oh the fennel

Last night I had the pleasure of cooking for a group of hungry men. I love how boys will eat anything. I mean I strive to cook well and last night, I have to say, was a true testament to my skillz. But, there have been times where the cooking hasn't been so good but has been consumed with zeal nonetheless.

I think one of the most horrific examples was the day that we moved from our house on Dennett Street to the Inn. Some good friends of the male persusasion were helping us out and to thank them I thought it would be a good idea to make lasagna. Don't ask me why I thought I would have time to make a lasagna from scratch on moving day, but I did. The result was a horrid casserole that had baked in the over for about 6 hours. The cheese was all brown and greasy and the noodles were complete mush. The boys ate it anyway. I mean they really ate it too in big heaping portions. Perhaps they were just humoring me but I still think back on that wretched lasagna with horror.

The meal last night was much, much better. We marinated pork chops and chicken in a hot paste of chili powder, garlic, oregano, sugar, and olive oil. It was really good and I got to use a shit-ton of chili powder which is always fun. Zack made this potato pie thing with thin slices of sweet and Idaho potato layered with onion and goat cheese. Awesome. The real piece de resistance was the salad. It started with a bed on endive on which slices of vinagretted pear and fennel were placed and was topped with toasted sweet walnuts. Yummers!

I was a little bit sketched about the fennel but it was awesome! I'd totally recommend this little salad to anyone who's looking for something new in that department. Goat cheese would have been good on top of that as well. But then again, goat cheese is good on everything.