Your unexpectedly best dish this summer
I threw together a new salad last night and the night before that just rocked - something about was just magical. Arugula, toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper, thinly sliced red onion rings, sliced nectarine, fresh mozzarella, held together with a squirt of lemon juice and olive oil. A perfect combination for a hot summer night - salty, sweet, spicy, sour, juicy, rich and crunchy.
What have you made this summer that was a surprise hit? Have you stumbled onto any new combination that you love? What do you attribute the success of the dish to?
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21 Comments:
laurelle your experimental salad sounds great.
I think my best accident this summer was my discovery of generic frozen pierogis. I didn't think I liked them much, but I ended up purchasing some cottage cheese and potato ones, and baked them in my favourite pasta sauce with some spinach, onions, garlic and topped with cheddar. T'was a cheap excuse for a masterpiece but I'l probably make it again :)
I also accidently discovered soba noodles this summer and they've become one of my faves
hungrychristel at 12:33PM on 08/27/09
I discovered soba noodles too and I love them! My bf came back from a trip to Japan talking about them and we've been eating them ever since, both hot and cold versions.
laurelie at 1:11PM on 08/27/09
My new favorite is also a kind of accidental salad...
Cherry tomatoes, fresh corn (boiled or grilled, cut off the cob), canned hearts of palm, chives, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. It is really almost heaven!!
lizaj at 1:13PM on 08/27/09
I made a ground turkey and black bean chili type thing last week that turned out far better than I expected it would and am going to make again so I can keep it in the freezer. It was just ground turkey breast, canned black beans, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, pickled jalapenos, chili powder and cumin but I added a can of BF's beer and about a tablespoon and a half of fine corn meal and let everything simmer for about 45 minutes. I think that's what brought everything together. Everything is better with beer!
Amandarama at 1:14PM on 08/27/09
I made a seafood casserole, and instead of bread crumbs I used corn tortillas, it rocked!
kmgagne at 1:18PM on 08/27/09
We made Mr Flay's rice with cilanro pesto and black beans and added fresh corn off the cobb. Did a pork butt in the crock pot that was lined with fresh corn husks. Pork having been marinated over night in a chili, onion cilntro, garlic and lime juice paste then charred on the grill before going in the crock pot. Shredded the pok and mixed with the rice dish and scooped into boston lettuce leaves then topped off with pickled onions and thin sliced radishes. I expected it was going to be good but it was better than that.
chazmo at 2:36PM on 08/27/09
I made Alton Brown's pickled beets, and have been eating them on everything. I would suggest making a pickled beet sandwich with sourdough, and mozzarella.
Bill P at 2:42PM on 08/27/09
@chazmo - that sounds insanely delicious. Where did you get the recipe? Is it online or in one of his cookbooks?
laurelie at 2:46PM on 08/27/09
@chazmo-
That DOES sound insanely delicious. Please share the recipe or a link.
----
We made three things recently that knocked our socks off-
One was fresh corn chowder with new potatoes, bacon and poblano pepper.
Two- home made pizzas with alfredo sauce, carmelized onions, saute'd mushrooms, thinly sliced, saute'd zucchini, a dusting of parmesan and a sprinkle of mozzarella.
Third was home made Boursin cheese. Why hadn't I tried making it before? We ate it on everything. (Was especially good on grilled bread)
CJ McD at 2:54PM on 08/27/09
The rice dish he made on his grilling show where he brings a person on to grill with. We added corn to it. I think the recipe is on the food network website.
The pork thing I made up.
Half a bunch of cilantro,3 serranos, 2 cloves garlc, 3 tomatillos, 1 small onion, juice of 2 limes, a bit of water so it blends. Mix it up and pour over a pork butt in a big zip lock bag. I let is sit overnight in the fridge of course. I grilled it on a charcoal grill so it was brown all over, about 15 minutes turning every few minutes.
Line a crock pot with corn husks put the pork in cover with more corn husks . I cooked it on low for about 8 hours. Let it cool so you can shred it. We took a small amount of the shredded pork mixed with equal amount of the rice dish. Boston lettuce leaves sliced radishes and the onions are the classic Mexican onions with vinegar water oregano and pepper.
I think that covers it.
chazmo at 3:48PM on 08/27/09
@Bill P: Do you ever eat pickled beets on burgers? and If so: what other condiments/toppings meshwell with'em?
TIA! I love the things and want to try this
hungrychristel at 4:54PM on 08/27/09
I am with Chazmo when it comes to slow cooked pork. The two pigs I did this summer were delicious but really, everyone knows a whole roasted pig is going to be good.
I think my favorite meal so far was this one.
Tacos al Pastor
The pineapple with the chiles was a real surprise. Also that grill roasted salsa verde is now my new favorite salsa bar none.
climbhighak at 5:25PM on 08/27/09
Tacos al Pastor is Nancy and my favorite thing to eat. We go to Mexico each winter and have it almost everyday. Your right the pineapple makes it. Almost gives it a sweet sour thing.
chazmo at 5:42PM on 08/27/09
I know this sounds dumb but I have finally "discovered" tomato sandwiches. At least once a day for the last month (minus the week in Germany, but that's for another thread). I think the key to my new found love is a dusting of Ornate Onion Powder.
GretchinF at 6:46PM on 08/27/09
The BBQ I threw on 4th of July, the meats and poultry turn out really good and the sides that i made people were very happy about. Yesterday I made some fall off the bone ribs that were very tasty, have to do that again soon.
pjracz10 at 7:23PM on 08/27/09
I made a very similar salad to Laurelie's, just used honey-roasted slivered almonds, and added some shredded rotisserie chicken and some cucumber as well. It was the dressing though that blew me away. I made a recipe from a Cooking Light magazine for a basil-mint vinaigrette, and it was absolutely delicious. It was slightly sweet, and very refreshing, and perfect for that kind of salad.
kimberlymac at 8:19PM on 08/27/09
@chazmo and laurelie - both meals sound really, really good.... i have a bunch of tomatillo's and so much cilantro.... and that salad, i've had variations of my own..... i love fruit in my salads.... and olive oil and lemon is my favorite, too.
pooch at 8:57PM on 08/27/09
I had never been a fan of bok choy, but earlier in the summer I was inspired at my local farmers' market. There was a maple farmer selling homemade satay sauce, which was delicious. Then I saw the bok choy and I immediately thought of fried tofu, wilted bok choy with satay served over lo mein noodles.
I was so good, I served it next time I had dinner guests.
yayfood at 9:01PM on 08/27/09
@GretchenF I hope that you are young and have many years ahead of you with tomato sandwiches. White bread, juicy tomato slice and lots of mayo or Miracle Whip will give you a long life.
Earlier this year I took young squashes (green and yellow), peas (par boiled first), corn frozen from last year and stir fried them with a bit of onion, a bit of butter and a smidge of Chinese 5 spices. Very popular in my household.
janaatwg at 9:17PM on 08/27/09
Pasta with bacon, garlic scapes, and swiss chard...oh so good!
sammie at 3:57PM on 08/28/09
Caribbean salad.... (I found a similar salad called carribean salad at a deli counter years ago and I stole the name plus the rice and black beans and added my own ingredients. This was the result)
2-3 cups cooked basmati rice. Then rinse under cold water until cool.
1 cup chic peas
1 cup black beans (or pigeon peas)
1 cup chopped grilled artichoke hearts
1-2 finely diced Jalapeno pepper without seeds
1/2 cup ea. finely diced sweet onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro or parsley
1/2 tsp. adobo seasoning
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/4 cup evoo
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
combine ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours for the flavors to marry. I can't stop eating this stuff, either by itself or with some nice grilled spiced chicken, fish, or beef.
Pavlov at 8:30AM on 08/29/09