Dinner and the Steelers
I am a fan of Alton Brown and his television show, Good Eats. Alton likes to cook fairly simple straightforward but flavorful food, and he always discusses the science behind cooking. As a scientist this appeals to me. I have watched the show for over a year now and recently tried to use some of his tricks. This summer I brined pork chops before grilling them. They are quite good, flavorful and moist, even when fully cooked.
My wife has recently returned to work and without any discussion I jumped in and took over the cooking. I have cooked everyday that I was in town since she started work. I figured it was better to jump in and contribute in the way I chose rather than wait and being asked to something less appealing.
In addition to the brined pork chops, I have learned to blanch vegetables, and we have had fresh green beans at least once a week this summer. I have marinade a London Broil before grilling, and it was a real improvement. I have made quesadillas which my friends have called Mexican grilled cheese, but I did have chicken in it, which had been seasoned with cumin and lime. I am working on meatloaf. I have the flavor right, but I need to work on the texture.
Today while watching the Steelers lose to the Ravens, I have been making a brisket braised in red wine with garlic roasted potatoes, glazed carrots, and rolls. The garlic roasted potatoes recipe is from Cooking for Engineers, which has a similar sensibility to Good Eats.
Dinner was well received by the family, but cleanup was a chore. Everyone else was busy tonight, and I had clean up by myself.