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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2013 19:01:31 GMT
I confess that I remove the contents from the bag like in the old days when there were no bags -- it's a mixture of spices with lots of mustard seeds or whatever, which I guess some people don't like to deal with when they are peeling and eating the crabs or shrimp later.
Actually, I like Zatarain's for its childhood nostalgia value, but I don't need it at all. When I don't have any on hand, I just throw everything in the spice cabinet in the boiling water -- well, not everything, but I'm sure you can imagine what seems appropriate or not. I put pepper, cayenne, fennel, turmeric, lemon juice, etc. It really doesn't matter all that much, because since the shrimp boil in the mixture for only about 5 minutes before they're ready, even if you put some wrong ingredients, it will hardly be noticeable.
More important is probably the dipping sauce, but everybody has person preferences for this. A lot of French people would use a sort of mayonnaise for this, but my own preference back from childhood is still basically a mixture of ketchup and Tabasco. It is just about my only use of ketchup at any time, along with steak tartare.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 1, 2013 21:12:08 GMT
Lunch, January 1, 2013: Carrot Coriander Soup (from a Jamie Oliver recipe, but, I'm incredulous that the recipe has only 3 TBPS fresh coriander, I put instead 1 1/3 cups.) I also jazzed it up with some fresh ginger and one seriously picante fresh chile serrano. The crema drizzle on top mitigated the picor.
After, some reheated spaghetti-chard casserole.
Drink: vino tinto Merlot from Chile.
Next, my third nap of the New Year's Day.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 2, 2013 17:17:36 GMT
So Kerouac, The shrimps are in the bag then. Frozen I guess. OR maybe not. I get the feeling the spices are in the bag and YOU buy the shrimp Eating them with ketchup and tobasco sounds really good but then what of the spices?? I might squeeze a fresh lemon lightly over them....then pulverize them with Tobasco - I love that sauce!
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Post by tod2 on Jan 2, 2013 17:22:59 GMT
Don, Don, Don! How dare you make my mouth water for a good slug of Chilean Merlot! I drink lovely red wines here in South Africa but I have a weakness for reds from Chile
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Post by rikita on Jan 2, 2013 18:49:47 GMT
leftovers from yesterday's curry...
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 3, 2013 1:55:43 GMT
Comida corrida at "La Divina Comida", in Pátzcuaro, a tiny restaurant of which we'd heard good things but hadn't tried until today.
The meal started with a Sopa de Repollo, one which showed Eastern European influences in its slightly tart flavor. Then a choice of Pollo en Mostaza or Mole Verde de Puerco. Our friend Ron chose the chicken and we had the mole verde. There was both bread and tortillas on table. Both were ordinario.
There was a choice of two sides, arroz a la Mexican, frijoles, ensalada or verduras al vapor.
The mole verde was tasty, but the sauce had that olive green color that Pilar Cabrera* had warned us about: cooked too long. The sauce was pretty good. My pork cubes were toughish, my wife's not.
*Chef, La Olla, Oaxaca and maestra, Los Sabores Cooking School, also Oaxaca.
Ron liked the chicken in mustard sauce. I had nice steamed vegs and a very good side salad, with soy-sesame dressing.
A couple of glasses of agua fresca de sandía (watermelon) came with the meal. Cost: $60 pesos.
Dessert, a sort of strawberry-yogurt whip, was quite good, if $20 pesos extra.
It was a nice change from the usual local restaurant fare and worth a repeat visit.
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Post by rikita on Jan 3, 2013 19:32:16 GMT
just a buttermilk...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2013 18:36:04 GMT
I ate 12 hot chicken wings (but not from KFC). That was about 4 too many.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 5, 2013 1:08:38 GMT
Lunch today was an approximation of a panzanella salad, made with tomates negros. ("black" tomatoes). We recently discovered these superior, more flavorful tomatoes at a frutería in a small market area of Pátzcuaro. Tomates negros and chiles manzanos rojosThe fruit and vegetable stand owner, Nacho, told us that he is expecting to receive white and/or yellow tomatoes tomorrow or Sunday. The rest of lunch was pasta and homemade meatballs. Several glasses of Chilean Merlot were imbibed.
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Post by htmb on Jan 6, 2013 17:30:04 GMT
Falafel with sliced red potatoes and sweet onion.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 6, 2013 17:41:07 GMT
Looks like Kirkland "footlong" all beef hot dogs, cole slaw and a few homemade leftover baked beans. I think a beer or two would go well with that.
Yes, pickle, mustard and onion onn the hot dogs.
I just remembered the panzanella type salad we have leftover.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 7, 2013 18:00:11 GMT
January 7, 2013: Eggplant Parmesan (already made, from the freezer), pasta with tomato sauce; lettuce and tomato salad.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 8, 2013 19:18:51 GMT
January 8, 2013: Roast turkey on a telera roll, mayo, apricot-chile chipotle chamoy, coleslaw. V-8 Juice
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2013 19:27:07 GMT
I had yesterday's leftover chicken and green beans for lunch. At least they're all gone now.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 11, 2013 16:44:56 GMT
Brussels Sprouts, probably pan sauteed. Maybe stracotto.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 11, 2013 21:19:21 GMT
January 11, 2013: new lunch plan. Sautéed smoked pork chops, tangerine-pineapple sauce; boiled potatoes. pan seared Brussels Sprouts, garlic, Kim Lan Soy Sauce, Balsamic vinegar. Montepulciano in our glasses.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2013 23:43:08 GMT
So Kerouac, The shrimps are in the bag then. Frozen I guess. OR maybe not. I get the feeling the spices are in the bag and YOU buy the shrimp Eating them with ketchup and tobasco sounds really good but then what of the spices?? I might squeeze a fresh lemon lightly over them....then pulverize them with Tobasco - I love that sauce! Zatarain's is one thing and then you buy and use whatever seafood you want. I get just about everything frozen, because places like Vietnam and Bangladesh are not right around the corner. Generally a 'dipping sauce' of some kind is a must because 95% of the spices go out with the water. But very often, I have eaten the left over shrimp just naturally cold a day or two later -- it's all a question of personal taste.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 12, 2013 18:39:38 GMT
Probably going out for pollo asado.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 14, 2013 16:57:35 GMT
we were tired, so we didn't go out.
January 14, 2013: Just ate some freshly cooked hearty bean soup, seasoned with bacon and bits of smoked pork chops; carrots, onion (of course), bay leaf, red chile, celery, Knorr Suiza Caldo de Pollo, potato to thicken it some and some tomato juice. (But not too much.) Most of the near gallon is going into the freezer for February, when we'll have guests here for an extended period.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 14, 2013 22:33:40 GMT
Late lunch today, eaten in front of the most recent episode of Once Upon a Time: guacamole embellished with surimi & tomatoes, scooped up with homemade chips. Good.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 17, 2013 2:58:00 GMT
Lunch (big enough to call dinner) at La Plazuela del Bosque, Restaurante Cubano, Centro, Morelia, México. For only $180 pesos a person, we got mojitos, a couple of appetizers each, a couple of small plates main courses, black beans, rice, bread rolls (which I skipped) and even a good dessert was included. The food overall was delicious, and I consider this the best meal deal in Morelia, International cuisine category.) Photos later... ...It is now later. Here are a few photos of the dining room and the food. A taste of Cuba in the dining room.Some entradas: top left, clockwise: Fruit salad, Empanada Gallega, Papa Rellena, Buñuelos de Bacalao, Croquetas de YucaMains and sides for three diners.Plátanos fritos. (These always taste strange to me. On this occasion, they reminded me of good, healthy horse sweat, in a good way.) Ropa Vieja, a signature dish.Among the desserts included in the price was this pretty good Pastel de Chocolate. Pastel de Chocolate.I'm not fond of most chocolate cake (and I consider the chocolate syrup drizzle an unfortunate touch.). Instead, I ordered this delicate and beautifully presented dish of Natillas. Natillas. We ended our meal with a café Americano and an Espresso cortado. All the meal lacked was a Cuban cigar. But there isn't a smokers' area in the place.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 18, 2013 22:41:48 GMT
January 18, 2013: Panino of Stracotto de Manzo with provolone. The ubiquitous fat free cole slaw, but picante this time.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2013 23:45:13 GMT
Jeez, you are certainly not going hungry!
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 19, 2013 8:49:22 GMT
Jeez, you are certainly not going hungry! ¡Tienes razón!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2013 18:10:23 GMT
Finished my second tub of leek soup and had a bit of reheated pot-au-feu as well. I think I have now had enough leek soup for the time being (I made about 8 liters in two weeks).
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 21, 2013 22:31:25 GMT
January 21, 2013: leftover papaya salad, etc, with leftover rice vermicelli plus avocado and bitsy shrimp and diced tomato; steamed spinach, reheated rice. Flan from yesterday for dessert.
Jack Daniels and Lapsang Souchong tea.
Another nap.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2013 17:33:23 GMT
Yeah, that Lapsang Souchong will put you to sleep every time.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 22, 2013 19:19:50 GMT
Yeah, that Lapsang Souchong will put you to sleep every time. We refer to LS Tea as "Telephone Pole Tea", because of its vaguely creosote smoky taste and smell. January 22, 2013: Lunch, probably leftover Tamarind Fish Soup, rice, spinach/chard. Or salad.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 23, 2013 0:15:03 GMT
Lunch (big enough to call dinner) at La Plazuela del Bosque, Restaurante Cubano, Centro, Morelia, México. I am the greenest of greens from envy!!!
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jan 23, 2013 2:02:06 GMT
Lunch (big enough to call dinner) at La Plazuela del Bosque, Restaurante Cubano, Centro, Morelia, México. I am the greenest of greens from envy!!! Bus Oaxaca to Mexico, DF. Bus to Morelia. Taxi to Centro. Done.
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