Last night I made Duck & Porcini mushroom raviolis served with a grilled Radicchio and Green Onion salad with a mustard-sherry dressing. Not a bad way to start the new year.
As real life gets complicated around here, my cooking is getting more and more simple but I do hope to find time to make special dinners at least once in a while.
Not a bad way AT ALL! Sounds and looks very good, smtucker!
Just got home from Germany. Was dreaming about steamed mussels for my first meal home but supermarket didn’t have them today. Made linguine with beef mince and diced red capsicum. Lots of pecorino on the side.
That’s all I have energy for today after a long train journey. Just chilling now with another glass of red wine. It’s good to be home again. Gonna eat lots of seafood this week. Brought my oyster knife with me but couldn’t find any oysters in the 2 towns I visited (too far from the sea and France).
AFAIC You’re still Berheeenia. Glad the cat finally dragged you in. Lovely to see you here.
WFD: ~ Minestrone alla Gio. Carrots, onion, celery, garlic, S&P, RPF, olive oil, homemade chicken stock, shredded cabbage, assorted mushrooms, cooked lentils, L/O cumin lamb, baked fideuà.
~ Garlicky allioli added to each soup plate before serving.
~ Crusty bread with cultured butter.
It’s a splendid way to start the new year, SMT. All Best Wishes to YOU!
Just got back from a whirlwind wedding trip to OH, where good friends of ours tied the knot. Food was nice - small grilled cheese squares were passed around as hors d’oeuvres (what a splendid idea!), as well as relatively bland breaded chicken skewers with dipping mustard.
There was salad served at the table, followed by a buffet with incredibly tender & delicious beef - can’t remember now whether it was brisket or short rib. Lots of white wine and G&Ts, and I did a song with the wedding band at the request of the bride 
Now we’re home, the cat is insanely happy & excited we’re back. Off to the supermarket to buy some salad fixins, as I woke up with salad on the brain. Romaine, tomatoes, radishes, avocado, bacon & sautéed baby bellas will be tossed with mustard vinaigrette, as my buttermilk went bad again.
Happy Sunday, y’all!
We LOVE shoveling snow!!! It’s good for the drought, the local economy, recreation, etc.
A higgledy-piggledy dinner to use up some leftover roasted chicken and steamed broccoli. Adapted from this recipe:
but with some change-ups. The chicken was pre-cooked from a previously roasted chicken. Used about 2 cups of cut up chicken, and I also used fresh orange juice and zest from some Cara Cara navel oranges I picked up at Trader Joe’s yesterday.
I started by sautéing some bias-cut celery and carrots in hot oil, then added the chicken, did a quick stir for about 15-20 seconds, and then added the orange sauce. OH, before I forget – I did NOT use 3 Tbsp. of cornstarch as the original recipe called for - WAY too much. I probably used 2 Tbsp, and ended up having to add more liquid after it began to thicken too quickly. It was at least 1/3 cup white wine that was added, and it was saucy enough.
Threw in about a cup of cooked broccoli, and a cup of whole salted cashews at the very end to heat up. Served over basmati rice. Wine alongside.
Very good! And DOWNTON ABBEY FINAL SEASON starts tonight! YAY!
Simple burger and fries tonight as we prepare to reenter the real world tomorrow. The burgers were good but a shade past med-rare. Whole Foods 85%, dijon, sweet onions, Cabot NY cheddar and local bulkie rolls. The fries were Yukon golds, twice fried and lightly salted. Not quite as crispy as Idaho/Russets, but with a wonderful rich, buttery flavor. One of our favorite simple meals.
Now I have a pot full of cooking oil waiting to be put to use. (Thanks, Costco, for affordable bulk oil.) Maybe fish and chips? Chilaquiles? In any event, tomorrow is Monday so it’s cheapish date night out. I have a feeling my sweetie will want to head to our funky little Cambridge MA pizza joint. I won’t protest too much.
Carrots form the centrepiece of tonight’s dinner at Harters Hall.
They’re cut into thick batons, tossed in olive oil, cumin, S & P, and cayenne, and then roasted for 20 minutes. Honey is then drizzled over and a tin of chickpeas added. Another 10 minutes in the oven and its then left to cool to room temperature.
It’s then tossed with spinach, pomegranate seeds, feta. A dressing from olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and tahini goes in and there’s a final scattering of pumpkin seeds.
Alongside, one of Mrs H’s loaves. It’s recipe for a white loaf that she does regularly - comes from her favourite Italian chef, Gennaro Contaldo.
That carrot dish sounds like a great healthy New Year’s dish.
I just watched Gennaro Contaldo on youtube yesterday as I was browsing some gnocchi-making videos. He’s lots of fun and I’ll be exploring more of his recipes.
If you can find any of the TV series he did with my hero Antonio Carluccio, please watch. Series was called “Two Greedy Italians”. Lots of good food as they go round Italy.
The story goes that Gennaro used to work for Antonio when the latter owned the Neal Street Restaurant in London. There was a big argument and the two didnt speak for 20 years. In the meantime, Gennaro opened Passione (which was a wonderful restaurant) and, at some point, employed the young Jamie Oliver. Years on, Gennaro now works for Oliver and is a partner in Oliver’s chain of restaurants - “Jamies Italian” (which, in my experience, are just not very good)
Last night we did a totally old-school steak dinner–something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now. And when I say “old school”, here’s what I mean:
–Crab Cocktail
–Wedge salad
–Baked potato
–Creamed spinach
–Filet mignon
The crab cocktail was kind of meh, and I forgot to get fresh chives for the potatoes, but otherwise everything turned out really well. Made a really nice classic blue cheese dressing for the salad. The filets were pan-seared and oven-finished (wound up perfectly done, nice and pink inside), with a red-wine mushroom pan sauce on the side. Not a meal I would eat every day, even if I could afford to, but delicious and tons of fun to do.
Sounds fab.
Tonight is scallops with a fennel puree, griddled fennel and broccoli. The missus is making plum crumble and custard for afters.
A number of years ago the missus got me a cooking class at Caldesi’s in Marylebone. Turned out Genaro was taking it. It was enjoyable though I think I upset him when he made a sauce with, tomatoes, olives ,anchovies and capers. Can’t recall what he called it but I asked how it was different to puttanesca. Something to do with using dried oregano IIRC.
Chinese (style) today:
The prawns were spicy and the soup was even better. Both with lots of shredded ginger root. We were red in the face. Leftover prawns will be made into fried rice next time.
If you ever want to tweak your wedge salad, this is just crazy good.
WFD: Macaroni Mon = Pappardelle with a sauce of pancetta, 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 butter, Pomi diced tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, Parmigiano Reggiano, a little glug of cream, and one of my favorite pasta cuts pappardelle.
A small lettuce, cucumber, shaved carrot salad with a RWVinaigrette.
