What's for Dinner?

[GreginND]

Nice, Greg!

As you may recall, you inspired me to start a couple of one-quart batches shortly after you. One was pure Jalapeno, and the other incorporated a bunch of habeneros for a bit more punch. I am about to puree them into sauce, and I wanted to ask you how much vinegar you decided to use? I may just copy you rather than test and tweak.

I don't measure. It depends on how much brine is there. I add cider vinegar until the consistency is thin enough to be sauce like.

 

[sour_grapes]

Looks wonderful, John!

]The Oysters were very fresh and delicious. We ended up eating through 6 dozen of them between all of us.

One of my father's oft-used jokes was to complain: "What a rip off! I ate a dozen oysters, and only 5 of them worked!"

 

[sour_grapes]

We had a semi-special occasion in the Grapes household this evening, so I left work an hour early to whip up some good grub. The main course was cinghiale, although I made it with pork shoulder, not wild boar. Wonderful stuff, with a soffrito, and mushrooms ('bellas and dried porcini), onions, San Marzano tomatoes, etc. Served over linguine (damn local big-box grocer does not carry pappardelle). I made a side dish of Romano beans and leeks braised in chicken stock, and an appetizer of deep-fried artichoke hears smothered with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and doused with truffle oil.

Perhaps the star of the show was a 2005 Brunello di Montalcino. Probably nothing to write home about, but it really complemented and filled out this Tuscan meal.

 

[ceeaton]

Nothing fancy, just trying to figure out what to do with the plethora of leftovers now that my oldest son (and biggest eater) has flown the coop. (Note to self, don't need a 6 lb chicken anymore to smoke, go for the smaller dudes/gals). Had leftover linguini from chicken parm on Saturday. Leftover chicken from a smoked beer can w/o the beer chicken on Sunday. Some green peppers and carrots that were not long for this world and a shallot that was soon to sprout. Made a mild thai peanut sauce. Added some hot peppers in my dish separate so that my wife could enjoy. Actually turned out pretty well and the smoked flavor component of the chicken didn't fight the peanut sauce but actually enhanced it!

 

[geek]

Salmon with potatoes.

 

[sour_grapes]

This is not what *I* had for dinner. This is what Steve ( @vacuumpumpman ) had for dinner. This comes from the October meeting of the Wisconsin Vintners' Association, where Steve was the guest of honor. The second picture shows my dinner, which was a schnitzel covered in sauteed onions and mushrooms.

 

[sour_grapes]

Before I forget, this is from yesterday. It was a NY Strip steak, nice and thick. I dry-brined it, then seared it and served with a compound butter with dill and thyme. We also enjoyed roasted Delicato squash, and red kale + onions braised in chicken stock.

 

[Boatboy24]

Wifey not feeling well, so my dinner plans were put on hold. The boys and I ordered Papa Johns instead.

 

[sour_grapes]

A few days ago I told you I made cinghiale. I had bought a small pork shoulder to supply a bit over a pound of cubes of pork for this dish. What to do with the rest of the shoulder?

Last night, we came home wet and tired from a long week and a rainy walk home. We were casting about for ideas so that we didn't have to go to the store. I was trying to think of a way to use the pork shoulder, but that did not take a long cooking time. I got it! Pork schnitzel! (Or Wiener Schnitzel vom Schweinfleisch). I cut thin shoulder cutlets, trimmed the fat, pounded them thinner, dredged in flour, egg wash, panko, into shallow oil to fry. I also made smashed 'taters (simmered, smashed, and refried), and leftover braised kale from earlier in the week. I even had some lemon wedges and parsley already cut -- it was like it was meant to be.

I still had a bit of the shoulder on the bone this morning. That went into the Northern beans for today's dinner!

Here is last night (dinner today is still in the future):

 

[Boatboy24]

My wife nixed my plans for chicken parm tonight, saying she just wanted to fix herself something light. Oldest is at a b-day party, so it's pretty much just me (my youngest is easy and will eat just about anything). Picked up some Prime NY strips at Costco yesterday and individually sealed them for freezer storage. The biggest one came out earlier and has been in the SV bath for about 90 minutes. Not sure what I'm going to do with it when it comes out shortly, but it'll be grill or CI pan. Have a Caesar Salad ready to go and to make the little guy happy, I'll throw on some tots.

 

[Boatboy24]

OMG it was good! My wife, who was a med-well tenderloin snob when I married her tried some. Her response was "this is better than most filets - when you use that 'precooker' the steaks come out so great". Seasoned it up with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and some dried marjoram after about two hours in the SV at 130F. Then seared about two minutes per side on the gasser. Not all barrels firing on the grill, but it was still showing about 570F. All I had with it was a Caesar Salad. Washed down with a 2013 Columbia Crest Coyote Canyon Syrah. Good night.

 

[ibglowin]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjQtzV9IZ0Q[/ame]

 

[ceeaton]

Away closing up our cabin for the winter with my younger brother. Weather wasn't bad but improved through the weekend. Of course today was beautiful, but it is a travel day. Friday we did a grilled mushroom pizza on my brothers Lodge grill pan (later did some bacon on it too, very nice to cook on). And on Friday I assembled a new grilling "toy" my brother bought so we could take an old smoker to the dump. A 22" Weber Original Kettle grill. I think you could cook about anything except for maybe a large pig. Fired up some beef and pork ribs plus some andouille sausage.

 

[sour_grapes]

Now that I stepped up from an 18" to a 22" Weber, I am in hog heaven. Don't get me wrong, I still would love to get my mitts on a kamado grill, but a Weber will take me almost all the way there.

In particular, Craig, your feast looks divine (or is that bovine/porcine?). Yum.

I'm making a lamb ragout. Perhaps there will be deets later, if I remember.

 

[geek]

Some porterhouse on the grill, fried plantains and veggies.

 

[Boatboy24]

Sing it with me! Peyton Manning's favorite food. Nice salad and some ho-made garlic bread to go with it.

@ceeaton: that new kettle will serve you well for many years (as you already know)

 

[Boatboy24]

I ate way too much.

 

[sour_grapes]

I bought four lamb shoulder chops; two are quite nearly rib chops, and 2 were well into the shoulder. I reserved the "rib" chops for later in the week, and made a ragout with the decidedly shoulder ones.

This was very good, but not the knockout I was hoping for. I seared the chops, added sauteed 'shrooms and onions, raw fennel, 6 cloves of sauteed garlic, herbs/spices, a goodly amount of CC Showcase Syrah, and 8 beautiful plum tomatoes from the farmer's market. Loaded it all into a Dutch oven into the oven at 250 for a few hours. It was not nearly as tomatoey as I was expecting. Still lovely, but not as good as the cianghiale upthread, despite the fact that the recipes were not that different.

Served over linguine, and with a side of peas/butter/fresh tarragon.

 

[JohnT]

The wife was away this weekend. She hates the smell of frying, so the plan was to pick up 2 tiny chickens and fry them up. I love cold-left over fried chicken and can eat off of a batch through the up coming week.

unfortunately, all they had was large roasting chickens. Great price on them! I got a 12 pounder for only $9. OK, so change of plan.. I made my mother's stuffing, mashed some taters, and slice up some of the carrots that I harvested from the garden just last week.

You know, there are smells that will always remind you of things past. The smell of a roasting chicken always reminds me of home. I cooked it to 160 degrees and had a HUGE amount of glace (that tasty brown stuff at the bottom of the pan) that I turned into incredible mushroom gravy.

So, it will be left over chicken dinner, chicken sandwiches, and (yet to be made) chicken soup.

Here is a pick of the bird (just out of the oven) and my plate. A nice Montepulciano to wash it down.

I know.. Red wine with chicken?? Hey, it is what I like..

 

[JohnT]

Side note:

My meat thermometer had gone missing. Desperate, I rediscovered a Christmas present from a couple of years ago.

This was one of those RC units and the batteries had not died on me.. It was pretty cool not having to run to the kitchen each time I wanted to see how the roast was doing. It did, though, take me a while to figure out how to set the darn thing..