What's Cooking (Take Four)

Simple steak and mash tonight. I'm tired.

[Jenise]

I couldn't make up my mind what to do about dinner yesterday. This happens more often than not these days. So I snacked on a little Canadian deli ham, then made myself a salad of pre-packaged enoki mushrooms and bibb lettuce. Over the next three hours I started feeling funky and put myself to bed at 8:30, nauseous. By 10:30 I'd vomited four times. I feel kind of okay this morning, but 'fragile'. So: food poisoning. Don't know which of those two strangers to my kitchen to thank for this, but I'm betting on the mushrooms.

...made myself a salad of pre-packaged enoki mushrooms and bibb lettuce. Over the next three hours I started feeling funky...I'm betting on the mushrooms.

Oh no! That sucks.

Did you cook the enoki for the salad? My understanding is that they should not be eaten raw.

Jenise, hope you are feeling better soon! As Rahsaan notes, raw enoki is considered risky.

AI says: Enoki mushrooms are versatile and can be added to many dishes. It is important to cook enoki mushrooms thoroughly, as they have been linked to Listeria monocytogenes contamination when consumed raw.

[Jenise]

Listeria????? I had no idea re the mushrooms, I've used them raw many times. But after last night? I don't think I'd even be tempted to cook with them. In fact, I know I won't. Done/never again.

I just had a slice of toast with marmalade. First thing since last night and about the only thing I thought I could keep down. What a way to cap off a rough two weeks of illness, kind of like the finale at the end of a firework show.

Thanks for the sympathy!

Don't blame you. I was also surprised at the link (however strong or weak it is). Perhaps some Jewish penicillin will help you. Get better soon.

Last night I made Frances Moore Lappe's monastery style lentils, a soupy concoction of green lentils, onions, carrot, tomatoes, and parsley with some fino sherry added at the end. Delicious and very easy to make.

-Paul W

[Jenise]

On Monday night I made a pasta dish (ziti) with some of the Amatriciana sauce I put up last week. I sauced the very al dente ziti and loaded it into a shallow layer in a casserole dish, topped it with some grated Asiago cheese (the Canadian store I shopped at over the weekend did not have pecorino), and baked it. In the last few years I have become a fan of baked pastas because I love the crusty top and sides. I ate about half of that, and reheated the other half for last night's dinner. I'd planned chicken schnitzels but a bad afternoon drained my interest in going to any extra trouble.

I made a Sicilian braised lemon chicken dish last night. It involved four chicken thighs, the zest of three lemons, a small chopped onion, some sage, white wine, and enough EVOO to brown the thighs. We both liked it a lot. The sauce was not at all lemony (the relatively long cooking time seemed to mellow that part out), but it was rich and complex. Served it with mashed potatoes and blanched/sauteed green beans dressed with a little pumpkin seed oil. Tonight, we had the leftovers.

That sounds lovely, Mike. I love anything with lemon. Pumpkin seed oil is not one I have tried. I have many oils...will look into that one.
Yesterday, I made what is called a classic beef stew. Of course, I add my own touch to everything. Stew meat was browned after being seasoned well with Quebec Seasoning for beef. I added the onions, garlic, fresh thyme, carrots, parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Several cups of good beef stock and cooked in a slow cooker until the meat was tender. I always add the carrots last as I like them to still have a slight crunch. It turned out very tasty. I cooked yesterday because my eldest son from Sacramento is arriving today to spend the day and night to celebrate my birthday tomorrow. He informed me that he was going to cook for me, and all I had to do was prepare a salad. So, I am making my favorite tomato, bread salad with organic heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. I am making croutons from a Herb, Basil sourdough bread.

That sounds lovely, Mike...Pumpkin seed oil is not one I have tried. I have many oils...will look into that one..

It's a finishing oil, not for cooking. I'm a huge fan. So much flavor and no ingredients, just pumpkin seed oil! It's a traditional Austrian product. I always bring some back from Germany because I don't see it very often in the US, but I'm sure CA has something, perhaps even their own.

Sounds like a delicious stew, Karen - I like a lot of potatoes in mine, so adding both red and Yukon golds sounds great!

As Rahsaan indicated, the pumpkinseed oil is unique in its flavor and a very flavorful addition to simple cooked vegetables and such. We picked ours up during recent trip to Austria. I haven't seen a local version around here, but I may just not have looked hard enough.

Well, I was wrong about not using pumpkin seed oil. Over the years, I have purchased it twice. Maybe a different product than you mentioned, but no other ingredients. I just ordered it again, along with avocado oil. I love this brand, the oils smell and taste true to the nut, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Tourangelle-Toas ... =8-17&th=1

That sounds lovely, Mike...Pumpkin seed oil is not one I have tried. I have many oils...will look into that one..

It's a finishing oil, not for cooking. I'm a huge fan. So much flavor and no ingredients, just pumpkin seed oil! It's a traditional Austrian product. I always bring some back from Germany because I don't see it very often in the US, but I'm sure CA has something, perhaps even their own.

I'm also a fan of the Austrian product. I recently tried an American oil (make: Hay River) but it didn't do it for me.

And, yeah, finding the Austrian product here in the States is very difficult.

Yesterday made a big pot of "Sunday gravy" with extra thick-cut mushrooms, and, separately, a batch of beef-pork-veal meatballs. I was worried about the meatballs as the slurry was very wet but they have come out just fine and rather nicely delicate.

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I also had an emergency rescue: You may recall, a year ago or so, that I had to skim and re-simmer my maple syrup because I had left it at room temp too long. Well, this time it was the bay leaves...

About a year ago, after making a batch of bay leaf liqueur, I was still up to my earlobes in bay leaves, so I carefully dried them all in the oven, put half in my cupboard and half in the freezer. Recently, I took the freezer batch out and put it in my cupboard. I guess I did not hit a low-enough % moisture because, a few weeks later -- yesterday -- I saw a few fluffy white mold spots appear.

I hand-washed every leaf, tossed a few that looked irregular, and re-dried them all in the oven -- a little more authoritatively, this time. They have curled a bit but they still smell very good so back in the cupboard they go.

Karen - nice to see it's available.

Jeff - that's a lot of work for the bay leaves, but I guess you'll never have to buy another little jar of them!

Jeff - that's a lot of work for the bay leaves, but I guess you'll never have to buy another little jar of them!

Yes, though really more annoyance than work! But they are very fragrant, moreso than any dried I've ever had.

I have a nasty little cold going, and things turned chilly and rainy here today, so I made caldo verde using Kenji Lopez-Alt's recipe on Serious Eats. (I've had a lot of issues with his recipes in general but not this one). Had a delicious Easton gamay noir from the Barsotti vineyard with it.

I have a nasty little cold going, and things turned chilly and rainy here today, so I made caldo verde using Kenji Lopez-Alt's recipe on Serious Eats. (I've had a lot of issues with his recipes in general but not this one). Had a delicious Easton gamay noir from the Barsotti vineyard with it.

When I am sick I avoid all alcoholic drinks. I think they just distract your body from staying focused on fighting whatever it is.

On Saturday night, my son cooked for me. He made lamb pops, lobster tails, and fresh asparagus, all done on the gas grill outside. I had not had his lamb pops before, but his family loves them. He cooks them very fast, so they get a char on the outside. Lobster and asparagus were perfectly cooked, and I have been enjoying the leftovers for lunch. My tomato bread salad turned out great as well, and I will finish it off today.

When I am sick I avoid all alcoholic drinks. I think they just distract your body from staying focused on fighting whatever it is.

Yeah, you're probably right on that. I just can't resist, though. I feel like I need to treat myself a little, and I have managed not to lose my sense of taste.

Yes, though really more annoyance than work! But they are very fragrant, moreso than any dried I've ever had.

For fresh kaffir lime leaves I wash them, pat them dry, then freeze them and use them directly out of the freezer. They keep more or less indefinitely that way and are always fresh and aromatic. I suspect one could use the same procedure with bay leaves.

-Paul W.

...use them directly out of the freezer.

Now there's a good idea!