Dinner Tonight---May 1st

[KYHeirloomer]

Now that we have a fair number of regular members I thought it would be fun to post, each day, our dinner plans.

What I have in mind is that we post the complete menu. We can then share, with each other, by request, the recipes for those meals, any special methods used, plating techniques, etc.

To keep the thread from getting cumbersome we'll start a new one each week.

Just to get things started, last night was:

Tortilla Espanole (starter)
Turmeric Squid with Tamarind Sauce
Cous Cous
Orange-Mint Salad
Cappiciano Pana Cotta

Tonight will be:

Shrimp Masala (starter)
Baby Back Ribs
Saffron Rice
Stir Fried Cabbage
Ice Cream

[jglass]

First of all I want to come to your house for dinner.

Last night we had crispy chicken breast sandwiches on homemade sundried tomato, rosemary and garlic buns with smokey pepper bacon. Tonight..I have no idea so far. I am thinking chinese dumplings with dipping sauce maybe. If I can find everything I need to make them at our sorry excuse for a grocery store.

By the way KYH..I see your from KY.
So am I. We live Carter County about 100 miles from Lexington.

[KYHeirloomer]

I know Carter Cty. well, JGlass. Used to explore the caves up there.

I'm down in Madison Cty., about 30 miles south of Lexington.

As for dinner: come on down. It's only 90 minutes.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

GOSH KYH YA' ALL EAT REAL GOOD DON'T YOU?!? WOW I AM TOTALLY IMPRESSED.

LAST NIGHT I HAD MEATLOAF, RED BEANS W/ BROWN RICE & SAUSAGE, POTATO SALAD, AND MY HOT ITALIAN BREAD W/ EVOO, GARLIC, FRESH TOMATO, & BASIL.

TONIGHT WE WILL BE HAVING CHICKEN PARMESEAN W/ PASTA AND A SPINACH SALAD AND OF-COURSE BREAD!

NOW WE SELDOM DO A DESERT AS SUCH ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT MY ALL TIME FAVORITE DESSERT IS FLAN

NOW I WISH I LIVED CLOSER TO KYH & JG!!!! DARN

MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A SPICE PLACE GET-TOGETHER KIND OF LIKE A FAMILY RE-UNION THINGY AND ALL GET TOGETHER FOR A WEEKEND OF FEASTING AND FUN. I'LL BRING THE BADMITTON AND VOLLEYBALL!!! NOW WOULDN'T THAT BE A TRIP?!? AND WE COULD EVEN HAVE OUR OWN COOK-OFF AND YEAH WE WOULD ALL BE WINNERS!!!

AND THERE'S BE WINE & MUSIC & FOOD, FOOD AND MORE FOOD------ WAY TOO COOL!

JUST DAY DREAMIN', CCCATHY

[KYHeirloomer]

Yes, we do, Cathy. But I think we need to get something straight.

Different means different. It does not mean better or worse. I happen to think meatloaf is real good eats. I don't make it only because it upsets Friend Wife's system. And nothing in the world holds a candle to soup beans with some onion chopped in and a hunk of cornbread on the side.

I cook the way I do for several reasons. First off, I have the time and inclination. There's nothing I enjoy more than fooling around with different flavors, and ethnic influences, and ingredients. That's also why I plate a bit more fancy than most people. It's part of the dining experience. For instance, last night's starter consisted of a small wedge of the Tortilla on a saucer. Criss-crossed over it were two strips of red pepper confit. Flanking it, on one side, was a pair of olives, on the other a couple of dilled aspargus spears. Not the sort of thing I expect the typical home cook to do.

Second, it's part of my work. As you know, I'm in charge of the cookbook review staff at Cheftalk.com. But I do many of the reviews myself. Our rule of thumb is that a reviewer prepare at least two recipes from each book. Personally, I'm not satisified unless I do at least three---two savory and one sweet. So a lot of the meals I prepare are based around recipes in those cookbooks.

This whole menu:

Tortilla Espanole (starter)
Turmeric Squid with Tamarind Sauce
Cous Cous
Orange-Mint Salad
Cappiciano Pana Cotta

with the exception of the cous cous, came entirely out of such cookbooks. Here's the breakdown:

Tortilla Espanole---from the brand new CIA's Spain and the World Table, although it's a classic tapa.

Turmeric Squid with Tamarind Sauce---from Where Flavor Was Born, which I consider one of the most important cookbooks published in 2007.

Orange-Mint Salad---from The North African Kitchen. A great recipe, btw, especially as a foil to more spicy foods.

Cappiciano Panna Cotta---from the book Panna Cotta: Italy's Elegant Custard Made Easy. Perhaps the most complex recipe in the book, because it consists of three different layers.

[KYHeirloomer]

Can I have the recipe, Jglass? Purty pweeze!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hi KYH,

I see! I guess my day will come,(to spend more time in my kitchen, my hearts desire) and I am pretty sure I want to follow in your footsteps. How very neat!

I will most definitely check into purchasing a copy of "Where Flavor Was Born" sounds intriguing to say the least. Tamarind Sauce sounds fabulous, I love sauces. I do not get to do much plating, but I'll bet you have fun. I love being fancy in the kitchen and making the eye appeal as pleasant as possible.

I agree, I too love meatloaf, and especially when my fiance makes it..YUMMY! But last night I made it and he loved it, something about another person's cooking! My grand-daughter will eat meatloaf when she won't touch anything else. I guess that's why it's one of my comfort foods!

But thanks for setting me straight and of-course you are right! And just for the record I make all my dry beans from scratch, the only canned beans I buy are Garbanzo (which I use to make hummus)! And the occassional Van Camp's Baked Beans that I transform into REAL BAKED BEANS!

CCCathy

[Jafo232]

Last night I made home made Chinese dumplings. It was my first attempt and they came out pretty darn good too. Cooked the leftover stuffing and mixed it with rice as the bed for the dumplings. I just ground some beef with garlic and onions and added a little bit of flour and a bunch of teriyaki and some s/p for the stuffing. Made up the little flour shells and cooked away.

Tonight we are having left over meatloaf as the boys have baseball practice early and I have had little to no time lately.

On the meatloaf.. What is so great about it is, you can do it different every time and it is so versatile. I think you can learn a lot about someone by just trying their meatloaf a few times.

[jglass]

Sun-Dried Tomato Rosemary Bread (Abm)

A lovely, light-textured loaf, with little suprise bits of dried tomato throughout. Try making dinner rolls with this dough - the perfect complement to
an Italian meal.

1 1/2 lb. loaf
1 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (dry packed)
3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients, except tomatoes, in your machine, in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
Choose dough cycle. About 5 minutes before the dough cycle ends, add the tomato bits (this keeps the pieces recognizeable).
When cycle ends, remove and shape as desired.
When shaping, poke any pieces of tomato that stick up under the surface of the dough (the tomato will burn).
Place on a cornmeal dusted baking sheet, spray lightly with olive oil.
Let rise until doubled.
Bake in a 375 deg. preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until bread tests done.
(Rolls will be done in 15 or so minutes).

Had to add atleast another 1/4 cup of water to get my dough ball to look right. I made a french bread type loaf of it for a friend. They loved it. I added a little extra garlic powder. Slashed the top of the buns and brushed with egg wash then sprinkled with fresh parm cheese.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Beautiful Rolls!