That looks heavenly. I love when the top cheese layer gets a little crispy.Baked ziti with spicy homemade ragu
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What is/was for dinner?
- Thread starter Gutwrench
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You didn't cook the polenta enough prior to putting it on your "pie." You need to let is cool down so it thickens up, then while still spreadable you can put it on your "pie." Albers is cornmeal. It isn't masa. Masa is another variety of corn called hominy that's treated with lime and sold as masa de harina. Famous brands you've seen are probably Ma Se Ce in the iconic green, white and yellow package.
There's a few ways of making polenta. A more liquid version is what you'd get at a restaurant with a thick stew on top, for example. Polenta in the form you wanted is cooked even further until little apparent moisture is seen. As it cools down it "gels," quicker if it had a binder like dairy, such as cheese.
There's a few ways of making polenta. A more liquid version is what you'd get at a restaurant with a thick stew on top, for example. Polenta in the form you wanted is cooked even further until little apparent moisture is seen. As it cools down it "gels," quicker if it had a binder like dairy, such as cheese.
I hear ya. I've tried using different cornmeals for mine and it usually doesn't turn out as well. I have never tried Mexican masa, (which is often very fine), but the dishes I've eaten with masa usually have the right texture. Like I said, though, I've had my best results with the crappy, mass produced Quaker brand. I just salt it up and usually top it with cheddar when it bakes.
Which is weird because I've used Albers a lot. In fact, it's the only coarseness I prefer for polenta. I either suspect he didn't cook his enough or he picked up the wrong variety of Albers.
I've never run across Albers. I used some Bob's Red Mill cornmeal a couple of months ago and it just would not set up. It was supposed to be a more medium grind, but it was pretty fine, to my eyes. I have used Abitt's (from NC) and the Weisenberger Mills cornmeal that I use for everything else to varying degrees of success. But the cheap mass produced stuff seems to set up better. Wish I knew why.
I think it's a regional brand. I suspect it's like most cornmeal brands relabeling same sourced material as their own. I have never heard of the two brands you bring up. Bob's Red Mill is a brand I've used for other things, but I generally don't like most of their products. Arrowhead Mills is better and "cheaper" since they're not spending a fortune on advertising.
I think Hoosier Hill had cornmeal at one time, but I'm not sure. I use some of their products. I usually cook polenta until it's very thick and cool it down to fry or bake depending on what the end goal is. If it's savory like a baked gnocchi it'll get savory ingredients. However, often times I cook it with sweet in mind. I add the sugar at the very end so it doesn't scorch. However, dairy, butter and spices earlier on. Once it sets for 12-24 hours, I slice it up, let it dry in the refrigerator on a rack and then fry it up in butter or a neutral oil. Serve with sweet berries, chocolate sauce, or ice cream.
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Last nights dinner was beef tenderloins with a mushroom cream sauce, fresh off the grill with a Parmesan risotto. The risotto was nothing special, but the fillets turned out very nice. These were ungraded tenderloins my local grocer sold a couple of weeks ago. After trimming them and cutting 5 fillets out, I still have about 3#'s of really nice tenderloin "scrap" left over. Tonight's dinner is going to be 1/2 pound 80/20 burgers and tater tots.
This forum, which would be handy for this thread, needs a "drooly" like/response 
Basmati rice.
And, a homemade hot and sour stock/broth: (Organic) diced and sliced carrots, onions, courgette (zucchini), mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, a thumb or two of ginger, a red chilli pepper, some lime leaves, lemongrass, fish sauce, a dessertspoon or two of unami paste (with chilli and ginger), soya sauce, black pepper, sea salt, and a little oyster sauce. Plus vegetable stock.
And, a homemade hot and sour stock/broth: (Organic) diced and sliced carrots, onions, courgette (zucchini), mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, a thumb or two of ginger, a red chilli pepper, some lime leaves, lemongrass, fish sauce, a dessertspoon or two of unami paste (with chilli and ginger), soya sauce, black pepper, sea salt, and a little oyster sauce. Plus vegetable stock.
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The same hot and sour stock/broth as yesterday (I had prepared a sufficient quantity for two days), plus freshly cooked basmati rice, plus stir fried white cabbage with sliced onion and lots of garlic, - and a dash of both soya sauce and fish sauce - which had been parboiled first.
Very tasty.
Southern Turkish style cabbage rolls. Was very good, with fresh mint, plenty of garlic and lamb.
ozlemsturkishtable.com
Rolled Cabbage Leaves with Bulgur filling; Bulgurlu Lahana Sarma | Ozlem's Turkish Table
We love stuffed vegetables, dolmas in Turkish cuisine and I have a soft spot for this delicious stuffed cabbage leaves with bulgur, onions and ground meat, Bulgurlu Lahana Sarmasi…
ozlemsturkishtable.com
Double marinated mojo pork is in the oven right now. Got the recipe from Roy Choi who was the chef behind the movie chef.
thechefshow.com
Later on tonight we will all be making cubano sandwiches.
Recipe for Roast Mojo Pork — The Chef Show
Full recipe and steps for Roast Mojo Pork from The Chef Show on Netflix.
thechefshow.com
Later on tonight we will all be making cubano sandwiches.
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A perennial classic: Sautéed bacon (artisan butcher, both streaky and back bacon rashers), organic tomatoes, and organic, free range eggs.
Well that is making me hungry, still at work but have some leftover stirfry at home. Brocolli, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers and chili paste with tofu and thick soy sauce. I was careful to cook the veggie just to crispness as the previous time they were too soft. Basmati rice accompanying.
Actually, it was delicious, and was devoured wth an embarrassing, greedy, speed.
What, no grilling pictures from the holiday yesterday.
Brautwurst, peppers onions.
Potato salad made with 2OZ anchovies, capers, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. It turned out nice might be our new goto potato salad when in a hurry.
Our usual salad has a sauce made from egg yokes, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise etc... so is pretty labor intensive.
Brautwurst, peppers onions.
Potato salad made with 2OZ anchovies, capers, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. It turned out nice might be our new goto potato salad when in a hurry.
Our usual salad has a sauce made from egg yokes, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise etc... so is pretty labor intensive.
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What?? You are gonna do all that and then get some box store Swiss?Cubanos came out
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What do you do with the tomatoes in such a situation? It all sounds fantastic by the way.
Actually, if I had had them to hand, sausages would have been added, but, as it happened, they were still in the freezer.
The bacon, eggs, and tomatoes were all sautéed in olive oil, in a large, commodious, copper Italian pan; they were devoured with embarrassing - and greedy - speed.
Bacon first, then tomatoes added, the bacon removed (tomatoes still in place, but turned) and the eggs cracked in, and covered, the tomatoes removed when I checked on the eggs, at the half way stage, - to 'sunny side up', or, whites solid, and yolks still lovely and orange and runny.
In truth, I had debated roasting the tomatoes separately in the oven - that had been the first plan - but an afternoon nap, a snatched afternoon nap - on that lovely warm spot on the sofa directly where the sun was shining, just like a cat - meant that I realised that I had run out of time, (for roasting tomatoes, for this takes the best part of an hour) when I awoke, or I would be compelled to delay dinner by the best part of an hour, should I have chosen to have availed of that option.
Tonight, as I had noticed yesterday, that I am more than amply supplied with bacon - I sautéed more bacon, and served it with toasted rye-bread, sliced and seasoned organic tomatoes, a homemade mayo (mixed with two types of mustard, classic English, Colman's, and a sweet French fig mustard); simple, but delicious.
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I think I'm snacking my way through the dinner hour. A couple olives here, a little piece of cheese, now thinking maybe some eggs on some wilted spinach... all I'll need is someone to yell "stop!" pretty soon.
I'll come by and yell "MORE!!"
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We had the delicious sliders we do about once a week, great fresh buns from the grocery, awesome clean sourced sirloin, lots of pickles, made properly in a cast iron skillet (keep the burgers off the grill people!)
We refer to them as "Panic Burgers", meaning probably not obvious, but it makes us chuckle
You sound like my 15 year old cat. 😸 Hmm, what is Milo doing right now probably not cooking dinner either.