The 'Here's what I had for dinner last night' thread - Part I

terenc

neuro-praxis wrote: »

Tonight we had a fab prawn stir fry with organic raw prawns (so hard to find!), bok choy, onion, Chinese spring onion, baby corn, sugar snap peas and water chestnuts, with a ginger and sweet chilli sauce and basmati.

And where did you find them.

neuro-praxis

M&S...so they weren't exactly fresh off the boat! But they were at least uncooked and tender, instead of frozen, defrosted, cooked, frozen and defrosted again!

neuro-praxis

Btw, tonight we had turkey meatballs in tomato sauce with spaghetti.

watna

After two years of being away from Ireland. I had Eddie Rockets for dinner last night and it was awesome! All those hungover days where I would have killed for an Eddies were made right last night

NewFrockTuesday

Yesterday lunch witha friend. Roast leg of lamb, homemade gravy, you mashed potatoes and savoy cabbage. And about 12lt of wine.

The Sweeper

15 mins chopping board to plate; beef with broccoli and oyster sauce with a touch of chili bean paste, done in the wok, with boiled rice.

Angelandie

For dinner last night I had homemade pizza with Garlic bread and Homemade Apple Crumble for dessert, nom nom

neuro-praxis

irishbird wrote: »

oh, can you get the recipe or is it just of those where you just lash in what is to hand

He sent me this email:

I tend to make this slightly differently every time I cook it but this is more or less how it goes:

Very finely chop a medium onion and two large celery stalks.
Put a heaped tea-spoon of allspice, a little salt, 7 or 8 crushed cloves, a large pinch of cinnamon and spicy stuff to suit your taste (I use about a teaspoon of Schwartz Black and Red Pepper) into a measuring cup. Cover the dry ingredients with JD, mix them together. Add Chef tomato ketchup about a desert-spoon at a time, gradually mixing it through until the cup is full. You should end up with a very dark, slightly grainy ketchup.

Get a frying pan with about a splash of oil in it very hot and fry the onion and celery until they're soft and browned. At the ketchup/spice mix and stir through. Gradually add more ketchup until you reach the desired volume. Fry until it's thick. When it's hot the sauce can smell almost offensively acetic, this is a good sign for the final product.

I specifically use chef ketchup because its high vinegar content gives a the sauce a nice tanginess. I keep meaning to attempt to make it from scratch with tomato paste and cider vinegar. If I do I'll let you know how it works out.

neuro-praxis

Tonight we had roast chicken, with roast butternut squash and roast potatoes, steamed broccoli and gravy, followed by a really good fruit salad (raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, honeydew melon and watermelon).

Minder

I made a batch of Confit Duck at the weekend - couldn't store it all and had a couple of legs left over. Pan fried some potatoes parmentier, warmed the duck and cooked come french beans to mix with the spuds - then dressed the veg with saba and olive oil.

The duck was delicious. I've made it before but it was always a bit dry. It's basically duck legs, seasoned with salt and spices and allowed to sit in the fridge for 24 hours - the spices flavour the meat and the salt draws out some of the moisture.

After 24 hours, the duck legs are wiped or washed to remove the salt then grilled to colour the skin (5 to 10 minutes). After that they are cooked at a very low temperature in duck fat for two and a half hours. The result is supposed to be a meltingly tender duck leg. The cooked legs are stored in a crock pot covered in the fat from the cooking. Keeps for months in the fridge. The meat becomes even more tender after storing.

Every time I made a batch, the meat was less juicy and drier than I wanted. Each batch was cooked in a pan on the hob - I even tried a diffuser to reduce the heat. Watched Raymond Blanc recently - he was making confit pigeon legs - and wagging his finger into the camera, lectured the viewers that the temperature should never rise above 90c.

My last batch of confit of duck was cooked in the oven. I melted the fat, measured the temperature and added the legs. The pot of duck and fat went into the oven for same amount of time. I checked the temperature occassionally - always 88 to 95c. Result was lovely succulent duck legs.

Once cooked, stored and ready to use, the legs are pan fried in a little fat to warm through and crisp the skin.

If that sounds like a lot of pfaffing around, it isn't...

Buy Duck legs and duck or goose fat
Add salt and spices and leave in the fridge overnight
Wash, dry and grill until coloured
Cook in the fat in the oven for at 90c for two and a half hours
Add the meat to a wide shallow container with a lid
Cover with the fat and store in the fridge.

Give it a go.

Edgedinblue

Went to Eddie Rockets tonight before the cinema for dinner, not a big fan usually but their garlic&cheese chips and chicken tenders hit the spot!!

bonkey

Last night we had a "build your own" using:


spicy lamb fillet
merguez
feta cheese
shredded white cabbage
sliced tomato
sliced cucumber
garlic & lemon yoghurt
harissa
flatbread

Tasty

xzanti

I made a Thai green chicken curry with long grain rice and spicy wedges on the side, was quiet nice

The Lovely Muffin

Last night I had, marinated chicken and grated cheese in a bread roll.

Tonight I had Black & White pudding as I wasn't very hungry.

barby_

Last night we had home made pizza with cheddar cheese and ham. Tonight we had home made omelette with potatoes and asparagus! Yummy!

Angelandie

Today I had turkey and pasta bake yum

neuro-praxis

We were in Beckett's, so I had a baked portabella mushroom stuffed with goat's cheese, sirloin with creamed leeks and pepper sauce, carrot and parsnip puree, mange tout, broccoli and sautéed potatoes, bread and butter pudding a yummy Sauvignon Blanc.

I'm still full!

There was a thin, crisp layer of breadcrumb on top of the goat's cheese. The crumb was very golden...almost the colour of the crumb on a Birdseye fish finger or chicken burger. Does anyone know how this effect is achieved? Whenever I add breadcrumbs as a topping on something to be baked, it always looks a bit crap.

Seaneh

neuro-praxis wrote: »

We were in Beckett's, so I had a baked portabella mushroom stuffed with goat's cheese, sirloin with creamed leeks and pepper sauce, carrot and parsnip puree, mange tout, broccoli and sautéed potatoes, bread and butter pudding a yummy Sauvignon Blanc.

I'm still full!

There was a thin, crisp layer of breadcrumb on top of the goat's cheese. The crumb was very golden...almost the colour of the crumb on a Birdseye fish finger or chicken burger. Does anyone know how this effect is achieved? Whenever I add breadcrumbs as a topping on something to be baked, it always looks a bit crap.

Toast the bread in an oven before you blitz it. will be golden and very fine.

The Sweeper

First chestnuts of the season were in the store, so bought them, roasted them, and made roast chicken with chestnut stuffing, mash, roast squash and roast parsnips with steamed corn. Nyom nyom.

Slow Show

Spaghetti bolognese last night and tonight...no meat

the beer revolu

Minder wrote: »

I made a batch of Confit Duck at the weekend - couldn't store it all and had a couple of legs left over. Pan fried some potatoes parmentier, warmed the duck and cooked come french beans to mix with the spuds - then dressed the veg with saba and olive oil.

The duck was delicious. I've made it before but it was always a bit dry. It's basically duck legs, seasoned with salt and spices and allowed to sit in the fridge for 24 hours - the spices flavour the meat and the salt draws out some of the moisture.

After 24 hours, the duck legs are wiped or washed to remove the salt then grilled to colour the skin (5 to 10 minutes). After that they are cooked at a very low temperature in duck fat for two and a half hours. The result is supposed to be a meltingly tender duck leg. The cooked legs are stored in a crock pot covered in the fat from the cooking. Keeps for months in the fridge. The meat becomes even more tender after storing.

Every time I made a batch, the meat was less juicy and drier than I wanted. Each batch was cooked in a pan on the hob - I even tried a diffuser to reduce the heat. Watched Raymond Blanc recently - he was making confit pigeon legs - and wagging his finger into the camera, lectured the viewers that the temperature should never rise above 90c.

My last batch of confit of duck was cooked in the oven. I melted the fat, measured the temperature and added the legs. The pot of duck and fat went into the oven for same amount of time. I checked the temperature occassionally - always 88 to 95c. Result was lovely succulent duck legs.

Once cooked, stored and ready to use, the legs are pan fried in a little fat to warm through and crisp the skin.

If that sounds like a lot of pfaffing around, it isn't...

Buy Duck legs and duck or goose fat
Add salt and spices and leave in the fridge overnight
Wash, dry and grill until coloured
Cook in the fat in the oven for at 90c for two and a half hours
Add the meat to a wide shallow container with a lid
Cover with the fat and store in the fridge.

Give it a go.

I live for Duck Confit!!!:P:P:P:P

However, if I find duck legs cheap, I slow roast them covered for about 2 hours in a low oven.
I then freeze the legs.
You also get a fantastic amount of duck juice (jelly when cold)too.
The end result is almost as good as confit.

One of my favourite things to do with the legs is: defrost, bung in a small oven pan (with its portion of juice/jelly) with ginger and rhubarb jam, fresh ginger, garlic, soy, dry sherry/shaoxing wine, a few drops of sesame oil and bung it in a hot oven to warm through and crisp up. Serve with Thai fragrant rice with fresh coriander and chopped spring onion green parts scattered over.
Very fast, very nice!!

Tonight is going to be shoulder of lamb stewed with tomatoes and butter beans. Not sure what I'll serve it with yet - Mash, roast potato chunks, polenta, red rice, just garlic bread ?????
Decisions!!!

what does anyone else think?

Edit: decided to go for fried polenta.....again - the Mrs is addicted to it!

dixiefly

the beer revolu wrote: »

I live for Duck Confit!!!:P:P:P:P

However, if I find duck legs cheap, I slow roast them covered for about 2 hours in a low oven.
I then freeze the legs.
You also get a fantastic amount of duck juice (jelly when cold)too.
The end result is almost as good as confit.

One of my favourite things to do with the legs is: defrost, bung in a small oven pan (with its portion of juice/jelly) with ginger and rhubarb jam, fresh ginger, garlic, soy, dry sherry/shaoxing wine, a few drops of sesame oil and bung it in a hot oven to warm through and crisp up. Serve with Thai fragrant rice with fresh coriander and chopped spring onion green parts scattered over.
Very fast, very nice!!

Tonight is going to be shoulder of lamb stewed with tomatoes and butter beans. Not sure what I'll serve it with yet - Mash, roast potato chunks, polenta, red rice, just garlic bread ?????
Decisions!!!

what does anyone else think?

Sounds lovely......only its Good Friday!

the beer revolu

dixiefly wrote: »

Sounds lovely......only its Good Friday!

Gosh I do pity the Catholics!

Boiled mince = sin
Monkfish and prawns = Penance

No drinking for you folks either just one meal and two collations (whatever they are?)!

dixiefly

the beer revolu wrote: »

Gosh I do pity the Catholics!

Boiled mince = sin
Monkfish and prawns = Penance

No drinking for you folks either just one meal and two collations (whatever they are?)!

Dont assume I wont be drinking!

Eating fish.......now thats another thing. Looking forward to my own "penance" of baked salmon with stir fry vegatables and baked potatoes.

the beer revolu

had a successful, experimental lunch.

Rosscarbery white pudding, sliced on the bias topped with bacon, topped with finely sliced onions slowly fried with fennel and cumin seed and a pinch of sugar and finished with a little grated 70% chocolate with a green salad.

Twas very nice, it was.

I originally had something like it in An Cruibín in Cork about a year ago.

The Lovely Muffin

Had Mushroom soup tonight.

I'll have some rashers, black pudding and white pudding later. Can't wait.

vicecreamsundae

i made nachos, was delicious!
tortilla tips on a foil lined baking tray, sprinkled generously with mozzarella, and then served with salsa, sour cream, jalapenos and guacamole.

the guac was the reat star of the show.
2 avocados
spoon of sour cream
spoon of mayo
lime zest and juice [more the better!]
clove of garlic
chopped jalapnos
chopped cherry tomato.

YUMMMM

Minder

Tuna and watermelon ceviche on chicory leaves. Grilled tuna steaks with chilli oil, boiled salad potatoes and a watercress salad with jeruselem artichokes.

The Sweeper

$10 noodles from the new place in town after gardening all day.

Cumberland sausages (oven cooked) on top of cheese and roasted garlic mashed potatoes with caramalised onion gravy. Wholesome and hearty...