What's for dinner?

[aliantha]

Magickmaker and I went to Chipotle.

[Vader]

We spend the day at a wildlife park and I made some club sandwiches and stuff for a tailgate party.

[aliantha]

I made a turkey breast yesterday. Cut a lemon in half, squeezed the juice into the cavity, tossed in the lemon, sprinkled dried rosemary on the outside, and roasted it with some new potatoes. Served that with a salad of romaine, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes from the plant on the balcony. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked on a hot summer's day.

[Menolly]

Sounds yummy, ali!

Ale House has their $12.95 whole Maine lobster Wednesday night special on for the summer. You know where Hyperception and I are headed once he comes home from work! Good thing Beorn is at father-of-love's...

[Vader]

Sounds yummy, ali!

Ale House has their $12.95 whole Maine lobster Wednesday night special on for the summer. You know where Hyperception and I are headed once he comes home from work! Good thing Beorn is at father-of-love's...

On Saturday I'll be off for a few days to the island of Helgoland (Germany's only real offshore island). Helgoland is famous for its lobster - the European cousin of those found in Maine

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_lobster.

My grandparents live there (they are already in their mid 80s and want to see my little one as often as possible,you never know) and lots of other relatives who mostly were lobster and crab fishers. It's going to be a fantastic week food wise ... and since it's offshore it's a duty free zone. Finlandia Vodka, here I come ...

[Menolly]

Vader...
I really want to be a week-long dinner guest at your house...

Anyway, tonight we broke out a couple more of those boneless New York Strips steaks we had cut an inch and a half thick each. I rubbed them with extra virgin olive oil, a splash of inexpensive dark balsamic vinegar, and Montreal Steak Seasoning, then pan seared them Pittsburgh.

Had a couple of baked potatoes and steamed broccoli, and since Beorn is still away, broke out some Cabernet Sauvignon.

Beef: It's What's for Dinner
*my favorite of that series of commercials*

[Vader]

I had to google both "Montreal Steak Seasoning" and "Steak Pittsburgh."

I found a recipe containing paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, coriander seeds, dill and red pepper flakes. This is close to my "dry rub", although I also add cumin, mustard seeds, a hint of brown sugar and replace the dill with oregano.

Pittsburgh seems to mean the steak is rare (as it should be).

Trivia: a rare steak in German is called "English."

Now I want steak.

[Menolly]

I had to google both "Montreal Steak Seasoning" and "Steak Pittsburgh."

I found a recipe containing paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, coriander seeds, dill and red pepper flakes. This is close to my "dry rub", although I also add cumin, mustard seeds, a hint of brown sugar and replace the dill with oregano.

*nod*

Pretty close.
It is a prepackaged seasoning blend. I like to use it as a dry rub, but I'll also use it in a marinade of 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup dark balsamic vinegar, and a tablespoon of Montreal Steak Seasoning on less tender cuts.

Pittsburgh seems to mean the steak is rare (as it should be).

Sort of. "Pittsburgh" is a particular style of doing a rare steak, also known as "black and blue." Since Pittsburgh was known for years as a steel-mill town, the name is appropriate.

Basically, you heat your pan until it is practically red hot, or raise your grill's fire to maximum, then put the steak on it for like 30 seconds, charring the outside. The inside should be barely cooked at all. Hence the "black and blue."

Trivia: a rare steak in German is called "English."

heh. I wonder if in Britain a rare steak is called "French."

Now I want steak.

ah...
turnabout is fair play.
It was yummy.

[Vader]

So Pittsburgh is what we call "bleu" - even less cooked then "English". Some people refer to it as "blutig" (=bloddy but this is a) unappetizing and b) nonsense since it is not blood but juice.

[Menolly]

Well, depends.
The interior would be less cooked than English I assume.
But is the outside charred? For Pittsburgh, it is seriously charred on the outside. Hence the alternate name of "black and blue."

I will eat a bleu steak, as I love my steaks practically raw
(steak tartar is an absolute favorite of mine, as is Gyu Tataki), but I prefer the charred "crust" over a "limp" one.

[Vader]

I will eat a bleu steak, as I love my steaks practically raw
(steak tartar is an absolute favorite of mine, as is Gyu Tataki), but I prefer the charred "crust" over a "limp" one.

I totally agree. Not only for beef but also for tuna.

[Menolly]

ah...
but tuna I will eat completely raw, in sushi, as shashimi, and tuna tartar.

[Vader]

I love sushi.

[JazFusion]

I've been simmering some New Orleans style red beans since about 11 this morning. The kitchen smells amazing! Now I know what you're thinking, it's tradition to serve red beans and rice on Mondays....but I couldn't wait a day.

Sigh. I miss New Orleans.

[Menolly]

Oh yum, Jaz.
Home made red beans and rice.
Pass some this way, please...

[deer of the dawn]

I make a mean pizza. From scratch, starting with flour. I ate leftover pizza because I'm alone tonight. Ice cream awaits my whim in the freezer...

[Savor Dam]

Meatloaf (yes, I know our moderator is not a meatloaf fan)
Mashed Potatoes
Carrot Tzimmes (Sweetened Braised Carrots)

[Menolly]

Tzimmes? Really?
Cool...

[Savor Dam]

Carrot Tzimmes (Sweetened Braised Carrots)
adapted from Starting With Ingredients
3 to 4 servings

1 pound carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons butter (or a mix of butter and olive oil)
2/3 cup orange juice
2/3 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3/4 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced carrots. Cook about 4 minutes, just enough to slightly soften but retain crispness.
2. Add other ingredients. Reduce heat to medium low, cover & simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Remove carrots with a slotted spoon. Reduce sauce for a minute over medium-high heat. Pour sauce back over the carrots.

[lorin]

Carrot Tzimmes (Sweetened Braised Carrots)
adapted from Starting With Ingredients
3 to 4 servings

1 pound carrots, sliced
2 tablespoons butter (or a mix of butter and olive oil)
2/3 cup orange juice
2/3 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3/4 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced carrots. Cook about 4 minutes, just enough to slightly soften but retain crispness.
2. Add other ingredients. Reduce heat to medium low, cover & simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Remove carrots with a slotted spoon. Reduce sauce for a minute over medium-high heat. Pour sauce back over the carrots.

this sounds REALLY good!