The Official OT Food Porn

[sailorgirl]

The popovers are looking pretty great

[Coden]

Yum!! Everyones food looks so good!!

Jayseadee - you're doing good on the popovers. Congrats!

Oh, I'll be looking forward to that Pasta dish (something of the sort) come November!!

[mbw1024]

here's what was for dinner at our house tonight. when you are sick of everything go for pasta

[liamsaunt]

Yum, pasta puttanesca! One of my favorites.

I've been cooking lots of comfort food lately because John and I have been sick ever since coming back from Florida. Here is yesterday's dinner for John. It is a lamb shank braised in chianti, chicken stock, and balsamic vinegar with carrots and onions on a roasted tomato garlic relish on creamy parmesean polenta.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2140508565/" title="lamb shank by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/214 ... a3b6c7.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="lamb shank"></a>

I had the polenta and relish, but with a chicken sausage. I really like the al fresco brand, and I peel off the casings before cooking:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2140508861/" title="sausage and polenta by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2141/214 ... 4dcf75.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="sausage and polenta"></a>


The nine-course fish dinner I asked for help with on the off-topic forum is coming up on Saturday....I'll be sure and take pictures and post them here!

[mbw1024]

puttanesca? is that what it's called? HA I was just cleaning out the fridge.
I have heard of puttanesca but wouldn't have known what it was. I have been looking at recipes now and mine didn't have capers or anchovies which most seem to call for.

Can't wait to see and hear about the fish dinner. What did you decide on?

[liamsaunt]

MaryBeth, here is the menu as of right now. I still have to drag my sick and lazy butt over to the fishmonger, so things might change up a bit. The menu is for 8 people.

Smoked salmon and asparagus terrine with creme fraiche (or, if I get lazy, a simple smoked salmon mousse on a cracker with chive garnish )

Tuna tartar wth cucumber and dill

Marinated grilled calamari (this is another cold dish. I am going to try and find tomato to serve it with, but am not counting on it!)

Fried oysters with spicy mustard dipping sauce

Seared jumbo sea scallop with lemon beurre blanc

Miniature fresh cod cakes with tartar sauce

Smooth clam "chowder" in a demitasse cup

Sole in parchment with mushrooms and scallions

Whole roasted sea bass with fennel stuffing, roesti potatoes

green salad

cheese course (if anyone is still hungry haha!)

Patriots game!

[jayseadee]

MaryBeth - Sounds like you made a classic putanesca as it was meant to clean out the fridge

"Pasta putanesca literally means "Harlot's Pasta". It was made by the ladies of the night in Italy after a days work. It was a throw things together from the fridge thing. It didn't take a lot of time to make and is of course delicious. When you make this, use what you have..................substitutions and quantities are a personal choice. "

Liamsaunt - I just returned from the fishmonger - Hooks in Boston with some Lobster, scallops and quahogs - I'll be exhausted just cooking those Good luck with your dinner - it all sounds delicious.

[mbw1024]

MaryBeth - Sounds like you made a classic putanesca as it was meant to clean out the fridge

"Pasta putanesca literally means "Harlot's Pasta". It was made by the ladies of the night in Italy after a days work. It was a throw things together from the fridge thing. It didn't take a lot of time to make and is of course delicious. When you make this, use what you have..................substitutions and quantities are a personal choice. "

Who knew! Thanks for the background info!

[jayseadee]

Ok - this is the end of my holiday cooking -

Baked Stuffed Lobsters

[California Girl]

Oh man, Janet! My mouth is watering looking at that photo! YUM! (great plate, too!)

[Jamestown]

Liamsaunt (Becky),
The Christmas rolls on the previous page....is that a sweet dough recipe? I go nuts for sweet bread recipes!
Jamestown

p.s. I think your nephew will enjoy the White Chocolate Party Mix (that is if you can keep it from the adults!!)[/code]

[Ksea]

OMG Janet, the lobster looks soooo good! Right up my alley! Well done my friend!

[Coden]

Jayseadee - I'm crying because I didn't get any of that lobster...man, I hate being landlocked!!

Thanks for the recipe, I will try it someday. Yum!

[Jamestown]

Liamsaunt,
I was thinking of you last night when the Patriot's won. My hubby was watching the game. Brother-in-law in Needham was having a party and watching the game too. How did the fish buffet go??? We need pictures!

Jamestown

[liamsaunt]

The dinner went great! There were nine courses, seven were hits and two were misses. Not bad! Here are photos, in order of consumption. I had to take pics on the fly so some stuff isn't plated yet and there are messy things in the background but oh well!

First, fried oysters....YUM!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149466326/" title="oysters by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/214 ... e73a79.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="oysters"></a>

Then salmon and asparagus terrine...I thought this was too smoky. It looked pretty though!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2148672107/" title="salmon terrine by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2093/214 ... cc723f.jpg" width="399" height="500" alt="salmon terrine"></a>

Then tuna, I made sushi for my brother who eats NO vegetables (weirdo!):

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149466850/" title="sushi by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2254/214 ... 7effbd.jpg" width="500" height="224" alt="sushi"></a>

Everyone else had tuna tartar, it has avocado and cucumber in it. This was really yummy too:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149466728/" title="tuna tartar by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/214 ... df054e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="tuna tartar"></a>

Then we had natucket bay scallops with a lemon buerre blanc on greens, AMAZING:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149467164/" title="scallops by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/214 ... 9ca6dd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="scallops"></a>

Then mini cod ckaes with tartar sauce, this was a mixed bag, half liked them half thought they were a little bland, I thought they were pretty boring:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149465734/" title="cod cakes by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2029/214 ... 8327c0.jpg" width="500" height="456" alt="cod cakes"></a>

Worst course of the night, the squid. I thought it tasted like feet!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2148671031/" title="feet squid by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2342/214 ... 113bf9.jpg" width="500" height="488" alt="feet squid"></a>

All was redeemed with this delicious clam chowder:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149465628/" title="chowder by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2367/214 ... 0cc75c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="chowder"></a>

And this tender sea bass roasted with lemon and fennel. At this point everyone was DYING full. No cheese course for sure!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149467466/" title="sea bass by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2407/214 ... c6c73c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="sea bass"></a>

Final course, the sole wrapped around a mushroom and scallion stuffing and baked in parchment with truffle oil. This was supposed to come before the bass, but um...I kind of forgot to put it in the oven! Ha ha!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/2149466088/" title="flounder by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2211/214 ... 27c2c6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="flounder"></a>

Everyone was STUFFED! But not so stuffed that they could not eat a bunch of nuts and drink beer with the game, which, of course, was awesome. Everyone is actually still here (ha!), and I am cooking a HUGE italian feast. I just snuck down here to get my memory card for my camera. The fish dinner was fun but a lot of work....I am downgrading my New Year's Eve menu from lots of fancy appetizers to a pizza party to compensate.