Good Morning, CS followers! 2013 is turning out to be a fantastic year so far when it comes to food, because we had another superb meal last night! We didn't find anything interesting on sale this week, so we took out the little baby chickens sitting in the freezer and creating another menu based on our new favorite poultry. (Side note: you need at least 2 days to defrost.) Enjoy!
Cocktail - The Novice's Old Fashioned
So we have made plenty of old fashioneds before, but we wanted to make this cocktail because it included the cherries in it (like our meal); so we lightened it up for those who may be only starting their venture into stronger cocktails. Whiskey, grenadine, club soda and ginger ale topped with slices of orange and cherries.
Appetizer - Cauliflower Soup
Yum! Instead of using English Muffins for the "dippers", we cut up a fresh round loaf and baked that topped with garlic and Parmesan cheese. They were perfect for dipping in this soup! The only changes to the soup was following the reviews and adding more salt and a little hot sauce for some kick. This soup was slightly bland, so the hot sauce really helped pep it up! Overall, a delicious soup that will make a great lunch today!
Appetizer Wine - 2011 Cave de Lugny Macon-Villages Chardonnay
This white wine from the Burgundy region of France is a great find! It has fresh and crisp notes on the front, with a clean mineral-taste and hints of yellow fruit. It's unoaked and not too "buttery" as some chardonnays can be, but has a strong lasting finish.
Entree - Roasted Hens with Caramelized Root Vegetables and Dried Currant Sauce
Another home run! Let's start with the chickens. We followed the instructions (minus the juniper berries) and then left them whole as we roasted. (Why cut in half? That detracts from the presentation in our opinion.) So we roasted whole, covered in foil, at 350 for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Then uncovered, put a tab of butter over each breast, and baked another 15 minutes. Then broiled about 5 minutes to get it crispy and brown. Moist, tender, and full of flavor! The vegetables were incredible! Who doesn't like caramelized goodness? We simply threw them all in the saute pan, followed the directions, and voila! Fantastic meal.
Entree Wine - 2006 Broccato Dievole Toscana
So this wine came from the stockpile and I cannot find any information on it on the web, so you're stuck with just our review. Delicious. This Italian red was bursting with red berry flavors, which matched perfectly with the currant sauce on the chicken. It had a lingering finish with light tannins, and was not just enjoyable with the meal, but also for drinking during the clean up. Great wine.
Dessert - Manhattan Floating Islands
Oh wow. Basically this is a whiskey flavored mousse topped with a meringue and fresh berries. Let's start with the meringue... make them small (tablespoon) and watch the cook time. Ours were slightly undercooked but then we dropped heaping tablespoons. Secondly... if you think 4 Tbsp isn't enough whiskey, put the bottle away. We added another "splash" or so of whiskey.... wow. This dessert alone will get you buzzed. But it's sooooo good! Definitely an impressive dessert when you're cooking a special meal!
So all in all, a lovely dinner to add to our 2013 collection! I hope you all enjoyed our journey, and I sincerely hope you give little cornish game hens a shot.
Next weekend is rather special. First, we have another wine pairing dinner with Chef Glen and Enologist Jordan on Saturday. We'll make sure to take photos and blog that adventure! Then we will cook a meal on Sunday... just not sure yet what it will be!
Next Week - Pork Spareribs (not BBQ for a change)
No comments:
Post a Comment