What is your signature dish. Your go to for dinner parties or special occasions?

Murrmurr said:
Depends on the occasion.
Click to expand...
Same here, but not only the occasion, but who's coming.

My closest friends request soup, I am told I make a mean Pasta Fagioli as well as green pea & ham soup and Bacon & Potato soup. My son requests "red soup", which is really beef vegetable soup. I always removed the beef and put the veggies in the blender or else the kids would not eat them. Hence "red soup"

Others request Italian Beef, pot roast, marinated pork tenderloin. I am going to try @Jules tenderloin medallions, that looks great.

Holidays is always a roast. Either ham, turkey, pork. As well as lasagna.
 

Kika said:
Same here, but not only the occasion, but who's coming.

My closest friends request soup, I am told I make a mean Pasta Fagioli as well as green pea & ham soup and Bacon & Potato soup. My son requests "red soup", which is really beef vegetable soup. I always removed the beef and put the veggies in the blender or else the kids would not eat them. Hence "red soup"

Others request Italian Beef, pot roast, marinated pork tenderloin. I am going to try @Jules tenderloin medallions, that looks great.

Holidays is always a roast. Either ham, turkey, pork. As well as lasagna.
Click to expand...
I love every dish you mentioned but I've never made most of them. I tried cooking a pot roast once but it turned out kind of tough and not very flavorful. a) I'm not very good at selecting choice meat cuts. I always left that to the butcher, but not many stores let you consult with them these days, if they even have a butcher. b) I cooked it in the oven and I think you're not supposed to do that.

When I cook meat outdoors it always turns out perfect! Getting it right in the kitchen (for me) takes more intuitiveness and focus. With an open fire, I can literally see how much heat it's generating, how intense it is, when it peaks, when it wanes, where the hotspots are, etc. Ovens keep all that a mystery and stoves tops are inconsistent, and it varies from stove to stove and with changes in altitude.

When my first wife and I separated, my mom gave me a crash-course in cooking. She taught all of us the classic basics when we were kids, but I didn't think I really needed to pay attention. So I didn't.
 

Murrmurr said:
I tried cooking a pot roast once but it turned out kind of tough and not very flavorful.
Click to expand...
If you ever want to try it again, try this one. It came from a McCormick's Spices of the World cookbook that came out in the mid 60s. My brother-in-law worked for McCormick at that time, and I was gifted a copy of it.

Pot Roast aux Herbes
1 4-pound boneless chuck 1 teaspoon Oregano Leaves
or rump roast of beef 1/2 teaspoon Marjoram Leaves
2 tablespoons flour 2 Bay Leaves
5 teaspoons Bon Appetit 3 Whole Allspice
1 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper 1/4 teaspoon MSG
1/2 teaspoon Ground Mustard 2 teaspoons Real Beef Base
2 tablespoons Shortening 1 cup water
1 piece whole Ginger

Dredge roast with mixture of flour, Bon Appetit, pepper and mustard. Brown on all sides in hot shortening in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until tender. If desired, add small white onions, potatoes, celery and carrots during the last 45 minutes of cooking. Serves 6-8.

I use Rump roast or bottom round. Chuck roast is too fatty.

EDIT: I tried to fix the formatting on this, but it just keeps reverting back to what it is now.....sorry.
 
Kika said:
If you ever want to try it again, try this one. It came from a McCormick's Spices of the World cookbook that came out in the mid 60s. My brother-in-law worked for McCormick at that time, and I was gifted a copy of it.

Pot Roast aux Herbes
1 4-pound boneless chuck 1 teaspoon Oregano Leaves
or rump roast of beef 1/2 teaspoon Marjoram Leaves
2 tablespoons flour 2 Bay Leaves
5 teaspoons Bon Appetit 3 Whole Allspice
1 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper 1/4 teaspoon MSG
1/2 teaspoon Ground Mustard 2 teaspoons Real Beef Base
2 tablespoons Shortening 1 cup water
1 piece whole Ginger

Dredge roast with mixture of flour, Bon Appetit, pepper and mustard. Brown on all sides in hot shortening in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until tender. If desired, add small white onions, potatoes, celery and carrots during the last 45 minutes of cooking. Serves 6-8.

I use Rump roast or bottom round. Chuck roast is too fatty.

EDIT: I tried to fix the formatting on this, but it just keeps reverting back to what it is now.....sorry.
Click to expand...
Cool. Thanks!

I didn't know allspice was a kernel (I looked it up). I always buy ground, so I've always thought it was a blend of spices (like, all of them 🤪)
 
In winter, a typical company/holiday dinner would be: butternut squash bisque, followed by bone-in center cut pork loin roast with sun-dried cherry sauce, stuffed mushroom casserole, scalloped potatoes, and fennel, red onion, mandarin orange, and oil-cured olive salad. Dessert would probably be a flourless chocolate torte with raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream.

In summer, a casual dinner with friends: Spaghetti and clams in white wine and herb sauce, spinach salad with bacon, grapes, and blue cheese... and for dessert, homemade ice cream, sherbet, or panna cotta with fresh fruit coulis.

Bella ✌️
 
Kika said:
5 teaspoons Bon Appetit
Click to expand...
Is there a substitute. I’ll look for this but am certain we don’t have it our grocery stores. This is why I have a cupboard full of spices - everything recipe I like I head out to find the ingredients.
 
Jules said:
Is there a substitute. I’ll look for this but am certain we don’t have it our grocery stores. This is why I have a cupboard full of spices - everything recipe I like I head out to find the ingredients.
Click to expand...
I think it was a spice blend.

iu


This is at Amazon
 
Last edited:
Looked up Bon Appetit.
This mild blend of seasonings with a warm celery note is the perfect complement to poultry and salads. Its lighter color is ideal for seafood, white sauces and potatoes.
Click to expand...
seems like a celery salt might be a substitute.
 
Thanks for the link @Kika. That’s simple and I have both ingredients so wouldn’t have to buy another bottle.

Years ago their was a recipe that included Adobo Spice. A friend had tried a substitute and said it didn’t work. I couldn’t find it anywhere, including a specialty store in San Diego. Came home, looked up on a shelf in Walmart and there it was for about $3.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top