What's cooking this weekend?

[Jenise]

Dinner: tacos with turkey-rice filling, one of those foods I get a serious craving for every so often and nothing will do--not even another taco--until I have it.

For lunch: I had planned to sear some scallops for dinner last night but arrived home from Vancouver too sated with both food and wine to want anything more than a glass of cold iced tea. So looking at those scallops this morning, my brain paged through various scallop dishes and paused on Coquilles St. Jacques. Suddenly I could picture a Coquilles St. Jacques-flavored salad made with the raw scallops lightly marinated with fresh bay leaves and peppercorns in lemon juice and olive oil with lightly seared white button mushrooms, sugar snap peas flash-sauteed in white vermouth and a handful of short grain rice cooked in chicken stock. The rice is cooling right now, and the other ingredients are marinating away.

Also have a pot of the last two pounds of fresh morels I secured from my "dealer" simmering away with cream, brandy and a few herbs that, once reduced, I'll freeze in small quantities for some luxurious winter meals.

Tomorrow? No idea.

What's on at your house?

Dinner tonight is seared Ahi tuna on a bed of fresh spinach, which will be sautéed in a bit of evoo and butter, fresh garlic, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice On the side I'm sautéing a new squash, light green in color, sort of speckled and comes from Louisiana area, along with halved Brussels Sprouts. The grower told me it is their favorite summer squash, so much so, that they don't even grow the regular zucchini, or crookneck anymore. I like these growers because they have consistently been bringing different products to market. I was introduced to a Russian Red Kale this spring that was so good, and a myriad of medicinal tips using garden plants. I cut myself in the garden one day and knew to grab yarrow leaves and rub them into my cut to stop the bleeding. Today, they offered a new type of lettuce, which I will make a simple green salad with fresh garden tomatoes in reds and yellows with a shallot, mustard vinaigrette. I saw so many things today and the names sort of all ran together before I got out of there, so I can't recall the name of the lettuce. The humidity was 77% here this morning, and we are not used to that...I had to get out of there and into the a/c of our car.

[Robin Garr]

Something with a free-range hen from our meat CSA, Barr Farm of Rhodalia, Ky. I'll probably keep it simple, butterfly and quick roast at high heat, with lots of fresh herbs (tarragon?) tucked under the breast skin.

We have friends in town so we're doing a casual grilled surf and turf (jumbo shrimp and Prime filets). Also will make roasted grape tomatoes with basil and parmesan cheese, baby lettuce salad with oranges, walnuts and champagne vinaigrette. Our friend owns several liquor stores in New England and is supplying the Caymus.

Jenise your Coquilles St. Jacques salad sounds like a winner. Kind of reminds me of a wild rice chicken salad I had a few months ago. Good reminder to dig that recipe out...

Nice to see everyone else enjoying the market.

We went to our local farmer's market right before lunch and bought some flounder. I'm still learning the ins and outs of the fishmonger in the market but this was the best fish I've bought yet. Delightfully delicate and delicious broiled with a sauce of parsley, butter, and cashews. Despite the heat, I served it for lunch with roasted potatoes, but I did make a nod to cooling with a cucumber salad and slices of avocado (ok the avocado was not from the farmer's market, but it was the ripest smokiest one we've had in a long time. Tasty!)

For dinner, the pizza dough is already working its yeasty rising magic. Will top it with some tomato sauce I made last night (from the canned San Marzanos, tomatoes aren't slated to arrive until next week in the market, I can't wait), maitakes, basil, and who knows what else. Will see what else we eat but it is always nice to have a farmer's market-stocked kitchen.

No cooking this weekend because I'm in a Maine resort town (Freeport). I'm letting other people serve me clams, crab, shrimp, and lobster. The clams clearly have numerical superiority but lobster is winning on a per-plate basis.

[Jenise]

The clams clearly have numerical superiority but lobster is winning on a per-plate basis.

I should hope so!

No cooking this weekend because I'm in a Maine resort town (Freeport). I'm letting other people serve me clams, crab, shrimp, and lobster. The clams clearly have numerical superiority but lobster is winning on a per-plate basis.

So jealous, Jeff! Nothing like New England seafood.

Let me assure you that we are wallowing in it!

No cooking this weekend because I'm in a Maine resort town (Freeport). I'm letting other people serve me clams, crab, shrimp, and lobster. The clams clearly have numerical superiority but lobster is winning on a per-plate basis.

I am rarely jealous of others situations...

We had friends over for dinner and enjoyed the following

started with home cured Gravlax sliced thinly of course and served with a watercress salad, creme fraiche and little toasted rounds of baguette.
Next came a boned stuffed Pheasant served with roesti and buttered brussels sprouts.
And finished with a Treacle tart with whipped cream.
All in all it worked out well and was enjoyed by all.

No cooking for me since Wednesday - I've been in Burbank with my daughter and my Mom for a horse show at LA Equestrian Center (daughter trains horses and competes at dressage).

So it's been a mixed bag of eating out - Olive Garden, Boston Market and tonight a Japanese place in the mall next to the Chinese Theaters in Hollywood. Mixed bag, but the Olive Garden was very, very good, both the food and the service. Boston Market was because we got out of the barns rather late and were tired and hungry. The Japanese place had ok sushi and food, but was very noisy.

So while I'm browsing WLDG I'm snacking on some Gardettos and washing it down with Domaine Carneros Brut (2006), which is a pretty good combination. It will be back to cooking on Monday night cause there's no way I'm touching a pan tomorrow after 6-7 hours on the road.

No cooking this weekend because I'm in a Maine resort town (Freeport). I'm letting other people serve me clams, crab, shrimp, and lobster. The clams clearly have numerical superiority but lobster is winning on a per-plate basis.

So jealous, Jeff! Nothing like New England seafood.

Wait, I just realized your list has omitted scallops! What gives?

[Jenise]

We had friends over for dinner and enjoyed the following

started with home cured Gravlax sliced thinly of course and served with a watercress salad, creme fraiche and little toasted rounds of baguette.
Next came a boned stuffed Pheasant served with roesti and buttered brussels sprouts.
And finished with a Treacle tart with whipped cream.
All in all it worked out well and was enjoyed by all.

What a great menu, Barb. Do salmon run in Australia or are they flown in from somewhere?

[Jenise]

Will see what else we eat but it is always nice to have a farmer's market-stocked kitchen.

It sure is--I'm jealous, didn't get to mine yesterday. Your pizza sounds fab--interesting use for maitakes. Do you saute them first? They're such a strong mushroom I can't quite picture putting them on the pizza raw, but maybe you do. I haven't worked with them much.

[Jenise]

Jenise your Coquilles St. Jacques salad sounds like a winner. Kind of reminds me of a wild rice chicken salad I had a few months ago. Good reminder to dig that recipe out...

It was okay, but the sum wasn't better than the ingredients themselves. Probably should have marinated them separately to keep the flavors sharper.

We hosted a wine tasting yesterday (Sat.) Which focused on grenache from Calatayud, Spain and Tempranillo from Rioja and this is what I prepared: starters of green olive tapenade, eggplant caviar, breadsticks, spanish chorizo thinly sliced, cucumber slices and mixed dark olives. First course was chilled tomato-bread soup with sliced hard boiled egg and smoked duck breast, Second course was grilled dry-rubbed pork tenderloin, white beans with serrano ham and swiss chard and smoked pepper aioli, Those courses went with two flights of the grenache. Then with the Riojas we had a Third course of seafood paella, then a cheese course featuring 5 wonderful cheeses (most from France, including Chaource and Epoisses), figs and fig compote. Then with a Lustau Reserve sherry, dessert of almond cake with peach crema and some mini-eclairs. We started at 4:30 and I think the last guests left at 11 pm. I am glad we don't eat this way EVERY weekend!
However, tonight we're going to another dinner party which will probably be "over the top" again.

Your pizza sounds fab--interesting use for maitakes. Do you saute them first? They're such a strong mushroom I can't quite picture putting them on the pizza raw, but maybe you do. I haven't worked with them much.

Yes I do saute the mushrooms before cooking the pizza, and it was quite tasty (with tomato sauce, roasted zucchini and basil).

Come to think of it, I never even considered not sauteeing any mushroom before cooking pizza. I may have to try that to see what it's like.

Pureed chana dal.

-Paul W.

Wait, I just realized your list has omitted scallops! What gives?

Written before the big dinner: salad w/local red and gold cherry tomatoes, and Maine seared scallops on a bed of risotto with asparagus and preserved lemon!

Hi Jenise
We get farmed Atlantic Salmon. Grown largely in the clear cold waters of Tasmania. I know there are pros and cons regarding farmed fish but this is the only way we can get salmon here.
B

Chinese red-cooked chicken (more or less Shanghai-style) was dinner tonight. I threw in an octet of star anise.

Delicious!! It was accompanied by a green salad and a bottle of Smuttynose Brewery Shoals Pale Ale (native brew from Portsmouth, NH, and damn good, too!).

-Paul W.

Rissoles. Does anyone call them that anymore?
Anyway, these were made out of minced chicken breast. Add to that an onion and 1/3 red capsicum chopped up and sauteed in sesame oil till golden and starting to brown at the edges, a hefty pinch of ground cumin seed (probably upward of a level teaspoonful), and some slivered almonds. Rolled them in toasted crumbs to stop them sticking to the pan, and fried them till brown on the outside. Tasty ... wondering how to tweak the mixture some more next time.

[Jenise]

Rissoles. Does anyone call them that anymore?
Anyway, these were made out of minced chicken breast. Add to that an onion and 1/3 red capsicum chopped up and sauteed in sesame oil till golden and starting to brown at the edges, a hefty pinch of ground cumin seed (probably upward of a level teaspoonful), and some slivered almonds. Rolled them in toasted crumbs to stop them sticking to the pan, and fried them till brown on the outside. Tasty ... wondering how to tweak the mixture some more next time.

Matilda, that term hits like a blast from the past, but what I remember was a deep fried meat pastry. I don't recall where I was when I had it, but it's not a commonly known term/dish in America. So I just looked online and found that the version I recall is a typically French version. Also, that the name 'rissoles' comes from the Latin russeola meaning 'reddish paste', probably a reference to the filling. Anyway, I also found this in Wikibooks which attests to the method similar to yours and it's popularity in Australia:

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Cookbook:Rissoles
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Cookbook | Recipes | Cuisine of Australia | Meat Recipes

Rissoles (ris·sole) is an extremely popular traditional Australian dish, similar to the American meatloaf.

Ingredients
1 kilogram of regular grade beef mince (ground beef)
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
2 eggs
Gravy powder or flour
various herbs

Procedure: Place beef mince in mixing bowl with eggs, breadcrumbs and your favourite meat herbs and seasonings.
Mix thoroughly. When fully mixed, remove one handful and mould into a the shape of a very thick hamburger patty.
Roll the rissole in either flour or gravy powder (depending on your preferences).
Cook on a hotplate, BBQ or in a frying pan on a medium level of heat until cooked through and outer layer is crunchy.
Serve with vegetables, hot chips, salad or by themselves on bread or toast to make rissole burgers.