Lots of food, little energy to write the past few days.
Yesterday was Indian food night - green beans, dal dhokli (“noodles” in dal), plain dal for a couple of people, and palak (spinach) chicken for some. I was only expecting to cook the chicken but ended up making it all and was pretty pooped. No pics. Also made a pile of theplas (spiced flatbreads like chapatis) for the freezer for the young thepla lover.
Tonight is pasta for all. Vegetarian lasagna for two of us, plain and (home grown) tomato sauce for the kids, a quick faux-lognese sauce (frozen ground beef, homemade pasta sauce, plus some fresh garden tomatoes and splash of wine) for one. I had some lightly charred bread with ricotta and truffle salt while waiting on the lasagna.
I also made a tomato and burrata salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (because I make some version of tomato salad almost every day at the moment given the tomato “farm” situation) earlier in the day and we had some sesame-crusted seared tuna and avocado.
Well, as if this week needed more crap, today my gardner called me at work to tell me to get home because my neighbors deck was on fire. I got home to a street full of trucks and people. Thank goodness everything was put out without anyone getting hurt. Just one totaled deck and a lot of frazzled nerves. (Today’s lesson, don’t leave your paint thinner/rag on the deck when it’s 100 degrees outside.). This week needs to end.
Dinner was a pounded pork chop pan fried in olive oil and butter (breading was panko, sesame seeds, seasoned salt, pepper, gochugaru). Salad was cabbage, carrots, black spanish radish, tomatoes, and a miso/carrot/ginger dressing. Wine-lots.
Last night, after a really brutal few days at work, I really needed to have some relaxing creative time in the kitchen. So I went searching for a new way to use the ground turkey I had on tap as protein du jour. I landed on a NYT Cooking recipe for north African meatballs. I subbed ground turkey for the beef, and modified a bit because I didn’t have parsley as I thought. Nevertheless, it was really delicious. The spicing is prominent and works well with the otherwise blank canvas (bland) turkey. I baked the meatballs before simmering in the tomato sauce flavored with browned onion, garlic, saffron and cinnamon. Served with couscous and roasted cauliflower/chickpeas/carrots tossed with EVOO and ras al hanout/ garlic. This was one to add into the rotation. Loved by all.
Just a quick cautionary note to all of you using ground chicken or turkey thinking it’s a healthier, low-fat option.
Check the fat content against that of beef hamburg. Many ground poultry products contain the skin. When I was in Costco one time, I was ready to purchase ground chicken until I checked more closely.
I was alarmed to find that the fat content of the ground chicken was nearly that of beef. Unless the ground poultry product contains only the white meat and nothing else, you’re fine.
Otherwise check more closely.
FRIDAY LUNCH. A simple spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and fresh sautéed mussels and of course a favorite Neapolitan Pizza with double cheese ! A true sin galore … And a lovely white wine however, I had 2 glasses of a wonderful tinto (red). Phenomenal foccacia too.
Jimmy, I’m looking at your middle photo and wondering, how is this setup improve just tossing those veg on a cookie sheet and in the oven? Or is it that you did your ham on the grill and wanted a one stop shop cooking method? With both a cookie sheet and a tin pan between your goodies and the fire, it wouldn’t seem like they’d get any real grill flavor to them? But I’m just speculating…
Multi meal planning tonight. Our son and a few hungry gents had at this dish before I realize the pot pie would go poof. So, my meal was a tofu-broccoli-onion-rice medley stir fry with citron tea. Then, I sent the boys out for chefs beer.
Excellent meal at a friend’s house last night. He made a Caprese salad and James Beard’s London Broil Oriental which produces a rich gravy of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. On the side were garlic mashed potatoes and carrots sautéed in lime butter. We brought my garlic butter (no vampires tonight) and BF’s homemade rolls and bread pudding with brandy cream sauce. The setting was a beautiful candlelit screen house.
Dinner was takey-outy from a local BBQ van in Bethel. (We’ll cook tomorrow.) Pulled pork, pork ribs (sauces on the side), corn on the cob, potato salad, and coleslaw. I had wine.
