eve's Tasting Room a few years ago. It was braised meat (lamb? beef?) over pillowy gnocchi. It was a perfect small portion which was just the right size for the richnes of the braise.

If any one has an easy recipe for a novice gnocchi maker (who as had her share of "sinkers"), please let me know.

Thanks.

[Pat]

We seem to be getting sick, so I pulled a few pounds of chicken backs out of the freezer and made some stock (using star anise and szechuan peppercorns, ginger and carrot greens, in addition to my typical onion-carrot-celery-bay leaf mix). After a couple of hours, I strained it and froze to make it easier to get the fat off.

Once I did my best to skim the fat, I made a soup with the stock and some water, adding more onion, celery, and carrot, plus garlic and shallot. At some point I added black pepper and salt, plus a bit of dried marjoram, since it seems lemony to me, and I thought that worked with what I was doing. I chopped up some leftover duck breast and soaked shiitake, oyster, and wood ear mushrooms. Those went in near the end of the cooking time (30-40 minutes from the end), with the strained mushroom soaking liquid. It ended up being a sort of hot and sour soup (with rice vinegar, hot pepper sesame oil, and pepper flakes), topped with red onion slivers and cilantro. It was a very satisfying soup.

Unless he is desperately sick, my husband has a solid appetite, so I also made some penne with creamy poblano sauce, topped with romano. I wasn't sure how well that worked--he loved it, me more "meh"--but I haven't done a thorough grocery shopping trip recently and that was my best backup.

[zoramargolis]

I already had poblanos, tomatillos, onions and cilantro in my shopping basket, with nothing specific in mind, when I went to the meat counter at the Tenley Whole Foods-- and saw boneless pork butt on sale. Obviously, posole verde was meant to be. They didn't have either dried or canned posole corn, so I had to go to Safeway for canned hominy.

Tonight:

Willett bourbon, on the rocks

Roasted cippolini onions with balsamic--hadn't planned to eat them tonight, but they were so good, still warm, that we scarfed most of them down just standing around in the kitchen while I was fixing dinner.

Looseleaf lettuce salad with feta, pine nuts, haricots verts, roasted beets and avocado, Meyer lemon vinaigrette

Posole verde with corn tortillas

Dos XX and Pacifico

South African hot milk sponge cake with blackberry compote, sweetened vanilla creme fraiche

[Anna Blume]

I already had poblanos, tomatillos, onions and cilantro in my shopping basket, with nothing specific in mind, when I went to the meat counter at the Tenley Whole Foods-- and saw boneless pork butt on sale.

Damn! Another reason I forgot for switching from the G'town to P St. WF. Went back to G'town this weekend where there's never has pork butt...

Obviously, posole verde was meant to be. They didn't have either dried or canned posole corn, so I had to go to Safeway for canned hominy.

Okay, details. Salsa verde. Only meat was the pb? No feet? Part B: what's the diff between canned pc and canned h? Got me some Mexican Style hominy--maiz estillo mexicano (Juanita's) in a can...

South African hot milk sponge cake with blackberry compote, sweetened vanilla creme fraiche

ooo. tell me more about the cake, please.

* * *

My dinner: Snert. Peter Reinhart's cornbread w half the sweet, no bacon, no onions. Tangelo.

[Xochitl10]

ooo. tell me more about the cake, please.

No kidding. That sounds awesome.

We had dinner out last night during my two-hour gap between classes. I finally tried omuraisu, or "omelette rice." Omuraisu is fried rice mixed with ketchup, wrapped in a thin omelette, then topped with more ketchup. Some people love it, others hate it, I found it comforting in much the same way hash is.

[ohstate]

Dinner: my husband's nightmare lasagna. Very basic, but he must have added something this time. It is keeping me up late.

[Xochitl10]

Broiled redfish topped with dengaku miso

Steamed brown rice

Spinach sauteed with sesame oil, minced garlic, and tofu

Miso soup with wakame, sliced shiitake, and tofu

[zoramargolis]

Okay, details. Salsa verde. Only meat was the pb? No feet? Part B: what's the diff between canned pc and canned h? Got me some Mexican Style hominy--maiz estillo mexicano (Juanita's) in a can...

ooo. tell me more about the cake, please.

a. Haven't ever used feet in posole--not that much of a purist. Pork butt braised with onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, water almost to cover. Meanwhile, charred poblanos on gas burner, peeled and chopped them, roasted tomatillos. After one hour, removed pork from braise liquid and cut it into chunks, returned to liquid with poblanos and tomatillos, a chopped carrot, added Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander and whole allspice, one chopped dried chipotle with seeds and stem removed, adjusted salt. Stewed on low heat for another 1 1/2 hours--or was it 2? Served with chopped fresh cilantro and hot sauce to taste.

b. Same thing. Posole is the Spanish word for hominy. It is also called nixtamal. Dried hominy or posole corn or nixtamal, soaked then cooked, tends to have more tooth than canned, but the flavor is basically the same.

c. Searching unsuccessfully for a Nigella Lawson quick sponge cake recipe that I saw her do on her tv show and made once from memory but did not write down--I found this recipe. It took a few minutes longer to put together than Nigella's recipe, as I recall, but took just 12 minutes in the oven. Very light, and tasty. I added a bit of orange zest, cardamom and nutmeg. A very easy cake I will definitely make again.

http://comehomeforsupper.blogspot.com/2007...ponge-cake.html