Dinner and Drink

Last night's dinner frustrated me, it just didn't turn out like I'd expected.  I know what the problem is, I shortcut by trying to re-use the marinade, and it is neither nuanced enough nor with enough liquid to get the effect I want.  So, I need to stop being lazy and stupid and think about what I'm doing.  Also, I did not really like the new "tiny" barilla, at least for this application.  Finally, I mixed two shapes and used two lbs, all making it difficult to experience the sauce.

I've got a huge amount leftover, so tonight I'm frying bacon and carmelizing red onions.  Then I'm going do a wine cream sauce and add the leftover pork, cut up, the onions and bacon and some pasta from last night.  Finally, we'll put some swiss chard in to give it a bit of green.

I realized sadly that I have no more amarone left: the one bottle is one my father gave Tina.  She'll share it with us on her birthday when she opens it, but in the meantime I've got to think about restocking with some nice bottles.  I'd like to have 4-5 always on hand.

Making dinner on a cold and snowy march day.  I've got a touch of summer in my salad, cilantro and basil with a spring mix.  I forgot carrots, which I wanted, and some cran-raisens.  Alas, I'll put in some chevre or feta, red onion and a nice dressing in the red-wine vinegar direction.   Some nice tres-expensive still on vine ripe tomatoes.  I like having that actual tomato smell when I prepare the tomato for inclusion.  And pulling it off a vine, you get a nice "hit" of summer.  Ahhhh, I am so stoned on it.

I'm doing some gorgeous big fat blogs of pork chop.  I had him cut these boneless 'butes for a nice sear in the frying pan, followed by an oven-broiling until they're still pink and juicy in the center.  They currently marinating in a bowl of white wine, worcestershire, olive oil, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, a little chouloua hot sauce and a couple tablespoons of pommery style coarse mustard.  I put them out in the cold because they'll be in that bath for a couple of hours.  I'll take them out about an hour before I use them. 

I also have some tender spring asparagus.  They're yummy raw, but I think tonight I'll pan roast them in the pan I sear the chops in, then deglaze them with white wine and a bit of the marinade.  I'll add that to marinade / wine deglazed broiler pan, and toss them with the juices and make a sauce for the pasta.

Tonight we're trying two of those barilla mini pastas.  I think I have a wheel and a farfalle that I'll combine.  Top it all with reggiano parmesean.

Now to convince dorise to let me open a bottle of her italian red.

Some time ago I registered for this new service.  Supposed to be a combination of Typepad and LiveJournal.  Or was it MT?  Anyway, this is a test post