E
Erica
Guest
"Mia" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I think that I wish I was your boyfriend -- you're wonderful to do all this and the menu sounds
> different and very fresh. It seems like you can do the prep for many of the recipes ahead of time.
> I especially like the simplicity and elegance of the fennel, orange, red onion salad -- a citrusy
> vinaigrette and some chopped walnuts over the top would be excellent with that. Just curious --
> how did you come up with this menu? I can't wait to steal some of your ideas.
>
> Good luck with the dinner! Mia
Thanks! Here is how I came up with the menu:
First, I wanted to have a traditional 7-course meal (even those I cut it down to 6 courses). Dishes
had to comply with the following criteria -At least half of the dinner can be made ahead -Can
prepare in portions for two (i.e. a whole roast duckling or leg of lamb is out) -Relatively
inexpensive (asparagus OK, truffles not) -Utilize passive, rather than active cooking in order to
maximize productivity (i.e. breaded cutlets is active cooking, a roast is passive). A must due to
the number of courses. -Each dish has few ingredients. Since I'm making lots of courses, I had to
use few ingredients to stay under budget. So no ten-herb ragout or anything.
This is what my thought process was with the menu:
I started out with the cold appetizer. He loves salmon but finds smoked salmon too overpowering. I
asked if he likes gravlax, and he confessed that he's never even heard of it. So, I thought that
it'd be nice to introduce it to him. I don't want finger food, as that seems more appropriate for a
cocktail hour. So, rosettes of gravlax on cucumber rounds or slices of pumpernickel were out. I love
cured salmon with tangy dairy (sour cream or cream cheese), and I think that the dill in the gravlax
would be delicious with cucumbers, so I decided on a Hungarian cucumber salad. The sugar, salt, and
vinegar in the salad meld with the similar flavors of the cured fish, and the cukes, onions, and
sour cream will add a nice accent.
Carrot soup is cheap, has few ingredients, is easy to prepare, and keeps in the fridge for days.
The asparagus with proscuitto and fontina is a nice way of utilizing expensive ingredients without
spending too much money. I can buy proscuitto by the slice and small quantities of cheese at my
local supermarket, so I can use these decadent ingredients without breaking the bank, especially
since no other ingredients are necessary. It also takes about ten minutes to make, start to finish.
For the pasta, I didn't want a tomato-based sauce. Primavera has too many ingredients and is
too complicated, he doesn't like anchovies, and shellfish is too expensive. A chunky sauce made
with 1 or 2 artichokes, lemon, white wine, and herbs is elegant, simple, and can be prepared
the day before.
Sorbet is a given.
The main dish had to be "passive" cooking. No cutlets, scallopine, rare beef, etc. I wanted
something that I could cook all day long and serve straight from the oven. Osso Bucco was a thought,
but I wanted something more French inspired. I decided on lamb shanks (a cheap cut that turns into
something ambrosial after a long, moist, slow cooking) braised in veal stock and red wine with
mirepoix and Herbes de Provence.
The salads are standbys of mine.
Flourless chocolate cake is based on ground almonds, brandy, espresso, and stiffly beaten egg
whites, among other things. I make it every year for Passover and it is always a hit. It is served
cold (so I can make ahead and refrigerate overnight), and I put a paper doily over the top, sift
confectioners sugar over it, and carefully remove the doily for an elegant presentation.
Love the chopped walnuts idea! Let me know if you want me to post any of the recipes.
--Erica
> I think that I wish I was your boyfriend -- you're wonderful to do all this and the menu sounds
> different and very fresh. It seems like you can do the prep for many of the recipes ahead of time.
> I especially like the simplicity and elegance of the fennel, orange, red onion salad -- a citrusy
> vinaigrette and some chopped walnuts over the top would be excellent with that. Just curious --
> how did you come up with this menu? I can't wait to steal some of your ideas.
>
> Good luck with the dinner! Mia
Thanks! Here is how I came up with the menu:
First, I wanted to have a traditional 7-course meal (even those I cut it down to 6 courses). Dishes
had to comply with the following criteria -At least half of the dinner can be made ahead -Can
prepare in portions for two (i.e. a whole roast duckling or leg of lamb is out) -Relatively
inexpensive (asparagus OK, truffles not) -Utilize passive, rather than active cooking in order to
maximize productivity (i.e. breaded cutlets is active cooking, a roast is passive). A must due to
the number of courses. -Each dish has few ingredients. Since I'm making lots of courses, I had to
use few ingredients to stay under budget. So no ten-herb ragout or anything.
This is what my thought process was with the menu:
I started out with the cold appetizer. He loves salmon but finds smoked salmon too overpowering. I
asked if he likes gravlax, and he confessed that he's never even heard of it. So, I thought that
it'd be nice to introduce it to him. I don't want finger food, as that seems more appropriate for a
cocktail hour. So, rosettes of gravlax on cucumber rounds or slices of pumpernickel were out. I love
cured salmon with tangy dairy (sour cream or cream cheese), and I think that the dill in the gravlax
would be delicious with cucumbers, so I decided on a Hungarian cucumber salad. The sugar, salt, and
vinegar in the salad meld with the similar flavors of the cured fish, and the cukes, onions, and
sour cream will add a nice accent.
Carrot soup is cheap, has few ingredients, is easy to prepare, and keeps in the fridge for days.
The asparagus with proscuitto and fontina is a nice way of utilizing expensive ingredients without
spending too much money. I can buy proscuitto by the slice and small quantities of cheese at my
local supermarket, so I can use these decadent ingredients without breaking the bank, especially
since no other ingredients are necessary. It also takes about ten minutes to make, start to finish.
For the pasta, I didn't want a tomato-based sauce. Primavera has too many ingredients and is
too complicated, he doesn't like anchovies, and shellfish is too expensive. A chunky sauce made
with 1 or 2 artichokes, lemon, white wine, and herbs is elegant, simple, and can be prepared
the day before.
Sorbet is a given.
The main dish had to be "passive" cooking. No cutlets, scallopine, rare beef, etc. I wanted
something that I could cook all day long and serve straight from the oven. Osso Bucco was a thought,
but I wanted something more French inspired. I decided on lamb shanks (a cheap cut that turns into
something ambrosial after a long, moist, slow cooking) braised in veal stock and red wine with
mirepoix and Herbes de Provence.
The salads are standbys of mine.
Flourless chocolate cake is based on ground almonds, brandy, espresso, and stiffly beaten egg
whites, among other things. I make it every year for Passover and it is always a hit. It is served
cold (so I can make ahead and refrigerate overnight), and I put a paper doily over the top, sift
confectioners sugar over it, and carefully remove the doily for an elegant presentation.
Love the chopped walnuts idea! Let me know if you want me to post any of the recipes.
--Erica