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Dinner - The Polyphonic Food Blog


JPW

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Last night's dinner began in a lovely fashion with a salad of iceburg lettuce and yellow stripey tomato smothered in homemade buttermilk blue cheese dressing and topped with fresh chives.

Yukon gold potatoes were mashed with butter and cream and were just delicious.

Bird beans from the market were used in a succotash-delicious.

And then there was the pork. I knew I was making a big mistake buying Smithfield pork tenderloin that was "flavored" or coated or something. But, they were 2 for 1 at the store a while ago,I couldn't resist, so I bought a mushroom and a teryaki-each vacuum sealed. I pan-seared the mushroom pork and finished it in the oven. Craptastic. Gawd awful. Didnt even taste like pork and was so salty, I could feel my rings tightening around my fingers as I was chewing the one piece I ate. It was torture-I chucked it.

We recovered nicely with leftover peach and blueberry galette with cardamom and ginger whipped cream.

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chilled cucumber and roasted eggplant soup

grill-smoked chicken--it was 1/2 of a big one, from Eco-Friendly. I herb brined it for 12 hours and dried it for 24 hours in the fridge. Seriously good.

succotash of market veg--corn, roasted red pepper, onion and cranberry beans

grilled garlic crostini

ice cream, raspberries and dulce de leche

2008 Kirkland Russian River Pinot Noir

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I'm curious about the Costco wines. How did you find this one?

Well, I went to the wine section and turned left... But seriously, folks. I finally tried a couple of Kirkland wines last year--the Napa Cabernet was amazingly good for the price. I even drove out to the Springfield store to buy the last few bottles in the area. (This year's vintage is not quite as good.) So I've been more open to trying them. I bought a bottle of this a couple of weeks ago, and liked it enough to go back for more. It's a lot more complex than you'd expect for an under $13 pinot. Obviously not good enough for whatever big Sonoma winery made it to bottle under its own label and sell for $40--but a delicious and very drinkable wine for the price. If you are really hesitant about Costco label wines, you can look them up on Cellar Tracker and read what other people say about them before you buy. In the case of this wine, I tasted it and liked it before looking to see what others had said about it, and the reviews that had been posted at that point agreed with my assessment.
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Macadamia nuts

Cheez-Its

Warm chardonnay

It's hard to address a very, very rough day when you're three weeks into a Kenyan hotel and you've already had and and been unimpressed by all the room service offerings and it's too late to go out and get anything resembling reasonable.

At least, tomorrow I'm going to make sure I get myself a huge bunch of those insanely delicious tiny bananas. America is blinded by the Cavendish, to its extreme detriment.

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At least, tomorrow I'm going to make sure I get myself a huge bunch of those insanely delicious tiny bananas. America is blinded by the Cavendish, to its extreme detriment.

Agreed. If you travel to Brazil, be sure to try the large, red bananas that taste like strawberries and pears. Delicious.

Tonight was a multicultural study of the Cucurbitaceae. (That sounds better than cleaning out the fridge.)

Squash blossom quesadillas

Summer squash with pesto

Charentais melon

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last night:

Eco-Friendly spicy Italian sausages with fennel and onions

braised Tuscan kale with tomato

white beans with garlic and roasted red pepper

garlic toast

peaches and vanilla ice cream

2008 Barbazzale Rosso

tonight:

a deconstructed quasi-BLT/panzanella hybrid: various market tomatoes chunked, with mozzarella di bufala, cucumber, green onion, basil, EVOO and vinegars, mixed with crisp bacon

served with grilled thick slices of Quail Creek Oven country bread

Quail Creek Oven chocolate cherry cookie/vanilla ice cream sandwich

2007 Antinori Santa Cristina sangiovese

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Leftover pimiento-goat cheese dip on anything that will convey it to my mouth.

I sort of hate weeks when I have no time to cook, but this stuff is clearly laced with crack. I mean, I made it, and I don't recall putting crack in it, but it's so freakin' addictive...

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Wine-braised brisket with caramelized-onion gravy

Sauteed garlicky haricots verts

Roasted fingerling potatoes with rosemary and thyme

Braided challah (the Mr. found it at Eastern Market)

A great Malbec my neighbors brought -- didn't catch the name

Homemade honey cake--1.5 of 'em left!

Shana tovah tikatevu to any and all.

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The other day I felt like playing with flour. So I made some pasta and cut it into pappardelle. Then I spotted a large honeycrisp apple in the fridge and thought about dessert, and decided I still wanted to play with flour. So I made pie dough, and used half of it for an apple galette. Then I decided that boiling water was too much trouble, so I rolled out the rest of the dough into a rectangle, brushed it with olive oil, covered with a thin layer of grated parmesan, then a layer of thickly sliced Roma tomatoes (from the garden). A handful of basil went on in the last few minutes.

So dinner was, basically, pie:

tomato tart

apple galette

pie dough cookies

And breakfast the next day was the rest of the apple galette. I figure I ate half a cup of butter over the course of twelve hours. (The pasta dried nicely and was dinner a few nights later.)

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All of the main ingredients, and many of the minor players, were purchased this morning at the Bethesda Central Farm Market on Elm Street, including the Rainbow Trout.

Broiled rainbow trout bathed in butter and thai chili paste, with minced basil, cilantro, lime zest and panko coating

Heirloom and cherry tomatoes dressed with EVOO, fleur de sel, pepper, fresh basil leaves and accompanied by Point Reyes blue cheese

Sauteed rainbow chard with garlic

Corn on the cob with Kerrygold butter

A slice of Atwater's sunflower and flax bread -- so delicious and moist, no butter required

King Estate Oregon Pinot Gris

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Striata baguette (Marvelous Market) and butter

Curried split pea soup with speck

Arugula, Pear, and Pine Nut Salad

Leftover panko-crusted salmon

The arugula was from Gardener's Gourmet. Oregano in the soup came from a friend's garden.

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Tonight:

Large pork chops stuffed with dressing. Bought at the Lancaster Farmer's market in Germantown, MD. I cooked them right but in the wrong pan, so they sat in juices but dried out a bit.

Side of big dinner rolls from the same.

Side of 1 large cubed zucchini, pan fried in butter with little pieces of 2 slices of Taylor Ham and about 1/4 a red onion. This is my own invention and make whatever snide comment you like - I don't care, I like how it tastes :rolleyes:

For dessert, an apple picked the day before from Baugher's Orchard in Winchester, MD.

Simple, comfort food. Downed with a cold can of Fresca.

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Tonight:

Side of 1 large cubed zucchini, pan fried in butter with little pieces of 2 slices of Taylor Ham and about 1/4 a red onion. This is my own invention and make whatever snide comment you like - I don't care, I like how it tastes :rolleyes:

I've noticed that those of us who are regular contributors to this thread tend not to make snarky comments about each other's efforts. Besides, this recipe interests me. It might be a way to get my zucchini-hating husband to eat summer squash--he's Pennsylvania Dutch and is very fond of Taylor ham...
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Side of 1 large cubed zucchini, pan fried in butter with little pieces of 2 slices of Taylor Ham and about 1/4 a red onion. This is my own invention and make whatever snide comment you like - I don't care, I like how it tastes :rolleyes:
I have posted in this thread about serving chili dogs & tater tots, AND I have a jar of Miracle Whip in my refrigerator, so you won't hear any snide comments from me. Ham and squash is a great combination. :huh:
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AND I have a jar of Miracle Whip in my refrigerator

I grew up on the stuff. Didn't know what real mayonnaise was until I started regularly sharing meals with a shaygets who grew up on home made mayonnaise. There is always a big jar of MW in my mother's refrigerator, and I end up having to use it when I am preparing meals in her kitchen. It's very sweet...
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I grew up on the stuff. Didn't know what real mayonnaise was until I started regularly sharing meals with a shaygets who grew up on home made mayonnaise. There is always a big jar of MW in my mother's refrigerator, and I end up having to use it when I am preparing meals in her kitchen. It's very sweet...

My dad was raised on "salad dressing," and I didn't use real mayonnaise until I started making my own in culinary school. I like MW for some things. It's comfort food, and certainly not "gourmet" by any stretch.

Feel free to move this to the "Miracle Whip" thread. I know it exists somewhere...

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I grew up on the stuff. Didn't know what real mayonnaise was until I started regularly sharing meals with a shaygets who grew up on home made mayonnaise. There is always a big jar of MW in my mother's refrigerator, and I end up having to use it when I am preparing meals in her kitchen. It's very sweet...

My dad was raised on "salad dressing," and I didn't use real mayonnaise until I started making my own in culinary school. I like MW for some things. It's comfort food, and certainly not "gourmet" by any stretch.

Feel free to move this to the "Miracle Whip" thread. I know it exists somewhere...

We had both, although I can't think what the Miracle Whip was for. Sandwiches maybe? Potato or macaroni salad were made with Blue Plate mayonnaise. My Mom used to bring it on the plane with her when I lived in Illinois. Blue Plate mayonnaise and real grits.

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I have posted in this thread about serving chili dogs & tater tots, AND I have a jar of Miracle Whip in my refrigerator, so you won't hear any snide comments from me. Ham and squash is a great combination. :huh:

That's cool - so I'll apologize for my snide comment that I might get snide comments. :rolleyes:

Miracle Whip is first and foremost... a Miracle. Velveeta and Liverwurst on white bread would be nothing if it weren't for a smathering of Whip.

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No Miracle Whip where I live, but there are cans of chicken broth.

Leftover pilaf made w basmati rice, lemongrass from Mountain View Farm, crushed angel hair pasta and slivers of New Morning's garlic went into a soup since MBK (sorry about the cold!) got me in the mood.

Other contents: leftover chicken thigh whose bone went into the broth as I prepped.

Then slivers of Hakurei turnips braised in butter w shallots.

Chopped greens plus a little sorrel went in w the diced meat.

Garnish: chopped cracklings made w the skin; lots of black pepper.

Pugliese & Country wheat toast

The rest of the raspberries w honey and mascarpone

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Last night: a roasted carrot and fennel soup that sounded delicious. It wasn't until I tasted it that I remembered making it once before. I didn't like it then either. It's all so simple; roast carrots, fennel, onion and one clove of garlic, puree with equal parts chicken broth and water. Sounds good, but yuck!

Recipe in the bin in order to prevent a three-peat.

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Last night: a roasted carrot and fennel soup that sounded delicious. It wasn't until I tasted it that I remembered making it once before. I didn't like it then either. It's all so simple; roast carrots, fennel, onion and one clove of garlic, puree with equal parts chicken broth and water. Sounds good, but yuck!

Recipe in the bin in order to prevent a three-peat.

This is amusing, since the wheatberry vegetable deal I made last night followed the same path. It's from a cookbook I hadn't looked at in a while. "Ooh, that would be good." After I made it...uh oh. Now I remember. I made this before and it was underwhelming. Underwhelming once again. Maybe I should stick a post-it note on that page in the cookbook.

At least the salmon salad was delicious :rolleyes:

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This is amusing, since the wheatberry vegetable deal I made last night followed the same path. It's from a cookbook I hadn't looked at in a while. "Ooh, that would be good." After I made it...uh oh. Now I remember. I made this before and it was underwhelming. Underwhelming once again. Maybe I should stick a post-it note on that page in the cookbook.

At least the salmon salad was delicious :rolleyes:

I'm a big fan of cookbook marginalia and have no problem grabbing a red pen to make a giant "X" across a recipe.
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I'm a big fan of cookbook marginalia and have no problem grabbing a red pen to make a giant "X" across a recipe.

For some reason, I always regret writing in cookbooks. I look back at them and think: "Why did I write that?" At the same time, I love seeing the notes my MIL has written in the cookbooks I've inherited from her collection :rolleyes:.

If I'm not going to get myself making notes in the margins, I at least need to go the post-it route to make sure I don't repeatedly revisit the loser recipes.

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Last night: a roasted carrot and fennel soup that sounded delicious. It wasn't until I tasted it that I remembered making it once before. I didn't like it then either. It's all so simple; roast carrots, fennel, onion and one clove of garlic, puree with equal parts chicken broth and water. Sounds good, but yuck!

Interesting that you didn't like it--just looking at the ingredients, it looks like one of those "quicky-simple/only three ingredients and you are done" recipes that are supposed to be non-intimidating for people who don't cook much or are in a big hurry. I like the carrot, fennel and onion together, but not sure about roasting them, because you can get some burn-dy flavors that could end up being bitter. I'd probably saute them in butter instead, with a sprinkling of sugar to help them caramelize a bit, and substitute ginger for the garlic. And add a touch of cayenne. I'd go for straight chicken broth with a little white wine. And I'd add aromatics: thyme, parsley, bay leaf and celery leaf in a bundle that can be removed. Cook that together for a while, then puree and serve with a big dollop of creme fraiche and some finely chopped tarragon and chives. I betcha that'd be good!
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I'm a big fan of cookbook marginalia and have no problem grabbing a red pen to make a giant "X" across a recipe.

For some reason, I always regret writing in cookbooks. I look back at them and think: "Why did I write that?" At the same time, I love seeing the notes my MIL has written in the cookbooks I've inherited from her collection :rolleyes:.

If I'm not going to get myself making notes in the margins, I at least need to go the post-it route to make sure I don't repeatedly revisit the loser recipes.

Use pencil so you can always erase or revise comments. I usually make notes next to recipes, usually recording date when recipe tried first w notes not just about changes, etc., but sometimes what I made w it. If really good, I'll write name of recipe and page number on end papers.

In medieval Europe, before the first "modern" cookbooks (or mss. devoted exclusively to a compilation of recipes), marginalia were cookbooks. Sacred texts, poetry, commentaries, etc. served as central focus of the parchment folio with recipes added in margins by the book's owner.

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The plan was to have pork chops stuffed with sausage. Picked these up at the Lancaster Market over the weekend. After an hour of cooking we bailed on these and instead had a quick breakfast for dinner:

Scrambled Eggs

Pepper Bacon (also from the Lancaster Market)

Apple Sauce my wife made last night

white toast.

It was plan B when there was no plan B. Made chicken soup today for tomorrow night - will reheat and add noodles for tomorrow night. Tonight's pork chops, if edible, may be lunch tomorrow.

I'm going through a comfort food phase. I must be excited for fall :rolleyes:

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Seared crispy-skinned salmon

Bibb lettuce with avocado, toasted pignoli, and citrus vinaigrette (orange and lemon juice, white wine, olive oil, salt & pepper)

This is after bar happy hour at Vidalia, so nothing I could make could really outshine that. But it was still damn tasty. :rolleyes:

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Arugula with roasted golden beets, baby turnips, and mushrooms, with fresh mozzarella, and pear vinaigrette

Grilled lamb merguez sausages

Yum!

What kinda oil in the vinaigrette? Do tell, do tell.

And assuming you did not make them (because if you did, *swoon*), do you recommend that brand of Lamb Merguez?

In Zesty Vicariousness,

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Yum!

What kinda oil in the vinaigrette? Do tell, do tell.

And assuming you did not make them (because if you did, *swoon*), do you recommend that brand of Lamb Merguez?

In Zesty Vicariousness,

I used an Italian EVOO that I got at the Italian Store, can't recall the exact brand and I'm not in my kitchen to check. And no, I didn't make the sausages! I'm not quite that ambitious! They are from MeatCrafters. We purchased them at the Bethesda Central Farm Market, but they are also at many other markets. Their website lists all of them. We've tried quite a number of their products and we really like them alot. The Lamb Merguez is our favorite, others we like are: Fresh Kielbasa, Cajun Andouille, and Chicken Basil Bangers.

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