What's cooking?

First dinner off the grill: mixed vegetables sauteed in the perforated pan, and shrimp kabobs.

New grill or just first of the season?

Just first of the season.

Second was tonight: mix veg perf pan, and wild salmon (...yes, the $24/lb kind).

Third was tonight: butterflied leg of lamb, served with couscous and a SW France version of ratatouille.

a Piedmontese version of ratatouille.

How does ratatouille lean Piedmontese? With truffles?

a Piedmontese version of ratatouille.

How does ratatouille lean Piedmontese? With truffles?

Red peppers instead of eggplant, much less garlic, butter instead of oil, and a quick saute instead of a long simmer.

ETA: Oops. My bad. This is SW France not NW Italy. I will fix my post; you should fix yours, too. Sorry, Rahsaan (and everyone).

a Piedmontese version of ratatouille.

How does ratatouille lean Piedmontese? With truffles?

Red peppers instead of eggplant, much less garlic, butter instead of oil, and a quick saute instead of a long simmer.

ETA: Oops. My bad. This is SW France not NW Italy. I will fix my post; you should fix yours, too. Sorry, Rahsaan (and everyone).

Sounds delicious, wherever it's from!

Fourth tonight: tuna steak.

Errm...
well...
errrr...
I'm not quite sure...
how to say this....
but....
for the first time ever....

I made Quiche

There it is. I've admitted it.

Actually (and believe me I'm a fierce self-critic) I reckon it was one of the best quiches I've tasted, but there again, if you make it, then you decide what goes in

In this case, some chorizo (that gave it great flavour and colour), black olives, onions, tomato, mozzarella and some soft cheese stuffed spicy peppers that shouted "AND ME!!!" from the fridge, plus a few garden herbs (Thyme, Sage and Oregano).

regards

Ian

[Robin Garr]

Mary made a spinach salad that's about as locavore as it gets. Spinach from our garden, eggs from a neighbor's urban chickens, and Dreamcatcher Farm Kentucky bacon.

[Robin Garr]

spinachsalad.jpg

Mary's spinach salad. The onions aren't local ...

Had mom over for Mother's Day and did most of the cooking whilst Cindy gardened or played in the dirt. Everything was done on the grill; unlike some, I grill year round, shoveling snow if need be to get to the cooker. Anyway, grilled fennel-spiced pork tenderloins with a sage-lemon vinaigrette, grilled rosemary sweet potatoes, and grilled yellow squash. Dessert was macerated and spiked sliced strawberries over lemon pound cake. Wine was Celestin Blondin Sancerre. All tasted great.

Mary's spinach salad.

Boy, that looks good!

Turkey breast and barley soup. Gene grill roasted a bone-in whole turkey breast earlier this week. So today I took the rest of the meat and made an old-fashioned turkey soup with "soup barley" onions, celery, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, white wine, herbs and spices. It is very yummy. Serving with baguette slices, slathered with butter, Herbs de Provence, garlic, and Parmesan-Reggiano cheese. We'll have soup tonight, the rest will be frozen to take on an RV trip or dinner on a lazy day when I don't want to cook.

[Jenise]

Anyway, grilled fennel-spiced pork tenderloins with a sage-lemon vinaigrette

A very under-utilized piece of meat. I myself probably haven't bought it in at least a year, and that's a shame especially since one is pretty perfect in size for two to share.

Under-utilized? Not in these parts. The supermarkets are replete with pork tenderloins marinated in this or that.

(And, frankly, it needs all the help it can get. I find it to be tender but utterly bland.)

Anyway, grilled fennel-spiced pork tenderloins with a sage-lemon vinaigrette

A very under-utilized piece of meat. I myself probably haven't bought it in at least a year, and that's a shame especially since one is pretty perfect in size for two to share.

I agree with Jeff about utilization. We consume quite a bit of pork tenderloin. Costco sells it by the 2-pack, 2 tenderloins in each pack, bringing the total package weight near 5 pounds.

It is a very lean cut (good for the waistline) which negatively impacts juiciness so I usually brine it in advance. And while the taste can be a little bland, that makes it a great palette for interesting spices. This prep with fennel rub and a sage lemon vinaigrette is one. Another I make has a marinade that includes green onion, garlic, fresh jalapeno peppers, and lime juice. All courtesy of Bobby Flay recipes.

[Robin Garr]

(And, frankly, it needs all the help it can get. I find it to be tender but utterly bland.)

Industrial meat? Find yourself a source of locally (okay, in NYC, regionally ) produced pastured pork and you'll never call pigmeat bland again.

Jeff, I seem to recall reading a piece recently about an outfit up in Westchester that raises, serves, and sells it's own pork; and is to die for. You might research it, and venture up that way.

(And, frankly, it needs all the help it can get. I find it to be tender but utterly bland.)

Industrial meat? Find yourself a source of locally (okay, in NYC, regionally ) produced pastured pork and you'll never call pigmeat bland again.

I adore pigmeat generally but not that cut so much. De gustibus....

Jeff, I seem to recall reading a piece recently about an outfit up in Westchester that raises, serves, and sells it's own pork; and is to die for. You might research it, and venture up that way.

Westchester? I don't know, it's pretty tony there. A little further up, I'd guess.

I periodically buy from Turkana Farms and they periodically have pig. I'll read the next offer more closely.

Thick rib-eye is marinating, in oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar. and will be grilled. Sautéed mushrooms and onions will top the steak. A side of Brussels sprouts sautéed in butter and lemon juice with a little cream added at the end. Spinach salad with red onion, blue cheese and some hard boiled egg sprinkles with a spinach dressing.

I'm a fan of pork tenderloins. They are easy to cook and can be dressed up or down. We like them cooked medium rare, they are always marinated and then a rub applied, usually something simple like a chili powder with salt and pepper or a mix of thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, fennel seed. I like serving with some sort of au ju over the top, that I reduce and thicken up just a little. The slices are perfect size and a reduction sauce adds a touch of class for company. A sprinkle of a fresh herb such as summer savory, Italian oregano, or even parsley is nice.

Mary's spinach salad.

Boy, that looks good!

Ditto! It's breakfast time for me here, but that sure makes me want that salad right now.

A rack of slow cooked baby back ribs on the Weber grill...hope I don't over cook them again. I need to practice getting them so they are short of falling off the bone. Portabello mushrooms stuffed with garden fresh spinach and NJ's home made sourdough baguettes. Beverage of choice tonight is a few bottles of Bell's Oberon summer ale.
Redwinger

[Robin Garr]

short of falling off the bone.