This is insane. Courtesy of the D-Meister.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Dinner with Dad: Scallops and Risotto
Last night I had the distinct pleasure of dining with one of my favorite people, my dad. I offered to cook dinner if he would swing by and stay for a little visit. When it came time to settle on a meal, however, I drew a blank. My appetite hasn't been as voracious these days - I waiver between yogurt in the thick heat of midday and a light bowl of soup during the recurring thunderstorms and the cooling breezes that follow. But I couldn't bring myself to serve my dad chicken (it's a family thing), so I drew some inspiration from a meal at Max's last weekend. It was simple and well-done, summery yet filling: seared scallops over summer-vegetable risotto.
The great thing about risotto is that it really can be a meal by itself, and it requires so few ingredients. As long as you have rice (arborio), some kind of stock, and cheese in the house, you're pretty much set. Anything above and beyond that is gravy in risotto-land. Of course people like to dress it up in the manner that seems to be all the rage these days - with the fanciest, most arcane ingredients they can find. I'll leave that showy extravagance to them - I like uncomplicated food (at least, when I'm cooking it).
Risotto and I are really just getting to know each other, and as it turned out, the whole dinner was a kind of friendly, getting-to-know-you kind of meal, as I had never worked with scallops before either (unless you count cutting them and raising the fork to my mouth). This was my third time making risotto, and it strikes me as something that is foreboding at first, then reasonably intimidating once you convince yourself to try it, and then after you've done it a couple times, it's nothing. That's how this was. I made arugula risotto just a few days earlier, and it was delicious, so I was confident and optimistic. The scallops I learned you need to buy "dry" or else they are worthess (well, maybe that's exaggerating). Apparently most grocery store scallops are soaked in a brine that's used to preserve them and plump them up. However, when you get them home and try to sear them, they release a ton of salty liquid and just generally act maddeningly frustrating. But if you get dry (also known as "diver") scallops, you can avoid all this and simply pat them dry, get the pan nice and hot with a fat (I used olive oil) and sear them until the cows come home. Which is, for the record, what we did.
They were delicious. I was marvelling at the sweet seared scallops smell rising from the pan, and they took under 10 minutes. The risotto, meanwhile, was done and off the heat by then, simply waiting. We ate some bread, some cheese, some olives, and opened a bottle of Ommegang Rare Vos, which was spicy and mellow at the same time, and produced that lovely little warmth in your chest. It was a delightful evening, and the company... well, the company was the best part! I was glad I could feed the Big Guy a decent meal (and, who are we kidding, a beer) after a long day of work.
Dad, you always have a home and a hot meal in H-town!
The great thing about risotto is that it really can be a meal by itself, and it requires so few ingredients. As long as you have rice (arborio), some kind of stock, and cheese in the house, you're pretty much set. Anything above and beyond that is gravy in risotto-land. Of course people like to dress it up in the manner that seems to be all the rage these days - with the fanciest, most arcane ingredients they can find. I'll leave that showy extravagance to them - I like uncomplicated food (at least, when I'm cooking it).
Risotto and I are really just getting to know each other, and as it turned out, the whole dinner was a kind of friendly, getting-to-know-you kind of meal, as I had never worked with scallops before either (unless you count cutting them and raising the fork to my mouth). This was my third time making risotto, and it strikes me as something that is foreboding at first, then reasonably intimidating once you convince yourself to try it, and then after you've done it a couple times, it's nothing. That's how this was. I made arugula risotto just a few days earlier, and it was delicious, so I was confident and optimistic. The scallops I learned you need to buy "dry" or else they are worthess (well, maybe that's exaggerating). Apparently most grocery store scallops are soaked in a brine that's used to preserve them and plump them up. However, when you get them home and try to sear them, they release a ton of salty liquid and just generally act maddeningly frustrating. But if you get dry (also known as "diver") scallops, you can avoid all this and simply pat them dry, get the pan nice and hot with a fat (I used olive oil) and sear them until the cows come home. Which is, for the record, what we did.
They were delicious. I was marvelling at the sweet seared scallops smell rising from the pan, and they took under 10 minutes. The risotto, meanwhile, was done and off the heat by then, simply waiting. We ate some bread, some cheese, some olives, and opened a bottle of Ommegang Rare Vos, which was spicy and mellow at the same time, and produced that lovely little warmth in your chest. It was a delightful evening, and the company... well, the company was the best part! I was glad I could feed the Big Guy a decent meal (and, who are we kidding, a beer) after a long day of work.
Dad, you always have a home and a hot meal in H-town!
Monday, August 11, 2008
It's Been A Long Time, I Shouldn't Have Left You...
Without a dope beat to step to!
I'm in a transitional period with no computer, steady home, or grocery store. The current posts are coming live from what Big-L so aptly named the Dangerzone. One three nine and Lennox, suckas!
"Get beat down and all you hear is gunshot sounds
On 139 and Lennox Ave there's a big park
And if you're soft, don't go through it when it gets dark..."
--Big L
Breakfast: A piece of multi-grain toast with peanut butter, tall glass of milk, strawberry pop-tart...
Lunch: Coconut braised salmon with white rice and roasted herb potatoes. A piece of Junior's cheesecake straight from Flatbush and DeKalb. Brooklyn, stand up!
Dinner: Chicken Lo-Mein and a water.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Letters in the Mail
I received a lovely letter from Ms. Honeycut in the mail today explaining her reasons for not joining food game. She's not cooking, or eating well. Um, neither am I - I'm about to prove it! That is not good enough, Honeycut. I am waiting for you. You related tales of iced tea, fried chicken, and gin in your letter, so I'll venture that some of that (not all...) can be committed to the blog-o-sphere. Just to prove my point (and to get this thing up and running again), let me paint a picture of what I consumed today. I'm not saying it will be pretty...!
Breakfast: Hm. Did I eat breakfast? I can't remember. I think one of the first signs of nutrient deficiency is a failing short-term memory. Oh, wait...I think I had coffee. And maybe something else. But I don't remember what. Moving on...
Lunch: I ate a turkey, bacon, and cheddar flatbread sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts. Yes, Dunkin' Donuts. Comment all you want!!! It was free. Look out for that coupon on your iced coffee... those of you in school or on a budget will know what I'm talking about. I'm tryna make a dollar out of fifteen cents.
Snack: The remains of a chocolate peanut butter sundae that is just out of this world (if you know me, I have most likely told you about it) ... possibly the only leftover food I will eat. Kidding! See above note re: budget.
Dinner: I read this really mouthwatering recipe for roasted eggplant with tomatoes in a Patricia Wells cookbook and bought an eggplant thinking it would be a quick and delicious summer meal. I neglected to read the part about having to cook it at 450 degrees for an hour and a half ... not so summery. I think it was the grape tomatoes I used instead of the standard size, but they did not release juices as they were supposed to and so the dish was ultimately kind of underwhelming. Oh well. I ate it anyway (15¢ = $1).
Oh yes. I also drank lots of water with lime and some berry-flavored juice I picked up in Whole Foods when suddenly struck with a camel-in-the-desert type thirst. It reminded me of Juicy Juice.
'Til tomorrow, ragazzi!
Breakfast: Hm. Did I eat breakfast? I can't remember. I think one of the first signs of nutrient deficiency is a failing short-term memory. Oh, wait...I think I had coffee. And maybe something else. But I don't remember what. Moving on...
Lunch: I ate a turkey, bacon, and cheddar flatbread sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts. Yes, Dunkin' Donuts. Comment all you want!!! It was free. Look out for that coupon on your iced coffee... those of you in school or on a budget will know what I'm talking about. I'm tryna make a dollar out of fifteen cents.
Snack: The remains of a chocolate peanut butter sundae that is just out of this world (if you know me, I have most likely told you about it) ... possibly the only leftover food I will eat. Kidding! See above note re: budget.
Dinner: I read this really mouthwatering recipe for roasted eggplant with tomatoes in a Patricia Wells cookbook and bought an eggplant thinking it would be a quick and delicious summer meal. I neglected to read the part about having to cook it at 450 degrees for an hour and a half ... not so summery. I think it was the grape tomatoes I used instead of the standard size, but they did not release juices as they were supposed to and so the dish was ultimately kind of underwhelming. Oh well. I ate it anyway (15¢ = $1).
Oh yes. I also drank lots of water with lime and some berry-flavored juice I picked up in Whole Foods when suddenly struck with a camel-in-the-desert type thirst. It reminded me of Juicy Juice.
'Til tomorrow, ragazzi!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Anyone for Chinese?
Darn Blogg-o-sphere chopped up the link. Nonetheless, this is delicious enough to post. File under after-dinner happy happy... are there many better ways to work off those calories?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/world/asia/25pole.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/world/asia/25pole.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Thursday, July 24, 2008
current default mode
is set to Indian. Food, that is. I wouldn't have guessed it, but somehow the smoky eggplant and ginger flavors of bhaigan bharta and curries with naan, rice, spicy cashews, pickles, and chaats are really hitting it right now. The great thing is that there is an Indian grocery right down the street from me that makes home-cooked food in the back; and they always have at least 10 choices, plus samosas and all kinds of snacks. It is one of the more amazing deals in my area, and I have been eating there multiple times per week. The woman who serves the food is like my adopted auntie (although I don't think she knows that yet).
breakfast: raisin bagel with butter, coffee.
lunch: i skipped lunch and took a nap.
dinner: eggplant and potatoes, chicken tikka, a potato & pea samosa and a lentil fritter.
dessert: chocolate peanut butter ice cream with reese's pieces. what can i say. i'm also feeling the peanut butter lately.
salute!
breakfast: raisin bagel with butter, coffee.
lunch: i skipped lunch and took a nap.
dinner: eggplant and potatoes, chicken tikka, a potato & pea samosa and a lentil fritter.
dessert: chocolate peanut butter ice cream with reese's pieces. what can i say. i'm also feeling the peanut butter lately.
salute!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
In an attempt to rally the troops...
Breakfast: 2 "eggs in a basket" (see pic). sliced fresh apricot and granny smith apple. espresso.
Lunch: maple-glazed tofu with brocolli and carrots. brown rice.
Snack: banana-apricot smoothie.
Dinner: pumpkin raisin pancakes. tall glass of milk.
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