>  ML> Is the layout bad for if you did prep in some other
>  ML> room? That would involve toting stuff all over, but
>  ML> it might be worth it for the elbow room.
>   I've tried, but the problem is the height of things.
>   I don't have another surface that I can stand up at.
>   I've got a routine of just shuffling things around and
>   doing all prep work ahead of time now.

I guess we all adapt to what we've got. Here, the stove
is in the middle of the room, and there's no range hood.
Result, if the weather doesn't allow me to open lots of
windows to establish a cross breeze, my cooking is over
low heat, which I have a hard time with. I have learned
to make a rare nice crusty brown outside steak using heat 
no greater than 5/10, which involves the meat being near 
frozen when it goes on the medium stove.

>  ML> iron is probably soft enough so the edge can easily be
>  ML> restored even from the worst damage).
>   I'm pretty good with taking it to the leather quite often
>   so they tend to stay quite sharp.  (The two I bother with)
>   Other then that I say let them use the steak knife. ;)

Question - how does one sharpen a steak knife or
other serrated blade? Lilli has these steak knives
that are actually pretty good Laguiole fakes (I'm
guessing the usual Chinese culprits) that are 
beginning to shred meat more than I'd like.

>   Just got revere ware.  Friend of mine won a new set of
>   everything in some raffle (Can't remember the name but
>   quite expensive) and she passed her mothers revere ware
>   stuff on to me.  I'll try a stirfry in one next time we're
>   in the mood.

If they're the really old Revere, she may come 
begging for them back. In any case, tell us how
you do with them.

>  ML> To give her her due, she does clear the dining table
>  ML> after dinner and sometimes does the residual kitchen
>  ML> cleanup, of which there's not often a lot, because I
>  ML> try to keep up with my mess.
>   During my work week I don't cook as I'm just worn out from
>   dealing with people.  So today I have a sink load of dishes
>   and baked on crap from the other two cooking.  I'm also going
>   to play with the new instant pot today so whatever. :)

She's been conveniently forgetting, and I find
steak pans and things squirreled away ... have
fun with the instant pot. I don't have any 
InstaPot recipes, but here's an InstaCure one,
is that good enough?

Squash ravioli with pork jowl
categories: Louisiana, main
servings: 6

h - Crispy Mangalitsa Jowl
1 lb Kosher salt
1 1/2 ts InstaCure #1
5 bay leaves
1 ts whole juniper berries
12 oz brown sugar
1 Tb whole black peppercorns
1 Tb chili flakes
1 Tb herbes de Provence
2 Mangalitsa hog jowls, skin removed
h - Calabaza Squash Filling
1 calabaza squash, halved, seeded
3 Tb extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 sprig sage, chopped
1 c mascarpone cheese
salt
h - Ravioli
1 lb all-purpose flour
5 lg eggs
1 ph salt
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
h - Brown Butter Sauce
3 satsumas
4 oz chicken stock or broth
h - Assembly
2 shallots, minced
1 sprig sage, chiffonade
salt

Calabaza Squash Ravioli, Brown Butter, Sage, Satsumas, 
and House-cured Mangalitsa Jowl

For the Crispy Mangalitsa Jowl
Combine the salt, cure mix, bay leaves, juniper berries, 
brown sugar, black pepper, garlic, chili flakes, and 
herbes de Provence. Cover the jowls generously with the 
mixture. Cure the jowls, hanging in a refrigerator for 
three months. Dice the cured jowl and spices, and saute 
in a pan over low heat until crispy and brown. Drain the 
crisps on a paper towel and reserve.

For the Calabaza Squash Filling
Preheat the oven to 325F. Coat the squash inside and out 
with 2 Tb olive oil. Place the squash open face down on 
a baking sheet with tall edges; roast for 2 hr. Remove 
the squash from the oven and scrape the flesh from the 
skin. Put the flesh in a cheesecloth-lined strainer and 
refrigerate until cool.

Cook the shallots in 1 Tb olive oil for a few sec until 
they become aromatic. Add the sage, toss, and remove 
from the heat. Cool the mixture. Puree the mascarpone 
in a food processor, and add 1 c of the squash. Add the 
shallot mixture and a big pinch of salt and pulse to 
just combine.

For the Ravioli
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, 
combine the flour, eggs, salt, and olive oil. On a 
lightly floured table, cut a quarter of the dough off 
and start rolling it through a pasta machine. Fold the 
pasta over several times turning it a quarter rotation 
so that the edges are worked in each time. Continue 
this process several times until the dough is smooth. 
At this point roll out the dough until it's very thin. 
Place a pasta sheet over a ravioli press and press your 
finger gently into the indentions to create a space for 
the filling. Use a pair of spoons to fill the indentions 
with the filling. Cut another sheet of dough, brush with 
water, and lay it over the first filled sheet while 
pressing the air out before it seals. Flip the mold over 
onto a floured surface and remove the mold. Cut between 
the ravioli with a rolling crimped cutter. Lay the 
ravioli on a pan lined with parchment paper and sprinkled 
with cornmeal; place in the freezer until needed.

For the Brown Butter Sauce:
Trim the ends from the satsumas, remove a handful of 
the supremes [segments without pith and membrane] 
(reserving them for assembly), and juice the remaining 
fruit. Heat a saute pan over high heat and add the butter, 
whisking to keep it from burning. Once the butter is deep 
brown, remove it from the heat and immediately add the 
stock and satsuma juice.

To Assemble and Serve
Bring 2 to 3 qt water to a boil and season with salt. 
Add the ravioli and cook 3 min. Sprinkle with olive oil 
and hold in a large warm saute pan. Heat the brown butter 
sauce, and add the shallots, sage, and ravioli. Once the 
sauce thickens and reduces to a glaze, correct seasoning a
nd add the satsuma supremes. Plate the ravioli facing up 
in a large bowl and spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish 
with pork jowl.

Erick Loos, La Provence (now OOB), Lacombe, LA via starchefs.com
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