Outside the dugout: What's cooking?

A note on the mahi. This dish is better skin off. Good thing that I sharpened my filet/boner yesterday. Hardly any flesh was on the skin after I was done. And also a good thing that my garbage wasn't picked up so it was a last minute addition.

 

I have been around this block. I just thought that I was lucky to not have to do that with immenent garbage pick-up.

I also freeze shimp shells. Even though I live close to downtown Gainesville we do have racoons. And every decade or so a bear cub. On occasion I use them for making stock.

The shrimp shells and not the bear cubs. LOL.

Or the racoons.

 

@74nole,

I see that you are often making pots of sauce. What do you use for tomatoes? I usually use canned San Marzano tomatoes, but that is pricey.

I have used tomatoes from some folks working on how to grow great tomatoes in Florida. The big problem is not enough overnight chilling to set fruit.

 

Change in dinner plans tonight. Getting Satchel's pizza pregame and delaying ribs until tomorrow.

 

I had to decide if I was going to smoke my dry rubbed ribs early for pregame or delay starting them for our more usual dinner hour.

Seeing the weather forecast I selected the later option.

 

Saturday I made oxtail ragu over rigatoni. It takes a long braise and I guess my Dutch oven didn't seal properly because when taking a late afternoon shower I started smelling smoke. Luckily I caught it in time to save the dish with some quick thinking and it turned out very good, but not as super great as normal.

Sunday was a veggie night where my wife, our niece visiting from Boston and my SIL that lives in town took command. Very tasty.

Today I defrosted some Bolognese sauce I had made to serve over orecchiete. There will be a salad. I open a sangiovese as a wine pairing.

The visitors are gone now. It was a nice visit.

Now to deal with the drywood termites we discovered today. Good thing we have a termite contract that covers them, but still will be a major dispution in our lives as our house goes "under the big top".

 

Making pork tinga for tacos tonight. I had about 1.5 pounds of boneless pork shoulder in the freezer that needed to be used.

Made pickled red onion as a topping.

I thought I would serve this after the Gator game, but now will be cooking in the early innings.

 

Reprising the pork tinga from yesterday. I faithfully followed a Rick Bayless recipe but I found the tinga to be too wet, but tasted great. Will make adjustments next time.

 

Going to fire up the KJ and grill some burgers tonight.

 

Sunday I am cooking a dinner for my MIL's 90th birthday. Her actual birthday is Monday but it works out better this way as I will be cooking for a bunch of people.

The plan is to have mahi with a mango salsa as the main entree.

Funny that her birthday was on May 30, she grew up in Indy and her father was a steel salesman. She spent every birthday at the 500 and she hated it.

And then as an undergrad at UI she helped some frat teams in the Little 500 bicycle race. LOL.

 

Tonight for my MIL's real 90th birthday dinner will be grilled filet mignon, small boiled potatoes and caprese salad. Going to open a bottle of L'Adventure wine (which one TBD, probably a Cote a Cote) from the Paso Robles area. It is very much like a good Cote de Rhone. I have over two cases from a number of years from that winery in my wine cellar.

 

I plan on grilling some chicken thighs tonight with green beans and left over small boiled potatoes from last night. I hope the T-storms are through in time to fire up the KJ.

The filet mignon last night was really good. I like it cooked on the grill just a little north of medium rare after a good sear and it was perfect. I also like it seared on a hot cast iron skillet with herbed butter.