Veal Cutlet with Mushroom White Wine Sauce

I salted the cutlet then coated it in corn and wheat flour mixture, less than 1/4 corn flour. I also put mixed pepper and dried thyme in the flour. I then fried the cutlet in olive oil.  The potatoes were simple mashed with a little salt, butter, milk and sour cream.  I steamed the asparagus, not quite enough, it was still crunchy. For the sauce I fried the mushrooms first then sweated a shallot and added flour and butter.  I cooked off the raw flour and added a splash of chicken stock and at least half a cup of my absolutely lovely Chardonnay. Typically this would have had milk in it but Fern doesn't really like creamy sauces so I'm just using the Chardonnay, which can easily carry load.

Vinaigrette - Fern really likes this

1 tbsp oil olive with a little canola

1-2 tsp white wine vinegar - I really like Maille

salt

pepper

dot of dijon mustard - again Maille is my favourite

Toss the salad with a tomato and plate.

The cutlet should have cooked about one minute longer because when it sat for a minute it bled a little. Not much but Fern noticed so if we get sick today, it's my fault. I doubt we will, the meat was cooked through. The asparagus was undercooked.  Usually I over cook it, which is probably better. The mushroom sauce was delicious. 

We'll have this again, but not often.

Pineapple Coconut Chicken Curry

This is fairly quick and easy to make.  I diced a shallot and a green pepper and sweated them both. Then I removed them from the pan and added the floured chicken pieces.  When they had a good sear I sprinkled two tablespoons of curry powder over the meat and cooked it for a minute.  The I added a can of coconut milk and brought it to a furious boil. Some of the water needs to cook off the coconut milk to thicken it and throw some frozen peas in to cook. When the sauce is almost right, put everything back in along with some pineapple chunks.  When everything is heated through, plate over basmati rice.

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil

1-2 tsp white wine vinegar

dot dijon mustard

salt

pepper

I put thin slices of red pepper in the salad just for a change.  It was a nice surprise and went better with the curry than a tomato would have.

Tomato Paste Spaghetti Sauce

I haven't bought beef for a couple of weeks. I didn't know I could survive without red meat but I'm still here cooking! Fern is the one pushing for heart healthier meat but he is fine with ground beef in spaghetti sauce. This is a pound or so of lean ground sirloin and two mild Italian sausage. First I sweated a diced onion, a finely chopped carrot and celery and 3 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped. I browned the meat, taking the filling out of the Italian sausage and breaking it all apart.  Once the meat was browned I added 2 cans of tomato paste, 1/4 cup beef stock and 1/2 cup water. It was seasoned with salt and mixed pepper, bay leaf and basil.  I added more water until I had a good consistency. A can of Aylmer Tomato Soup went in with mushrooms and some frozen mixed peppers.

A simple vinaigrette of oil, white wine vinegar, a dot of dijon mustard and salt and pepper.  Parmesan grated over top of the pasta. A good feed.

Roast Boneless Chicken Thighs

It was chicken or pork tonight, not sure which.  When I got to the store I found chicken thighs on special so I bought a pack of 4. I boned them and pulled off and fried the skins for the dogs.  I also picked up broccoli and tomatoes.  I put the rest of my ciabatta in the blender to make crumbs, they were a bit too soft still but they worked, barely.

I whisked up two eggs with 

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp mixed pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp poultry seasoning

Dipped the floured thighs in the egg then rolled in bread crumbs.  I sprayed them with oil to help them brown. I put them in a 375ºF oven for 35 minutes.  They were just barely done.  Either dark meat takes longer to cook or using a pan with sides really slowed down the cooking. (probably the pan)

Potatoes were mashed with salt, butter and milk.  The broccoli was steamed, cooled and finished in olive oil. 

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil

1-2 tsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

dot of mustard (I tried hot dog mustard but dijon definitely tastes better)

When I boned the thighs I missed a few small bones and I included a big piece of cartilage in Fern's. Overall it wasn't a particularly great meal or we're getting jaded.

Snapper Rub on Cod with Low Fat Clam Chowder

My new fish pliers arrived today, I got a nice stainless pair delivered for less than $11 from Amazon.ca. They sure made it easy to pull the bones out of the cod! I also decided to see just how much food I could make in one day.  Earlier I made a ciabatta bread to go with the chowder. This is my own recipe, made up as I went along.

Clam Chowder

1 carrot

1 stick celery

1 shallot

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp frozen diced peppers

1/2 cup frozen corn

2 small potatoes

3 strips bacon

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 oz chicken stock

3-4 cups milk

1 small can clams

1 tsp ground thyme

You'll notice there is no cream in this version, that's the low fat part, I used 1% milk. I had to use more flour to thicken it so I made sure the flour taste was cooked off before serving. (instant blending flour really helps here) To make it richer replace a bit of the milk with cream.

Dice the potatoes into 1/4 inch cubes and par boil to soften. Sweat the shallot, celery, carrot, garlic and peppers then remove them from the pan.  Put finely chopped bacon in pan and cook to crispy.  Put butter and flour in pan and cook flour taste off.  Add stock and milk. Add the vegetables back in and the potatoes when they are ready.  Add the corn, the whole can of clams, liquid and all, followed by the thyme. Add salt and mixed pepper and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Snapper Rub (now Fish Rub)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cayenne

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp cumin

First salt the fish all over then coat in the rub and finally dust all over with flour.  Fry in olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side. (it really depends on the thickness of the fish, once both sides are flaky it should be done)

The rice was done in the microwave with salt and olive oil. The Brussels sprouts were steamed and finished in fried bacon and olive oil. 

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil 

1-2 tsp white wine vinegar

salt

pepper

The salad was just one head of iceberg lettuce with 1/4 head savoy cabbage thinly sliced.  Toss in the dressing and serve.

The whole meal was wonderful! The fish was perfect and the sprouts were a bit crunchy. We're finishing the clam chowder for lunch, I can't wait! 

Tenderized Pork Cutlet

I'm having to be creative to keep putting meat on the table that isn't beef. This is a humble tenderized pork cutlet.  I like them. They are lean and taste good and are fairly easy to cook.  I really like them dipped in egg and rolled in bread crumbs.  I didn't have any ciabatta bread to make crumbs so I used a good quality hot dog bun.  The crumbs were too soft and didn't develop a really good crunch so I need to make bread more often. Not to eat bread but to have good tasting bread crumbs.

Whip up two small eggs and add

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp ground thyme

1/2 tsp rosemary (I forgot it and missed it)

1/2 tbsp fresh chopped chives

1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Put one tablespoon of corn flour in a plastic bag and add one quarter cup all purpose flour to it, shake to mix. Put one of the cutlet in it and shake to fully coat the meat.  Take that out, put the other one in and coat it. Next dip them in egg, be sure to coat fully then put in bread crumbs and coat. Lay breaded cutlets in hot oil in a frying pan.  The cutlets tend to expand when handled so it might be a good idea to cut them in half before putting in the pan. I had my burner a bit below medium high. If it's too hot the bread will scorch before the pork is cooked. If it's too cool, it will be greasy.

The mashed potatoes had too much salt, the right amount of butter and milk.  I under salted the broccoli a bit to compensate. As long as I ate a mouthful of potato followed by a piece of broccoli, it worked well. The carrots and broccoli were steamed then run under cold water to stop cooking.  After the pork went in the pan I emptied the water from pot, added olive oil and turned the heat to medium low plus a bit.  I shook the vegetables again added them to the pot with some more oil.  Cover and toss a few times while it reheats and finishes cooking. This way gives better control so everything can be perfect at the same time.

I forgot to buy lettuce so for a salad I used three roma tomatoes, half an English cucumber and a can of artichoke hearts in water, quartered.

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil  (olive/canola)

1-2 tsp white wine vinegar (Maille is my favourite)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp fresh chopped chives

2 tsp fresh chopped parsley

Toss in the salad and serve. The artichoke hearts really lifted this salad up. It was really good.

The pork cutlet was a little disappointing because I forgot the rosemary which is such a strong flavour it really tasted like something was missing. The bread crumbs were a disappointment too. On the other hand, I've had much worse food in restaurants, so it's not the best I can do but it's pretty good!

Sweet and Sour Curry Chicken

I had chicken curry in mind when I went to the store, so it was surprising that I forgot to get coconut milk.  That's why the curry is tomato based. I diced a shallot, a carrot and a stick of celery. I sweated the shallot, then added carrot and celery.  When the celery was translucent I took the vegetables out of the pan and put the salted and floured chicken pieces in. When they had a nice sear all around I added a tablespoon of curry powder.  Then the vegetables went back in and half a can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup chicken stock, water. I had frozen mixed diced peppers and frozen peas. Some of both went in.  I cooked that down to a nice sauce and added fresh pineapple pieces and stirred them in. I served it over basmati rice. 

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp mixed pepper

I kept the dressing clean so it wouldn't conflict with the curry. It all worked. Fern even mixed his curry into his rice before eating.  He only does that when he really likes it.

Southwest Blackened Cod

That cod the other day was so good I decided to get more.  I got a 190gm piece which turned out to be too small.  I should get at least 250gm for two people. Anyway, I salted it, then seasoned it with my Southwest Spice Rub and finally, coated it with flour. I fried it in olive oil till blackened but not burnt.

Mashed potatoes have butter, salt and milk.  The broccoli was steamed, cooled under water and finished in the pot in olive oil. 

Southwest Spice Rub

2 tbsp  chili powder
2 tbsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp  brown sugar
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp cayenne (optional, but it really helps)

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp olive/canola oil

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp tomato paste

1 tsp water

Who knew salad could be so easy?

The fish was great!

Greeky Pork Tenderloin

Still no beef! I marinated the pork tenderloin in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, paprika, fresh oregano, chives, parsley and garlic. It only marinated for an hour or so, not enough for the lemon juice to liquefy the pork. The rice was done in the microwave and the broccoli was steamed then cooled and finished in olive oil. The corn was frozen and done in the microwave but finished with butter and salt.

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp olive/canola 

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp tomato sauce

1 tsp fresh chives

1 tsp fresh parsley

Whisk, toss salad and tomato and plate.  The pork was wonderful and the corn complemented it well. The broccoli didn't necessarily belong but it tasted good none the less. The salad finished the meal off beautifully. This meal cost just over $3 per plate to serve.

Blackened Cajun Cod with Beet Greens

I'm doing really well avoiding beef so far. It gets a few furtive glances as I head for the poultry and fish, but so far I've resisted temptation. That means more chicken, pork and fish! Chicken and pork is easy, but more fish is a challenge.  Fresh Sole and Snapper are local, fresh, renewable and easy to cook. Now I keep a bag of raw prawns in the freezer so prawns and pasta are always easy and fast. That is still a fairly limited menu so I need to diversify!

Cod is thick and takes more skill to cook so I've avoided it till now. Save On Foods had this wonderful cod on special.  This piece was wrapped in plastic so I pressed lightly and it sprang back.  It is fresh. So I picked it up.

I've done cod as fish and chips but never pan fried. I kind of had fish and chips in mind but Fern said, "Too greasy." So I had to pan fry it, somehow. I have heard of blackened cod and was fairly sure it was made with Cajun spices so that is what I decided to do. I pulled all the bones out and cut the thin sides of the fillets off so I could cook them separately.

Cajun Spice Rub

2 tbsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp paprika 

1 1/2 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Experience has taught me that herbs and spices alone on fish tend to turn black and bitter. So I first salted both sides and ends of the fillets, then coated them with spice rub and finally finished them with flour.  I put them in a hot frying pan with plenty of oil and kept an eye on them as the heat rose up through the fish, cooking as it went. When it reached the middle I turned the fillets over. 

The beet greens I cut the stem out of all the leaves and steamed them for a few minutes.  Then I cooled and drained them and reheated them in olive oil with a little salt and lime juice. The rice was plain basmati done in the microwave.  

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil olive/canola

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp tomato paste

2 tsp water

tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Once again the pre cut salad proves it's worth.  All I had to do was dice a tomato and toss the salad in the dressing.

I plated the fish with a few drops of lime juice over top. Everything was perfect. I was afraid I over cooked the fish but it was still moist inside. The beet greens were a real treat, so different from broccoli or frozen peas but really good. Halibut comes in season next!

Breaded Chicken Breast

I boned a breast, coated it in flour and dipped it in egg mixture then rolled it in bread crumbs, sprayed oil on it and put it in the oven for 30 minutes at 375ºF.

Egg Coating

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp mixed ground pepper

2 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp ground garlic

1 tsp ground onion

Whisk thoroughly.

Mashed potatoes have butter, salt and milk. The vegetables were steamed then held under cold water and reheated in olive oil. I plated my chicken on bed of mayonnaise. 

Vinaigrette

1 tbsp olive/canola oil

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp tomato sauce

salt

black pepper

Whisk vinaigrette and toss the salad with a diced tomato. 

A simple quick delicious meal.

Prawns and Pasta

This is becoming a tried and true dish. Frozen raw peeled prawns in a simple tomato basil sauce. Thaw the prawns in cold water while dicing an onion and a few cloves of garlic. Put salted water on and add the pasta when it's boiling. Olive oil in the pan, medium high heat. Sweat the onion then add the garlic.  Remove from pan and add the prawns with more oil if necessary. Turn the prawns when they have a bit of pink colour and remove them from the pan before they are completely cooked.  I had a little tomato sauce left over so I started with that.  I added some tomato paste, chicken stock and water. Adjusting amounts till I had a good tasting tomato sauce, then I added two teaspoons of dried basil and the onions and prawns. The prawns finished cooking in the sauce.  

When the pasta is done, toss it in the sauce and prawns and plate with fresh grated parmesan on top. I diced up a tomato and whisked up a vinaigrette of olive/canola oil, rice wine vinegar, tsp tomato sauce, salt and black pepper.  I keep a bin of precut iceberg lettuce and cucumber in the fridge so all I have to do is make the vinaigrette, dice a tomato and toss it all together.

I think I'm getting close to putting this on the table in less than 30 minutes start to finish. That's faster than take-out! If I really want to impress I would finely chop fresh parsley over the pasta and fresh chives and parsley over the salad.

Greek Style Pork Tenderloin

This was a quick meal, despite the marinated meat.  Using about the same proportions as a vinaigrette I whisked up olive oil, lemon juice, salt, mixed pepper and finely chopped fresh garlic, parsley and oregano. I cut up the meat and let it marinate for an hour before cooking. The meat will have a lot of water to cook off so if the pan is crowded the meat will braise when we want it to sear. First readied all the vegetables.  Mushrooms and zucchini sliced and an onion diced. A tomato cut up for the pre cut salad.

I put rice on to cook and started with the onion.  I am cooking this in olive oil for the first time. If olive oil gets too hot it becomes bitter but putting food in the pan keeps it's temperature down. I cooked the onion to golden then took it from the pan.  Next the zucchini, both sides seared with good colour and finally the mushrooms. Each ingredient coming out of the pan when done.  Finally, the meat goes in and gets a sear all around while cooking off the marinade.  When the pork had a good sear all around the other ingredients went back in the pan.  I tasted and adjusted the seasoning then plated the pork beside the rice.  I serve salad with the meal or we don't eat it. My simple

Tomato Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil (olive and canola or other oil. I find pure olive oil too strong a flavour)

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar (crisp clean taste)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp tomato sauce

Whisk and toss the salad and tomato in it.

It looks like a pile of soggy brown stuff but it sure tastes good! The salad also gave a bit of crunch which was completely missing from the plate. I managed to get this all prepped and cooked in under an hour so a good meal doesn't have to take all day.

Breaded Snapper

Fresh Snapper from the Butcher's Block this time.  It's more expensive than the grocery store but it also seems to be fresher fish. When I press on it, it bounces back where the grocery store fish will hold a depression. The bones also came out much easier, I don't know if that's because it's fresh. I had such great success with the breaded chicken I decided to use the same technique on the fish.  I whisked up an egg with salt and spice rub. 

Snapper Rub

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cayenne

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp cumin

Bread Crumbs

I use my stale Ciabatta bread in the blender to make crumbs. The bread you start with has a big impact on the flavour you arrive at. Choose a bread that tastes good by itself and won't conflict with other ingredients.

Once again I forgot to flour the meat before coating it in egg and rolling it in bread crumbs but it didn't seem to matter. One of these times that's going to bite me. I had Plenty of oil in the pan and it was very hot when the fish went in so it didn't stick at all. The vegetables were steamed, run under cold water then reheated with olive oil. It sounds like a lot of work but it really does a great job on vegetables. Mashed potatoes with milk, butter and salt completed the plate. 

Tartar Sauce

1 tbsp mayonnaise 

a dot of hot dog mustard

1 tsp sweet pickle relish

1-2 drops Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 - 1 tsp lemon juice (or lime) 

For the salad I diced up a head of iceberg lettuce and half an English cucumber and filled my salad bin. That left only dicing up a tomato and dressing the salad. Fern said last night that this is now his favourite salad dressing and it's my own recipe! Rice wine vinegar is cleaner and brighter tasting than regular vinegar so it's worth picking up a bottle.

Tomato Vinaigrette

1 tbsp oil (I use 1/2 olive, 1/2 vegetable)

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp tomato sauce (I used Hunt's right out of the can)

salt

black pepper

Whisk it up and taste. I had too much vinegar and there are a few ways to fix that. I have tried adding salt and/or sugar but it changes the taste so this time I tried adding a little more oil. That worked perfectly. I tossed the salad in the vinaigrette and called Fern for dinner.  

The snapper was excellent, the breading was crunchy and the egg mixture had plenty of flavour. I'm really pleased with the way salads are working out.  If I have to make a salad from scratch it just doesn't get done.  If I don't serve a salad with the meal, it doesn't get eaten. If I have a bag of pre cut salad or a bin I made myself, all I have to do is whip up a vinaigrette and maybe dice a tomato. That gets done and eaten.

Two Home Runs and a Potato!

For the first time ever Fern loved everything I put in front of him.  He didn't want a potato so his plate had just chicken and salad. He took a bite of the chicken and immediately exclaimed "This is delicious!"  A moment later he tried the salad and again exclaimed "This salad is delicious too!" Encouraged, I dug in. Yup, it was all good!

First, the bread crumbs. I started with a Ciabatta I made the other day and ground it up in the blender. In a bowl I whisked an egg with:

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp mixed pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp poultry seasoning

pinch of cayenne

It just occurred to me that I forgot to flour the breasts before dipping in the egg but it didn't seem to matter. I rolled the breast in the egg to make sure every part was covered, then rolled it in the bread crumbs.  Earlier I fried the skins up for the dogs so I oiled the roasting pan with fat from the skin.  I sprayed a little oil over the bread crumb coating to brown it. Then the breasts went into a 375º oven for 35 minutes. 

The salad dressing was an experiment. I wanted to try using tomato sauce in a vinaigrette to see how it would taste (I had half a can of tomato sauce in the fridge). Russian dressing has tomato so it could be good. I used up the remaining romaine lettuce which was sweet and crunchy. The dressing had to bring the flavour. To that end I mixed up:

1 tbsp oil (1/2 olive, 1/2 vegetable)

1-2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp tomato sauce (it happened to be Hunt's)

1/2 tsp mixed pepper

1 tsp chopped fresh chives

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Whisk it up, toss the romaine in it and plate the salad.

The baked potato was microwaved then wrapped in foil with butter, salt and chives and put in the oven for the last ten minutes the chicken breast took. Topped with sour cream, more fresh chives and the last of my artificial bacon bits (I promised Fern I wouldn't buy them again so it's real bacon only from now on!). It was really good.

I'm still patting myself on the back over this meal. If I can make my plates pretty as well as delicious, I'll finally be achieving my goal of restaurant quality food at home, every day.

BBQ Cajun Chicken

The change to Daylight Savings Time means the BBQ is in daylight at dinner time! I have an all weather BBQ shelter but it's not nearly as fun BBQing in the rainy darkness with a flashlight. Here's my set up with the top row of vinyl removed for spring. (different meal)

I seasoned the breast with salt first then coated it evenly with the spice mix.  I brushed oil over it all and set it over medium flame for less than 5 minutes, then turned it over to get grill marks on the other side. Less than 5 minutes later I move the meat off the flame to roast for a total of 30 minutes cooking time.

Cajun Spice Rub

2 tbsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp paprika 

1 1/2 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Mashed potatoes with butter, milk and salt (instant mashed potatoes are an abomination). Microwaved frozen corn with fresh carrots. Finished with butter and salt, not quite corn on the cob but good none the less. The sweet vegetables balance the heat in the spice mix.

The salad was the rest of the romaine, still crisp and fresh. Again I started with a tablespoon of mayonnaise, salt, black pepper and lemon juice to taste.  I also added half a teaspoon of hot dog mustard, which was too much. I wanted a lemony hint of mustard and got Hot Dog Mustard Flavour. I'll try it again, later, with a lot less mustard.

Otherwise, it was a delightful meal.

Ham Steak with Dijon Chanterelle Mushroom Sauce

I'm trying to have salad every day and avoid beef so I'm being creative with everything else.  Romaine lettuce was on sale so I bought a head and cut it up into my bin.  It lasted 2 days so it stayed crisp until eaten. Keeping salad in a bin ready to be tossed in dressing is working great! We have a salad every day because I can whip up a vinaigrette and toss the lettuce in it in less than a minute.

Romaine is typically used in Caesar Salad so I made a faux Caesar dressing. I started with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, few drops Worcestershire Sauce, few drops tabasco, crushed and chopped small garlic clove, lemon juice to taste, black pepper and parmesan cheese grated over top or tossed with the dressing. I was surprised how good this dressing was.

The vegetables were partly steamed, then dumped in cool water to stop cooking and reheated in olive oil to finish cooking. They steam till the florets darken but the stem is still crisp. Properly done, this really improves the vegetables.

The ham steak was fried with a little hotdog mustard spread on it. The sauce was a roux of flour and butter to which I added an ounce or two of chicken stock and a dab of dijon mustard, salt and pepper. I forgot to sear the mushrooms first so I just threw them in water and all.  It worked, they tasted great. Fern defrosted them by mistake and I had never used frozen ones so it was nice to know they are easy to use that way. Friends go picking chanterelles in the fall and we always end up with a few. This was a great easy meal.

Tenderized Pork Cutlet

Even cheap cuts of pork taste good so I don't mind those mechanically chewed cutlets at all. This one I seasoned well with salt, mixed pepper, thyme and rosemary. Then dredge it in 25% corn flour/75% wheat flour. Wheat flour browns nicely and corn flour adds a slightly sweet flavour. (if you use All Purpose Flour to make cakes, substitute a little (10-15%) corn flour for wheat flour to get a softer texture cake.) Fry the cutlet in plenty of hot oil. The oil must be hot when the food goes in so the outside cooks instantly and doesn't have time to stick to the pan. The cutlet has a dollop of Fern's tomato/pear ketchup. Apple sauce also works well.

Frozen corn microwaved with fresh carrots then dressed with butter, salt and black pepper. Simple but good. Mashed potatoes have just a little butter, salt and milk. The last of the salad with the usual vinaigrette. This meal is on the table in less than 60 minutes and the protein cost is less than $2.00 per serving. It doesn't cost a lot or take a lot of skill to produce a really tasty meal. 

Wet Lasagna

Sometimes it just doesn't work. There was too much water and my Lasagna drowned. What went wrong? I didn't have enough spaghetti sauce to finish the dish so I added half a can of tomato sauce to it.  I didn't think to cook that down so it was too thin to start with. I also added the water from the frozen spinach, I should have poured it off. The two mistakes together were more than the recipe could accommodate and it served up like slop. Tasted good, just a bit soupy. I basically follow the recipe on the box of Catelli Express Lasagna. I won't dwell on my failure. I have to eat it again for lunch. It has dried out a bit so it might be firmer this time.

Chicken Something with a salad

In an effort to find a new way to serve chicken I came up with this peanut butter curry, for lack of a better name. I started with a diced onion and chicken pieces that I seasoned, floured and browned in the pan.  A teaspoon of curry powder sprinkled over top.  Next, a dash of chicken stock and a can coconut milk. I didn't want to go sweet by adding pineapple pieces so I added a tablespoon of peanut butter. A teaspoon of oyster sauce to give some umami background. A few drops of Tabasco sauce. Frozen peas and frozen diced peppers. I think that was everything. I served it on rice with a side salad. 

It tasted good but I couldn't quite tell why. A little bit of India, a touch of South East Asia and a splash of North American suburb. The dish lacked focus.  It tasted good, it was pleasant to eat but I couldn't tell you what I had eaten. A little soy sauce might have landed it more firmly in Asia so if I get to this point again I might try that.  In any case, a can of coconut milk can make a fairly interesting meal if one is willing to experiment.

Cajun Snapper

Fern want's more fish and no red meat. I'm not sure he'll get that but I'll try to hold the beef till he goes away for the weekend. This time I went to the butcher instead of the supermarket to buy the fish. He is the closest we have to a fish monger. The fish appeared fresher and more substantial than the paper thin fillets from the grocer. Fresh vegetables are expensive right now so frozen will do since we also have a salad.

I paired the fish with frozen peas and fresh carrots done in the microwave with olive oil.  Mashed potatoes with butter and milk and a salad with a simple vinaigrette of oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Cajun Spice Rub

2 tbsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp paprika 

1 1/2 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/8 tsp ground cloves

First, I sprinkle salt on the fish, then I add the rub. I have a pan with plenty of hot oil ready and lay the fillets into it. As the fish cooks the meat will change texture and colour starting in the oil and rising up through the fish. When it gets to the middle, turn the fish over. The second side takes less time than the first.

I added a few drops of lemon juice over the fish on the plate. It was really good. I'm not sure if it was better quality fish or proper cooking. Next time will tell.

Pasta and Prawns in Tomato, Basil Sauce

I didn't feel like a big production for dinner so good ol' prawns and pasta make an easy, tasty meal. I sweated a shallot and should have sweated the garlic too but forgot. Next I par cooked the prawns then removed them from the pan. I added a whole can of tomato paste, a little chicken stock and water to the pan.  Two chopped garlic cloves, salt, black pepper and basil. Bring to a simmer and add a bay leaf. Add water as needed for a thick sauce. 

I should point out right now that this made sauce that was too acid, too much tomato paste.  I needed to water it down and use a thickener to get a proper tomato sauce.  Half a can of tomato paste probably would have been about right.

Once I had a sauce, I had the penne pasta half cooked so I added the prawns to the sauce to finish cooking. I whisked up a vinaigrette from olive oil, canola oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. The lemon juice wasn't as successful in this vinaigrette as hoped.  White wine vinegar would have been better. The bin of precut salad in the fridge is so far working well. It's cheaper, fresher and better than the bags of salad.

A bit of fresh grated parmesan on the pasta and serve. It was good but the sauce was too intense. It should have been thinned with water and then thickened.

Greekified Pork Tenderloin

Fern is in a no red meat mode since returning home so I'm trying to see how long I can go before I just have to buy a nice steak. This is pork tenderloin diced up and marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, fresh garlic, fresh chives, fresh parsley and fresh oregano. The oil/lemon base is 2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice just like a vinaigrette. It marinated for a bit over an hour.

I did the rice in the microwave with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh chives. The vegetables were steamed, cooled and reheated in olive oil. The pork was fried in olive oil at high heat because the marinade needed to boil off as it cooked or it would braise, not fry. The trick is to get the meat in the pan as soon as it gets hot. If olive oil is over heated it becomes bitter so care must be taken.

The salad is a new innovation.  I was buying bags of cut up lettuce for $1.79 every other day. I decided to try making it myself.  A head of iceberg lettuce was $1.49.  Half a small red cabbage was .48 and a couple of carrots probably cost .20. That makes a stuffed full 4 litre bin of salad for about $2.17. To make a salad for dinner I only have to whisk up a quick vinaigrette, toss a couple of handfuls of salad in it and serve. 

It was really tasty, I definitely have this dish down. It may not be quite authentic greek but it tastes wonderful and that's what counts. It's easy to make too.

Welcome Home Fern Chicken Caesar

Fern said he'd eaten fish every day in Hawaii so I knew he wouldn't want a big slab of red meat. I considered fish but the only thing fresh right now is snapper or sole, it's too bad this town seems to be too small to support a fish monger. So I decided chicken with a salad would be best. We haven't had Caesar Salad since I learned how to make a vinaigrette. It seems odd that I learned how to make mayonnaise before whisking oil and vinegar together, but I tend to learn things to meet an immediate need. So Caesar it was.

Caesar Salad Dressing

1 egg yolk

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive/canola oil

Whisk the oil into the egg yolk 1/2 tsp at a time. Adding it faster will break it. I find pure olive oil too strong a flavour. Rice bran oil tastes better than canola but try your favourite.

1-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Tasting is important here to get the acid level correct.

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 tsp salt

black pepper

anchovy fillet

I've been using a few drops of chinese fish sauce instead of anchovy fillet but I've never compared the two flavours to see if they are interchangeable. Fern says not but anchovy was the main ingredient in garum, a Roman fish sauce. Experiment is called for.

Did you catch what I forgot? Worcestershire sauce, I completely forgot it. Didn't seem to matter too much.

For the croutons I bought a stale multi grain baguette, sliced it up and put it in the oven at about 150ºF to dry out. Then I blended half of it for crumbs and cubed up the other half into croutons. I then fried the croutons with oil, salt, pepper and garlic to get a sear on them. Brown not black.

Since I was going to use an egg yolk for the salad dressing I whisked up a small egg and the white to coat the chicken. Again this time I put the seasoning in the egg.  Some of the egg was wasted so I compensated by putting more salt, pepper, cayenne and cumin than the breasts needed. It worked, the seasoning was about right. I did mess up by putting a breast in the egg before the flour. It wasn't entirely coated so I put it in the flour then again dipped it in the egg and finally the bread crumbs.  Fern complained his coating wasn't crisp so it was a mistake to do that.  I should have rinsed and dried the chicken then put it in the flour. Fail and learn. Too bad it ended up on Fern's plate, I try to give him the best one but this time I didn't catch the error.

I baked the chicken breasts at 350ºF for 30 minutes.

I grated parmesan cheese for the salad which was tossed in the dressing before adding the croutons and cheese. I put a squirt of mayonnaise with my chicken. It was a nice meal and skipping the starch helps control my weight.