Sunday, July 20, 2014

July 20 -- Provencal Tuna Melt

I like the tuna melt, until the grease hits rock bottom but this recipe is butter free and only involves the broiler for preheating plus five minutes. I modified the recipe and would modify more if I did it again.

I didn't have all the spices and things so I spiced up a can of tuna with celery seeds, red pepper flakes, and a few twists of the black pepper grinder. I cut the mayonnaise to one heaping teaspoon from two tablespoons. My choice for soft cheese was Havarti along with sourdough bread. It brought together a nice, non-greasy tuna melt along with a caesar salad from a bag.

With sourdough, the bread did not fall apart when I moved it which is a bonus. I sliced it with my pizza cutter into three triangles. All is well with the world.

Next week is the last recipe for a few weeks. I'll be eating road food. Maybe I'll post reviews of the dining options of the Northwest and Appalachian South instead. I already have a few favorites down Virginia into northeastern Tennessee.

Monday, July 14, 2014

July 13 -- Fish Tacos

This was a let's use everything up in the fridge because it was bought two weeks ago kind of meal. I had leftover scallions and tomatoes from the pico for pork and pico on June 29 and they were teetering the edge of no longer being edible. So into the food processor it went. I also had some lettuce shreds and an open bag of Mexican cheese. Plus there was a box with five fish fillets left. Waste not, want not.

I put one fillet, a generous spoonful of pico, some lettuce, and a handful of cheese in a tortilla. Folded it up and put it back in the oven for 5 minutes after the oven was heated to make the fish fillets.

Two fish tacos was enough for me. I also ate one fillet alone and now there are two for dinner during the week.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

July 6 -- Crispy Carnitas

I really thought I messed this one up. When the pork roast came out of the oven, it was 7 somewhat charred bricks of meat but underneath that burnt coating was succulent slow roasted pork. Who knew?

A little back story, the best barbecue I've ever had was at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, the original one on Vine. It is well worth the wait and it will be a stop when I'm wealthy and I eat my way across the country. I ordered the burnt ends and this carnitas recipe came out like burnt ends using a pork roast instead of ribs.

On to the recipe, I cut my roast into 7 chunks, maybe 2 by 2 inches square and I added the rub as suggested with a little cinnamon sugar since I didn't have a cinnamon stick. I also left out the bay leaf because I don't have any on hand. I put in my water and did as I was told. I only touched the pot once. Maybe I should have added more water with a half hour to go but I didn't. I just let it cook.

I figured I'd be wrapping the carnitas in a tortilla with cheese and some tomatoes but instead I dipped it in Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce and paired it with a caesar salad.