What's Cooking (Take Three!)

[Jenise]

Probably, Jeff. 3-4 seconds wouldn't have been enough and 3-4 minutes would have been too much--although, perhaps if they were actually frozen in the first place!--2-3 minutes might not have been too far off.

Jenise, I am anxious to hear more about the Portuguese potatoes. My maternal grandparents and mother came here from the Azores and I do not recall my grandmother making these. Not to say she didn't, I was very young when we lived with my grandparents. They definitely are something I would love.

[Jenise]

I'll be doing those with another new (to me) recipe for chunks of pork shoulder braised in white wine, cider vinegar and madeira, fairly equal parts of all, and a giant wad of bay leaves. The vinegar and bay leaf parts reminds me of an adobo. Should be a flavor explosion with those potatoes. I'll post the recipe if it's good.

[Jenise]

On Saturday morning a neighbor brought over ten whole Dungeness. And last night while I was making the pho another neighbor dropped off two more. I took a bag to my brother and picked the rest. Tonight for dinner I'm making a hot slather of crab, artichokes, garlic and parmesan for spreading on crusty bread (torn off the loaf, not cut, so that the bottom of each piece is crust). But I have a lot more than I can use. A bisque is probably in order.

Jenise, I saw that potato recipe in a Milk Street Magazine issue a while back. Anxious to know how much smoked paprika you use. I am shy to use what recipes call for thinking that a little goes a long way. Perhaps this is an ingredient that requires a threshold above which a more subtle flavor predominates but I've never been brave enough to use as directed.

[Jenise]

Yes, in Milk Street. I'm loving this magazine. And you know what, about an hour ago I read through the recipe again to make sure I had everything it calls for since I'll be out and about later this morning, and I balked at the smoked paprika. Not that I dislike that ingredient, but I fell in love with the picture and no way that amount of paprika was used. Maybe half a tsp, and I don't plan to use more than that because I want to taste wine and onions, not paprika.

Shanghai-style red-cooked chicken tonight.

-Paul W.

A simple bacon and tomato sandwich is on the menu tonight. Applewood smoked, thick-sliced bacon, a huge red tomato, mixed lettuce leaves from my garden, on Jalepeño, Cheddar Bread. A side salad of marinated green beans, garbanzo, and kidney beans with green onions. Vinaigrette is a mix of garlic powder, s & p, Safflower oil, Rice Wine Vinegar, a dash of sugar. I may add a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to the mayonnaise, or some Calabrian Pepper or nothing at all...

Re: smoked paprika, a scant half tsp is what I was thinking but then began considering how to tame it so as to use more because I suspect that more if used correctly becomes something entirely different.
Karen, any first hand Azorean tips on using smoked paprika?
I also suspect a long slow braise with tomatoes and or potatoes is one way with care not to burn it making it bitter. I would definitely not use it as a finishing seasoning

Would someone enlighten we non-subscribers as to how much spice we're talking about? And whether it's cooked-in or just sprinkled on top? Thank you!

[Jenise]

Would someone enlighten we non-subscribers as to how much spice we're talking about? And whether it's cooked-in or just sprinkled on top? Thank you!

I'll post the recipe. Then everyone can see what it is.

Christina, I love the complex and strong flavor of smoked paprika. I especially love to coat meats not only for the flavor but also, the smoked paprika gives a beautiful crust when browning meats. I use it in certain soups, hamburger for tacos, sometimes. Lots of braised meat dishes, Spanish frittatas, scrambled eggs, and on fried eggs. I do not recall my grandmother cooking anything from where she came. Grandpa raised rabbits, chickens, and a huge veggie garden. He insisted on a type of bean dish every night, and I do remember that. I would not eat the rabbit as I considered them pets. I also remember we ate a lot of greens, kale especially, in soups.

[Jenise]

Last night I made pork cooked in white wine, vinegar, and madeira with lots of bay leaves and garlic. Really luscious on rice cooked with slivered garlic and olive oil. We had a pepper and tomato salad to start.

I'm making a Seafood Stew with shrimp, scallops lots of garlic and onion, dried oregano, fennel, crushed tomatoes, clam juice, dry white wine, Calabrian chile paste, and baby bok choy. The Choy is unusual, but I added Swiss Chard to this soup once and we all loved it. Farmer's Mkt. is selling much of the produce by the bag now which drives me nuts. I picked up a good size bag of nice-looking baby bok choy and need to use it. I think it will do just fine with this soup. Fresh basil is added just prior to serving. A sourdough baguette will soak up the tasty juices.

[Jenise]

Karen, that sounds good. I have no idea what we're having; I'm in a disgruntled mood (window cleaners just showed up two hours early) and nothing sounds good. I have all this crab to eat, too, and know I should use it. Just. Don't. Feel. Like. It.

We pick our crab and eat it right out of the shell. I love it with fresh lemon juice, hubby likes cocktail sauce. Gene's dad was a hobby crabber in Humboldt Bay and had huge crab feeds. He thought it disgusting to do anything with crab, except eat it out of the shell. I have made a pasta dish with it, that was very yummy.. I think I have made crab patties, as well. The crab does not freeze well, IMHO. It loses a lot in the process.

[Jenise]

I don't like it frozen, either. The stringy texture is just terrible, and the flavor doesn't stay good. Protected by the fat in a mayo binder and eggwhite, crab cakes freeze nicely for up to about 3 months but after that they turn fishy. Our community having a private marina right on a bay full of crab, the entire neighborhood is out all season (lasts about 6 weeks before the weather turns bad and/or the commercials are let loose) catching and freezing. By next May or June they'll be making fishy crab cakes and runny/fishy crab dips, all of which are just awful. Apparently not everyone can taste that fishiness, or if they do they don't mind it. To me they taste awful.

We like it picked out of the shell too when they're hot out of the steamer. But this year I've been given too much to only eat it that way. So, crab-stuffed avocado salads. Crab/artichoke/cheese bake slathered on hot crusty bread. Veal Oscar. Last night, crab scampi on pasta. I've already made a dozen crab cakes for the next few months and today I'll turn all the rest into a crab bisque.

My gout numbers are way down in the acceptable range now (the Moderna vaccine made them skyrocket and for months I could barely walk) but I admit I'm still terrified of eating too much shellfish. Especially if I want to eat anything else!

Jenise and KarenWith a surfeit of crab are you not tempted to do chili crab? Singapore style, a go to for me.

More baby bok choy is on the menu for tonight, cooked with cherry tomatoes until they burst, a little grated nutmeg, and garlic. Will top with a half of a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, brushed with soy sauce, Mikes Hot Honey(New York Wildflower Honey infused with Chiles), and a yet to be known Asian condiment. The breast will be roasted until golden brown. A final drizzle with Tomato Vinegar. A simple Jasmine Rice, cooked in chicken stock, garlic, to go alongside.

[Jenise]

Jenise and KarenWith a surfeit of crab are you not tempted to do chili crab? Singapore style, a go to for me.

Barb, if the crab came to me raw/uncooked, this and several other dishes (like a Vietnamese lemon-grass roasted version) would have been on deck but alas, they all came cooked. I didn't have a chance to request otherwise.

[Jenise]

Tonight: a small prime rib.

Yesterday, I made the Portuguese pork with wine, vinegar, and lots of bay leaves. Took Jenise's suggestions and cut out all the steps. Browned the pork cubes a little. added the bay, and rest of the ingredients, and let the meat sit in the marinade until about 4 pm. Then slowly cooked on the stovetop until tender. The house smelled so good, and the meat came out buttery and tender. We loved it along with the suggested Madeiran potato recipe from Milk Street. Made a sheet pan of roasted carrots, mini all-color peppers, and green bell peppers. Leftovers for tonight. I really liked the sprinkle of fresh oregano at the end. We have it in the garden and I rarely use them fresh as I prefer the Turkish dried in most dishes. This pork recipe is a keeper. Saved one lb. to freeze... will cook the same way, then shred and make tacos, and think a tangy coleslaw will be wonderful with them.

[Jenise]

Glad that worked out for you! I used dried Mexican oregano, which is the only oregano I use. I also love fresh but my plant, which had thrived for many years, didn't come back this year. Love the ideas of shredding the leftovers in a taco.

I've had the dried Oregano in my spice cupboard, but rarely used it, no particular reason why. However, about 6 months ago I decided to start using it and was glad I did. It has a citrus note to it and maybe a bit of licorice or am I imagining that? I have used it in taco meat, Mexican-type soups, taco bowls, Spanish Frittata.