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Cooking adventures
Jun. 19th, 2011 06:49 pmHusband finally decided to check out my cookbooks this weekend.
He got into the McCormick & Schmick's Cookbook.
I shopped yesterday for Macadamia-Nut Crusted Halibut, Apple Halibut, and Northwest Roasted Halibut, as well as Chipotle-Brined Pork Loin. It was the most fun I've had food shopping in ages - so indulgent. The Barbarian had fun helping me. Limes, shallot, jalepeno pepper, peaches, apples, red onion, cheap white wine, heavy cream, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, chipotle peppers, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, Major Grey's Chutney, and probably a few other items I'm forgetting, plus the fish. It was not a CHEAP trip to the store. It was a fun trip. (I also threw in Buddha Sounds 1 - hey, I am who I am.)
Tonight, I made the Apple Halibut. I used Nigella's recipe for perfect roast potatoes - the recipe with the semolina flour. I used chicken fat instead of goose fat. I fried the halibut, then held it in the warm oven while I sauteed apples, red onion, and bacon in some butter in the fish pan. I put the crisp roasted potatoes on the plates, then put the apple-bacon mixture on the potatoes, then the fried fish on top of the pile, THEN... Guess what I did? I made a reduction sauce! First time ever! This one was a lemon version of beurre blanc sauce (hence the cheapest white wine in the store!), and man, does that have a HUGE amount of butter in it or what? So the lemon butter sacue went on the top of the fish.
IT WAS AMAZING. OMG SO GOOD. Husband said he "did not need" the lemon butter sauce, though he said it was good. Me, however, I ladled it over. :D
The pork is brining to be grilled tomorrow evening, and I the chipotle-barbecue sauce is simmering right now, almost done. Tomorrow, I will make the peach chutney to go on top for those who are interested - peaches, Major Grey's Chutney, lime juice, and crushed red pepper. I am not a fan of peaches myself, though I may try it just on principle. I expect this to be an easy weeknight meal.
It was a lot of fun, though I don't do this kind of complicated cooking anymore, and I was also doing laundry, and Husband and AG33 were watching RiffTrax, and the Barbarian was playing Little Young Lady, in which she needed my participation, and I was getting a little CRAZED with the multiple inputs. I did learn that heavy cream does not burn easily. Yay!
Oh. And did I mention I cleaned the kitchen and made Chicken Parmegean for AG33's dinner? Well, I did.
On the food efficiency side of the equation, The Barbarian decided she didn't like her's ("What are you trying to do? POISON ME?!" is the exact quote.), so Husband is going to just eat her plate cold in the morning. We'll see how that turns out.
Meanwhile, the cat got into the clean laundry for a nap. *glares at cat*
He got into the McCormick & Schmick's Cookbook.
I shopped yesterday for Macadamia-Nut Crusted Halibut, Apple Halibut, and Northwest Roasted Halibut, as well as Chipotle-Brined Pork Loin. It was the most fun I've had food shopping in ages - so indulgent. The Barbarian had fun helping me. Limes, shallot, jalepeno pepper, peaches, apples, red onion, cheap white wine, heavy cream, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, chipotle peppers, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, Major Grey's Chutney, and probably a few other items I'm forgetting, plus the fish. It was not a CHEAP trip to the store. It was a fun trip. (I also threw in Buddha Sounds 1 - hey, I am who I am.)
Tonight, I made the Apple Halibut. I used Nigella's recipe for perfect roast potatoes - the recipe with the semolina flour. I used chicken fat instead of goose fat. I fried the halibut, then held it in the warm oven while I sauteed apples, red onion, and bacon in some butter in the fish pan. I put the crisp roasted potatoes on the plates, then put the apple-bacon mixture on the potatoes, then the fried fish on top of the pile, THEN... Guess what I did? I made a reduction sauce! First time ever! This one was a lemon version of beurre blanc sauce (hence the cheapest white wine in the store!), and man, does that have a HUGE amount of butter in it or what? So the lemon butter sacue went on the top of the fish.
IT WAS AMAZING. OMG SO GOOD. Husband said he "did not need" the lemon butter sauce, though he said it was good. Me, however, I ladled it over. :D
The pork is brining to be grilled tomorrow evening, and I the chipotle-barbecue sauce is simmering right now, almost done. Tomorrow, I will make the peach chutney to go on top for those who are interested - peaches, Major Grey's Chutney, lime juice, and crushed red pepper. I am not a fan of peaches myself, though I may try it just on principle. I expect this to be an easy weeknight meal.
It was a lot of fun, though I don't do this kind of complicated cooking anymore, and I was also doing laundry, and Husband and AG33 were watching RiffTrax, and the Barbarian was playing Little Young Lady, in which she needed my participation, and I was getting a little CRAZED with the multiple inputs. I did learn that heavy cream does not burn easily. Yay!
Oh. And did I mention I cleaned the kitchen and made Chicken Parmegean for AG33's dinner? Well, I did.
On the food efficiency side of the equation, The Barbarian decided she didn't like her's ("What are you trying to do? POISON ME?!" is the exact quote.), so Husband is going to just eat her plate cold in the morning. We'll see how that turns out.
Meanwhile, the cat got into the clean laundry for a nap. *glares at cat*
