Shrimp 'Pil-Pil'

Shrimp 'Pil Pil'
Originally uploaded by whatstepheats

Just to prove to you people that our dinners consist of more than 'beef one thousand ways', here is an appetizer that made us very happy one recent evening.

I had made a run to Whole Foods on Waterman for some fish, and ended up buying some of the most delicate and flavorful cod ever, plus some of their lovely mustard-flavored panko crumbs. (What can I say, it's become a habit of mine. Habit and routine lead to a dull spirit, I agree with Mr. Samuel Beckett on this, but I cannot help falling over into that abyss every now and then...I am weak, and severely lacking in the self-discipline department, especially in snowy, cold winter. But I digress.)

Whole Foods also had an array of unusual-for-them whole fish, some cleaned and gutted, some not. There were gorgeous smelts, whole halibut, whole sea bass, whole grouper, and the rarely-seen-in-these-parts whole sardines!

But what jumped out at me and whispered sweet nothings in my ear were the fresh Maine shrimp. I'd had them before and remembered the briny - almost nutty - flavor, the tender texture, the taste of the crisp winter sea.
Plus, they were I think $3.99 a pound. So, I bought a pound, thinking I'd figure something out - maybe lunch for me? Maybe an appetizer for us?

My altruism took over and I decided to share. (The man even offered to help peel the little buggers! I think perhaps he didn't expect me to say yes to this offer, but say yes I did.)

Inspired at the 11th hour, I chopped some fresh garlic, mixed it with some chili oil that we'd saved from a recent Little Chopsticks delivery (they have the best hot oil, by the way...and homemade Chinese mustard, and it's so worth it to eat their food even though it makes you so bloated for at least 2 days...plus they are lightning-fast in their delivery and so so nice...but this is clearly fodder for another post), and popped the whole concoction under the broiler. They were done in no time at all.

I called it 'Pil-Pil' because when we were in Spain last May, every seafood appetizer that was garlicky and spicy (and usually shrimpy as well) was called Pil-Pil. The man got sick of it, but that was then. This is now. Try it, if you can.

You won't be disappointed.

Merry Merry, Holly Jolly...

Vintage Christmas Matches
Originally uploaded by whatstepheats

Whatever you are celebrating out there, I hope you are doing a fine and complete job at making merry.

Here at Chez Steph, the Dinnerman is supine on the couch with a fantastic sinusitis that's manifested itself in both of us this past week. Combined with his work schedule, it's thrown a wrench in any Christmas plans. I suppose working in a hospital and living in a building with "air quality issues" can do that to even the strongest among us.
I have taken the premature pre-emptive antibiotic route. He prefers to suffer loudly and drink bourbon as a cure.

We are effectively limiting ourselves to televised figure skating, RedBox DVD's, and Chinese delivery, which ain't so bad if you ask me. Here's the beautiful thing - you don't have to ask, because I am effusively forthcoming with any and all info pertaining to my life and times. Maybe too much so, but in case you couldn't tell or in case you are new here, I do not subscribe to the notion of TMI.

I did cook dinner last night for Kenny and the Dinnerman - linguini with shrimp in a red sauce, garlicky asparagus, and naked peppers. I am very bored with my own cooking of late, but the men seemed to enjoy it, though I suspect the meal took a backseat to the gossip. I swear, they are worse than women when they get together! I suspect a DNA analysis would reveal an extra X or two...

May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be, well, whatever.

Tidings. Later.

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

Dinner: November 12, 2008
Originally uploaded by whatstepheats

This is a very simple meal, of which I make a version most weeks.
Sometimes I use a whole chicken, but this time I just did breasts.

I rub kosher salt into the chicken several hours before cooking and let it sit in the fridge as I find this makes the meat tender and the skin crisper.

I've begun to roast brussel sprouts, garlic, and cubed potatoes ahead of time so I can haul my butt to the gym and not have to rush to get everything done when I get home. I just douse them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and throw them in a 375 degree oven until they start to brown. The brussel sprouts tend to brown more quickly than the potatoes so I use separate pans - unlike when I roast potatoes with carrots, for example.

The chicken gets a quick pass under the broiler until the skin starts to brown, and then I turn the oven to 375 for about 20 minutes or until done.

Simple! I usually serve this meal with a salad including bitter greens, red onion, and sheep's milk feta.

The Great Oz

The Great Oz
Originally uploaded by whatstepheats

When I was a little girl, I had an obsession with The Wizard of Oz. I was Dorothy for Halloween almost every year, and Judy Garland remains a favorite for both her talent and tragic life.

We visited the Dinnerman's mom on Thanksgiving, and this sign resides now above her stove. I couldn't help myself.

I used to quote the movie as a child, and would say, "The fatificent Oz has spoken!!!"

Fatificent. Maybe someday it will be part of the vernacular.