What's Cooking (Take Three!)

Funny... I am also hopeful to grill today but it is downright chilly now!

We'll be flirting with the 100 degree mark here today. Too hot to grill!

[Jenise]

It's raining.

[Robin Garr]

It's a beautifully sunny 83 here today, and more of the same coming all week. You guys come on over for a grill party!

[Jenise]

It's a beautifully sunny 83 here today, and more of the same coming all week. You guys come on over for a grill party!

I'll bring the chokas and a few bottles of rose.

It's a deal!

[Jenise]

Grilling pork chops tonight. Undecided if I'm going to coat them in berbere or just brine them and splash the finished meat with a maple vinaigrette.

I'm in the midst of making Italian beef for tomorrow evening's neighborhood get-together. It's all cooked up and will sit in the cooking broth in the fridge overnight. Tomorrow, I'll pull it out, get the fat off the top, shred the beef, and serve it wet with small French rolls, sauteed green peppers, and hot giardiniera mix.

[Jenise]

Mike, I had my first Italian Beef sandwich in Milwaukee a few months ago. I absolutely adored it--took French Dip to a whole new level.

Grilling halibut for dinner tonight which I'll serve with asparagus and zucchini removed from my neighbor's garden two days ago. Super fresh!

I think you hit the nail on the head there, Jenise. Italian beef is a much more flavorful take on the french dip. The version I made for the neighborhood soiree was well received and I thought it was delicious.

[Jenise]

I think you hit the nail on the head there, Jenise. Italian beef is a much more flavorful take on the french dip. The version I made for the neighborhood soiree was well received and I thought it was delicious.

It was truly one of those "why haven't I heard of this before!" experiences. And the place I got, they were so cute as they described the sandwich to me, and insisted I get a little pot of the pepper stuff just to try. They warned me it was pretty spicy. Ha! Very mild, just lots of sour, and I used up the whole cup. They were so proud of me!

[Jenise]

If everything goes right, dinner tonight will be next to a campfire.

Speaking of campfires, we are planning a pig roast in July--we were planning to bury said Porky down on our beach, Hawaiian style.
I have 97 guests signed up so far. And it only just dawned on me and my fellow conspirators that by July 21st we will probably be under a burn ban just like we've been for the last three years.

Did you know you can rent commercial pig roasters? We've got one booked.

Jenise, do your burn bans extend for a period of time? We have days of total fire ban, which are declared, usually the day before, depending on prevailing conditions. So we can’t plan with any degree of certainty, to have a barbecue. Like you it is part of the way we live in summer.
The hangi style on the beach would have been great though! 97 people? Are you mad?
Re hiring a pig roaster is that a sophisticated contraption? My local butcher hires out a simple spit roast set up but that still couldn’t be used on a day of total fire ban.

Today I was in the big smoke and came across a butcher selling real veal, so it’s scalloppine al marsala and braised potatoes with celery.

[Jenise]

It's about dry conditions. once in place it wont be lifted until we get a full and deep rain, typically 2-3 months.

Yes im mad. All the guests will bring side dishes, and team will handle the pig. All I gotta do is provide wine and space.

Weeknight! Spinach quiche, with bacon and mushrooms. A little over-baked on top but has set nicely.

[Jenise]

Tonight, some of those famous Montana lobster tails grilled over a cAmpfire with parmesan butter rice. Last night we had portobello mushroom tortelloni with spinach and peas cooked inside our van during a hellacious thunder storm. Both. of course, with starter course salads.

Tonight: lamb burgers seared in the cast-iron pan, doused with sauteed shiitakes, and served with a side of mixed veg.

Dessert: Ambrosia, made of tinned mandarine orange segments, chunks of fresh pineapple, fresh cherries (pitted by moi), cracked almonds, sweetened coconut shred, and a dressing of slightly-sweetened creme fraiche. Add a chunk of sugared brioche.

Over 100 degrees here today and that Ambrosia really sounds like it would hit the spot.

Using the windfall of real veal, last night we had scallopine with a melange of mushies, baby spinach garlic, onion and sautéed spuds.
Made stock from 2veal shanks and tonight made a meat loaf with the cooked meat serve ng it with a riff on the spinach and mushrooms. Spuds will get a look in.

Tomorrow is chicken and tasso jambalaya day!

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Roasting a small (just under 3 pound) local/organic chicken today. Am excited to be trying something from a new local poultry farmer. I've spatchcocked it and seasoned it with salt and five spice powder, and will grill it on The Boss for serving with stir-fried snow peas, napa cabbage and bean sprouts.

I picked up a bunch of carnitas from a local Mexican grocery for a "Taco Friday" lunch our group hosted for the rest of the lab last Friday. We had a lot left over which was fine because this place makes great carnitas. By last night, I was getting tired of burritos, though. I ended up cooking up some chopped collard greens with onions and then tossed a bunch of the shredded pork in. This was then tossed with bowtie pasta (which I rarely make) and some gratuitous butter. As an alternative to parmigiano, we used crumbled cotija cheese as a garnish. Came out very nicely, although some red pepper flakes would have added a nice touch. Should have thrown them in.

[Jenise]

Mike, sounds like a great re-purpose. I love leftovers for just this reason. Who is it, Peter May?, who says they never have leftovers? Lots of missed opportunities there.

I'll bet the leftover Carnitas would work well in a Miraton (layer the meat with tomatoes and onions in a large souffle dish, add a little anchovy or capers, bake for 90ish minutes until it becomes something you can spread on crusty bread).

“some gratuitous butter”.

Mike I love it!! Everything tastes better with buttter