Sunday, February 15, 2009

Weekend food

People seem so interested in our suppers, so I took pictures. Above you see Friday night's which was sliced roast beef, asparagus and salad. I was surprised from the last post that so many have not prepared an artichoke before. It's so easy too. You put it in a pot with an inch of water and, crap I can't remember what it's called in English, put in a "marguerite" to keep the artichoke elevated above the water, cover and steam the thing for an hour to 75 minutes. (You'll probably have to add some water a couple times during the steaming.) Then to eat it, you pluck the leaves (you know it's done when they are easily pluckable) and scrape the soft flesh off with your teeth from the bottom of the leaf. I like to dip it in a bit of mayo, but butter is also good. Then once you've done all the leaves, you get to the best part, the heart, which you moan in an orgasmic way while consuming.

Last night's supper was far less amenable to photography, but here you see Serge acting all sinister while he prepared something he had learned from the chef at his work. (There is a cafe as part of the complex where he works.) It had chicken and potatoes and onions and lots of cream in it. This morning I can say that there was too much cream, because although delicious, it doesn't seem to have progressed very far down the pipeline. By the way, the filthy ashtray is not mine, spouse has been very good about smoking at the stove with the vent fan on (incidentally called a "hotte" in French) which he will do for another month or so until it warms up a bit and he goes back to smoking outside.

It was that stupid made-up holiday yesterday, so I snapped a pic of the two of us. Winter complexion, bah. We sat down to dinner and watched Vicky Christina Barcelona which I think I liked even better the second time around. Woody has aged his craft well. Since it was Saturday and all, dessert was a possibility (now I'm thinking maybe that's what clogged the pipeline) and I whipped up this microwave brownie in a cup thing that I saw in the paper a couple weeks ago. So easy, fast and yummy. If you want hot cake in a flash, all you do is:
Mix 4 tbs flour, 4 tbs sugar, 2 tbs cocoa and dash of salt in a coffee mug. Then add 2 tbs oil, 2 tbs water and 1/4 tsp vanilla and mix. Microwave on high for 1 -1 1/2 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes. Enjoy.

17 comments:

lattégirl said...

The marguerite is (prepare to smack yourself on the forehead, 'cuz you were SO close!) a steamer!

Rick Bettencourt said...

You dinners look delicious. And a cute pic of you both, even with a clogged pipeline. Though I suppose that was taken pre-backup.

larry said...

good looking,food i mean!lol!!! i want to see that movie...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Brownie Recipe. I can't wait to try it. BobVT

Anonymous said...

The food looks so gooood! I don't want to feed the Devil but knowing you I thought there might be a picture of the food afterwards. I mean one of it before it was eaten and one of it after...it...came...out...Oh never mind.
Do you have a type of flower with baking soda already in it? I think that is available most places but if not a pinch of baking soda would certainly help the coffee mug cake to rise. ed

Anonymous said...

Old Man Brain fart: The word is Flour!

Rox said...

You are an irregular Martha Stewart!

I'm punny this morning!

Anonymous said...

cute photo...

GayProf said...

I have never tried artichoke with mayo, but now I am intrigued.

Mel said...

We paid a VD visit to the local produce market and they had some nice looking artichokes, so we brought a couple home to steam last night. Didn't even think of you having had them, but I'm sure your post was the inspiration, as I hadn't cooked them in years. For dipping, I made a cheese sauce, which worked quite well.

Franciscus van Munster said...

Please don't take this personally, I think your dinners look delicious, but surely the internet wasn't invented so we can have a look at what people on other continents have on their plates? Or maybe that's what the global village is all about.
Sorry if I sound like a miserable old c*nt :-)

Anonymous said...

The full ashtray right by the stove where food is being prepared is GROSS!!!

Anonymous said...

As a militant non-smoker, I agree 100% with Cameron's comment above.

Franck's comment made me laugh out loud. Everyone knows the internet is all about retardation after all! Duh!

don said...

Happy VD to you both. ;p)

Anonymous said...

Steamer or steamer basket. Then again if you have a large pot and an aluminum colander you can use that for steaming too. I have a 16qt pot that I use for such things.

Luckily neither Keyron nor I smoke. I drink like a fish, and he smokes pot but otherwise no tobacco.

I've found my system is much more attuned to beer than wine. I like wine though. But when I drink large quantities of it, watch out.

Beer on the other hand,I guess my gut flora dig hops.

yellowdoggranny said...

my stomach is starting to make rumbing noises after looking at all that great food..
serge kinda looks like the actor that played jack on will and grace...except cuter.

Snooze said...

The chicken dish really didn't lend itself to appetizing photos, but it sounded most yummy! You two though look lovely in the photos.