Monday, July 30, 2012

Robert Tells the Truth





We saw Robert walking his dogs and decided to invite him and Darryl over for Jar-B-Que. We call it Jar-B-Que because the recipe is from Jar Restaurant in Los Angeles. Robert demurred on joining us, but later changed his mind. This recipe for Hosin-Marinated Pork Chops is absolutely, without a doubt, the best you will ever eat! Robert brought Farro Salad and Cucumbers that he had prepared. We seved Rice with the dish. They were great with pork chops. Robert proclaimed the chops the best he had ever eaten. He always says this, but this time I think he was telling the truth. 

Dessert was Brownies and Ice Cream

This was a yummy dinner!


Hoisin-Marinated Pork Chops
Jar Restaurant
Note that the choos need to marinate for at least three days, so begin preparing this dish well in advance. what to drink: A white wine with snappv acidity and lemon-lime notes, like dry Riesling or Gruner Veltliner.

6 SERVINGS

1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup black bean garlic sauce
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon red food coloring (we omit this item)
6 12- to 14-ounce pork rib chops, each about 1-1/2 Inches thick

Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl for marinade. Place chops in extra-large resealable plastic bag. Add marinade to bag. Seal top, releasing excess air. Turn bag to coat chops. Refrigerate 3 to 5 days, turning bag occasionally.

Preheat broiler, adjusting rack 8 inches below heat source. Line rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Remove chops from marinade. Place chops on prepared pan with some marinade still clinging. Broil until chops are cooked through and thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 145 degrees F, watch closely to prevent burning (chops may char slightly in spots), about 9 minutes per side. Transfer to plates an serve.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Unholy Cow









Kash and Krushna were in town. Krushna is in a hit movie in India and is going to be a huge star. They are both known by all Indians, and can't go anywhere in public without being mobbed. We invited them over for dinner. Steak from McCall’s Meat and Fish was a must. You obviously can’t get good steak in India! None are better than McCall’s.

We started with Salmon Spread and then had our old, delicious, reliable, Dynamite Crab. We sure make this often, and everyone always loves it! We served it with Rice and Seaweed. You can get the recipe from our blog of: Sep. 5, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

With the steak we Grilled Corn. By the way when we grill corn, we Butter and Salt the ears then squeeze a Lime over each before wrapping in foil. I like the extra little kick that lime juice gives.

It was great seeing them before they return home.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Bengali Dinner








Shumon’s sister, Trina was in town, she was travelling from her home in Alaska to her family’s home in Bangladesh. Shumon asked if he could host a dinner at our house, because we had more room than his. We of course offered our house. His sister wanted to cook a Bengali Beef Curry for us. I am sure she used an old family recipe that was in her head. No recipe, no cookbook, just food as she was brought up to make and eat. Being Muslim, beef is ok for them to eat. We are used to eating curries in India, but the cow is sacred there, and we have never had a beef curry. We purchased the required meats at McCall’s Meat and Fish. Tina did all of the cooking, and it was excellent! It was so good, in fact, that we didn’t have any leftovers!

We started with a Watermelon and Feta Salad from Plenty byYotam Otttolenghi. We have made this dish several times this year. I would have to say, this is probably the single best new dish we have served all summer. We have served it several times and it always is a hit. It is also easy. Seriously, if you haven’t made this, you should! You can get the recipe from our blog of: June 16, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe. With the curry she served Rice and a delicious Daal.

For dessert we had a Lemon Brule Tart from Proof.

It was great having Tina cook for us. It was just like Mom’s home cooking, if your mom spoke Bengali!









Friday, July 20, 2012

Summer Tomato Pasta!




In summer, when tomatoes are at their peak, we can’t get enough of them. This pasta is a perennial favorite of ours. It all depends upon two ingredients, the quality of the tomato (we only use heirloom) and the quality of the Balsamic. No Costco, go high end!

The recipe for Penne with Tomato and Balsamic Vinegar is from The River CafĂ©, one of our favorite restaurants in London. You must eat there if you are in London! The cookbook is entitled: ItalianCountry Cookbook by Rogers and Gray. This is a GREAT recipe! You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 15, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with Prosciutto and Melon (with a squeeze of fresh lime juice). The melons this year have been excellent!


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Margarita, Soup and Salad!

Margarita!




This is the summer of the Margarita for me. I am trying many recipes. No mix, I only use Fresh Lime, Tequila, Cointrau and Ice in varying quantities. As you can see I liked this one! I am not using salt. Because the limes vary in acidity and amount of liquid released you really need to adjust the ratio of juice to tequila to taste.

I have been waiting all summer to make one of my very favorite soups: Yellow Tomato Gazpacho Soup. It is from Sunday Supper atLucques by Suzanne Goin.
This is the perfect spicy cold summer soup! I love it! The recipe can be found in our blog of: Sep. 3, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

For the main course we had leftover Steak. We heated Potatoes up, placed them over a Dressed Salad and surrounded it with steak.

My idea of a perfect summer meal!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Tandoori Lamb





We decided to make Tandoori Lamb Chops.  The recipe is from Indian cookbook: Indian Home Cooking. It is a great recipe and can be found in our blog of: July 16, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe. With the lamb we served grilled corn and some of the left over fig pasta.

We started with a simple Tomato Salad with Burrata Cheese and Fresh Basil.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Shrimp



We love this recipe from Ottolenghi The Cookbook. He has a restaurant in London that we want to eat at on our next trip to that city.  The shrimp recipe is called: Buttered Prawns with Tomato, Olives and Arat.  If you are looking for a simple, delicious shrimp dish this is it! You can find the recipe in our blog of: July 16, 2011. It is wonderful. Try it!

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Welcome Back







Robert and Darryl returned from San Francisco and we invited them over for dinner. We started with one of our favorite summer soups. Tomato Soup with Cumin and Figs from Moro East by Sam & Sam Clark. When ever we are in London we always eat at Moro. The recipes are a Spanish – Moroccan blend. This soup is perfect in summer when tomatoes and figs are at their best.

For the main course we served Slow-Roasted Salmon With Cabbage, Bacon,  And Dill from It’s AboutTime by Michael Schlow. Bacon, of course, is my favorite seasoning and this is a great use of it. I love this salmon dish. It is very elegant (and easy). We purchased the salmon at McCall’s Meat and Fish.

For dessert we made not 1 but 2 Apricot desserts! An Apricot Pie and an Apricot Crisp. My pie making continues. Robert, declares it isn’t a pie if it doesn’t have a top crust.

SLOW-ROASTED SALMON
WITH CABBAGE,   BACON,  AND  DILL
It’s About Time
Michael Schlow

1 head savoy cabbage (3/4 head regular green cabbage can be substituted)
6 slices bacon, cut into 6 to 8 pieces each
1 onion, cut into small dice
8 ounces (1 cup) water, plus additional if needed
4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over roasted fish
4 small knobs butter (a "knob" is about 1 teaspoon)
Juice of 1 lemon

Makes dinner for 4

Try cooking salmon like this, and you might never cook it any other way again. The low-temperature oven really does improve the texture of the fish. The combination of salmon, cabbage, and bacon is perfect for cooler weather, making this an ideal meal for fall, but it's great anytime. For a hearty variation, add some diced, blanched potatoes to the cabbage as it finishes braising.
Halve the cabbage lengthwise, cut out the core, then remove the leaves and slice them into 2-1/2-inch squares.

·               Preheat the oven to 250°F.
·               Place the bacon in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Render the bacon until cooked but not crispy. You should have approximately 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) fat; if you have more, discard the excess.
·               Add the onion and saute for 1 minute.
·               Add the cabbage and water and let simmer uncovered until the cabbage
·               is tender, about 15 minutes. If all the water evaporates during cooking, add more as needed until the cabbage is very tender.
·               Meanwhile, place the salmon fillets on a nonstick sheet pan. Drizzle 1 table­spoon of the olive oil over each fillet. Season with salt, pepper, and half the dill. Top each fillet with a knob of butter and place in the oven. Cook 15 to 18 minutes for medium rare, 21 to 24 minutes for medium (depending on the thickness of the fish), and if you cook it any longer than that, I can't be held responsible.
·               When the cabbage is meltingly soft and tender, season with salt, pepper, and the rest of the dill. Keep warm while the salmon finishes cooking.
·               Remove the salmon from the oven and drizzle with the lemon juice.

TO SERVE
·               Divide the cabbage between four dinner plates, top with the salmon fillets, and drizzle a little more olive oil over the fish.
·               Season with freshly ground pepper, sprinkled on and around the fish.
·               Garnish with additional fresh dill, if desired, and serve.


Tomato soup with cumin and figs
From Moro East by Sam & Sam Clark

This soup is based on a recipe from Fra Juan's restaurant in the monastery of Guadalupe. It is strictly a summer dish, an interesting Spanish twist on a classic tomato soup. While serving this soup at the restaurant, a waiter over­heard a customer say it was the best tomato soup she had ever had. Of course, it was a moment when the ingredients did shine. It was at the beginning of August, after a heat wave, and British tomatoes tasted as good as they get. The allotment figs were superb, too. It's a thrill to find recipes that have been cooked for hundreds of years, but in the end this means nothing unless the ingredients are at their peak.

Serves 4

6         tablespoons olive oil
1         kg flavorful tomatoes, roughly sliced
1         medium onion, chopped
1         green pepper, chopped
150-300         ml water
3         garlic cloves, chopped
a little caster sugar (optional)
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted in a pan, then crushed
5 or 6 ripe, plump fresh figs, finely diced
400g         tin of chopped plum tomatoes, drained of juice
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, to serve
100g dried figs, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and green pepper with a good pinch of salt and cook gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and continue cooking until sweet and golden brown. Add two-thirds of the cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Now add the tinned tomatoes and dried figs and simmer gently, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, stirring now and then. When the mixture is rich and concen­trated, put in the fresh tomatoes and increase the heat slightly, then simmer for 15 minutes more. With a handheld blender, whizz until smooth, then pour in enough of the water to achieve a consistency like double cream. Season well with salt, pepper and sugar if necessary.

Stir half the fresh figs through the soup and use the rest to garnish each portion in the bowl, along with the remaining cumin and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Saturday, July 07, 2012

Yakisoba


We had some left over pork from July 4th. It was a natural to make Yakisoba using it. It is a simple and delicious dish to prepare. We use a recipe from the New York Times. You can get the recipe from our blog of: March 7, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

Friday, July 06, 2012

Apricot Pie



Scott and Tom are working on me to perfect my pie making ability. Tom is a master of pies. This is the first pie we have ever made. Expect more to come!

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

July 4th

Pisco Sour anyone?




Watching the Fireworks

We had our annual July 4th Barbeque. Not much for us to do. We order the food from Bludso’s our favorite Barbeque in Los Angeles. We picked up all kinds of food, Ribs, Brisket, Pulled Pork, Greens, Potato Salad and Cole Slaw.

We eat at sunset on the deck and then watch the fireworks all over Los Angeles. It is quite a show! We love it.

Bea started by making her now famous Pisco Sours. Shu brought some Bengali treats.

We made our new favorite salad: Watermelon Salad with Feta. This is definitely a favorite! You can find the recipe in our blog of: June 16, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

Judi brought a great Cheese Cake, Tom and Scott brought a Rhubarb Pie. Michael brought his family and German Beer!

It was great to have so many people for a fun evening and having everyone participate. We always worry if the weather will cooperate, and once again it did, the night stayed relatively warm, the winds died down and the haze burnt off. It was a good night!

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Porcini Pasta




We made one of my favorite summer salads: Feta Salad with Anise Bread, tomatoes and Oregano from the Casa Moro Cookbook. This is an absolutely wonderful salad. It is sort of like a Panzanella Salad but I like it even more! You can find the recipe in our blog of: August 28, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Porcini Mushrooms were available at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. So we made a Porcini Pasta. Yum, and it was super luxurious. It is a treat to get fresh porcinis. We sautĂ©ed them in brown butter with some chopped shallots, salt and pepper. Perfect!