Cocktail - Cherry Cognac Martini
Ingredients included cognac, cherry brandy, black cherry juice, splash of fresh lemon juice
As with the previous post, we're trying to expand our pre-dinner cocktail outside of just vodka and explore other liquors. Once again, a slam dunk - but stick to just one.
Entree - Red Wine Marinated Flank Steak Filled with Prosciutto, Fontina and Basil with a Cabernet-Shallot Reduction
First off... it is not easy to butterfly a flank steak. If you can, ask your butcher. Otherwise, you want to use the "folding method" as demonstrated here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2222583_butterfly-flank-steak.html
Changes we made included using shredded cheese, not sliced (is it really that much of a difference?) and we doctored up the reduction by adding a tiny bit of beef bouillon and a tbsp of butter after it was done. The sauce was good but it was rather tart - I don't think we reduced it enough. We kept it on the stove about 30 minutes at a rolling boil, but I think it probably needed at least 45 minutes.
The cooking time also made us nervous. After all - that seemed like a long time to cook a flank steak (we're med-rare lovers), so therefore we did 8 minutes on direct heat and then about 10 minutes on indirect heat (covered grill.) After we took it off the grill, it rested about 8 minutes while we finished up the caesar salad. The problem seemed to be that while it rested, the cheese didn't stay "melty" and kind of hardened up. Recommendation - follow the actual recommended cook time, but don't let it rest too long so the cheese doesn't coagulate.
Overall - good meal - not the greatest we've made, but definitely a satisfying Sunday night.
And yes, ladies and gentlemen.... you can have a gourmet dinner AND still watch football!!!
Side Dish - Caesar Salad (and Baked Potato)
Caesar Dressing (Joy of Cooking Recipe)
1 Clove garlic; sliced
½ cup Olive oil
1 cup French bread; cubed
2 bunch Romaine
1 ½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Dry mustard
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
5 Anchovies; mashed
3 drops Worcestershire sauce
3 TBSP Wine vinegar
1 Egg
1 Lemon; juiced
3 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated
Steep garlic in 1/2 cup olive oil for 24 hours. Saute French Bread cubes in 2 tablespoons of garlic oil from above. Wash and dry Romaine and break into 2 inch lengths. Place the romaine in a salad bowl and sprinkle over it the salt, dry mustard, generous grating of black pepper. Add anchovy paste, and a few drops of Worcestershire Sauce. Add the wine vinegar and remaining 6 tablespoons of garlic oil. Drop the egg from the shell onto the ingredients in bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over salad and toss. Add Parmesan cheese and serve.
(Delicious... we made homemade croutons and mashed up a couple garlic cloves with the anchovies.)
Dessert - Homemade Apple Pie
Recipe unavailable because it was a family recipe made from memory - however it went something like... 4 cups shredded apples, eggs, butter, rum-soaked raisins, and flour combined over a pie crust and baked for approx. 1 hour. Honestly - the shredded apples were so different from the usual apple pie and paired with rum-soaked raisins - unique and delicious!
Wine - 2009 Argiano NC
92/100 - Wine Spectator
This wine is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 20% Syrah, 20% Sangiovese and is full-bodied with soft-tannins and a long lasting finish. This was one of the best wines we have had so far paired with a meal. (Actually, it's currently in our # 1 spot as favorite.) As always, the fabulous employees at Harry's Wine in Fairfield, CT (this week was Patrick), made a fantastic reccomendation!
Next week - Fish!
No comments:
Post a Comment