MitchW Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Asparagus with Dijon vinaigrette. Coq au Vin. Using a whole bird, cut-up into parts (but leaving the breast whole), salted and rested since the day before. After cooking, I "carve" half the breast off for Significant Eater, as she likes it. My plate consisted of wings, back with oyster, neck, one thigh, and some other really good parts. Hard to see, but mushrooms, pearl onions and lardons are all in there. Parsley potatoes and baguette served with, and we're almost in Paris. Except for: Our favorite California Pinot Noir, as I didn't feel like searching for a Burgundy, though I know I have a couple of bottles here. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relbbaddoof Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Lovely-looking asparagus^*. How did you cook it? ^* As is everything else. Were I half the food photographer you are (and a quarter the cook) I'd be a happy man. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 33 minutes ago, relbbaddoof said: Lovely-looking asparagus^*. How did you cook it? ^* As is everything else. Were I half the food photographer you are (and a quarter the cook) I'd be a happy man. Asparagus blanched (till done), shocked and then plated. Thanks - you're too kind. Speaking of being a happy man... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyager Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 I have found a simple way to blanch asparagus is to use a skillet with 1/2 - 3/4 " water. Fast to boil, tender-crisp in very few minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relbbaddoof Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 5 hours ago, MitchW said: Speaking of being a happy man... All I can say is this: were I to ever suffer the hardship of eating your food, I'd grin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relbbaddoof Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 1 hour ago, voyager said: I have found a simple way to blanch asparagus is to use a skillet with 1/2 - 3/4 " water. Fast to boil, tender-crisp in very few minutes. That's my go-to method, too, but I add a pat of ghee. Still, last Sunday the asparagus from Formaggio Ktichen (the mothership in Cambridge) was young enough that by the time the water evaporated the tips of the spears had seared slightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinghiale Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 26 minutes ago, relbbaddoof said: Formaggio Ktichen (the mothership in Cambridge) I recently visited the shop for the first time. Pretty impressive. Not quite as stellar as Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor or Di Bruno Brothers in Philly, but a great resource nonetheless for someone on the central CT coast, where cheese mongers are scarce. Parking in that residential neighborhood is a bitch, though. The best food purveyor I’ve found in Cambridge is Savenor’s - real gem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maison rustique Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Recently, I got a frozen pizza from my milkman. I baked it a few days ago. I doctored it, but it was still dreadful--dry and no flavor. I tried a second time with leftovers and I still couldn't like it. Trying hard not to waste food, yesterday I cut it into pieces, Put in a baking dish with more olives, tomatoes and onions, and poured over eggs, milk and copious seasonings. Topped with mozzarella about halfway through baking. A pizza strata. Not the best strata I've ever made but it was vastly better than the original pizza. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyager Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Nice save, I guess. While I try not to waste food, husband was a bear about sending good money after bad, often encouraging me to "cut my losses" when it came to salvaging food we didn't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
small h Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 Coincidentally, I also had a terrible free meal last night. In my coop, people often leave their extra food in the laundry room (don’t ask) for others to take, and the other day I decided to pick up a shelf-stable vegetarian Kosher shells & cheese, probably someone’s reject from Meals on Wheels.The filling was a tan paste, not recognizable as any kind of cheese. The topping was very sweet tomato sauce, corn, green beans and peas. I don’t understand the logic behind this at all. And I feel bad for people who have no other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relbbaddoof Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 (edited) On 4/2/2025 at 6:30 PM, cinghiale said: I recently visited the shop for the first time. Pretty impressive. Not quite as stellar as Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor or Di Bruno Brothers in Philly, but a great resource nonetheless for someone on the central CT coast, where cheese mongers are scarce. Parking in that residential neighborhood is a bitch, though. The best food purveyor I’ve found in Cambridge is Savenor’s - real gem. Were you at the main Cambridge location on Huron Ave or at their other store in Kendall? Savenor's is a great butcher's store, with a bit of this and a bit of that added on here and there, but I can't see how it even begins to compare with FK in any other respect: cheese, charcuterie, grains and pastas, jams, etc. Plus, their baked goods and prepared foods. Edited April 4 by relbbaddoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinghiale Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 I went to the Huron location. I certainly plan to return. As for Savenor’s, I meant that it really rocks as a butcher shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relbbaddoof Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 (edited) 1 hour ago, cinghiale said: Savenor’s, I meant that it really rocks as a butcher shop. Totally agree. ETA: Although the newer M.F.Dulock gives/gave them a run for their money for certain things (but not aged beef, or wagyu-ish things). I use the possible past tense because Michael Dulock fell seriously ill a couple of years ago, and the shop passed to other hands. In that time I've had other things on my mind than meat, so haven't checked out what it's like under the new ownership. Edited April 4 by relbbaddoof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyager Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 (edited) Bucatini with whitened Carbone marinara and sausage. Edited April 5 by voyager 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
small h Posted April 5 Author Share Posted April 5 (Formerly) live crawfish from Aquabest, and I managed to not drop them on the kitchen floor this time, thus denying my cat a lot of excitement. With over-wintered collards and potato and egg salad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maison rustique Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Grilled smoked sausage with dill sauerkraut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 saturday chicken braised in wine, with leeks, mushrooms, and cream; green salad, shallot vinaigrette; roasted potatoes. strawberry in red wine for dessert. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diancecht Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 sunday minestrone. green salad with champignon mushrooms, shallot vinaigrette. macedonia di frutta for dessert. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maison rustique Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 Using leftovers. Sauerkraut, smoked sausage, dill pickles and provolone on grainy nutty bread. Very good, but if I do the same again (there's still some left), I will put mustard on it, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 Lamb rib chops marinated in olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon juice. Broiled. Served with roasted potatoes and carrots, green salad, and celeri remoulade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
small h Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 (edited) I made a Sicilian pizza with oyster mushroom, mozz, parm, sauce and fava leaves. Let's call it a good first effort. It has some issues. Edited April 8 by small h 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voyager Posted April 8 Share Posted April 8 2 hours ago, MitchW said: Lamb rib chops marinated in olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon juice. You can send the bones in my direction (please). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchW Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 My current favorite pan (Staub) to make a pasta sauce in. Plenty of room to then toss the pasta. Setaro maccheroncini rigate with Marcella mushroom sauce. Cremini mushrooms, onion, garlic, anchovies, white wine, tomatoes. The Staub inherited from Sneakeater. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieL Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 On Tuesday, N made sausage and peppers. Yesterday, she combined the leftover sauteed peppers and onions with bucatini and RG Alubia Blancas. We now have beans left over, so those will probably go into a fish dish on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
small h Posted April 12 Author Share Posted April 12 You know what time it is? RAMP TIME. Ramp risotto with oyster mushrooms, shrimp and parm, 'cause the rules are, there are no rules. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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