Saturday troll: What's for dinner?

This is the second stone I've ever had, and never got more than three uses out of either before it broke.

Buy better stones. If you want it to stand up to repeated (in my case, constant) use, you really need to spring for something like these. I have the rectangular one. It is fantastic.

Also, whatever stone you use, make sure you pretreat it properly, exactly according to the directions.

mussels in white wine and cream
grilled lamb steak marinated in soy, dry sherry, garlic, rosemary, and horseradish
roasted yukon gold taters with herbs de provence
steamed brussel sprourts with bacon
washed down with a nice red

Mike old friend, is that YOU?

yup, it's me, funny how those galactic gravity waves keep pushing me back this way!!!


-mike

This is the second stone I've ever had, and never got more than three uses out of either before it broke.

Buy better stones. If you want it to stand up to repeated (in my case, constant) use, you really need to spring for something like these. I have the rectangular one. It is fantastic.

Also, whatever stone you use, make sure you pretreat it properly, exactly according to the directions.

So Pampered Chef stones do not equal better stones?

[Jenise]

mussels in white wine and cream
grilled lamb steak marinated in soy, dry sherry, garlic, rosemary, and horseradish
roasted yukon gold taters with herbs de provence
steamed brussel sprourts with bacon
washed down with a nice red

Mike old friend, is that YOU?

yup, it's me, funny how those galactic gravity waves keep pushing me back this way!!!


-mike

That's great, good to see you again. Weren't you in Shoreline? And have we talked since I moved north? Can't recall, though I am fairly certain we must have because you're the one who told me about Central Market (of which I'm a big fan).

That's great, good to see you again. Weren't you in Shoreline? And have we talked since I moved north? Can't recall, though I am fairly certain we must have because you're the one who told me about Central Market (of which I'm a big fan).

I have a Bothell mailing address, a Mill Creek zip code, and actually live in unincorporated Snohomish county. Yes I was still active in the previous version/s of the 'da board when you moved north. I'm only about 4 miles from the Central Market in Mill Creek so if you are ever in the area we should try to hook up and meet finally.


-mike

Gorgonzola-stuffed chicken breasts

Recipe! Recipe!

Sure! I'll get it posted in the morning! Tough to type correctly right now. Too much wine over at Jason and Lynn's today!

[Jenise]

I have a Bothell mailing address, a Mill Creek zip code, and actually live in unincorporated Snohomish county. Yes I was still active in the previous version/s of the 'da board when you moved north. I'm only about 4 miles from the Central Market in Mill Creek so if you are ever in the area we should try to hook up and meet finally.

Would love to. Btw, I'm surprised you can be four miles from the CM and be in an unincorporated area. Are you due east? There's so much about this state I don't know!

(RCP) Braised Pork with Prune and Chive Sauce

Brown a lean rolled/tied pork shoulder roast on one side. Flip over, add another tablespoon of olive oil and two shallots, finely diced. Sweat those about three minutes then add about 1 cup of dry sherry and enough chicken broth to raise the liquid level to about 2/3 of the meat. Add two tablespoons of honey and several sprigs of fresh thyme. Simmer on your lowest setting for close to two hours, turning the meat about three times. When the meat's done, remove to a platter and tent to keep warm. Remove the fat layer from the sauce, add a handful of prunes, and turn up the temperature to reduce the remaining liquid by about half. Add another tablespoon or two of sherry to pop the flavor, and Improve the viscosity with cold butter or a short corn starch slurry. The prunes will plump up but remain a bit chewy. Add two tablespoons of finely chopped chives and a few cranks of black pepper. Return the meat to re-heat through, and serve over rice.

Start your rice when you start your meat: throw a small handful of pine nuts in a saucepan and cook over low-to medium heat until they turn golden on one side. Add two tblsp EVOO and 1.5 cups of unrinsed jasmine rice. Stir until all the rice kernels are coated and a few turn white, about three minutes. Add 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt and two garlic cloves, sliced. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low, let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest five minutes more. Then remove lid and toss the rice. It should be completely cooked (if it's not, replace the lid and allow to sit another five minutes). Remove the rice from the pan and move to a cool shallow microwave-suitable dish. Leave uncovered--the accumulated steam will evaporate as the rice cools, and the kernels will firm up. This important step makes the best rice possible--and a side benefit is that at this point, half an hour into cooking, your dinner's almost done. Later, reheat the rice in the microwave--again, uncovered. You'll have rice that's fully cooked but toothsome, kernels that are separate but which cling to each other well if, like me, you sometimes like to mold rice for plating--or ready to go to the table if you're serving family style.

Jenise, thank you for taking the time to write this out. I will definitely do this soon. I love cooked prunes in savory dishes. Still love Chicken Marbela after all these years for that reason. Thanks again.

[Jenise]

Gorgonzola-stuffed chicken breasts

Recipe! Recipe!

Sure! I'll get it posted in the morning! Tough to type correctly right now. Too much wine over at Jason and Lynn's today!

No surprise--I'm sure any wine around Jason is too good to pass up.

Good to see you back here, Mike!

Dinner tonight is Thai Volcano Chicken, sort of a flambeed version of Chicken on a Throne. I'll post the recipe here if it turns out to be any good. I just hope I don't burn the house down trying to make it.

-Paul W.

Would love to. Btw, I'm surprised you can be four miles from the CM and be in an unincorporated area. Are you due east? There's so much about this state I don't know!

yes very strange, I'm not sure if I want to get annexed into Bothell or Lynnwood at this point but I'm actually west of the CM in Mill Creek.

Good to see you back here, Mike!

Dinner tonight is Thai Volcano Chicken, sort of a flambeed version of Chicken on a Throne. I'll post the recipe here if it turns out to be any good. I just hope I don't burn the house down trying to make it.

-Paul W.

thanks Paul, good to see you are still around.

-mike