what did you eat this weekend?

[narlus]

maybe this can be a pseudo-sticky for the forum...

i don't get to do much cooking mid-week, so weekends are when i try out new stuff.

Friday after riding, i picked up a nice slab of striped bass (pan roasted, w/ coriander, salt, and pepper), which went very well w/ the sauteed bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and broccoli.

Saturday was meat night. steamed some green beans and the leftover broccoli and dressed 'em w/ soy, lemon juice and olive oil. grilled a massive bone-in ribeye, and had a green salad. also had some cold peanut and sesame noodles (store-bought).

sunday we went out to dinner, got some steamed clams (1st of the year) and buffalo wings.

[laura]

My weekend is not over yet. Last night we decided to eat out so we could skip the crowds at the grocery. went out for sushi and sake, then hit up the fancy french restraunt down the street for dessert. i had the fresh berry cobbler a la mode and tn had the jamaican crepe filled with bananas, orange marmalade and topped with whipped cream ( I love real whipped cream).


tonight its jerk jerk jerk. gotta use some of these habs up. we are having jerk turkey tenderloin as well as jerk whole chicken. I'm not sure what we will have with it but i'm sure some roasted tomatoes will top the menu since we are picking 50 or so a day. maybe some grilled fruit for dessert.

[Westy]

Made a kick ass pork tenderloin. Marinated it with garlic, mustard seed, vinegar, olive oil and just a touch of red hot. Damn tasty.

[I Are Baboon]

The weekends are definitely the time to try new stuff.

Friday I spent a good 90 minutes turning six pounds of ground beef into burgers. I made two types of burgers: Sundried tomato garlic, and mexican burgers (beef w/crushed nacho chips, jalapenos, various spices). Then we ate some for dinner.

Saturday I crocked up a batch of meatballs and we had that w/wheat pasta and garlic cheese bread for dinner.

Sunday was brunch out, then leftover meatballs for dinner.

[SkaredShtles]

Had farfalle with rich meat sauce on Sunday. Along with a caprese salad with fresh buffalo mozzarella and fresh tomatoes. :drool:

[binary visions]

Made a batch of fresh salsa yesterday... Nice and hot. :drool:

[McGRP01]

Friday night I had a Kobe beef burger. It was everything I hoped it would be. Simply delicious.... :drool:

"Kobe beef is beef made from cows that are fed a diet enriched with beer and massaged lovingly by attendants in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. Japanese Kobe Beef is well-marbled and very tender. The attention and time given to the cows is said to produce the best beef and gives Kobe beef a high cost.

There are four major breeds of wa-gyu (wa means Japanese and gyu means cattle): Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn. Japanese Kobe Beef is from Tajima-ushi, which is a type of Japanese Black. Tajima-ushi are fed on natural feed such as barley, wheat bran, and grass, and good water in the Tajima region. Tajima-ushi beef which meets special criteria becomes Kobe Beef. The beef must be ranked as Grade A or B with fat BMS number 6 and over by Japanese Association of Meat Ranking. It's said that only 3,000-4,000 Kobe Beef Cattle are available each year in Japan. Kobe Beef costs over $100 per pound in Japan.

Kobe Beef in the US is a crossbreed of American cattle and wagyu raised in the U.S. It tends to be less expensive than Japanese Kobe Beef.

In Japan, Kobe Beef is eaten as Sukiyaki, Steak, Shabu Shabu, Teppanyaki Japanese BBQ, and more. The quality of meat texture is so tender and delicate that it is even savored raw sometimes as a sort of beef sashimi that seems to melt on one's tongue."

[SkaredShtles]

Friday night I had a Kobe beef burger. It was everything I hoped it would be. Simply delicious.... :drool:<snip>
So how much does a Kobe beef burger cost? :think:

[McGRP01]

So how much does a Kobe beef burger cost? :think:

Cost me $11.95 w/ onion rings.

[BikeGeek]

Cost me $11.95 w/ onion rings.

Did you know that you rarely have a post that doesn't mention beer? I think you might like beer or something. :D

[McGRP01]

Did you know that you rarely have a post that doesn't mention beer? I think you might like beer or something. :D

BINGO!!! We have a winner!!!! :thumb:

[valve bouncer]

Had the best pork ramen (called Hakata ramen in Japanese-after the area it originated in) I've ever had in Japan. Be going back to that little joint for sure. Their fried rice was pretty good too.

[narlus]

Had the best pork ramen (called Hakata ramen in Japanese-after the area it originated in) I've ever had in Japan. Be going back to that little joint for sure. Their fried rice was pretty good too.

reminds me that i need to see _Tampopo_ again soon. i loved that movie.

[laura]

well we did the jerk last night. fantastic if i do say so myself. i love to leave the table witha runny nose. rounded to out with ginger- honey cornbread, sesame grilled asparagus beans, and fried green tomatoes. we have leftovers for the rest of the week.

[narlus]

TN/Laura - post yr jerk recipe please.

[arboc!]

paninis and tons of good bread and stuff

[SkaredShtles]

paninis and tons of good bread and stuff
Panini is already plural.

Panino is singular.

:rolleyes:

:D

[laura]

jamaican jerk marinade


4-15 scotch bonnet chiles
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 shallots halved
1 small onion quarted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger ( i use about 2)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp ground allspice
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (more to taste)
2 tbsp firm packed dark brown sugar ( i use 3 cause i like it sweeter.)
2 tbsp salt or more to taste
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 cup water

put it all in the blender and puree until smooth. fix the seasonings. marinate chicken for at least 3 hours, pork for at least 5, fish for about an hour.

got this out of "the barbeque bible" by steven raichlen. it is a fantastic book. haven't tried one thing out of it that wasn't absolutely magnificant.

[stinkyboy]

vag sammich

[OGRipper]

4-15 scotch bonnet chiles


:eek: :eek: Did you mean "4 to 5" or are you serious about up to 15? Holy crap!!


As for me I had some chicken soup, yogurt & granola, clifbars, grilled sausages, fruit, tortillas. All very simple but since I ate it at a camp site way up in the Sierras after riding all day for two days it was some of the best food ever - not to mention the cold brews or (late night, around the campfire) the flask of scotch that washed it all down!!! Hoo-yeah!!!

[bluebug32]

seafood linguini and a nice red wine :D

[laura]

:eek: :eek: Did you mean "4 to 5" or are you serious about up to 15? Holy crap!!


no, i meant 4-15. we used 8 and it was spicey but i think next time i'll shoot for 15.

[Westy]

Cost me $11.95 w/ onion rings.

So you had some of the best beef around, and had them grind it up into a burger? :eek:

[SkaredShtles]

So you had some of the best beef around, and had them grind it up into a burger? :eek:
Well, even the best cow in the world has bad cuts of meat that need to be used up. :D

[McGRP01]

So you had some of the best beef around, and had them grind it up into a burger? :eek:

Yeah, I couldn't afford the Kobe filet, so I asked for the lips and @ssholes. Ground please.... ;)

[narlus]

hey McGRP01, here's a hint for this weekend:

<image removed because it too large>

[SkaredShtles]

hey McGRP01, here's a hint for this weekend:

WHACK!

[Snacks]

I ate dirt, chased with some morphine :)

[narlus]

cooked up a couple batches of ribs (dry rub included paprika, chile powder, ancho chile powder, salt, black pepper, coriander, dry mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder).

also grilled a chicken, cut into parts. marinade included honey, oil, garlic, ginger, orange juice, and a habanero pepper.

made a salad dressing of reduced port and orange juice, red wine vinegar, thyme, cream, salt, pepper, walnut oil and veggie oil.

[TreeSaw]

Well, I had some broccoli slaw (similar to cole slaw but has bacon in it so it's automatically better); lots of fruits (black plums, bananas, strawberries, nectarines and pears); deep fried turkey, homemade chocolate chip cookies, taco dip, chips, homemade blueberry pancakes and sausage links. Oh, and a couple of ham & cheese sandwiches! :D

[narlus]

reviving this once again (and deleting that huge lamb pic while i'm at it)...

the store didn't have halibut (1st choice) or lamb chops (2nd choice) so we went w/ pork tenderloins. made a pesto-type of marinade...in a mortar and pestle i mashed up garlic, cilantro, parlsey and oil. coated the pork w/ salt, pepper and coriander, and then let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. grilled 'em up. white bean salad w/ oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, fennel seeds, red onion and S&P. also stir-fryed some bok choy w/ garlic and ginger.

[laura]

we are having lamb chops tonight. not sure how we are going to fix them up, but i can't wait. lamb shops are my new favorite.

[robdamanii]

Hrm...

Soup and tuna salad sammich with pan fried herb potatoes and corn on the cob.

Saturday involved beer, french toast and a sandwich.

[TreeSaw]

Saturday: (Friend's b-day party), salt-n-vinegar chips, potato salad, cheese burger, a taste of deep fried turkey, 2 white chocolate macadamia cookies and lots of water!

Sunday: Lasagne and blueberry pie :drool:

[SkaredShtles]

Friday: Pork loin chops with a dijon/peach sauce. Petit green beans and some rice pilaf. Accompanied by:

http://217.13.115.174/img_upload/marcas/publicidad/es/en_123_up.jpg

[TN]

last nite....me pollo con mole & a sol. la carne asada & sangria. muy biene!!!1uno!!

[narlus]

hey SS - kill that quoted lamb chop image, willya?

[laura]

the menu is fixed


tonight, grilled lamb chops with mint chimichurri
wild mushroom and shallot quinoa
grilled zucchini and squash
grilled cherry tomatoes with rosemary and sea salt

[TN]

Friday: Pork loin chops with a dijon/peach sauce. Petit green beans and some rice pilaf. Accompanied by:

http://217.13.115.174/img_upload/marcas/publicidad/es/en_123_up.jpg


oh man. we had a '96 Gran Reserva Monticello a while back, our first real "splurge" (read: +$25) on wine. f'n a, it was a good bottle of vino. :thumb: I love Riojas. w

[OGRipper]

After a long day of riding on Saturday we fired up the grill for marinated skirt steak and tri tip, corn, and asparagus, washed down with some tasty brews and tall tales...then the Patron came out...much later the MacAllan came out...then on Sunday we ate greasy breakfast and rode some more despite pounding heads and sore legs...on the way home we saw the sign and had to do it: In and Out. :thumb:

[SkaredShtles]

oh man. we had a '96 Gran Reserva Monticello a while back, our first real "splurge" (read: +$25) on wine. f'n a, it was a good bottle of vino. :thumb: I love Riojas. w
I was *very* pleasantly surprised by this Monticello. I think it was around $12 and was light enough to go with the pork. Sort of a "Pinot-killer" if you will. :D

I might go back and get a case. :think:

[TN]

Last night...Back 2 Skewl dinner for La----> TAPAS!
which was quite a spread:
roasted prawn.
fried smelt. <-my fav.
lambs nest.
housemade chorizo.
somekinduv' pizza. (aka i cant remember ;) )
bacon wrapped figs poached in syrah. (the bomb.)
sage lavosh bread.
beverages: me-Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir. la-a rioja Rose'.
desert: Moroccan cinnamon chocolate tart & Madeira.

:thumb:x2

[SkaredShtles]

Last night...Back 2 Skewl dinner for La----> TAPAS!
which was quite a spread:
roasted prawn.
fried smelt. <-my fav.
lambs nest.
housemade chorizo.
somekinduv' pizza. (aka i cant remember ;) )
bacon wrapped figs poached in syrah. (the bomb.)
sage lavosh bread.
beverages: me-Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir. la-a rioja Rose'.
desert: Moroccan cinnamon chocolate tart & Madeira.

:thumb:x2
Nice layout!

Fried smelt kicks ass. Brings back childhood memories of smelt fries. :D

How did you make the chorizo?

[TN]

Nice layout!

Fried smelt kicks ass. Brings back childhood memories of smelt fries. :D

How did you make the chorizo?

this was at the Tapas joint down the street. their chorizo was OK. it could have been a lot more spicy...like chorizo is supposed to be.

[narlus]

damn, i didn't do much this weekend...friday we got pizza, sat i was riding all day, sunday we went out for some semi-greasy chinese buffet which was fair (their singapore rice stick was surprisingly pretty good).

[Colin]

My parents took me out to a Persian restaurant last night for my birthday. :thumb:

[caboverpete]

Homemade pizza and Taddy Porter make for a most excellent Saturday evening. My homemade whole wheat crust is becoming legend in my household.

http://www.stridemedia.com/7781/wp-content/thumb-IMG_5214.jpg

[narlus]

did up some homemade pesto w/ grilled chicken. also made a salad w/ some homemade sesame/soy dressing, and grilled asparagus.

i'd go for some fish for tonight, but it's not gonna be the freshest...

[laura]

tonight we have ribs. and guacamole. and french fries. and grilled zucchini. and beer. i can't wait.

[Ridemonkey]

There are some people on this site that sure know how to eat! I'm almost tempted to add a recipes subforum...

[SkaredShtles]

Tonight we had beef bourguignon on egg noodles with petit green beans. Yesterday we had cheese tortellini with a beef-onion ragout. :drool:

Both accompanied by some beefy red wine. :thumb:

[narlus]

made some chicken wings w/ semi-homemade bbq sauce, and some black beans w/ fresh corn mixed in. and rice.

[OGRipper]

I was at a friend's mountain retreat in Healdsburg (wine country) this weekend, we had grilled chickens and shrimps with a cilantro/mint pesto thing I made (at the last minute), beet salad with ginger and mint, grilled corn with lime/chili butter, simple green salad, bruschetta with a neighbor's ridiculously good heirloom tomatoes, cheeses, breads, lemon tart, and late-night chocolates. Oh and copious amounts of good wine, we started with Marlborough sauv blanc, moved to a number of Cali and Oregon pinot noirs, then a couple petite sirahs, including a Sean Thackrey Sirius p.s. I brought that was crazy good, inky dark in your face and leathery...it was really too much for the food but I couldn't resist...

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> we started with Marlborough sauv blanc
We've had one of these a couple times this summer. TASTY! :thumb:

[narlus]

did a potluck thing for sat dinner (we made the salad, along w/ homemade asian dressing (ginger, thai garlic paste, sesame oil, soy, rice wine vinegar, veg oil). last night grilled up a monster ribeye for the family, stirfried bok choy and broccoli, and uncorked a '96 Kenwood artist series.

also got some ribs marinating overnight, ready for this evening. :thumb:

[robdamanii]

Saturday was dinner at my favourite italian place....Veal Marsala over spaghetti, minestrone soup, freshly baked bread, mozzarella sticks, and zeppolis for dessert.

[SkaredShtles]

Saturday we went out for what turned out to be a *fantastic* 4-course, 3-1/2 hour Italian extravaganza. We were the only party on the patio :confused: and the wait staff was excellent. The four of us shared alot of the things we ordered. We also shared two bottles of:

2003 - Dolcetto D’Alba "Vigna La Volta", Cabutto

Antipasti:
Fried risotto with a wild mushroom/wine sauce
Calamari
Steamed mussels
Salad with cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and prusciutto in a light basil pesto

Primi:
Salmon "ravioli" in a tomato cream sauce
Penne alla vodka
Papardelle with white duck ragout

Secondo:
NY strip on a bed of spinach greens & mashers with a balsamic sauce
Stuffed chicken breast (mozz, prusciutto, spinach) with marsala sauce
1/2 hen with a creamy tarragon sauce
Veal scallopine with some sort of port wine reduction

Waiter treated us at this point to a complimentary round of lemoncello that apparently is made in house. :drool:

Dolci:
Tiramisu
Choc mousse
Lemon sorbet

After dessert I had a double espresso.

What a great meal it was.

Then the bill arrived. :dead: :D

Edit: Restaurant was Campo de Fiori in Denver.

[narlus]

What a great meal it was.

Then the bill arrived. :dead: :D

last week i went to a 2 star (michelin) restaurant in dublin...the starters were 38 euro and up... :dead:

luckily i didn't have to pay. :D

[SuboptimusPrime]

Really crappy steak and some hot dogs all washed down with numerous PBRs and a swig of Virginia Gentleman. It was a great meal cause we were sitting on top of a mountain watching the sun go down after a full day of DH runs. :D

[OGRipper]

Saturday post-ride I ate a decent pastrami and swiss with some pitchers of Mt. Tam pale ale at the Marin Brewing Company. Then I went home and made baked rigatoni with hot italian sausage and a creamy tomato/basil sauce.

Last night I grilled lamb rib chops and some mixed veg - portabellas, eggplant, zucchini, and peppers. The lamb marinated for a couple hours in olive oil, honey, mustard, garlic, mint, and rosemary. :thumb:

Then I grilled peaches and served 'em with a drizzle of vanilla and a scoop of ice cream. :drool: I don't make desserts to often but that one's a keeper.

[SkaredShtles]

last week i went to a 2 star (michelin) restaurant in dublin...the starters were 38 euro and up... :dead:

luckily i didn't have to pay. :D
D'oh! This place wasn't quite that good/bad. :D

[narlus]

D'oh! This place wasn't quite that good/bad. :D

it was very good, but not quite to those prices. here's a menu (it's a bit different from the current one, but not too much)

http://www.restaurantpatrickguilbaud.ie/A%20La%20Carte.pdf

[OGRipper]

Damn, that's a great menu. I would have a very hard time deciding what to eat. Sounds like the prices are the only thing hard to swallow.

[SkaredShtles]

Damn, that's a great menu. I would have a very hard time deciding what to eat. Sounds like the prices are the only thing hard to swallow.
:stupid: Wow.

Sometimes I wish I had a significant allowance for food and wine.......

[OGRipper]

:stupid: Wow.

Sometimes I wish I had a significant allowance for food and wine.......


Yeah living in San Francisco is especially hard. It's so easy to drop way too much $$$ and you don't always get what you pay for. Even a bad meal can be entertaining, it's all about the experience, but the experiences here can be pricey lesssons learned.

[narlus]

i got the rabbit, foie gras and truffle terrine, and the roasted squab w/ foie gras. it was pretty damn great. the bottle of '99 guigal hermitage was tasty too.

[SkaredShtles]

Yeah living in San Francisco is especially hard. It's so easy to drop way too much $$$ and you don't always get what you pay for. Even a bad meal can be entertaining, it's all about the experience, but the experiences here can be pricey lesssons learned.
Yeah - it's a real pisser to drop a wad of cash and come away with a "well that was just OK" experience. A couple of those and you start to get gunshy of the spendy dinners. Luckily this one turned out to meet/exceed expectations, despite the :dead: bill.

[SkaredShtles]

i got the rabbit, foie gras and truffle terrine, and the roasted squab w/ foie gras. it was pretty damn great. the bottle of '99 guigal hermitage was tasty too.
Good call on the rabbit - that's what I'd have gone for. :thumb:

[narlus]

i love rabbit. too bad it's hard to find in the US. had some delicious bunny in london and prague.

[SkaredShtles]

i love rabbit. too bad it's hard to find in the US. had some delicious bunny in london and prague.
"So what'd you eat this weekend?"
"Baby rabbit with force-fed goose liver"
"I'll be PETA loves you"
"Yeah - they send me a gift basket every year for Festivus"

:D

[narlus]

grilled up a bunch of food for our party...had 7 club steaks (sirloin strips...:drool: ) and two different boneless chicken marinades...one made w/ thyme, parsley, raw garlic, lemon zest and juice, honey, S&P and oil. the other i made w/ thyme, roasted jalapenos, roasted garlic, S&P, and peanut oil.

[narlus]

had my wife's parents over before they left for FLA for the season...did the pan-roasted halibut w/ arugula/thyme/parsley/lemon garnish, some steamed broccoli, and some potatoes w/ shallots, butter and reduced balsamic. served w/ an oregon pinot (argyle).

[TreeSaw]

Comfort food weekend for me: Saturday consisted of a fresh garden salad, baked ziti and garlic bread. Sunday was homemade beef stew with fresh buttermilk biscuits.

[robdamanii]

On Friday I made chicken cordon bleu with spiced ham and fresh american cheese, breaded up nicely and cooked with some white wine. Also made french onion soup from scratch and some nicely steamed broccoli crowns.

Turned out very nice.

[SkaredShtles]

had my wife's parents over before they left for FLA for the season...did the pan-roasted halibut w/ arugula/thyme/parsley/lemon garnish, some steamed broccoli, and some potatoes w/ shallots, butter and reduced balsamic. served w/ an oregon pinot (argyle).
Was it the Argyle pinot sealed with the screw cap?

[SkaredShtles]

Friday my wife and I shared a couple entrees when we went out - I had hanger steak with a Roquefort sauce - she had coq au vin. Both were quite tasty with a '99 Bordeaux.

Last night it was Oktoberfest at our house. Brats, kraut (Bavarian style), German potato salad, corn, and homemade ice cream with peaches. :drool:

[kinghami3]

Spicy teriyaki beef, hoagie, and lots of snacks.

[narlus]

Was it the Argyle pinot sealed with the screw cap?

yeppers. it wasn't that bad, but not as good as a $20 bottle should be, imo.

[H8R]

Sat we had a bbq/family reunion.

Tri-tip, both injected w/ a bbq sauce concoction marinade and some w/ just salt/pepper.
Chicken in a sesame/teriyaki glaze.
Salmon w/ a lime/cumin marinade.
Portabello shrooms w/ KC Masterpiece.

All above on mesquite.

Pasta salad
Green salad
Hazelnut cake
Key Lime pie
Much beer.

[OGRipper]

Hit up the SF farmer's market on Saturday. Ate fish tacos for breakfast, picked up lots of good stuff. Sat night was roasted chicken with potatoes, garlic and rosemary, and a salad with peaches, prosciutto, candied pecans, and balsamic. Drank a ridge zinfandel - yum. Sunday morning my girl made blackberry pancakes with ricotta and lemon zest (with bacon, but of course!). Half Moon Bay Brewery for a few beers after a ride, then beef pot pie and another good salad last night. Tonight: Pasta with chanterelles and pancetta!! Life is good...

[narlus]

damn that sounds awesome.

i think when the weather dips a bit more temp-wise, i'm gonna dig out my porcini fettucine recipe... :drool:

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> Tonight: Pasta with chanterelles and pancetta!! Life is good...
You mean pasta with mushrooms and bacon? :think: :drool:

Mind handing out the recipe?

[OGRipper]

You mean pasta with mushrooms and bacon? :think: :drool:

Mind handing out the recipe?

I don't really have a recipe but here's what I do: In a pan big enough to hold the finished pasta, fry off some pancetta (thick, cut into small dice), drain on paper, and pour off most of the fat, leaving the crusty bits and a film of fat in the pan. Add a dab of butter or olive oil, cook down some diced onion, remove to a bowl. Another dab of butter (or oil), then in the same pan saute about 3/4 pound of fresh wild mushrooms, with salt to taste. When the 'shrooms are almost done, toss in some chopped garlic, then remove to a bowl. Deglaze the pan over high heat with about a cup, maybe a cup and a half of chicken or mushroom stock and a splash of wine, white or red, whatever you're drinking, reduce by about half or thereabouts (I'm really not good with measurements for this stuff, sorry). Turn off the heat and toss in about 3/4 pound of cooked pasta - I like to use orichette or maybe farfalle for this one. Some of the reduction will soak into the pasta. Toss in the pancetta, onions, and mushrooms, along with a handful of chopped herbs - basil, thyme, whatever you've got - and some fresh grated parm, with S&P to taste. There should be enough sauce to coat everything but it won't be very soupy. Serve with a little more grated parm, fresh herbs, and a few drops of truffle oil if you like.

I love fresh mushrooms but it's easy to overpower them with the pancetta, cheese, etc. I prefer pancetta for this because it it not smoked. I know this will be hard for a bacon snob (!), but the pork is really just for a little depth and salt - it should not overpower the shrooms, so go easy, or skip it altogether. You can use some of the pasta water if you don't have stock, or you can make a quick shroom stock by soaking dried mushrooms and using that liquid. If your mushrooms aren't that great, go for the decadent version and toss in some 1/2 and 1/2 or cream at the end, and more cheese.

Truly one of those dishes that works well with white or red, but I like a lighter, lush red like a pinot noir. I find that a Pinot helps brings out the earthiness of the shrooms.

OK hungry now? I am.

Oh and by the way if you put canadian bacon in this you are going on my ignore list. :)

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> go for the decadent version and toss in some 1/2 and 1/2 or cream at the end, and more cheese.
Always. :D Even if the mushrooms are good, I'd probably add some heavy whipping cream just to make things really interesting.

Truly one of those dishes that works well with white or red, but I like a lighter, lush red like a pinot noir. I find that a Pinot helps brings out the earthiness of the shrooms.I'd bet that a nice Barbera d'Alba would be good, too.

OK hungry now? I am.Just got finished with pesto, salad, and caprese. I'll be hungry again tomorrow, though. ;)

Oh and by the way if you put canadian bacon in this you are going on my ignore list. :)I'll one-up that and put cheap ham steak in it. :eek:

[OGRipper]

Always. :D Even if the mushrooms are good, I'd probably add some heavy whipping cream just to make things really interesting.

Yeah really I love that but it mutes/covers the woodsy flavors imo...btw, it was friggin great...

[narlus]

I'd bet that a nice Barbera d'Alba would be good, too.


might i suggest:

http://www.pevarello.com/piemonte/clerico/imm/trevign.jpg

:drool:

[SkaredShtles]

might i suggest:

http://www.pevarello.com/piemonte/clerico/imm/trevign.jpg

:drool:
Absolutely. I :heart: Barbera........

Edit - what year? My local Italian wine shop says '03 won't be in until early December.....

[OGRipper]

We drank a Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Villages that was really good with that pasta. A little softer than the typical up-front reds I like, but it really enhanced the earthiness and subtlety of the chanterelles.

[narlus]

Absolutely. I :heart: Barbera........

that's a really good one, too. seek it out.

[narlus]

sat night was a total washout (had a late lunch [pulled pork sandwich, yeah]) and ended up cooking a grilled cheese at about 9PM.

sunday we roasted two chickens (made a butter/chopped herb mix and spread it under the skin, and on top), and some pots/carrots/onions.

[SkaredShtles]

I had a hot roast beef sandwich on Saturday with bacon, mushrooms, onions, and swiss cheese.

Sunday my wife made a spicy Italian-sausage soup with beans, little pasta thingies, and assorted vegetables. Had a bottle of Priorat from Spain. The spiciness of the soup kind of overwhelmed the wine, or it may have been the fact that I was a little bit stuffed up. :p

[OGRipper]

Kept it simple this weekend, chinese delivery on Friday night, went out for indian food in between shows at the bike film fest, then last night went out to an old-school italian place in North Beach and ate...drumroll...linguini in white clam sauce. Yum!!

[narlus]

sat was the big meal day...took a recipe from cooks illustrated and it turned out great. basically it was a stuffed pork chop, and the stuffing consisted of:

sauteed red onions
port
sugar
S&P
dried sour cherries
dried dates
thyme
white vinegar
fresh orange juice

the chops (rib chop; makes it much easier to stuff the chop w/o overflow) were brined in a mix of brown sugar and salt while i made the red onion jam. to stuff them, take a very sharp paring knife, and make an incision from the chop to the bone. rotate the knife to hollow out the pocket, taking care not to puncture the outside of the chop. the insertion hole should be ~ 1".

preheat an oven and baking sheet to 425

take the chops, rinse and pat dry. stuff the chops and seal the insertion w/ a section of some leftover orange peel (quite clever). on med-high, heat oil in a pan, and brown the chops 2-3 min on each side.

put 'em in the oven on the pre-heated pan, and cook for 15-20 min, turning once halfway through. cook until meat thermo reads 135F in the center, and let rest for 10 min under foil.

i made a quick sauce for my spuds, deglazing the skillet w/ water and red wine.

delicious!

[Toshi]

that sounds like a lot of effort, narlus. :thumb:

my parents were in town so i steered us all to a nice japanese restaurant here in seattle, Nishino. good fish they have in spades... 32nd and madison for you locals.

[TreeSaw]

sat was the big meal day...took a recipe from cooks illustrated and it turned out great. basically it was a stuffed pork chop, and the stuffing consisted of:

sauteed red onions
port
sugar
S&P
dried sour cherries
dried dates
thyme
white vinegar
fresh orange juice

the chops (rib chop; makes it much easier to stuff the chop w/o overflow) were brined in a mix of brown sugar and salt while i made the red onion jam. to stuff them, take a very sharp paring knife, and make an incision from the chop to the bone. rotate the knife to hollow out the pocket, taking care not to puncture the outside of the chop. the insertion hole should be ~ 1".

preheat an oven and baking sheet to 425

take the chops, rinse and pat dry. stuff the chops and seal the insertion w/ a section of some leftover orange peel (quite clever). on med-high, heat oil in a pan, and brown the chops 2-3 min on each side.

put 'em in the oven on the pre-heated pan, and cook for 15-20 min, turning once halfway through. cook until meat thermo reads 135F in the center, and let rest for 10 min under foil.

i made a quick sauce for my spuds, deglazing the skillet w/ water and red wine.

delicious!
Mmmm...that does sound good. I just may have to pick up some chops this week and give it a try.

[narlus]

make sure you get 'em at least an inch thick, and specifically rib chops. off the top of my head, to make the jam you:

sautee the onions w/ oil and ~ 1 tsp of sugar for ~20 min or so, until they color.

microwave 1/3 cup of dried dates, 1/3 cup of dried cherries, and 3/4 cup of port, covered, for one minute

add the port/fruit mix to the onions as well as 2 tbsp of white vinegar and 2 tsp of fresh chopped thyme. also add 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice. stir, reduce, get to jam-like consistency.

meanwhile, toast 1/4 cup of chopped pecans (i may not have listed this previously, but it's essential). add in the pecans and 1 more tbsp of white vinegar when the jam is thick.

reserve in a separate bowl and cool.

to make the brining mix, add 3/4 packed cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of kosher salt to 6 cups of water. slice chops to make the pocket, and submerge into the brine.

i think that's it. the recipe also called for sprinking blue cheese crumbs on the chops just prior to serving, but i forgot to get some.

[SkaredShtles]

Had NY strips last night. They were pushing 1-1/4 inches thick. Had a French red called "Cahors" or some such......

Red meat, red wine, potato, and steamed broccoli. The essence of simplicity. :thumb:

[narlus]

we had a bottle of syrah (washington, can't recall the vintner) which was meh.

how'd you do up the spud? we mashed ours. i haven't had a baked potato at home in years. they usually take too long. in the same issue of cooks illustrated they have a good recipe for skillet-roasted potatoes. might have to try that one soon.

[SkaredShtles]

we had a bottle of syrah (washington, can't recall the vintner) which was meh.

how'd you do up the spud? we mashed ours. i haven't had a baked potato at home in years. they usually take too long. in the same issue of cooks illustrated they have a good recipe for skillet-roasted potatoes. might have to try that one soon.
Hm.. we always make baked potatoes in the microwave. Took about 15 minutes to make 5 of them. Yukon gold - I'm not a big fan of russets.

I also like oven roasted potatoes with balsamic and rosemary. Those kick ass too. :drool:

The wine we had was a Clos du <something> - mostly Malbec with some Merlot as well. It was nice and beefy with the steak. :thumb:

[OGRipper]

Hmm, guess you guys are starting to feel fall in your bones...out here it was sunny and warm this weekend. Did a little Vietnamese style yesterday. Made a big rice noodle salad with carrot, green onion, cucumber, sprouts, cilantro, mint, and chopped peanuts, tossed in a vietnamese dressing that is similar to the nuoc cham dipping sauce - basically fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic and chilis. (Yes fish sauce you haters!) Then I grilled skewers of prawns and scallops that had marinated for a bit in a little fish sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic - my own creation that carmelized really well on the grill. Served the seafood on top of the noodle salad, garnished with more herbs, peanuts, hoi sin, sriracha chili sauce, squeezed more lime juice over the top and dug in. Big pile of refreshing slurpy seafood goodness, kinda like the room temp bun/vermicelli dishes you can get in many Vietnamese places. Yum!

To drink: Margaritas while cooking (ahhh, patron), then beer.

[narlus]

OG, that sounds great. i bought some rice noodles the last time i was in Trader Joe's but haven't cooked 'em yet. give me the proportions you use for the dressing.

[OGRipper]

OG, that sounds great. i bought some rice noodles the last time i was in Trader Joe's but haven't cooked 'em yet. give me the proportions you use for the dressing.

It changes based on the intensity of the fish sauce, and like anything else you need to adjust to taste. I've been using the "3 crabs" brand lately and it's pretty pungent, so you don't need as much as say the Thai Kitchen brand. This time it was about 2:1 lime juice:fish sauce, but I was also going for more of a refreshing lime thing. About a cup of fresh lime juice (8 or 9 limes, save some for the margaritas!), 1/2 cup of fish sauce, three tablespoons or so of sugar, and some chili and garlic. Made enough to dress the salad and have plenty left to splash on top. Omit the noodles and this becomes a really good slaw type thing to serve at a grill fest, all crunchy veg...

PS I love baked potato, so easy especially during the week. No mess either, less to clean up. :thumb:

[narlus]

friday i took off, so i cooked up a good meal. grilled lamb loin chops w/ porcini risotto. damn was that good.

sat we went to a friend's cocktail party.

sunday i cooked pot roast w/ glazed carrots and mashed taters. the store didn't have the cut of meat i wanted (top round/chuck blade) and the meat was rather dry. definitely needed a fattier cut of meat.

[narlus]

did some good eats this weekend.

sat night did the stuffed pork chop recipe again, but w/ a different stuffing. this time used fontina/ricotta/spinach/pinenuts.

yesterday cooked osso buco w/ porcini risotto. damn tasty.

[SkaredShtles]

did some good eats this weekend.

sat night did the stuffed pork chop recipe again, but w/ a different stuffing. this time used fontina/ricotta/spinach/pinenuts.

yesterday cooked osso buco w/ porcini risotto. damn tasty.
Wines?

[narlus]

opened a bottle of Ridge zin on sat night. didn't have anything w/ the osso buco, aside from the remnants of a pub draught guinness i opened during the meal prep. am gonna cut back for a bit.

[SkaredShtles]

opened a bottle of Ridge zin on sat night. didn't have anything w/ the osso buco, aside from the remnants of a pub draught guinness i opened during the meal prep. am gonna cut back for a bit.
Cut back on the boozin'?? :confused:

[narlus]

Cut back on the boozin'?? :confused:

aye

123

[SkaredShtles]

aye

123
Local shop just sent me an email - they're having a 15% sale on all of their Chateauneuf du Pape. :mumble:

[OGRipper]

opened a bottle of Ridge zin on sat night.

One of my all-time favorite wineries.:thumb:

I had a crappy burger on Fri night, huge stomach-bomg breakfast on Saturday, Chinese food and pizza on Saturday night (yes, at once), bagels sunday morning, and lasagna last night. It was not a weekend of haute cuisine, but in between these fine meals I did lots of riding and my part to take up Narlus' alcohol slack. :D

[Colin]

Considering we didn't have power for a week because of Wilma, all meals were cooked on the balcony with a camp stove. Must say though, when you're forced to clean out your fridge because of lack of electricity, you are forced to come up with interesting things. My favorite: peanut butter and hot sauce sandwhich.

[narlus]

roasted up some halibut and made a "relish" of toasted walnuts, chopped green olives, chopped capers, lemon zest, lemon juice and oil. sides were roasted acorn squash and steamed asparagus.

[I Are Baboon]

I made meatballs yesterday. I use ground beef and ground turkey. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, then crock them for three hours. Mmmm....meatball goodness......

[laura]

i think a more appropriate question would be what didn't i eat this weekend. it started tuesday when my parents took us out for out birthday dinner, spicey suculent shrimp in coconut milk,

wednesday tn's parents took us out for our birthdays, Nicoise salad,

thursday night was his brother's rehearsal dinner for the wedding, bbq ribs, chicken, slaw, beer.

friday was the wedding and reception. italian food galore. pasta, tomato salad, tortelini, beef tenderloin, and lots of other stuff i can't remember. champagne and wedding cake.

saturday night was BBQ at the new in laws house, hot dogs, burgers, chicken and loads of leftovers from the reception. too much red wine.

last night was a farewell dinner with a cousin who is headed back to iraq. fajitas.

i think i might explode. i am never eating again as long as i live.

[narlus]

i think laura won.

[OGRipper]

Yep Laura wins. And congrats, BTW.

On Saturday I rode all day and ended up at a celebration in the woods with a huge cauldron of chili, other grub, and free beer. Later that night I had fish and chips and more beer at an English pub. Sunday morning I had smoked salmon eggs benedict that substituted a thickened lobster bisque with chunks of lobster for the hollandaise, oh man it was gooooood. Last night I got lazy and ordered a pizza...

[TN]

Yep Laura wins. And congrats, BTW.

On Saturday I rode all day and ended up at a celebration in the woods with a huge cauldron of chili, other grub, and free beer. Later that night I had fish and chips and more beer at an English pub. Sunday morning I had smoked salmon eggs benedict that substituted a thickened lobster bisque with chunks of lobster for the hollandaise, oh man it was gooooood. Last night I got lazy and ordered a pizza...


oh man....your brunch sounds fantastic! all you need is a spicy Bloody Mary & nice cup of Sumatra. :drool:

[OGRipper]

oh man....your brunch sounds fantastic! all you need is a spicy Bloody Mary & nice cup of Sumatra. :drool:

Doh!! Can't believe I forgot to mention the bloodies!! Can I get a hell yeah!?!?! :D They really helped set me up for the day...

And not sure if it was Sumatra but you bet there was plenty of good strong coffee too.

[SkaredShtles]

Not this weekend, but last night we had 4-cheese ravioli with a simple bacon-onion-tomato-cream sauce spooned over. Mixed green salad, fresh bruschetta on rosemary bread, fresh sliced strawberries, and a blueberry crisp with fresh whipped cream for dessert. :drool:

[narlus]

did the spinach/pignoli/cheese-stuffed pork chops again on sat...that's becoming a regular to the lineup.

last night did a great short rib recipe w/ gravy made from the braising liquid. :drool: mashed taters and a '96 artist series Kenwood cab made it a meal.

[OGRipper]

last night did a great short rib recipe w/ gravy made from the braising liquid. :drool:

Give it up Narlus, I loves me some short ribs.

On Saturday I did a fun ride in Annandel state park in Santa Rosa followed by a proper post-ride spread that a friend and his girl laid out. Bunch of tasty munchies followed by grilled tri-tip and salmon. We drank Kenwood sauv. blanc, as well as Alexander Valley Vineyards' Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sin Zin.

Yesterday I made chicken in a pot with a bunch of veg and washed it down with a tasty syrah that I can't remember. Tonight I will use the leftover stock for pasta with sausage, garlic, and rapini.

[HRDTLBRO]

I had Thanksgiving at my mother's house this weekend...you know what I ate, and what I will be eating for the next week.

[narlus]

ogripper, from memory (could be a bit faulty):

preheat oven to 350
get 6 10oz short ribs, and season w/ S&P. lightly dust w/ flour and shake off excess
in a large skillet, heat canola oil and brown every side of the ribs well; don't crowd the pan, and do it in batches if you need to. set meat aside in a large flame-proof dish (le creuset makes the best).

coarsely chop one onion, one carrot, one celery stalk, and one small leek (white part only)
dice two tomatoes
take the leaves off two sprigs of thyme
chop one sprig parsley
1 tsp cumin

in the hot skillet, remove the fat drippings, and put in the carrot/onion/leek/celery. stir until softened. add a cup of red wine, and the parsley and thyme. stir and remove the bits. add the tomato and cook down for a bit.

put this liquid mixture over the ribs, and pour in 1 qt of chicken stock, covering the meat. put in oven (don't cover the dish) and cook for ~3 hr or until meat falls off the bone.

take the meat out, and strain the solids from the liquid, smushing to get the liquid out. reduce the mixture by 2/3rds and add a splash of red wine towards the end to brighten.

dig in.

[TN]

Sunday, fresh home made fettucini with gorgonzola & roasted red peppers & a Gewurstraminer Eiswein my aunt brought us from Germany.

[narlus]

i haven't made my own pasta in a long time....the kids have been using the pasta machine to shred newspaper. :rolleyes:

[SkaredShtles]

It wasn't this weekend, but a few days ago we had a super simple dish that knocked our socks off:

Beans with sausage.

Accompanied by green beans and a *fantastic* Barbera:

2003 Maccario Barbera d'Asti Berro

Get some of this wine if you can. I paid $10.99/btl and I'm going to go back and get a case. :thumb:

[TN]

this morn.
short stack & country ham & half a dozen cups of joe.
tonight.
stew.

[cannondalejunky]

yesterday i started off with a nice bowl of honey nut cheerios and a day old doughnut, then for lunch i bought a box of pizza rolls and then finished off the night with a raspberry yogert a peach yogert and a bannana...if you added that up i ate all that for under prolly 6 bucks...college sux

[narlus]

last night and tonight. curried lentil soup w/ crusty bread.

[skinny mike]

last night my dad made an awesome shrimp scampi. pasta, shrimp, scallops, broccolli, with a garlic and butter sauce. mmmmm..... :drool:

[SkaredShtles]

Got on the stuffed pork chop bandwagon on Saturday. Stuffed some 1" thick chops with bacon/red bell pepper/onion/sage/cornbread stuffing. Served with corn and rice pilaf. Oh, and a nice Rioja.

http://www.thedrinkshop.com/images/products/main/67/67.jpg

[narlus]

i like that rioja. very dependable, fairly inexpensive.

[SkaredShtles]

i like that rioja. very dependable, fairly inexpensive.
:thumb: Yep - got it for $9.99/bbl last week.

[OGRipper]

The white version of that Rioja is pretty tasty too, it's a good "go to" wine at my corner market.

What did I eat this weekend? Well. On Thursday I rode my road bike from San Fran to Tomales where my girl and I stayed in a little cabin for three nights - the whole holiday weekend. The ride is a little over 50 miles (I think), not too tough and really gorgeous. Thursday night we went to Manka's Inverness Lodge for the holiday feast and oh lord did we feast. It was 7 or 8 courses of amazingly good simply prepared impeccable food. Highlights included venison carpaccio, a watercress salad with smoked pork belly, pumpkin soup and the main course, which was basically a turbo version of the typical turkey plate: fresh wild turkey, stuffing with rabbit sausage, garlic mash, fresh cranberry thing, beans, etc. Included a cheese course and desert. We drank some champagne, Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc, Neyer's Syrah, and a muscat. Holy crap it was good.

The next day I built a meal around a bottle of wine Sean Thackrey's Orion. The Orion is kind of a cult thing around here, very limited release made from unidentified grapes from 100 year-old vines in a small vineyard in Napa. Everything I read indicated that it would be a real powerhouse. Since I wanted to focus on the wine I made a very simple meal: ribeye with carmelized onions and a quick pan sauce of red wine and beef juice. The onions cooked down for almost two hours. The steaks were quickly seared to a crust in a hot iron pan with just a little olive oil and S&P. While they rested I reduced a little red wine in the pan, added a chopped shallot, then a few pats of butter. My girl made a simple salad of local greens and goat cheese, and we were done.

We drank a California sparkler and a Bonny Doon Cigare Volante while it was coming together. We gave the Orion a couple hours to breath. I was taking little tastes every 30 mins or so and was amazed. It was so dark it looked like it would stain the glasses. When we sat down to eat, the flavors were mostly deep, dark, mysterious - berries, leather, tobacco, musty attic. Very up front but with great depth and a long finish. Crazy good.

It is hard for me to decide which meal I liked better. :drool: :drool:

I won't bore you with the rest of the weekend but it should suffice to say that we took advantage of the local bounty - oysters, other seafood, local dairy and produce, and lots of wine...

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
The next day I built a meal around a bottle of wine Sean Thackrey's Orion. The Orion is kind of a cult thing around here, very limited release made from unidentified grapes from 100 year-old vines in a small vineyard in Napa.
When you say "unidentified" do you mean they couldn't tell what kind of grapes they were, or they don't disclose what types of grapes? :D

[OGRipper]

I mean they have not checked out the genetics of the vines. At least that's my understanding. The general consensus is that it is syrah, maybe petite syrah, or another rhone varietal like mourvedre or grenache. The vines have been dated back to 1905 but as far as I know nobody has conclusively established the varietal.

[SkaredShtles]

I mean they have not checked out the genetics of the vines. At least that's my understanding. The general consensus is that it is syrah, maybe petite syrah, or another rhone varietal like mourvedre or grenache. The vines have been dated back to 1905 but as far as I know nobody has conclusively established the varietal.
That's pretty cool. I like not knowing exactly what's in my wine...... :p

[OGRipper]

That's pretty cool. I like not knowing exactly what's in my wine...... :p

Yeah, it's neat, adds to the mystery. But normally I prefer the California approach of identifying what's in the bottle over the Euro way of selling wine based on the region or winemaker.

[SkaredShtles]

Yeah, it's neat, adds to the mystery. But normally I prefer the California approach of identifying what's in the bottle over the Euro way of selling wine based on the region or winemaker.
Just think of it this way - all European wine is mysterious. :p

I generally find that non-U.S. wine is a better value than most U.S stuff. That's probably why about 80% of the wine we drink is either Euro, SA, or Aus/NZ.

Although you probably don't have that problem being out there, eh?

[OGRipper]

Yeah I guess being in Cali has advantages. I don't know too much about the wine business ('cept the business of drinking!) but it seems that I find local bottles for less than if they shipped across the country. But I also find myself drinking a fair amount of Aussie and New Zealand wines, especially Marlborough sauvignon blancs and Penfolds reds, they are super tasty and great value.

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> especially Marlborough sauvignon blancs <snip> they are super tasty and great value.
Great minds drink alike. :thumb:

[narlus]

last night's meal was risotto, made w/ roasted garlic, thyme, toasted breadcrumbs and slivered almonds, and topped w/ a dollop of marscapone cheese.

the beuhler chard was nice enough.

[N8]

steaming pile of poo.... poo...poo... poo...


You have got to change your avatar if you are gonna mod in here.

[narlus]

yeah, whatever.

[ThePriceSeliger]

Wow you guys really know how to cook, and eat well. So who is going to invite me to dinner, IAB, you are pretty near me.

[narlus]

the basic risotto recipe is dead simple, just a bit time-consuming.

heat ~5 cups of stock on simmer.

in a large pan or skillet (can even use a dutch oven), heat some oil over med-low heat, and soften a clove of garlic, stalk of celery and two med onions (all minced). add the arborio rice, increase heat slightly, and stir well, until rice turns translucent.

add in a cup of white wine, deglazing the pan and constantly stirring. when the liquid has been absorbed, cut the heat to a high simmer, and put in a half-cup of stock at a time, stirring constantly.

repeat until the rice is cooked through; if you run out of stock, just add a bit of water to the stock pot.

for the final bit, add in butter (jamie oliver calls for 5 tbsp but i think that's excessive) and 1/4 cup of grated parm reggiano cheese, stir gently, then cover and let sit for 2-3 min.

to add different flavorings, you can add stuff in w/ butter & cheese (stuff like steamed asparagus, sauteed shrimp, cooked sausage, roasted peppers, etc...risotto is really versatile).

for the recipe i did last night, i roasted two heads of garlic @ 425 for 30-40 min until soft, then let cool and squeezed out the roasted flesh (cut the heads off the uncooked garlic and remove as much outer 'paper' as possible). at the point when you start to add stock, i added the garlic and a handful of chopped thyme.

while the rice was cooking, i toasted some bread crumbs (in a food processor, i chopped up some stale bread) and dry roasted some almond slivers (in a cast iron skillet). i put this on top of the finished risotto, and added the marscapone.

at the end, i

[OGRipper]

MMMMM risotto, love the stuff. Sounds good Narlus. I would add that like meat, risotto keeps cooking when you take it off the heat. I like to stop just before the rice is totally done and when it is still just a little runny. The rice will finish and some stock will evap off, plus it gets a little more gloppy when the temp goes down.

I find that with shrimp and most small veg, you can actually add them raw when you take the rice off the heat. In the summer I like risotto with fresh corn, english peas, rock shrimp, and lemon - just make your basic risotto and toss in the shrimp and veg at the very end, then a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up a bit.

I've often heard people say you want to start the risotto with the same fat you use to finish. I think it has something to do with layers of flavor but I'm not sure. Also, if you are using commercial stock, be careful with salt, since most commercial stocks are pretty salty. Although a little during the cooking will provide depth, it's best to wait until you've cooked off most of your stock for seasoning.

And remember, everyone waits for risotto, but risotto waits for nobody. :p Hahaha - that was a chef friend's favorite saying.

Edit: At the end, i

[Qman]

MMMMM risotto, love the stuff. Sounds good Narlus. I would add that like meat, risotto keeps cooking when you take it off the heat. I like to stop just before the rice is totally done and when it is still just a little runny. The rice will finish and some stock will evap off, plus it gets a little more gloppy when the temp goes down.

I find that with shrimp and most small veg, you can actually add them raw when you take the rice off the heat. In the summer I like risotto with fresh corn, english peas, rock shrimp, and lemon - just make your basic risotto and toss in the shrimp and veg at the very end, then a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up a bit.

I've often heard people say you want to start the risotto with the same fat you use to finish. I think it has something to do with layers of flavor but I'm not sure. Also, if you are using commercial stock, be careful with salt, since most commercial stocks are pretty salty. Although a little during the cooking will provide depth, it's best to wait until you've cooked off most of your stock for seasoning.

And remember, everyone waits for risotto, but risotto waits for nobody. :p Hahaha - that was a chef friend's favorite saying.

Edit: At the end, i

Sounds good. We learned some ancient rule that you're always supposed to stir risotto the same direction....
mizQ loves the Osso Bucco.

As for this weekend, it was the Holiday Barrel Event in Washington's Napa, Walla Walla. Had some good wine and lots of cheese. www.wallawallawine.com
Apparently '04 is a bad year for Walla Walla grapes due to an unseasonal freeze. So you may want to stay away from the '04s unless you have a recommendation from somone. The most desireable wines out of that area right now are made by Cayuse Vinyards. We've only managed to find 4 bottles. You might have better luck outside of WA.

[narlus]

I would add that like meat, risotto keeps cooking when you take it off the heat. I like to stop just before the rice is totally done and when it is still just a little runny. The rice will finish and some stock will evap off, plus it gets a little more gloppy when the temp goes down.

you are absolutely correct. i should have typed that when the rice is al dente, you should remove from heat, stir in the butter/cheese, and let set for few minutes. which is what i did last night, just had a brain cramp typing from memory today.

the usual risotto we do is roasted red pepper and sausage. i did have a killer lobster and corn risotto @ a boston restaurant once. that was great.

[Brian HCM#1]

Went for sushi friday night and had Mexican food sat.

[Smelly]

Went for sushi friday night and had Mexican food sat.


mmmm...sushi. I did Sushi Friday and Sunday. Seaweed salad, miso soup, too.

[narlus]

Went for sushi friday night and had Mexican food sat.

brian, do yr kids eat sushi? the closest thing we could find which would interest them was tempura.

[BikeGeek]

brian, do yr kids eat sushi? the closest thing we could find which would interest them was tempura.

My nephew loves the stuff. I think it's mostly because of the "gross out" effect it has on his mom. His favorites are unagi (eel) and crispy salmon skin. Come to think of it, this is the same kid who was running around the house at age 6 with squid tentacles hanging out of his mouth. :D

[OGRipper]

i did have a killer lobster and corn risotto @ a boston restaurant once. that was great.

Funny, it was a lobster and corn risotto that inspired the shrimp one that I make. MMMMMM lobster, damn that is one thing I miss from the east coast. When I lived in Boston I was right down the street from the North End lobster guys, I was poor as hell and still, every now and then would splurge. And don't get me started on lobster rolls at the coast, I might have to move back.

[BikeGeek]

The wife is out of town this weekend, so tonight it's bratwurst, rotkohl, and kartoffelsalat, washed down with Ayinger Jahrhundert-bier. :drool:

[Silver]

Last night was moules marinieres, but I tossed a bunch of pasta in there because I didn't have any fresh bread baked. Tomorrow will be the same, but with the bread situation taken care of...

[narlus]

we rocked the mussels theme last night too...went over to a friend's house for a nice paella (served w/ a Campo Viejo rioja riserva, '99) and then we relived our punk rock youth by going to see X.

[Brian HCM#1]

brian, do yr kids eat sushi? the closest thing we could find which would interest them was tempura.
Both kids love Tobiko(flying fish eggs) Brent also like Tako & Ebi, Hamachi. We usually order teriyaki chicken for the kids, but they have some of my sushi. It's way cool:thumb:

[S.K.C.]

...16 Holstein cows, an industrial drum filled with 500 raw eggs, a copy of “Barbara Streisands’ Greatest Hits”, a Volkswagen bus, and a rejected contestant from American Idol.

That last one gave me the runs, tho....

[OGRipper]

bump-diggity-bump...

Friday night was Thai food (delivered), including awesome beef peanut curry, papaya salad, prawn green curry, and pad thai. Bagels and salmon Sat morning, a super wet trail ride, then a holiday party with all kinds of tasty vittles, including a rad baked ham and so much red wine that at 3 am I tripped and landed on the coffee table, breaking many plates and glasses but somehow not getting cut too bad. (Yes, I was "that guy." About 30 minutes earlier I had told my girl it was time to leave...)

Yesterday I made a huge vat of pork and lamb sugo for a holiday party I am having tomorrow night, it simmered all day and is now resting comfortably in the fridge. I will finish it tonight by removing and shredding the meat and blending the sauce and veg, then on Tuesday it will be combined with pasta, fresh herbs and cheese, then baked to get a nice crust. Holy crap I can't wait...

[narlus]

sounds great; have never heard of 'sugo' before.

[OGRipper]

I am pretty sure sugo basically means sauce. :) I roughly follow a recipe for pork sugo from Delfina, a great italian place here in SF. It uses pork shoulder instead of the more common ground meat; I usually add a little lamb too. It's a pretty basic stew/sauce process - brown the meat, remove, soften a bunch of veg (carrots, celery, onion, leek, garlic), add some wine and reduce, put the meat back in, add some stock, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, herbs, then cook in a low oven for many hours. If you have the time, let it sit for a day. Then remove the meat, blend the sauce/veg, shred the meat and add it back in with some fresh herbs and you are good to go. Sometimes need to add a little stock to thin it out after blending; a touch of cream gets that yummy bolognese thing going. Then if you are going all out, mix it into cooked pasta, cover with cheese and bake to get a good crust going.

This is going to be a nosh-style party, not a sit-down, so I will be firing pans of the stuff now and then during the night and people can grab a bowl whenever they want. So Narlus, be there around 8 and bring some wine... :p

[narlus]

So Narlus, be there around 8 and bring some wine... :p

:thumb:

in the BA lounge @ heathrow, they were serving this ('96 vintage):

http://www.poggioantico.com/images_site/label_brunello_small.jpg

:drool: it was damn good.

[OGRipper]

I imagine that would work nicely...I haven't been drinking much eye-talian vino lately but I did enjoy a Cornacchia (sp?) Montelpuciano D'Abruzzo a couple weeks back, good stuff. I bought a mixed case of Anderson Valley Vineyards wines with this party in mind, we will be drinking 2002 Syrah and 2004 Sin Zin. Eventually. After champagne, cocktails, and/or a few whites. Along with whatever the guests bring...

[narlus]

<shakes dust off>

ok, the thread has been resurrected. ;)

sat i made coriander chicken.

toast some 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, and a couple cloves. let cool, and then grind. add in cayenne pepper, turmeric, and maybe something else i can't recall right now. this is yr garam masala.

thinly slice two onions
chop 3 garlic cloves
cut boneless chicken (i used breasts, but thighs would rock too) into 1 inch cubes.

in a large flame-proof casserole, heat 4 tbsp of veggie oil on med-high heat, and then cook the onions till brown. add in the garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes. add masala, and stir well. after a half minute or so, add the chicken and cook until it turns opaque on all sides. stir constantly. add in 1.5 tsp of salt, and 1/4 c of coconut milk and 1/4 c of water. bring to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover, cooking for ~10-15 minutes. add another 1/4 c of coconut milk, add a bunch of chopped cilantro, stir and spoon over rice.

[TN]

Friday night, chicken with garlic confit with sauteed mustard greens & acorn squash bread pudding. we had a Hahn Estates Pinot Noir with this that was almost literally the cherry on top.

[narlus]

is garlic confit different from roasted garlic?

[TN]

garlic simmered in olive oil then strained.

[narlus]

got it.

i usually roast my garlic in some oil, foil-covered in a small ramekin.

[mtbtom]

Friday Night:
Beer Can Chicken once again with broccoli !

Saturday:
Eggs & Toast for breakfast, pretty much skipped lunch although
I ate a cliff bar on the ride.

Saturday Night:
Indian Food, Seafood Jalfrazi & Lamb Saag ! It was wonderful.

Sunday:
Chicken sandwich for breakfast
Lunch: Sushi at the .99 cent Sushi place. A big plate of all kinds of fish. The eel hand roll is my favorite. Afterwards I got an ice cream nochi for dessert.

Sunday night:
Homemade meatloaf, parsnips, onions and carrots. If you haven't tried parsnips I highly recommend them. Roast them in tin foil in the oven or the grill.

[TN]

Friday Night:
Beer Can Chicken once again with broccoli !

Saturday:
Eggs & Toast for breakfast, pretty much skipped lunch although
I ate a cliff bar on the ride.

Saturday Night:
Indian Food, Seafood Jalfrazi & Lamb Saag ! It was wonderful.

Sunday:
Chicken sandwich for breakfast
Lunch: Sushi at the .99 cent Sushi place. A big plate of all kinds of fish. The eel hand roll is my favorite. Afterwards I got an ice cream nochi for dessert.

Sunday night:
Homemade meatloaf, parsnips, onions and carrots. If you haven't tried parsnips I highly recommend them. Roast them in tin foil in the oven or the grill.

Parsnips rule!!!


Narlus-the remaining oil was used in the roasting pan with bird in quarters, the garlic was rubbed on the bird. mighty tastee.

[narlus]

i dig the 'nips. as opposed to the 'neeps (turnips).

you ever do a parsnip and carrot mash? good stuff.

here's the coriander chicken:
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2088/img31405iu.jpg

[narlus]

for the Stupor Bowl, i grilled some ribs. my ever-evolving spice rub contained:

chile powder
onion powder
garlic powder
coriander
cumin
turmeric
paprika
salt
fennel seeds
two cloves
black peppercorns (this, the fennel and cloves were crushed in a mortar)
cayenne pepper

and one other i can't recall (it wasn't dry mustard; i usually use that but decided against it this time).

rub the ribs all over, then put in a ziploc baggie w/ just enough white vinegar to moisten the ribs.

store in fridge for 16-24 hr, turning the bag once.

grill on lowest heat for ~45 min, bone-side down. turn to meat-side for ~5 min, then take off and let cool before cutting.

:drool:

this batch turned out awesome.

[narlus]

ok...yesterday i made some Balsamic Chicken w/ Swiss Chard, from a recipe i used from Cooks Illustrated.

3-4# of bone-in/skin-on chicken thighs
2 c of chicken stock
1/4 c dry red wine
bunch of swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (stems separated from leaves)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c balsamic vinegar (cheap supermarket brand preferred)
1 lg onion, halved and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 anchovy fillet, minced
1.5 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 can (14oz) diced tomato
1 tbsp tomato paste

S&P the chicken. preheat oven to 350 and put rack to lower third of oven. in a large flame-proof casserole, heat a few tbsp of olive oil on med-high heat. put chicken in skin-side down and don't move for 12 minutes. do this in batches if you need to; don't crowd the pan. flip and cook for 5 min.

set aside and let cool; when cool, remove and discard skin. discard all but one tbsp of oil and fat from the pan. lower heat to med. put in onion and tomato paste, stirring, for ~4 minutes. add garlic and anchovy, stir for 1 min. add stock and wine, deglazing and scraping brown bits, and add thyme and red pepper. add tomatoes, bring to a high simmer, then put the thighs back in, bone-side up, and submerged. cover and put in oven. cook for 40-50 min.

in a saucepan, reduce the balsamic by half.

when the timer expires, remove chicken and cover w/ foil. add in stems and cook on low heat for 8 min. add in leaves and cook for 2 min. take a 1/3 cup of braising liquid and add to balsamic reduction, to loosen if needed. add back to pot, stir, add S&P as needed, and add chicken back in. mix and ensure everything is heated evenly.

remove chicken, and using a slotted spoon, remove chard. plate the chard and place two chicken thighs on top, and cover w/ sauce. serve.

we used mash taters as the foundation under the chard.

[OGRipper]

^^^Sounds good! Was that birthday dinner or what?

On saturday I did some pan-fried mahi mahi with a cilantro/mint/lime pesto-style herb thing over wild rice with curried cauliflower and a green salad. Drank Giesen sauv blanc (Marlborough).

It was so healthy that yesterday I went and had the crappiest deep-fried lunch ever in San Jose, after the hand-made bike show. Sucked big-time, never eat at the Tied House. Ugh. :help:

[N8]

ok...yesterday i made some Balsamic Chicken w/ Swiss Chard, from a recipe i used from Cooks Illustrated.

3-4# of bone-in/skin-on chicken thighs
2 c of chicken stock
1/4 c dry red wine
bunch of swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (stems separated from leaves)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c balsamic vinegar (cheap supermarket brand preferred)
1 lg onion, halved and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 anchovy fillet, minced
1.5 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 can (14oz) diced tomato
1 tbsp tomato paste

S&P the chicken. preheat oven to 350 and put rack to lower third of oven. in a large flame-proof casserole, heat a few tbsp of olive oil on med-high heat. put chicken in skin-side down and don't move for 12 minutes. do this in batches if you need to; don't crowd the pan. flip and cook for 5 min.

set aside and let cool; when cool, remove and discard skin. discard all but one tbsp of oil and fat from the pan. lower heat to med. put in onion and tomato paste, stirring, for ~4 minutes. add garlic and anchovy, stir for 1 min. add stock and wine, deglazing and scraping brown bits, and add thyme and red pepper. add tomatoes, bring to a high simmer, then put the thighs back in, bone-side up, and submerged. cover and put in oven. cook for 40-50 min.

in a saucepan, reduce the balsamic by half.

when the timer expires, remove chicken and cover w/ foil. add in stems and cook on low heat for 8 min. add in leaves and cook for 2 min. take a 1/3 cup of braising liquid and add to balsamic reduction, to loosen if needed. add back to pot, stir, add S&P as needed, and add chicken back in. mix and ensure everything is heated evenly.

remove chicken, and using a slotted spoon, remove chard. plate the chard and place two chicken thighs on top, and cover w/ sauce. serve.

we used mash taters as the foundation under the chard.


What's S&P the chicken mean?

[narlus]

Salt & Pepper

[N8]

Salt & Pepper


gottcha

[SkaredShtles]

Had some good ol' fashioned crazy meatballs. Sauce consists of sauerkraut, whole craberry cocktail, chile sauce, brown sugar, and a few other things I can't remember. Served over egg noodles.

Good, simple food. :drool:

[TN]

Grilled Salmon with Butternut Squash Bread Pudding & steamed broccoli. There was nothing but S & WP (white pepper :D ) & whole grain Dijon Mustard on the Salmon. We had a Rodney Strong Pinot Noir that was good but not great, we prolly wont get it again.

[SkaredShtles]

Went to a locally touted restaurant this weekend called Rioja: http://www.riojadenver.com/

Food was excellent. Wife & I shared an app portion of the duck ravioli, she got the fennel soup, tried the friends' tuna sashimi/tartare. For main I got the muscovy duck two ways and the wife got pancetta wrapped monkfish.

The only thing that fell flat was the duck confit - it was waaaaaay to salty.

Accompanied by several bottles of Bodegas Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo Limited Edition Rioja.

Dessert was hazelnut tiramisu for me. Holy $HIT was that good. :drool: :drool:

Not a cheap place, but I'd still recommend it - wait staff was excellent, food was excellent, prices were pretty decent for a fancy-schmancy place.

:thumb:

[narlus]

didn't do much in the way of cooking this weekend...friday night went to redbones w/ some guys who were in from Ireland...sat night we grilled some teriyaki chicken, made a white bean salad w/ scallions and parsley, and grilled some asparagus...yesterday went to a friends' house for some nice indian.

[OGRipper]

I had some excellent, solid food this weekend but was lazy and didn't cook much. On Friday I had martinis and oysters followed by a great new york steak and bogle petite sirah at a local bar/restaurant. Then went to a little bistro on Saturday and had more oysters, a frisee salad with bacon and poached egg, and duck breast with pomegranate/balsamic reduction with braised greens and mushroon risotto. The duck was perfectly cooked - crispy skin and rosy - so good. Yesterday we hit up a well-worn place in Japantown for a few pieces of nigiri followed by unagi don and tempura soba in hot broth. Yum!

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> and duck breast with pomegranate/balsamic reduction with braised greens and mushroon risotto. The duck was perfectly cooked - crispy skin and rosy - so good.
I so love duck. My wife had a bite of mine on Saturday and commented on the flavorful crispy skin. :drool:

Greatest entree I've ever eaten bar none was breast of duck at a little place in Italy.

[BikeGeek]

The usual "wife is out of town" meal: NY strip rubbed with sea salt, black pepper, and garlic, grilled medium, and a pile of mushrooms, onions, and red pepper sauteed in butter and red wine. Washed done with a '99 Star Hill Pinot Noir. :drool:

[SkaredShtles]

The usual "wife is out of town" meal: NY strip rubbed with sea salt, black pepper, and garlic, grilled medium, and a pile of mushrooms, onions, and red pepper sauteed in butter and red wine. Washed done with an '99 Star Hill Pinot Noir. :drool:
WTF? My wife won't let me eat a meal like that without her. ;)

[BikeGeek]

WTF? My wife won't let me eat a meal like that without her. ;)
I wish I knew before I married her, but she really doesn't care for steak. :eek: Although, I'm starting to get the feeling that she's never had a well cooked steak. For example: we were invited over to a friend's for dinner and found steaks ready to go on the grill when we arrived. She gave me an "oh ****" look, but said nothing. On the way home she said it "wasn't bad." Baby steps. :)

[OGRipper]

I wish I knew before I married her, but she really doesn't care for steak. :eek: Although, I'm starting to get the feeling that she's never had a well cooked steak. For example: we were invited over to a friend's for dinner and found steaks ready to go on the grill when we arrived. She gave me an "oh ****" look, but said nothing. On the way home she said it "wasn't bad." Baby steps. :)

What's funny is that my girl has drawn an arbitrary line at duck (mainly because they are cute to her). We eat pretty much anything else and I get a lot of slack in other ways so I don't eat it around her. It's one of those things about picking your battles but my friends wonder why I always order duck when she's not around.:)

[SkaredShtles]

I wish I knew before I married her, but she really doesn't care for steak. :eek: Although, I'm starting to get the feeling that she's never had a well cooked steak. For example: we were invited over to a friend's for dinner and found steaks ready to go on the grill when we arrived. She gave me an "oh ****" look, but said nothing. On the way home she said it "wasn't bad." Baby steps. :)
Work on it. My wife insists on her own 16 oz. NY when we're grilling steak. She loves her red meat. :eek: ;)

[Nobody]

Saturday - Bocatini alla Ragu.
Sunday - Montecristo Sandwiches.

4Copas Reposado and a nice Cali Zin.

[narlus]

sat night we made carbonara...it was very tasty.

[SkaredShtles]

sat night we made carbonara...it was very tasty.
:drool: My kids each get to pick a dinner per week, and as of late the oldest has been choosing carbonara. :love:

My middle has been choosing pesto. :love:

Saturday we had breaded pork chops on a bed of herbed balsamic potatos roasted in the oven. Holy $hit were they good. Accompanied by a nice pinot noir.

[OGRipper]

sat night we made carbonara...it was very tasty.

I am nominating carbonara as the official favorite food of the food forum regulars.

Once again I was lazy food-wise this weekend and didn't do much cooking. But last night some friends and I went to a really good new Asian restaurant called 415 (the SF area code). Had killer poke-style tuna, korean beef potstickers, coconut rice balls, satay, miso glazed cod, short ribs, flank steak, wok-tossed rice noodles, fried rice, etc., all washed down with Chilean sauvignon blanc and Reisling. MMMMMM.

[SkaredShtles]

I am nominating carbonara as the official favorite food of the food forum regulars.
I could be talked into seconding the nomination......... :D

[narlus]

i had a rare tuna steak on a bun last night, w/ some pineapple/asian glaze. it was ok.

[TN]

Filet with Bordelaise sauce, blue cheese mashed potatoes & asparagus.
http://static.flickr.com/35/113859615_4386d389a5.jpg

With this...
http://static.flickr.com/48/113859782_de4e4e6a3a.jpg
2004 Hahn Meritage. What a great wine for $12...*drool* I highly recommend it with a nice chunk of bloody red meat...or on its own.

http://static.flickr.com/53/114727398_ce204cc097.jpg
And we grilled some fresh wild Sockeye salmon on one of these covered in a maple glaze.

With some parsnip bisque.
http://static.flickr.com/37/115973375_87974ba39e.jpg

This wine was a fantastic match to our soup. It was frikkin' huge for a OR Pinot...hence why we had it with the soup. The flavors clash with the Maple Glaze & cedar from the salmon. 2004 Siduri Pinot Noir Willamette Valley.
http://static.flickr.com/48/114721392_ae8ec43d75.jpg

With the salmon we had some Barefoot Merlot.

[OGRipper]

2004 Siduri Pinot Noir Willamette Valley.

That there is some tasty grape juice, had some over the weekend myself. Not sure about the year but I agree, great body and depth.

[TN]

We had this Saturday.....

http://static.flickr.com/52/118295887_14f97ec8f3.jpg

BBQ'ed pork shoulder. Recipe in my sig.

[narlus]

saturday, did two pan-seared pork tenderloins finished in the oven. made a spice rub consisting of:

about 10 black peppercorns
two cloves
fennel seeds (all of the above ground in the mortar)
allspice
cumin
coriander
some 'northern spice blend' a friend gave (gave some heat)

also dusted the pork w/ S&P and more fennel seeds.

pan-seared on all sides, finished in the oven, deglazed w/ some chicken stock for pan juices. also made asparagus w/ bacon, braised in a touch of stock. and rice.

[OGRipper]

On Friday I had oysters, salad, BBQ ribs, and beers at the local spot. On Saturday we made lamb racks with honey/garlic/mint pan sauce over brown rice with greens, drank Freemark Abbey Zin and Dutch Henry Argos (Bourdeaux-style blend, mostly cab sauv.) in my friend's little cabin in Occidental. Then yesterday my girl made pasta with sausage/marinara and more greens. We drank 6th Sense Syrah and Gnarleyhead Zinfandel and reflected on how life is good...

[SkaredShtles]

We had pasta with a tomato gorgonzola butter sauce that was most excellent. :thumb:

[OGRipper]

I made celery root and porcini soup yesterday after a rainy ride, it was easy and killer, here is what I did: Soak a good handful of dried porcini in warm water. Saute a couple chopped leeks in butter and olive oil. When soft add a diced potato and a peeled, diced hunk of celery root (about twice as much celery root as potato). Fill with stock to cover, bring to a boil, then season and simmer for 15 mins or so. Meanwhile, drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and then rinse and chop and toss 'em in the pot with the shroom juice and simmer for another 10 mins. Puree the whole deal, then season again and toss in some rosemary, thyme, sage, or whatever...add a little heavy cream right at the end and serve with parm croutons and a drizzle of truffle oil...MMMMM

Oh, after that we had lamb racks and drank a 2001 Ridge Sonoma Station Zin. If you can find some, get some... :)

[Westy]

Lately I have been getting some nice tuna filets. Covering them in sesame seeds then quickly seering them ina pan with a bit of sesame seed oil. Damn tasty and easy to make.

[narlus]

we had friends over sat night and i made some pork tenderloin, covered w/ chopped herbs and roasted garlic, wrapped in bacon. sides of green salad, and white beans w/ red onion.

last night we grilled a chicken, cut into parts. made a nice rub with:

clove
cinnamon
cumin seeds
coriander seeds (all the above crushed in a mortar/pestle)
salt
pepper
paprika
turmeric

rubbed the chicken, and marinated for 8 hr w/ olive oil, and freshly squeeze lemon and lime juice.

it was fantastic!