What did you have for dinner?

New Years Day. Gotta eat some black eye peas and greens. A little jalapeno cheddar cornbread on the side is nice. And lots of pork involved, also a lucky thing to eat on New Years. Neck bones were used to make the stock. Trinity was sweated in lard. Home made tasso went in early, store bought andouille added when the greens went in.



It was very tasty! And here's hoping the New Year brings you health, happiness and abundance.

mjb.

On the same page as mjb and good luck dishes for New Years. Made gumbo z'herbes with collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, and arugula. Pork jowls and black eyed peas for more luck. Also included butternut squash and bacon. Served with polenta and over easy eggs.



Got the New Year off to a good, delicious, and lucky start. Here's hoping the same for everybody and may it continue throughout the year! :~)

A real labor of love today - Chicken and Dumplings and a pot of Greens - Collard and Mustard.

I started off with an Indonesian rendang as my inspiration. But I played pretty loose by adding sweet potato, parsnip, and collard greens to it at the end, which are not usually found in a normal fairly dry rendang dish.

I made a rempah of shallot, garlic, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, and chilies; and then used some to marinate my pork for a few hours.

Because I would be adding the sweet potato and parsnip at the very end, I cooked them al dente in the stock I would be using later on.

After marinating the pork, I sauteed the rempah along with whole cinnamon, whole cloves, whole star anise, and whole green cardamom pods. When it darkened and got aromatic I added the marinated pork and a crushed lemongrass stalk and sauteed for a few before adding coconut milk, tamarind pulp, and stock. Then left it to simmer.

Towards the end, I added ****** lime leaves, palm sugar, and kerisik (toasted fresh coconut for flavor, body, and final thickening). With about 10 minutes to go, I added the collards. Then at the 5 minute mark, in went the sweet potatoes and parsnips. Tight lid, turn heat off and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

I ordered some verietal heritage grits from Anson Mills in S.C. and they arrived three days late due to the weather, but they arrived nonetheless. So today I made a Southern classic - Shrimp and Grits. I started with some very smokey bacon ends then added my Trinity to the fat. As the grits were cooking slowly with a bay leaf I peeled the shrimp and put the shells in some chicken stock to make a fumet. I dusted the shrimp in seasoned flour then just before the grits were done put them in the skillet, then turned and added my stock to thicken. Seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper, parsley and thyme and it was very delicious.

Had some ground beef I needed to cook up. And some onion.



So went for a classic favorite of mine, Oklahoma onion burger, make it a double this time.



Got the grill pan nice and hot, put the beef on, salted ans smashed, topped with onion.



Flipped the burgers, added the cheese, got the bun steaming.



Maybe the finished product would not get the George Motz seal of approval, but he's not eating this, I am! And boy, it was tasty!! So simple, and so satisfying.

mjb.

Did "Shun Lee Palace" lemon chicken (the real recipe- not the "cookbook version")
Vietnamese broken rice and pea pods avec water chestnuts.
After one too many..forgot to do the iceberg lettuce "bedding" under the chicken..Duh!
..oh well..GF hates the lettuce anyway.

It's been bitter cold here the past couple of days so I made one of the most perfect comfort foods - Chicken Gumbo with Carolina Gold Brown Rice and Home Made Biscuits. A 16oz. one beer roux using bacon drippings for fat, leek, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, andouille sausage, chicken stock, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and finished up with okra. I cut a whole chicken into ten pieces and set the breasts aside for another meal. I browned the seasoned pieces in bacon drippings for color then added to the Gumbo. The rice is absolutely delicious - it's a heritage rice from Anson Mills SC. The biscuits are actually the best I've ever made. White Lilly self rising flour, frozen butter and butter milk. My wife was one happy customer!!!

Chicken saltimbocca, dunderi w/lemon butter & beans.
prolly' too much....waddle..waddle..