Oxtail, with red wine shallot garlic etc plus 1.5 hours in the pressure cooker, then liquid reduced to sauce. Sweet rice, cooked in beef stock I had in the refrigerator, it was either thrown out the stock or use it. Squash, braised in chicken stock, I'm trying this cutting method hence the weirdo slicing.

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Romaine, grapefruit, strawberries, almonds. We're not getting great strawberries, in the dead of winter, but soak 'em in simple syrup for awhile. Dressing is some grapefruit vinaigrette I also found in the refrigerator. I don't know how long ago I made that dressing - months? Doesn't go bad, apparently. Spruced it up with a fresh hit of grapefruit juice and balsamic white vinegar.
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I doubt I'm cooking that day. Funny you should mention the meatballs because she just made those as well with the lasagna. I bet we can talk her into making those again. Especially since we are working on her car.

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One of my basics. Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Cream Sauce. Served with roasted potatoes & steamed asparagus (not shown).

Ian

Edit: And a bottle of 2001 Carruades de Lafite . . .

Second Edit: No copper pans were used . . .

Looks good, but what's the next course? We aren't midgets here!

Two chicken breasts with rosemary, garlic powder, black and red pepper flakes.

Just went in the oven.
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First effort at meatloaf. I guess it is actually a bacon wrapped roudale.
Aluminum foil, then half-cooked bacon, meat (beef, pork, turkey, and panchetta, with bread crumbs, egg, Italian herbs, and cayenne), then spinach, more meat, finally a core of aromatic (garlic, scallions, shallots, toasted almonds). Rolled tightly in the foil, baked at 400F to 140F internal, then unwrap the foil to crisp the bacon at 475F.

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Served with a topping of fresh pesto and more toasted almonds.

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The reason for this is that my wife and I are having a meatloaf throwdown with the kids as judge. I can't win with a straight meatloaf, she has that nailed, so I'm trying to do something fancy. I tested this on the kids tonight. They thought it was "okay", but would have voted for mom.

wow - that looks Heart Healthy!

It's going to be worse, maybe - I was all focused on the mechanical aspects (layering, rolling, crisping) that I failed to actually make the meat moist, tender, and juicy. So I need to figure out how to do that but still have enough structure to hold together. I can't use as soft a mixture as in a traditional pan-baked meatloaf (which will be my competition). Probably will try less lean meat (e.g. less turkey) and more fatty meat (or just cut in some fatback). Or, for a healthier alternative, I could also cool, congeal and cube some very gelatinous stock.

I'm thinking you meant to call that a roulade... ;)

Anyway, with kids as the judges, I think you're screwed if you try anything exotic. My suggestion would be to find a standard meatloaf recipe and try to perfect it. Make it in a pan... You don't want to use too much meat, or mix it/pack it too thoroughly, as either will render it hard as a rock. You want some sort of sauce on top... kids like ketchup, although I tend to favor something a little more complex. Just don't make it too weird for them...

Some TV chef recipes:

Meatloaf… meatloaf recipes from chefs on TV | What's Cooking on TV


EDIT: I'd suggest one of the last three recipes. Use good, fresh ingredients. Make your own breadcrumbs, etc.

Good luck,
JR

country style spareribs with fettuccine and marinara. note that this was 3X tastier2 hours after first eaten. and even better this morning. Wonder if you could open a day-old pasta restaurant?

lot of olive oil

brown spareribs and garlic (note that the correct sparerib color is the shadowed part)

add a very simple marinara and simmer for 2+ hours

fettuccine tossed in sauce over a flame, a little more on top

ricotta to your liking.

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For meatloaf, we use my wife's recipe. The secret ingredient is 2-3 packets of instant onion soup mix. Separate the powder & the crunchy noodles. Use a bit of powder in with the ground beef, bread crumbs, beaten egg. Mix the rest with melted butter. Brush this on the formed meat (doughnut shaped) & press the crunchy noodles all over the meat. I always serve it with a simple beef bovril watery gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes, of course.

Ian

baked chicken, polenta, homegrown oyster mushrooms, delicious with red wine:

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Someone tell me about polenta. I've had it, oh, once. It was gooood. Is it as straightforward as cooking rice?

Easier

polenta = grits with an attitude

get real high quality ingredients &.. ah.. let 'er rip

nynor,
I'm glad the mushrooms worked out well for you, I know you put a lot of effort into growing them.

Unless, while you are whisking or stirring it, you get a glob of the stuff on you. It will feel like molten lava.

JR

Ya think?

or similar to making a Roux..

"Cajun Napalm" per Paul Prudhomme

Polenta is easy peasy..

thanks, that is true. i have three varieties going right now, all gourmet edible varieties of oyster mushrooms.

polenta:

get some corn grits.

3 parts water
1 part grits
salt
parmesan cheese
butter to taste (1 Tbs butter per part of water).


bring water to a boil in a shallow sauce pan. add grits, water, salt, and butter. reduce heat to simmer. stir constantly, otherwise grits will clump. stir and break up clumps until grits form a thick consistency. let simmer on very low heat for about 15 minutes more. sprinkle parmesan on top of polenta. allow to cool. at room temperature, polenta should be a consistency that can be sliced.

many eat polenta with marinara. i eat polenta plain, with marinara, or with a bit of cajun style sprinkle. good stuff.