Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog

[monavano]

Fresh (not homemade) fettucine alfredo with shrimp and scallops.

[Pat]

Fresh (not homemade) fettucine alfredo with shrimp and scallops.

That looks delicious.

We had leftover salad, bread, and rockfish, and I made a batch of miso soup. I also added some of the raspberry ale to that--mixing the miso paste with equal parts of hot broth and ale before stirring into the soup. For all of its failings (in my opinion) as a beverage, that ale is perfect in combination with red miso--the smell, the taste, the color. I can't think of many other applications, so I guess we'll be eating miso soup until the ale is gone .

[DanCole42]

-Bison burgers with benedictine cheese and fresh(!) porcini

-Leftover mashed potatoes with carrots, thyme, and chicken fat

[Anna Blume]

-Bison burgers with benedictine cheese and fresh(!) porcini

-Leftover mashed potatoes with carrots, thyme, and chicken fat

You were at Penn Quarter yesterday? Did you see the rice poured into the paella? The FBI in action?

[zoramargolis]

Last night:

A bunch of dandelions, from Next Step Produce at last Sunday's Dupont Market, was languishing at the end of the week and needed to be eaten.

Inspired by a Suzanne Goin recipe from *Sunday Suppers at Lucques*:

Dandelion salad with warm bacon*/sherry vinaigrette, roasted Kabocha squash, P'tit Basque sheepmilk cheese and Marcona almonds

Pecan pie from the Durham, NC farmers' market, where I was yesterday morning

2007 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

*Nueske's very smoky bacon, available sliced to order at Balducci's New Mexico Ave.

[rkduggins]

Pork and hominy stew with Cibola Farms pork shoulder from Arlington Farmer's Market

Lime and cilantro rice

2004 Quara Malbec

[JLK]

This arugula salad with wimpies a la Mom with whole grain toast. My mother's wimpies are nothing like real sloppy Joe's. No onions or peppers, etc., but they're familiar and, to me, delicious.

[Pat]

Stir-fried chicken and broccoli, with red pepper, asparagus, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and rice noodles; soy and rooster sauces; peanuts

Cream of Mâche and Chicken Soup from the Chocolate and Zucchini blog

Toasted striata baguette with garlic and Parmiggiano.

The mâche was from Gardner's Gourmet Saturday at Eastern Market. She said it would be the last week for it this season. Wonderful greens but hard to clean . The broccoli and asparagus were from there as well.

[zoramargolis]

Tonight:

Buttermilk fried chicken wings

Cheesy artisan grits cakes

Braised collards and kale

Roasted Kabocha squash

Roasted crimini mushrooms

Roasted cippolini onions

A local Chapel Hill, NC ash-covered ripened goat cheese (much better than anything I've tasted that's made around here...)

Firehook baguette

Pastel vasco with seedless strawberry-blackberry compote* and poured cream

2006 Can Blau

*cooked with lavender flowers, pureed and strained, and finished with Créme de Violette and brandy

[Anna Blume]

Parsley dipped in salt water

Hard-boiled egg " "

Horseradish

Haroset w matzo

Gefilte fish w celery and carrots

Matzo ball soup w carrots, onion and chicken

Brisket

Potato kugel

Carrots

Salad of watercress, baby arugula, mesclun w flowers, strips of Gold Rush apple caramelized in cider, roasted baby golden and ruby beets and snipped chives. Shallot vinaigrette.

Pound cake made w potato flour

Fruit salad

Coconut macaroon

[Nick Freshman]

Pork and hominy stew with Cibola Farms pork shoulder from Arlington Farmer's Market

I've seen that pork there before, but have yet to try it--how was it? I'm sure it was pricey, but was it worth it?

[rkduggins]

was it worth it?

It was definitely worth it. Rich marbling and good pork flavor. They also are at Dupont Circle on Sundays.

[ashipley]

Salt Cod "Plaki" - Soaked salt cod baked with sliced potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato, onions, garlic, and parsley.

[zoramargolis]

Parsley dipped in salt water

Hard-boiled egg " "

Horseradish

Haroset w matzo

Gefilte fish w celery and carrots

Matzo ball soup w carrots, onion and chicken

Brisket

Potato kugel

Carrots

Salad of watercress, baby arugula, mesclun w flowers, strips of Gold Rush apple caramelized in cider, roasted baby golden and ruby beets and snipped chives. Shallot vinaigrette.

Pound cake made w potato flour

Fruit salad

Coconut macaroon

Wow. Other than the mixed green salad with apples and beets, you really did the whole nine yards of an Ashkenazi (Eastern European Jewish) seder meal. How did you like the food? I presume that you did the salad. And you were seeking potato kugel recipes last week. Did you make the kugel? Who cooked the rest of it?

[zoramargolis]

Monday night dinner:

Oven roasted, miso crusted hake filets on

Cha soba noodles in

Dashi ginger broth with sugar snap peas

Rice vinegar-soy marinated cucumber salad

2006 Domaine de la Quilla Muscadet

[Anna Blume]

Wow. Other than the mixed green salad with apples and beets, you really did the whole nine yards of an Ashkenazi (Eastern European Jewish) seder meal. How did you like the food? I presume that you did the salad. And you were seeking potato kugel recipes last week. Did you make the kugel? Who cooked the rest of it?

Not my first seder--had it all before, though I do prefer Sephardic. Yes, I am responsible for the non-traditional item (someone else made green beans, too, out of an equivalent desire for green vegetables).

John Eaton moms cooked, the most accomplished being the vegetarian who allows her kids to order bacon cheeseburgers when they go out even though she was raised Orthodox. A friend made the kugel which I thought was just okay: well-chosen recipe executed by an extremely good cook, but the onions weren't as effective as they could have been and there was more textural harmony than contrast. Give me a latke any day, instead. Haroset, on the other hand, I adore and am as happy w matzo as I am w saltless Tuscan bread.

[Xochitl10]

A good old standby during a hectic week: pork okonomiyaki with all the toppings (okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, aonori seaweed) and a giant bottle of Sapporo Black Label beer.

[Dave Pressley]

Feeling very summer-y yesterday, I felt that a nice, light, simple dinner of grilled corn on the cob (chipotle butter), fresh cantaloupe tossed with a little fresh mint and tilapia fish tacos would fit the bill. They did a fine job.

[zoramargolis]

Tonight:

first course: pan seared dayboat scallops with fresh corn and fava succotash, pan reduction jus and basil chiffonade

second course: manicotti with Italian fresh pasta sheets, home made ricotta and cardoon-green garlic pesto*

2006 Tittarelli torrontes

*This was an improvisation which I thought interesting and delicious. My family, however did not care for the pesto. Jonathan also didn't care for the pasta, but Veggie-teen liked that. Everyone agreed that the baked ricotta was special. <sigh> y'win some, y'lose some. The scallops were a big hit.

[bettyjoan]

Monday night: Experimented with poaching eggs and then frying them (an idea I got from the blog of the Marriott corporate chef). It worked alright, though my poaching method (wrapping the eggs in plastic wrap and then dunking them) could use some refinement. I served them over asparagus roasted in salt, pepper, and olive oil--delicious, first I've had this season.

Wednesday night: Asian chicken thighs (marinated in soy sauce, honey, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper) with a spicy, minted cucumber salad (marinated in seasoned rice wine vinegar, serrano peppers, shallots, sesame oil, ground red pepper, honey, salt, and fresh mint). Even though I had to settle for the indoor grill pan instead of an outdoor bbq, it was a delicious meal--spicy, but refreshing. Yum. I adapted it from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine.

Thursday night: Whole wheat spaghetti with a Firehook French loaf and homemade marinara sauce (onions, garlic, a bunch of dried herbs, balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, and crushed tomatoes). This was the first time I attempted my own sauce, and it turned out really nice (albeit a bit thin, though I think it will thicken up as it sits). I froze about half of it for later use--it will work really well with eggplant parm, or I could brown some meat and turn it into a bolognese.

[monavano]

Monday night: Experimented with poaching eggs and then frying them (an idea I got from the blog of the Marriott corporate chef). It worked alright, though my poaching method (wrapping the eggs in plastic wrap and then dunking them) could use some refinement. I served them over asparagus roasted in salt, pepper, and olive oil--delicious, first I've had this season.

Wednesday night: Asian chicken thighs (marinated in soy sauce, honey, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper) with a spicy, minted cucumber salad (marinated in seasoned rice wine vinegar, serrano peppers, shallots, sesame oil, ground red pepper, honey, salt, and fresh mint). Even though I had to settle for the indoor grill pan instead of an outdoor bbq, it was a delicious meal--spicy, but refreshing. Yum. I adapted it from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine.

Thursday night: Whole wheat spaghetti with a Firehook French loaf and homemade marinara sauce (onions, garlic, a bunch of dried herbs, balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, and crushed tomatoes). This was the first time I attempted my own sauce, and it turned out really nice (albeit a bit thin, though I think it will thicken up as it sits). I froze about half of it for later use--it will work really well with eggplant parm, or I could brown some meat and turn it into a bolognese.

What type of whole wheat pasta did you use and did you like it? I've been experimenting with them. Barilla is alright, with a decent texture. Still not the same as regular pasta. I find that the whole wheat pastas get a mushy texture quickly,whether it's cooking to long, or sitting in a sauce for a period of time.

[zoramargolis]

Thursday night: Whole wheat spaghetti with a Firehook French loaf and homemade marinara sauce (onions, garlic, a bunch of dried herbs, balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, and crushed tomatoes). This was the first time I attempted my own sauce, and it turned out really nice (albeit a bit thin, though I think it will thicken up as it sits). I froze about half of it for later use--it will work really well with eggplant parm, or I could brown some meat and turn it into a bolognese.

Next time you make sauce, leave out the chicken stock. You really don't need it in a marinara sauce. Also, next time depending on how watery the canned crushed tomatoes you use, you can add tomato paste for thickening or cook it longer without a cover to reduce and thicken the sauce. Basic rule of thumb: if it's too thin, reduce reduce reduce to boil off the extra liquid. (It'll taste better with longer cooking anyway.) If it's too thick--add water.

[giant shrimp]

What type of whole wheat pasta did you use and did you like it? I've been experimenting with them. Barilla is alright, with a decent texture. Still not the same as regular pasta. I find that the whole wheat pastas get a mushy texture quickly,whether it's cooking to long, or sitting in a sauce for a period of time.

i use rustichella d'abruzzo, maybe not the best in the world but it's usually easy to find at whole foods -- although the price has been going up and up so whole wheat may not be stocked as much. i also like their farro pasta, which isn't really wheat. penne is usually the cheapest cut.

however, two things: i think you are overcooking the pasta. and i don't think that whole wheat works well with quite a few sauces, especially tomato-based. so if it's your health you are concerned about, then i think the best solution is to eat less pasta but use the pasta that tastes best. whole wheat, for me, works best with greens and pecorino, sauces leaning in that direction.

there is probably a long story that can be put together on whole wheat pasta, and i would start by checking into what marcella hazan has to say on the subject. maybe she doesn't say too much, but if you can find something it would be a good start. also, the silver spoon and deborah madison. the former i haven't really checked on whole wheat, but i know deborah madison recommends whole wheat or farro for certain recipes.

the best thing i cooked for dinner this week: from deborah madison, as is usually the case, steamed potatoes and steamed green cabbage tossed with brown butter, fresh chopped sage and cheese. she calls for taleggio, but you can always fool around with other soft cheese. browning the butter takes a good hour or longer, but the rest of this can be assembled in no time and it is hearty and simple, great for in-between seasons.

[monavano]

i use rustichella d'abruzzo, maybe not the best in the world but it's usually easy to find at whole foods -- although the price has been going up and up so whole wheat may not be stocked as much. i also like their farro pasta, which isn't really wheat. penne is usually the cheapest cut.

however, two things: i think you are overcooking the pasta. and i don't think that whole wheat works well with quite a few sauces, especially tomato-based. so if it's your health you are concerned about, then i think the best solution is to eat less pasta but use the pasta that tastes best. whole wheat, for me, works best with greens and pecorino, sauces leaning in that direction.

there is probably a long story that can be put together on whole wheat pasta, and i would start by checking into what marcella hazan has to say on the subject. maybe she doesn't say too much, but if you can find something it would be a good start. also, the silver spoon and deborah madison. the former i haven't really checked on whole wheat, but i know deborah madison recommends whole wheat or farro for certain recipes.

the best thing i cooked for dinner this week: from deborah madison, as is usually the case, steamed potatoes and steamed green cabbage tossed with brown butter, fresh chopped sage and cheese. she calls for taleggio, but you can always fool around with other soft cheese. browning the butter takes a good hour or longer, but the rest of this can be assembled in no time and it is hearty and simple, great for in-between seasons.

Spot on about the tomato sauces. Thanks for the advice! Can you elaborate on the brown butter..an hour?

[Pat]

Last night I did the marinated pork sirloin chops on the grill pan again. I boiled down the leftover marinade for a sauce. This was served alongside udon noodles with a miso-soy-peanut sauce and a poached egg on top. I think the noodle concoction was a little too busy, though my husband thought it tasted pretty good.

I've been seeing the boneless sirloin chops at Whole Foods quite a bit recently. They're inexpensive (especially for WF) and stretch 1-3 meals, depending on what I do with them. I marinate them for half an hour as I'm prepping the rest of the meal, and then they cook up pretty quickly on the grill pan.

[giant shrimp]

Spot on about the tomato sauces. Thanks for the advice! Can you elaborate on the brown butter..an hour?

well, i guess there are ways of speeding up the brown butter, and you can find recipes where the butter turns brown in minutes, but it won't be as good and it's not the same experience as seeing how far you can go with your butter. basically, you melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and slowly cook it past the ghee stage when the solids separate out and wait until they start to brown. you can go slowly or even double slowly, but the idea is not to burn the fat while developing the flavor, which smells and tastes nutty when it's done. also, the color will be a light nutty brown. (deborah madison explains this better than i do, in a least one of her cookbooks.) i unfortunately have to cook on an electric stove, so may have to play with the heat setting occasionally to keep things moving, but generally keep the heat on the lowest setting, and it takes about an hour, even longer, and i have never exactly timed it. you can do other things, in the meantime, but you still need to watch this. this is not an ingredient i use that often so i don't know much about storing it, but you probably could, if you wanted to have it on hand.

brown butter is good with pasta, and goes well with sage and quite a few vegetables. right now i am thinking of cauliflower. however, i do most of my cooking with olive oil and try to lighten up on the fats because i get more than my fair share at restaurants and snack too much on cheese.

marcella hazan has a really good slow butter recipe for rounds of sliced carrot in which you basically cook them with some water and butter in a wide skillet, turning them and adding water occasionally, until they are dark and shriveled. i haven't made these for probably a couple of years, but they are well worth the effort, even though they seem like they take all day (they don't quite). it's like cooking carrots down to their essence, if you're ever in the mood for going beyond carrots vichy and finding out where it takes you.

[bettyjoan]

Thanks for the sauce tips! As for which whole wheat pasta I used, I really have no idea--probably store brand, or whatever was cheapest (boyfriend went to the store for me, since I only realized at dinner time that I had no pasta on hand). To be honest, if the pasta isn't homemade, it all tastes about the same to me. I can't think of any reason for whole wheat pasta to be mushy other than VAST overcooking--usually, I have a hard time cooking it enough to take the bite out of it.

When I move to Atlanta and get my shiny new Kitchen-Aid mixer, it's ON--I can't wait to start experimenting with homemade pasta.

[Pat]

Striata baguette and olive oil

Fettucine Alfredo with broccoli rabe and toasted almonds

[zoramargolis]

Slow oven braised brisket from Eco-Friendly

Mashed potatoes

Green beans with Meyer lemon

Veggie-teen had a falafel sandwich on Afghan bread and some Greek gigante beans that I had in the oven overnight.

2004 Dom. de la Chantalouserie Bourgeuil

[Pat]

Grilled pork sirloin chops topped with caramelized shallots and sauteed morels

Steamed English peas with butter and black pepper

Buttered egg noodles with pea shoots

I really liked the combination on the plate of the peas plus the noodles mixed with pea shoots. I bought out the last 3+ lbs. of peas in the pod at a vendor outside Eastern Market just at closing time. They gave me 3 bags/boxes for the price of 2, which was nice. I almost always get there too late when I head over to grab something in the afternoon. I'd passed on the peas when I was there this morning and went back on a whim and scored. The morels and pea shoots were from the Wisteria Farm stand there.

[txaggie]

Friday's dinner was seared scallops and red bell pepper risotto topped with asparagus and Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc to drink.

[rkduggins]

Tonight: Cornmeal crusted fried green tomatoes

Ham and andouille jambalaya

Questionable vegan cherry pie from Whole Paycheck. I think crust can't be good without animal fat. PETA and I aren't friends.

[laniloa]

Whole wheat orzo risotto-style with chicken, adouille sausage and asparagus.

Only the asparagus were bought specifically for this meal. Chicken stock, chicken, and sauasage from the freezer. Orzo on the shelf. Carmelized onions in the fridge. Putting a dent in cooking down my pantry made the meal that much more delicious.

[Pat]

spinach and bacon stuffed mushrooms, topped with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan

pea soup with pea shoots and bacon

roasted turkey drumstick

corn on the cob

[hillvalley]

This is the first time I kept Passover for the whole week (if at all) in a few years. Oh, nonPassover food, how I missed you.

Roma sub from Italian Store. Twix mini bar. Vodka and the last of the kosher for Passover diet coke.

[bettyjoan]

Last night was a pork chili verde from Cooking light magazine--sliced pork tenderloin dusted with cornmeal and ancho powder, sauteed, then simmered with tomatillos, jalapenos, chicken broth, cilantro, green onions, tequila, and salt. Could have used some beans, not only to thicken it up, but also to counter the VERY bright flavors and high acidity. Still pretty tasty, and definitely a more refreshing, summery alternative to red chili.

[monavano]

Fajitas using leftover flank steak, bell peppers and onions. Garnished with cheddar and sour cream. Refried beans on the side.

[hillvalley]

Inspired by monavo's blog, my own market dinner:

Crabcake from Chris' marketplace

-I love these crab cakes but they tend to be on the salty side.

Topped with a fried egg and parsley from The Farm at Sunnyside

-I like to cut the salt with the yolk of the egg.

ramps sauteed in butter from Spring Valley Farm and Orchardand Blue Ridge Dairy respectively

-I diced the root end but kept the greens in tact. They have very different flavors. The root is like a mild leek while the green reminds me of a gross between a scallion and spinach.

Chocolate milk from Clear Spring Creamery

-This is serious, rich, thick, creamy chocolate milk. This is the kind of chocolate milk you think you remember from childhood. This was made by people who love chocolate milk.

ETA: Late night snack of ramp and peppered pecorino romano omelet. The yolks are a deep yellowy orange which made for a beautiful contrast against the ramp greens.

[Anna Blume]

Inspired by monavo's blog, my own market dinner:

...ETA: Late night snack of ramp and peppered pecorino romano omelet. The yolks are a deep yellowy orange which made for a beautiful contrast against the ramp greens.

Somewhat related, favorites from last spring, repeated:

Spaghetti carbonara w ramps

Little white Japanese turnips sautéed w morels and glazed w a little broth

My egg was blue-green, from the Silver Spring market on Saturday as were the last two morels and the third of the ramps I used.

I noticed that the enterprising folk at Cibola Farms sell trimmings for $1 each when they cure pork. Managed to find a very meaty piece and though the first whiff after I opened the undated pack gave me pause, it turned out to be great. As for aesthetics, see quote above. Ramona, I gotta say I envy the price you pay for ramps out in VA.

[hillvalley]

Inspired by these directions I sauteed green garlic and fresh morels in a butter-olive oil combo for a bit too long. Poured in some amazing milk, see above post, and let that simmer for a minute. Threw in fettucinni, tossed with parsley, salt and pepper, and finished the whole thing off with few shavings of piave. Yummmmm.

Dessert will be a vanilla Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich rolled in lots and lots of sprinkles.

[monavano]

Hillvalley, your meal and midnight nack sound wonderful-I'm glad you were inspired to have a market dinner. Anna-I was really surprised to see ramps at $2 a bunch in Alexandria. Very good deal-I need to use them up!

[rkduggins]

Hand dipped ricotta gnocchi with brown butter rosemary sauce.

My first try at gnocchi came out pretty well; light and tender.

[Pat]

Rare T-bone steak with red wine-mushroom sauce

Steamed asparagus with butter, s+p

Mashed potatoes (with lots for leftovers )

[zoramargolis]

Inspired by these directions I sauteed green garlic and fresh morels in a butter-olive oil combo for a bit too long. Poured in some amazing milk, see above post, and let that simmer for a minute. Threw in fettucinni, tossed with parsley, salt and pepper, and finished the whole thing off with few shavings of piave. Yummmmm.

Great minds seem to be thinking alike. Tonight I made:

Fresh fettucini with morels, ramps, asparagus, homemade ricotta, cream and reggiano

2006 Doré des Bernardins Muscat Petits Grains

[Xochitl10]

Monday night's dinner was negitoro don -- cooked rice topped with chopped toro, sliced scallion, julienned thin omelet, and shredded nori.

Last night, we ate seafood (abalone, sea urchin, crab, hoya) on the Iwate coast. Sadly, no photos.

[hillvalley]

Great minds seem to be thinking alike. Tonight I made:

Fresh fettucini with morels, ramps, asparagus, homemade ricotta, cream and reggiano

2006 Doré des Bernardins Muscat Petits Grains

How did the morels, ramps, and asparagus hold up together? Were you able to taste each one's unique taste?

[bettyjoan]

Monday night: Shrimp and grits casserole, from Cooking Light magazine. Very tasty that night (though the shrimp were a bit overcooked), but not so great leftover. Too bad, since the recipe resulted in about 4-6 servings. Ah, well, live and learn.

Tuesday night: Whole wheat rigatoni with homemade morel alfredo sauce. YUMMMMMM. Creamy, mushroomy goodness!

[giant shrimp]

penne in an asparagus, ham, butter and cream sauce with parmesan.

marcella hazan allows us to eat this way, occasionally.

[zoramargolis]

How did the morels, ramps, and asparagus hold up together? Were you able to taste each one's unique taste?

I cooked the ramps using Suzanne Goin's method, wrapping the greens in foil and draping them over the edge of the saute pan filled with simmering water while the bulb and stem ends cooked in the water. I pulled them out of the water when they were just barely cooked, and the heat inside the foil had steamed the greens. I poached the asparagus in the same water until it was still crisp-tender, then rinsed the spears in cold water to stop the cooking, and cut them into thirds. Then I sauteed the morels in butter and olive oil, added cream and reduced it for a brief time until the morels were cooked. I cut the ramps into edible sizes, and added them and the asparagus to the morels in cream. By this time, the fettucine was cooked and I added the pasta to the sauce, tossed it together, added the ricotta, turned off the head and tossed it with the reggiano. Each of the vegetables retained its own character. It was a really delicious dish. Veggie-teen promised to come home from college whenever I make it next year.

[Pat]

Tonight was an informal meal (mostly) of leftovers.

Sourdough bread (grand pain) slices from Marvelous Market

Turkey curry spread (shredded turkey, chopped celery, raisins, almonds, shallot, yogurt, curry powder)

Faux beef tartare (rare beef, minced fine; sliced cornichons; shallot; lemon juice; horseradish; dab of mayo; and s+p)