Jump to content

Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog


JPW

Recommended Posts

Tossed salad

Baked Greek shrimp over steamed rice (an allspice, cinnamon and crushed rep pepper laced tomato sauce* with shrimp tossed in after cooking for a bit and topped with Keswick's feta, then baked)

Entenmann's poundcake with berry coulis and CoolWhip :P

post-138-1231349345_thumb.jpg

*I've been buying these Soprano cherry tomatoes from Cheesetique. The flavor is fresh and bright.

post-138-1231349353_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Farewell dinner for Veggie-teen and Veggie-bf, who return to school tomorrow:

roasted cippollini onions in balsamic marinade

roasted red peppers with lemon, garlic and basil

olives

Chaource

gigante beans baked in tomato sauce with basil

braised mixed greens

polenta

quince and chestnut custard pie*

2006 Waterwheel Memsie Bendigo (shiraz, cabernet, malbec blend)

*a complete improvisation based on what I had in the house that was going to spoil if I didn't do something with them. I roasted the quince and used the microwave peeling method described in another thread for the chestnuts. I pureed them together with eggs, cream, creme fraiche, cream cheese, Lyle's Golden Syrup, vanilla and lemon zest and baked the custard in a crumb crust made from Trader Joe's Triple Ginger biscuits. A remarkably felicitous combination of flavors with a rich, creamy custard consistency.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salmon patties on toasted sesame buns

Mixed grains (quinoa, millet, amaranth)

Lima beans

I've always (as in my entire life) loved Birds Eye frozen fordhook limas. They've been increasingly hard to find in recent years, so I stocked up when I found them. I haven't seen them anywhere in probably well over a year. Recently I heard that they're no longer produced at all (though they still are listed on the company's website, so I'm not sure about that). Yesterday I decided that I'd better start using up my stash, which I'd been hoarding, but...too late. They tasted like the inside of the freezer :P. I don't know if any of the other boxes I have will be any better, but these were pretty bad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Red pork posole

Cornbread

Mashed potatoes

I served crumbled cornbread over the posole (Rancho Gordo red corn). The mashed potatoes are the best I've made in ages. I used the afternoon to prep and cook 16 enormous russets from an old Costco bag. They'd started to sprout and had to be peeled and pared fairly carefully. I got four dishes out of them, 8 for the awesome mashed potatoes and the rest for roasted potatoes, potato soup, and potato and red hatch chile gratin. We're eating a lot of potatoes this week :P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eco-Friendly Red Wattle heirloom pork rib chops, quick-brined then pan-seared and braised, with creamy pan reduction sauce with whole grain mustard, cornichons and capers

Tree and Leaf red cabbage, braised with Forelle pears, Muscat vinegar, honey and duck fat

Puree of potato and celery root

2007 Henry Fessy Moulin-a-Vent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone else feel...odd (or old!)...that we have been following the adventures of Veggie-teen for so many years that she now has a Veggie-bf. Sigh, they grow up so fast :P

LOL! YOU feel old? Although it took me a few minutes to get used to, he's a nice young man and their relationship is so wholesome, compared to what I was doing when I was eighteen...:D My mother was a bit non-plussed, but then I reminded her that she was engaged to my dad when she was sixteen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

linguini with olive oil, roasted garlic and reggiano

spinach salad with avocado, pine nuts, grape tomatoes and blueberries

my version of "Shake and Bake"--Eco-Friendly chicken, marinated in salted buttermilk for 32 hours, rolled in panko and oven roasted on an oiled baking sheet. Almost as good as "real" fried chicken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right, and I'm sure your mom said the same thing about you.

Please note: a THREE-generation zinger with a single sentence! :P

Shoot! When I saw "Last Post DonRocks" in the Dinner thread, I thought that maybe, just maybe, he took that stick of butter out of the fridge and cooked something!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you buy these gluten free products? Orr, did you make the pastas yourself?

Acorn squash gluten free raviolis with sage butter

clams and gluten free linguine

duck liver gluten free raviolis

Pork shanks and artichokes over gluten free pappardelle

Cheese course of one goat cheese, one French blue and one Spanish blue

gluten free cupcakes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night was

Antipasto platter with grapes, prosciutto, cheeses, chorizo (2 kinds), olives, cornichons, pepperoncini, anchovies and roasted peppers

Fromage fort

Baguette and olive bread slices

Lamb-Mint-Feta Phyllo Cigars

Prosecco

The cheeses were great--a wide variety. In addition to what I had planned, our houseguest brought more cheeses, plus a couple of kinds of chorizo and olive bread (all from Zingerman's in Ann Arbor). We never got to the pies she brought but sampled some pecan pie for breakfast this morning :P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mahi Mahi tacos with Napa cabbage and lime-cilantro crema

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc

Epicurious-style comments: I picked up a 1/2 lb of Mahi Mahi the other day for several reasons: I didn’t remember the taste; it was reasonably priced; and I couldn’t get that joke out of my head – May I have the Mahi? I don’t think I could eat the whole Mahi Mahi.

But… what to do? What to do? After several online searches, I settled on fish tacos. One called for seasoning the fish with “taco seasoning” packet and baking. Another called for pan-frying the fish. And yet another called for braising the fish in a tomato sauce. I decided to go the “seasoning” packet route, sans the packet. I checked the ingredients on the McCormick blend; other than the multi-syllable additives – and a tremendous amount of sodium – I had most of the other stuff on hand: garlic, cumin, red pepper, coriander. I combined the spices, seasoned the fish, and roasted at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. I probably overcooked the fish, but… That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh… While the fish cooked, I made the “crema” – a fancy, Zora-esque name for cream sauce. I mixed sour cream, scallions, cilantro, lime juice and zest, garlic. Oh, and a pinch of salt. Now for the “crunch.” I had looked at a cabbage slaw mix at the store. However, at almost $2/lb it was priced quite a bit more than a head of green cabbage at $0.69/lb. However, when I got home I “found” a half head of Napa cabbage. Hey! I could use the green cabbage for an Alicha later this week. Fish done. Crema set aside to let the flavors meld. Napa sliced. I poured a glass of the Veramonte and assembled the taco, layering the crema, Napa, and fish on a flour tortilla.

Verdict: I would try this again using catfish or tilapia; I wasn’t too crazy about the Mahi Mahi. Also, I would change up the spices on the fish; the garlic, cumin and coriander mixture just didn’t do it for me. I would like something a bit brighter. Maybe add some lime zest into the spice mix. Or, I would bake the fish with seasoned breadcrumbs. But otherwise, it was pretty okay. Definitely a do-over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mahi Mahi tacos with Napa cabbage and lime-cilantro crema

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc

Epicurious-style comments: I picked up a 1/2 lb of Mahi Mahi the other day for several reasons: I didn’t remember the taste; it was reasonably priced; and I couldn’t get that joke out of my head – May I have the Mahi? I don’t think I could eat the whole Mahi Mahi.

But… what to do? What to do? After several online searches, I settled on fish tacos. One called for seasoning the fish with “taco seasoning” packet and baking. Another called for pan-frying the fish. And yet another called for braising the fish in a tomato sauce. I decided to go the “seasoning” packet route, sans the packet. I checked the ingredients on the McCormick blend; other than the multi-syllable additives – and a tremendous amount of sodium – I had most of the other stuff on hand: garlic, cumin, red pepper, coriander. I combined the spices, seasoned the fish, and roasted at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. I probably overcooked the fish, but… That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh… While the fish cooked, I made the “crema” – a fancy, Zora-esque name for cream sauce. I mixed sour cream, scallions, cilantro, lime juice and zest, garlic. Oh, and a pinch of salt. Now for the “crunch.” I had looked at a cabbage slaw mix at the store. However, at almost $2/lb it was priced quite a bit more than a head of green cabbage at $0.69/lb. However, when I got home I “found” a half head of Napa cabbage. Hey! I could use the green cabbage for an Alicha later this week. Fish done. Crema set aside to let the flavors meld. Napa sliced. I poured a glass of the Veramonte and assembled the taco, layering the crema, Napa, and fish on a flour tortilla.

Verdict: I would try this again using catfish or tilapia; I wasn’t too crazy about the Mahi Mahi. Also, I would change up the spices on the fish; the garlic, cumin and coriander mixture just didn’t do it for me. I would like something a bit brighter. Maybe add some lime zest into the spice mix. Or, I would bake the fish with seasoned breadcrumbs. But otherwise, it was pretty okay. Definitely a do-over.

I'm not a big fish taco fan, but the crema sure sounds good to me. Actually, rather than changing the dried spices on the fish, I'd suggest leaving the fish "plain"--they make fish tacos with deep-fried fish in California--and adding brightness and flavor with a fresh salsa.

tonight we had:

salad with roasted beets and homemade chevre, lemon vinaigrette

roasted Eco-Friendly veal top round roast

oven-braised veg--turnip, carrot, parsnip, brussels sprouts, fennel, onion, leek, garlic, shallot, and potatoes, Niman Ranch bacon

(the veg were first sauteed with the bacon and then oven braised in chicken stock and white wine until just tender. The meat was browned on the stovetop and then nestled on top of the veg in the pot with the top off and the oven temperature turned up. The heat caramelized the veg and turned them meltingly tender, and reduced the liquid to a jus

HD vanilla ice cream with dulce de leche and Trader Joe's shortbread cookie

2005 Goldeneye Pinot Noir--the same CA wine they are having at the Inaugural lunch tomorrow. Good choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Verdict: I would try this again using catfish or tilapia; I wasn’t too crazy about the Mahi Mahi. Also, I would change up the spices on the fish; the garlic, cumin and coriander mixture just didn’t do it for me. I would like something a bit brighter. Maybe add some lime zest into the spice mix. Or, I would bake the fish with seasoned breadcrumbs. But otherwise, it was pretty okay. Definitely a do-over.
I usually use leftover fish to make fish tacos. I've had better success with that than trying to make them from fresh fish. The first several times I made them I used leftover seared pepper tuna, which is probably not what you're supposed to use, but I've found it works great. I add some lime juice to it and warm before assembling the tacos. The sauce is bottled ranch dressing with some mayo, and some roasted garlic and jalapenos, with parsley or cilantro. Any kind of shredded cabbage adds the right crunch, or iceberg lettuce. I add a salsa, if I have some.

ETA: Tonight's dinner was a casserole recipe I found online: penne with chicken, roasted peppers, bacon, and smoked gouda.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gyuuniku misoyaki -- thinly sliced beef spread with miso, then grilled

Kinpira gobou -- burdock root stir-fried, then simmered with sake, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce

Hourenso no karashi-joyu -- parboiled spinach, chilled and dressed with a soy sauce/sake/mustard mixture

Miso soup with seaweed and tofu

Steamed rice

Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-138-1232744496_thumb.jpg

Chicken with onions, bell peppers and olives with tomato sauce (bay, rosemary, red wine, red chili pepper flakes and a little sugar)

Baked cheese grits with rosemary

(my rosemary out back is still kickin")

The grits are amazing-just make grits and add milk/egg and then bake for an hour or so. I'd do them with breakfast, brunch or braises.

post-138-1232744530_thumb.jpg

post-138-1232744477_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How did the new toy work? :P

The bbq was brilliant. Its new owners slightly less so--we had a minor grease fire during the final saucing, a result of letting the steam pan go dry. But the ribs were ready to take off at that point anyway, it was just a bit of slapstick comedy complete with flying sauce bowl. The ribs had been brined and we smoked them for 4 1/2 hours @ 200f-250f--they were moist, falling off the bone tender. Our dinner guest wasn't due for another couple of hours, so I sauced the racks (three of them) wrapped each in heavy foil, and we put them back to keep warm in the residual heat of the Hasty-Bake with the door slightly propped open.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For dinner tonight, I have to say: "Thank you, Zora."

I tried your buttermilk-soaked, panko-coated, oven-fried chicken and it came out great.

With that we had Anson Mills coarse grits, which I knew about from something you posted a while back. (Made them in the crockpot and added 2 kinds of Spanish chorizo and Manchego cheese at the end.)

We also had a BLT salad with homemade buttermilk dressing and a tortilla soup I improvised from what was on hand, including a couple of poblano peppers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...