|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 17, 2021 19:15:12 GMT
I finished off a box of frozen fish fingers for dinner, more than I wanted but that was because I was really disappointed in them and wanted to get rid of them. Next time I will get them from the place I went to before that had good ones....
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Dec 20, 2021 10:27:50 GMT
I was presented with three lovely young brinjals - I decided to make a lasagne dish using them as meat. I got so enthusiastic I made three layers and forgot to lay the lasagne sheets in between. Don' t you just feel such a twit when you gaze down at your handiwork and out the corner of your eye you see the missing ingredient! What to do,what to do! So I cooked spaghetti, opened a jar of tomato pasta sauce and took the meat out of 4 pork sausages and made little meatballs in the sauce. Altogether it was a tasty meal.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 20, 2021 21:55:17 GMT
Good supper last night -- I made the bean dish (at Reply #15889) again last night. This time I drained the beans in a colander, which I won't do again. That's because last time I scooped them from the pot into the skillet, meaning that there was more bean juice incorporated & the texture & taste were nicer. Also, last night I used lime juice instead of lemon because that's what I had. Lemon is better. Along with the beans I had brussels sprouts. This was a treat because usually that vegetable is only to be found in my market right next to the hens' teeth. What a thrill to find a bag of the super fresh little jewels. Searching for what to do with them, I found this recipe for sautéed brussels sprouts, which I highly recommend. I mostly followed the recipe, although didn't bother measuring anything. At the end I threw in some pecan halves. They added that touch of meaty texture that rounded off the meal. Sorry that the recipe is from a typically blabby blog & that the author uses the words "delish" and "veggies". Just quickly scroll down down down past the chat & the repetitive pictures to get to the recipe: www.wellplated.com/sauteed-brussels-sprouts/This is yet another recipe that suggests cheese on the finished product -- something that is getting as ubiquitous as adding bacon to everything. Trust me, it doesn't need cheese. Also, at the end where you're told to let the sprouts keep cooking in the residual heat: cover the pan & you'll probably need to put the heat back on set at extra-low unless you have one of those electric stoves that take a long time to cool down. Any leftovers are lovely cold or at room temperature. Or you can copy this: Sautéed Brussels Sprouts4 servings 1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or lemon juice 1 to 2 tablespoons raw pine nuts or chopped raw walnuts, almonds, or pecans (optional) Chopped fresh herbs like parsley cilantro or mint (optional) A handful of Parmesan feta, or goat cheese (optional) Heat a large cast iron or similar sturdy bottomed skillet over medium high for 4 minutes. Add the oil. As soon as the oil is hot and shining (but before it starts smoking), swirl to cost the pan, then add the halved Brussels sprouts. Shake the skillet a little and prod them so that as many as possible are cut-side down. Let sit completely undisturbed for 5 to 8 minutes, until they develop a dark, tasty, caramelized sear. Add the salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the Brussels sprouts. Continue cooking, stirring every few minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are browned all over and just turning tender the inside, about 6 to 8 additional minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vinegar, then the pine nuts or almonds. Let the residual heat of the skillet toast the nuts, stirring them very often so that they toast evenly on all sides and do not burn (if they aren’t toasting, return the skillet to low heat). As soon as the nuts are toasted, transfer the sprouts to a serving plate and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Enjoy hot.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Dec 21, 2021 10:24:56 GMT
Bixa - I made your bean dish! Did'nt have Canenelli beans so used butter beans . It turned out great because I liked it and Mr.Tod said "This is very nice"!
Tonight I'm attempting Moules Frites. I would prefer a nice crunchy baguette instead of the fries but we have an abundance of potatoes at the moment. I hope I get the sauce right.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 21, 2021 13:30:27 GMT
What a clever idea to use butter beans, Tod. I'll bet their creamy texture really worked in that dish. The moules sound marvelous. And you should be grateful for an excuse to have fries without guilt!
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 21, 2021 16:47:40 GMT
Tonight I am having steak (faux-filet) and will make fried potatoes with it. Tonight I'm attempting Moules Frites. Moules frites is one of the most absolutely simplest dishes that I know. You just chop up some herbs (for me: garlic, parsley, shallots) and briefly cook them in butter. Then you dump in the mussels and pour about 50 cl of cheap dry white wine over them in the pot. Using good white wine would be a total waste, just like using good red wine for beef bourguignon (or good whisky for whisky and cola). You cover the pot and steam for no more than 10 minutes, but it's easy to know how long because you just need to see that the mussels have opened. I will not insult you by giving instructions on the frites.
|
|
|
Post by whatagain on Dec 21, 2021 17:19:55 GMT
Nearly correct. Parsley is good, but you MUST add celery. Just one branch. We also add carrots. I use a lot of butter. K is right to say not to use good wine, but don't use bad wine either. Cheap but good.
Eet smakelijk !
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 21, 2021 17:42:12 GMT
Yes, celery is also good to add, but a lot of people don't have it on hand. (I do.)
|
|
|
Post by whatagain on Dec 21, 2021 17:52:47 GMT
Tonight will be restaurant. 128 m in straight line, about 434 following the road. Meaning wine. I pay (for once) !
|
|
|
Post by whatagain on Dec 23, 2021 13:54:28 GMT
Yesterday we had a pre Xmas meal. I had bought caviar (!), 50 g, delicious. My wife made a great soup and added foie gras and brioche on top. Then meat on a stone. With a sauternes 1999, then a gigondas. Quite good.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Dec 23, 2021 14:35:29 GMT
My Moules were done quite good, but besides shallots, white wine and tons of garlic, I like to add Crème Fraiche or any cream at the end when I add a lot of chopped parsley.Next time I will add carrot and celery.
We had far too many mussels for two people so I am adding the mussel meat to a creamy mushrooms in a sauce which will go over rice.
Today was a wonderful day in the supermarket because I discovered the newly opened Woolworths Food Store has a bakery that makes baguettes! I bought three plain and three green olive bagettes. We ate a whole one for breakfast and dreamt of Paris......
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 23, 2021 16:28:50 GMT
Yes, I am a fan of moules à la crème also, but it is very tricky, even in a restaurant. Sometimes there is not enough crème fraîche, sometimes there is too much.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 23, 2021 17:12:20 GMT
I am adding the mussel meat to a creamy mushrooms in a sauce which will go over rice.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 23, 2021 17:29:46 GMT
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 23, 2021 19:36:52 GMT
I made an excellent blended (food processor) soup today with potatoes, carrots, turnips, celery, plus some other ingredients that needed to be used -- a withering green pepper, a withering Moroccan chili, plus a few little Thai chilis (I like it spicy) and the usual addition of various herbs and spices. Although I threw in lots of pepper (black and Cayenne), I did not add any salt other than the two Knorr Mediterranean vegetable cubes. So I guess you can call it a vegan soup, even though that was not my goal. I had a giant bowl for lunch and threw some Philadephia cream cheese* into the bowl even though I usually add crème fraîche. One way or the other, it was no longer vegan. It was wonderful and will continue to be so for another two or three days.
But since this is the dinner thread, I have to admit that I had no desire to cook anything else tonight. So I had a microwave dinner of two elements.
1. scallops with leeks and mushrooms
This is not a main dish, so I went on to
2. salmon with tortellini in cream sauce
Thank heavens for emergency rations in my larder! Dinner was excellent.
*It is not something that I usually buy, but it was on special recently.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Dec 24, 2021 14:41:42 GMT
I'm all out! Kitchen is closed. I have prepared a post Christmas luncheon to take with us tomorrow as we motor to the coast to join my son and his partner. The lettuce is crisping, the jumbo prawns are resting in their Tupperware container ready for the Marie-Rose sauce tomorrow. The gammon was done and a few minutes ago we roasted two whole beef fillets over charcoal and I think they will reveal perfectly pink interiors when sliced. I hope all the Anyport Family are eating this well at their Xmas dinner table. I send good wishes to all!
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Dec 24, 2021 16:28:05 GMT
Sounds delicious tod! Best wishes to you and yours.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 24, 2021 17:31:27 GMT
What an epic feast for your trip, Tod. And I imagine all of us are thinking, "who else but Tod would pull that off?!"
|
|
|
Post by casimira on Dec 24, 2021 18:13:45 GMT
That sounds so delicious Tod. I hope you and yours have a joyous day together.
A friend of ours gave us four nice sized smoked salmon steaks. I am going bake them with a Meyer lemon cream sauce and serve it with some wild rice with sauteed mushrooms and shallots. I have permission to pick some fresh spinach from the community garden and will make a salad to accompany the main dish.
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Dec 24, 2021 18:27:03 GMT
THat really does sound delicious casi.
RIbeye steak, new potatoes and salad for us.
|
|
|
Post by casimira on Dec 24, 2021 19:34:04 GMT
Yours doesn't sound to be very shabby either Mick. Love a good ribeye.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Dec 24, 2021 19:48:28 GMT
We don't tend to do a dinner on Christmas Eve. There were quite a few years though when I'd go out with my brother for a curry. I've married into a family who follow different traditions but I put my foot down and we have a proper Christmas turkey dinner on the 25th which they didn't. In order to compromise they can choose what we have the evening before and each year it's something different. This year it is a 'high tea' rather than a heavy meal. We started with a broccoli cream soup which is in the saucepan and crusty baguette with salted butter, but soon followed with the only container we had that was big enough to hold all the sandwiches. There were cucumber, salmon and dill, just salmon, egg mayonnaise, egg mayonnaise and chives, roast beef, roast beef and mustard and roast beef and horseradish. Seven types of cheeses and the grapes, cherry tomatoes and yellow pepper for something crunchy and fresh. I slipped earlier this morning to a French bakery and bought a small selection of petit fours to taste - Tomorrow the turkey will go in mid-morning.
|
|
|
Post by onlyMark on Dec 25, 2021 10:22:38 GMT
Every year we invite the mother in law to Christmas dinner. There's usually between 6 to 14 of us. We all like everything I serve. But the MIL doesn't like, and I mean just like, no health concerns, the following - potatoes, peas, carrots, gravy, cauliflower, onion or turkey. As that is all we have, she tends to go a bit short. But I told Mrs M years ago that if everyone else likes everything, then I'm not going to make her a meal by herself as I have enough on with the quantities/oven space/hob space to do the rest. I've offered a bowl of cornflakes or she can make herself a sandwich. She declines every year and pays lip service on her plate to the normal stuff.
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 25, 2021 13:15:14 GMT
What does she eat when you aren't tormenting her? I didn't even have dinner last night because I was out at the theatre until about 23:00. So I just had hummus and flatbread when I came home, and it was fine.
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Dec 25, 2021 13:50:11 GMT
We’re having chicken and rice with cheesy cornbread for our Christmas dinner, and apple pie and ice cream for dessert. Nothing all that special, but I really like the cornbread and only make it once a year. I’m planning on having lots of leftovers to serve family arriving on Monday.
|
|
|
Post by casimira on Dec 25, 2021 17:07:09 GMT
That's quite an impressive spread Mark. Too bad about the picky MIL.
We are going to a friend's house for a family dinner with his parents and daughter. I believe that the main item on the menu is a rack of lamb. A nice quiet and always delicious repast in their Garden District home. As the weather is in the mid 70F's we are likely to dine in their beautiful courtyard
|
|
|
Post by kerouac2 on Dec 25, 2021 18:53:15 GMT
I had flammekueche for dinner. It's remarkable that I find it excellent while not liking pizza even though I like all of the stuff that you put on either of them.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on Dec 25, 2021 22:18:17 GMT
We’ll be having Roast Beast for Christmas dinner - if I can rouse the cat on my lap to get it in the oven! A 6# Rib Roast.
|
|
|
Post by questa on Dec 25, 2021 22:51:30 GMT
Please don't roast the cat...there is not much meat on them and they are buggas to skin.
|
|
|
Post by Biddy on Dec 26, 2021 0:07:38 GMT
Questa - LOL
|
|