What's for Dinner #103 - the Extra 24 Hours Month Edition - February 2024

[LindaWhit]

Got out of work at 3 to meet National Grid to get my gas meter replaced, as required by MA law every 7 years. He thankfully came early in the 4-8 p.m. time slot I was allotted.

Dinner was a lovely medium-rare Cheeeeseboigah on a toasted Jessica’s Brick Oven brioche bun with ketchup on the bottom and Wegman’s Coopers Brand white American cheese from their deli on top.

Sides were Lamb-Weston fries and a “salad” of diced cukes and grape tomatoes in a combo Penzeys’ Buttermilk & Creamy Peppercorn dressing blends.

Wine, of course!

[linguafood (Natascha)]

A sunny day with balmy 14˚ weather called for a pickleball match – the first in what seems like eons. Felt really nice to get some exercise in, especially since frigid temps are to return soon.

Did a whole lot of shopping for the weekend to avoid the crazy #stupidbowl crowds, but Wegmans was already pretty hoppin’. Much to my dismay, pomegranate season seems officially over – none to be found (unless I wanted to pay $6.99 for 8oz. of arils – that would be a hard no), so we also swung by Sam’s Club to pick up blackberries.

Dinner was inspired by all you lovely folks who’ve been taunting me with pasta dishes all week it seems - @Amandarama, @munchkinredux, @lindawhit, @ottawaoperadiva, et al

I had two large king oyster shrooms in the crisper, and gorgeous, bronze-cut paccheri rigati

I brought back from Philly. My PIC requested shrimp cocktail for our app – how could I say no to that? My cocktail sauce: Inglehoffer’s horseradish, habanero paste, Worcestershire sauce, s&p, dash of lemon juice, tomato paste, ketchup. It was maybe a little too hot according to some people

Sauce was made with diced bacon, finely diced shallot, a little garlic, sautéed king oyster coins, a bunch of maitake chopped up – they add such incredible umami, a splash of red, a nub of BTB mushroom, crème fraiche, squeeze o’lemon & fresh parsley. Parm shaved on top.

Salad on the side bc I can’t help myself.

A wonderful Argentinian Malbec to go with the pasta. I so rarely drink red wine anymore, but this is like liquid velvet. Hit all the spots.

We also picked up a couple of desserts at Wegmans, a rare occasion & possible treat for later, as I am currently stuffed: their mini chocolate dome, and the triple chocolate mousse cake. #YOLO

Movie night now. Some Korean thriller, apparently

[linguafood (Natascha)]

CHEEBOYGAAAAAH. And whatttt a specimen it is. Might need a lil more cheese tho

[paryzer (Eli Paryzer)]

Happy National Pizza Day! Mrs. P made her delicious pizza with Andouille Sausage, delicata squash, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmigiano reggiano cheese, topped with hot honey. She used a Stonefire thin pizza crust. It all went great with an excellent Napa cabernet.

[mariacarmen (maria ascarrunz)]

Been dining out a lot lately, but tonight the BF made, at my request, Sopa Tarasca - a Mexican tomato & bean pureed soup. I sent him the link and he made it as pretty as the pic. https://healthysimpleyum.com/sopa-tarasca/

For toppings, besides, the swirly crema, there was queso fresco, sliced avo, fried cubes of the queso, homemade tortilla chips, and he roasted poblano and Anaheim peppers. The soup actually was a little bland but we added more salt and topped with hot sauce (El Yucateco red for me). I’d make this again, but I’d add more guajillo to the soup and maybe even blend in some fresh chili pepper for some heat. But with everything added in, it was quite tasty.

Happy weekend, y’all!

[ChristinaM (Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))]

I made pintos borrachos from ATK served on tostadas with sour cream and either cheddar, salsa, tomatoes, and lettuce or avocado, feta (in place of cotija), and sour cream with hot sauce.

[MunchkinRedux]

Nigella’s one-pot chicken and orzo. I’ve been wanting to make this for ages.

Using a room-temperature chicken, this dish takes 3 hours to make, about half of which is hands-off time. I have a 5 quart Le Creuset. I used a 4-lb. chicken, two large lemons, 200 grams each of leeks and carrots, 50/50 stock and water for the liquid, and one packed tablespoon of fresh tarragon. I added a few artichoke hearts to garnish the finished dish. In all other aspects, as per the recipe.

This was tasty and comforting – a stew, if anything. My notes for next time include:

1. Halve the chicken, and remove the back-bone and rib-cage before cooking.

2. Dry-brine the chicken with salt and pepper for a day or two in advance (although it works with a bird straight out of the fridge, in which case needs more salt), and brown it a bit more at the very beginning.

3. Cut the liquid to 5 ½ cups.

Looking forward to leftovers, of which there are lots.

[BeefeaterRocks]

Grass fed beef and bacon patty, pan fried and topped with mashed avocado/blue cheese. Doctored canned pinto beans. Little gem, radicchio salad, green onion, snap peas, celery, radish, “French” dressing.

[Saregama]

A big salad of arugula and orange, followed by spicy tortilla pizza.

Dialed it in after I baked two orange olive oil cakes so they’d be ready to eat on Sunday, and prepared the kabab mixture for Arayes I’m planning to make for my superbowl nosh contribution.

[shrinkrap]

“Pinchos marunos”

c/o a Milk Street Recipe shared by @Saregama and @CCE . Thank you!

What a great weeknight pork tenderloin dish that’s even better with a little planning.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

LOVE pinchos morunos / pinchitos. A favorite at tapas places. Looks faboski!

[vinouspleasure]

Wow, that looks great!

used to get my wok screaming hot on our bbq in an effort to impart some degree of wok hay, the first time I tried that on our gas oven in nyc I started a minor fire, the smoke alarm went off and I found spattered grease in our kitchen for the next week.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

I think I sprained my right middle toe last night by walking straight into the tiny ledge that separates our open kitchen from the dining room Could be broken for all I know (certainly hurts enough), but I’m not gonna drop $200+ to find out for sure & have some rando doctor tape two toes together. I may just be able to do so myself.

No, it wasn’t dark – though I wish I had that excuse! – and no, I wasn’t drunk, either. I just got some real mad skillz for injuring myself

The Korean flick was so-so, the movie we watched after (Villains) was more interesting. I finished the last bag of Aldi’s dill pickle chicharron , and we shared the triple mousse chocolate cake for a late dessert.

Our Chinese buddy is hosting a Lunar Year party tonight, which is bound to be great fun with excellent food. He is an amazing cook who catered the huge double birthday/anni party we threw a couple of years ago, and for which he made 14 or so dishes to feed 80+ people. Really looking forward, although I will likely forgo any dancing tonight. Feh!

Happy New Year to all who celebrate

[Saregama]

Looks good! Did you (& Mr S) like it? What did you pair it with?

This used to be an easy favorite in my rotation, but I haven’t made it in a really, really long time, so thanks for the reminder!

(The tamarind gave it a bit better color than the base recipe.)

[Saregama]

My wok gets screaming hot on the big burner (which I use only for the wok and the giant saucepan), the issue is that no matter how well-seasoned it is, the bit of sugar in the sauce will eventually stick.

And ho fun are delicate as it is, so last time everything tasted great but looked like a mangled mess .

[shrinkrap]

I loved it, and Mr. S enjoyed it too. Served it with cabbage slaw.

[Amandarama (Amanda)]

So glad you liked it!

[Amandarama (Amanda)]

You can use halibut, cod, or haddock too. Swordfish would be fine. Just as long as the fish is about an 1"-1.5" thick. For the white meat fishes, dab some butter on top of the fish before roasting.

[Shellybean]

Your photo of this is so much more appetizing to me than the original one in the linked recipe. I was sold the moment I saw it and can’t wait to make this! It’s right up my alley!

[MunchkinRedux]

I hope you enjoy it - we did! Will definitely make it again.