What is/was for dinner?

[D.T.]

Hey this sounds super cool, I just had the most awesome dry rub wings in a bar the other night.
Hmmm, I have never looked into air friers. Are there features to look for if buying one? Is there a good name brand you could mention.

I really like the idea of not oil frying in the house to make wings, I usually double fry my wings to get the sauce soaking and crispy wing.

You know, when we decided to get one, I just found the best mix of price + reviews on Amazon, there seemed to be a sweet spot around $60-70. Funny thing, is 90% of the products are the same device, just rebranded under some totally unknown company

Our first one crapped out like a week before the year warranty was up, a few exchanges through Amazon messaging with the supplier (and some funny / confusing language moments ... one exchange they were so apologetic, it sounded like they were going to kill themselves ...) and they sent us a brand new one! So I figure if it goes another year, that wasn't bad for the initial price.

FWIW, this is the exact one we have (in red):

Amazon.com: : Kitchen & Dining

Amazon.com: : Kitchen & Dining

www.amazon.com

There's some higher end options, heck, we use our so much we were considering something like a much larger Cuisinart (which is still only $150). When you follow the link above, you'll see it's like an egg, it'll hold 8 wings at a time, a whole, small-ish chicken, a decent amount of bacon (it's a amazing bacon cooker), makes pretty outstanding fries too. Not unlike oil based frying you can't really crowd stuff up too much, you want all areas exposed to the air, and they don't really work with any kind of wet batter, even something like breadcrumbs, it tends to burn and dry out.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sushi, which I love unreservedly.

 

[RootBeerMan]

The family went out for sushi. I also had miso soup and a shrimp tempura appetiser.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The family went out for sushi. I also had miso soup and a shrimp tempura appetiser.

I just love miso soup, and a shrimp tempura sounds wonderful. Do enjoy.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sautéed, free range, organic eggs purchased yesterday at the farmers' market.

 

[anika200]

Sautéed, free range, organic eggs purchased yesterday at the farmers' market.

What is a Sauteed egg? Cooked medium heat until tender? Ha could not seem to make the little ' mark on my keyboard. User error no doubt.

 

[justlexi]

Pesto pasta with shrimp and garlic bread.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

What is a Sauteed egg? Cooked medium heat until tender? Ha could not seem to make the little ' mark on my keyboard. User error no doubt.

Basically, a French verb for "frying'; you'll see it used in cook books.

Pesto pasta with shrimp and garlic bread.

View attachment 865041

Looks absolutely delicious.

 

[Apple fanboy]

My usual Mediterranean crispy salad with a baby bell cheese thing.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My usual Mediterranean crispy salad with a baby bell cheese thing.

On a day like today?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Preparing for this evening's dinner.

This will be a lamb dish based on a recipe in Miriam González Durántez's excellent cook book; already the potatoes are peeled and soaking (the stupid spell check wanted to try to tell me that the potatoes were "smoking"), and the peeled and chopped garlic and onions are in their respective dishes, awaiting attention.

Peas are to hand, as is stock and white wine.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The leg of lamb steaks have been browned and are sitting in their stock (a mix of stock and white wine, with sautééd onions and a minced - and sautéed - head of garlic), simmering away.

Meanwhile, I am browning some sliced, peeled potatoes (everything is organic); they will join the lamb and stock - along with a generous helping of peas - the only thing that is not organic - in around 45-50 minutes for a final few minutes.

Already, the aroma is divine.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The leg of lamb steaks have been browned and are sitting in their stock (a mix of stock and white wine, with sautééd onions and a minced - and sautéed - head of garlic), simmering away.

Meanwhile, I am browning some sliced, peeled potatoes (everything is organic); they will join the lamb and stock - along with a generous helping of peas - the only thing that is not organic - in around 45-50 minutes for a final few minutes.

Already, the aroma is divine.

And, an addendum: This was delicious.

The lamb had been simmering away (after the chops were browned a little in olive oil and butter) for - closer to a hour and twenty minutes than the 40-50 minutes the recipe suggested; but, it was seriously quite lovely. I added chopped parsley to the plate when serving myself; French table cloth, proper table mats, solid leather coasters, serious cotton French napkins purchased in Charles de Gaulle airport 15 years ago, proper cutlery and crockery - Waterford crystal for both water and wine - even when your sole dining companion is yourself, a good meal is an occasion to be savoured.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Reading Spanish recipes for chicken and rice.

 

[anika200]

Chicken pot pie soup with dumplings. First try with this combined and twisted recipe and considered edible by all two of us.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Dinner was pasta with blue cheese sauce and mixed salad greens with a robust dressing (olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, ground sea salt, ground black pepper, some organic sugar, French mustard, two crushed cloves of garlic) of my own devising; four different blue cheeses - Roquefort, two types of Gorgonzola and some Stilton, along with some raw, organic double cream - comprised the blue cheese sauce.

 

[LizKat]

Just finished cooking up some chickpeas. Some of them will land in tonight's supper, something meant to brighten up the end of a grey autumn Sunday: farfalle (bow-ties or butterfly pasta) cooked al dente then drizzled with olive oil and tossed with cooked chickpeas, chopped blanched broccoli florets, some sautéed minced garlic, an assertive dash of red pepper flake, generous parmesan or romano cheese at table. Served alongside a basket of some crusty bread that's sliced up, rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, brushed lightly with olive oil and run under the broiler for long enough to pick up a little color.

 

[0388631]

Was watching some hilarious reactionary videos last night and decided to make some cacio e pepe for lunch. Didn't have any dry pasta on hand so it was easier to make it by hand rather than deal with the weekend crowd at the grocers.

I often recommend people, if they use dry pasta, to opt for De Cecco or Garofalo instead of highly marketed Barilla. For some pasta varieties you do have to buy dry because it would be impossible to make at home. De Cecco and Garofalo use better ingredients and are made using bronze extruders and surfaces. They give a roughness to the surface of the pasta that allows flavor to cling to it rather than slip off.

 

[decafjava]

I do like De Cecco pasta quite a bit. I also have discovered some interesting regional pasta from the Savoy region of France including some interesting buckwheat versions. I was invited for baked dorade fish tonight, another favourite.

 

[0388631]

I do like De Cecco pasta quite a bit. I also have discovered some interesting regional pasta from the Savoy region of France including some interesting buckwheat versions. I was invited for baked dorade fish tonight, another favourite.

I'd sooner consider that a soba noodle rather than a pasta. I buy organic egg noodles from Costco. Our Costco carries a German one, Bechtle. They also carry other egg based noodles I enjoy a lot. Being where we live, it's very easy to find good import for very cheap due to the large expat community. Can't say the same for elsewhere except maybe NYC and Seattle.

Costco sells organic Garofalo for very cheap compared to other stores. And have no customer limit. When I see it in stock, I pick up about 10 combination packs of of it. Which is about 70 lb of pasta for under $80-90 depending on the price for that time period.

Kerrygold is dead cheap, too. I'll usually clean the unsalted out, Wultrich if anything and pick up the in-house organic sweet (unsaulted) butter.

 

[Gutwrench]

And, an addendum: This was delicious.

The lamb had been simmering away (after the chops were browned a little in olive oil and butter) for - closer to a hour and twenty minutes than the 40-50 minutes the recipe suggested; but, it was seriously quite lovely. I added chopped parsley to the plate when serving myself; French table cloth, proper table mats, solid leather coasters, serious cotton French napkins purchased in Charles de Gaulle airport 15 years ago, proper cutlery and crockery - Waterford crystal for both water and wine - even when your sole dining companion is yourself, a good meal is an occasion to be savoured.

It sounds lovely and tasty.

I make leg of lamb on the grill about once every two years. It’s so delicious. I don‘t know why I don’t make it more often. I think my favorite part is the board dressing. 😋

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I have been attempting to track down andouille sausages without success until today, when an artisan butcher (located by the internet - seriously, some of what modern life offers is simply amazing - and - subsequently, by telephone, a most enthusiastic discussion) agreed to send me some that he has made.

He also urged me to try his chorizo (totally natural) and salami, and I succumbed.

I should receive these tomorrow by special delivery, and that means I can explore jambalaya and gumbo recipes in the coming weeks.

Today, however, it shall be organic, free range chicken, and Spanish (bomba) rice, peas, chorizo, garlic, saffron, onions and red and green peppers (diced), stock - in other words, some sort of take on paella.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It sounds lovely and tasty.

I make leg of lamb on the grill about once every two years. It’s so delicious. I don‘t know why I don’t make it more often. I think my favorite part is the board dressing. 😋

My father loved lamb, as did my grandmother on my mother's side.

However, my mother (bless her) couldn't stand it - and, for that matter, my brother doesn't much care for it.

Therefore, whenever my grandmother was around (she passed when I was a small child), or, while my father lived, lamb featured on the menu, more often still if Mother was away, as whenever Mother headed off somewhere on her cultural tips, he would request that lamb feature on the menu, every day preferably, while she was away, and I had no trouble complying with his request.

However, since my father passed away, 15 years ago, lamb hardly ever appeared, as Mother Didn't Like It. Now, sausages, on the other hand......Mother adored sausages. And roast chicken. And pork.

But, these days, I have only myself to please from a culinary perspective, and can actually indulge some fancies or possible preferences.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Just received a call from the artisan butcher who makes the andouille sausages to let me know that my order is packaged up, and to confirm my address and obtain my credit card details.

He also asked that I contact him to let him know how the andouille sausages work out when I prepare gumbo or jambalaya with them, a lovely, enthusiastic guy, keen to advise on how to keep his produce in best condition, and how to cook or serve it.

I love chatting with (and dealing with) people like that, people who are proud of what they produce and delighted and enthusiastic when you get in touch with them to discuss purchasing and preparation.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Chicken paella (with garlic, onions, red and green pepper, peas, tomatoes, pimentón - Spanish sweet smoked paprika, saffron, stock, and Bomba Spanish rice).