Cooking And Eating....“Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es”

late at night, I treated myself to a sugary Elvis Dessert of spongecake, marinated in booze, floating on waves of whipped cream.....and a Cheshire Cat pot of 'not sweet' tumeric and gunpowder tea....

Sliced pork tenderloin, marinated overnight in cognac, Worcestershire sauce, ground peppers, chopped garlic, & salt brine..... fat-rendered and cooked over a hot flame in an iron-skillet, brushed with avocado oil..... served over a flat, oil-cured tomato, flamed in the cognac, then left to soak up the pan leavings.......sprinkled with chopped, dried cilantro leaves and crowned with non-pareille green capers, pickled in vinegar. TRIAL #2: with a prune and a condiment mix  of 17 Turkish spices, ground in a pepper mill & Golden Whisk Kitchen's Garlic 'N' Spice in a jar.. and pan-scrapings........ FINISHED... pièce de résistance: Destined for a 6-course 'small plates' French supper....to consume, while watching, and critiquing, Masterchef, this evening..... Make that "4"....   The ' Final  'leftover' ......with toasted sesame whole wheat pasta and South Indian Madras pickles........

 

then, piled atop a wooden bowlful of long-grain basmanti rice, cooked  in coconut milk, with tumeric powder, chopped green onions, sun-dried tomatos and dried cilantro & parsley leaves......with mango chutney and Nepalese sea salt, crispy onions, white sesame seeds, pearl barley and apple jelly.   Later, I warmed up the peppery Kung Pao...after dabbling it with blackberry  preserves and fresh, sliced scallion greens, a few drops of 'Bee Sting' Prik Ki Nu & a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice....and served it from a more colorful bowl, wherein it appeared more vibrant.....         For the bold....how about a spoonful of sweet burn to trickle and dribble, just before serving!   

The Cockscomb, now heavy with flowering, is beginning to droop from the weight of its blossoming.....for who knows what reasons, if any, I've never eaten Cockscomb flowers or leaves or roots......So, I harvested a drooping 'comb' for some culinary experimentation this afternoon......The flowers can be dried, of course, and utilized ...decoratively......all year round.. NOT THESE ROOSTER "COCKSCOMBS" THAT ARE POPULAR IN THE ORIENT........ But the Mawal f lower/cockscomb , which is primarily grown for ornamental purposes, in America; however, some cultures incorporate its young leaves and tender shoots into culinary dishes. In more exotic lands, these 'parts' are used in salads, soups, or stir-fries, offering a mild, spinach-like flavor. [It’s important to note that not all varieties of cockscomb are edible. Always ensure you have a safe and edible variety if considering culinary use.] https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2r4pSyvCur/