The Best Dang Thing I Ever Ate! Are You Hungry Yet?

Ok, so I'll start it off with what I'm cooking today. I'm making my favorite meal, The Asado, it is the traditional national dish of Argentina. Argentina once boasted of being the largest exporter of beef in the world, I don't know who it is now, but we know a thing or two about cooking beef.

The asado is a mixed grilled meats dish, it can vary in the types of meats, but if you look at the photo above you will see what we call tira de asado, beef short ribs, the mixed grill might have mollejas, sweetbreads, chinchulines which are the blind intestine, rinonnes which are beef kidneys, it might have some chicken or steaks, but it's all grilled to perfection using real hard woods or charcoals or a combination of the two.

The meats are not marinated nor any fancy rubs applied or special seasonings. We only add a coarse salt to all the meats a good amount, and that's it. The meats are then served with a classic chimi churri sauce which is very simple to make. It consist of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. A mixed salad, some red wine from Mendoza and you have a most memorable meal.

The sizzle is happening now, nothing like the sizzle of meat on a hot grill.................the wine has also started pouring the Asador must not get dehydrated.

I'm not really sure - at this stage of the game, what the best thing I ever ate was. There was the 'filet of perche' in Geneva - with a side escargot, pate de foie gras on toast with a nice vin, or the real Kobe Steak cooked over a hibachi with Japanese rice and veggies and a Sapporo beer, or - an American Hamburger with cheese and avocado or the egg-cheeseburger and onion petals with a cold dos equis . It certainly wasn't anything I cooked or anyone I know cooked - although Granny's fried chicken, corn on the cob, rice, biscuits and gravy with her tea made from loose black tea leaves when I was 'very young' (my eyes were always bigger than my stomach). Then there was my Aunt Agnes's date bars, or speaking of sweet things, my mom's guava pie, mulberry pie, or dates stuffed with pecan halves and rolled in sugar (granulated or powdered).

I should add that the Kobe Steak was cooked by a Japanese lady when I was staying in a small Japanese Inn in Kyoto - she made me learn to eat with chopsticks - otherwise - she just make me a hamburger.

Dude . . . you lost me at "cow cheeks" and "fish heads". :-)

Dang, Roy you just made me hungrier than I was!

I'm sorry Wendy, Lol.... those are a small part of what I enjoy eating, they are delicacies and they sound tough to stomach but I have cooked these things for friends not telling them what it was and I can assure you they soon became big fans, I am making chinchulines, I won't even try to explain what they are but I will post a photo, they look better and taste amazing.

I have 2 favorite foods and both are Italian, Risotto and Gnocchi and having said that I also have many other foods I enjoy - I am Italian and Irish and my husband is German and with that we also enjoy many other ethnic foods such as Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Indian and more. We have travelled a fair bit and really have loved most countries foods except for Egypt!
For German food, I love Rouladen which is very thinly sliced beef with carrot, onion, mustard and bacon tucked inside the rolled beef, lightly fried and then slowly roasted in beef broth, thicken the gravy and serve with potato dumplings and red cabbage - sooo good!!

Mario,

I do most of the cooking here and ANY meal I make at the time, is the best! Chili, Cheesecakes, Salmon on the grill, Smoked Pork butts, but one of my favorites, is my Christmas Prime Rib!
The recipe is on my blog, way in the beginning of it,with photos.

Basically, I buy it,after a small equity loan from the bank,10 days before I will cook it. I wrap it in cheese cloth and put it into the refrigerator. A day or two later, I change the cheese cloth and then usually it will last for the whole "aging" process. The night before, I take it out and cut off the old stinky meat and fat, not much really, all surface,wash it and then coat it with olive oil, and the a ton of spices/rubs. I then wrap it in tinfoil and put it back into the frig,for the night. First thing in the AM, I take it out and let it come up to room temp. or as close as it will and then to the grill.

I put it on the gas grill, turn off the center flame and then as low a temp as it will go. Usually 250-270 or so. Then after a few hours and it's almost to internal of about 110-115, I take it off,crank the grill up, 500 or so and the put it back on to sear the outside,for about 15 minutes,watching the internal temp the whole time. Let it sit for about 30-45 minutes and WOW!

More details on my blog!

Best meal ever was probably roasted chicken and Italian wine in Catania, Sicily. That almost 30 years ago and its still pretty fresh in my mind so it was probably pretty good. Other than that take 1lb of elbow macaroni. Make it al dente. Add 3 pounds of your favorite cheese with about a half cup of warm milk and about a stick of butter and bake for about 40 minutes. Pretty much drain throw it back in the pot, add a stick of butter, warm milk and the2-3 pounds of cheese. Mix until everything turns gooey and throw it in a baking dish. Top with more cheese. I prefer the stuff pizza is made of and bake until golden about 40 minutes. If you see butter boiling around the edges you did it right! Sometimes I add sour cream. If I ever have refrigerated leftovers I will eventually cut in squares dip in a egg wash and roll in bread crumbs to see how it is deep fried.

We just had dinner and I am so full that I can not look at another morsel of food right now, I did glance at some of the dishes posted here but to do them justice I will comment on them later maybe after a long nap, good red wine and a full stomach has that effect on me.

My favorite dish is soft-shelled crab stuffed with a crab meat dressing, pan fried then topped with either a crawfish or shrimp cream sauce. YUM! One of the perks of living along the Gulf of Mexico, low tide and a full or new moon and you can catch all of the soft shell crabs that you want.

Ok, I seem to have recovered some what from that wonderful meal. Must have been the wine.lol

@Debbie, risotto and gnocchi two excellent choices, I happen to love them both I make my own gnocchi's and my favorite way is to make them with chorizo Argentino not at all like a Spanish chorizo but more like Italian sausage and that's what I make the red sauce with. The risotto is also a great choice in that it can be made with so many different ways and with a variety of meat or seafoods or vegetables also.

@Rich, that butt sounds like my kind of food!

@Craig, the roast chicken in the wine sauce is fantastic, I make a brazed ham hock dish similar to the brazed chicken with a full bottle of red wine and the same with a leg of lamb, cooks for 3 hours and meat is so tender.The mac and cheese dish sounds very appetizing too.

@Phyllis, I love crabs, blue crabs, soft shells, dungeness crab, I like them any way, steamed in garlic and butter, or I make a red tomatoes base and garlic sweet pasta sauce with the the blue crabs and we takes hours to eat that dish.

Phyllis - there is a restaurant http://www.menupix.com/menudirectory/menu.php?id=3310810 caffe Rel in Franklin NC that used to have the best softshelled crab sandwiches - they were yummy - I don't see it on the menu here - it's been a couple of years since we ate there - they always had them the 4 or 5 times we did go there though.

Speaking of crabs, every year when the stone crabs come in season, I go to my favorite fish market a place call Charlie's Fish Market and they sell 5 lbs. of FRESH stone crabs for about $23.00 these are what they call floaters because when they catch them they dump them in a huge kettle of boiling water to cook them before they sort, some of the claws because of density or because they have a crack to them float instead of sink, they don't sell them to the restaurants but they are just as good at a fraction of the price. My wife and I do the the routine of 5 lbs. of cold stone crab claws with a Seminole Indian mustard sauce with horseradish, lemons and very cold beer. I can't wait for the next season talking about it.

Steamed crabs. Real Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs steamed up right with a generous sprinkling of Old a Bay seasoning in the steamer.



~ Bill
~ USPictures.com

Bill, they look mighty good! I've not had them in a while but your image sure gets me in the mood for some.

Sundays, have always been a great food day in my family. I remember growing up, my mother would always cook up some thing a little special just because it was Sunday, or maybe I just remember it that way. It was a day when both my parents were home and we would all sit around the table as a family,my parents and all four of us brothers. I continue in this family tradition of cooking up some thing a little special on Sundays. I have a little time to think about what I making today as my wife attends church while I relieve her of caring for her mother, it's her time off and I enjoy having a great meal ready for her when she returns. I will use what ever post are made here today as inspiration, lets see how it goes.

Here's a story that ties in with the seafood theme. About 40+ years ago, I was living in NJ and had a good friend,whose family lived out in Long Island. They had a big old house out there and then a block down the street,was the Sound and they had a "cabana" on the beach. Each year, the big event was July 4th and I was invited to this one. This was more about the "day" then the meal, but I always remember that July 4th! I made my famous "Whiskey Sours",back in the day, that's what people drank, mixed drinks! And for food, we'd go out into the bay and feel around and get "Cherrystone" clams and then bring them back,open them up, put them on the grill,with a pat of butter and a dollop of cocktail sauce and wait for the butter to melt and swallow away!!!

From what I remember, between the Sun and my drinks, we had to all take a break, couldn't find the water!

Great times,

Rich

Sounds like you had a great time Rich!

I love clams, here is some on made on my grill, accompanied by some fresh octopus and Key west Shrimp, just a little olive oil, salt, pepper rosemary, some garlic or granulated garlic and red crushed pepper flakes if you need it a little hot. Lots of lemon and cold beers.

That looks great Mario. Here in Yuma it's hard to get really fresh seafood. I usually go to San Diego once a year and stock up on specialty foods. We just got back from there with my supply of quail, frozen prawns (with the heads on) and Italian cheeses from Felipes in Old Town Italy.

I have to say the best thing I ever ate was fois gras. I've had it three times where it was excellent. The last time was in Puerto Rico at Pikayo just a few weeks ago. It was just an appetizer and the portion was so tiny I ordered another. With the exception of a glass of red wine, that was all I had as it was so expensive. Thank goodness my husband doesn't like it or there wouldn't be enough for me. My other favorite is sea urchin. I've been going to the same sushi bar for at least 25 years. Sushi Ota in San Diego. They have seven sushi chefs behind this tiny bar. The owner works there as the main chef on a daily basis. He doesn't have to work as I'm sure he's filthy rich. The place is packed day and night. Up until a few years ago they didn't serve uni (sea urchin) right out of the spiny shell. It came in a wooden box and I have to tell you it was awful. It tasted like.... well imagine the inside of a sailors wet deck shoes. People that ate it (the boxed stuff) next to me would say you have to acquire a taste for it. But evidently they never had the real thing. Fresh sea urchin right out of the shell....while it's still alive is absolutely scrumptious.

Of course there are many many foods I love but those are on the top of my list.

Sauerbraten mit Spätzle.

Plum Kuchin

Debra, the quail, prawns and cheesecake all sound great to me,I've had fresh quail right after the hunt, just fried up after a pat of flour and salt an pepper, and I'm hungry already! The fois gras I honestly have not had opportunity to try, but I'm sure I would love it as I am a big fan of liver, from chicken to goat to beef I've had it, so a fattened duck liver I'm game for.

Now on the the subject of the sea urchin a big ? anytime I go for some thing not cooked. Years ago on my first visit to a Miami Beach sushi bar, and loving octopus, I new it's what I wanted to try, well that did not go so well, everyone was looking at me for my reaction as I thought it was strange, I popped that raw piece of octopus in my mouth and it was not a pretty site discarding it from my mouth in my table napkin, the chef found it quite funny!

Well I do enjoy raw clams and I make ceviche all the time I have never tried the urchin, the texture looks kind of like a raw egg from what I've seen on t.v, but I would try it, as I don't often say I don't like some thing until I do.

Mario that is nice but it can't top this:

Bradford, your absolutely right on that! That is another of my favorites and I have many, but that is very, very high on my list. I cook suckling pigs at least 2 time a year, it has to be the right size, for me that's about 21 to 23 lbs dressed, head must be present as I eat that the following day. I marinate it in chimi churri sauce the night before, then it's grilled with a sheet of metal over the top with coal or hardwood, I use a combination of apple wood, and oak, it cooks fro 4 to 5 hrs. and man oh man you have just activated parts of my taste buds that have been dormant since the last one I roasted, can't wait for thanks giving now!!! Thanks for that!

Colin & Bell, both your suggestions look wonderful, I had to google them, but I'm liking it very much. I wouldn't mind trying to make both those dishes.

Thank you Suzanne, never any waste here we have two very large dogs that never complain about the cooking. Lol

I like fish, eating too much meat often make me uncomfortable.

I love gyros. Best sandwich ever.

Just about to cook a massive English breakfast as late lunch for a couple of very close German friends.,She mentioned she was dreaming of
English breakfast a few xs after i gave her a kit kat for breakfast. i just nodded unrealising for an hr or 2. lol knob.

If you like sushi, you must try real fresh ground wasabi root. It's very hard to find in a restaurant, and I've never had the courage to order 4oz fedex from Japan for about $75. But that would be ideal if you are going out for sushi with friends. BYSW. (Bring Your own Wasabi). Believe me, it's nothing like the powdered stuff, which isn't even real wasabi. Make sure the wasabi is ground in your presence, because just the aroma is fabulous. And give some to the sushi chef, too. Who knows where you can get Wasabi root in the US?

If I can find some good salmon, tonight I'll make my "easy salmon" on the grill. I'll marinade it for a few hours in Yosida's and then make an aluminum "boat" and with the skin side down,pour a little olive oil on the boat and then put it on the grill for about 15 minutes and not turn it. I'll spice it with Chef Prudhomme's Seafood spices. When the fish is done, the skin will stick to the foil and with a wide spatula, you can slip unde the meat and just pick up the salmon and leave the skin and dirty boat!

I'll try and remember to take a few photos...........

Rich

Dear Mario,

It sure sounds like you eat really well! Also, it's good to learn your spice business is blossoming! Be well, sweet man.

Thank you Kelley my dear friend!

Ending the year enjoying fresh seafood. A bit tired of the meats, this is day 2 of seafood meals. I found these succulent baby octopus at the fish market along with some Key West Pink shrimp and some Live clams, all these will be coated in corn meal and flour and fried in hot oil, serve with fresh made basil marinara sauce and lemon wedges. Don't forget the extra cold German beer.



http://www.bonanza.com/booths/oldbombayspice

Lobster with melted butter is my fave.

Roz I love lobster, Maine or Florida drawn butter and lemon, Cold beer and then a slice of Key West Key lime pie for dessert.

Hi Mario!

Those photos sure make the food look tasty! I hope 2015 is wonderful for you. :-)

They sure do Kelley, imagine if we add sound and smell to the equation it's almost as good as tasting the food. Lol Hope you also have blessed 2015!

Walter those blue soft shells are really good, I'm a big fan of blue crabs and one of my favorite ways is to make a garlic and blue crab red pasta sauce, it's soooo gooooood! You need to set a side a few hours to eat this meal and then have siesta time too.

I just got back from El Segundo, CA and went out to dinner before going to the theater at a place called 'Off Vine' (because it's located just off of Vine Street). It was a meal you actually dream about. I had the filet mignon but according to my party they knocked it out-of-the-park for everyone.
-- mary ellen anderson

Hi Mary Ellen, I don't do much dinning out anymore, I used too, but not where I live now as it's usually a disappointment. Anytime you dine out and can say the food was out-of-the-park is a great day in my book! Lol, glad to hear you enjoyed it.

It's getting kind of cold and cloudy today and I wanted to make some comfort food. I decided on this braised trio of meats dish I love making, it's very easy to make and is perfect for a day like today. The dish has fresh oxtail and short ribs and smoked ham hocks. The oxtail and short ribs get browned in a large frying pan with some olive oil, then I transfer to a large turkey pan or other roasting pan. I add course chopped celery, onion and carrots. I add 1 full bottle of red wine, I season with my special blended "Ras El Hanout" which I make with 17 fresh ground spices. (You can order from me if you don't have it in your spice rack) just let me know,it's my best seller and I ship it around the world. I add the ham hocks and enough water to cover the meats and vegetables. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 3 hours on center rack. That's all it takes! Serve with crusty bread and cold beer or Red wine.

One thing that my parents instilled in me growing up is that we don't waste food. Maybe because my father saw first hand the scarcity on food that war causes, I'm sure this was the reason. But I remember we always consumed our leftovers and we never threw them out. My mother was a master at reworking food items that were left over into other amazing and delicious meals, either left over chicken or beef made into some great empanadas or some fritters or even a pizza which was a specialty for her . Sunday I made a three meat red sugo (pasta sauce) and the meats were so good we ate them all but I have plenty of the sauce left over. Today I'm going to make some pork and beef meat balls following my mother's old recipe and once browned up I'm adding them back to the left over sauce which I will simmer for another hour and cook up some fresh pasta and will enjoy this pasta meal for a 2nd time, actually the sauce even taste better after sitting in the fridge a day or two.

I think TX BBQ might be my favorite food. But you have to have a big bottle of Dr. Pepper and a big block of cornbread with it. There is a restaurant called the Salt Lick in Driftwood (near Austin) that has amazing BBQ. Great ribs, sausage and brisket. I've found a few good places up here in the northeast but none of them compare.

Generally, I have pretty simple tastes.

Cold Italian seafood salad.

Antipasto di pesce, l’insalata di mare or antipasto di mare. :)

Toby, anything BBQ is also one of my favorites!

Ricardo, yes! Antipasto di pesce is great I've also become a huge lover of ceviche, and I make my own especially in the summer time, I love to add fresh octopus and conch to mine, a serrano pepper adds just the right amount of heat. This just makes the cold beer go down so good!

This is some interesting conversation and so much diversity. It works well and has a good artistic taste.

Mario,

Last night, had a "skirt steak" which is a new one for me. This is the third time I've grilled one and very good. Need to be very careful to mostly sear both sides,easy to over cook,since it's such a thin cut of meat. Grill needs to be VERY hot. Also new, Dominican Sweet potatoes,baked.These are purple-ish, not orange like regular sweet potatoes.

Rich

Wow, you guys revived this thread on the day I went on a diet LOL. That said, this really is a delicious thread.

Steve, food has that special something that is able to bridge those cultural gaps and differences and bring people together like nothing else I know.

Hey Rich, you just discovered one of my favorite cuts of beef for the grill "ENTRANIA" aka skirt steak, it's great with Argentine "chimichurri sauce" very easy to make. Now if you want to eat it like an Argentine, ask your butcher to not remove the cap or lining of fat the skirt steak has (easier said then done" you probably need to find an Argentine butcher shop, but if you do, I tell you if you try it that way, it creates a crispy skin on the surface of the skirt steak that is amazing! The only think you need to season this fine cut of meat is a coarse salt and throw a generous amount on both sides. Turn your meat over just once, and a hot grill is best.I also use this cut of meat to make my fajitas.

Mary, I came a cross a diet years ago called the "ZONE" diet what I liked about it is that it allowed you to eat all meats and greens you wanted at least for the first couple of days. Lol

Well, I'm concentrating on salads, Mario. I love a good salad. Any kind of salad. I make my own dressing with equal parts balsamic vinegar and light olive oil with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic. I throw every kind of green I can find in there, green onions, half an avocado, carrots, beets, green peppers, and one sweet pickle sliced thin, a tomato and maybe some swiss cheese or turkey meat.

Ok, I have to stop typing now....I've had my limit for the day and this is making me hungry.

My mamma taught me the recipe for a baked stuffed lobster that was soooooo good,...
........that you'd eat the stuffing and push the lobster aside.....mmmmm mmmm good

;-))

Marty, feel free to share it here any time you like! I'm a seafood lover too.