What did I cook this weekend.....

[Staestc]

Lots of folks here tonight. Steaks, Strip House Potatoes, and a new salad recipe.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Steak night, served with smashed potatoes and steamed veg.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Juicy boneless pork loin

 

[beermanpete]

Wedge salad, pozole, and bolillos.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Lots of folks here tonight. Steaks, Strip House Potatoes, and a new salad recipe.
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Gorgeous steaks! Looks like quite a tasty & filling meal!
Regards, GF.

 

[user 211287]

Simple ground chuck soft tacos with some TPC Scorpion sauce.

 

[Temptd2]

Not for dinner YET but we are just embarking on some fermentation projects that don't involve BEER!

Two quart jars of what will hopefully become pineapple vinegar and one half-gallon jar of two-color-cabbage/pineapple/ginger kraut.

 

[Staestc]

Gorgeous steaks! Looks like quite a tasty & filling meal!
Regards, GF.

Thank you! Steaks are steaks and are easy. These potatoes, on the other hand are special indeed! I will post the recipe shortly, cause I’m pretty much convinced everybody needs to try these!!

 

[applescrap]

Lots of folks here tonight. Steaks, Strip House Potatoes, and a new salad recipe.
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Whoa, what are those potatoes exactly? Steaks look beautifully cooked as well! Wife put a nice sear on these fillets.

 

[TwistedGray]

Carne asada, cactus, zucchini, and asparagus (and tortillas - not photo'd). Just missing the large green onions.

 

[catdaddy66]

Carne asada, cactus, zucchini, and asparagus (and tortillas - not photo'd). Just missing the large green onions.
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I have prickly pear cactus that grows wild on my property. I have heard that they are edible but haven't tried them yet. How are they prepared, cooked, seasoned, etc??

 

[TwistedGray]

I have prickly pear cactus that grows wild on my property. I have heard that they are edible but haven't tried them yet. How are they prepared, cooked, seasoned, etc??

You can serve them in the paddle form as seen in my picture, but you can also dice them into cubes (about 1/4in cubes). I've had the small cubs in ceviche before which is a really nice addition! I am not sure what else you could add them to; however, burritos and tacos and fajitas all sound good.

As far as preparation is concerned, you can kind of see what is going on in my pictures. The cactus' prickly bits are cut off (shaved off). I have not seen someone actually remove the paddle and clean the cactus before though, so I am not sure what that process looks like (YouTube?). I do know that, when we get the paddles from my mother-in-law (she gets them from a friend), my wife goes through and checks for prickly bits with a knife.

Seasoning for the grill is quite simple (oil, salt, and pepper). For ceviche, there is no seasoning on the cactus itself. They take about 5min of direct heat exposure each side on the grill (approx. 10min total). I will then put them on the elevated rack in my grill (it's under the grill in the picture) for however long I am grilling for. That seems to work just fine for our texture preference.

ps: The flowering fruit that show up at the ends of the paddle ("prickly pear" - usually pink/purple in color) are edible and extremely good - should you not have known that. They, too, are extremely prickly.

 

[gromitdj]

The flowering fruit that show up at the ends of the paddle ("prickly pear" - usually pink/purple in color) are edible and extremely good - should you not have known that. They, too, are extremely prickly.

My grandmother made a prickly pear jelly that was awesome. Picking the pears as a kid was not so awesome... (but worth it in the end)

 

[Staestc]

Whoa, what are those potatoes exactly? Steaks look beautifully cooked as well! Wife put a nice sear on these fillets.View attachment 619195

As promised here's the link to the potato recipe.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/strip-house-potatoes-romanoff.html

I found this recipe a long time ago and it has always been a hit. Strangely enough I have made no changes to it. I have made it with green onions instead of shallots, but the shallots are better. I normally don't think about it a day in advance and you are supposed to bake the potatoes and chill them overnight. I usually bake them early in the day, chill the potatoes in the fridge for a while then chill them in the freezer for a bit without freezing them. I grate them with the Cuisinart. I grate the cheese with the Cuisinart. I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp Vermont white cheddar, but have used Cracker Barrel Vermont white cheddar in the past. I got the Cabot's at Costco and I like it better.

 

[user 211287]

Try Cabots Alpine White for taters and casseroles. For sharp though and from Costco i much prefer the Tillamook extra sharp white.

 

[Temptd2]

That Tillamook is my favorite. Sometimes Costco has it and sometimes not but Walmart usually does, or Fry's.

 

[S-Met]

I have prickly pear cactus that grows wild on my property. I have heard that they are edible but haven't tried them yet. How are they prepared, cooked, seasoned, etc??

I have a couple grocery stores near me that routinely carry the young cactus.
Also check the Hispanic section (or mexican market if available) for nopalitos (Usually pickled cactus) some Taquerias have it a part of their salsa bars.

When picking fresh, select the young new growth. Usually a brighter green too. Shae off the spikes with a knife.

 

[baldm79]

Scallops with lemon sage browned butter

 

[user 211287]

That Tillamook is my favorite. Sometimes Costco has it and sometimes not but Walmart usually does, or Fry's.

I like the Cabots Seriously Sharp also but i think the Tillamook extra sharp is better balanced. The Cabots is so sharp not much else comes through. For the money the Tillamook is excellent for a very sharp cheddar.

The Cabots Legacy Collection line is often on sale at the large grocery chains. I think they are all pretty freaking good and very fairly priced too. The Alpine is great on scalloped taters or mac&cheese. https://www.cabotcheese.coop/legacy-collection-cheddars

 

[passedpawn]

I like the Cabots Seriously Sharp also but i think the Tillamook extra sharp is better balanced. The Cabots is so sharp not much else comes through. For the money the Tillamook is excellent for a very sharp cheddar.

The Cabots Legacy Collection line is often on sale at the large grocery chains. I think they are all pretty freaking good and very fairly priced too. The Alpine is great on scalloped taters or mac&cheese. https://www.cabotcheese.coop/legacy-collection-cheddars

Cabot also has what they call their "Vermont Sharp", "Extra Sharp", and "Seriously Sharp". I'd guess the only real difference is how long they are aged. I know from my own cheesemaking experiences, the cheese gradually goes from mild to bitter sharp over a period of a year (or more), during which time the living cultures in the cheese slowly chew through the milk sugars (lactose) to creat acid (lactic). That, and I suppose a bunch of other stuff, is what gives sharp cheese its bite.

I prefer the young Vermont Sharp. The other two are aged longer, and much longer (respectively). My favorite overall cheese of their's is the Cabot Hot Habanero, which might be my favorite cheese in the world

 

[user 211287]

According to the FAQ, the Seriously Sharp is sort of a wild card. The quality control is not the same as the Vermont.

The main difference between the three products is the amount of time they are aged. Cabot Vermont Sharp has a flavor that is reliable and consistent from batch to batch and is a customer favorite. Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar has a strong cheddar flavor that many cheddar fans specifically look for. Just like its younger sibling, Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar, it is consistent from batch to batch. You know what you are getting every time. Seriously Sharp is another story; it's our "wild" cheddar. Its flavor is unpredictable, always earns a "puck," and is usually even sharper than Extra Sharp. Seriously Sharp is a top of the line product that invites you to walk on the wild side, experiment with your taste buds, and treat yourself to a cheese sensation that differs from one batch to the next.

Try the White Oak sometime. Its almost the same as the cloth bound minus the cave aging. Great cheddar for the money and not overly sharp. Closer to an English cheddar.

 

[passedpawn]

Here's the result of my recent salami making venture (I also posted it in the echo chamber, also called cured meats forum). I stripped off the casing on a few of them and added a pepper coating. I love salami, glad I made a bunch. I've got so much, need to look for recipes that use salami.

 

[user 211287]

More very simple tacos because i wanted to try a variation with the ground chuck. This batch had a 10oz can of Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles cooked with the meat. Added some a Aleppo powder, 1 large red shallot and a 4oz can of diced jalapenos too.

 

[TwistedGray]

Here's the result of my recent salami making venture (I also posted it in the echo chamber, also called cured meats forum). I stripped off the casing on a few of them and added a pepper coating. I love salami, glad I made a bunch. I've got so much, need to look for recipes that use salami.

Or you could trade salami for beer

 

[OleBrewing]

As promised here's the link to the potato recipe.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/strip-house-potatoes-romanoff.html

I found this recipe a long time ago and it has always been a hit. Strangely enough I have made no changes to it. I have made it with green onions instead of shallots, but the shallots are better. I normally don't think about it a day in advance and you are supposed to bake the potatoes and chill them overnight. I usually bake them early in the day, chill the potatoes in the fridge for a while then chill them in the freezer for a bit without freezing them. I grate them with the Cuisinart. I grate the cheese with the Cuisinart. I used Cabot's Seriously Sharp Vermont white cheddar, but have used Cracker Barrel Vermont white cheddar in the past. I got the Cabot's at Costco and I like it better.

it reminds me of the tater dish up here in the Midwest. except we just use frozen shredded potatoes mix with cheese sour cream and cream cheese onions and what ever you want in there. then it is top with crumbled ritz crackers or corn flakes or similar what ever is in the cupboard, then add a bunch of melted butter on top and bake. it honestly holds its own with a perfectly grilled ribeye and you will go back for more. I like to call them heart attack potatoes

 

[S-Met]

I've got so much, need to look for recipes that use salami.

I know of a special salami disposal service if you are interested. I can send you my address, er um, I mean there address...

 

[TwistedGray]

Pork rib tacos

Not-made-by-me dessert

 

[BongoYodeler]

Pork rib tacos
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Not-made-by-me dessert
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Oh man, looks great!!
Second "like."

 

[TwistedGray]

Oh man, looks great!!
Second "like."

The cherry wood smoke comes through nice and the dry run is okay, but it could use more umphhhh. Still yummy

 

[baldm79]

Scallops with shiitake and maitake