What's Cooking (Take Four)

Today's menu is an inside skirt steak marinated in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry wine, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, fresh ginger, a little safflower oil, and red pepper flakes. Before cooking, I will drain from the marinade, and brush with a teriyaki sauce on both sides. My eldest son whom I call Chef did this telling me he likes the char it gives the steaks on each side because of the sugar.
Also, I am roasting a sheet pan with yellow, organic potatoes, all colors of bell peppers, red onions, Brussels sprouts, and red onion, all coated with fresh garlic oil, salt pepper, smoked paprika, and Oregano. A fresh tomato, Persian cukes, feta cheese, and red onion salad with lemon, and garlic vinaigrette will round out the meal.
Farmer's Market was loaded today and I was wishing I had more mouths to feed. We are blessed with several ethnic groups who are introducing new produce to our populace. So many things to try... I came home with two baskets of multi-colored cherry tomatoes, a bag of regular tomatoes, bag of multi-colored bell peppers, green onions, strawberries, Persian cukes, red onions, arugula, cherries, and by then my bag was too heavy to carry.

[Jenise]

I sprinkle sugar on steaks and other grilled meats for that same reaction. I love the char flavor.

We're having guests over tonight for a casual tasting of wines imported by Mary Taylor, 12 bottles in all. Here's what I'm making: shrimp and snow pea salad with artichoke vinaigrette, mushroom pizza, brussels sprouts lightly marinated with red wine vinegar and roasted with parmesan and crispy bread crumbs, cheese tray with crackers, cold sliced California terrine...oh dear, that's only five things. I know there were six on my list, better figure out what I'm forgetting before it's too late!

Roasted a chicken in the oven, sitting on a bed of orange slices, chopped fennel bulb, and fresh tarragon.

Sounds delicious Jeff, I love cooking meats on a bed of something...especially onions. I have a chicken recipe that is done with oranges, artichokes, and olives, a Yotum Ottolenghi recipe...he does very interesting flavor combos.

I got one of those lovely Costco rotisserie chickens yesterday for use in Sichuan cold dishes to help beat the heat.

-Paul W.

Small children may want to leave the room.

I rarely eat at fast food joints, but last night I was curious about the $5 deal at McD's (most burger joints have them now). So we gave it a try. The deal was a double burger or chicken sandwich, fries, chicken nuggets, and a drink. We got one of each.

It was the most uninspired, unsatisfying, and tasteless food I've ever eaten. Nothing had any taste, and I didn't have a cold. Even the fries sucked. I noticed they were closer to matchstick potatoes and tasteless. I hadn't tried a chicken nugget for years, but they were so bland and tasteless, I can see why. The ketchup was okay. Blah..... Never again.

On the plus side, I discovered why my right elbow hurts so much when I extend my arm. It feels like I somehow over-extended my elbow. Just this morning I almost dropped a cup of coffee when I reached for it.

When we got home from our gourmet repast, I reached behind my seat for the windshield sunscreen. That's when I discovered that's the source of my over-extension.

Yeah, I recently ate something at a Burger King instead of lunch. Despite many non-H words, in the end, it was a hamburger with an extra helping of grease. Bleh.

This post reminded me of one summer when I had two of our grandchildren here, a brother and a sister. The parents did not eat fast food and did not expose the kids. They asked me if I would take them to In and Out Burgers, so I gave in. It was my first time, as well. When the kids got their burgers, one yelled, "What is this? The meat patty did not fill out the bun; it was a dried, overcooked piece of hamburger and tasteless. The fries were greasy. We went home and I made them sandwiches and had ice cream bars in the freezer. I've never been back but I do hear good things about them.

[Jenise]

Karen, I think I remember a long ago post about your trip to In n Out. IIRC, you took the food home or to a park instead of eating it pristeen hot at the venue. And we all kind of pointed out that In n Out can't wait. Got to eat the food immediately. We love it, I have to say, though there aren't any where we live.

I ate an In-and-Out burger and fries only once in my life. I thought it was great. Whatever.

my son says you have to know what to order....

[Jenise]

Not at all. In n Out's menu is the simplest menu in the fast food universe. They only make hamburgers and fries. There are unpublished variations with cute names like "animal style" they'll honor--kind of a cult thing--but if you enjoy a basic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and onion, there's nothing to know. It's what they do.

Our IN and OUT gets ample complaints and has for a long time. Yet, I see long lines when I drive by. I'm a fan of Habit Burgers and a local restaurant, From the Hearth, not far from our house affiliated with a local church. They do great food, no drive-through. Wonderful breads, and pastries.

Today, I have the slow cooker going on low with Midnight Black Beans, cooking in a rich beef stock, 1/2 of an onion, fresh garlic, celery, and celery leaves, and later I will add a purple and yellow bell pepper (very unusual) chili seasoning and Mexican Oregano. The house should smell great soon!

I'm somewhat surprised about the McDonald's review. I've always liked their french fries. Even Julia Child had good things to say about them.

-Paul W.

Me, too. They were much narrower than I remember, close to matchstick potatoes and tasteless. I've eaten Burger King fries lately, and they were much better and full size. You need the crisp exterior and the soft interior, but if the fries are so thin, they don't have that quality. I wonder if there's a different size for the $5 specials. It's certainly a downsized fry that I ate. Weird. I should have taken a picture.

Yesterday, I made another bowl of tasty gazpacho soup. I used Knudsens Organic, Verry Veggie Low Sodium juice, red onion, Persian cucumbers, multi-color cherry tomatoes, celery and celery leaves, green onions, golden bell pepper, garlic, sherry wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, fresh lime juice, sweet basil leaves, thinly cut, a little fresh marjoram, jalapeno pepper, and salt.
I love to pair this soup with a flatbread rosemary and olive oil cracker.
Filling and tasty.

Yesterday I made a Sichuan/Thai hybrid spiced chicken and bean thread noodle soup. I don't remember where the recipe came from. The soup base is chicken broth with added spices: fresh ginger slices, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and orange peel. After 20 minutes at a low simmer the spices are removed and sliced reconstituted dried shiitake mushrooms added, along with light soy sauce and fish sauce (that's the Thai twist). The bean thread noodles are soaked in hot water for five minutes, then drained and added to the soup along with thinly sliced scallion green rings. Finally sliced poached chicken is put on top and sprinkled with coarsely ground Sichuan peppercorn salt. I used chicken meat from a Costco rotisserie chicken rather than poaching a chicken breast from scratch.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Today I'll be developing another terrine--I have what I think is a great idea, will see if it works.

Also making gazpacho.

Tell me about your Gazpacho Jenise.
A fun menu today, small, purple, yellow, and gold carrots, with a large tomato tossed in olive oil, curry powder, sea salt, and honey, and then put into my Staub Braiser. A chicken breast cut in half was marinated in buttermilk and Tabasco overnight. This morning I drained it and then made a mixture of soy sauce, olive oil, paprika, dried oregano, Aji Amarillo Paste, fresh lime juice, and a bit of Bruno's Wax Pepper juice. This was brushed all over the chicken breast, which was placed on top of the carrot mixture and will be roasted this evening. A cauliflower side dish cooked in salt and chicken stock, then mashed with butter, fresh thyme, and freshly ground black pepper. The chicken dish is sort of a Peruvian-inspired dish from Sara Moulton, (remember her) one of my favorite shows from long ago.
We are blessed with overcast (smoke) today, it will be in the 90's and we had a lovely cool morning. There are so many wildfires around us, unfortunately.

Tonight I'll be making a Sichuan cold (well, room temperature) dish consisting of thin wheat noodles and parboiled bean sprouts, tossed with a sauce made from light soy sauce, chile oil, sesame paste, rice vinegar, and Sichuan peppercorn oil, garnished shreds of poached chicken (I'll be using the other half of the Costco rotisserie chicken). Just the thing for hot weather.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

That's perfect, Paul.

At the last minute--that is, about 11:00 this morning--we decided that Bob was up to going to a wine tasting tonight. I scavenged the fridge for something to take and decided on a cold scallop and ramen noodle salad, then thought hey, what if I make it rice noodles, double down on the shitake mushrooms (I always have dried on hand), add some melted leeks and a carton of fresh pea shoots which yeah I just happened to have. Soy sauce, mirin, spicy black bean sauce, sesame oil--voila, a dressing. We have some vegans in the group so it's perfect to take something everyone can partake of. Topic: rose.

[Jenise]

It's cold and raining today; I have a hankering for chicken soup that won't let up so I'm off to throw a batch together now.

I wish some of that rain would come this way...I have several chicken-type soups in the freezer. I make them in the summer to have for winter. Enjoy the rain!