What's for Dinner Thursday Mar 8/12?

[Steve Kroll]

what is your non-cook sauce?

As best as I can remember...

• 1 28 oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes, with juice (I used Cento brand)
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground fennel seed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

I just put everything in the food processor and gave it a couple of whizzes to break down the tomatoes.

Note: this makes enough sauce for about 4 12-inch pizzas.

 

[FrankZ]

Andy's is prettier. I need to work on my pizza geometry so they come out round.

I keep being told pretty is fine, yummy is better.

When I made pizza on Tuesday I slipped putting Kathleen's in and the edge of it flopped off the stone. Not too pretty in the end...

Round is easier if you learn to throw it.

 

[Andy M.]

I keep being told pretty is fine, yummy is better.

When I made pizza on Tuesday I slipped putting Kathleen's in and the edge of it flopped off the stone. Not too pretty in the end...

Round is easier if you learn to throw it.

I have always had issues with round. It's always a struggle.

I think it's all in how you start with a round ball and shape it from the first touch.

 

[Claire]

Having one of those senior moments. What in the heck DID I make for dinner? Oh, yeah, fish tacos!

 

[FrankZ]

Having one of those senior moments. What in the heck DID I make for dinner? Oh, yeah, fish tacos!

No that was last week.. you made something else tonight... want to try guessing again?

 

[taxlady]

As best as I can remember...

• 1 28 oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes, with juice (I used Cento brand)
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground fennel seed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

I just put everything in the food processor and gave it a couple of whizzes to break down the tomatoes.

Note: this makes enough sauce for about 4 12-inch pizzas.

You could probably skip the food processor if you used passata instead of the canned tomatoes. And then you won't be getting the BPA from the lining of the tomato tin, 'cause all the passata I have seen comes in jars.

 

[Steve Kroll]

You could probably skip the food processor if you used passata instead of the canned tomatoes. And then you won't be getting the BPA from the lining of the tomato tin, 'cause all the passata I have seen comes in jars.

If it was the right time of year I would use fresh tomatoes. But, BPA or not, there is something about the whole tomatoes that makes all the difference in how marinara sauce tastes. I've tried puree and tomato sauce and they just taste kind of "dead" compared to the whole tomatoes. It would be nice if San Marzanos came in jars.

EDIT: After doing some Googling, I was able to find one jarred San Marzano product, but it was insanely expensive at $11 for a 20 oz jar.

 

[buckytom]

steve, your pizza sauce is almost exactly like a sweet sauce i make for sausage and peppers. the key is the additional fennel seed, and that it's heavier on oregano and basil.
i also use cento san marzano tomatoes.

2 caveats for everyone about cento tomatoes.

firstly, they sell san marzano certified tomatoes, as notd on the label, and american grown tomatoes. be sure to check the label. the american ones are good, but the imported are slightly better for not much of a price difference.

second, they are priced pretty high, but if you wait until june or july you can stock up on 28oz. cans at less than half the price, roughly $2 per can last summer.

actually, my dinner tonight is leftover pork rib ends cooked in cento tomatoes, herbs, and fennel seed sauce.
dw made panko chicken breasts and other things, but i wasn't hungry having killed off a coupla hot dogs earlier.
i'll turn the leftover chicken cutlets into chix parm for the weekend.

 

[Vanilla Bean]

Shrimps marinated in a Kung Pao Sauce-
Candied carrots- Fried Mushrooms- Macaroni Salad

Wowee! I would certainly love to have dinner at your place, anytime! I'm a mushroom fanatic. The shrimp, carrots and salad are my fav's also!

 

[Vanilla Bean]

Great pizzas, Steve and Andy!

You pasties look delicious, jonny!

 

[jonnyjonny_uk]

Shrimps marinated in a Kung Pao Sauce-
Candied carrots- Fried Mushrooms- Macaroni Salad

Absolutely beautiful dish, the shrimps look so tasty!!

Yumm, LT and JJUK! Everyone's dishes sound great!

Thanks DG

Pizza tonight. Nowhere near as pretty as some of Nestlund's pies, but the flavor and texture was good. It was also the first time I've tried a "no cook" sauce, and I'm very happy with how it came out.

Really nice looking pizzas Steve, respect!

Tonight's dinner.

Very nice Andy! Lovely looking pizzas on the menu today

Great pizzas, Steve and Andy!

You pasties look delicious, jonny!

Cheers VB

 

[powerplantop]

Shrimps marinated in a Kung Pao Sauce-
Candied carrots- Fried Mushrooms- Macaroni Salad

Those shrimp look really good!

 

[powerplantop]

Andy's is prettier. I need to work on my pizza geometry so they come out round.

No matter what I try mine usually come out kind of square. But they usually get eaten anyway.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I think pizza shape is moot...it's how it tastes that counts. As long as you are not going to be sending it off in a cardboard box, does it really matter if it is not round?

 

[jonnyjonny_uk]

I think pizza shape is moot...it's how it tastes that counts. As long as you are not going to be sending it off in a cardboard box, does it really matter if it is not round?

You have started an interesting discussion there PF because I have always wondered should home food look like home food or a direct translation of how it would look in a restaurant? I'm sure everyone has there own take on this and would be interesting to know if you prefer rustic looking home cooked food or restaurant looking? But, as you said, the most important thing is the taste and I'm damm sure both those pizzas were tasty

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'm not big on presentation, my creativity goes into the cooking. Home food should look like home food. I don't cringe if there is a dribble of gravy loose on my plate, at home or in a restaurant.

 

[jonnyjonny_uk]

I'm not big on presentation, my creativity goes into the cooking. Home food should look like home food. I don't cringe if there is a dribble of gravy loose on my plate, at home or in a restaurant.

I understand what you mean. I just like taking photos of my food so always try to also go for presentation because people don't know that it also tastes good Of course the number one priority is the taste, I just like to faff around when I have time and just cooking for me or practising recipes.

I do think however that when you see something that looks home cooked it just gives you some sense of warming, loving feeling inside, like you know it has been lovingly prepared, do I make sense?

 

[luckytrim]

IMHO the care taken to present an appetizing plate reflects the care taken in preparing same................... I'm referring to meals served in the home or restaurant, not pictures taken in studio, where they sometimes substitute other, more photogenic stuff for the real deal.

That being said, please understand that something doesn't have to reflect the "standard" (IE; a pizza doesn't have to be round) to be appetizing.
The rule, "First impressions count" applies to a lot of circumstances, and food is one of them.
Again, only offering My Opinion

 

[Vanilla Bean]

I think the reason I haven't been taking many pictures is that I don't have the room to do it. I always have so many dishes to do, etc. Getting dinner made has been more important lately. When I take pictures, I spend so much time that the dinner isn't served as hot as it should be. After I plate or ladle something, take a few photos, I have to zap it in the micro for about 20 secs.

 

[FrankZ]

I think the reason I haven't been taking many pictures is that I don't have the room to do it. I always have so many dishes to do, etc. Getting dinner made has been more important lately. When I take pictures, I spend so much time that the dinner isn't served as hot as it should be. After I plate or ladle something, take a few photos, I have to zap it in the micro for about 20 secs.

But we're worth it...