I was jonesing for this. I'm hooked on Pad Thai. It's hard for me to order other things when I'm in a Thai restaurant. However, I screwed up and forgot to make Thai Iced Coffee to go with this. This is the Pad Thai I had in San Francisco a few weeks ago.

Mine compared pretty favorably.

Ingredients
8 ounces dried wide rice noodles
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
3 tablespoon Pad Thai sauce
3 tablespoon Peanut oil
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp peeled
4 cloves Garlic finely chopped
2 Shallots
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
1 lime cut into small wedges
1/4 cup cilantro

Instructions
Soak the dried rice noodles in cool or lukewarm water for 30 minutes, or until they're limp but still firm to the touch; later cooking in the wok will soften them more. Drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat until it is smoking hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and quickly stir-fry the shrimp until they turn pink and are almost cooked through; 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and toss in the garlic, shallots; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Push the garlic and shallots to 1 side of the wok and pour the egg into the center. Scramble the egg lightly until set, breaking it up into pieces with a spatula. Add the drained noodles to the wok, stirring and tossing quickly with 2 spatulas to separate the strands. Pour in the fish sauce and pad thai sauce, tossing well to coat the noodles and keep them from sticking (if the noodles are still too firm, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help them cook.)

When the noodles are in good shape, toss in 1/2 of the bean sprouts and peanuts; save the remaining for garnish. Continue to stir-fry, to combine. Return the shrimp to the wok and toss the pad thai together to warm everything through. Serve the pad thai on a platter, pile the remaining bean sprouts and peanuts on 1 side of the dish and garnish with the lime wedges and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over each portion before eating.

Nothing much to say here. This was just plain delicious. I've been wanting to try a brine. The molasses flavor came through the chops with a subtle sweet flavor.

The original recipe for the broccoli called for white wine. I had a bottle of sake in the fridge that was going to waste so I made some adjustments. The wine would have cooked down a little sweeter than the sake but the sake had a crisp dry taste on the broccoli that was really nice.

Ingredients
Brine:
2 quarts water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 bunch fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 pork chops

Instructions
Make brine: Combine ingredients in a large non-reactive pan. Stir until salt and molasses are dissolved. Add chops to brine and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium.
Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Place chops on grill and cook on each side for 7 to 9 minutes, depending on thickness; the internal temperature of the pork chops should measure 145 degrees F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately.

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients
6 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3 shallots thinly sliced
1 pound broccoli cut into spears, lengthwise
6 ounces sake
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 Lemon zested
1 Orange zested

Instructions
In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil, shallots, and garlic until just sizzling. Add the broccoli and cook, tossing regularly for 8 to 10 minutes, until the stem is tender. Use the sake to slow the cooking down if the garlic begins to brown. When the broccoli is tender, add the chile powder and zests and serve.

Giant Eagle had the most annoying ad during Tribe games. I'm not a nutjob (I think) but I would turn off my radio when it came on. It was so annoying to me that I wrote them a polite but pointed email threatening to start shopping at Tops if they don't change their ads. Okay, I admit that's a nutjob move. So, as proof that I'm not a nutjob I don't actually take credit for their ads changing a week after I wrote my email. But, I figured I had to put my money where my mouth is since they have a new ad. The new ad is promoting their meat department. It's a vapid ad but it doesn't make me reach for the off switch on my radio. "Hip-hip." " Filet." "Hip-hip." " Filet." Ugh. But, I bought a filet anyway.

I used a Madeira from V. Sattui, a wonderful winery in Napa that I've visited several times. This made the sauce sweet and delicious. This was a really tasty steak.

Ingredients
1 c Madeira wine
2 c Brown stock
1/4 c flat leaf parsley
1 Bay leaf
1/2 t Coarsely cracked black pepper
1/4 t Dry thyme
1 T olive oil
6 Filet Mignon
1/2 c Heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground
3 T Minced chives or parsley

Instructions
In a 2-quart saucepan, over medium heat, combine the Madeira, brown stock, chives, bay leaf, black pepper and thyme. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and only 3/4 cup remains. Strain out the solids and reserve the liquid for later.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Brush a large ovenproof iron skillet with the oil and over high heat, heat until hot. Add the filet mignons and sear for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet with the filet mignons to the oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes for rare. Cook an additional 2 minutes for medium rare, or keep cooking until you reach the desired degree of doneness. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the beef to a carving board. Add the Madeira and brown stock sauce base and bring it to a boil with the cream; simmer for a minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the beef into 1/4-inch slices and center them on dinner plates. Spoon the sauce around and over the meat and garnish the sauce with chives or parsley.

A few weeks ago Nick needed some "British food" for a project he was doing in school. I love Scotch Eggs but I couldn't imagine making 30 Scotch Eggs for a bunch of 11 year-olds. Especially, since Nick is a vegetarian. So, we made scones. These turned out great and were a big hit in his class. Yesterday, when I asked the guys what they wanted for breakfast, Nick asked for scones.

I served them with German Morello Cherries and slightly sweetened whipped cream. I also had blackberry jam that I bought from Lehman's. A small spoonful of cream right on the scone with a little bit of the blackberry jam was delicious. I used bread flour instead of all-purpose and I used raisins instead of currants.

When I was going to school in England a group of friends and I were visiting Anne Hathaway's Cottage. I was almost completely broke and I couldn't afford the admission. So, I went to a small nearby cafe for some tea. There, I met two very pleasant ladies, who after learning I was American, invited me to join them. They shared their scones with me. This was the first time I've ever had fresh cream on scones and I don't think I'd eat them any other way.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup cream
1 egg
4 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Shortening
1/2 cup dried currants or dried cranberries

Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening. In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Yields: 1 Dozen

Alex wanted a fruit salad for dinner. I made Waldorf Salad. It turned out pretty tasty. I used Penzey's Sweet Curry Powder. Perfect for this salad. I toasted the walnuts in a dry non-stick skillet.
This was WAAAY better than the Rhubarb Tuna.



Basil: It's lettuce and tomatoes, walled in with...?
Mr Hamilton: No, no, no, it's celery, apples, walnuts, grapes.
Mrs Hamilton: In a mayonnaise sauce.
Basil: Right. Incidentally, Chef did ask me to say that he does specially recommend the pâté tonight.

Ingredients

2 Fuji apples
1 Red Delicious apple
3 tablespoon Cider Vinegar
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 pinch kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
3/4 cup toasted walnuts crushed
1 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 stalks celery thin bias cut
1/3 cup fresh mint chiffonade
1/2 red onion julienned
Mâche

Instructions
Cut apples in half and remove the core with a melon baller. Chop apples into medium-sized pieces, leaving skin on.

In a bowl, toss apples with the cider vinegar. Fold in mayonnaise thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in walnuts, raisins, curry powder, celery, mint and red onion. Adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to incorporate. To serve, arrange mâche and spoon salad on top.

Yields: 4 Servings

I love cooking. I love taking pictures of my food. I've often used those pictures to show meals I've particularly enjoyed making. I take a load of shit for this. But, I rationalize it as one my endearing charms.

I've never considered making a blog. I normally couldn't care less about a stranger's opinion. I wouldn't be so presumptuous to think anyone would read my blog. But after seeing a cooking blog I figured I might as well continue my nerdy ways and make a cooking blog. I’m just going to post the recipes I make and a few thoughts of the dish I made – and maybe a picture. I’ll do it as long as it’s fun. I recognize the underlying hypocrisy of me making it in the first place. But if anyone thinks I’m stupid for posting these they can rest assured that Sam will be giving me nothing but shit every time she reads a post.

I’ll be adding old recipes that I’ve made and particularly enjoyed as I get around to it. Look for The Garbage Plate.


P.S. I know it IS too nerdy. But, I'm going to do it anyway.

Don’t Make This! It wasn’t that bad or anything. It just wasn’t good. I know it sounds weird – having rhubarb in it – but the rhubarb was the best part.

Denise gave me about five pounds of rhubarb over the weekend and I was looking for a rhubarb crunch recipe and ran across this recipe too. Alex made a delicious crunch Monday night (before I thought of this stupid food blog) and I made this. I still have about two and a half pounds left. Any suggestions?

Ingredients

3/4 cup Cream sherry
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 pound rhubarb trimmed and cut on a bias
2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 cups onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 pound Butter Beans
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
2 6-ounce Tuna steaks
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine the sherry with the sugar and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rhubarb and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Strain the cooking liquid in a colander set over a bowl, and reserve the rhubarb. Return the cooking liquid to the saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the onions, cover, and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened. Add the chicken stock and thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat until the onions are tender.

Cook the butter beans until tender. Using a slotted spoon add them to the onions.

Light a grill or heat a grill pan. Lightly oil the tuna steaks and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the tuna over a medium hot fire about 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and grill over a medium fire until barely cooked through, about 4 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fish.

To serve, add the lemon juice to the onions and season with salt and pepper. Bring the sherry-rhubarb liquid to a boil and add the cooked rhubarb. Cook over high heat, just until hot, about 1 minute. Make a base of the beans and onions. Top with tuna. Spoon the rhubarb onto the tuna and serve at once.

Yields: 2 Servings