What's for Dinner #43 - 03/2019 - the SMarch Edition

Not like she eats it anyway ha! But I don’t put hot sauce on hers. The ginger and garlic in the meatballs mellows out when baked.

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Still too young for ginger, especially. I only remember until at least 20’s to like ginger a bit more.

Peeled and cut Yukon Golds into large chunks, tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, whatever dried herbs or spices you want, and roasted in a convection oven at 375°, turning potatoes frequently so they don’t stick and have the ability to get crispy brown on the outside. (if just a regular oven, use 375 - 400°). I usually cook for about 45 minutes, depending on which oven I’m using (I have a convection toaster oven, so usually use that.)

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The parboiling and roughing up in the pan trick, before roasting, certainly works for crispy spuds.

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I sometimes steam the potatoes and then pan-roast in the oven - you’re right - that helps them crisp up nicely. Just didn’t do it this time.

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Mr. H - you’re right about Southern Italy - here, at least anecdotally, is a blog post from someone claiming that the dish is Pugliese in origin.

I also read that it is more closely related to the turnip than broccoli. And somewhere else I read that rapini is the Italian word for broccoli rabe, but that that term was also coined by the Italians.

Google says this:

broc·co·li rabe

1920s: from Italian broccoli rapa or broccoli rape , shortened from broccoli di rapa or broccoli di rape , literally ‘flower stalks of the turnip’.

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Yes, like the dried but plumper and somehow more intense.

I went through an obsessive chawanmushi phase trying to get the liquid proportion, heat, and timing just right (for me anyway) - it annoyed me when I end up with bubbles (overcooking) or (and this was only very early on) liquid separating - like soft scrambled eggs that are overcooked. Thankfully, no more.

Imagine my surprise when I had the Korean version which was exactly my worst case version of overcooked - bubbly, very hot, liquid separated - and that’s the way it was supposed to be - hahaha.

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When we were in Naples they told us that their rapini, called friarielli, was a local specialty and that it was not available anywhere else. It comes to market in the fall. It is finer and more delicate in taste than other versions. They were very proud of it.

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just like Harters wrote above! Consensus!

that’s funny, because i had a Korean version at a restaurant in NYC once that was like the Japanese version. delish!

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Fine dining onboard the Mt Fuji Express. :slight_smile:

Thank Heaven for Seven Eleven.

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Get bentos next time. There’s always a shop at most train station. Even that is better than “Japanese” food sold here in my food hell. I also made some photos whilst travelling by train (beer and salmon jerky). If you take a shinkansen long distance do try first class at least once. I got my first class pass to experience the marvellous shinkansen.

I went from Hokkaido to Osaka by train for 6 weeks and didn’t even see mount Fuji!

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Tonight I made this chickpea cauliflower curry thing mostly based off this: https://www.budgetbytes.com/curry-roasted-cauliflower/
Served with last night’s coconut brown basmati and some sauteed green beans. Baby ate it all which was surprising but she does seem to like curries.

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Well, the restaurant near me has it permanently on the menu so maybe there is a cultivated “wild” broccoli with a longer season. But it’s not the sort of veg that’s going to have a long shelf life, so maybe it’s frozen?

I’m no expert on the matter. I was just quoting what they told me.

Of course, a restaurant can label things any way they want. Terminological mix-ups are not rare.

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John…figure about 26 to 29% to add to a typical US check…Sales tax in Washington DC is 10 % plus a gratuity of at east 15%…but you would never leave 15%…because the server/restaurant owner has to pay taxes… your are embarrassed to so you tip at least 20 %… you do the math…
$10 dollar pasta cost how much ???..$18 dollars US

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Figures. :person_in_lotus_position:

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Very adventurous!!!..

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My hubby is on a fast, so I’ve been cooking for 1 1/4 these days. Hand surgery a week ago has meant extra-simplified meals, too. Tonight I made chicken cutlets lightly dredged in seasoned flour and sauteed with leeks in olive oil. Then Mexi rice was made in the same skillet with a box of yellow rice, tomato paste, garlic, kale, and peas. I heated up a can of prepared black beans with bay leaf and some of the sauteed leaks. The baby ate chicken and tons of black beans, and a cookie for dessert. He did at least try the rice, so :person_in_lotus_position:

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seared mahi, blistered green beans and salad

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