What's for Dinner at Your House?

[Tirvine]

So the missus has had to go to Jakarta this weekend, leaving me to my own devices. I had to have an early dinner to get home for Ipswich's game (we won, and are going to the Premier League, huzzah!) so I went to the always good Bar A Thym. Corn-fed chicken in a creamy morel sauce, lemon mashed potatoes and some green things.
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You had me at morel.

 

[Tirvine]

I had a quart of buttermilk from the last churning. Often I start with one or two ingredients and then imagine the rest of the dish into life around them. Sometimes it's a bit of a struggle to come up with creative uses for buttermilk beyond drinking it, putting it in squash soup, making a chess pie, buttermilk pancakes or cookies or some sourdough oatmeal bread. All good options, but I wanted to go a different way.

I got to thinking about potato soup. So I grabbed some bacon ends and sliced them up and fried them, then caramelized onion and garlic in the fat. Mrs. Hippie suggested adding some broccoli. Grated some cheddar cheese. Doesn't sound like much but it was a good supper, and now I'm gonna go eat some more for lunch!

O.H.

Buttermilk is good in almost anything! Recently we have made a couple of buttermilk clafoutis with blueberries macerated in orgeat.

 

[Old Hippie]

This evening Mrs. Hippie expressed a desire for sweet-and-sour chicken. This is a major milestone, as pineapple has been off the menu for a few years. Other formerly verboten foods have been reintroduced with minimal disruption, so trying this on seemed like a good idea. Skipping to the last page on that idea, so far so good; no disruptions for either of us.

Basically simple, though some of the steps take a bit of time. Cut up a couple of large chicken breasts and velveted them. Then dredged in corn starch, dipped in egg, rolled in flour, and called it Sally. Ummm...I mean, deep fried them. Simple sauce, some flash fried onions, peppers and garlic -- put it all together and then over some nice Thai jasmine rice.

Dishes done, kitchen cleaned, ready to relax for the evening.

O.H.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

I don't do bread or pasta anymore, so rice dishes are quite often on the menu. Chicken fried rice from scratch is pretty common for me.

 

[Bobovata]

An Italianish stew/soup thing I often do. Nothing original, but it works.

Tin of red kidney beans (rinsed), tin of tomatoes & heaped spoon of tomato paste (puree), Italian herbs, red capsicum, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, zucchini, tin of salmon. A dash of red wine too if you wish.

Chop up veggies, mix it all together, with water, and salt to taste. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20-25 min.

Add small tin of pineapple pieces, and Parmesan cheese. Mix in well.

Can swap the salmon for beef mince, or skip them both and go full vegetarian. Also works with or without pasta, and stores well in the freezer.

 

[Rushman2112]

I made an executive decision that the office closes at 4pm on Fridays, so today I left at 3pm. As you do. And went to the bar next door for some restorative gin. While there I felt an urge for cottage pie, and after a detour via the not-very-supermarket (see previous ramblings) I now have a cottage pie bubbling away in the oven. Sweat off some onions and carrots, add in the mince, beef stock from a cube I am afraid, season, a bit of of thyme, and a splash of red wine, and cook for about 15 mins. Get the mash ready. Oven at 180C.

Assemble as per instructions and whack in the oven for 45 mins. Have a slurp of the left over wine and serve with a winning smile.

 

[Old Hippie]

I have often admired the outdoorsy humour of the late Patrick McManus. Some of his experiences, and the places in which he had them, resonate.

So the name of last night's supper was in his honour: Whatchagot Stew. Mrs. Hippie cleaned out a bunch of leftovers, some dried veggies from the root cellar, some broth and so forth. Tasty, nutritious, and there's even leftovers that may appear on tonight's table.

O.H.

 

[AshleyC]

Sunset Park, a block from home. They've been doing food trucks and live music on Fridays. Walked over and saw one truck was Schmidt's, from German Village, Columbus, an hour and 45 minutes away.

Naturally, I had no choice.

Bahama Mama. And a heap of sauerkraut. There is a pork bratwurst still in the bag!

 

[Rushman2112]

To Bar A Thym again, with the missus this time. Steak frites, and profiteroles. She had barramundi with a buerre blanc sauce.