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Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog


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Cesar salad

Grilled beets

Swiss chard and beet greens sauteed in garlic

Cauliflower with yogurt cheese/Cesar salad dressing dip

Grilled steak briefly marinated in cumin and soy sauce

Rack of lamb stuffed with garlic and rosemary

Dessert was supposed to be grilled pineapple but we went to The Dairy Godmother instead.

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Farmer's Market Feast

Roasted Poulet Rouge from EcoFriendly (The chicken was roasted on top of bread, which makes for a tasty treat.)

Steamed green beans

Roasted orange cauliflower

Let all the ingredients speak for themselves, seasoned only with S&P and a touch of olive oil finish.

Rouge Dead Guy Ale

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I agree on the peas! Love that tablecloth-complementary pattern in the bowl, monavano!

Perfectly fresh mackerel filet from the market, dredged w flour, cornmeal, bit of cayenne, fried

Bed of Wasabi mustard greens below, lemon squirted above

Tiny potatoes, steamed

English peas

Rhubarb compote w Greek-style yogurt and fresh strawberries

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Father's Day dinner my sister-in-law and I made yesterday:

Salad of red and green butter lettuce, Napa cabbage, cilantro, and avocado, with lime-evoo dressing

Cornish game hens with rice stuffing (white, brown, red, wild), dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts

Steamed buttered English peas

Plum and raspberry clafoutis* and vanilla ice cream

*Recipe from David Lebovitz's A Sweet Life in Paris. Prune plums aren't season yet, so I used regular purple ones. The plums baked up a little softer than they would have otherwise, but it was very good. Smelled heavenly while cooking too.

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Mr. lperry came back from rural Virginia with bags of fresh produce, so more grilled dinners started tonight.

Grilled corn with salt and butter

Grilled zucchini, yellow squash, and spring onions in a pasilla sauce. This was served over rather rustic tortillas that I made last minute when I realized it would be better with a substrate. Small bits of fresh chevre went on top.

Cantaloupe sorbet

I would have made margaritas, but I had some curuba fruit pulp that I used to make a syrup, so we had rum drinks instead.

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tonight:

butter and iceberg lettuce salad with blue cheese dressing

herb-brined Eco-Friendly poulet rouge, charcoal roasted with hickory smoke chips

roasted/smoked asparagus and red peppers

mashed potatoes

rhubarb stewed with vanilla bean and orange peel

2008 Ch. de la Bonneliere Chinon rosé

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One of the nice things about being a grown-up is that you can eat as you want.

Last night I popped the cork on a cheap bottle of light, white Lambrusco and sorted through the gorgeous zucchini blossoms I picked up on Sunday, tossing the ones that were too fragile to last.

Still had plenty to dip into batter and fry until crisp and golden, the majority stuffed with a ricotta-Parm-basil mixture. The rest were plain, though next time I plan on using anchovies and strips of roasted red peppers. I also am wondering (Chef Raffa? Zora?) how they might do if treated like miniature tamales.

After sprinkling them w fleur de sel, this was dinner, followed by sliced cucumber, a handful of Queen Anne cherries and strawberries, merely washed.

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Still had plenty to dip into batter and fry until crisp and golden, the majority stuffed with a ricotta-Parm-basil mixture. The rest were plain, though next time I plan on using anchovies and strips of roasted red peppers. I also am wondering (Chef Raffa? Zora?) how they might do if treated like miniature tamales.

I have had vegetarian tamales stuffed with squash, onions and peppers, and enchiladas filled with squash blossoms and mushrooms with molé amarillo, which is a Oaxacan dish. But my first thought about using squash blossoms in tamales--though one certainly could--is that they are extremely delicate, both in flavor and texture--what little flavor they have would be overwhelmed by any co-ingredients and the strong flavor of masa/grasa (lard or butter), and the long steaming that is necessary to make tamales would turn them into mush. I admit that I am usually underwhelmed by batter-dipped, fried stuffed squash blossoms, which to me taste primarily of the frying and the filling.

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I have had vegetarian tamales stuffed with squash, onions and peppers, and enchiladas filled with squash blossoms and mushrooms with molé amarillo, which is a Oaxacan dish. But my first thought about using squash blossoms in tamales--though one certainly could--is that they are extremely delicate, both in flavor and texture--what little flavor they have would be overwhelmed by any co-ingredients and the strong flavor of masa/grasa (lard or butter), and the long steaming that is necessary to make tamales would turn them into mush. I admit that I am usually underwhelmed by batter-dipped, fried stuffed squash blossoms, which to me taste primarily of the frying and the filling.

I have to agree about the taste of the fried blossoms. I grew up having them prepared in a frittata which lets their mild flavor come through a bit more.

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^ Hmmm. I assumed she meant using the flowers like surrogate corn husks and stuffing the blossoms and steaming instead of frying. Maybe a pan-fry would work?
Yes, that is what I meant, though some of Zora's response nonetheless relates to my question, nonetheless. I still think a puréed corn battter might be nice--like a corn pudding. Delicacy is the issue.

It's hard for me to sacrifice the great texture you get with the thin batter coating the thin membrane of the blossom, though. I've had squash blossom risotto with mozzarella and was not impressed. I've done a baked dish with the female blossoms still attached to the miniature squash and thought it just okay.

This blogger, though has some other great ideas for future dinners.

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^ Hmmm. I assumed she meant using the flowers like surrogate corn husks and stuffing the blossoms and steaming instead of frying. Maybe a pan-fry would work?
The whole point of corn husks is that they are impermeable to steam--waterproof. They protect the filling from becoming waterlogged in the steamer, which a squash blossom could never do. However, AB's thought about fresh corn suggests a variant of green corn tamales (uchepas), with a corn puree-filled squash blossom wrapped in fresh corn husks and steamed, might be worth trying.
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M: once more I sing praises for your photography...

* * *

Globe--sometimes called 8-ball--zucchini halves stuffed w ground beef, bulgur, toasted pinenuts, onion, garlic, a little egg to bind and flavored w pomegranate molasses, lemon, sautéed tomato paste, cumin, a little cayenne...

Rice-noodle pilaf

Yogurt-tahini sauce

Salad of fava beans, mint, shaved fennel and blood sorrel

Queen Ann cherries

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Boodles and Dolin martinis

charcoal grilled salmon glazed with a reduction of its marinade (gar-gin, lemon grass, fish sauce, mirin, tamari, sweet red chili sauce)

savoy cabbage slaw in pineapple-peanut dressing

steamed rice with toasted sesame seeds

vanilla ice cream, TJ's chocolate-covered fleur de sel almonds

Magic Hat #9

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I don't know why, but this thread has always intimidated me. Until tonight. One of those meals that you just feel good about yourself for having cooked:

Soft-shell crabs. Big, meaty, delicious buggers from Black Salt (alive in the store--I think; cleaned well and quickly by the fish monger). If you want to treat yourself ($8 per), get thee to Black Salt and pick up some of these. Lightly breaded in seasoned panko bread crumbs. Sauteed in butter to a golden brown. Garnished simply with lemon.

Vine ripened tomatoes (from WF) with pesto (basil from the garden) and buffalo mozzarella cooked under the broiler for a few minutes.

Maryland corn-on-the-cob.

Raspberries and blueberries with Black Salt vanilla ice cream and aged balsamic vinegar.

2004 Chassagne Montrachet Les Embrazees Premier Cru, Bernard Morey et Fils. From my beloved Burgundy snob father-in-law. Absolutely delicious, perfect with the soft-shells, and since my wife is pregnant, all for me. :D

What a great summer meal, if I do say so myself. Seriously, go to Black Salt, and get some soft shells. A cook is only as good as his ingredients, and these crabs were just out of this world.

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I don't know why, but this thread has always intimidated me. Until tonight. One of those meals that you just feel good about yourself for having cooked...

I do know why, but this thread has always made me hungry. Kudos for posting, and a picture next time would be even more keen.

Why I am suggesting that and inviting more hunger pangs, I don't know...

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four hundred billion fucktons
HOw does that compare to a "metric assload?"

Our dinner:

grilled hot dogs with mustard, relish, and lots of chopped vidalia onions

BBQ beans

green and red pepper slices

milk

No, I didn't take photos. It's about all I can do to get a reasonably nutritious meal on the table every night. I have no money, no time, and no excitement for cooking at all right now.

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Clean-out-the-fridge pasta salad: farfalle, tuna, peas, halved grape tomatoes, diced orange pepper, minced Vidalia onion and cornichons, creme fraiche, mayo, lemon, dill, lots of cracked black pepper.

Blueberry-lavender sorbet from Target.

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We had people over for dinner tonight.

Mixed olives, salami, and cheeses (cheddar, provolone, sottocenere truffle cheese, camembert)

Buttered popcorn

Homemade challah with butter

Gazpacho topped with jumbo shrimp

Mixed greens with toasted walnuts, nectarines and balsamic vinaigrette

Sliced boneless NY strip steak

Ice cream (butter brickle and vanilla)

Spicy lime ice

The original plan had been to serve the sliced steak over the salad, but I changed my mind at the last minute and put it on a separate platter so people could decide for themselves whether to put it on the salad. Before cooking, it was brushed with a mixture of miso, Thai chile paste, and sake, an idea I got from a 2007 Mark Bittman column on summer meal ideas. The seasoning on it was fabulous and worked fine with the vinaigrette on the salad.

The lime ice was an experiment, from something Rick Bayless posted on twitter a while back (flavored with lemon grass and serrano pepper, as well as lime and cilantro). One thing I didn't know was what the final consistency was supposed to be, so I wasn't sure about serving it to other people, but it went over really well. I couldn't figure out where in the meal to serve it. Originally I thought it might be good after the gazpacho, but I ended up offering it at the very end. Really interesting concoction.

After steeping the lemongrass mixture for the ice, I saved it and reused it to cook the shrimp, along with some peppercorns. I also tossed in a few lime halves left after juicing. The shrimp were not the best quality (previously frozen and a little mushy), but this mixture worked nicely for cooking them. They looked pretty on top of the soup but it was a little tricky to eat them. Back to the drawing board on that one...

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A whatever I can find in the refrigerator meal for me tonight, too:

chiles rellenos with poblanos that I roasted on the bbq the other night when I was making smoked pork chops. very interesting smoky flavor, stuffed with pepper jack cheese. breaded with masa harina-egg-masa harina and fried in peanut oil and served in a ranchero sauce made with the last market tomato second.

papas nuevas con ajo y jamon--more spanish than Mexican, but they tasted damn good, steamed until tender then cut in half and panfried in evo, with the garlic and prosciutto added at the last minute.

chocolate-covered almonds

2005 Green Point cab/shiraz

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It's burger season, and my husband came up with the best burger I've had in a while: Chuck burgers flavored with Montreal seasoning, topped with Vermeer (gouda-like) cheese from Keswick Creamery, leeks from Dupont Farmer's market sauteed in truffle butter and deglazed with dry vermouth, with Dijon and mayo on a potato bun. So tasty that I have to sing its praises!

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Zucchini salad w blossoms

Chicken and rice

Raspberry shortcake w quark

I'm enjoying A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes in which David Tanis describes a meal he put together when inspired by beautiful yellow foods at the market.

While I have followed approximately 3-4 recipes in the Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, and never wished to replicate any of the menus it lists, everything in this book seems worth doing, especially the salads. Of course, the photographs help.

I used a simple vegetable peeler to slice a pale green summer squash that I picked up at Tree & Leaf. The idea of using ribbons of raw zucchini in salads--or as a substitute for pasta--has been around for a long time, but this was a first for me. After slivering, the squash gets seasoned, tossed w olive oil, then lemon juice. I added a little fresh basil. Shards of Romano. Torn petals of around 4 blossoms. Absolutely lovely. (Sounds forced and a bit like a blond American actress trying to get into the spirit of her new life in London, but the phrase fits.)

Second course compiled from leftover roasted chicken, a couple of dollops of pan juices, a spring onion, sautéed Royal Trumpet mushrooms and last of the noodle-rice pilaf all mixed together w snipped chives.

Also had the dry ingredients for dessert mixed up in the fridge since I was too full to bother earlier in the week. So added the butter and buttermilk. Black raspberries and red.

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Yellow squash with young onions from the garden, feta, and mint (also from the garden)

Sweet Silver King corn caramelized with butter and shallots

Strawberries and blueberries drizzled with a little vanilla syrup

I love summer. :D I wish I could get produce like this all year.

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Russets, rolled in olive oil and kosher salt, and baked until crunchy. Choice of: grated cheddar, butter, chopped crisp bacon, scallions, sour cream, chopped cooked broccoli.

Grape tomatoes

Milk

Mint chocolate chip ice cream

The 7-year-old ate three small potatoes. :D I am not sure where he's putting all this food.

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Last night must have been baked potato night :blink:

Fried chicken

Corn on the cob

Loaded baked potatoes (sour cream, chives, bacon, and cheddar)

I started out with drumsticks that had been coated in seasoned flour and fried them in batches in bacon fat. Once they were browned, I moved them to the oven to finish. The corn was sweet white corn that was on sale at Giant. It was pretty good. At 16 cents an ear, I should have bought more.

It struck me afterwards that this was kind of a July 4th meal a little early. I'm planning rack of lamb for the holiday, so I guess that works out :D .

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I had potatoes to use up too! In fact, I had lots and lots of produce to use up, so I made a gratin, layering potatoes (nuked a bit earlier in the day to soften) with sauteed zucchini and squash, assorted bell peppers, and spinach in a creamy tomato sauce. Baked in a casserole dish (covered, then uncovered) and topped with Pecorino and shredded cheddar. I also made asparagus soup earlier in the day-blended and strained through a chinois. Not sure if I like it strained as it seemed to take away from the "body" of the soup.

3674770565_0ef04a89dc.jpg

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Another dinner courtesy of the garden and rural Virginia's produce stands.

Grilled corn on the cob

Cole slaw with napa cabbage and carrots

Green beans with feta, mint, and lemon

White wine that was handed to me in a glass - I think it was a New Zealand sauvignon blanc

I just got another delivery courtesy of Mr. lperry who spent today in Charlottesville. I need to pull out my recipe file for summer squash.

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Tortilla chips with homemade salsa

Steak and cheese tortilla wraps with sour cream, mixed greens, and salsa

I made enough salsa that it worked both for the chips and the wraps. I picked up the chips from Tortilla Cafe, J. Canales' takeout by Eastern Market. They're very good.

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Fajitas!

Skirt steak marinated in serranos, tequila, lime, cilantro, and agave syrup

Grilled white onions and local serranos

Pickled white onions and local serranos

Cotija cheese

Sour cream

Lime

Cilantro

Grilled tortillas (this is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO key)

The pickled onions and serranos were amazing. I definitely need to do this more often.

Served with Don Julio Blanco tequila and lime juice

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Speaking of corn, lperry, I was really wondering about your garden/VA farm meal this week, figuring ears wouldn't be ready for several weeks.

Actually, you served as the avant-garde since I picked up some from Maryland at the market this evening! :D

Crabcake w lemon

Buttered corn on the cob

Fagiolini (French fillet beans, re-nationalized) braised forever w fresh garlic, tomatoes, basil and olive oil

Sour cherry cobbler (reheated from yesterday) w a little HD honey vanilla

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Last night: (by request)

miso-crusted salmon cakes with miso-herb mayo (green onion, cilantro, ginger amd lime)

stir-fried sugar-snap peas with ginger, shallots, tamari and toasted sesame oil

steamed rice

rhubarb compote with vanilla bean and orange zest

2008 Ch. Bellevue la Foret rosé

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Herbed omelette crepes

Fried and baked spicy chicken drumsticks

Linguine with ricotta, chives, parsley, basil, Parmesan, and raw tomatoes

The night I made fried chicken, I didn't use all of the chicken I'd defrosted. It had been out long enough that I had to cook it ASAP. I doused it with some lemon juice and sprinkled on some Penzey's Northwood Seasoning and baked it. Did a mix and match of that and the previously fried/baked chicken last night.

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More produce!

Grilled sweet potatoes in a chipotle. honey, lime marinade

Zucchini pancakes with shallot, garlic, and queso blanco (OK, it was feta, but I was trying for a theme)

Nothing more to leave room for:

Peach and blackberry crisp

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Mac and cheese (with bacon)

Baked beans (with bacon)

Steamed lobsters from Salt River (with bacon)

Broiled fresh Carolina jumbo shrimp, also from Salt River

Corn on the cob

Bacardi punch

Ciao Bella Key Lime Gelato (holy crap is that good)

Thanks for the hospitality, agm and NotQuickDraw!

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