What are you eating?

[Daidalos]

I was supposed to eat spinach soup today, but I failed miserably. Instead of adding 3 tablespoons of flour, somehow I managed to add 4,5 decilitres. It was a complete and unmitigated disaster. I still don't know how the hell I could misinterpret the recipe so utterly, and I still wonder how my mind didn't protest at the absurd amount of flour; usually, I'm quite a decent cook. In the end, I settled with eating some yoghurt.

[Lethevich]

I was supposed to eat spinach soup today, but I failed miserably. Instead of adding 3 tablespoons of flour, somehow I managed to add 4,5 decilitres. It was a complete and unmitigated disaster. I still don't know how the hell I could misinterpret the recipe so utterly, and I still wonder how my mind didn't protest at the absurd amount of flour; usually, I'm quite a decent cook. In the end, I settled with eating some yoghurt.

! This is my kind of experience. Bizarrely, the closer I try to stick to recipe measurements, the worse the results become...

[matti]

I was supposed to eat spinach soup today, but I failed miserably. Instead of adding 3 tablespoons of flour, somehow I managed to add 4,5 decilitres. It was a complete and unmitigated disaster. I still don't know how the hell I could misinterpret the recipe so utterly, and I still wonder how my mind didn't protest at the absurd amount of flour; usually, I'm quite a decent cook. In the end, I settled with eating some yoghurt.

My sister-in-law once made a cake adding 4 tablespoons of flour instead of 4 decilitres. 

[Lilas Pastia]

A repeat tonight from a few months back, Susan picked up some Osso Buco (braised veal shank - description below from their website) from 'Whole Foods' locally - package came w/ two shanks pre-cooked (w/ ingredients described below), so just needed to re-heat them; as side dishes, she served Wild Rice which we topped w/ a little of the veal sauce & added a nice salad of greens w/ walnuts & blue cheese.

Boy, I usually don't like these pre-fab dishes (and rarely have them), but this veal was just superb!  The meat was 'fork' tender, fell off the bone, and was wonderfully flavored (as good as I've had in a restaurant); the rice was a perfect side along w/ the salad.  Of course, one of the 'highlights' of this meat dish is picking out the bone marrow w/ a little 'lobster' fork - I gave Susan my bone shank (guess not my thing!) - her face glowed!

The company is Cuisine Solutions - the veal was a second experience, but we've also tried the New Zealand Lamb Shanks, also delicious; still need to have the 'seafood products' - and the calories/fats/etc. were quite respectable - of course, a light red wine for the evening (decanted an Oregon Pinot Noir) -  

Dave, this is one of my very favourite meals. I've never served it with the full veal shank, though. I normally painstakingly remove every scrap of tendon or connective tissue, so the meat kind of floats in the sauce, ragoût-style. A concession I make 'cause the ladies here are soooo picky  . After seeing this, I'll serve it whole again - as my Mom used to do. Also, my Mom's recipe calls for a kind of 'campagnard' cooking: the floured shank is browned in butter, then I add celery, onion, and carrots finely chopped, halved mushrooms,  and douse it all generously with white wine. No tomato. Add laurel leaves, cover and simmer. Add freshly chopped parsley and coarsely ground white pepper towards the end and serve on broad egg noodles. And of course, pick all the marrow you can! That's the best part of the meal!

Just had a generously buttered burnt toast with a helping of goat cheese. Perfect match !

[Joe Barron]

I snack on cauliflower.

[SonicMan46]

Hi André - yes, those 'long cooked' shanks are just wonderful!  Susan just loves these dishes (guess her Jewish upbringing helped!) - your recipe sounds absolutely delicious - and yes, she loves the marrow!  In fact, I leave a little meat on the bone (and the marrow) and offer her the remainder; she never refuses!    Dave

Dave, this is one of my very favourite meals. I've never served it with the full veal shank, though. I normally painstakingly remove every scrap of tendon or connective tissue, so the meat kind of floats in the sauce, ragoût-style. A concession I make 'cause the ladies here are soooo picky  . After seeing this, I'll serve it whole again - as my Mom used to do. Also, my Mom's recipe calls for a kind of 'campagnard' cooking: the floured shank is browned in butter, then I add celery, onion, and carrots finely chopped, halved mushrooms,  and douse it all generously with white wine. No tomato. Add laurel leaves, cover and simmer. Add freshly chopped parsley and coarsely ground white pepper towards the end and serve on broad egg noodles. And of course, pick all the marrow you can! That's the best part of the meal!

Just had a generously buttered burnt toast with a helping of goat cheese. Perfect match !

[Benji]

Tonight, chicken paanang, which is a simple Thai curry with the paanang paste, coconut cream, cane sugar and lime leaves, a dash of fish sauce (nam pla) and garnished with red chillis. About 5 minutes worth of cooking, aside from the jasmine rice.

I couldn't find any thai pickles to go with it, so i'll be totally inauthentic and have some kimchi (Any excuse!).

[karlhenning]

A Granny Smith apple.

Pass me the lime leaves.

[Benji]

A Granny Smith apple.

Pass me the lime leaves.

OK, but get ready to put your chewing teeth in. 

If your apple is too tart, pop it on a stick, heat some brown sugar and ground cinnammon and clove in a little pan until caramelised. Coat the apple and leave to cool. Candy apple. Problem solved!

[Brahmsian]

A Granny Smith apple.

Pass me the lime leaves.

That's exactly why Granny Smith apples are one of the few apples I actually enjoy, because of the tartness.

[Lilas Pastia]

To celebrate (!!) my Mother-in-law's departure to the old continent, I prepared her the traditional canadian ragoût de pattes de cochon - that's pig's feet and meatballs stew:



That's one of the most traditional staples in french-canadian cuisine. The 'pig's feet' are not really that: it's actually the section above the feet, where there's plenty of meat. Pig feet are covered with water, which is brought to a boil. Strain the foam, add salt, chopped onions and celery, cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Remove, pare, put meat aside. Let the broth cool overnight (it's a Winter dish), remove all the fat. Prepare meat balls with lean ground pork meat, milk-soaked white bread, egg and spices (essentially allspice). Fry the meatballs and set aside with the pork meat. Prepare a good dose of grilled flour, add the pork broth, the meat and meatballs, season to taste (salt and more allspice, some clove and nutmeg). Simmer for 30 minutes and serve with boiled potatoes.

The pig's feet meat tends to separate like spaghetti when overcooked. Make sure it's tender but not overcooked when you remove and pare the feet. It should separate in big, firm but moist chunks of meat.

[Brahmsian]

To celebrate (!!) my Mother-in-law's departure to the old continent, I prepared her the traditional canadian ragoût de pattes de cochon - that's pig's feet and meatballs stew:



That's one of the most traditional staples in french-canadian cuisine. The 'pig's feet' are not really that: it's actually the section above the feet, where there's plenty of meat. Pig feet are covered with water, which is brought to a boil. Strain the foam, add salt, chopped onions and celery, cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Remove, pare, put meat aside. Let the broth cool overnight (it's a Winter dish), remove all the fat. Prepare meat balls with lean ground pork meat, milk-soaked white bread, egg and spices (essentially allspice). Fry the meatballs and set aside with the pork meat. Prepare a good dose of grilled flour, add the pork broth, the meat and meatballs, season to taste (salt and more allspice, some clove and nutmeg). Simmer for 30 minutes and serve with boiled potatoes.

The pig's feet meat tends to separate like spaghetti when overcooked. Make sure it's tender but not overcooked when you remove and pare the feet. It should separate in big, firm but moist chunks of meat.

Andre,

One of my favorite dishes my mother would make growing up.  Brings back childhood memories! 

[Lilas Pastia]

Indeed, we take them for granted when young, and beg Mom for her recipe when we grow older  . My Mom's recipe for the traditional New Year tourtière (meat pie) has come down to her from her irish grandmother. Minced apples melt with the ground meat, she adds raisins and allspice for the filling. Absolutely unlike any other meat pie you've ever tasted!

[SonicMan46]

Susan & I recently returned from a wonderful trip to NYC, and had many wonderful meals (have not yet posted on some of the treats we ate - just TOO many to think about!) - but in a number of restaurants (Greek, Turkish, & Italian) we had octopus & squid - all just delicious, but the squid brought back some memories, i.e. Susan use to buy & stuff them w/ some 'tasty goodies' - 

Our local 'seafood store' had some 'frozen' squid (just would not sell here fresh) - tonight she made some 'stuffed squid' - brown rice, squid tentacles, onion, mushrooms, and other tasty ingredients in a dice tomato sauce w/ onion, garlic, wine wine et al.  Just served w/ some peas on the side - I wanted 'seconds'!  But, we saved the 'second half' of the box for another recipe in a few nights - 

Wine - Artesa Chardonnay from Carneros 2007 - good value & excellent recommendation - a little oak but lemony and a nice combination w/ the squid - must start making a list of some of the eateries we experienced in the BIG APPLE! 

[Harpo]

Our local 'seafood store' had some 'frozen' squid (just would not sell here fresh) - tonight she made some 'stuffed squid' - brown rice, squid tentacles, onion, mushrooms, and other tasty ingredients in a dice tomato sauce w/ onion, garlic, wine wine et al.  Just served w/ some peas on the side - I wanted 'seconds'!  But, we saved the 'second half' of the box for another recipe in a few nights - 

Note to any would-be squid chefs: they shrink a lot as they cook, so prepare extras. I will probably make pasta with squid sauce with the second half of the box--diced tomatoes, garlic and squid (calamari) rings. Chewy and tomato-y.

[Bogey]

Had this the other night with the wine I posted, Dave:



Sweet Hot Calamari

Absolutely fantastic!  It was served at the Keg Steakhouse and Bar.
http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/en/menus/dinner-menu/dinner-starters-soup/

[SonicMan46]

Had this the other night with the wine I posted, Dave:



Sweet Hot Calamari - Absolutely fantastic!  It was served at the Keg Steakhouse and Bar.
http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/en/menus/dinner-menu/dinner-starters-soup/

Good evening Bill - YES - squid = calamari (the latter sounds better, yes? -  )

That dish shown above looks great - love 'fried' calamari w/ just a 'light' coating - Susan is going to cut up our second portion of the squid box into 'rings' and saute them w/ some olive oil, garlic, wine, etc. - served w/ some rice & veggies - should make a wonderful meal - Dave 

[Bogey]

Good evening Bill - YES - squid = calamari (the latter sounds better, yes? -  )

That dish shown above looks great - love 'fried' calamari w/ just a 'light' coating - Susan is going to cut up our second portion of the squid box into 'rings' and saute them w/ some olive oil, garlic, wine, etc. - served w/ some rice & veggies - should make a wonderful meal - Dave 

Did not catch what time dinner is at, Dave.

[Harpo]

Did not catch what time dinner is at, Dave.

Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and don't be late, because choir is at 7.

[Bogey]

Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and don't be late, because choir is at 7.