25 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in Mushrooms, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Shrimpcargot, What's For Dinner?
Grilled New York Strip Steak
with
Garlic Sauteed Crimini Mushrooms
Fennel and Tomato Salad
Shrimpcargot
1988 Dolcetto D’Alba Cascina Bordino
22 Sunday Apr 2012
Posted in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Salmon, Seafood, What's For Dinner?
 |
| Tommy’s Salmon. Hot off the grill! Yum-O!!! |
Wow! This is one awesome salmon recipe. Thanks to Tommy Takeda from The Buzz here in Boise for his recipe. Look how easy this is.
Ingredients:
2 T Brown Sugar
1 T Ginger, fresh grated
Soy Sauce – I used Mitoko Johsen Organic Shoyu Traditional Soy Sauce. Available at most Asian markets.
In the photo, 2 – 5oz Salmon Steaks. Enough for 2
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. You want just enough soy sauce to make a paste.
Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated.
Spread over salmon steaks and let sit for 30 minutes. Grill over med-high heat until done. Eat slowly to enjoy every, luscious bite!!
21 Saturday Apr 2012
The first day of the Boise Saturday Market!!! Yea. It looks like there was going to be a good sized crowd today. This photo was taken at about 10:00am, thirty minutes after opening, and it looks full. The market has grown this year, too. It’s bigger and Better! Enjoy these photos of the activities this weekend, at least some of the activities. The Buzz and the Boise Saturday Market are a great way to start this weekend. Plus great weather – clear skies, gentle breeze and 76 degrees!
Malbecs were featured on the Friday Night Tasting at the Buzz. Good selection! We just might make this a regular. Good wines. Good food and Good friends.
This was a super, awesome appetizer that Cristi came up with – Shrimpcargot Shrimp in a crimini mushroom cap with green onion, cheese and a garlic butter sauce.
Gnocchi, Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Green Salad. Great bistro food.
Great crisp with coffee ice cream
Our friends Geno and Debra who are back in Boise for a while after being in Arizona and Alabama. Welcome back!
Eggs Benedict from the Red Feather Lounge at the Saturday Market. The food was good … can’t really say that about the service. Maybe because it was very busy at the market. We’ll give them another chance.
Some of the people at the market. It was getting crowded.
And just to prove that it is Spring in the Treasure Valley, here are Gennieve’s flowers. Wisteria, and red and yellow tulips.
19 Thursday Apr 2012
I know, some of you do not like talapia, a very mild white fish. Replace it with sole or halibut. As for the sauce.Think of it like a beurre blanc (white butter) but without the butter.
Before I get to the recipe. look at the dinner plated.
Meyer Lemon Steamed Talapia In Marsala Sauce
Lemon Steamed Rice with Green Onion and Spinach
Winter Vegetable Medley
asparagus, Brussels sprouts, shallots
Lets start with the Meyer Lemon Steamed Talapia.
Ingredients: For the talapia
2 – 5 oz Talapia fillets or sole or halibut
4 T Vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c Sauvignon Blanc
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon, reserving the peel
1 c Brown Basamati Rice
1/2 Meyers Lemon cut into pieces
2 c Spinach, chopped
2 Spring onions, diced
Ingredients: For the sauce
1/4 c Marsala
3 t Corn Starch
1/2 c Hot water
Directions:
Place the oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice along with the lemon peel that has been cut into pieces, in a saute pan. Bring to a low simmer. Add the fish fillets and the wine. Cover and steam until the fish flakes. You may have to turn the fish once.
Directions: for the sauce
Remove the fish from the liquid. Mix the sauce ingredients together until the corn starch is dissolved. Lower the heat to medium, if not already there. Add to the pan liquid and stir continually until thickened. Spoon about 2 T of the sauce over the fish.
Steam all of the vegetables together and add to the plate when done. Steam the rice along with the spinach, onion and the lemon until the rice is soft. Add to the plate.
This is really a yummy dinner and served with a Sauvignon Blanc – we had a 2011 Indian Creek Sauvignon Blanc that was awesome! It is also what we used in the sauce and to steam the fish. Enjoy!
14 Saturday Apr 2012
Posted in Buy Idaho, Food, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do
It was another great Boise Food Truck Rally at the MK Nature Center on Walnut Street. A good place with lots of room. The crowd looked like another big one. Maybe 1000+? Everyone looked like they were enjoying their selves. Here are some photos I took. Oh. The BBQ pictured here was a brisket, pulled pork and sausage sandwich. Sorry for the bite(s) out of the sandwich. Just couldn’t wait. The Golden Nectar of the Gods is an IPA from Payette Brewery in Garden City. Enjoy!
The BBQ pictured above was made by Big Daddy’s.
The Brown Shuga Soul Food truck. Am sorry Yvonne, I did not make it back. The line was long and you looked very busy. Thank-You, though. Next time!
My friend Yvonne, Owner/Chef of Brown Shuga Soul Food, warning me to stay away from the turkey legs! Oh my, but they sure did smell good!
Some of the crowd who was there.
More of the crowd.
Even the little ones were having a good time.
And then the Gray Goose tried to make a landing in the parking lot. I don’t think it did, though. I love the diffused sunlight through the clouds lighting the Canada Goose. It was trying to be a stormy, spring night.
11 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in Community Garden, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do
It has been a long 7 years or so since there was a community garden at the corner of 19th and Jefferson Streets. It is great to see that the Salvation Army is reviving the garden. We did have a complete sprinkler system in place with the original garden. I suppose it is all still there. This is looking west. Remember the house that used to be there?
This is the area looking east.
Here is a flyer that the Salvation Army has posted. Left-Click to enlarge and then print. It is being sponsored in part, I guess, by the Boise Urban Garden School. Look for the “Get Your Hands Dirty” tab on their page to learn more. From the BUGS website, “… The idea behind the Boise Urban Garden School came one winter afternoon while cofounders Wendy Young and Amy Hutchinson were talking over a cup of tea …The pair also discussed the role the natural world, especially the family vegetable garden, played in their childhood. From this simple discussion, the seed of inspiration was planted for BUGS.”
11 Wednesday Apr 2012
Posted in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food
Wow! What an exceptional wine dinner. Cristi you outdid yourself! The theme tonight for the April Wine Club was Social Media Wine Dinner. Cristi went through a fairly complete list of the social media that is available and the pluses and minuses of each. Interesting. The wines were very good also. With six wines presented, including Cristi’s Choice, the point spread was 1 point! A very close race. You will see my point spread as we progress through this post.
Cristi also had flowers and herbs that she has put into wine and beer bottle vases with a self-watering system. Here is Greek Oregano that I picked. It looks nice on our kitchen window.
Cristi’s Choice: 2010 La Cryma Christi Feudi di San Gregoro. A very pleasing and easy to drink wine. 12.5% alc, $20.00 [17]
Along with the wine, we have had folks who bring in one of theirs to share. Tonight was no exception as Joe brought in an Alaskan Blueberry and Merlot blend. I know, you say “Yuk!” But try this first. It is really surprising and not overpowering with blueberry. At least give it a try.
Appetizer
Crab Cakes
2010 Dry Creek Chenin Blanc
12.5% alc, great taste and finish, slightly lacking on aroma. [17] $14.00
Black Bean and Chorizo Soup
2008 Duragutti Bonardo
13.9% alc, full bodied and awesome taste. good finish [17] $16.00
Carrot and Ginger Salad
(loved these flavors!)
2010 Les Jemelles Viognier
13.1% alc, a wonderful Viognier, full of fruit and flavor that went very well with the salad. [18] $14.00
Brown Butter Sage with Ravioli
Chicken
2010 Fratelli Montepulciano
12.5% alc, another wonderful wine. easy to drink and was pared very well with the ravioli. [17] $14.00
Bourbon and Banana Crepe
Chocolate Cream
Morse Code Shiraz
great paring with the crepes [17] $14.00
Those scores are so very close. A great salute to Chisti’s ability to choose a wine that pairs well with any course. The wines were great and this was probably one of the top meals from the Buzz. Great job!!!
09 Monday Apr 2012
I can’t say that everyone had a fantastic Easter dinner, but we certainly did! It was great having Mac and Marnie, Sophia, Chris and Madison, Margaret and Robin. Family and friends always make for a great day. And Robin talked to her close friend, Nancy Bonney Chrissman in Florida and a nursing friend , Geisla, in Germany. Who can ask for more? The photo to the left is of our table center piece. I did not get the beautiful flowers Margaret brought, though.
Our table before “the gang” arrived.
Challah bread
Gremolata Roasted Lamb
Asparagus Mousse
Marnie’s Cake
So there you are. And I repeat. Who could ask for anything more? Thank-You one and all for making this day so very special. Cheers!
08 Sunday Apr 2012
This has really been an ethnically diverse weekend menu. Especially since Passover and Easter happened to be on the same weekend. It all started Friday with the Gefilte Fish meal. Although I don’t think gefilte fish with Bearnaise is Kosher. (See Good Friday Meal earlier on this blog.) But it has been fun. And it is particular rewarding and pleasing when one of our very special Jewish friends here in Boise reads this blog and then calls to get the recipe for the gefilte fish. It will be fun to see how he made out with the dinner and the recipe. In the meantime, here is what we had for dinner tonight. The above photo is an Asparagus Mousse that Robin is making for dinner tomorrow. We had a sample tonight and it is so awesome. Rich and smooth and the succulent flavor of asparagus.
Gremolata Popovers
Roasted Chicken
roasted root vegetables, rosemary, lemon
Plated dinner
Oven Roasted Chicken
Haroset Salad
apple, roasted walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, Manischewitz wine
Green Beans
Gremolata Popover
Oh what fun. Not only preparing these delights, but eating them and trying to understand what all this means. I may have to talk to Joe to get the significance of all of this. Cheers and tomorrow is the big meal. That will be fun, too!
07 Saturday Apr 2012
Easter is tomorrow. We are having 7 people in for dinner. A lamb dinner. The menu will be
The top photo is of prepping the lamb. The Gremolata is on the lamb along with the spinach. This photo is of the lamb rolled, tied and in the pan for roasting. I am letting it sit for 24 hours to absorb all of the wonderful gremolata flavors. The recipe is below. Cheers!
Total: 1 hr 25 mins
Makes: 6 servings
Adapted From: Chow (dot) com
Note: Gremolata, a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, offers heat and fresh herb and citrus flavors to assertive leg of lamb. The best part of this recipe is that putting it all together for a dinner party or weeknight meal is a snap. Serve the lamb with a carrot mash or roasted potatoes.
Ingredients:
2 Lemons
Juice of ½ Lemon
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1 med Shallot diced
1½ T Rosemary, fresh and chopped
⅓ c finely chopped fresh Italian Parsley
2 T Olive Oil, plus more for coating the meat
Kosher salt
2 c baby Spinach
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1 (4-5 pound) boneless Leg of Lamb, netting removed
Butcher’s twine
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Finely grate the zest from the lemons. (If you’re using a vegetable peeler, finely chop the peeled zest.) Place the lemon zest, garlic, parsley, shallot, rosemary and measured oil in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir until an evenly combined paste forms; set aside.
3. Unroll the lamb, lay it flat on a cutting board, and remove any large pieces of gristle, sinew, or fat. Season the top surface of the lamb generously with salt and pepper, then, using your hands, spread the lemon-garlic-parsley paste over the seasoned meat. Place 1 layer of spinach over the lemon-garlic-parsley mixture. Roll the lamb back up and tie it in several places, about 1 to 2 inches apart, with butcher’s twine. Rub some olive oil, salt, and pepper all over the outside of the lamb and place it in a shallow baking dish.
4. Roast in the oven until the internal temperature reads 135°F to 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the twine, carve, and serve.
Boise Foodie Guild 