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What is/was for dinner?
- Thread starter Gutwrench
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After mulling things over for a while I finally went with shrimp, but this time no rice, just a salad as accompaniment, and I dipped the shrimp in cocktail sauce so it was more or less like an oversized shrimp cocktail..... Mmmm....delicious!
Sounds delicious.
When (a lot) younger, I hadn't realised that "cocktail sauce" is actually quite easy to prepare, and I have always loved shrimp, or prawn, cocktail.
I love cocktail sauce: lots of horseradish, lots of tomato (usually in the form of Ketchup if one has it on hand)....a bit of Worcestershire, a squirt of lemon, a hint of garlic and a little dash of Tabasco sauce.... I tend to lean more in the direction of a generous squirt of lemon juice and more than just a mere hint of garlic and go heavier on the Worcestershire and lighter on the Tabasco.
Sea salt (ground), and (freshly ground) black pepper, and mayonnaise (a good quality mayo) - rather than horseradish (though, personally, as I haven't come across this version - but, would be more than partial to it, knowing my own preferences and proclivities - this is something I must try out - I do have excellent horseradish to hand) is more the norm in the versions of this prepared in the UK and Ireland, though, as I endlessly experiment and tweak with this recipe, I am open to suggestions on how it may best be improved.
I’ve always been in love with cocktail sauce, hmm, that horseradish. Today we had some crab legs and corn, fairly simple. For that , melted butter.
Tonight's dinner is a sort of unique and special New Year's meal best known in the Southern US, but I am not from the South at all. The meal is called "Hoppin' John" which is traditionally prepared and served on New Year's Day, and it is supposed to bring good luck for the just-beginning new year.
Black-Eyed Peas are a key feature of this dish, along with rice and various other ingredients. I like to put together my own version since some of the traditional ingredients don't appeal to me but I do really like those Black-Eyed Peas!
Black-Eyed Peas are a key feature of this dish, along with rice and various other ingredients. I like to put together my own version since some of the traditional ingredients don't appeal to me but I do really like those Black-Eyed Peas!
Roast Lamb, Roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, vegetables and gravy.
.. for our New Year's day dinner .... made from scratch meatloaf, served w/baked potato, and homemade apple sauce w/Mandarin orange pieces & topped w/natural yogurt. For dessert - store-bought holiday fruit cake w/a topping of yogurt and slice of Gouda cheese on the side.
.. a sort of repeat performance dinner yesterday -- more meatloaf w/mashed potato, and a few veggies warmed up with the loaf, and more homemade apple sauce w/Mandarin orange, celery sticks, and topped with yogurt .. and the same dessert as the other day. Heh, when it works, why not, eh!! Much-enjoyed.
![unnamed-3.jpg]( "unnamed-3.jpg")
Five days ago I didn't know what "congee" was; yesterday I made some:
![congee.jpg]( "congee.jpg")
Basically it's rice porridge. You simmer one part long-grain rice in 4 to 9 parts water or broth, for about an hour; the rice disintegrates and you have a blank canvas to add any toppings you want. The above mess had shrimp, fried garlic and black pepper stirred in, and then topped with a jammy egg, fried shallots, kimchee, chili crisp and soy sauce.
Takes longer to cook than standard rice or noodles, but the timing is much more relaxed (as compared to, say, boiling noodles to go into a stir-fry), and it's very filling. This will be a go-to winter dish for me.
Basically it's rice porridge. You simmer one part long-grain rice in 4 to 9 parts water or broth, for about an hour; the rice disintegrates and you have a blank canvas to add any toppings you want. The above mess had shrimp, fried garlic and black pepper stirred in, and then topped with a jammy egg, fried shallots, kimchee, chili crisp and soy sauce.
Takes longer to cook than standard rice or noodles, but the timing is much more relaxed (as compared to, say, boiling noodles to go into a stir-fry), and it's very filling. This will be a go-to winter dish for me.
I made a pan fried steak, garlic butter and rice, turnip greens and Mac and cheese
![IMG_0812.jpeg]( "IMG_0812.jpeg")
Pork fillet (pork tenderloin), sautéed in a little olive oil and a lot of salted butter, served with sautéed cooking apples (in butter and brown sugar), in a sauce of the aforementioned apples (returned to the sauce once everything was almost ready), diced sautéed guanciale, diced (and sautéed and softened) onion, minced garlic (six fat cloves), a few sprigs of thyme, a couple of generous glugs of white wine (cooked down), a little stock (from the potato cooking liquid), a few ladles of double cream, and a few tablespoons of crème fraîche.
Served with roasted potatoes and onions: The potatoes had been parboiled first, (their stock was retained), and the parboiled potatoes were then added to a roasting tin that had been drizzled with olive oil, on which several sprigs of thyme had been laid; sautéed onions - softened and just coloured - were laid on top of of the olive oil and thyme, and the parboiled potatoes - seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and anointed, generously, with olive oil - were scooped out of their saucepan with a slotted spoon and placed on top of the thyme and sautéed onions.
That lot spent the best part of an hour in a preheated oven, until nice and crisp.
The dish was roughly based on a Hairy Bikers recipe, and was exceptionally tasty.
Served with roasted potatoes and onions: The potatoes had been parboiled first, (their stock was retained), and the parboiled potatoes were then added to a roasting tin that had been drizzled with olive oil, on which several sprigs of thyme had been laid; sautéed onions - softened and just coloured - were laid on top of of the olive oil and thyme, and the parboiled potatoes - seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and anointed, generously, with olive oil - were scooped out of their saucepan with a slotted spoon and placed on top of the thyme and sautéed onions.
That lot spent the best part of an hour in a preheated oven, until nice and crisp.
The dish was roughly based on a Hairy Bikers recipe, and was exceptionally tasty.
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I watched the relevant Hairy Bikers video several times (it occurs during a trip to Normandy, and is a homage to apples, including cider and calvados).
Now, today, I realised that I had no cider, hardly any Calvados, but did have plenty of white wine: Tweak one (as their dish used cider). I used white wine (the remnants of a bottle of French Chardonnay, from the Pays d'Oc), instead.
Tweak two was when it struck me that their video (thoroughly enjoyable though it is) involves three experienced chefs (both Hairy Bikers, - who are manifestly not posh, plus someone who goes by the name of James, who is clearly a posh friend), working briskly - and simultaneously - together to bring the dish to the table.
I didn't have two sous-chefs; since the carer headed off to care for others (since the death of my mother), I haven't even had one sous-chef.
Thus, rather than preparing the potatoes simultaneously (James actually panfries them, and they do look delicious), I thought to prepare them separately, and earlier, as juggling that amount of stuff struck me as the opposite of relaxed cooking, which is what I was after.
And, tweak three: As always: The times the video suggests are......wholly unrealistic; I gave myself a very relaxed hour and a half, perhaps a little more, finally sitting au table at around 9.30 (21.30); then, again, I do like to dine late.
Tweak four: The diced lardons (I used guanciale) went in with the pork fillet, rather than with the potatoes.
Thus: Step/Stage one: Potatoes: Peeled and cut into large - very large - chunks, and parboiled in boiling water, to which I added a chicken stock cube; as I intended to use some of this stock liquid later, I thought to ensure that it was gloriously flavoursome. These were cooked until tender to the point of a knife.
In a separate sauté pan, two sliced onions were sautéed (in olive oil) until soft and beginning to colour.
In the original video, James had added diced lardons to the potatoes; I decided that it would suit my needs better to sauté it (guanciale, rather than pancetta, because that is what I have) with the pork medallions.
In a roasting dish, olive oil was drizzled over the bottom of the dish, and a few generous sprigs of thyme added; the onions were scooped from the sauté pan, and layered over the thyme; next, the parboiled potatoes were added, (slotted spoon the means of transport), seasoned (sea salt and black pepper) and drizzled (generously) with olive oil; that lot were then - not quite shoved - but placed in a preheated oven, around 180C, which was progressively lowered (down to under 150C) over the course of the following hour and a quarter/half.
The potatoes were absolutely delicious, though I say so, myself.
Next, according to the Hairy Bikers, was the preparation of the apples; peeled, attempts at coring, - I ended up chopping them roughly, in large pieces. The Hairy Bikers were not bothered as to the variety of apple; I used cooking apples, because that is all I have, and I love their tart flavour.
They went into the onion sauté pan, to which I added a little olive oil, a lot of French salted butter, and a generous quantity (as per the video) of organic brown sugar.
This was a revelation: Normally, I would roast apples (and that is also very successful), but this - the pan ended up playing host to an astonishing liquid that was almost toffee-like. (And hot, yes; I did remember that sugar can become incredibly hot).
The apples (and their incredible sauce) were removed to a separate dish, and the pan readied for further action.
Once again, olive oil, and butter (butter, in generous quantities); then an onion, one that had been sliced, was added, and allowed soften; next in, some diced guanciale, which was also allowed soften, then, the minced garlic (six fat cloves, even I - and I am a garlic lover - felt that the dish really didn't need any more than that) was added to the pan.
When they had all softened down, the sliced pork fillet (tenderloin) was added (which had been out of the fridge, to allow it to reach room temperature, for the previous hour or so); before it went into the pan, I had sliced it into thick medallions.
I didn't season the pork medallions, but followed the principles that I follow for fillet of steak - (and the Hairy Bikers on their video had stressed that "you don't want pork fillet cooking too long and getting tough"; I agree), - which I like rare - and cooked it very briefly on both sides, (testing and tasting).
The pork was then removed from the pan, placed in a small dish, and allowed to rest, while I got on with the sauce.
Wine (a few generous glugs) was added, reduced, the alcohol boiled off, whereupon a few ladles of potato stock were next added, and reduced, as were a few sprigs of thyme.
Following that, a few tablespoons of crème fraîche and double cream were both also added, and stirred, the heat on the pan lowered, and reduced. The apples (and their amazing toffee sauce), were returned to the pan, as were the pork fillet medallions.
Fresh herbs were advised (I didn't have any; it is winter, the farmers' market is rather bare this time of year - though I shall hunt out fresh herbs tomorrow when I pay it a fleeting visit), but dinner was absolutely delicious.
I will certainly treat myself to that particular recipe again.
Now, today, I realised that I had no cider, hardly any Calvados, but did have plenty of white wine: Tweak one (as their dish used cider). I used white wine (the remnants of a bottle of French Chardonnay, from the Pays d'Oc), instead.
Tweak two was when it struck me that their video (thoroughly enjoyable though it is) involves three experienced chefs (both Hairy Bikers, - who are manifestly not posh, plus someone who goes by the name of James, who is clearly a posh friend), working briskly - and simultaneously - together to bring the dish to the table.
I didn't have two sous-chefs; since the carer headed off to care for others (since the death of my mother), I haven't even had one sous-chef.
Thus, rather than preparing the potatoes simultaneously (James actually panfries them, and they do look delicious), I thought to prepare them separately, and earlier, as juggling that amount of stuff struck me as the opposite of relaxed cooking, which is what I was after.
And, tweak three: As always: The times the video suggests are......wholly unrealistic; I gave myself a very relaxed hour and a half, perhaps a little more, finally sitting au table at around 9.30 (21.30); then, again, I do like to dine late.
Tweak four: The diced lardons (I used guanciale) went in with the pork fillet, rather than with the potatoes.
Thus: Step/Stage one: Potatoes: Peeled and cut into large - very large - chunks, and parboiled in boiling water, to which I added a chicken stock cube; as I intended to use some of this stock liquid later, I thought to ensure that it was gloriously flavoursome. These were cooked until tender to the point of a knife.
In a separate sauté pan, two sliced onions were sautéed (in olive oil) until soft and beginning to colour.
In the original video, James had added diced lardons to the potatoes; I decided that it would suit my needs better to sauté it (guanciale, rather than pancetta, because that is what I have) with the pork medallions.
In a roasting dish, olive oil was drizzled over the bottom of the dish, and a few generous sprigs of thyme added; the onions were scooped from the sauté pan, and layered over the thyme; next, the parboiled potatoes were added, (slotted spoon the means of transport), seasoned (sea salt and black pepper) and drizzled (generously) with olive oil; that lot were then - not quite shoved - but placed in a preheated oven, around 180C, which was progressively lowered (down to under 150C) over the course of the following hour and a quarter/half.
The potatoes were absolutely delicious, though I say so, myself.
Next, according to the Hairy Bikers, was the preparation of the apples; peeled, attempts at coring, - I ended up chopping them roughly, in large pieces. The Hairy Bikers were not bothered as to the variety of apple; I used cooking apples, because that is all I have, and I love their tart flavour.
They went into the onion sauté pan, to which I added a little olive oil, a lot of French salted butter, and a generous quantity (as per the video) of organic brown sugar.
This was a revelation: Normally, I would roast apples (and that is also very successful), but this - the pan ended up playing host to an astonishing liquid that was almost toffee-like. (And hot, yes; I did remember that sugar can become incredibly hot).
The apples (and their incredible sauce) were removed to a separate dish, and the pan readied for further action.
Once again, olive oil, and butter (butter, in generous quantities); then an onion, one that had been sliced, was added, and allowed soften; next in, some diced guanciale, which was also allowed soften, then, the minced garlic (six fat cloves, even I - and I am a garlic lover - felt that the dish really didn't need any more than that) was added to the pan.
When they had all softened down, the sliced pork fillet (tenderloin) was added (which had been out of the fridge, to allow it to reach room temperature, for the previous hour or so); before it went into the pan, I had sliced it into thick medallions.
I didn't season the pork medallions, but followed the principles that I follow for fillet of steak - (and the Hairy Bikers on their video had stressed that "you don't want pork fillet cooking too long and getting tough"; I agree), - which I like rare - and cooked it very briefly on both sides, (testing and tasting).
The pork was then removed from the pan, placed in a small dish, and allowed to rest, while I got on with the sauce.
Wine (a few generous glugs) was added, reduced, the alcohol boiled off, whereupon a few ladles of potato stock were next added, and reduced, as were a few sprigs of thyme.
Following that, a few tablespoons of crème fraîche and double cream were both also added, and stirred, the heat on the pan lowered, and reduced. The apples (and their amazing toffee sauce), were returned to the pan, as were the pork fillet medallions.
Fresh herbs were advised (I didn't have any; it is winter, the farmers' market is rather bare this time of year - though I shall hunt out fresh herbs tomorrow when I pay it a fleeting visit), but dinner was absolutely delicious.
I will certainly treat myself to that particular recipe again.
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Dinner took the form of: Sautéed medallions of pork fillet (tenderloin), sautéed in butter, generous quantities of butter, and a little olive oil, and all the while spooning the buttery sauté sauce over the medallions of pork, while it was sautéed.
This was accompanied by homemade satay sauce (which comprised peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, Thai fish sauce, coconut milk, freshly squeezed lime juice, ground coriander, and chilli flakes), and Sunomono, (Japanese cucumber salad, which comprised cucumber, peeled with the seeds scooped out, that has been salted, and then drained, before being dressed with a dressing comprised of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and a little soy sauce), and served with sautéed potatoes.
This was accompanied by homemade satay sauce (which comprised peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, Thai fish sauce, coconut milk, freshly squeezed lime juice, ground coriander, and chilli flakes), and Sunomono, (Japanese cucumber salad, which comprised cucumber, peeled with the seeds scooped out, that has been salted, and then drained, before being dressed with a dressing comprised of rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and a little soy sauce), and served with sautéed potatoes.
I got a meat grinder for Xmas, and took my first swing at making my own ground beef.
Got a choice chuck roast, that was heavily marbled, and did some experiments with my grind. I made one burger coarse, one medium grind, and one that was made nearly 50% of thick cut bacon.
I prefer the medium grind. The coarse was very beefy, and the bacon one was over the top savory, but the medium was a very pleasant quintessential burger.
Made the patties into smash burgers on my flat top griddle, with brioche buns, and American cheese.
Hands down the best burger I personally have ever made, and getting up there with the best buger joints in my city.
Looking forward to my next grind adding in short rib, and brisket, but even just chuck is a huge leap in quality over the store bough ground beef.
![259ffd252e57e38d86dde15a20b6d825.jpg]()
![8953dc4b1bade11d8ed19271c2984cb7.jpg]()
![cb1ed4a67dd67ae699decdf20a9d29aa.jpg]()
![5be4fe1a2cebe0a405dc32e802d960fb.jpg]()
![b326f1e0c3025395c888290871626bd1.jpg]()
![60dec6e5f359ba8f9eff5353def91bbe.jpg]()
Got a choice chuck roast, that was heavily marbled, and did some experiments with my grind. I made one burger coarse, one medium grind, and one that was made nearly 50% of thick cut bacon.
I prefer the medium grind. The coarse was very beefy, and the bacon one was over the top savory, but the medium was a very pleasant quintessential burger.
Made the patties into smash burgers on my flat top griddle, with brioche buns, and American cheese.
Hands down the best burger I personally have ever made, and getting up there with the best buger joints in my city.
Looking forward to my next grind adding in short rib, and brisket, but even just chuck is a huge leap in quality over the store bough ground beef.
That sounds as though it was a terrific present, glad you're enjoying it, and the burgers look absolutely delicious.I got a meat grinder for Xmas, and took my first swing at making my own ground beef.
Got a choice chuck roast, that was heavily marbled, and did some experiments with my grind. I made one burger coarse, one medium grind, and one that was made nearly 50% of thick cut bacon.
I prefer the medium grind. The coarse was very beefy, and the bacon one was over the top savory, but the medium was a very pleasant quintessential burger.
Made the patties into smash burgers on my flat top griddle, with brioche buns, and American cheese.
Hands down the best burger I personally have ever made, and getting up there with the best buger joints in my city.
Looking forward to my next grind adding in short rib, and brisket, but even just chuck is a huge leap in quality over the store bough ground beef.
![259ffd252e57e38d86dde15a20b6d825.jpg]()
![8953dc4b1bade11d8ed19271c2984cb7.jpg]()
![cb1ed4a67dd67ae699decdf20a9d29aa.jpg]()
![5be4fe1a2cebe0a405dc32e802d960fb.jpg]()
![b326f1e0c3025395c888290871626bd1.jpg]()
![60dec6e5f359ba8f9eff5353def91bbe.jpg]()
Tonight, I prepared a pasta sauce from a variety of (left over) cheese: Some Roquefort, some Bleu d'Auvergne, some (freshly) grated Pecorino and (freshly) grated ancient Parmigiano Reggiano, and the remains of some Trappist cheese, - were all melted over a very low heat - to which was added a little double cream, and some of the (wonderfully starchy), pasta cooking liquid.
Rather tasty.
Rather tasty.
Dinner this evening took the form of homemade Pasta Carbonara: This comprised a mere six ingredients: Guanciale (diced), egg yolks (free range, organic eggs), freshly grated Pecorino Romano, freshly ground black pepper, pasta, and pasta cooking liquid.
Rather tasty.
Rather tasty.
Hotdog + drink from Costco (ohh yes) Chicken Jalfrezi + long grain rice from Costco (ohh yes)
Later on I might keep it simple and have soup with 2 slices of bread and butter (tasty)
![20231006_173838.jpg]( "20231006_173838.jpg")
![20231006_131440.jpg]( "20231006_131440.jpg")
![20231006_131445.jpg]( "20231006_131445.jpg")
Later on I might keep it simple and have soup with 2 slices of bread and butter (tasty)
.. yesterday's dinner -- some reheated (previously frozen) cooked ham w/couscous + veggies, and freshly-made apple sauce, topped w/plain yogurt.
![unnamed.jpg]( "unnamed.jpg")
Herewith my Pasta Carbonara recipe from yesterday:
Pasta Carbonara strikes me as one of those meals that just somehow works better as a late, late, late, night dish: I didn't even start the prep until 20.15, and sat down to dine well after 21.00.
Anyway, yesterday, I reminded myself that, these days, I live alone, and, as I love to dine late sometimes, why not indulge myself, as nobody here is demanding an early dinner.
So, Pasta Carbonara:
The ingredients for this dish are quite simple, and there aren't all that many of them, but, as with any supposedly "simple" dish, this means that it stands or falls on the quality of the ingredients.
The ingredients are: Pasta (preferably one of the long strand types, such as spaghetti, or tagliatelle, but any good quality pasta will suffice; last night, as it happened, for example, I used orecchiette); eggs (actually, egg yolks - and here, the quality of the eggs do matter; preferably free range, as they taste far better); guanciale (pig cheek); at a push, pancetta - or, any other bacon - will do fine, but guanciale is better; and Pecorino Romano (rather than Parmigiano Reggiano); some recipes call for a 50/50 mix of both, if you only have Parmigiano Reggiano that is fine, but the original recipe calls for Pecorino Romano.
And black pepper. This is a dish that calls for a generous hand with freshly ground black pepper.
Slice and dice the guanciale (remove the rind, and the peppered coating - just slice them off and discard them, or retain them for soups, or stocks), then add the diced guanciale to a large sauté pan, on a low heat. A very generous, a seriously large chunk of guanciale is what I have in mind; be generous, for this lovely bacon will add a wonderful flavour to your finished pasta dish.
To start, I added a little olive oil to the pan - most Italians do not even do this, as the fat of the guanciale will be rendered - to start them off; they will become translucent, and eventually, a little crisp.
Heat the pasta water; for once, you will not need to salt it, as the Pecorino (or Parmesan) cheese will make the sauce quite sufficiently salty, - as, for that matter, will the glorious guanciale - and cook the pasta - paying attention to how long it will take to cook - according to the instructions on the packet. However, on this occasion, I did, in fact, salt my pasta water.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (roughly one egg yolk per 100g of pasta, although you can be more generous), and add them to a bowl; I used three egg yolks (organic, free range, but they were very small), and one whole egg; whisk them with a hand whisk, or a fork.
Do not buy cheese already grated, it will not be fresh and it will taste of nothing; instead, buy a hunk, and grate it yourself.
When I had the cheese grated, most of it (in two batches) was added to the already whisked eggs, and stirred and whisked. Add some freshly ground black pepper.
If this mix is too claggy, too solid, one can dilute it a little with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (which I did this evening); also, - although the purists will howl - should you feel the need for cream, this is when and where you can add it; as with the pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons/dessertspoons of (double) cream should suffice. You want the egg/cheese mix to be neither runny nor solid.
Turn off the heat for both the pasta and the guanciale in its sauté pan. This is because you do not want the egg mixture to become scrambled eggs once it has been added to the pan.
Remove (and reserve) around half a mug of pasta cooking water; drain the pasta, and add it to the pan. Actually, I didn't drain the pasta; instead, I simply scooped it out with a very large slotted spoon, and transferred it to the sauté pan, retaining that wonderfully starchy pasta cooking liquid for when it would be needed.
Stir the pasta, coat it with the guanciale (and, above all, that lovely bacon fat that has rendered into the cooking liquid); add a few tablespoons of the gloriously starchy pasta cooking liquid to it and stir and mix and marry.
Now, you pour in - slowly - the egg and cheese mix, on top of the pasta; stir around, blend, mix and meld and marry the lot, with tongs, and/or a wooden spoon, and add several ladles of starchy pasta cooking liquid, which will thin the sauce, yet aid it in binding to the pasta; and don't forget to add plenty of freshly ground black pepper while you are stirring.
The pasta should be creamy, and should taste delicious (what is there not to like? For here, we have a dish that combines bacon, egg, cheese and pasta).
Serve, and savour.
Pasta Carbonara strikes me as one of those meals that just somehow works better as a late, late, late, night dish: I didn't even start the prep until 20.15, and sat down to dine well after 21.00.
Anyway, yesterday, I reminded myself that, these days, I live alone, and, as I love to dine late sometimes, why not indulge myself, as nobody here is demanding an early dinner.
So, Pasta Carbonara:
The ingredients for this dish are quite simple, and there aren't all that many of them, but, as with any supposedly "simple" dish, this means that it stands or falls on the quality of the ingredients.
The ingredients are: Pasta (preferably one of the long strand types, such as spaghetti, or tagliatelle, but any good quality pasta will suffice; last night, as it happened, for example, I used orecchiette); eggs (actually, egg yolks - and here, the quality of the eggs do matter; preferably free range, as they taste far better); guanciale (pig cheek); at a push, pancetta - or, any other bacon - will do fine, but guanciale is better; and Pecorino Romano (rather than Parmigiano Reggiano); some recipes call for a 50/50 mix of both, if you only have Parmigiano Reggiano that is fine, but the original recipe calls for Pecorino Romano.
And black pepper. This is a dish that calls for a generous hand with freshly ground black pepper.
Slice and dice the guanciale (remove the rind, and the peppered coating - just slice them off and discard them, or retain them for soups, or stocks), then add the diced guanciale to a large sauté pan, on a low heat. A very generous, a seriously large chunk of guanciale is what I have in mind; be generous, for this lovely bacon will add a wonderful flavour to your finished pasta dish.
To start, I added a little olive oil to the pan - most Italians do not even do this, as the fat of the guanciale will be rendered - to start them off; they will become translucent, and eventually, a little crisp.
Heat the pasta water; for once, you will not need to salt it, as the Pecorino (or Parmesan) cheese will make the sauce quite sufficiently salty, - as, for that matter, will the glorious guanciale - and cook the pasta - paying attention to how long it will take to cook - according to the instructions on the packet. However, on this occasion, I did, in fact, salt my pasta water.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (roughly one egg yolk per 100g of pasta, although you can be more generous), and add them to a bowl; I used three egg yolks (organic, free range, but they were very small), and one whole egg; whisk them with a hand whisk, or a fork.
Do not buy cheese already grated, it will not be fresh and it will taste of nothing; instead, buy a hunk, and grate it yourself.
When I had the cheese grated, most of it (in two batches) was added to the already whisked eggs, and stirred and whisked. Add some freshly ground black pepper.
If this mix is too claggy, too solid, one can dilute it a little with a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (which I did this evening); also, - although the purists will howl - should you feel the need for cream, this is when and where you can add it; as with the pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons/dessertspoons of (double) cream should suffice. You want the egg/cheese mix to be neither runny nor solid.
Turn off the heat for both the pasta and the guanciale in its sauté pan. This is because you do not want the egg mixture to become scrambled eggs once it has been added to the pan.
Remove (and reserve) around half a mug of pasta cooking water; drain the pasta, and add it to the pan. Actually, I didn't drain the pasta; instead, I simply scooped it out with a very large slotted spoon, and transferred it to the sauté pan, retaining that wonderfully starchy pasta cooking liquid for when it would be needed.
Stir the pasta, coat it with the guanciale (and, above all, that lovely bacon fat that has rendered into the cooking liquid); add a few tablespoons of the gloriously starchy pasta cooking liquid to it and stir and mix and marry.
Now, you pour in - slowly - the egg and cheese mix, on top of the pasta; stir around, blend, mix and meld and marry the lot, with tongs, and/or a wooden spoon, and add several ladles of starchy pasta cooking liquid, which will thin the sauce, yet aid it in binding to the pasta; and don't forget to add plenty of freshly ground black pepper while you are stirring.
The pasta should be creamy, and should taste delicious (what is there not to like? For here, we have a dish that combines bacon, egg, cheese and pasta).
Serve, and savour.
Beer-battered Alaska halibut, pan-fried in avocado oil to a golden brown color. Rice with saffron and other spices, and a mixture of small pieces of fruit of various kinds (mandarin orange, blueberry, grapes) sprinkled with a few drops of lemon juice.