Tabaq, for realz - Small Household Exchange, 5/12 @ 7pm

We decided to move this one down the pike a ways.
A coworker has been raving about this place for months. Let's go slumming!

Tabaq
1245 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 944-1245
http://www.chicagocabfare.com/2012/03/1 ... orth-side/

Dinner attendees
Pie Lady
nr706
Cathy 2

Exchange participants -
Pie Lady - Matzoh Ball Gumbo
nr706 - Savory Polenta Surprise
Cathy 2 - Something sweet, salty, not sour, not bitter, and umami'd up the wazoo

The fine print
Number in the group: We will cap attendance at each gathering at 12 and food exchange participants at 10 so that participants are never making more than 10 servings of anything. Couples can be counted as one serving, or two - if you come as a couple, please specify whether you're bringing one or two dishes to exchange.

The food: The food exchange started so that those of us in 1-2 person households who love to cook aren't stuck eating that big pot of chili a whole week. Instead, we make 6-10 servings of one dish, and bring back 6-10 different dishes. Participants bring one pre-portioned serving of their food for everyone who has RSVP’d to come that month. A serving is whatever you think it is for your food item. For soup, it may be two cups; for pastrami, 4 oz. (or more if you make more generous sandwiches). The priority will be for entrees, meats, soups, salad, stews, pastas, grains, etc. One dessert is OK each month, we don't want 6-7 dessert offerings as everyone is mostly interested in main meals (check out the fabulous monthly LTH dessert exchange!)

There will be no restrictions on the food – we’re an omnivorous bunch. IF ANYONE HAS ANY ALLERGIES, PLEASE LET THE GROUP KNOW.

The containers/delivery system: Everyone in the group should use the GLADWARE 3 1/8 CUP PLASTIC CONTAINERS (7” x 7” square container with a blue lid). You’ll portion your food into those containers to bring and hand out at the gathering. You can freeze them or not depending on your schedule and when you make your food. There is no need to fill the container, just put in whatever is a serving to you. If you use something else to deliver your food that month (Ziploc bags, plastic wrap, etc.) you should also return the empty containers from the last round so that everyone always has a stash of these containers for the exchange and doesn’t have to run out and buy more.

The process: Each of us will take turns being the organizer each month. Each time we meet, someone will offer to organize the next month’s gathering. Several weeks before the next gathering the organizer will post a new thread to the events page announcing the date and the location for that month and asking for RSVP’s.

Participants will need to RSVP their attendance by one week before the monthly gathering. They will then need to post what they are bringing by three days before the gathering. This is to help make sure we get some balance in the food so that we’re not all bringing something that has to be eaten in the next 2-3 days; that there’s a balance of stuff that can be frozen for later, or eaten sooner.

The organizer will monitor the thread to see what people are bringing. The organizer will also make reservations for the group at the restaurant where we will be gathering. People can choose to stay for dinner or just come and exchange food and leave. Just let the organizer know so they can get an accurate count for the reservation. Other LTHers are welcome to join us for dinner, even if they are not bringing food to exchange.

Hope to see you there!

I first went there years ago on the recommendation of Rob Gardner (aka Vital Information). I welcome another reason to go back.

Cathy brought up my Matzoh Ball Gumbo yesterday and I see that I made it for a Dessert Exchange before, but not Dinner. So I'll make that.

That's around the corner from me.

pairs4life wrote:That's around the corner from me.

You and yours are welcome to drop in.

***

I will do biryani, though it is subject to practical considerations closer to the date. Another idea tickling my brain: an American Indian stew of venison and blueberries.

Regards,

I just realized I did not update this to include Cathy. Also, this is probably the last exchange of the year, people...are you sure you don't want to join some LTH'ers for some Indian next week?

Pie Lady wrote:I just realized I did not update this to include Cathy. Also, this is probably the last exchange of the year, people...are you sure you don't want to join some LTH'ers for some Indian next week?

I'd be up for that.

I'll be making a savory polenta pie. Or cake. Or tart. Or something like that.

HI,

Biryani will have to be next season, I just didn't get it all pulled together this time.

I will bring something sweet, salty, no sour, no bitter, though umami will be present.

Regards,

My gumbo smells like heaven but the balls are mushier than I remember. But balls they is.

Hi,

I am leaving now.

Me too. I'll race you.

Hi,

What I ultimately made:

Swedish pancakes filled with chopped ham and caramelized onions, then rolled. Topped with rarebit type sauce used in classic Springfield horseshoe sandwiches.

Sweet - salty - umami and perhaps a little sour from the beer in the sauce.

Regards,

I didn't post the gumbo recipe elsewhere, so here it is:

GUMBO
4 links (12 ounces) chicken andouille, sliced 1/2-inch thick
8 chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
1- to 1-1/4 tsp cayenne
1 recipe chocolate roux (1/2 cup flour & 1/3 cup oil, they suggest baking at 350 in a 9x9 pan, I did it stovetop)
1 box (32 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomaters
1 cup water
3 tbsp tomato paste
16-ounce bag sliced okra
1 batch matzo balls (see recipe)

Brown sausage in Dutch oven in oil. Transfer to bowl with slotted spoon.
Brown chicken (w/ s&p) in drippings; remove to bowl with sausage.
Discard all but 1 tbsp drippings. Cook onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic until tender. Stir in thyme and cayenne.
Stir in roux until well blended. Gradually stir in broth, tomaters, water and paste. Bring to a boil.
Return chicken, sausage, and their juices with okra. Return to a boil. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
Serve with balls.

BALLS
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2-1/2 ish tsp Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning (I used cayenne, basil, salt & pepper)
2 large eggs
1 packet (from 5-ounce package) matzo ball mix
Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat; add onion and cook until tender. Stir in parsley and seasoning and cook 30 seconds. Scrape into a bowl and let cool slightly. Beat in eggs and remaining oil. Stir in mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Form mixture into 12 balls. Drop into water; decrease to simmer. Simmer 15 minutes ot until cooked through. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wondering what you all thought about the food @ Tabaq?

Jazzfood wrote:Wondering what you all thought about the food @ Tabaq?

Last LTH Tabaq post was by me in 2009. I be interested in an update.

My impression - food was fine, certainly affordably priced, but not worth going out of your way for. I don't remember all the dishes we had. The chicken biriyani had nice flavor, with (to be expected) bony pieces of chicken. My mutton stew (well, I asked for mutton, they were out, so I went with lamb stew) was flavorful. Several items had nice spice levels.

I had been there once, years ago, and if my memory serves me correctly, it was about the same. You can do better on Devon, but if you're in the area, why not?

(As an aside, I was there with three women, who were treated respectfully, although it seems to be rare that they get women in there to dine.)