I made a roast galantine of duck yesterday so I think it will either be left overs or something fresh and simple tonight.

Having friends over next Saturday for a Greek feast of baked lamb, skordalia, string beans maybe some spanakopita and probably yogurt and honey for desert. Oh and lots of retsina.

I steam my lobster so it would be easy to flavor the steaming liquid. If you're doing just one lobster you don't need a lot of liquid.

I don't use it straight up, but I'll add some to the butter and oil I'm using - I like that smokey bacon flavor in the background.

The stock was in bowls and the ravioli served with it like a soup.

My wife had a sore throat, but wanted pasta. Tomato base was out so I took a quart of chicken stock and fortified it with garlic, scallion, celery, parsley and dried Porcini. I simmered that for a while then strained it and cooked some fresh ravioli in that and served with fresh parsley and shaved Parmigiano. Simple, filling and very tasty.

I'm roasting a standing rib today. I'll make Brussels Sprouts and blackened string beans as sides maybe use up the handful of little Yukons I have.

Last night I made a savory brine for a whole duck. I took it out this morning before work and it's drying on a rack in the ice box. I'll have it taken out a few hours before cooking. I usually ditch the accompanying "orange sauce" packet - lord knows what's in that stuff.

I made Osso Bucco with beef shank last week and it was delicious. Slow cooking yields a tender piece of meat with excellent flavor. Actually I prefer it to veal shank.

I used to buy it in Detroit in the 70's and cooked it like any lean meat. Think venison, or goat as mentioned.

Monday it was mussels with pasta. Last night I pounded out some room temp chicken breasts, slathered them with well seasoned mayonnaise and coated with bread crumbs. I baked those in the oven on a baker's rack then browned in a hot skillet. Served with stir fried left over yellow rice. It was really good.

For pan frying a seasoned flour will get you there. The important thing is that your fish not have too much water in it. Fresh is your friend as frozen fish can be soggy - IQF can be OK if it hasn't partially thawed on its way to you. I like pan frying with bacon drippings - it just tastes good.

The only prep I do for our juicer is wash everything and get it into pieces that will fit the feed tube.

The type of salt you use and how you season have a lot to do with the outcome of a dish. I have five salts I like to use. Kosher for seasoning water, course Celtic sea salt for general seasoning, Pink Himalayan, Red Hawaiian and Black Hawaiian Lava salts for seasoning specific dishes. They all taste different with difference degrees of "saltiness". I find Kosher salt to taste sour on the one end and the black salt almost sweet on the other. As always "season to taste" is the rule.

Some of the best friend chicken I've had was at Paul Dean's restaurant in Savannah. I know they soak theirs in hot sauce and buttermilk then coat with seasoned flour and fry. I'm sure there is a video out there and the recipe is on line as well. Good luck with a great gesture for your ailing friend.

How about a "Cuban Duck Panini"? put the leg quarter in like a George Foreman Grill? Hard to go wrong with Confit + you have that wonder liquid Duck Gold to play with. You could debone the leg quarter too and stuff it with whatever strikes your fancy. Now there's thought for food . . . :beer

We love blackened string beans and I make on occasion. Blanch your beans for two minutes then chill in ice cold water and drain. Dry them some then coat lightly with EVOO and toss with something like Emerald's essence, or make something spicy and flavorful up. The into a very hot wok or skillet(s) till just blackened on the skins - really delicious - everyone who has them loves them.

Another is Greek string beans - prep your beans. Thinly slice some garlic and heat EVOO in a pot. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and after this sweats some add the beans, Tbs of oregano (fresh is possible, dry is OK too), juice of one lemon per two lbs of beans and a 15oz can of crushed tomatoes. Stir well and let cook till tender then remove from heat and let rest. These are delicious at room temp and I make them every time I make a Greek meal.

If you seeded and removed the veins then toasted them to remove the skin would they still be as hot? I've done that with habaneros and they were delicious with less heat and an almost fruity flavor.

You can grind them up along with some other chilies and make a Rojo sauce. I put chilies in slow cook dishes - chili, greens, etc. then remove before serving and reserve for folks who like heat.

I'm braising some sliced pork shoulder in root beer and porter. Taking the foil off in a few minutes and cranking up the heat to evaporate the liquid and get it frying in its own fat. Yummy!! Paring this with a nice Caesar salad and baked Russets.

Shucked a bunch of little necks to fill in the gap between brunch and dinner.

I made meatballs the other night from some leftover beef I had ground for Labor day. They were delicious.

If it's unopened it should be fine, but open it and give it the sniff test. I find once bacon is opened and becomes oxidized it goes off quickly - like a month depending on the humidity and your fridge.

I have some leftover beef that I ground the other night for burgers. Looks rainy so it's going to be spaghetti and meatballs tonight.

Molasses is one of my favorite sweeteners.

I poke the top of a skillet of corn bread with a chop stick and spread molasses over then back in the oven for a few more minutes.

In my old Joy of Cooking there is a molasses candy pop corn - it's the best.

That just looks like too much fun not to try for the grand kids. On a production level tho - who knows - it might work.

I made grilled shark tacos topped with eel sauce and a slaw with lime/sesame dressing. I steamed some fresh sweet corn and put some petite red potatoes on the grill as well. Just wonderful tacos - the shark is perfect for this application.

I truss my chickens when grill smoking and I prefer apple wood as it imparts a milder taste. I use my gas grill like so -

I had some leftover grilled pork chops. I chopped leak, garlic, red bell pepper and sauteed in some live oil. Meantime I toasted then steeped an Ancho chilli in a little water. I seaded then minced the pepper and added it and the water to the veg mix. I cut the kernels from two ears of sweet corn and added that. I trimmed the chops and added the bones to the pan along with some Porter ale from the local brewery and let that mixture cook down adding more ale as needed then let rest.

Before dinner I preheated the oven to 400, shredded the pork and added to the pan and mixed well. I lined a sheet pan with parchment coated with cooking spray. I took a package of egg roll wrappers and put a spoonful of the pork mix into each one then rolled and sealed and placed on the pan. I sprayed the tops and baked in the oven for 15 minutes turning once.

Man were they good!!!

No problem. For the sauce I infuse a cup, or two of EVOO with red pepper flakes, handful of garlic clove and a big handful of basil. Bring to a light boil then simmer covered for 5 minutes then remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Meanwhile for one box of pasta I use one 28oz can of tomatoes - (if San Marzano you'll need to blend them at some point) otherwise use crushed. One half can of tomato paste, salt, shot of balsamic, maybe a drizzle of honey. I let that simmer for 40 minutes.

Meatballs -

1lb. fresh ground beef
1/4 cup diced onion
2 small, or 1 large clove garlic diced
1 whole egg
handful of torn bread + enough mild to saturate
fresh parsley
1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano, or Romano or blend (so long as it's dry)
salt and pepper to taste

Saturate the bread in milk
Sweat the onion and garlic in a little EVOO till soft
put a fine chop on the parsley.

In a bowl combine the onion mixture, egg, cheese, parsley, salt pepper and drained bread.
Add the beef a handful at a time till incorporated - don't over mix.
It's going to seem loose, but form meatballs.
At this point I whisk in some of the infused EVOO into the sauce then add the meatballs and cover and simmer. Checking every 8-10 minutes for browning on the bottom. If brown then gently turn and do this till cooked.

Meantime get your salted pasta water ready -
remove the cooked meatballs from the sauce and let rest.
Whisk some more of the infused oil into the sauce.
Cook your pasta to just before al dente, drain and finish cooking in the sauce. The pasta will soak up the sauce as it finishes cooking.

Serve the pasta with the meatballs on the side and enjoy!!!

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I cook my meatballs right in the sauce. They will brown on the bottom I turn them several times. Mine are light and almost fluffy by most standards. I soak my bread in milk and never squeeze it out - that is key IMO. Just let it drain for a few seconds then into the mixing bowl. I combine all my ingredients before I add the meat - usually beef, or veal freshly ground at home. Once in a while one falls apart, but they almost melt in your mouth so I don't mind. I hate tough meatballs.

I made the no-cook tomato sauce the other day with cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley and basil from the garden. I let it hang out at room temp for @ four hours with an occasional stir. I added the goat cheese and grated Parmigiano right before the hot pasta went into the bowl. I have to say it was really delicious and so fresh tasting.