Anaheim Chilli Stuffed with Chipotle Polenta and Queso Resco

I want sure how mixing polenta with peppers and chillis was going to turn out, but I was very satisfied with the result.

Mint Creme Brulé

The title really says it all.  Fresh mint goes well with the cream in the custard.  The burnt sugar really ties all of the other flavors together. 

Ginger, Miso, Snapper

"Get fish," she says. 

I buy red snapper. 

"I don't like it when it has bones," she says.

I didn't know what to do. 

I made Ginger, Miso, Snapper. 

I made a sauce with soy sauce, grated ginger, sriracha, miso, minced garlic, and a touch of water.  I cut up the snapper into  1" cubes and took out the bones.  I used half of the sauce to marinate the fish.  20 minutes.  I saved the other half to use as sauce.  I blanched the asparagus and soaked rice vermicelli.  I fired up the wok.  I cooked the fish and set it aside.  I cooked the asparagus.  I added the noodles for a minute or two.  I added the sauce and the fish.   I finished it with seasoned rice wine vinegar and fresh coriander.  It fit the fish with no bones requirement so everyone was happy. 

Jalapeño Glazed Shrimp

I used the same jalapeño jelly glaze that I have been putting on chicken for these shrimp.  I served them over a homemade corn salsa with black beans and quinoa.

Buttermilk Biscuits

It's a simple recipe. Pre- heat to 400

1.5 c. floor
4 tsp. sugar
.5 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Pulse the dry ingredients in a mixer. Then add

6 TBS butter (diced)
3/4 c. buttermilk

Mix until dough just comes together. Let dough rest in the fridge for a while.  Roll the dough out and fold it on itself to get the layers. Roll it out to 3/4 inches. Put on parchment paper. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the biscuits with buttermilk. Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Brandy Poached Pear Tart

Through the holiday season, I have made a dozen apple tarts and pies. I've used both traditional pie crusts and pie crusts made with vodka. But, today ladypants is sick with a cold she claims that I gave her. I tried for something a little more delicate. I poached pears in brandy and balsamic vinegar with just a touch of brown sugar. I put them in a vodka pie crust and happiness was the result.

French Onion Soup

Ladypants got me a fancy Dutch Oven. Clearly, the only thing to do was to make French Onion Soup. So make French Onion Soup I did.  

Cherry Marzipan Pie

Tiny apartments call for tiny pies.  Four tiny pies, in fact. These pies are regular pie crust, lined with marzipan, and filled with cherries. 

Han Solo Chocolates with almonds

I'm not sure there is anything more to say about these.

Chicken and Mint

We tried for something really different today.  We got fresh dates at the farmers' market.  The dish was minced chicken, almonds, fresh dates, and squash over brown rice finished with fresh mint and lemon. 

Serrano, Mango, Banana Bread

Just an experiment.  It turned out to be a nice little sweet and spicy treat. I used my regular banana bread recipe, but I substituted frozen mango for about 2/3 of the banana. I tossed a Serrano chilli into the butter as it browned, and ended up with something delicious.

Macaroons

Apparently, I know how to make macaroons.

Cauliflower, Celery Root Soup

The picture is not much to look at, but the soup is amazing.  The celery root makes it just a little sweet and the cauliflower makes it creamy.  Very simple to make too.  Just simmer cauliflower and celery root in broth and milk for 20 our so minutes, puree and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Labor Day Fusion

Given how much ladypants is working these days, she deserves something special for Labor Day.  I, made her Vietnamese Noodle Salad, Chicken Adobo, and Turmeric Rice.  Makes for a nice meal and will work great as leftovers too.

Vietnamese Noodle Salad

Recently, I have been a big fan of dishes that let me use everything that I need to get rid if in the refrigerator.  This salad is a real fridge cleaner. Vermicelli noodles, lemon, fish sauce and anything else I happen to have. 

By the by, contrary to what one might think, it was incredibly difficult to get vermicelli in San Francisco.  I went to Chinatown to find them.  The problem was, I took ladypants.  A 20 minute errand turned into 3 hours of shopping.  Hmmmm, maybe it wasn't the vermicelli that was difficult.  Maybe it was something else.

Beef Stew

San Francisco gets cold and foggy this time of year.  That's why I decided it was time for some beef stew. Well, that and because ladypants loves beef and potatoes.  This stew has a hint of Indian spice because I used a bit of grahm masala and chilli.  Good stuff. 

Mint Pesto

The final farmer's market bounty was mint chocolate pesto.  I used toasted walnuts, a couple if ounces of bitter chocolate, sugar, a but of lemon juice and a bunch of spearmint.  It is the perfect sauce to accompany the strawberries.

Pesto Bruschetta

Today was a real farmer's market sort if day.  I bought two bunches of basil, some walnuts and some of the most beautiful tomatoes I have ever seen.  I toasted the walnuts and used them in a real nice pesto.  When I added toast and tomato, it became the lunch of champions. 

Freezer jam

I bought an entire flat of strawberries at the farmer's market for $8.  A great deal, but then I had to figure out what to do with that many strawberries.  I broke out the old mortar and pestel and made some freezer jam.  Now, I just need to bake some bread to put it on. 

New Favorite Quick Meal

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite quick meals.  All you do is broil the asparagus for a few minutes in olive oil and salt and pepper.  After that, crack a few eggs in the middle and let them cook.  Finish the whole thing off with some lemon juice, and you have a hearty pan full of deliciousness ready in about 10 minutes.  The lady loves it too.