Photos at Skinny Pancake

Gore-Dawn-Zola

Check out the bottom of boards 1 and 3.  We used to barter with Benjy for crepes back in the day, when they were vending on Church (and I could eat wheat).

We went here after choosing our new spot at the Burlington Farmer's Market.

Monday Menu: Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes

Banh Xeo

I miss sandwiches terribly, so I've been on a culinary quest to find other savory filling conveyances, ones that are so good they completely fill the void left by what I can no longer eat - because of my wheat allergy.

I've had tacos, tortillas, spring rolls, arepas, and crepes.  But not Vietnamese crepes.  These are new to me.

I defatted and reduced the sauce created by yesterday's beef rib cook.  It needed no adjustments to the seasoning.  I strained it, and poured over the pulled meat (about 2 cups).

Pulled Beef

I whisked together 1 cup White Rice Flour, 1/2 tsp. Sugar, 1/4 tsp. Salt, and 1 tsp. "Singapore Seasoning" because I was out of tumeric.  To that, I added 1/4 Cup of Coconut Milk, and 1 1/3 Cups of Water.  Stirred together, and let rest on the counter 20 minutes.  (Recipe from Seasaltwithfood)

Sizzling Crepe

I thinned out the mixture with more water, and fried the crepe in a nonstick pan.  (The first ones were too thick, and the chickens ate those.) I turned it after the edges curled up, and added the warm filling.

You know you are doing it right when the batter sizzles and instantly produces small bubbles (hotter than you think you need for a crepe).

Vietnamese Crepe - Banh Xeo

I ate two of these like delicate little chewy tacos, then realized they were supposed to be served in lettuce leaves.  (Thank you Google Photos)  The crepes lose their crispness as they cool and wet fillings exacerbate things.  I doubt they could be kept warm in the oven for parties.  Hmmm.

I've never eaten these "for real" before, so I had to go with my own flavors.  The rich sweetness and spiciness of the beef was cut by the tart dipping sauce, a mixture of  rice vinegar, (wheat-free, soy-free) oyster sauce, chili oil, and agave syrup.  Refreshing, light, and we ate it all up.

And then we had popcorn.  Because we were still hungry.

Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Smoked Pork Tenderloin

 Usually, this cut takes 1 1/2 hours at 225f.  Since it is getting cold out, it took about double that time.

Steamed Green Beans and Mushrooms

I put some green beans and an assortment of mushrooms in foil to bake alongside the tenderloins.  It worked!

Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Another success for the Traeger Pig!  Luscious  pork with spices from Dizzy Pig - lovely for a lazy afternoon.

Monday Menu: Tri-tip Tacos

Beef Tri-tip Tacos

Had to try the corn and flour tortillas made by Mara Welton of Half Pint Farm, so I threw an easy roast in the oven instead of using the smoker to get some tacos started.

Hot and Sweet Slather

With the oven at 250f, I combined 1/4 cup of Sambal Olek, 1/4 of sugar, 1/2 tsp salt to coat the roast.

Tri-tip Roast

 After 2 hours, it registered 131 in the thick side.  I removed it and covered with foil and a towel to rest on the counter for 20 minutes.

Beef Roast

Needed a bit of salt, but delicious with a sweet, spicy, sticky coating, and perfectly rare.

I piled thinly sliced meat, cheese and onions on, and heated in the microwave until the tortillas were soft.

Topped with Caesar-dressed romaine, Green Mountain salsa, and a dollop of sour cream.  The homemade corn tortillas were very "corny" in flavor.  Messy to eat, but doing it all over again tomorrow!

Monday Menu: Potato-Cheese Crawdaddies Soup

Potato Cheese Soup

 This all started when I noticed the crawfish at the Hannaford fish counter.  I haven't had them since our only vacation (South Carolina) some twenty years ago.

Starts with 1.5 lbs. of white potatoes.

Cover with stock, add a sliced leek and a whole head of garlic (peeled), simmer till tender (about two hours).  Let cool.  Add 6 ounces grated hard cheese (I used our Connor Abbey).

Whizz with the immersion blender.  Add a 1/4 cup of cream and a couple shakes of Tabasco.

Secret ingredient.  Six spicy pre-cooked Crawdaddies.  Should have gotten a dozen!  Reheat on low.

Potato and Crawfish Soup

Adjust for salt, and done!  Eat the soup and save the mudbugs for last...so good!  They taste a bit like frog's legs.  This recipe makes 10 one-cup servings, but there are bugs for only two.

I may have fished out my ration before service.  Cook's privilege.

Wheatless: Udi's Pizza Shells

udi's pizza shells

 Two shells to a package, cooked according to directions - topped with leek pesto, smoked chicken, roasted cipollinis, spinach, feta and blue cheese.

Wheat-free Pizza

Crispy, yummy, and a quick meal for a Monday.  No strange flavors or textures in the crust.

Monday Menu: Fried Haddock

Fried Haddock

 So very moist, and so very long since I've had a decent batter-coated fish.

Wheatless, of course.

Batter-coated Fish Filets

 I followed the directions for this batter, and it was right on, but needed some seasoning.

Fried Haddock

Okay, so the neon tartar sauce is actually Black Creek's Green Goddess, some mayonnaise, and a squirt of sriracha.  Not the healthiest preparation ever, but one that comforts on these gray rainy days.

Wheatless: Weird Noodles

Miracle Noodles

I liked the weird texture and slipperiness of these noodles, which come packaged in liquid and are shelf-stable, if you can believe that.  I ate them all, and I barely believe it.

I followed the directions for rinsing and blanching, then added red sauce, hot sauce and jack cheese.  Quick and easy, just one portion.

The only fault is that the package claims they are soy-free, but soy is listed as a contaminate on the label.  My physical experience was that there is definitely soy present, but in very minute amounts.  I won't be having this product again - and more's the pity - because I liked the convenience and the fun texture.

Monday Menu: Peas and Veal Skirt

While Dan replaces the gasket on the Big Green Egg, I did a quick cook on the gas grill.

Peas and freshly sliced garlic in foil will cook alongside the meat.

Simply salt, pepper and EVOO, plus a few minutes a side on "high".

Peas and Veal Skirt

Viola! A huge stack of meat served over leftover Chinese rice.

Monday Menu: Grilled Veggies, Smoked Chicken

Grilled Corn and Potatoes

 Believe it or not that is supermarket corn that was so fresh, the husk barely singed while it cooked - ordinarily it burns away layer by layer because it is so old - and that's how to tell when it is done, when all the covering is gone.  The pre-boiled potatoes were simply coated in sunflower oil and salt before grilling.

Grilled Potatoes and Corn

 The corn was sweet (not overly) and the kernels delicately small - taters were perfect.  The only place to go from here is down, and down we went.

Back in the day, we used to buy "Amish" chickens at the Grand Union.  They had flavor and were quite moist, as were the store brand birds.

Now, we have a local Hannaford, and I bought the store brand bird.  Granted, I had about $5 in savings cards that made the grand total $2 and change, but that is where all the enjoyment ended.

It was extremely dry and flavorless, in spite of being smoked with cherry wood.  I don't know what to say about that, except that I really don't want to try it again to find out if it was me or the bird in the wrong.

Salmon Crab Casserole

Salmon Crab Casserole

 The idea here was simply to get some fish into us; that weekly theme has waned since the new Hannaford (located closer to the house) does not have much fish on offer.

This was simply a crab cake recipe (plus grilled asparagus) smoothed over four salmon filets over carrots.  The basic recipe for the topping is here.

I baked it just a bit too long (at 350f), trying to get some color on the top.  The salmon was moist, but more well done than we like it.

In addition to serving as is with rice, I made fish tacos.

Monday Menu: Tostones

This is the last of the frozen food I bought from that Equadorean market as my own Christmas gift.

You just heat these patties up in the oven and top them with stuff.  They don't reheat well after the initial bake, so I should have just made two.  Think - French fries - great the first time around - then they get dense and unappetizing on the reheat.

For a topping, I made a salsa of fresh tomatoes, diced sweet onions, a minced garlic clove, avocado, and a tsp. of hot sauce.  Pretty good!

Monday Menu: Beef Kabobs

Beef Kabobs

I finally had a skewer burn up on me while grilling kabobs!    Had to run back inside for tongs.

These marinated for two days because I didn't want to stand out on the porch in the rain to cook them.

I used this mild garlicky soy-free dressing as the marinade.

I sprinkled salt on them before grilling, and didn't use a sauce.  They were the mildest of the kabobs I've made this year, with a nearly pure meaty flavor - which was surprising since I expected vinegariness from being in the marinade for so long.

If you want to use a vinaigrette for kabobs this marinade is my favorite.

Monday Menu: Grilled Veal Flank

Veal Flank

 Veal flank is a small cut that serves one or two, and it cooks in a flash.

Because it cooks so quickly, I like to coat it in something that will leave tasty grill marks.  This was painted with Drew's Romano Caesar salad dressing, but a mixture of soy sauce and maple syrup works well, too.  It takes about 3 minutes over high heat for a medium result - you basically cook it until it lets go of the grill (on both sides), then rest under foil and a towel on the counter before slicing.

What I like about this cut is that even at well-done, veal flank remains tender.