Rubee's Profile
What's For Easter Dinner?
Thanks BC! It was a hit, and I'll definitely make it again. Made a few changes but mostly followed the recipe. A friend brought a new Arizona grenache that I loved as a pairing (Burning Tree Cellars "The Peasant")
What's For Easter Dinner?
Six of us this year.
Welcome Cocktail is bubbly: Kir 38 from La Caravelle.
Deviled eggs (friend)
Smoked salmon canapes with preserved lemon and dill cream cheese
Roasted poblano, garlic, and parsley guacamole with cotija and chips
Fresh ham with Tuscan bread stuffing
Potato gratin with rosemary and white cheddar
Grilled asparagus with lemon, garlic, and shaved parmesan
A CH friend is also bringing: A bottle of rosé and an almond sparkling wine to try, and carrot cake and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Plenty of wine of course as the other couple always brings a couple of bottles and I have pinot noir and riesling. The main is a Tyler Florence recipe (link below). I'll use my favorite locally-made ciabatta by MJ (Phoenix). We had the fresh ham boned by the butcher at a Mexican store - Ranch Market. Picked up lots of good stuff there which is why I added the guacamole (a Rick Bayless recipe).
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tylers-ultimate/fresh-ham-with-tuscan-bread-stuffing-recipe/index.html
APRIL 2011 COTM IS AROUND MY FRENCH TABLE by Dorie Greenspan
Just ordered this - what a deal!
Around My French Table + Baking at Home for $5.87
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547858760/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Chef Peter DeRuvo Leaves Cuoco Pazzo
Be sure to report back! You sound like us - I love duck, my husband's a steak guy ; )
They also started a Sunday Family Feast that's all-inclusive "with focaccia, salad, pasta, gravy with meat (braciole, italian sausage, meatballs), dessert sampler with cannoli, gelato and panna cotta". Sounds so good. I need to get back there.
California Foodie Visiting Scottsdale for Spring Training 2012
Ha, you can be sure we brought plenty home (the pizza was especially good heated up at 450 for a few minutes the next day). In fact, we had two pizzas! Forgot the other pic. OOMPH ; )
California Foodie Visiting Scottsdale for Spring Training 2012
I'm a fan of Christopher's too. We visited for the first time in January. Highlights were the mushroom soup with foie gras and rabbit special for me, and E raved about his truffle-infused filet. Since then, we've been back for Valentine's Day (loved that they offered an a la carte menu and not just a limited prix-fixe), and most recently just this past Friday for Happy Hour. We were full with the 1/2 price HH menu (pics below), but had to order the Friday dinner special of pied de cochon en croûte you mentioned and am glad we did - absolutely delicious. I'll be back on a Friday just for that.
Rice Paper?
Yes, I live in North Phoenix and the two Asian markets I shop at (and have rice paper wrappers) are Lee Lee's in Peoria or Asiana in Glendale at 4410 West Union Hills.
Costco food finds - 1st quarter 2012 [old]
The bangers are RJ Balson and Sons. They were very good - made bangers and mash this weekend. Will definitely be stocking up while they have them.
http://www.balsonbutchers.com/blogs/rj-balson-blog/5577632-balson-bangers-now-at-select-costco-locations
What's for dinner #133 [old]
Thanks blue room! Yes, whiskey, vermouth (I used Dolin which a Chowhound friend just gifted me with) and bitters, with an absinthe rinse. Very nice. Hmmm...now I want another one ; )
Ended up adding Kerrygold Irish cheddar and scallions to the mashed potatoes for the bangers and mash with onion gravy tonight:
What's for dinner #133 [old]
Last week took advantage of D'Artagnan's free shipping and bought a bunch of goodies which resulted in a porcini-crusted veal tenderloin with cheese tortellini (storebought) topped with the fresh mushrooms we are both now hooked on. Leftovers made a great sandwich the next day with a lemon-caper mayo.
No surprise that Irish was the theme this weekend. E doesn't like corned beef, so I had planned bangers and mash. Ended up eating lighter yesterday instead. Irish cheese (Kellygold Skellig) and Cahill's Porter with crackers. The cocktail was a Black Thorn with Tyrrconnell whiskey. Dinner was smoked salmon (Koppen Norwegian from Costco which had been recommended on a previous CH thread) with dill creme fraiche and dessert was Guiness-chocolate cupcakes with Bailey's frosting (link below - I skipped the ganache and cut down on the sugar in the frosting). Lunch today were mini-grilled cheese sandwiches with the leftover cheese. For dinner, roasting the sausages on a bed of caramelized onions and shallots for the gravy. I'm also thinking I might add some of the Irish cheddar to the mash.
http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/14/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/
What's for Dinner #129 [old]
The type of bean sauce is key. I've tried a few types and some of them actually ruined the dish for me (just personal taste). I'll try to find a picture of my favorite to post. Also, the quality of Sichuan peppercorns is important. I've never found any at the Chinese markets that are as good as ordering from Penzey's. My favorite recipe is Fuschia Dunlop's - discussion below - I make it spicier and use lots of Sichuan pepper. My favorite dan dan noodle recipes are also Dunlop's.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/494666#3453867
Penzey's Sichuan peppercorns:
http://www.chow.com/photos/152176
Dan Dan noodles
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/494662#3480547
What's for Dinner #129 [old]
Thanks ladies! Though I have to say after a couple more dinners out we have planned, I am going on a diet. Oomph.
What's for Dinner #129 [old]
Oops. One of those two Uplands cheese pics should be this one: A wedge of Prima Donna cheese, Saint Marcellin, Jambon de Bayonne (French prosciutto), wild boar saucisson sec, foie gras mousse with sauternes and truffle, and Cabecou Feuille (goat cheese with plum brandy and black pepper in chestnut leaves). Took advantage of free shipping from D'Artagnan this month to splurge for the charcuterie.
What's for Dinner #129 [old]
This week a couple of lunches were Dunlop's ma po tofu because L.Nightshade's pic looked so good and Zuni's omelette with mustard croutons (and Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese). Big dinner out tomorrow at Binkley's so dinner tonight was simple - grilled sausages and roasted asparagus.
Haven't posted in weeks, so some others: Linguine in porcini cream sauce, Vietnamese rice noodles with spicy chicken wings, fregula salad with salmon and dill-buttermilk dressing, and nasi goreng. Veal chop milanese with polenta, and a treat - cheese ordered from Artisanal in NYC.
Zuni Cafe Cookbook: Eggs/ Starchy Dishes
Madeleine's Omelette with Mustard Croutons and Beaufort Cheese, p 174.
I made this for lunch today. I used a fantastic cheese new-to-me called Upland's Pleasant Ridge Reserve (ordered from NY's Artisanal) because it's compared to Beaufort. I also loved the croutons. I was making this for myself so I used 2 eggs and reduced the other ingredients. I used white wine, yellow mustard seeds, and Dijon along with butter for the croutons. I didn't have time to read through her omelette technique but will try it out next time.
http://www.uplandscheese.com/cheese.html
BBQ in PHX? I'm from Texas
I first met the "Pork on a Fork boys" back in 2009 at the Glendale farmers market when I became hooked on their pepper bacon, bratwurst, and spicy Polish sausage with cheese and jalapenos. I actually haven't even had their BBQ yet. They source their pork directly from their family farm in Nebraska, which is how they started in the business. The plan to open their own place was their own, before they started entering BBQ competitions. They wanted to expand to a sit-down restaurant featuring their quality pork instead of the barbecue stations they set up at the farmers market.
They're the nicest guys - I really must check out the restaurant soon. I'll have to try the ribs and pulled pork.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2010/08/02/20100802biz-abg-smallbiz0803.html
Chef Peter DeRuvo Leaves Cuoco Pazzo
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Chef DeRuvo and, after frequent visits to Cuoco Pazzo in the last 4 months, I've become fans of the Ranas too so was very disappointed to hear the news. I actually had plans Thursday night to take a friend for dinner for the first time. Even though we heard the news earlier in the day, we kept our plans and we're glad we did.
Many dishes remain on the current menu. My husband and friend ordered past favorites - the crispy duck with saba and amarena cherry glaze and the bistecca alla fiorentino with chianti butter - and weren't disappointed. I had the salmon special with fregula and it was excellent. I was also happy to see the antipasti misti still on the menu. Of course, we had to order that to share, along with the meatballs and polenta scaheld mentions (forgot pic), and moz with white anchovies. Too full for dessert, though we made room for Mario's cherry 'cello and an amaro for me. Some of the new items they plan to add to the menu include wild boar ragu with fresh tagliatelle, salmon ravioli, and porchetta. Obviously, the expansive beer and wine list remain. Mario told us he was adding 8 more Italian wines by the glass on Friday. Friendly service as always.
I wish both well. I can't wait to see where Chef Peter DeRuvo ends up and I'll be the first to make a reservation, and Cuoco Pazzo is still my favorite Italian restaurant.
Pics from most recent visit including my pre-dinner Il Coyote cocktail:
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Cuoco Pazzo
4175 N Goldwater Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Lunar New Year 2012, COTM Edition
Thanks qianning, TDQ, and ButterTart! Lunch today was duck soup with udon noodles, scallions, and cilantro with chili oil. Asian was on the menu last night too. Inspired by InaPlasticCup, I made a Korean roast chicken marinated for about 5 hours in equal parts soy sauce and water, with sugar, ginger, garlic, and Korean gochujang chili paste. E ate his just as is (came out very juicy), while mine was drizzled with sesame oil and more chili, with steamed rice and kimchi.
Lunar New Year 2012, COTM Edition
(wish I could edit/add pictures) Will post details on the Dunlop thread, but the marinade was fresh ginger and scallions with a spice paste of Sichuan peppercorns, cao guo/"false cardamom", cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and rice wine (didn't have the dried ginger slices so added a combination of ground dried galangal and ginger).
Lunar New Year 2012, COTM Edition
Sunday I ended up making stir-fried rice cakes even though ButterTart kind of threw me with making a point my pic was a Korean brand (which I knew since it's on the label and I bought that bag at a Korean store). I've always thought rice ovalettes/Chinese rice cakes/Korean rice cakes (not the tubes) are different names for the same kind of flat oval cakes made from sticky rice? I'm not an expert so would love if someone could help me out! Sauce was dark and light soy, ginger, garlic, Sichuan chili-bean sauce, chicken stock, scallions. I added shrimp and lobster.
On Monday night I made Dunlop's Fragrant and Crispy Roast Duck. A lot of work (marinating, steaming, drying, frying) when I can buy a hot roast duck from the Asian market for a couple of dollars more, but we both agreed the flavor was better even if the skin was not as crisp with this technique. I cut up the breast (legs set aside to shred for soup, duck stock made with the rest). E is low-carbing so he had his with a stir-fry of scallions with ginger, garlic, and bacon. For me, wrapped in Asian store-bought Peking pancakes with hoisin sauce, cucumbers, and scallions.
Lunar New Year 2012, COTM Edition
Hmmm....I always thought tteok/dduk and nian gao were interchangeable. Aren't they both sticky rice cakes? Oh well. I guess it's time for plan B. Maybe I'll join E in a grilled steak and stick to the nice Chinese dinner tomorrow.
CA hounds seeking suggestions near hwys 17 & 101, also 10 & 17
Thanks Themis!
I'm sure this is too late, but agree with Themis on her suggestions for the Glendale spots. Mellow Mushroom is actually one of the better choices in the Happy Valley Center as that area has mainly chains.
I should add that one of the reasons I'm a fan of Arrowhead Grill is because it's not a typical steakhouse with just steaks and seafood. You can order entrees such as beef stroganoff, soy-glazed steak with wasabi mashed potatoes, or a wood-fire roasted chicken carved tableside and sides like hominy with bacon or grits, for example, and I love their green chile burger.Some of my favorite apps are clam chowder, deviled eggs, or grilled artichokes. Sides I often order as my entree are shrimp and grits, green chili mac and cheese, or lobster mashed potatoes.
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Arrowhead Grill
8280 West Union Hills Road, Glendale, AZ 85308
Lunar New Year 2012, COTM Edition
E's low-carbing, so tonight for myself I'm making a stir-fry with rice cakes (nian gao). i have some leftover seafood from a teppan-yaki place we went to last night so will use that too.
Tomorrow I'll make a nice dinner we both can eat. Thinking maybe a Dunlop roast duck recipe and a stir-fried veggie dish - maybe the Yin Ying beans TDQ mentions. Will have to go through some of the great suggestions above for other ideas.
February COTM is Japanese Month
Thanks Big Sal. Thinking of getting a jump on this before my book arrives.
February COTM is Japanese Month
Excited, and hoping I have time to really participate in February. Just ordered Washoku.
Short Leash Hot Dogs
Thanks for the update on Short Leash. I've only sampled their "mini" dogs at last year's Devour food festival and really liked SL too. I have to get out to their truck one of these days.
And the Database to be eliminated? Grrrr. It's especially helpful since everything is so spread out to see where restaurants are in relation to visitors' hotels, neighborhoods, etc. Thanks for the link.
