After meeting with the director of Centre Safe & a student in the Greek system to brainstorm about a 50th anniversary benefit next spring, I met up with a friend at a new breakfast/lunch place with a stunning array of foods from various backgrounds. Hoping to check them out for dinner once they’re open for it in April
After our meal I talked her into joining the same gym we just joined (for which I got a month free), and we parted ways.
Dinner was fettuccine con sugo di agnello. Fried up a package of ground lamb from our share, then simmered in the last dredges of an open Rao’s marinara plus some extra sauce from Aldi’s Priano spicy garlic arrabbiata (which has a surprisingly pronounced kick to it!) augmented with sautéed onion, tomato paste, a bay leaf, frozen basil blobs, and a splash of half & half, as the heavy cream in the fridge had gotten a little too solid since I’d last checked on it
ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
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I made chicken meatloaf and a big green salad for hub’s dinner, and refried bean crispy tacos with veg dippers for kiddo. I, meanwhile, had ladies’ night dinner out – a delicious poke bowl and margarita riff.
We enjoyed the new early Spring menu at Fiorentini, in Rutherford, NJ, including bluefin tuna tartare; squid ink cacio e pepe with uni; lamb saddle; portobello mushroom Milanese; lamb croquettes with ndjua aioli; lobster rolls. It all went great with an excellent cabernet and Malbec.
Shallow-fried chunks of random whitefish (sold as “chowder bits”), with tots. Somewhere I read that WF tots are good, and they are. With generic tartar sauce for the fish and Mutti ketchup* for the tots.
*Wait, Mutti ketchup? Ketchup from ITALY? I saw it as I passed by in the local indie supermarket. The tomato taste is deep, and it’s not too sweet. Probably expensive, but I don’t use much and it will last.
It was easy to make and came out well - I used a mix of collard greens and lacinato kale for the verde, and linguiça for the sausage. On the side was a youtiao left over from lunch.
@Wtg2Retire as posted by CH Sunnycalifgirl: chicken thighs, 6 Tb white vinegar, 6 Tb soy or tamari, water, pickling spice, bay leaf, 10-15 whole peeled garlic cloves.
“Add chicken pieces to a large pot (browning the meat is optional) cover meat by sprinkling all the list of ingredients over it. Add salt and pepper and a pinch or two of pickling spice (which is optional). Add the garlic and a bay leaf or two. Add a few teaspoons of water. Cover the pot and set it on low/medium heat. You want is slow low steady simmer. The meat releases juices and fat that combine with the vinegar garlic soy to create a wonderful flavorful sauce. You have to tend to this dish. Do NOT pierce the meat … use tongs to turn. Simmer for maybe 35 to 45 minutes. My FIL taught me to add a lot more garlic than is listed but do so at your own risk.”
I have modified this over many makings to: 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 3 Tb low sodium soy sauce, 4 Tb apple cider vinegar, 5 Tb water, bay leaf, 4 cloves garlic smashed and very roughly chopped, either about 10 whole peppercorns or a bit of chili garlic sauce. Combine, cover, simmer very low, flipping chicken with tongs every 5 minutes and adding a bit more water as needed, for 35 minutes. Then rest covered for at least 5 minutes. I like it best with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli or asparagus.
Had some oranges to use, so I used one in an orange-ginger glazed sockeye salmon with rice pilaf and steamed asparagus.
I created my own glaze, and wanted to see what the nutritional reckoning was for the 4 oz of salmon and the glaze…I found a good online nutritional analyzer. Not too bad considering I’d only had a bowl of cereal with bananas for breakfast!
