Welcome back, Culinary Sunday followers! I know that I originally promised a rotisserie chicken meal this week, but chef gets final vote, and I changed it up to a rack of lamb recipe that just looked oh-so-good when I was perusing the websites. Enjoy...
Cocktail - Hazelnut Citrus Martini
Frangelico, lime juice, triple sec, agave syrup... Jenn started with a concept, but it ended up having too much lime juice so we just continued to add things until it tasted good. And then topped it off with a sprig of thyme - after all, its all about presentation. Final result was good - much more of a "cool weather" cocktail, now that we are heading into fall.
Appetizer - Honey Roasted Pear Salad with Thyme-Verjus Dressing
So verjus is impossible to find and therefore we used the white grape juice substitute. We also had a gorgonzola-apricot salad topper blend from the grocery store so used that as well. The dressing was nice and tart to counter the sweet pear and the tangy of the cheese. Perhaps slightly too much thyme in the dressing, but overall a delicious salad.
Appetizer Wine - 2009 Albert Bichot Cote de Nuits-Villages
Wine Rating - 85/100
(Bad picture, I know)
This French Pinot Noir was very tasty. It had a sweet and tart cherry palate with a hint of spice and smoke. Easy to drink and a lovely match for the acidic salad.
Entree - Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce
Divine! Marinated the rack of lamb in the herbs the night beforehand as well as made the sauce the night beforehand as well. Then at the last moment - just put it all together! Cooking time was perfect on the recipe, do not change a thing. Sauce was very good, but very time consuming. Perhaps a demi-glace next time mixed with the herbs and the wine instead of making the lamb stock. Overall, a superb meal along with its beautiful side dishes.
Side Dish - Gourmet Mushroom Risotto
(See picture above)
We halved the mushrooms called for in the recipe and otherwise followed it exactly. Delicious! A meal in itself! If you haven't tried making a risotto yet, give this one a shot!
Side Dish - Sauteed Parsnips and Carrots with Honey and Rosemary
(See picture above)
Anytime you saute vegetables and then add honey, I'm sold. They were caramelized and sweet, and the nice scent of the rosemary kept it from being "overly sweet." Fantastic side dish!
Side Dish - Popovers
Okay, Jennifer's been dying to make popovers, and I have actually never eaten one before, so we decided to give it a shot last night! And they popped! I went running into the living room holding the pan in my oven gloves, going "Look... look!" This makes up the souffle that deflated. Anyways, I digress... they were tasty and had the perfect texture. Great for dipping in the leftover sauce!
Entree Wine - 2005 John Duval Eligo Shiraz
Wine Enthusiast - 96/100
I know we should have had a Pinot Noir with dinner, but when our dinner guest brought this amazing wine with him, we changed the rules a little. And this was a fantastic wine. (And for the syrah/shiraz lover in me - I was in heaven!) This wine opens up a little smoky and toasty but on the palate has an explosion of black cherry and raspberry. It finishes beautifully with light tannins and a creamy finish. Lovely!
Dessert - Vanilla Scented Pear Strudel with Hazelnuts
As you can see, we forgo the chocolate sauce in favor of just vanilla ice cream. And I think that's the perfect way to go - I could see chocolate as overpowering the delicate flavors. This recipe looks daunting, especially if you're afraid of phyllo dough like I am. I made it Sunday afternoon, and it took no more than 45 minutes to make. It's pretty much a jazzed up baklava, but just using pears and hazelnuts. One of our favorite desserts to date.
Dessert Wine - 2006 Pindar Late Harvest Chardonnay
So this ice wine from Long Island is from one of their more famous vineyards. While we've had better ice wines with other desserts, this one still did not disappoint. Prominent flavors of honey and apricot with a light citrus and tropical fruit taste. If you're ever on the North Fork - go check this place out!
So overall, another fantastic meal! No one got lit on fire, we're back to using a big kitchen, and the food came out perfectly cooked. Next week is going to be really fun, though. We've having some of my co-workers over for some old fashioned Southern barbecue!
Next Week - Baby Back Ribs and all the fixings...
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