New Years Eve Prime Rib and more

Champagne and Covid Tests

Our Favorite Potatoes from MajorDomo

Pizza by Jaimie and Robert

Perfect Prime Rib

Tom / Scott Dessert

Scott's Brussel's Sprouts

Covid Tests as Place Holders

Everyone's Request Crab Dynamite

What we drank!

Happy New Year!

This was a very Happy New Years. Omicron raged but we all stayed safe. We made everyone take a Covid Test before entering the house. We arranged a table with Champagne and Tests outside. Guests could take a test and have a drink while waiting for the results.

The dinner was built around Prime Rib. Everyone contributed food. We purchased Potatoes from MajorDomo, boy are they good. We made Everyone's favorite Crab Dynamite. Jaimie / Robert brought a home made Pizza, Tom made Dessert. We sure drank and ate to excess, ushering out the old year and in the new year. It can only be better than 2021.
 

Fennel Rubbed Pork Chops and Latkes

We love Pork Chops. We purchased some beautiful Chops from Flannery Beef in San Francisco. We really started liking them when we had our first Tomahawk Fennel Flavored Pork Chop at ChiSpacca. Now several restaurants serve them but ChiSpacca for us, was our first experience and is the best. We made this recipe for Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chops for Two from the cookbook Dining In by Alison Roman. The Pork Chops were delicious.You can find the recipe on our blog of: January 12, 2021. Click the date to get the recipe.

We had Frozen Mini Potato Latkes from Linda's Gourmet Latkes. The little appetizer Latkes were wonderful great. Handy to have on hand in the freezer. We also made Baked Squash with Salt and Olive Oil. 

These are the best Pork Chops ever!

Zucchini Pasta

This is one of our favorite dishes: Zucchini Pasta. Actually to be clear the Pasta isn't made from Zucchini, the sauce is. It is sautéed until it is a rich dark mass. The browned Zucchini almost taste like a meat sauce. It is a delicious pasta especially appropriate for you vegetarians. The Zucchini is sliced very thin and sautéed until dark and crisp. They cook down to very little, so start with a lot of Zukes. You can find the recipe for this simple and delicious pasta in our blog of: June 19, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. This is one of those dishes that makes me realize I could be a vegetarian (theoretically speaking - I will never give up my love a great steak!).

We started with a Speck Salad made with fresh Persimmons. These were the soft Japanese ones, not the crunchy apple like ones. They were great in the salad.

Onion Soup and Beef Pot Pie

Cold winter weather called for French Onion Soup. Definitely a favorite soup for us. We then made Onion Soup Gratinee from The Balthazar Cookbook by McNally, Nasr, Hanson. Once while Cathy and I were walking around in New York City it started to rain. We couldn’t catch a cab in the rain and luckily we saw a restaurant across the street. It was Balthazar. It was just like stepping into a Paris Bistro on a cold winter day. It was warm, and smelled wonderful and was very welcoming. We love the fact that their food and their cookbook allows us to recreate that magical moment. 

We had a frozen Beef and Ale Pot Pie from Friends and Family. It was delicious and as you can tell by looking at it, it had a fantastic Crust! They don't always sell these, if you are in Friends and Family and they have one, snap it up!

Sausages and Lentils with Herb Relish

Isn't this a beautiful looking presentation of Sausage

This is like the perfect winter dish: Sausages & Lentils with Herb Relish. I love Sausages and when cooked on top of the Lentils the juices and flavors from the Sausages enhance the Lentils. Great dish served with warmed Crusty Bread and Red Wine!

Sausages & Lentils with Herb Relish

From the Oven to the Table

 

Serves 4

 

For The Sausages and Lentils

 

1½    tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8       good-quality pork sausages

1       onion, finely chopped

½      celery stalk, finely chopped

1       medium carrot, finely chopped

¼      lb pancetta or bacon lardons

2       cups chicken stock

1½    cups dry white wine or dry hard cider

1       garlic clove, finely grated

2⅓    cups Puy lentils

2       bay leaves

sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Dijon mustard and crusty bread, to serve

 

For The Relish

 

4       cups soft herb leaves such as flat-leaf parsley, basil, mint, chives, or a mix of whatever you have

1½    tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and patted dry

2       garlic cloves, very finely chopped

½      teaspoon Dijon mustard

juice of 1 lemon

7       tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

Why bake the lentils for this, rather than cook them on the stovetop? Well, because they become imbued with the juices from the sausages and they keep their shape better, each lentil a perfect little lens. They also seem to taste much more intense than any pulses I cook on the stovetop. You have to use exactly the size of dish stipulated, so that the lentils- and the stock in which they're baking-cook at the right rate.

Preheat the oven to 275°F

Heat the olive oil in a 12in ovenproof sauté pan and brown the sausages all over (you just need to color them, not cook them through). Lift the sausages out. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and pancetta or bacon lardons to the pan and sauté until the bacon is golden. Separately mix the stock and wine or cider together in a measuring cup.

Add the garlic and lentils to the pan with the bay leaves and toss with the vegetables, then add 2¼ cups of the stock mixture. Bring to a boil, season, return the sausages, then transfer to the oven.

Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Stir and add the rest of the stock mixture, then cover and bake for a final 25-30 minutes. The lentils should be tender and the liquid almost completely absorbed. Taste for seasoning, though the reduced stock, wine, and bacon should have made the dish quite salty enough.

Make the relish. Either chop the herbs and capers finely and mix with the other ingredients, or whizz everything together in a food processor. Taste for seasoning.

Serve the sausages and lentils with the relish. Serve Dijon mustard and crusty bread on the side.

Roast Cod with Black Bean Sauce

We are trying to eat more fish. Roast Cod with Black Bean Sauce is an excellent recipe with a Chinese twist. I like cod, it is a very flaky and tasty fish. It is very bland and takes a spicy interesting sauce. You can get the recipe on our blog of: December 11, 2020. Click the date to get the recipe.

With the Roast Cod we served Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas.  You can get the recipe for Snap Peas on our blog of: April 1, 2020. Click the date to get the recipe.

Pasta with Cauliflower, Bacon and Sage

I love Cauliflower. Bacon is my favorite seasoning. Pasta With Cauliflower, Bacon and Sage had to be tried. It was just as I thought it would be. Great dish for a winter night. Try it!

Pasta With Cauliflower, Bacon and Sage

New York Times

 

A comforting dinner for a cold night, this hearty pasta has all the makings of a crowd-pleaser like fried sage leaves, crispy bacon and nutty roasted cauliflower. This recipe demonstrates the magic of starchy pasta water: Swirled with lemon juice and Parmesan, it creates a luxurious sauce without the addition of cream or butter. Add more pasta water than you think you need, so the pasta stays moist as it absorbs the sauce.

 

Ingredients

 

1           medium head cauliflower (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 3/4-inch florets

2 to 3    tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

Kosher salt and black pepper

½          pound thick-cut bacon, diced

1           packed cup fresh sage leaves

1           pound short pasta, such as gemelli, casarecce or penne

Zest and juice of one 1 lemon, separated

½          cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

 

Preparation

 

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned all over, 20 to 25 minutes. While the cauliflower roasts, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the sage leaves to pan and fry until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves to the plate with the bacon. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the skillet (or add additional olive oil, if needed) and remove from heat.

Add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the reserved skillet; heat over low. Pour or squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta, along with 1 cup pasta water and the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Toss until the sauce comes together.

Stir in the cauliflower, bacon and sage, adding a splash more pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

 

Chicken with Miso, Sweet Potatoes & Scallions

Crispy Skin, how good!

We have often made Miso Chicken (you can find the recipe on our blog of April 12, 2018 click the date to get the recipe), but this time we tried a different version: Chicken with Miso, Sweet Potatoes & Scallions.We liked this one too. I especially liked the extremely crispy skin! You should try it. 

We started with a Date and Parmesan Salad.

It was an excellent dinner with lots of leftovers!

Chicken with Miso, Sweet Potatoes & Scallions

From the Oven to the Table

 

Serves 4-6 

 

For The Chicken

 

8             good-sized skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, excess skin neatly trimmed

1½         lbs sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges

2½         tablespoons white miso paste

1½         tablespoons clear honey

2             tablespoons sake, or dry sherry

1             tablespoon dark soy sauce

1in          fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

3             garlic cloves, finely grated

1             red Fresno chili, halved and finely chopped (use the seeds)

12-18     scallions, trimmed

3             teaspoons black or toasted white sesame seeds (or a mixture of both)

stir-fried green vegetables, to serve

 

For The Final Basting

 

1       tablespoon white miso paste

1       tablespoon clear honey

½      tablespoon dark soy sauce

½      tablespoon sake, or dry sherry

 

This is my "Lost in Translation" dish. I don't know that much about Japanese food, but you start with any cuisine by feeling your way, then gradually you fall for its flavors. I have come to love miso and the big umami punch it delivers, especially when used with sweet ingredients.

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Put the chicken thighs or joints into a big roasting pan with the sweet potato wedges (they should be able to lie- more or less--in a single layer).

In a small bowl, mix everything else together, except the scallions and sesame seeds. Pour this over the chicken and sweet potatoes, turning everything over so the ingredients get well coated. Finish with the chicken skin side up.

Roast for 45 minutes, basting every so often and turning the sweet potato wedges over.

Stir the ingredients for the final basting together in another small bowl.

About 15 minutes before the end of cooking time, take the pan out of the oven, add the scallions, and pour the final basting mixture over everything. Return to the oven. The scallions should become soft and slightly charred.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a warmed platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve immediately, with stir-fried green vegetables.

Dungeness Crab

 

This is how the Crabs looked until I cleaned them.

We used to live in San Francisco and nothing says San Francisco more than Dungeness Crabs. We ordered them already Steamed from Four Star Seafood. They come preserved in a chilled box. All you need to do is remove the shell, clean out the bad parts wash throughly in cold water, crack and serve with melted butter and hot bread. A wonderful meal.

We started with The Hungry Cat salad. It is a favorite of ours. Even though Hungry Cat, the restaurant, has closed - we continue to make their Salad. I like the avocado, egg and lemon juice. It is a great salad. You can read about why it is called The Hungry Cat Salad on our blog post of: November 21, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

For desert we made the Baked Apples – from the Sunday Supper at Lucques Cookbook. Wow what a winter treat! It is an easy to make recipe. You can get the recipe from our blog of: January 10, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Confit of Chickpeas

 

Not everyone agreed! We made this Confit Tandoori Chickpeas and really liked. A Bangladeshi friend hated it. Sometimes people disagree. We would make it again. You should try it, it is good!

Confit Tandoori Chickpeas

Ottolenghi

Test Kitchen

 

These tandoori-spiced chickpeas have had their fair share of Insta fame for a multitude of reasons. The first being that the simplicity of the dish makes it really quite attractive: throw everything into a pan and pop it into the oven, leaving it to its own devices (and you to yours). The second being that slow-cooking the chickpeas in oil without added liquid makes them super soft, allowing all the aromatics to break down into the oil. Lastly, this dish can easily be made ahead and served later: it only improves with time. Swap out Greek yogurt with a non-dairy alternative for a completely vegan

 

Ingredients

 

2       (15 oz/425g) cans of chickpeas, drained (17 oz total)

11     garlic cloves, peeled, 10 left whole and 1 minced

1       oz/30g fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

14     oz/400g datterini or reqular cherry tomatoes

3       small Fresno chiles, mild or spicy, a slit cut down their length

1       tbsp tomato paste

2       tsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed with a mortar and pestle

2       tsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed with a mortar and pestle

½      tsp ground turmeric

½      tsp chile flakes

2       tsp red Kashmiri chile powder

1       tsp sugar

¾      cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

2/3    cup Greek yogurt

¾      cup mint leaves

1½    cups cilantro, roughly chopped

2-3   limes Juiced to get 1 tbsp and rest cut into wedges to serve

Salt

 

Process

 

1.      Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.      Put the chickpeas, whole garlic cloves, ginger, tomatoes, chiles, tomato paste, spices, sugar, oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt into a large, oven-safe sauté pan, for which you have a lid, and mix everything together to combine. Cover with the lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 75 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the aromatics have softenedand the tomatoes have nicely broken down.

3.      Meanwhile, put the yogurt, mint, cilantro, lime juice, minced garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt into a food processor and blitz until smooth and the herbs are finely chopped.

4.      Serve the chickpeas directly from the pan, with the yogurt and lime wedges alongside.

Chicken Thighs with Preserved Lemon and Olive

Sometimes the God's are with you and sometimes they are against you. I can't tell you why, but this recipe for Roast Chicken Thighs with Preserved Lemon and Olive sure looked good. The problem was it was insipid when we made it. It has everything we like, but it didn't work for us. Maybe the cooking gods just took a day off. At any rate, if you happen to make it, and liked it let us know.

The Salad with Spec, Persimmons and Almonds was great however.

Roast chicken thighs with preserved lemon and olive recipe 

The Telegraph

 

The chicken, preserved lemon and olive tray bake is inspired by my favorite Moroccan tagine and is packed full of flavour. It’s simple to make, too; just bung everything into a tray, pour over a little stock spiked with fragrant saffron and warming ginger, and let the oven do all the hard work. 

 

Ingredients

 

250         ml warm chicken stock

Juice of 1 lemon

Pinch of saffron

1½          tsp ground cumin

1              tsp ground ginger

8              chicken thighs (about 1kg), skin on and bone in

600g       new potatoes, halved, and larger ones quartered

2              onions, peeled and quartered

100g         pitted green olives

3              garlic cloves, crushed

2              preserved lemons, deseeded, skin and flesh finely chopped

2              tbsp olive oil

Handful of coriander leaves, to serve

 

Method

 

1.            Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7.

2.            Pour the stock into a heatproof jug and add the lemon juice, saffron, cumin and ginger. Whisk together and leave for a few minutes to infuse.

3.            Meanwhile, place the chicken in a large roasting tray with the potatoes, onions and olives. Scatter over the garlic, preserved lemon, olive oil, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together so that everything gets completely coated and arrange the chicken thighs skin-side up.

4.            Pour the stock into the tray and roast for 45-50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and golden and the potatoes are tender. Scatter over the coriander and serve immediately.

Greek Chicken

We found this recipe for Greek Chicken. It is a winner! We liked the flavors, this is a good recipe. We want to make it again. You should try it!

Greek Chicken

Cooks Country

 

We found inspiration for this super flavorful Greek chicken at Johnny’s Restaurant in Homewood, Alabama, where the menu reflects the chef’s Greek heritage and Alabama upbringing. The chicken there is tender and juicy, marinated and roasted to perfection and flavored with tons of herbs and lemon. To re-create this simple yet complex-tasting dish for the home cook, we first tested our way to the perfect marinade: a blend of olive oil, fresh and dried herbs and spices, and lemon. To make sure the marinade penetrated past the surface of the chicken, we cut ½-inch-deep slashes in each piece. To achieve the lovely browning we remembered from the chicken at Johnny’s, we roasted our chicken at a relatively hot 425 degrees and gave it a blast of heat from the broiler at the end of cooking. 

 

Ingredients

 

¼      cup extra-virgin olive oil

2       tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 

2       tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 

5       garlic cloves, chopped

6       (3-inch) strips lemon zest, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1       tablespoon kosher salt

1½    teaspoons  dried oregano

1       teaspoon ground coriander 

½      teaspoon red pepper flakes 

½      teaspoon pepper 

3       pounds bone-in chicken pieces (2 split breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2      thighs, and 2 wings, wingtips discarded)

 

Before You Begin

Use a vegetable peeler to remove six strips of zest from the lemon. If you have a rasp-style grater and prefer to use it to zest the lemon, you will need about 1 tablespoon of zest. Make sure to use kosher salt here; we developed this recipe using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.

 

Instructions

 

1.            Combine oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, salt, oregano, coriander, pepper flakes, and pepper in large bowl. Cut three ½-inch-deep slits in skin side of each chicken breast, two ½-inch-deep slits in skin side of each thigh, and two ½-inch-deep slits in each drumstick; leave wings whole. Transfer chicken to bowl with marinade and turn to thoroughly coat, making sure marinade gets into slits. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

2.            Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat oven to 425 degrees. Place chicken, skin side up, in 12-inch ovensafe skillet. Using rubber spatula, scrape any remaining marinade from bowl over chicken. Roast until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.

3.            Remove skillet from oven and spoon pan juices over top of chicken to wet skin. Heat broiler. Broil chicken until skin is lightly browned, about 3 minutes, rotating skillet as necessary for even browning. Let chicken rest in skillet for 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to shallow platter. Stir lemon juice into pan juices, then spoon over chicken. Serve.

Thanksgiving

 

Brussels Sprouts Steeped in Olive Oil and Fish Sauce

All our friends contributed to the Thanksgiving dinner. This was a special Thanksgiving since we hadn't one since the Pandemic. It was great to everyone together again. We reheated a great smoke Turkey from Willie Bird. Why cook a turkey if you can just reheat a very good, moist smokey Turkey? We started with an appetizer that we made and everyone loved. We will make again: Brussels Sprouts Steeped in Olive Oil and Fish Sauce. It easy very good! You should try it! You can find the recipe on our Thanksgiving Blog: November 23, 2017. Click the date to get the recipe.