What's for Dinner #49 - the Falling Leaves Edition - Sept 2019

This. It’s why I rarely buy ground turkey. It always has a weird funk taste to it (IMO) that makes the meat seem un-fresh.

Sure looks it!

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Yep, it really does @emglow101.

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Years ago I worked for a wonderful woman who had only a few squirrelly characteristics. Everyday on my afternoon coffee break, I would go to a butcher down the street and buy meat for dinner. My boss then asked me to include her in my shopping. So everyday I would toddle into the butcher and order for her an inch thick fillet of beef, and have it ground. These usually cost just under $5 when $5 was something. Finally, after several months of this, the butcher looked at me and said, “NO, I won’t do this again. I can’t ruin a beautiful steak for nothing. I will grind you a chunk of round or sirloin but no more fillets. Tell your boss or not. But I won’t do it…” So I bought her a ground chunk of round, told her and from then on everyone was happy.

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I did an amalgam of a couple tomato recipes & tips I’ve read on the WFD threads. Hooked!


As advised I waited for these to get soft before using.


Roasted low & slow w/EVOO, Garlic, Fish Sauce & Sugar. I will add Chillies & Onions next time @Presunto!

Butterflied, browned & sautéed Chicken Breast (few minutes each side), the Roasted Tomatoes, Vegenaise on Toasted Grain Bread. I didn’t have any seafood which will be great. Still hot here and I didn’t feel like making rice, potatoes or pasta. But tomato season goes late here and I’m looking forward to using this recipe on many dishes.

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Some cooking from the freezer. Some overly spicy lamb tagine was tamed with additional ingredients.

I used the last chunk of Easter roast lamb, some TJs chicken stock from those little packets, and about a half cup of canned pumpkin.

Sauteed some chopped onion in olive oil, and when the onion was soft, added some minced garlic and grated fresh ginger, a bit of honey, then about a Tbsp of tomato paste. Tossed in chopped leftover lamb and sauteed some more, then added a small cinnamon stick, the chicken stock and canned pumpkin, and some halved dried apricots.

Let that simmer for awhile while the rice pilaf and carrots cooked.

And it was dinner. And several lunches for work.

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Mu Shu chicken

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The thing about the wet markets in my country - they don’t sell the cuts for chicken (e.g. thigh, fillet) that Japanese supermarkets carry. You have to cut it up yourself at home - but they are way way cheaper than supermarkets.

Pork yes, I can ask for certain parts and they’ll do the grinding. As for the local supermarkets, I realize not all of them carry certain sources and cuts (used to eating pork from Indonesia) but nowadays I tend to get mine from this butchery selling free range Australian pork, they sell grass-fed Australian beef too. Even the higher-end butcheries located in the premium supermarkets sell similar cuts as what the general section is offering.

That’s why I always ended up going to Japanese supermarkets for ground chicken fillet (no fats at all!) and boneless chicken thighs with skin on, while the local ones always sell it skinless and bones on. They sell mix of pork and beef ground for DIY patties and meatballs. I like to buy pork belly strips (thicker cuts for shogayaki and thinner ones for different dishes) as well. If I were doing Chinese stir-fries or Chinese boiled pork rib soups, then I’ll get them from the wet markets instead.

Same thing for fishes. Japanese supermarkets usually debone, descale cleanly, cut them into fillets. Wet markets can do the same. The local ones just cut and pack without descaling and they always put the meat one day later than the pack dates unlike the Japanese ones. Always have weekly local supermarket vouchers on hand through certain exercising programs (we have a few where one is a nationwide initiative) which I could redeem (ends up redeeming fruits and vegetables instead) but I always hate standing there at the sink for hours to clean up the fishes or meat.

Pardon for the long rant. :joy:

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This has been a most interesting rant! Thanks. And please fee free to rant anytime!

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I like the bourbon directions!

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Maybe you saw my brother! He likes to parade around there.

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Now I really know we’re related.

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On your other thread, when you were talking about knife skill, are you talking about deboning fish and meat? Actually I don’t do it very well, but I keep the bones for broth making for maximise use.

Here, they always descale fish, cleanly or not is another question, especially a lot of trainees in the fresh fish section of supermarket are just newbie, on a busy day, they do it very badly. Here you can even ask them to filet for you.

I have never made fish or squid balls. But interested to know more.

You seem to need to use a lot of ground meat, maybe consider getting a grinding machine?

Not doing deboning, but I do use fish or chicken bones for soups, nabe or porridge. Just prefer to buy my cuts from Japanese supermarkets (more expensive) because everything is cleaned up properly unlike the local supermarket chains (tried with different stores). :weary:

As for stalls in wet markets, fish stall owners are usually alright to fillet and debone the fishes too. Just that they don’t understand the cuts in English. Meat stall owners need to understand which parts you are buying in Hokkien (a dialect which I’m not very fluent, but no issues with the parts that I usually buy). :joy:

I can be quite lazy at times, especially when the mister has late work nights (sometimes weekends too) and I need to dine on my own. Ground meat is for easy clean-up and it’s fast to cook. :wink:

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That sure looks inviting! Nice staging

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I made an InstantPot version of this risotto with sausage, borrowing proportions and cook times from Melissa Clark.

I used jarred vodka sauce and a whole bag of baby spinach, it turned out really well!

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So was the guilty party standing on his hind legs to reach the tart or was it a smaller thief that went from floor to chair to table?
Pic of guilty one?

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@Elsieb, the heist had to involve standing on her back legs, stretching, and maneuvering the placemat and the table cloth.

Meet Biscuit, otherwise lovingly known as our tomato thief.

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@tomatotomato Poor Biscuit…I couldn’t resist trying to protect her reputation!

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Now that is a cute pup

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