This was a fun week! I'd like to tell you that this week's menu was inspired by a motivation other than laziness but in this case lack of effort turned out to be a delightful challenge! I settled into bed with one of my favorite recipe books and since I was comfortable in my pillowy bliss I decided that all the recipes this week would come from one book. Those of you who grew up with foodies (thanks Grandma Betty) in the 80s-90s will know Christopher Kimball from Cooks Illustrated and PBS's Americas Test Kitchen. I didn't find it particularly interesting then but it does take up some real estate in my vague but happy memory landscape.
This book is dense and has no lack of variety for cuisine from different locals which made for a very exciting week of meals. Here are the dinners we enjoyed!
Garlic & Cilantro Soup
Our first meal comes inspired by the Portuguese soup acorda a alentejana. What a great and super easy soup! It's basically a cilantro pesto and chicken broth base with tart lemon and just a little jalapeno heat. I wasn't sure about having soft boiled eggs with soup but it was a nice addition to a vegetarian soup with the crunchy croutons it was a very hearty meal.
Black Bean Noodles with Pork and Mushrooms
A riff on the Chinese dish zha jiang mian with delightfully salty dish required me to find fermented black bean paste which luckily was available at our local grocery store. This meal came together really quickly with ground pork and udon noodles. I particularly enjoyed the addition of sherry which added just a hint of sweetness.
Moroccan-Style Braised Chicken (Tangia)
Lemon, turmeric, and ginger? This had all the trappings of a dish I would fall head over heels for. It took a little longer than the other meals to prepare since integrating all of those delicious and fragrant spices takes time to get right. This savory dish really packed a punch and Miguel was happy that I was able to leave the chopped olives for his portion. No complaints, more for me! There weren't any leftovers, which is a review all in itself.
Pasta with Sausage and Kale
This recipe got a little off book with the substitution of kale instead of chard and gigli for orecciette. I didn't find this lacking in any way. Spicy Italian sausage and a good amount of white wine reduced into a creamy starchy sauce plus I was able to use the remaining peppadew peppers which have a tendency to sit in the fridge.
Toasted Pearl Couscous
This was a nice way to wrap up the week but I wish I had toasted my couscous a little longer. After browning the couscous got cooked slowly like a risotto so mine got a little too mushy. Flavor was really excellent though and a little harissa perked it right up!
I might use this happy accident to do some more recipe book or cook spotlights in the future. It was fun deep diving into a cookbook I already knew and loved.
Have a great week!
Enjoy
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