There’s one less package of fish in our freezer, this time fluke caught sometime last year and frozen within 24 hours of being caught. I threw together a sort of bouillabaisse with clam broth, fennel, potatoes, diced tomatoes, saffron, herbes de Provence and white wine and let it all simmer together until the potatoes were cooked. I added the fish just before serving so it didn’t overcook. Served with a sauce that I think is what you’d have if a rouille and a romesco had a baby.
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I love bouillabaisse. Did you make the franken-rouille 
or was it a store-bought product?
I made it with store bought ingredients - mayo, garlic, tomato paste, and the ajvar mentioned above.
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Sounds great!
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Tonight I made EatingWell’s skillet gnocchi with chard and white beans with some changes. I subbed a good marinara for the tomatoes, onions, and garlic. I added 1 Tbsp of fennel seeds (ground), TJ’s umami seasoning and red pepper flakes, and some cooked chicken-spinach sausage rounds. I folded cubes of mozz into the pan before scattering the top with Pecorino and more mozz and broiling till bubbly. We enjoyed this, but it struck me as a bit bland as written.
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Another leisurely day. The students haven’t returned, so there’s not much of a point putting my uber hat back on just yet. I did drive our elderly neighbor to the UPS store and a pedicure appointment & managed to have a quick lunch of leftover mapo tofu before picking her up again and taking her back home. To perhaps nobody’s surprise, the topic of food comes up often in our conversations, and today she told me that there are many cooking tasks she increasingly has trouble with, much as she enjoys it. I offered to make extra if she could give me a couple days heads up, or make something especially for her (she has to watch her sodium and knows I’m a salt fiend), so she’ll be in touch. Happy to help out wherever I can.
As for WFD tonight, I was flying solo & had the leftover paccheri with Greeky lamb sauce from Monday night,
plus a big-ass bowl of one of my favorite winter salads I had growing up: Belgian endive with mandarin segments in a creamy, peppery, lemony dill dressing. My mom used to make this all the time for us, and it’s one of very few exceptions to my ‘no sweets in my savories’ rule. The key is plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
I’m a super-stoked to be spending the evening all by myself, especially after last night’s energetic crowd. My PIC’s watching The Game with the gang at their place, which I couldn’t be less interested in if I tried. I’d rather finish the final season of Sex Education 
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Thank you for offering to help your elderly neighbor - I’m sure it meant a lot to her!
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Winged some pork meatballs made with breadcrumbs, cumin, oregano, lemon zest and egg.
Salad
Mixed root veg with olive oil and thyme
Brown sugar, onion and ginger beans, loosely based on Ina’s maple baked beans.
Asiago potato gratin
Burnt Almond Torte from Prantl’s in Pittsburgh via Goldbelly.
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My pleasure. She’s a riot 
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My turn for NYT’s sheet pan paprika chicken and potatoes (gift link).
As fans of paprika, we both liked this - with an asterisk:
*DH thought the sauce on the side was needed for the spuds (and I know some members of the community thought the sauce was the best part), but I thought it was overkill. Will make again happily, with the sauce remaining optional.
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We had some ramen that we made with some drunken chicken broth that came in a local “butcher’s box”. I have a love hate relationship with the service as it’s really expensive and often they don’t really give any actual nice cuts of meat but instead some odds and ends and surprisingly tiny portions of the meat for 2 as advertised. I was particularly aggravated once recently when I got a container of lard (not leaf lard) and stock as two of the 4 things (that feels to me like you’re just giving us the trash!) But the stuff they have is really good and causes me to make things that I wouldn’t otherwise do. And, actually, this broth needed no alterations to make a very delicious soup with pasta machine ramen, topped with an egg, spinach, scallions and sesame seeds, plus a tiny bit of my 9 year old’s egg yolk that he didn’t want!.
I also made lentil soup with a small smoked ham hock, also from the box, while talking to distraught LA friends but we were too full from this to eat any lentil soup. I only wish I could have shared the soup with them.
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I’m going to have to remember this as the best description ever! Thanks…sounds delicious!
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yep, tofu again. This time as a salad, with a delicious miso/tahini dressing. Dressing was really filling - i’d probably ask him to thin it out a bit next time, but super tasty.
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that soup looks scrumptious!
i don’t know how many of our WFD folks here are in the L.A. area - I hope none. I have a couple of dear friends who have evacuated from the Eaton fire and they’re hoping their home remains intact. It’s a devastating tragedy what’s going on down there, for everyone - those losing their homes, those afraid to lose their homes, their pets, just the terrible air quality… what a nightmare. I’m so sad to think of all the beautiful homes/structures/businesses that are already gone. I grew up there and can’t imagine how sad it will all look, in addition the terrible loss of homes/memories and lives.
hope your friends are at least safe…
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too bad because it looks really good! easily fixable, i’m sure…
omg that chimken is righteous!! I can just feel the crunch between my teeth…
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Looks great, MC
Stir fry. Chicken, carrots, cauliflower, onion, garlic, snow peas, mushrooms, mild hoisin/sweet chili sauce, green onions. WOL smashed Asian cucumber salad. Shuǐ.
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Dungeness Crab for dinner, boat (Half Moon Bay) to table (4 hours). Some breadsticks. Cheap D*** red wine (ala Steinbeck Cannery Row). Wonderful simple meal.
Packed with sweet gorgeous meat. Crab back tasted totally of of crab essence and fresh ocean. $12 per lb somewhat pricey, but worthy for first fresh crop dungies.
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Thank you. I’ve already made a second batch of the sauce even though we finished the soup.
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