What's Cooking (Take Three!)

Btw, I've made preserved lemons and used Eureka type (best I could tell, from a neighbor's tree and definitely not Meyers) which at the time was what was recommended for the thicker, more durable skin. Various recipes at the time called for either water or oil, so I made a jar of each at the same time. The water ones were ready faster but broke down sooner where the oil ones had more durable texture and lasted far longer. Were I to make them again, I'd go with the latter.

That’s interesting, the methods I’ve used just heavily salt the cut lemons and cover with lemon juice, no water or oil.

The recipe that I use is the same as Barb's--quarter the lemons, put them in the jar, cover them with a very liberal coating of salt, then add another layer of lemons, pressing them down hard to squeeze the juice out of the lower layer, then continue to add alternating layers of salt and lemons, pressing down each time. Top with lemon juice so that there is little or no ullage. Seal the jar. Shake the jar a few times a day, or turn it over if you have a perfectly waterproof seal. The cure is done after a few weeks. If your jar was sterilized properly and the seal is air and water tight, there's no need for refrigeration until you first open the jar.

I like Meyer lemons for this because of their sweeter juice.

Indian cuisine has a very wide range of preserved pickles called achar. They're typically used in small quantities as a sort of condiment or side relish. Moroccan preserved lemons qualify as an achar, but in India they'd add several spices along with the salt. Most Indian achar are preserved in oil.

-Paul W.

I use the the recipe found in Mourad Lalou's book New Morocco. Here is a link https://www.claycoyote.com/mourad-lahlo ... ed-lemons/ I see we have a difference of opinion about what lemons to use and I definitely do NOT recommend Meyer. I find their taste flabby and their thinner skin does not hold up to the long salt fermentation/preservation. A quart + jar lasts a long time and I froze part of the batch making it quite easy to slice off lemon and juices as needed. Just about the only thing I use Meyer for is in a dressing where I don't want the sharpness and don't want to add a sweetener. I don't have much of a choice of lemons unless ordering citrus including Buddha's Hand, Calamansi or Yuzu on line.

[Jenise]

Indian cuisine has a very wide range of preserved pickles called achar. They're typically used in small quantities as a sort of condiment or side relish.
-Paul W.

I am *crazy* about Indian mango pickle.

[Jenise]

Last night: a rib eye with green beans following a romaine salad.

Tonight: cornish game hen. I found a rather extra large one, about 2 lbs, a Mary's Air Chilled brand, perfect for sharing. I salted it last night and it's drying, otherwise nekkid, in the outside fridge. Will ensure juicy meat and crisp skin--win win. Will serve it with the leftover mashed potatoes from Sunday's stuffed pork roast, and a tomato salad starter. For lunch: a wilted spinach salad.

I'm not wedded to Meyer lemons for Moroccan preserved lemons. I use them because they were recommended in the recipe I use (which is identical to the one Christina pointed to). I find Meyer lemons superior for this use than the generic lemons we get around here (no idea what variety they are).

-Paul W.

...citrus including Buddha's Hand...

My local grocery store just got in a whole bunch of Buddha's Hands. $18 apiece. The only thing I know to do with them is to cut up the peel and candy it. But I have a bunch of sweet stuff in the fridge right now so I'm going to pass... although tempted.

Although candied peel and marmelade may be the most common there are lots of other things to do with a Buddah's Hand. It makes a great infused simple syrup or infused vodka. I love it shave into a salad or pretty much anywhere you would use zested lemon. The last one I got my hands on ended up zested in salt or sugar for rimming glasses and sprinkling on desserts. Did lose the potency after awhile though.

Thanks, Christina.

[Jenise]

Dinner last night was a disaster, even for a meal that was ostensibly about using up bits and pieces of things that had maybe been on hand too long. I believe I mentioned an extra large cornish hen a few days ago. That was slated for Wednesday but something else came up so I baked it last night. It had been salted and left in the outside fridge to dry. I was somewhat concerned that 48 hours had elapsed but hey, let's see. Well, it wasn't good. The texture suffered from the delay, not a surprise, and the flavor was slightly off. We tossed it, ate the wilted spinach on the plate, and then I steamed a plate of shrimp hargow that I had in the freezer and after that we had a tomato and avocado salad. None of this makes meal-composition sense, but my refrigerator and freezer thanked me.

I haven't made meat loaf in years, always liked it, mainly for the great sandwiches the next day. Last week I was thinking about the best meatloaf I ever made which had oatmeal in it. It was in a healthy heart cookbook I bought, but later it went into the pile of books which went to a thrift shop. I kept the recipe, but cannot find it. I went looking and found one I like, with simple ingredients including oatmeal, celery, and mushrooms. So it is on the menu for tonight, will be free formed using lean ground beef. I like the fact that any grease can drain out and down the sides of the loaf while cooking. Probably not as much crispy edges will happen though with the low fat beef. Topping it with a good amount of Marinara Sauce. I am also making a pan of mixed veggies, which will have potato chunks, Brussels Sprout halves, garlic cloves, lemon wedges, and of course red and gold peppers. I am tossing in a few semi-dried tomatoes which I bought, an Italian product that I seem to not be using. They are delicious, and will another flavor to the mix. Mixing with a garlic infused olive oil, and Italian Herbs.

I am buried in farm fresh eggs, so made a batch of Momofuko eggs yesterday, adding Mignonette Pepper. Had not made these in a long time, but love them for a quick and easy on the run breakfast. Going to enjoy this morning with Applewood Smoked Bacon, and fresh pineapple. A treat for me as I usually eat only fresh fruit with a bit of Greek yogurt. Our neighborhood grocer has FINALLY started offering cut up fruit such as watermelon, pineapple, mango, in small clam shells. Cut into thick strips, which I can easily cut into chunks. They are selling fast. Loving it! As I mentioned before they are building a brand new larger store across the street, so I am seeing a lot of new items the larger grocers carry. I love this particular store because it is three minutes away and at the times I go, I can park right in front near the door. In and out is how I like to shop!

[Jenise]

Last night we had baked potatoes and salad for dinner. I had found some super large red potatoes, a rarity, and they seemed like the perfect meal. Neither of us was very interested in meat.

Tonight I'm going to braise a tri-tip because I have this extra large one in the freezer whose shape and package size are very, very annoying. Now's the time. Maybe I'll pretend it's brisket and serve it with latkes.

I braise my tri tips too, and it is surprising to many folks when I tell them that because they think tri tip is for BBQ only. I do not care for it that way and decided to cook it differently. I cook it on a bed of thick onion slices, and they just seem to melt away into the sauce, so good. I add steak seasoning and Worcestershire Sauce and love it that way. Please share your creative touch to us.

I made Shanghai-style Chinese red-cooked chicken last night. The original recipe only has onions, fresh ginger, dark soy sauce, and shaoxing rice wine, but I've taken to throwing in a star anise as well.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

I braise my tri tips too, and it is surprising to many folks when I tell them that because they think tri tip is for BBQ only. I do not care for it that way and decided to cook it differently. I cook it on a bed of thick onion slices, and they just seem to melt away into the sauce, so good. I add steak seasoning and Worcestershire Sauce and love it that way. Please share your creative touch to us.

I went French. Large mirepoir of celery, carrot and onion, then water, dry white vermouth and beef boullion concentrate, herbs d'Provence, 2 cloves garlic and several bay leaves. When the meat had cooked for about three hours, I whizzed the broth into a smooth gravy.

Speaking of bay leaves, my bay tree that got destroyed two years ago sent up new shoots this year (my gardener cut it all down but for two feet of trunk just in case this happened), so I'm going to have a bay tree after all.

Speaking of bay leaves, my bay tree that got destroyed two years ago sent up new shoots this year (my gardener cut it all down but for two feet of trunk just in case this happened), so I'm going to have a bay tree after all.

Congratulations! Are you going to hold a baby shower? Or, at least, give it a name?

Gruel Helper. Mm-mmm.

[Jenise]

Congratulations! Are you going to hold a baby shower? Or, at least, give it a name?

Ha! You jest, but in fact I do have tendency to name my plants. I have a Christmas cactus named Mildred, and all the Japanese maples have names. I have yet to name the bay tree but now that you've 'planted' the idea, I may have to.

[Jenise]

Oh, last night was a vegetarian soup dinner. Tomato-basil soup with avocado toast, a favorite from childhood I'm still not over.

Tonight I'm making a chicken-tomatillo-green chile enchilada pie.

Jenise, I have a bay tree and several years ago, my Gene decided to park the RV further back into the yard, per a new city of Redding code. He cut half of my beautiful bay back and it lost the beautiful symmetrical shape. I was beyond furious and had to rescue the cuttings from the yard waste wheeler so I could dry as many leaves as possible. To this day, it has never recovered its shape but at least I still have my tree. Had he consulted with me, I would have had him simply move the RV over a bit closer to his workshop and that would have still been legal and saved the tree!!
Name your bay tree Lazarus.

Congrats on the bay tree, Jenise. Just curious--is this plant a bay laurel or a California laurel? They are different species and not even in the same genus.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

It's the good kind, Paul, whatever that is. Tremendous flavor.

Yesterday for lunch I used leftover Chinese restaurant spicey green beans, stir-fried them with a bag of bean sprouts (I love bean sprouts) and Momofuku Chile Crisp and served that over rice. For dinner, I made a chicken and green chile enchilada pie using, for the sake of experimentation, ground chicken in place of baked/stewed and shredded. The reasoning was that since I like a ground beef and red chile enchilada pie so much, this would be great too.

It wasn't. Funny that the texture works with beef but not with chicken. I can't defend the why's of that, but I found it rather crude. Maybe should have ground it finer in the food processor and added more cheese (though I was trying to get by with the minimum possible on that). Quite edible, just not an acceptable substitute for shredded chicken.

That would be the bay laurel, then. The California laurel's leaves have a stronger but coarser flavor, and are more pointed in shape.

-Paul W.