Dinner! 2004

[Malawry]

Last night:

Stovetop-braised chicken thighs with thyme and onion

Ruby chard cooked in the chicken fat, with caramelized onions and balsamic reduction

[Jason Perlow]

A riff on Sphagetti Carbonara tonight:

Pan Seared Scallops cooked in butter and rendered Bacon Fat, over Fresh Pasta Carbonara with Lardons and Cauliflower

[the_cow_whisperer]

Been gone from the forum for a while. We did some shopping so theme ingredient is.... Sevruga Caviar.

Here's the result of a 5 course dinner I made for my honey:

Salmon Tartar Cornet with Red Onion Creme' Fraiche (From the French Laundry Cookbook) with some added caviar on top.

Fingerling Potato with Creme Fraiche and Caviar from Amuse-Bouche

Back to the FL with Oysters and Pearls

And the FL with Seared Scallop over mushrooms that have been poached with asparagus puree - FL again, but with added shaved truffle.

Finally fillet with Bearnaise.

Moet and Chandon with the first three, Mason SB 2003 with the Scallop, and Valley of the Moon Zin for the last.

I hope I'm not being sacrilegious, but after many trials of caviar over the years, and then the above experience, I just don't get it. I can appreciate the color and that it's expensive, but there does not seem to add a great depth nor complement of flavor unless it's eaten alone. What am I missing here?

Edited December 23, 2004 by the_cow_whisperer (log)

[Ling]

^ oh geez, your 5 course menu actually made me drool on the keyboard. I wish I were exaggerating, but I really need a Kleenex.

[little ms foodie]

Cow whisperer, that is truly an exceptional meal. I have the Amuse cookbook and love it but I really need to get the FL book. Fantasticly done!!! bravo!

[percyn]

Been gone from the forum for a while.  We did some shopping so theme ingredient is.... Sevruga Caviar.

...

...

I hope I'm not being sacrilegious, but after many trials of caviar over the years, and then the above experience, I just don't get it.  I can appreciate the color and that it's expensive, but there does not seem to add a great depth nor complement  of flavor unless it's eaten alone.  What am I missing here?

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CW,

First, congratulations on a great looking meal...I can't seem to get a reservation at Per Se, do you have any seating available

Regarding the caviar, eating a few bites by itself is fine, but after that I like to pair it with something. My favorite is a soft boiled egg.

[Jinmyo]

Slaw of green cabbage, white onion, and carrot with celery seeds and celery hearts, Dijon and mayonaisse and lime dressing.

Seafood bisque with three grilled U10 shrimp per bowl, a few drops of chile oil, a dab of creme fraiche with red lumpfish roe atop.

Barley "risotto" with lemon thyme and petit pois.

Caramelized onion and sharp cheddar frittata.

Mozzarella and proscuitto rounds, roasted plum tomato slices on tuiles with chevre atop, assorted olives, crostini.

[culinary bear]

Confit duck on grilled home-made sourdough.

[Luckylies]

First off: Cow whisperer and Perlow, those meals looked so divine. yummmm

Last night I fell for the old bait and switch again. You know when someone (dad in this case) says "hey you wanna cook a small meal for me and a few friends?" small becomes 10 people the morning of. Anyhow I don't really mind the idea of poisoning my dads friends so I took up the challenge. Shopping was done by 2:30 yesterday afternoon (I hateeee Fairway during the holidays) I was almost beaten to death by 30 grannies. Things went very well. Dad provided the booze.

I started with a boring green salad with vinegrette, and a carmelized-onion custard tart with anchovy slivers (does this thing have a name?) this was very good and it was served warm with Pol Roger champagne.

Then braised shortribs with star anise, mustard, orange and lemon zest and forty other things that were quite yummy. This was my first time braising short ribs. They turned out divine. I combined a bunch of recipes and riffed on the flavors. I really can't belive how elegant they turned out.

mashed potatoes, green beans with olive oil and sea salt. oven roasted tomatoes with thyme. all good. I just wish I had a warming tray at my dads house (or anywhere for that matter). Dad pulled out a bunch of fancy burgudys for this ( I wish I knew which ones) they were excellent with the ribs.

for dessert. cream puffs filled with stawberry whipped cream and served with strawberry sauce and strawberry sorbet. I didn't make the sorbet, somebody brought it (a bit psychic perhaps?) These were light as air...yet few people had much room after the tart and the short ribs. some people (my new favorite people) had two. moree champagne.

I'm no professional, but I feel that this meal took my way too long to prepare (5 hrs busy time) is that crazy?

sorry if this post has been a bit long, and man do I wish I had pictures. and leftovers

[percyn]

Luckylies,

Your meal sounds great !! I love the hate of short-ribs and they are sooo easy to prepare....I either braise them in a crockpot for a few hours or in the oven.

Last night I made some quick steaks seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning, green beans and mushrooms (baby bella and oyster) flamayed in Cognac.

Dessert (not the whole box...just a few pieces. My favorite is the dark chocolate with a coffee filling). Of course I love my Valrhona as well.

Edited December 24, 2004 by percyn (log)

[Malawry]

I just made my first-ever turkey for dinner. Brined, rubbed with herbes de provence and butter, stuffed with thyme and halved lemons, roasted for a few hours. Didn't suck at all. The carcass is currently turning itself into stock.

[spaghetttti]

For my birthday I just wanted to have some finger foods, so we had:

smoked salmon wrapped melon & papaya balls

old bay tuna cream cheese & cucumbers

chicken cream puffs

garden vegetable rondele stuffed belgian endive

devilled eggs

chocolate dipped strawberries

trifle, well this needed spoons

doves in a dove

Happy Holidays to all!

[rabidscottsman]

Happy Birthday!

The old bay tuna and cream cheese & cucumbers look fantastic. Could you post a recipe for that?

[spaghetttti]

Happy Birthday!

The old bay tuna and cream cheese & cucumbers look fantastic. Could you post a recipe for that?

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Thank you so much for the birthday greeting For the tuna filling:

8 oz cream cheese

6 oz tuna packed in water (drained)

1 - 1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

2 Tbs mayonnaise

freshly ground black pepper

Fill scooped out cucumbers or top cucumber rounds, garnish with skinny carrot slivers.

[Busboy]

Barley "risotto" with lemon thyme and petit pois.

Caramelized onion and sharp cheddar frittata.

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If you had a word or two to say about these, I'd be most appreciative.

[lovebenton0]

We had a Christmas Eve tamalada. Pork (with raisins and pecans) tamales.

Served these with heart of Romaine leaves topped with corn and roasted green chilis/tomatillo. (After all the pics for the tamalada didn't even think of this one. . . )

Later, dried fruits (apricots, red flame grapes with slivers of candied ginger and green laila figs) and lakhoum for dessert.

This was, of course, followed by more tamale snacking late in the evening.

Happy Hollydays, everyone!

Must be time to get coffee and start the kitchen warming up for Christmas dinner, before my DH wakes up.

[percyn]

Wife suggested we have lobster for dinner, so I went hunting (figuratively speaking) and nabbed this bad boy....a 2.75 pounder.

Steamed the lobster, then split it open, basted it with some French butter and parsley and broiled it.

The best part for me is the lobster brains....with some baguette slices....hmmmm. Saved the shells to make some lobster broth and maybe lobster bisque later.

Cheers

Percy

P.S : Spaghetttti, Happy Birthday !! Food looks (and I am sure tasted) delicious !! So you are 22 now?

[Jinmyo]

Barley "risotto" with lemon thyme and petit pois.

Caramelized onion and sharp cheddar frittata.

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If you had a word or two to say about these, I'd be most appreciative.

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Well, let's see.

It has the texture of risotto but is much easier to make. Many people prefer it to risotto (I always use carnaroli).

The easiest way to do barley "risotto" is to just cook some barley as one normally would (I use a rice cooker). In a soup pot, saute some onion and garlic, add the barley, then add chicken stock. As much as you want. More than cover it. The barley will drink it up. It's insatiable. Season, add some dried thyme, let simmer gently for an hour or so. Then stir in frozen petit pois and fresh lemon thyme right at the end. The texture is rich and creamy, the barley grains become massive and maintain their shape.

One can add butter and grate some parmesan but it's pretty unctuous without.

I often do the same shtick but with Reisling and wild mushrooms or saffron or whatever.

It's ridiculously easy.

The frittata? Just, you know, caramelized onions. Mix with the eggs as you pour them into the pans the onions were done in. On the stove for a bit, then the oven. Pull, strew grated ten year old cheddar atop, under the salamander to finish.

[malachi]

Chianti-braised Short Ribs (with a sauce made from reducing the braising liquid to a syrup and combining it with veal demi)

Preserved Lemon Polenta

Pan-wilted Lacinato Kale with Crispy Shallots and Sherry Vinegar

1997 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva

Molten Chocolate Cake with Crystalized Ginger Creme Anglaise

1997 Maculan Acininobili Torcolato de Breganze

[YKL]

well our non traditional xmas dinner was parma wrapped monkfish, with braised red cabbage, charlotte potatoes, green beans, tomato sauce ... think there were some sprouts and some bacon wrapped scallops on the table as well!

and have just had improvised trfile with soft ratafia biscuits soaked in cointrea, toped with fresh raspberry coulis, custard and fresh cream.

all delicious ... but probably good that xmas only comes once a year!

[Malawry]

Creamy turkey-mushroom soup

Broccoli

Salad with Italian meats and olive salad

[spaghetttti]

My sister went down to the wharf on Maine Avenue, Washington DC and got some shrimp. We steamed them with Old Bay seasoning.

And, yes - those are some cows in the blanket - Hillshire Farms Beef Lil Smokies wrapped in Pillsbury Flaky Buttery Crescent Rolls - mmm so simple, so good!

Edited December 26, 2004 by spaghetttti (log)

[lovebenton0]

Started off Christmas dinner with an asparagus bisque.

And thin finger cuts, toasted with butter, from this loaf of Gallon Sourdough Potato Bread. (This is a very moist large loaf I like to bake in my 4 qt cast iron Dutch oven, hence the name.)

More of that was served with the meal, plain thick slices buttered at the table.

Roasted leg of lamb, semi-boneless, about 6 lbs. (Yes, we have leftover lamb. ) I cut deep and wide into the leg in a few places and inserted Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, minced garlic, then a chopped mix of fresh picked lemon thyme, silver thyme, rosemary, and mint. Rubbed the roast with the s&p and drizzled all over with rosemary pinoli oil.

Simple baked butternut squash, buttered then brown sugar/kosher salt sprinkled on and run under the broiler for a minute to carmelize.

Bakers with butter, onion confit, just a bit of sour cream and bleu d'auvergne Miramont. (Oops, took this before the bleu was added.)

Later in the evening we had this light gingerbread filled with apricots/pears/laila figs/candied ginger and orange peel for dessert. With vanilla lattes. I'm not sure what to call it, I wanted the not too sweet newton-like cake-cookie thing going with the fruit, and it worked. Glad I made notes.

[NulloModo]

My family rarely does Christmas dinner as such, we instead do an all-encompassing Christmas Brunch. The menu was:

Spinach, roasted pepper, and sagey beef quiche

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Rosemary/Mustard encrusted Pork Roast

Breakfast sausage patties and links

Sausage cream gravey

Biscuits (some regular, some with CarbQuick, marvelous stuff)

Cinnamon Rolls

Roasted vegetables

Roasted Turkey

Scrambled and fried eggs

Home-made marmelaide and peach preserves

Brownies

Cream Puffs

Pecan Pie

Bean Pie

[lovebenton0]

My family rarely does Christmas dinner as such, we instead do an all-encompassing Christmas Brunch.  The menu was:

Spinach, roasted pepper, and sagey beef quiche

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Rosemary/Mustard encrusted Pork Roast

Breakfast sausage patties and links

Sausage cream gravey

Biscuits (some regular, some with CarbQuick, marvelous stuff)

Cinnamon Rolls

Roasted vegetables

Roasted Turkey

Scrambled and fried eggs

Home-made marmelaide and peach preserves

Brownies

Cream Puffs

Pecan Pie

Bean Pie

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Well, all that sounds too delicious.

Did you make the cinnamon rolls with your LC recipe, nullomodo?