Monday Night Pantry Meal: Wine Poached Tilapia and Olive-Caper Rustic Sauce

I make a lot of pantry meals. That is, meals that come from whatever is in the pantry or freezer. I've written about this before. I'm a fan of pantry meals because I hate grocery shopping. And if you're smart about what you buy to keep in storage, you can have a nice meal anytime without worrying about wasting or spoilage or going to the store.

I was on the phone with Mr. Roganista this afternoon while I was at work and he was at home on his "Staycation".  He itemized for me the proteins in the freezer: Tilapia, prawns, pork tenderloin, steak. I had entirely too much food this weekend, going out to dinner Saturday and Sunday with friends. That meant lots of great wine and plenty of red meat in the way lamb the first night and steak the second night. So tilapia it was.

I came home, threw the fish in some foil with a few splashes of the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc we were drinking. Added garlic and seasoned it with a bit of salt and pepper. Put it in the a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes. In a pan I sauteed some green onion, garlic, and shallots that I had purchased for another meal a week before. I added black olives and capers and put it in a bowl. Added more olive oil and waited for the fish to finish. 

Served it with some processed (yikes!) Uncle Bens 90-second Rice Pilaf that were samples from Mr. Roganista's client (we have a ton of the stuff). Added some raisins to it. Steamed some broccoli, and voila. A pantry dinner. No need to go to the grocery when you can just scrounge around in the old cupboards for flavors.

It was a nice evening after the rain. So we ate on the deck and watch the sun set behind the Masonic temple on 15th Street.

 

Graduation and a Suckling Pig

We went out to San Fran for a cousin's graduation. To our amazement, there was a large roasted pig at the after party. It was quite delicious with its crispy skin and tender flesh. It reminded me of Peking duck. Apparently many Asian cultures celebrate with a pig roast (which doesn't sound so alien if you think luau).

The next time you are celebrating something special (birthday, engagement, bat mizvah), why not stop by your local Chinatown or Vietnamtown and pick one up?

I'm Engaged! And Celebrated at the New Location of Corduroy!

It happened May 13th. Mr. Roganista's proposal to Roganista was extremely well-planned, thoughtful, and full of meaning (not to mention a few challenges)! Roganista had planned on taking a girlfriend, Abby, to a very special 30th birthday dinner that Tuesday. Panicked after hearing their phone conversation a week earlier, Mr. Roganista had to step in, as he had plans of his own! Somehow he convinced Abby to cancel the dinner(apparently calling and emailing her for almost a week). So, Abby reluctantly wrote Roganista a last minute email saying that she couldn’t make it (for vaguely work-related reasons). Mr. Roganista surprised Roganista by picking her up from work, citing that he wanted to walk her home that balmy evening. He suggested they go for a drink…at Zaytinya, the restaurant where they first met that same night three years earlier. Roganista realized at that moment that it was their anniversary and was happy that he remembered (though she had forgotten). They lucked on the very same table and toasted to their anniversary…But Mr. Roganista had (once again) other plans. He rushed Roganista through her wine, acting a bit strangely (and in retrospect, a bit nervously). And as they left, he suggested a quick stop across the street at the National Portrait Gallery, one of their favorite museums. Thinking they would head to the third floor where the contemporary art is housed, Roganista got another surprise. Mr. Roganista insisted on walking through the beautiful enclosed courtyard, where he actually requested they stop, complaining that his back hurt. There, sitting on the large marbled planter, he proposed, down on knee as museum visitors looked on. At first she thought they were having a casual conversation, since he started the proposal sitting next to her with, “So I was thinking…” and she responded with “What are you talking about?” But it wasn’t until he was on his knee and asked more pointedly that she said “Yes, of course!” (as she wondered where the ring was). After he got up and sat next to her again, he said, “...About the ring—you should pick it out.” (Such a smart, smart man, she thought.)... To top off the wonderful moment, there happened to be a professional photographer (not Mr. Roganista’s planning) sitting nearby putting together his equipment. Mr. Roganista approached him, there were handshakes, and he snapped pictures of the happy couple moments after the proposal! What luck! But that wasn’t the end of it. Mr. Roganista made reservations for one of their favorite restaurants, Corduroy, which re-opened (with much anticipation) just a week before a few blocks away. It was perfect. He went to the restaurant earlier that day, making sure that the general manager knew the details of the occasion and scouted out an intimate corner table, with a great view of Chef Tom Power (who signed their menu). Mr. Roganista also brought to the restaurant a beautiful bottle of 1996 Veuve Clicquot Grand Dame to get chilled ahead of time…an absolutely perfect way to celebrate the most perfect proposal!!!

We love Corduroy. It is high quality, high value, high art. And now at its new location in a beautifully renovated row house near Gallery Place (1122 9th Street NW), it's even more fabulous. See my review previously here.