On the table last week

If anyone asks me about how I relieve stress, cooking would always pop up first thing in my head. Nothing puts me at ease better than being in the kitchen. Everything turns into a melody, a dance, a little upbeat waltz around my kitchen. From the feet twirling around the floor to get me preparing and cooking, to the inviting countertops with my fresh ingredients, to the afire stove tops that promise good food for the table. 

Since I met M., I've started cooking a lot more. It's just natural you know, when you're with somebody you love you both tend to enjoy eating (and sometimes pigging out kind of excessively too, haha). M is definitely a foodie, and I am of course an avid home cook. We just enjoy everything about food, from the grocery shopping, to the cooking and the final dining part. We love hosting guests for dinner too, very casual and homey style, if you're up for it come to us! 

That is why I want to dedicate a significant part of this blog to update you guys with my food journal and my own recipes. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we do. 

So take a glance of our food highlights last week: 

Simple pan-fried lamp chops (recipe already updated here)

Pickled mustard greens soup with beef - Canh dưa thịt bò

Broiled BBQ pork ribs 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Fish sauce wings 

Beef noodle - Phở bò 

Besides, I try to eat lots of veggies and fruits, they are so abundant and fresh during the summer! My favorite summer salad at the moment is a combination of iceberg, spinach, arugula, cucumber, tomato, carrot. Add as much as balsamic vinaigrette you want and a few drops of lemon juice. Give them all a nice toss. Then it's ready to accompany your delicious food on the table. I'll definitely update a picture of this salad next time! 

So which recipe of the above you guys want me to share next? ;)

Have a productive week fellas! 

Later, NP. 

Simple pan-fried lamb chops

Since I came to the US I seldom eat lamb chops, which has always been my favorite. I don't know why though. But the other day I spotted a beautiful rack of lamb while grocery shopping with M, so we bought it and made the simplest lamb chops ever.. who knows it would turn out so good!

First I slightly scored the lamb chops on both sides (so that they can suck up the marinade) and brushed olive oil all over.

For the marinade, I sprinkled salt, pepper, garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme on all sides of the lamb chop.

Cover and let them sit for about 1 - 2 hours.

Heat up a skillet (cast iron would be very ideal) with a 50/50 mix of canola oil and clarified butter. Because my oven is not working so couldn't pop it in there to roast after searing. Therefore I had to pan-fry them on medium-low heat so that I could achieve the desired doneness (which is medium for us).

There we have the simplest lamb chops ever, with baby gold potatoes sautéed in clarified butter, and some veggies. Buon appetito! ;)

Have a productive week fellas! 

Please stay tuned! :)

NP.