What's for Dinner?

[sour_grapes]

I'm having a big, fancy dinner party tomorrow, so tonight was simple, sturdy fare. However, it wound up taking almost as long as tomorrow's meal will!
Butternut squash, cubed and braised in chicken stock before roasting; beet greens, sauteed with onions and lots of EVOO and seasonings. Broccoli rabe, blanched in water, then sauteed with lots of garlic and EVOO; and roasted chicken leg/thigh quarters, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.

 

[ibglowin]

Made a house favorite last night. Braised Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon. One pan quick and easy meal that can be served over a variety of things. Quinoa, Couscous, Potatoes. Amazing flavors. Paired very well with Prosecco (pre) and then Sauv Blanc (during).

 

[Boatboy24]

Made a house favorite last night. Braised Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon. One pan quick and easy meal that can be served over a variety of things. Quinoa, Couscous, Potatoes. Amazing flavors. Paired very well with Prosecco (pre) and then Sauv Blanc (during).

Recipe, please. Or was this an 'out of the box' special from Costco?

 

[ibglowin]

Ha, you must have me mistaken for someone else! LOL

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/moroccan-chicken-with-green-olives-and-lemon-352532

We use boneless skinless chicken thighs (more moist, better flavor IMHO) and we always add more olives (and lemon) than what the recipe says.

Recipe, please. Or was this an 'out of the box' special from Costco?

 

[sour_grapes]

Ha, you must have me mistaken for someone else! LOL

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/moroccan-chicken-with-green-olives-and-lemon-352532

We use boneless skinless chicken thighs (more moist, better flavor IMHO) and we always add more olives (and lemon) than what the recipe says.

Bookmarked! Looks good. I bet it would be nice with preserved lemons.

 

[ibglowin]

Wondering iff anyone has tried this stuff. Supposed to be really good marinade for beef, chicken, pork. Was looking at some Cuban recipes online that recommended it. The stuff comes highly rated online and I found it at my local Smith's (Kroger) for $3 a bottle (25oz). Basically a nice citrus, garlic, onion plus other spices. Appears to be legit as its made in @geek home country of the DR!

 

[Boatboy24]

Wondering iff anyone has tried this stuff. Supposed to be really good marinade for beef, chicken, pork. Was looking at some Cuban recipes online that recommended it. The stuff comes highly rated online and I found it at my local Smith's (Kroger) for $3 a bottle (25oz). Basically a nice citrus, garlic, onion plus other spices. Appears to be legit as its made in @geek home country of the DR!

Been a while since I've used it, but it is pretty good. IIRC, I'd doctor it up with a little fresh citrus, and maybe one or two others. I've made my own mojo criollo from scratch and that's much better, but a heckuva lot more work.

 

[ibglowin]

I saw some good recipes online as well. This was rated highly and so cheap. I will give it a taste when I crack the bottle and perhaps add more citrus if needed. May also add some EVOO as it doesn't look like any is in the bottle. Oil always helps a marinade IMHO.

 

[sour_grapes]

(googling "mojo criollo".....)

 

[sour_grapes]

I don't have many/any pix of the actual dinner, but LobsterFest (TM) was a success! Yum. I have some pix of the prep work.

I made Lobsters a la Americaine. (Funny, I have been making the same recipe off a website I like for years, but only this year found out that this is a "classic" French recipe with an actual NAME, even if the name is evocative of domestic matters.)

The lobsters are parboiled, shelled, then cooked sous vide with butter, parsley, and thyme. Meanwhile, I made a nice sauce by simmering the lobster shells in ho-made shrimp stock; in a separate pan, I sauteed onions and garlic, then deglazed with ho-made Pinot Gris and sherry. After combining, I strained the solids, then reduced by ~2/3, added tomato paste, then added heavy cream and butter to thicken and richen.

I toasted thick slices of rustic Francese bread with butter, then served the delicious sous-vide-cooked crustacean on this toast, smothered with the Americaine sauce, followed by a dollop of creme fraiche tarted up with chives and Meyer lemon juice, topped off with caviar. (Yes, this is my annual over-the-top dinner! ).

Sides included roast beets, then sauteed with garlic and EVOO, seasoned with parsley; spring-fresh asparagus from the northern hemisphere (Mexico) for the first time this year (!), flavored with marjoram and ho-made preserved lemons and lots of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino. My neighbor brought all-day-cooked pulled pork with cumin and vinegar that damn near stole the show. (Seriously, it was better than my lobster that I worked so hard on! ).

 

[ibglowin]

W0w!

 

[geek]

You hit it out of the park Paul.!!

 

[sour_grapes]

Tonight we had roast baby potatoes with some herbs and some heat; roast artichokes with lemon and EVOO; roasted Romanesco broccoli with lemon juice; and finally thick beef tenderloin filets, seared then finished in the oven to med. rare, coupled with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, soy, and parsley, garnished with chives. Not too shabby for a Sunday evening

 

[geek]

You’re on a roll for sure, lol

 

[Boatboy24]

Ha, you must have me mistaken for someone else! LOL

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/moroccan-chicken-with-green-olives-and-lemon-352532

We use boneless skinless chicken thighs (more moist, better flavor IMHO) and we always add more olives (and lemon) than what the recipe says.

Making it tonight! An orzo salad on the side.

 

[ibglowin]

The au jus is amazing!

Making it tonight! An orzo salad on the side.

 

[Boatboy24]

Good recipe. Crappy pics. Will certainly make again. It worked well with some LE Vermentino.

 

[ibglowin]

Looks awesome!

Good recipe. Crappy pics. Will certainly make again. It worked well with some LE Vermentino.

 

[sour_grapes]

Making it tonight! An orzo salad on the side.

Did someone say orzo?

We also had orzo, but I made mine risotto-style (shallots, wine, simmered in ho-made chix stock, parmigiano reggiano and asiago cheeses); roasted artichokes (leftover, see above); braised fennel and onion; and seared salmon (farmed Atlantic). Not shown was a lovely butter/tahini/sesame oil sauce for the salmon.

 

[Rocky]

We also had orzo, but I made mine risotto-style (shallots, wine, simmered in ho-made chix stock, parmigiano reggiano and asiago cheeses); roasted artichokes (leftover, see above); braised fennel and onion; and seared salmon (farmed Atlantic). Not shown was a lovely butter/tahini/sesame oil sauce for the salmon.

If I may ask, how do you prepare your artichokes? It does not appear that you prep them in any way. I usually take off some of the lower, outer leaves, trim the top and bottom, remove the choke and spread the artichoke for stuffing with a breadcrumb and herb stuffing. If they are older, large or toward the end of the season, we will also par-boil or steam them first before roasting at 350 degrees for about 60+ minutes. It appears you rub them with EVOO, drizzle lemon and roast. If so, how hot an oven and for how long? Your way looks a lot less work and I am all for "a lot less work."