Woman On Top...

Working out my sidecar recipe with some very good Calvados, really good orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice (I also throw in some bitters and a maraschino cherry instead of a lemon twist), while the constant companion tries to race ahead in our meaningless yet simultaneously furious battle to see who can outcook the other-tonight it was whole roasted cauliflower, sauteed spinach with garlic, and tuna steaks.









The cauliflower was partially steamed then got a sprinkling of toasted bread crumbs, parmiggiano reggiano, and some pats of butter, then thrown under the broiler to crisp.











The tuna was quickly oven-roasted in a covered pan in soy and sesame oil, and then finished on the top of the stove in a heavy cast-iron pan, which flash-caramelizes the outside of the steaks. It also allows for the tuna to get crisped in some sesame oil to crunch up the exterior, and then that final glob of tamarind paste for some extra zing (you always need an unexpected ingredient if you want to come out on top-and that tamarind paste, which I had bought, incidentally, came from WAY back in the cupboard). Great taste and texture combos, with the salty/sour crisped tuna, the mellow cauliflower, and the subtle spinach. And she moves ahead...





The Cauliflower was smoking...

Gee I Can't Wait To Spend My Excess Entertainment Dollars This Summer...Oh Wait, I Don't Have Any...

Duck's Blood For Lunch...

The former hole-in-the-wall Full Kee takes credit cards now, and the big-ass wall menus that used to list specials only in Chinese characters now are translated into English (although duck stuffed with shrimp paste probably sounds better in another language-however, it's rich taste transcends language barriers); and the Hong Kong-style Noodles and Shrimp Dumplings seemed to have a different, less light and mouth-watering dumpling, perhaps mistakenly changed for downtown diners' palates; and the soy chicken was juicy but kind of fatty.

Stars were the chive flowers sauteed with garlic-crunchy and very oniony, with the garlic overtones of the chives brought out by the sliced, stir-fried garlic cloves (duh). And of course the sauteed duck blood with ginger and scallions, a homey dish that will remind you of mom's cooking (someone's mom, probably not your own), in that it has a smooth, almost foie-like texture and taste, but it's singularity is of blood, not liver, although if liver were...well maybe I already said it. Mom's liver but it tastes sweet and mousse-like, with a lot of crunchy scallions, onions, and ginger.

A classic preparation, in a joint that used to be (and for all I know still is) frequented late-night by the top chefs in DC-including the late Jean-Louis Palladin, who once remarked that the pig's knuckle at Full Kee was as delicate and rich as any french charcuterie he had ever tasted. They also do an amazing pig's skin & turnips, marinated pig's intestine, and the all-time favorite, Marinated "Assortments". Parts so evil that their names must remain unspoken. I think of the chefs that used to haunt this place, and I hope that the owners of Full Kee will continue to keep up the standards they've established over their more than twenty years. Because, let's face it, under the skin, we all have the blood in common. Shout-out to waitress Kyu. Kyu!



Hong Kong Style Shrimp Dumplings and Noodle Soup


Chive Flowers Sauteed in Garlic


Half a Soy Chicken (Us-That looks like a lot-is that a half? Kyu-It was a big chicken.)



The blood from a duck...made into glorious food for humans. Thank you.

Pork tacos...

...IT WAS INEVITABLE http://dailycocaine.blogspot.com/2008/07/dinner-battleswoman-versus-manwoman.html ....Leftover pork (god yes), fat scallions, Mexican white cheese, sriracha sauce, cruncy/tart tomatillos, AND tomatoes...cilantro, and black beans cooked with imaginary smoked pork neck bones. Feed me, Charlie...