What's for supper?

[Restorer]

I guess you can use fennel like you'd use celery, It seems (to me) to have the same kind of texture, just a different flavor. Then again, I've never cooked with fennel.

Last night we had cedar plank salmon, basmati rice with dill, cucumber salad, and globe squash.

The sockeye salmon filets we marinated with lemon juice, dill, and salt while they defrosted, then sprinkled salt and dill on the outside, put them on a soaked cedar plank, and put that on indirect heat on the grill for 20 minutes. They came out just cooked through and flaky, with a bit of smoky flavor from the plank.

The cucumber salad was just peeled, sliced cucumbers, white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and a little dill, mixed them left to sit in the fridge for a half-hour or so.

The globe squash was interesting. We wanted to be experimental, so we bought a few different types of produce we'd never tried before. The globe squash was called "eight-ball squash" on the sign at the market, and each was about the size and shape of a pool ball. We just cut them in half, steamed them in the microwave, then tossed with salt and olive oil. It tasted just like good zucchini.

We also bought Asian pears and jujubes to taste. The jujubes are apparently also called "red dates", and they're usually used dried, like dates or raisins. We tasted them fresh, and they were kinda like dry, boring apples. The Asian pears were good, though.

[cariad]

Restorer, I love and miss Asian pears (have not seen them in the midwest, and even if I found them, I am sure they would not be as good as ones from the CA open markets). I also used to like jujubes - in fact, I breifly took a drug that made me crave sugar ALL THE TIME (disturbing - not actually a sugar fan usually) and I would eat jujubes constantly. They tasted like pure sugar to me. Apparently, the more wrinkled you let the skin get, the sweeter they are. Very dry, though. Have you ever tried dragon fruit? We bought one at great expense at our local open market in CA. Visually amazing, definitely not worth the $7 we paid for a medium sized fruit. However, we soaked some of it in coconut milk and left it to chill in the fridge, and it was perhaps the most refreshing dessert I have ever eaten.

Tonight I had roasted potatoes for dinner, with a handful of 365 cheese curls when I was cleaning the kitchen. And 2 Newman's Own sandwich cookies (Oreos) for dessert. I didn't enjoy any of it.  I am back to not wanting to eat anything. I am enjoying my Izze sparkling clementine soda right now, though. 

[monrein]

Planked salmon is one of my all time faves.  I like wild salmon best but it's expensive so I use a variety.  I like to make a quick fresh pesto with basil, parsley,lemon zest, black pepper, (I skip the salt) lemon juice and olive oil then I lay it on thick on top of the fillets and onto the soaked plank. 

I do use fennel instead of celery quite often...soups, stews, stir fries.


Tonight I had a serious salad...mesclun mix of baby lettuces and radicchio, radish slices, red and yellow pepper strips, thinly sliced red onions, sliced grape tomatoes, toasted sunflower seeds, raw mushroom slices, lardons,  (double smoked bacon that's cut into small cubes and sauteed till fat is rendered out and bacon is browned...a big serving of salad would have about a teaspoon of lardons).  Balsamic vinaigrette made creamy by adding some ripe avocado.  Homemade parmesan croutons.

Kitchen sink salad.

[Restorer]

cariad, I tasted both a mostly-green jujube, and a fully-brown-but-not-very-wrinkled jujube. Neither really impressed me. Do they ripen like bananas, can I just leave them out until they turn brown and wrinkled and then eat them?

I've never tried dragonfruit, I don't think, but I've seen it. Those exotic fruits just never really called out to me, except for fresh passionfruit. There was a farmer at the Santa Barbara farmer's market that sold fresh passionfruit - he was giving out samples, and it's really good. Tastes exactly like anything passionfruit-flavored, like iced tea, but sour and a little sweet.

I know what you mean about not wanting to eat anything. I'm at that point right now. I just spent a few hours just lying in bed watching TV.

monrein, planked salmon sounds good to me in theory, but I haven't really liked it when I've had it. I thought it was just my father's way of preparing it (which I suspected was overcooking), but the way we did it matched the recipes I looked up. I would like to try it with a stronger marinade, rub, or pesto.

And that sounds like a really good salad. I got radishes yesterday, but never got around to eating them. I bet that vinaigrette would have been even better if it had been based on the bacon grease.

I have some salad mix and bacon... maybe I'll go out and get some more veggies and make a kitchen sink salad too.

[cariad]

cariad, I tasted both a mostly-green jujube, and a fully-brown-but-not-very-wrinkled jujube. Neither really impressed me. Do they ripen like bananas, can I just leave them out until they turn brown and wrinkled and then eat them?

I've never tried dragonfruit, I don't think, but I've seen it. Those exotic fruits just never really called out to me, except for fresh passionfruit. There was a farmer at the Santa Barbara farmer's market that sold fresh passionfruit - he was giving out samples, and it's really good. Tastes exactly like anything passionfruit-flavored, like iced tea, but sour and a little sweet.

I know what you mean about not wanting to eat anything. I'm at that point right now. I just spent a few hours just lying in bed watching TV.

Good question, I'm not sure if the jujubes will continue to ripen. When we were in LA, we always had to keep our produce in the fridge because it was so hot. They may have gotten a little more wrinkled as time went on. They did seem to last forever - maybe up to a month. If you still have some, try leaving them out and see.

I did not know you could eat passionfruit raw - for some reason I thought it had to be cooked. I'll have to give it a try next time I see it. I love persimmon from the LA open markets, but of course, I love the variety that has the highest potassium. Probably just as well that persimmon is not common to find in the midwest. I would also probably mortgage the house to get cherimoya - love it. It's only available at a very high cost here, and thankfully, only for a few weeks.

I grew up in SB, first in Hope Ranch, and my parents have lived in Montecito for about 20 years now. Are you talking about the market on State St? I have not been back in so long, but I do miss that town. Ah, Santa Barbara.... 

Sorry you're not up to eating, either. It is disturbing to see foods I know I love (or used to) and have no interest. Hope you feel better!

[Restorer]

When I was living in SB, I saw a lot of cherimoyas at the Farmer's Markets, mostly from the avocado ranchers on the off-season. I never bought any, though, so I don't remember the prices.

I tended to mostly visit the Tuesday afternoon farmer's market on lower State St., and the Sunday morning market at the Camino Real Center. I also made a few trips to the Saturday morning market downtown, a couple blocks off of State St. That one is huge.

I'm thinking about making some sort of curry shrimp tonight. I got some frozen "Argentinian Red Shrimp" from Trader Joe's that, I hear, is more like lobster or langostines than shrimp.

[twirl]

did they mail you the shrimp
and what was the cost
isn't Trader Joe's a mail order company

[del]

you eat moose -- any kin to Bull Winkle J Moose ?  WTH  ( what the heck )
do you have moose season like we have deer season ---
 

Yes we do have moose season twirl.  Hubby has a license this year and we can start hunting on Sept 12. A friend of ours has a farm and there are a few moose on his farm eating his veggies so we are going to go to his farm the first day and hopefully get one!!! Shoulsd be tasty after eating veggies LOL!!  Twirl moose are the largest member of the deer family!!!  They taste really good too!!

[paul.karen]

I havnt had moose in many years.
In newfoundland we also eat well at least we did, seal flipper soup.
Also use to like bruins but cant get them here.

[Des]

bruins?

[paul.karen]

It is like a very hard biscuit (cant bite it) you soak it in water till soft warm it add butter and sugar and eat away.
I may have the name wrong?  been many many years.

[twirl]

It is like a very hard biscuit (cant bite it) you soak it in water till soft warm it add butter and sugar and eat away.
I may have the name wrong?  been many many years.

sounds like hardtack from the Civil War 

[del]

It is like a very hard biscuit (cant bite it) you soak it in water till soft warm it add butter and sugar and eat away.
I may have the name wrong?  been many many years.

It is brewis!!!  and I am having it with fish for supper!!  yes twirl it is like hardtack.  You soak it overnight to soften it before you cook it the next day. Bet you know what scrunchions are too paul.karen

[paul.karen]

LOl I was close.
Yes same thing as hardtack twirlgirl

Scrunchions?  Chances are i have tried them but im not sure.
Refresh me on what they are.  Im thinking crispy onions by the name?

[del]

Nope not crispy onions but they are crispy. It is fat back pork cut up in little cubes and fried really crunchy.  personally I don't like them but a lot of people do especially over brewis and codfish.  It was very common in Newfoundland to fry things with salt fat back pork.They would fry the pork to get the grease out and then use the grease to fry things.  I never do - I never really liked it even though when I was growing up mom fried most things in it.  I cringe when I think about people using it!!  I can almost see it clinging to the arteries!!

[monrein]

Dinner out with a friend last night...organic salmon on a baby spinach salad with roasted fennel and fresh orange segments.  Really nice combo.  Not sure what the dressing was but it wasn't overpowering.

[del]

Last night we had take out chicken. Don't have that often so it was a treat. I was glad it wasn't greasy like it is sometimes - We always remove most of the batter anyway!!

[Jean]

Had one small hamburger patty, 1/2 cup mac n cheese, and my new fave, cauliflower salad. Cut up the cauliflower into small pieces, marinate 12 hours in Italian dressing, drain, and add 1/2 cup mayo and 1/4 cup parmesan. Very tasty and very different. I wonder if it could be cooked first, then marinated.

[cariad]

We had pasta with veg sauce again, and were able to scatter chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, fresh from our CSA box, over the top (not for the kids). Half a glass of wine, half a slice of bread, and a glass of water.

For after dinner, my husband is making a fig and goat cheese crostata for me. I do not think I can eat anymore tonight, but he has already started, so I will try a slice to be sociable. The kids do not like it, so it will just be he and I, watching a video and sipping wine with dessert. 

[monrein]

That sounds so good.  Figs and goat cheese are delicious together.

[Restorer]

I've been on a spicy, garlicky shrimp kick. Last night I had shrimp sauteed in olive oil with lots of sliced garlic, dried red chiles, the remnants of a chopped white onion and hot yellow peppers, then topped with cilantro, and I used up an entire demi-baguette dipping pieces into the garlic oil and sauce. It was good, but not perfect - I missed the salt, and it was too spicy for its own good.

I did it again today for lunch to try and improve on it. I cooked half a head of peeled garlic cloves in olive oil in a small pot until they were brown and well cooked, then used some of that oil plus two more minced garlic cloves and one red chile to quickly cook the shrimp. Then I added a bit of vermouth and some sherry vinegar to turn it into a sauce. It got a sprinkle of smoked paprika and cilantro over the top. These were really good, and good with the bread too.

Then tonight I was still in the mood for shrimp, so I used up the rest making shrimp ceviche. Lemon juice, a touch of cider vinegar, salt, minced garlic, a quarter of a chopped white onion. I cooked the shrimp in lemon water just for a minute (from frozen), then cooled them off quickly, and then let them marinate for about an hour. I put in a chopped yellow chile and a couple dried red chiles too.

Now I'm out of shrimp, but if I'm still on the kick I might try to make a better ceviche tomorrow with a seafood mix (scallops, calamari, and small shrimp) I got from Trader Joe's.

[twirl]

I love ceviche, as long as it is not over cooked. 
Hartz all you can eat chicken --- I only want the vegetables and fruit and tea - no sugar -
I sneak a couple of pieces of chicken in my purse to give to my three pets --
I figure it is not stealing - I paid for the meal -- and I only take two pieces --
and if they stop me at the door  - they can have it back

[monrein]

Lobster pizza.  Thin crispy whole wheat crust, fresh tomatoes finely diced, fresh chopped basil and not too much cheese (about a tablespoon for an eight inch pizza).  Fresh corn on the cob, picked today. 

Now the dessert part...I'm thinking of a  walk to the Baskin Robbins for a scoop of Perils of Praline (low fat frozen yogurt that tastes like 20 grams of fat instead of the 4 that it really is).

[Jean]

Lobster pizza, oh wow!!!!
For me, barbecued rib steak and salad.

[MIbarra]

I had 1/2 of a chicken scallopini. The other 1/2 I cut up and put in my salad for lunch tomorrow. I love the prepared foods at Whole Foods - although a bit expensive! We also got a mini-garlic bread to go with our chicken and cheese stuffed ravioli we're having for dinner tomorrow night.