What is/was for dinner?

[Huntn]

Actually, I rather like raw beef, and will readily tuck into (good quality with proven provenance) steak tartare. When eating steak, I choose to have it served and prepared rare, very rare.

I love rare meat. I’ve been known to take a glob of raw hamburger, salt it and pop it in my mouth. Not much different than eating a rare steak, all a matter of degrees. I was not trying to make a case that meat smells bad, but it has a distinct smell, that maybe someone like vegans might find disagreeable.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Setting out the ingredients (I've been consulting recipes, and have three to hand) for a Spanish/Portuguese dish of monkfish and paella rice.

Paella rice, onions, garlic, pimentón (Spanish sweet smoked paprika), saffron, tomatoes, roasted Spanish peppers, white wine, stock, anchovies (for the stock), and chilli. Salt & pepper.

And, of course, monkfish.

Will start the preparations in the next hour or so.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Actually, I have been consulting five separate (but quite similar) recipes for this dish.

 

[anika200]

Actually, I have been consulting five separate (but quite similar) recipes for this dish.

From the youtube video I have watched it looks pretty simple, add everything to a 3 feet wide paella pan which is being heated by a very hot wood fire stir and bubble until done.

 

[yaxomoxay]

Might be a good night for a T-Bone...

 

[Scepticalscribe]

From the youtube video I have watched it looks pretty simple, add everything to a 3 feet wide paella pan which is being heated by a very hot wood fire stir and bubble until done.

I'm more literal, in that I read instructions, rather than watch them.

However, I read several different versions of a similar recipe to see if there is anything drastically different I need to pay heed to - or pay close attention to - in nay of them.

Usually, the version I prepare will be some sort of amalgam of the various recipes that I feel I like (and can master really enough).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Setting out the ingredients (I've been consulting recipes, and have three to hand) for a Spanish/Portuguese dish of monkfish and paella rice.

Paella rice, onions, garlic, pimentón (Spanish sweet smoked paprika), saffron, tomatoes, roasted Spanish peppers, white wine, stock, anchovies (for the stock), and chilli. Salt & pepper.

And, of course, monkfish.

Will start the preparations in the next hour or so.

Finally, prepared (and consumed) this meal - hosting my mother's carer and her friend - and can state that it was delicious.

 

[LizKat]

Dinner was based on a salad recipe I got from a website about California avocados.... it has avocado,cooked grains that I prepare ahead and keep around in summer for salads, (freekeh, lentils, chickpeas), some radishes, scallions, mint, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice and zest, black pepper, salt to taste depending on how the grains were cooked.

https://www.californiaavocado.com/r...eh-lentil-salad-with-chickpeas-and-ca-avocado

Their photo is nicer than mine would have been had I paused before diving in.

​

So my avocado happened to be from sunny Peru not sunny Cali, but otherwise I more or less stuck to the spirit of the recipe. Any recipe that falls into my hands gets adapted in short order, so I wouldn't swear to my version being the same any more. I do use chickpeas cooked from scratch because I prefer them to the canned. Also I was making food for one person and using one avocado (or the part I could resist snacking on, gee) and leftover cooked grains so my proportions were, uh... however it looked to be shaping up as I went along. Typical casual approach to the kitchen in summer, what can I say. This is a refreshing dish and makes up quickly as long as you have the cooked grains on hand in the fridge. You can substitute or add more protein, e.g. chicken or grilled tofu. If I do that I leave off the mint and may put parsley or cilantro sometimes, and reduce the Dijon a bit.

 

[anika200]

would have been had I paused before diving in.

I always do this too, probably a good thing not to have food photos on ones mind all the time anyway.

Oh the dish looks and sounds delicious.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Organic free range eggs, poached, this evening.

Mulling over Palermo salad recipes - or something akin to ratatouille - for tomorrow.

 

[LizKat]

A quick teriyaki noodle dish is on the horizon: some soba noodles cooked, set aside and then tossed with teriyaki sauce into a stir fry of broccoli and tofu, I usually add a dash of red pepper flake just before serving. Finally got an August evening cool and breezy enough to make the idea of a hot dish seem quite appealing.

Now the trick is to remember to use up for lunch tomorrow the guacamole I had made early this morning when I thought it was going to be hot and humid tonight. So much for the worth of a 6am weather forecast for halfway around the darn clock.

 

[anika200]

Venison, herb, corn, orzo, cheese stuffed peppers with fresh tomato sauce. As a separate project ??? (too much meat for the peppers) I also made meatballs and cooked them off on top the main dish.



Getting started on the hot coals.





Finished product, meatballs were gone in no time.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Monkfish poached in milk with leeks, and a few cloves of garlic, the stock started with anchovies dissolved in butter; thinly sliced roasted potatoes and French beans.

The latter were boiled swiftly for a few minutes, drained, rinsed in very cold water, then added to a pan with melted butter, finely diced shallots and garlic, and sautéed for a few minutes.

 

[0388631]

What's the milk do?

Coincidentally, I baked a large salmon with herbs and butter in the cavity. Salad on the side with steamed golden beets.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

What's the milk do?

Coincidentally, I baked a large salmon with herbs and butter in the cavity. Salad on the side with steamed golden beets.

Gently poaches it.

To be honest, having tried it with monkfish (and the poached leeks did give it a nice flavour), I have to say that I think poaching in milk is ever better when you have a smoked fish, such as, say, smoked haddock.

And it is very good as a base for rich chowders.

Sometimes, when preparing chowder, I will use ordinary stock and add double cream shortly before serving the dish.

 

[D.T.]

Coincidentally, I baked a large salmon with herbs and butter in the cavity. Salad on the side with steamed golden beets.

Pics?

 

[0388631]

Pics?

I'm not sure I can post the aftermath of a bowel movement? I regret not cutting the head off and using it for soup stock AKA chuck it in a bag into the freezer for later.

There is truly large salmon but it's obscene to buy it on its own, and most places fillet it. Maybe 2-3 feet long. I wanted to buy one two Easters ago because we had family over but found out you had to reserve it a few weeks ahead otherwise buy fillets, with or without skin.


Edit: Did you mean the beets? I got them at either Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.
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Gently poaches it.

To be honest, having tried it with monkfish (and the poached leeks did give it a nice flavour), I have to say that I think poaching in milk is ever better when you have a smoked fish, such as, say, smoked haddock.

And it is very good as a base for rich chowders.

Sometimes, when preparing chowder, I will use ordinary stock and add double cream shortly before serving the dish.

And do you dump the milk afterward or add cream and a roux to it to thicken it up? I made that smoked fish chowder you recommended a year or two ago, but it was a recipe I'd found online and don't recall poaching an already cold smoked fish.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I'm not sure I can post the aftermath of a bowel movement? I regret not cutting the head off and using it for soup stock AKA chuck it in a bag into the freezer for later.
[doublepost=1566390689][/doublepost]
And do you dump the milk afterward or add cream and a roux to it to thicken it up? I made that smoked fish chowder you recommended a year or two ago, but it was a recipe I'd found online and don't recall poaching an already cold smoked fish.

Usually, when I prepare chowder, I prepare it with a water based stock, but milk works exceptionally well when preparing both chowder, and smoked fish.

 

[0388631]

Usually, when I prepare chowder, I prepare it with a water based stock, but milk works exceptionally well when preparing both chowder, and smoked fish.

Interesting. I'll probably make it again if it gets cold enough. About the heartiest dish I'll make during a cold day is a three alarm chili con carne or a healthier option like chicken chili verde. Green hot pepper goes so well with chicken and citrus.

 

[D.T.]

@Zenithal Yes, please refrain from posting toilet photos ... Of course, I meant the dish, post-prep, pre-eating, I was thinking the salmon with the golden beets was visually pretty outstanding.

We don't eat beets that often, but when we go here:

https://aquagrill.net/

We almost always get their beet salad:

Spinach + Roasted Beet Salad
red + golden beets - carrot - red onion goat cheese - granny smith apples - toasted almonds - warm bacon vinaigrette

(that place is fantastic)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Interesting. I'll probably make it again if it gets cold enough. About the heartiest dish I'll make during a cold day is a three alarm chili con carne or a healthier option like chicken chili verde. Green hot pepper goes so well with chicken and citrus.

What is a three alarm chilli con carne?

I do a rather tasty chilli con carne myself, one that is reserved for really cold and miserable days.

 

[0388631]

@Zenithal Yes, please refrain from posting toilet photos ... Of course, I meant the dish, post-prep, pre-eating, I was thinking the salmon with the golden beets was visually pretty outstanding.

We don't eat beets that often, but when we go here:

https://aquagrill.net/

We almost always get their beet salad:

Spinach + Roasted Beet Salad
red + golden beets - carrot - red onion goat cheese - granny smith apples - toasted almonds - warm bacon vinaigrette

(that place is fantastic)

Red onion goat cheese? Is that a housemade cheese or soft goats cheese blended with raw or caramelized red onion? Beets are a hit or miss for us. Sometimes the entire batch a store gets can have a mineral or salty flavor, other times it's very sweet. Red onion with balsamic vinegar tarts are pretty damn amazing. Though taste varies depending on how you cook the onions.


Onions caramelized to some extent with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey, salt and pepper, and a splash of tart vinegar at the end goes really well with a flaky buttery dough or if you bought puff pastry or phyllo dough and shaped it into a tart base. The latter of which should repel moisture a decent amount. Sliced goat cheese a minute before finishing it off in the oven to warm it up.

What is a three alarm chilli con carne?

A lot of fiery peppers and some adobo peppers. For beans, because I will commit sacrilege and use beans, I prefer black beans and peruanos.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Red onion goat cheese? Is that a housemade cheese or soft goats cheese blended with raw or caramelized red onion? Beets are a hit or miss for us. Sometimes the entire batch a store gets can have a mineral or salty flavor, other times it's very sweet. Red onion with balsamic vinegar tarts are pretty damn amazing. Though taste varies depending on how you cook the onions.


Onions caramelized to some extent with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey, salt and pepper, and a splash of tart vinegar at the end goes really well with a flaky buttery dough or if you bought puff pastry or phyllo dough and shaped it into a tart base. The latter of which should repel moisture a decent amount. Sliced goat cheese a minute before finishing it off in the oven to warm it up.


A lot of fiery peppers and some adobo peppers. For beans, because I will commit sacrilege and use beans, I prefer black beans and peruanos.

Ah, those onion and goat's cheese tarts - I have had them (nay, devoured them greedily) in good French bistros - are an object of pure joy to behold.

The other tart of that kind that I adore is the classic pissaladière.

And of course, classic tart tatin.

 

[0388631]

Ah, those onion and goat's cheese tarts - I have had them (nay, devoured them greedily) in good French bistros - are an object of pure joy to behold.

The other tart of that kind that I adore is the classic pissaladière.

And of course, classic tart tatin.

I love a quality sardine in a sandwich. A bit of mayonnaise, preferably one I've made that day, just melds so perfectly and brings out a creaminess in the sardines that you wouldn't otherwise get. I prefer a brand called Season which does certified wild catching and sustainable methodry for their sardines. A pat on my back moment, if you will. Otherwise, the best tasting ones are probably Spanish and Moroccan.

Anchovies are nice, too, provided I can find a brand I like. The last 300 gram jar I bought of them lasted several months kept in the back of the fridge. A little bit goes a long way unless it's central to a dish. Such as your tart.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I love a quality sardine in a sandwich. A bit of mayonnaise, preferably one I've made that day, just melds so perfectly and brings out a creaminess in the sardines that you wouldn't otherwise get. I prefer a brand called Season which does certified wild catching and sustainable methodry for their sardines. A pat on my back moment, if you will. Otherwise, the best tasting ones are probably Spanish and Moroccan.

Anchovies are nice, too, provided I can find a brand I like. The last 300 gram jar I bought of them lasted several months kept in the back of the fridge. A little bit goes a long way unless it's central to a dish. Such as your tart.

For sardines, tinned tuna, and anchovies, I usually buy the excellent Ortiz (from the Basque region in Spain) brand, or, occasionally, anchovies from the French company Micéli.