Rob we’re going to need some recipes.
I can’t believe how good that tofu looks. (Nor can I believe I just said that)
Don’t skip the cucumber recipe either.
Catfish tacos.
Thrown together because I had to do some errands after work and got distracted watching basketball. I love the fried jalapeños. My wife expressed some surprise they had a bit of a bite. But she kept eating them.
Did not improvise. A Korean grocery near us has a small assortment of to go food and these are two of what they sell. Always wanted to try to make my own and found a great cookbook, Umma, with the recipe.
https://www.amazon.com/Umma-Korean-Kitchen-Wisdom-Recipes/dp/1954210566/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OK8H5EDNFBLO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MMmWOHGUXsdzmrCGcg6uOuxyKh26-K0okqNzeT1XGf0e9V6TgjE_J42WuLq3Q4oXangQ69pwwKJ7knR6uzmOIEPK8TzPK_pSbJIbnYbpM58heFGCD_PHwK_cSHWBcsWELYlJufKVA2sg5qvujmBY0XZbcMYFX7K-6u79x3VRcd2g9rph0y23RXHuPd8MXRfEQR4YfMjRbmOBrzbck2PtfGmhoOdjAS1I5lpUm2LqD8M.tGiGnfId7WLEvZXaNIBlQBYoZUPWuSyBiaWBBFgob6Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=umma+cookbook&qid=1765129372&sprefix=umma%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-1
Actually very easy to make but it does use a ingredient I had never heard of, plum extract syrup.
Don’t know where this stuff has been all my life but I’m glad I know about it now! Good way to balance out heat in the dishes.
This is the cookbook they are from, for some reason the amazon link above came through crazy.
Highly recommend this book, everything I’ve made from it has been delicious.
This is the tofu recipe.
Cucumber kimchi
Lots of great kimchi and pickle recipes along with Korean classics in here. Both of these get better with a few days on them.
Grilled Filet, whipped Cauliflower and some asparagus.
I had a pear that didn’t want to ripen. Sautéed briefly in some brown butter and then made the classic French Gateau au Jaourt.
My wife pronounced it as a “good dinner.”
this was our lunch on Friday
suitcase import of ventresca tuna, with Rancho Gordo Marcella beans, green beans, cherry tomatoes and vidalia onions. Dressed with moscatel sherry vinegar and olive oil.
I need to get on the Rancho Gordo list. Those look outstanding.
And beans and fish are the best paring and totally under utilized in my opinion.
Last night made the Flannery boneless lamb saddle, sous vide @134 degrees for 3.5 hours, seared on lodge pan (I’m so happy I invested in outdoor burners when I remodeled my outdoor grill area - the amount of smoke from searing something like this is extraordinary), grilled potatoes and broccolini. Tried pairing with 2000 Musar but, alas, it was madeirized, so I opened a '14 Chateau Capbern instead. The fat cap on this lamb saddle is to die for - ALMOST as good as ‘lamb lollipops’
I had that issue with some Bartlett pears recently. They took more than two weeks in a paper bag to reach edibility, which is a pretty low bar. On the other hand, I got some outstanding Comice pears from Fresh Market last week that reminded me what pears can be.
I made great use of this lamb saddle - last night cut up the remaining meat, simmered in a curry sauce. The fat cap was particularly thick in one section so I pulled that off, cooked it a bit to make a snack of ‘lamb belly’, which was decadently incredible…then took the rendered fat and set in the fridge to use for eggs this morning ![]()
I haven’t seen the Comice yet. Hope they appear soon. I like them better than the Bosc but they seem to be a bit of a rarity here.
6th Fish: Halibut with parsnip puree, maitake, watercress, and a sauce of chicken jus infused with ginger, garlic, scallions, and star anise.
We’re getting Comice out west. Also some really nice Concorde. Love them.
If you mean the RG club, there is a waitlist. Not sure how long it takes to get into the club nowadays, but it took me years. But you don’t have to be on the RG club list to buy beans.
Agreed about beans and fish! Tuna and white beans are a classic combination, but other fish (sardines, mackerel, etc.) with beans or lentils are wonderful.
My first German shorthaired pointer was very specific about his pears–only perfectly ripe Forelle pears would do. He would always eat those with enthusiasm, but would not touch any other pear variety, European or Asian.
What are the advantages to being in the RG club? From the website, it appears like it’s mainly about access to their social media community, which doesn’t sound all that special?
The beans are obviously great, even when my favorites are sold out, I’ve never had a ‘dud’ from any of their selections. And quite fairly priced.
I recently bought some Jacob’s Cattle beans from an excellent stand at my local farmers market, $20 per lb. As the farmer put it, his operation is much smaller than RG! I am happy to support him but they will need to be Mind Blowing for me to switch allegiances from RG. Curious to cook them…
The main advantage is getting bean varieties that RG doesn’t have enough of a supply to sell on their main website. You also get free shipping without a minimum order, once per quarter. There is a quarterly town hall meeting during which you can ask questions, and there are often interesting guests.
Some of the best beans I’ve had are those I’ve grown myself.
I collect all the dried pods at the end of the season, shell the dried beans, and make a pot of minestrone with other vegetables from the garden. Freshness makes a big difference.
Supporting local farmers is important too. Dried beans are uncommon offerings at my local markets, though.
















