I Done Been Cookin'*

Earlier today I read Loulou's blog post about pasta with salmon and peas, and decided to make it. As I commented on her post, I probably wasn't going to follow her recipe, but she did inspire me.

On a weird whim, I decided to broadcast my cooking. It's been six months since I've used USTREAM, so I dusted off my login and started a broadcast. Allan helpfully posted a link to my broadcast on Twitter and elsewhere, and pretty soon I had a few viewers. Woo-hoo!

I stopped the broadcast while I was waiting for the pasta water to boil; the salmon and peas and cream were ready to go. Mari was watching, and she asked me to post a photo of the finished product. This is for you, Mari:

Because you can't go wrong with Loulou's recipe, I'll just tell you what I did differently:

• I only used olive oil. (Lexington locals, I buy my olive oil in bulk a refillable bottle at Lexington Seafood on E. High.)
• I used a medium-sized onion instead of shallot, because I had no shallots.
• I used half and half instead of whipping or heavy cream.
• I forgot the chèvre. (And we had some lovely goat "cheddar" from a Ozark Hill Farms, no linky.)
• I used eensy-weensy farfalle instead of little shells.

Something tells me that Loulou's recipe turned out better than mine did. But! I had fun cooking, and it was tasty. And! I made a salad of romaine hearts and homemade vinaigrette.

Here's the recipe for my vinaigrette, with full props to my ex-husband, who taught me how to make it:

1 part dijon mustard
1 part vinegar (red wine, white wine, rice)
2 parts olive oil (or canola oil)

Whisk the mustard and vinegar together in a bowl until homogeneous. Add sea salt to taste, and blend. Add olive oil drop by drop, then in a thin stream, whisking the entire time (pretend you're making mayonnaise) until the oil is incorporated into the mustard/vinegar. Taste, and add more oil or vinegar if needed. Add a few grinds of pepper to taste, and mix. Drizzle onto salads, steamed vegetables, avocados, or whatever strikes your fancy.

So. Mmmm, yeah. Bon ap! Next time I broadcast my cooking, I'll storyboard it (okay, maybe not) and record it so I can post a link here.

*It's not as if I never cook. I just don't blog about it.

Comments

[Heather]

Hey, that looks really good! I done been droolin'.

[The CEO]

I added 1/3 part red wine, 1/3 part white wine and 1/3 part rice, but it didn't make vinegar. Adding mustard and olive oil didn't help. Where did I go wrong? Did I forget to sat the magic words in Fronch?

[Aly]

Hmmm, interesting...I learned to make that exact same salad dressing from MY ex. I guess French men think alike, n'est-ce pas?

Btw, I have never found a dijon that tasted right in that dressing--any suggestions?

[Margaret]

It not only sounds delicious, it looks "purty."

[Betty C.]

I agree, Loulou's recipes are the best. But I'm always fiddling with ALL recipes -- your approach to a recipe sounds a lot like mine. And this year, there haven't even been many recipes used in my kitchen at all. We've still eaten some pretty good food, though.

[Loulou]

You done cooked a fine lookin' dish ma'am! Glad you enjoyed the dish and I love that you did your own thing with it.

[cassie-b]

I read her recipe a day or two ago and have copied into my cookbook. It looks so good. I may make a few changes too.

[Mari Adkins]

I'm going to sit here and cry. That just looks so good! I can't have fish. :( I could make that for preston, though, if he'd let me.

[Elisabeth]

Looks delicious, and I may make it too. You make vinaigrette exactly the same way that I make mine!

[Bucket Trucks]

Wow...really nice.