June 27: The Big Apple

Sissy's birthday + we're both in NYC means 4x4 birthday brunch. It also means lobster rolls from Luke's Lobster and it should mean Cambodian pork belly banh mi as well, but that's besides the point. Anyway, since Ranyee likes making desserts much more than I do, I only had to make 3 courses! Which was actually really fortuitous because I was alternating between passed out on the couch from too much benadryl and soaking my feet in ice water. Long story short, I was viciously attacked by no-see-ums on a rafting trip to Maine a few days prior and those are itchy little buggers. I am surprisingly alert and not grumpy in this shot on the left. But that's enough about me and my hardships. Moving on....

There were pictures being taken, but I'm pretty sure Ranyee's subsequent marriage and honeymoon got in the way of me getting a copy of them. In the meantime, I stole some from Mike's facebook to put here. I think it's allowed because we technically walked down the aisle together too.

= stealing pictures is acceptable (thanks Mike!)



We have some repeats here from previous dinners, so I'll go over the menu quickly. We had beet and cantaloupe soup, chicken salad and almonds on mixed baby greens, seared scallops with miso slaw, and liege waffles with roasted cherries.

I'll end with - I need to get me some stainless steel cookware. It could open the doors to a world of searing and deglazing that is not accessible with my non-stick hodge podge. But that'll have to wait until I have my own kitchen.

July 16: Marshview Farm

Pancetta and Arugula Flatbread
dijon cream, queso fresco
Dancing Coyote Albarino

Corn and Avocado Salad
marshview farm lettuces, stillmans farm corn
David Hook Viognier

Scallops with Lemon Risotto
chard and beet greens from marshview farm

Bertinerie Sauvignon

Peach Blueberry Crisp
vanilla ice cream

Nashoba Valley After Dinner Peach

I had a delicious corn and cabbage salad at Oleana a few days before this that I wanted to replicate. It was a mini-tower of tasty bits: mixed baby greens, something fried and crispy, corn/cabbage delight, crumbled cheese. My version was going to be: lettuce, fried green tomato, corn and avocado salsa, queso fresco. But after calling every grocer in the area looking for green tomatoes 5 hours before dinner, I had to call that layer a fail. Why do stores not stock barely edible unripe fruit-veggies?? I have no idea. Then we have the queso fresco, which I double booked for the flatbreads too. Oh well, pizza wins, and the salad is down to 2 items. Dress the salad with a bit of olive oil, chopped cilantro, and the left over lime juice, scoop the corn and avocado on the top. And there you have it: sweet, simple, summer.

Since I'm still convinced it would've been better with green tomatoes, here's the recipe I was hoping to use. If you get your hands on some hard, green lumps, try them out. Or share with me!

4 large, firm green tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup finely ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon paprika or pimentón (a Spanish smoked paprika, available at latienda.com)
2 eggs
Vegetable oil

1. Sprinkle the tomato slices with the salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Combine the cornmeal and paprika in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs.
3. Cover the bottom of a heavy skillet with 1/2 inch of oil, then place it over medium-high heat.
4. Coat the tomato slices in the egg, then dredge them in the cornmeal mixture.
5. Fry as many tomatoes as fit comfortably in the pan until nicely browned, about 2 minutes a side.
6. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined platter. Repeat until all the tomatoes are cooked.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fried-Green-Tomatoes-242647#ixzz0utcrZ7kW

Only change I would make is to pat the sliced tomatoes in seasoned flour before the egg. Oh, and cut them thinner.

Steak tips, anyone?

I just went to Appleton Farms in Ipswich, and picked up some steak tips. Made from happy, grass loving cows. Mmm. That reminded me that I promised I would put up the marinade recipe I used last time.

Without further ado, the Southwestern Marinade recipe from Cook's Illustrated's "The New Best Recipe" (for 2 lbs of steak tips):

1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c veggie oil
3 minced/pressed garlic cloves
1 T dark brown sugar
1 T tomato paste
1 T chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1/4 t cayenne pepper

Mix together with whatever quantity adjustments you feel like at the time, and then let it sit for at least an hour (I left it overnight).

Enjoy!