What is/was for dinner?

[Gutwrench]

No picture (you’re welcome) because I had an ear of corn and some Swiss cheese. And had to share with “the girls”. :sigh:

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Yesterday was my Mum's birthday. She is all of 88, and has advanced Alzheimers, and is still at home, so we have a full time carer - a wonderful nurse and midwife who is Filipina - and who has been with us - and living with us - for the past five and a half years.

She (the carer) invited two Filipina friends over - both also working as carers for elderly people - yesterday, and between them, they cooked two different noodle dishes (one a noodle salad, the other not unlike Singapore noodles - this latter dish is one of my favourites, and it is a tradition to serve this dish "for long life and happiness" in the Philippines on someone's birthday, or for some other celebration), pig's trotters in a delicious sauce, rice, and a dish of homemade breaded chicken thighs and drumsticks.

Then, cakes which also came with candles in the shape of the Arabic numeral "8" - two of them, two "eights", so that you read "88" were also served.

 

[Gutwrench]

Yesterday was my Mum's birthday. She is all of 88, and has advanced Alzheimers, and still at home, so we have a full time carer - a wonderful nurse who is Filipina - and who has been with us - and living with us - for the past five and a half years.

She invited two Filipina friends over - both also working as carers for elderly - yesterday, and between them, they cooked two different noodle dishes (one a noodle salad, the other not unlike Singapore noodles - this latter dish is one of my favourites, and it is a tradition to serve this dish "for long life an happiness" in the Philippines on someone's birthday, or for some other celebration), pig's trotters in a delicious sauce, rice, and a dish of homemade breaded chicken thighs and drumsticks.

Then, cakes which also came with candles in the shape of the Arabic numeral "8" - two of them, two "eights", so that you read "88" are also served.

Happy Birthday to Mum.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Happy Birthday to mum.

Thank you.

She didn't really know what was going on, but loved being fussed over and thoroughly enjoyed her birthday dinner.

 

[Gutwrench]

Thank you.

She didn't really know what was going on, but loved being fussed over and thoroughly enjoyed her birthday dinner.

That very sweet. I just closed my eyes...blessings and flowers sent!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

That very sweet. I just closed my eyes...blessings and flowers sent!

Thanks a lot - much appreciated.

This morning, we showed her the video (the carer had videoed the candle blowing out bit on her iPad - which we had to do ourselves, as poor Mother hadn't a clue what she was meant to do, but she understood that it was some sort of party, and she was a part of it, and so, she was happily smiling and beaming) and she started singing 'happy birthday' to the song she heard in the video, as we had sung it for her in the video yesterday when it was recorded.

But, she is happy and content and loved and in her own home, and her appetite is still surprisingly good and cheerfully greedy for someone at the stage she is at, with her condition.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

This evening, the carer prepared her wonderful aubergine (eggplant) dish.

Eggplant (aubergine) diced and slowly sautéed in olive oil, along with finely chopped onions, garlic (lots), a little ginger, plus soya sauce.

This is served with rice, (or anything - it goes with absolutely everything) - and I also had a tomato and cucumber salad dressed with chives, parsley and olive oil.

Mother had potatoes with the aubergine dish - she doesn't much care for rice.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Today, most unexpectedly, some Scottish wild salmon was available at the fishmonger's stall in the farmers' market.

Thus, three cutlets of wild salmon arrived home with the carer.

So, dinner will be wild salmon, roasted new potatoes, and a tomato and cucumber salad, drizzled with olive oil.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Meat. Like the almost all of the last four months. (doing the no carb thing)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Dinner was wild salmon, sautéed, roasted new potatoes, and a salad of organic cherry tomatoes (bought from the woman who grew them), cucumber, chives, a few mirabelle plums, and one or two apricots, all dressed with olive oil, and aged Balsamic vinegar.

A glass or two of Chablis, 1er Cru, to accompany,

 

[Gutwrench]

Lamb rack with cucumber & radish salad.

I like lamb very much. It’s easy and sooo tasty. Sorry about the focus, dish and presentation. I was starving...and so are the girls...they think.


[doublepost=1535932906][/doublepost]It might be blasphemous but the scotch goes so well with the savory lamb and the vinegar in the salad.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Lamb rack with cucumber & radish salad.

I like lamb very much. It’s easy and sooo tasty. Sorry about the focus, dish and presentation. I was starving...and so are the girls...they think.

View attachment 779342
[doublepost=1535932906][/doublepost]It might be blasphemous but the scotch goes so well with the savory lamb and the vinegar in the salad.

I like lamb, too, but, apart from my late grandmother, and my late father, nobody else in the house does.

How do you prep it and cook it? What cut do you use?

 

[Gutwrench]

I like lamb, too, but, apart from my late grandmother, and my late father, nobody else in the house does.

How do you prep it and cook it? What cut do you use?

We never had lamb growing up, my former wife introduced it to me. Since I’m a typical American guy most of my meat is done on a grill. 🙂

This was a sous vide lamb rack finished on the barbecue.
(cut in two bone pieces @ 126F for 3 hours-ish; flash sear aiming for 130-142F...about 3-5 minutes tops)

After removing from the bath I dry it thoroughly then drizzle with olive oil and season (cumin, salt, pepper, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, basil, and fennel). Depending on guests’ preference I’ll generously add cayenne...yum.

A foolproof hors d’oeuvre (or simple meal) is deboning lamb chops seasoning similarly and toss on a hot barbecue for 1-3 minutes.

I’ll do a leg of lamb once or twice a year because it’s a bit more complicated, but it’s delicious with a board dressing.
[doublepost=1535983401][/doublepost]PS - If you find yourself in Mongolia, there’s a method of burying the lamb in a pit for 12 hours. I don’t know how they seasoned it but it was fantastic. Actually the whole event of partying for two days and opening the pit to feast and drink more...haha...was memorable!

I’ve done...actually helped as a boy...pit cooked beef and pork.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Lamb rack with cucumber & radish salad.

It might be blasphemous but the scotch goes so well with the savory lamb and the vinegar in the salad.

I can well imagine that scotch would go well with lamb; anything with a slight hint of sweetness should flatter and complement lamb well. (Thus, not the heaviest of rich, robust reds - something perhaps more smoothly balanced)

We never had lamb growing up, my former wife introduced it to me. Since I’m a typical American guy most of my meat is done on a grill. 🙂

This was a sous vide lamb rack finished on the barbecue.
(cut in two bone pieces @ 126F for 3 hours-ish; flash sear aiming for 130-142F...about 3-5 minutes tops)

After removing from the bath I dry it thoroughly then drizzle with olive oil and season (cumin, salt, pepper, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, basil, and fennel). Depending on guests’ preference I’ll generously add cayenne...yum.

A foolproof hors d’oeuvre (or simple meal) is deboning lamb chops seasoning similarly and toss on a hot barbecue for 1-3 minutes.

I’ll do a leg of lamb once or twice a year because it’s a bit more complicated, but it’s delicious with a board dressing.
[doublepost=1535983401][/doublepost]PS - If you find yourself in Mongolia, there’s a method of burying the lamb in a pit for 12 hours. I don’t know how they seasoned it but it was fantastic. Actually the whole event of partying for two days and opening the pit to feast and drink more...haha...was memorable!

I’ve done...actually helped as a boy...pit cooked beef and pork.

Thank you.

Here, the classic seasonings with lamb (leg of lamb, or other roasts) tend to run to rosemary, thyme and garlic (the latter is wonderful with lamb), rather than the spices you have mentioned (which I think would go better with grilled lamb).

Personally, I love the sweetness of lamb, but, since my father - whose favourite meat was lamb - passed, I think we have had leg of lamb perhaps twice, as my mother and brother both dislike it.

Lamb is one dish that Muslim cultures and cuisines get right, (many of these countries have scrawny and perfectly horrible chicken, and completely inedible - not least because it hasn't been aged or hung properly - beef, while pork, for obvious reasons, is off the menu).

Several of the Muslim countries/cultures in central Asia have a wonderful dish - akin to a biryani, or pilau - that is served with lamb, - a festive dish, often served during Eid, or at weddings or special celebrations - and it is delicious.

I gather that it is both labour intensive and time consuming to prepare, - which is why it is served only on special occasions - but anytime I was fortunate enough to be served it, I found it delicious.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Dinner was a cheese board, (Schnbelhorn, mature Cashel Blue, Camembert, Duroval, and Zimbru), with fresh French bread, and some white wine (a Pouilly-Fuissé) from Burgundy.

 

[Huntn]

Simple Dinner:

​

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A very tasty noodle dish, courtesy of a Filipina friend of my mother's carer.

 

[flyinmac]

Nobody wants my pictures lol.

Breakfast: yogurt
Lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Dinner: handful of sour cream and onion chips

Dessert: a few pitchers of beer (maybe 3 or 4 or...)

Darn sisters come into the bar to check on me... drinking???? Me??? What makes you think I’ve been drinking???

When she asked how much I had to drink, I honestly said: “I’ve only had one glass... I’ve had this one glass with me all night” 😀

But that was a Friday night... so unfortunately I have to skip dessert most nights (stupid rules about being sober when you’re working lol).

 

[Gutwrench]

Nobody wants my pictures lol.

You know the Internet rules, my friend. Pictures or you didn’t eat! 😡
[doublepost=1536439053][/doublepost]

Darn sisters come into the bar to check on me... drinking????

The nerve!!

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Uzbek plov made by a friend.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Uzbek plov made by a friend.

View attachment 780316

Wow. Yum.

I've had versions of that dish in Russia, close to the Kazakh border, and (the first time I ever had it) in Tallinn (over two decades ago) prepared by a Kazakh lady who was the wife of my host, - he had served in The Old Days on the Estonian Central Committee (one step down from the Estonian Politburo) - they had met when both were studying in Moscow State University some decades earlier, she was one of the first ever Kazakh women to graduate from Moscow State University - and across parts of the former Soviet Union (but not Uzbekistan) - such as Kyrgyzstan, and in parts of central Asia.

("Plov" seems to be a sort of Russian/Soviet contraction of "pilav", "piloff" or "pilau").

Delicious; labour intensive and time consuming, but delicious when prepared properly.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Wow. Yum.

I've had versions of that dish in Russia, close to the Kazakh border, and across parts of the former Soviet Union (but not Uzbekistan) - such as Kyrgyzstan, and in parts of central Asia.

("Plov" seems to be a contraction of "pillar" or "pilau").

Delicious; labour intensive and time consuming, but delicious when prepared properly.

One of my favorite foods, I used to eat it on regular basis, strictly with hands. When I was there... 😉
Nowdays, I rarely eat it, only when I meet my Uzbek friends.
(Yes, it is a kind of pilaf or pilau with lamb).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

One of my favorite foods, I used to eat it on regular basis, strictly with hands. When I was there... 😉
Nowdays, I rarely eat it, only when I meet my Uzbek friends.

Ah; even in central Asia, I was (am) too repressed to eat with hands; spoons and forks usually sufficed for me.

But, I love the dish in all of its regional manifestations. And can eat it endlessly.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Ah; even in central Asia, I was (am) too repressed to eat with hands; spoons and forks usually sufficed for me.

But, I love the dish in all of its regional manifestations. And can eat it endlessly.

I am a big fan of Central Asian cuisine.
I had no choice, but to eat with hands in order to avoid offending the hosts.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am a big fan of Central Asian cuisine.
I had no choice, but to eat with hands in order to avoid offending the hosts.

Explanations that I was strictly brought up and would prefer to eat with utensils - as I would embarrass myself and my hosts if I tried to eat with hands - have never given offence, especially when I extravagantly (and genuinely) praise the dish in question - and clearly show my appreciation by devouring it greedily.

The Afghans have a stunning version of this dish which is called "Kabuli rice".