So, this is the best meal I’ve made in a long time. Crab cakes using a recipe from Jacques Pepin as a guide. Crab meat, mayo, breadcrumbs, green onion, salt, and pepper. That’s it. While forming them, I was concerned about the lack of egg yolk as a binding agent but forged ahead anyway. They ended up crumbly, but perfectly light and fluffy-- the kind you would die for in a restaurant. The simplicity of the recipe and lack of filler and unnecessary ingredients highlighted the sweetness and tenderness of the crab. Sautéing in butter and olive oil also added more flavor and a nice crust. Best crab cakes I’ve ever had. Served over a remoulade and with a side tomato and avocado salad. Summer is winding down and this is the perfect meal to enjoy before the solstice sets in.
I’m always interested in the crab people use. Did you use canned, or did you get picked lump at the fish counter? If I could find a crab that I could afford and liked the taste of, I’d do crab cakes sometimes. I’ve tried the large black can from Costco at my parents and didn’t love it.
Entertaining friends. I made Uncle Bill’s slow-cooked ragu with sausage, ground beef, roasted red peppers, and black olives, served over rigatoni. Green salad with shallot vinaigrette, garlic knots, buttered broccolini, and espresso and bakery cupcakes for dessert.
Busy, insane week.
It never stops.
Out at 5 on the dot. (Rare)
Because…
Flu shot at 5:30.
Home.
Cats fed.
Changed into comfy clothes.
Wine.
Wine.
Friday dinner.
In that order.
Works for me.
Large steak tip seasoned with a mix of olive oil, s/p, some very old Spice Hunter Key Lime Pepper Blend (but still limey and peppery enough), and some lime juice. Cooked on the grill pan; finished in the oven.
Half a baked tater with TPSTOB&SC and asparagus alongside.
Mrs. P made grilled shrimp salad with grilled figs, arugula, and various fruits for herself and Cajun dry rubbed country ribs with sautéed homegrown peppers for me. She also made guacamole with Zapps Voodoo chips. It all went great with an excellent California Malbec.
Stir-fried eggs with velvet shrimp. For guidance I use Grace Young’s Stir Frying To The Sky’s Edge (one of my all-time favorite cookbooks), but you can find the recipe on-line here.
BF cooked again (should i even be allowed on here anymore???) - I found a recipe for Tau Yew Bak because I googled braised pork belly and came up with a simple one that we had almost all the ingredients for. Absolutely delicious. He made use of a bottle of kecap manis i bought months ago that I don’t think I’d ever used. Such complex flavors for so few ingredients - tons of garlic, light and dark soy… I know there are more involved recipes out there, which i will try, but this one is a keeper.
TGIF! I’ve always wondered how you make such a beautiful half of a baked potato (as opposed to a half baked potato lol). What do you do with the other half?
If I make two steak tips, I’ll heat up the other half tater in the countertop convection oven while I reheat the other steak tip. Or I’ll chop it up and fry it for home fries for a Sunday breakfast with eggs and toast (and bacon if I pulled some out).
A few months ago, I actually thought that perhaps BF was trying out dishes as practice for a professional gig. He certainly has the chops, literally and figuratively.
