Cheese Gromit!

Breakfast, Wednesday December 28: selected cheese (brie, dubliner, gouda); sour rye toast; fruit and yogurt; greens and radish. 

We really like cheese. Honestly I really could do the vegan thing without much sacrifice. We really like beans also. Cheese would be the problem. It's a total gamestopper. I could do without meat, fish, even eggs, but cheese? No way. Seriously, that is something we would not give up. 

Christmas? What Christmas?

Supper, Sunday December 25: sushi extravaganza.

Not your mama's Christmas dinner. I know that there is a long tradition of going out for chinese in the Jewish community. We have done that on occasion. We don't have kids and our families are a days travel away, so we rarely travel during the holidays. Alexis usually works the holidays giving somebody else the day off. Several years ago I made sushi for Christmas dinner on a lark. We enjoyed spending a quiet evening, just us and a giant plate of raw fish. 

Now That's A Sardine

Supper, Saturday December 24: fish enchiladas (sardines in tomato sauce, onion, kidney beans chili spice, roasted jalapeno, corn tortilla, gifted verde sauce, habanero co-jack); spiced rice (long grain rice, gifted verde sauce, corn, peas); fresh greens; sour cream; avocado, cilantro.

What prompted this meal was a gift from one of Alexis’ coworkers. Two days ago he gave her a small jar of homemade verde sauce and a jar of chutney. I decided to put the verde sauce to immediate use. We will save the chutney for another sheep share day later.

The sardines that are used in this recipe were the kind that you get in the oval can that can be found in the Hispanic or Latino section of the grocery store or any Tienda. If you have never used these, beware, they are big suckers. I used two sardines in this recipe, not two cans, two sardines, two fish. Dont hesitate to use the sauce. I briefly sauted the onion and jalapeno, added the beans and mashed them a bit then likewise with the sardines. I finished with some of the sauce and a little chili powder. This was the filling for the enchiladas.

I once had a problem with corn tortillas. A long time ago when I was in the restaurant business I worked in one kitchen that served a specialty enchilada. Our method for softening the corn tortillas so that they could be rolled without cracking was to briefly dip them in the fryer. There are two problems with this method. First, it renders the tortilla pretty greasy. Secondly, it is a little impractical for the home chef to break out the fryer just to heat up a few tortillas.

Thankfully we now have the interwebs. A couple of years ago I searched techniques for heating tortillas and stumbled on one that I have used since. I would give credit to the woman who posted this technique, but I have no idea where I found it. It is a relatively simple and brilliant solution.

Break out your favorite iron skillet. lightly coat it with oil and heat it until it just begins to smoke. One at a time, dip the tortillas very briefly in water place them in the pan. Once the tortilla has browned on the bottom flip it over to finish. Place the heated tortillas in a tea towel to keep them warm and pliable. 

It is pretty remarkable how well this works. The result is a tortilla that is a close facsimile to a fresh made tortilla. I think I know what's going on here. When starch is refrigerated it crystallizes. Dipping the tortilla in water then placing it in the hot skillet steams the tortilla decrystallizing the starch Once the water has evaporated some heavy browning can occur that simulates the exterior of a fresh cooked tortilla. The texture, look, and taste are all pretty close to The Real McCoy.

The Return Of The Thai Basil

Supper, Friday December 23: Thai basil with lamb; fine rice noodles; a dusting of dry basil.

This recipe is fundamentally the same as the one I served a couple of weeks ago with the exception of lamb instead of shrimp as the protein. The other change was the replacement of the wider rice noodles with a very fine rice noodle. The fine noodles are difficult to incorporate with the other components of the dish so instead of tossing the noodles with the other ingredients I opted to make this version a little soupier and serve it over the pasta.

There's A Hole In My Plate

Breakfast, Friday December 23: bacon; fruit and yogurt; pumpkin bread; Amish butter; smoked gouda. 

So I was putting this plate together, Having decided on everything except the smoked gouda. I put everything together and there literally was a blank space in the plate. I gave it a moment's thought and realized that cheese always appropriate, or at least that is what Alexis believes.

With The Platter You Get Salad

Supper, Wednesday December 21: greekish salad (zen greens, feta, radish, pomegranite, crunchy sprouts); grilled pineapple; roast lamb; tzaziki; naan.

So this time I decided to go the same way that most greek restaurants go. The gyro comes with fries and the platter comes with the greek salad. 

On another note, usually you would find tomato somewhere on this plate. I have one word, December. I grow several varieties of tomato every summer. I generally would prefer to go without than partake of most tomatoes this time of year. 

It's All So Brown

Breakfast, Wednesday December 21: Hashed browns with liver; rye toast; spiced pumpkin bread.

This really started with, "what do I do with a little piece of liver?" I don't know where the hash thing came from but I worked. De-lish. I just couldn't resist the joke again. Hearts, organ shapes, organ meat, I slay me. Ha!

Combo Bizarro

Breakfast, Tuesday December 20: rye toast and poached egg; strawberries and banana; naan cheesy bread.

This is what happens when I go raiding the fridge for leftovers. Oddly Alexis likes this sort of thing, different nibbles thrown together.

Yay Bento!

Lunch, Monday December 19: roast leg of lamb; taters and gravy; cranberry salad; home canned green beans.

Nothing special here, but Alexis likes her bento boxes so much she wanted me to get a picture.

Healthy And Seasonal

Breakfast, Monday December 19: oatmeal with pumpkin and pomegranite; peanutbutter toast.

Please note I DID NOT say pumpkin spice. This is just cooked pumpkin. You could add pie spice if you wanted to, but then you would miss out on the subtle flavors the pumpkin brings. There's a buttery flavor and creamy texture. 

Childhood Memories

Supper, Monday December 19: blackeyed peas; mexican cornbread (cornmeal mix, scallions, jalapeno, cheddar, corn, turnip greens.

It seems to me that we ate something like this once every week or two. The beans were more often navy beans with a ham hock. The cornbread was just plain but there was always butter or honey. sometimes we didn't have a lot but I did not go hungry. 

Is It Still An Gyro If It's On Naan?

Supper Saturday December 18: lamb gyro (roasted leg of lamb, radish, onion, lettuce, tzaziki); fried yucca; crudite.

I am fond of the pitas that are used by greek restaurants. When crisped on a flat grill they are just the right combo of crispiness and chewiness. Now if I had nothing better to do I would find a reliable source, but I have not, at least not at the grocers that I frequent. Plain naan is a very good substitute. It is a little different. The crumb is not as even so the texture isn't the same but the flavor, once toasted in a large pan is nearly identical. This is probably why I haven't been to motivated to find the real McCoy.  

In thinking this meal through I realized that with the sandwich and fries, so far the plate was hand/finger food. It also needed a little boost in fiber and some other nutrients. Finger food? healthy? Oh, how about veggie sticks? Done. 

I've been waiting for this moment. . .

Supper, Saturday December 17: Roast leg of lamb with English roasting rub; whipped gold potatoes with roasted garlic; peas; radish.

 
We bought a few spice mixes to experiment with earlier in the year from a little specialty shop. It sold only herbs, spices, blends, and specialty salts. This blend was called "English Roast Rub." It smelled pretty good so we got a single use packet of it. I finally got around to using it with the lamb though it is intended for beef. 

Holy Crap! It's REALLY good with the lamb. 

Alexis insisted on peas. Nothing wrong with that. It's just unusual that she is adamant about something on the menu. It's also worth noting that frozen peas are a pretty good vegetable to have on hand. They can go with or in lots of things. They also can be recovered from freezer burn easily. Rinse them then cover with water and let them stand til they get their color back. The peas above were moderately burned. No lie.

Hangry

Lunch, Saturday December 17: sweet potato fries; home canned corn; mixed pickles.

We were running errands together and it was getting late in the day. When we got home I threw this together so we wouldn't get any more hangry. The fryer was already on the counter. I had not put it away since making the onion strings. The sauces are just some ranch, Alexis likes it with the pickled stuff, and our favorite spicy BBQ for the fries.

So We've Got Half An Avacado. . .

Breakfast, Saturday, December 17: breakfast grilled cheese (sour rye, habanero co-jack, bacon, avocado, onion); mixed pickle; mixed fruit.

Saturday morning chat while making coffee: 
Me, "What's for breakfast? What do you want? We've got that bread."
A, "I don't know, what else is there?"
Me, "Ive got half an avocado sitting here."
A, "I know what we're having."
Me, "What?"
A, "Avocado."
Me, "OK then."

So what do you do with avocado and rye bread? Breakfast grilled cheese I guess. It was pretty yummy. Of course you could use regular co-jack or cheddar. Also you don't need to use rye. That's just what we had on hand.

A New Cheese Friend!

Lunch, Friday December 16: *grilled cheese; mixed greens; mixed pickle.

*We made a new cheese friend. It's called Dubliner. It is what you would expect if a sharp cheddar and a parmesan had a booootiful baaaaaby. Seriously its yummy and now I know it makes a good fancy pants grilled cheese. I has a pretty good melt texture.

This shot also shows the flexibility of Alexis' new bento box container. Compare it to this arrangement. Pretty nifty.

We pickle peppers and tomatoes from the garden or the farmers market. Alexis really likes pickled jalapenos or hot bananas. I like them too, but given the choice I would go with pickled green tomatoes. You can't see them in this picture but there are some pickled green cherry tomatoes in there. We pickle those with a little whole garlic, carrot slices, and cauliflower. Oh yeah, I didn't do the olives. That's just crazy talk.

What Do You Call A Liver Reuben? A "William"

Supper, Thursday December 15: *william (fresh sour rye, sheep liver, Ohio swiss, kraut, grilled onion, thousand island); **onion strings; mixed greens; cranberry salad; clementines.

*William, Billy, Billy Reuben, Bilirubin, Liver, I slay me.

*I don't know where I first saw a recipe like this one. I think it may have been Chef Lagasse. Regardless, I have modified the original to the extent that I am comfortable calling it my own. I give you Onion Strings.

Select your onion. I like plain Jane yellow onions. I find Vidalias to be too sweet for this. I want a little onion kick. Slice them YERY thin. This is a job for a mandolin.

Once sliced douse them with your favorite seasoned salt. Apply liberally, it's mostly coming off later. Let stand at least 30 minutes. My gut tells me this is best in a non-metallic bowl. I have no specific justification for that observation. Toss the strands occasionally to ensure even distribution of the seasoning.

Of course the salt will sweat the strings. You could skip the sweating, just season and fry, but the strings go soggy almost immediately. I want them to stay somewhat crispity for at least a few minutes. Squeeze out the juice. I mean really squeeze. Put your back into it. See how much water came out? I give them a quick rinse and another squeeze. That is me worrying about salt. If you want them salty just don't rinse.

 Fluff the strings out.

Didn't get a picture of the coated strings.

Will get one next time.

Coat liberally with flour. If you want to add a little zing, before the flour add a little pepper, maybe some cayenne, whatever. 

  Fry til crisp and golden. Makes a great garnish, adds height and drama to the plate.

 

It's Offal Not Awful

Supper, Wednesday December 14: sheep liver; caramelized onion; wild and white rice; wilted salad (mixed greens, clementine, pear, heirloom radish, olive oil, blackberry balsalmic).

We like organ meat. Properly cooked, it doesn't have as much of the metallic and gamey flavors. I wanted to try a different technique with this. The whole liver was intact, not sliced. What if I seared it whole and sliced it like a roast? I was a little concerned for the edges. They were thin and could get way overcooked before the center was done. I kinda remembered that liver draws up a bit when cooked so I thought I'd try it. After caramelizing the onions I got the pan good and hot then dropped the dredged liver in in the pan. 

Nailed it.

The edges drew up. I cooked it until it stopped being boggy to touch and let it rest 5 minutes. Sliced it up and found a beautiful medium at the thickest portion to well at the margins with most of it medium well. The sheep liver was just the right size. I got the cook temp right so I didn't overcook it. There was none of the bitterness that comes from overcooking. In fact there was a subtle sweetness, like in slow roasted pork. I gotta find a source for sheep liver. I could find it hard to switch back to beef.

Nothing Special, Just A Quick Lunch

Lunch, Wednesday December 14: fried rice (leftover rice, frozen peas, carrot, onion, sesame seeds, soy); beets; greens.

Alexis got home from work early. I needed to whip up something quick. I threw together some leftovers and retasked some rice. Really I only show this because leftovers are a bit of a thing with me. I know some people who just don't do leftovers. It astounds me.

It Was Time For A Veggie Day

Supper, Tuesday December 13: red beans not NOLA style (small red beans, shallot, chili spice blend); rice; home canned beets and kale; yogurt salsa dip (OTS spice blend).

I mix my own chili powder. I can make a blend with no salt and salt as needed for the recipe. I also make it mild and adjust the heat with the ground chilies that I have. 

Alexis loves beets. In the spring or fall I try to get to the farmers market and get a bag of beets. Grocery store prices for beets are nearly 4 dollars a pound and up. In season at the farmers market I can get a 25lb bag for $18. Now that is a lot of beets, but food preservation is a hobby for me. It's a win-win. 

What Do I Do With This Avacado

Breakfast, Tuesday December 13: shrimp and avocado omelette; hashed brown potatoes with shallot; fruit.

I was just playing around this morning and set out the ingredients like I sometimes do. I decided to take a photo and it dawned on me that it is a visual recipe. I'm gonna start doing this more often. 

I need to watch my cholesterol. You can use egg substitute in place of eggs but the result is just not the same. You are missing the fat in the yolk and more importantly the lecithin. It is an emulsifier that aids the mixing of the fats with the other liquids. I compromise and always use at least one regular egg when I have the option.

Not Quite Thai Basil

Supper, Monday December 12: Thai fusion (bell pepper, garlic, carrot, scallion, ginger, shitake, black fungus, shrimp, dried Thai chilies, fish sauce.

I have a Thai basil plant in the greenhouse. I had other plans for supper but I was rearranging some potted plants and disturbed the basil. The aroma it immediately gave off was hypnotizing. I decided that instant what was for supper. Some of the ingredients are not traditional, but this combo was scary good. Alexis really likes shitakes and I really like the fungus. Since the shrimp goes in at the end you could do this with any protein. Is there a suitable vegan substitute for fish sauce, IDK?

I realized later that there is one thing not pictured here. A little bit of the water I soaked the dry shitakes in. I add it towards the end to deglacez.

Always Too Much Food

Lunch, Monday December 12: carne asada burrito and trimings. 

We tried a new (to us) Mexican place. last night. It was good. As usual they had HUGE portions. We have developed a habit of eating the sides and half the entree. We take the other half home for lunch the next day. 

I bought Alexis an early holiday gift. It's a brown-bag bento box kinda thing. The little compartments come out and the lid really seals well. You can reheat or not each compartment separately. Plus she has always liked the bento box notion, vis-a-vie your meal laid out in little discrete compartments.

Greenhouse Is Doing Great

Lunch, Sunday December 11: mixed greens and veggies.

Greens, radishes, and nasturtiums are from the greenhouse. It's just a homemade affair, but it works. I built it a couple of years ago. I've wanted one for years. I don't know why I didn't build one twenty years ago.

Sunday Morning Grillcleaner

Breakfast, Sunday December 12: grill cleaner (potatoes, onion, pepper, mushroom, bacon); grits with feta, fruit, heirloom radish.

Wrap, Wrap, Wrap It Up Baby. . .

Lunch, Saturday December 11: home canned kale; almost the st of the tots; veggie and cheese wrap (garden greens, radish, red onion, yellow bell, sandwich spread, artisan mustard, brie, smoked gouda).

Sometime last year we made an important life decision: brie and smoked gouda were 2 things that we would keep on hand. 

Just Scrambled Eggs

Breakfast, Saturday December 10: scramble with cheddar; roasted garlic bread, fruit, homemade hot sauce.

 I get so preoccupied with dressing up eggs I forget sometimes that properly cooked scrambled eggs are a treat unto themselves. Just a little cheese on top, heaven. 

The sauce is homegrown Ecuadorian lemon chilis. Salted and naturally fermented then pureed with some vinegar and water to thin. Tadar!

 

Waffle On The Go

Breakfast, Friday December 9: waffle sandwhich (leftover pumpkin pecan waffle, bacon, egg, and Ohio swiss). 

We had a sick puppy last night. We were up in the middle of the nght so Alexis needed to sleep late. I put this together for her to get out the door quick. I almost skipped cheese then I remembered that Swiss and nuts go together well. This combo turned out to be a winner. 

Really Leftovers

Supper, Thursday December 8: stuffed squash (ginormous pattypan, ground beef, chopped spinach, egg, croutons, mozzarella, spices to taste); polenta witth parm; breaded and baked okra.

This past summer we had great production from our garden. After a weekend away we had a few gargantuan pattypan squash. A couple we pitched in the compost but I kept a couple of the prettiest ones to stuff and bake. Just make your favorite meatloaf recipie and put it in the squash. Don't do anything special. You'll be happier with a familiar comfort flavor. Anyhoo, we ate some of the squash and froze a whole one intact for later. I thawed the frozen one, but now, how to reheat. If I heat as is it will take forever and the squash will likely collapse. Slices! I cut the ball in half then cut slices out of a half, lay then on a sheet pan and baked. Why not do the okra in the same oven. It's not the same as fried but it is better for me.

What"s With The Fish Thing Already

Breakfast, Thursday December 9: omlette cups (separated egg, bacon, red onion, yellow pepper, baby bella, crumbled tinned mackerel, habanero cojack); fruit cup (banana, blueberry, home canned peaches, whipped cream, cherry); tots.

I woke up a lot earlier than Alexis this morning. I've seen this cute omlette or quiche in a muffin tin thing on the cover of magazines at the checkout. I decided to give it a try without any directions. It's not bad for a first try. I am going to work on this one. It's kinda fun and not much work, so worth investigating.

Fish and eggs is a combo that we both like. As a kid that was an extra special treat in our home. The difference being that it was always canned salmon. So now research shows oily fish is good for the heart which makes Alexis happy. 

I know the tots is a weird chioce considering how carefully hand built the rest of the meal is, but I had the oven on already. I usually don't keep those things on hand. They are pretty salty. A few weeks ago I had some friends helping with some heavy yard work. They got some BBQ out of the deal and tots was part of the menu 'cause they are easy. I had a few left over. One more meal wiith tots and they are gone.

When I was a kid there was this tinned fruit cocktail that we occasionally got as a treat. In the 14oz or whatever it was can, amidst a crowd of peach, pear, and other common fruits was one marascino cherry. This of course caused the dilemma of deciding the fate of the cherry. So I made fruit cups that each had their own cherry.

Busy Day

Dessert, Monday December 7:  kinda like a trifle (vanilla pudding with shredded coconut, mini morsels, whipped cream, maraschino).

This was a bowl of cereal, throw together some leftovers, grab a sandwich, kinda day. I did have a moment to make a request item.  Alexis rarely makes a request so specific. She wanted something that had pudding coconut and chocolate morsels. She had to work late so this is what she got for a late night snack.