As I mentioned yesterday, here is the dinner we prepared and served.
Guinness Irish Stew
- 2 1/2 lbs. Sirloin tip, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes, all excess fat removed
- 3 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 x 900 ml containers of beef stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 can Guinness beer
- 1 cup Sangiovese wine (Merlot would do)
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 2 bay laves
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3/4 bag, Golden little gem potatoes
- 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. fresh parsley
Before browning the beef, sprinkle the meat with the salt and heat the oil in a large pot (not frypan) over a medium heat.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and work in batches. Cook without stirring until a nice brown on one side, then using tongs turn the pieces over and brown another side. Repeat until all sides are browned. Remove to a bowl and repeat with the meat pieces until all are browned. Return the meat to the pot.
Add the garlic and onion and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the beef stock, water, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worchestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
Add the potatoes and carrots and cook a further 60 minutes. If you can, let it sit for 24 hours and then reheat and serve. OMG! Is that ever good. To thicken it take 4 heaping tsp. of flour and mix with 1/4 cup of water. Mix together and temper it with some of the stew, then add to the stew. Perfection at its best.
Best Pea Soup You Will Eat (my site under Soups)
Blood Orange Creme Brulee
Use any recipe you like or even the instant kind. Just make sure you zest the blood orange and steep in the custard while you are making it. The flavour is very subtle but there. When caramelizing the topping, grate some more of the blood orange zest on top. Add a few segments of the orange on top for decoration. The taste of a blood orange is so different from the ordinary orange and would not be the same, for sure.
Enjoy and HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY.
Date Night Dinner For Two
We all need to keep the fires burning and this is a great date night dinner for two. Add your own Appies, then your salad or soup starter and then go for the good stuff. Dessert is your choice. (wink, wink, says me with a smile).
Use any veggies you will want for your dinner, but these are so delicious.
- Fingerling potatoes, skins on
- baby beets
- small turnip
- baby carrots
- cherry tomatoes (optional)
- small onion, peeled and quartered
Peel these and cut in half where you can, chunks where needed and rub with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs. Just make sure the sizes are equal so they all cook at the same time.
Place in a preheated 400 degree oven, cooking until the vegetables are tender and have begun to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Now prepare the fish during this cooking time and carry on, using the same pan.
- 500 gram Trout fillet, pat dry, all bones removed
- Herb de Provence
- freshly ground pepper
- pinch of salt
On the same baking sheet, lay the trout, skin side down in the center, moving the vegetables aside, and lightly rub olive oil over the flesh. Sprinkle the herbs, salt and pepper over the fish and bake for another 8-10 minutes until a knife point inserted in the thickest point for about 10 seconds comes out warm.
Serve with lime wedges.
Set the table with a tablecloth (washed and ironed), light the candles and serve the chilled wine of your choice.
You are so welcome and make these date nights at LEAST once a month.
Menu For A Retirement Party For Friends
We have a friend, who just retired so, of course, we have to have a dinner party to celebrate such a wonderful challenge to a man who has worked most of his life (as we all do, I know)
It will start with a glass (or two) or wine and wonderful two kinds of bbq chicken wings to munch on and chat away. A small token gift of wine will be offered.
Now, moving into the air-conditioned dining room (+ 38-39 degrees is being called for), we will start with:
Pulled Pork Popovers *
Papaya/Shrimp Salad With a Ginger Curry dressing
Orzo dish With Smoked Trout
Fruit/Cheese/Nut Tray
Wine
Coffee
* Don invented this dish. He made popovers, then cut in half and placed generous amount of pulled pork on bottom and set top at the side and then drizzled some of the sauce over. OMG! These are the best of the best of the best. Damn he did it again!
The orzo dish he made before and it is served lightly chilled. It has a remarkable homemade pesto sauce in it (recipe for this dish is already posted on this site).
The dessert tray had:
3- 1/2 inch squares of a hazelnut “wafer” cookies,
4 kinds of cheese (small pieces)
candied pecans (made in the morning)
fresh fruit – peach slices, kiwi slices, green grapes
toasted baguettes slices
This, my friends, was a hit the other night and will be again. Seems to go over well on hot nights instead of a heavier dessert.
Try something like this and you will be praised over and over.
Yummy dinner menu (99% is made in advance) where you can spend all your time with your guests.
Marinated Leg Of Lamb With Gold Potatoes
This is a good recipe for those who love lamb. This one is marinated overnight so be sure to get started the day before you wish to feast. The Yukon gold potatoes are a perfect match. Then, of course, of a perfect Merlot.
- 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 4 tsp. kosher salt, plus a little more for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, plus 2 tbsp. finely chopped
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. lime juice, fresh
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 – 8 lb. bone in, leg of lamb, large pockets of fat trimmed off
- 8 x 7 oz. (approx.) yukon gold potatoes, halved lengthwise
Pound the garlic and 4 tsp. kosher salt with a mortar and pestle until a paste forms. Add 1/4 cup rosemary leaves and peel from one lime. Pound well for about a minute. Stir in one cup olive oil, lime juice and pepper into the paste.
Plac e lamb, fat side up, on work surface, Cut shallow slits into the fat about 1/2 inch apart. Spread 5 tbsp. of the paste into the slits. Turn the leg over and repeat the process. Wrap the leg in plastic and place in a roasting pan. Chill overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the wrap from the lamb leg and brush the leg with oil. Roast for 15 minutes.
Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the oil and 2 tbsp. of the chopped rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Reduce the oven to 350 and arrange the potatoes, cut side down around the lamb. Roast 40 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn the potatoes over and b rush with the pan drippings. Roast a further 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Transfer the potatoes to a platter and continue to roast the lamb until an instant-read thermometer reads 130 – 133 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the leg. Let rest for 20 minutes. While the meat is resting, return the potatoes to the pan and warm in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through.
Arrange the potatoes and lamb on a plattter and show off to all those sitting around the table. This makes 8 servings, so invite your friends to help you share n this.
Your only question should be “more wine???”
Salmon With Rice and Asparagus
You just got home from work and you’re tired, cranky and you now have to figure out what to make for dinner that is fast, easy and, it goes without saying, tasty….go no further. Try this. It should take 30 minutes to make. What could be easier…oh., by the way, it takes one dish.
Am I good to you or what……damn I can do this!
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp. grated lime peel
- 2 tbsp. liquid honey
- 2 tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 4 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 large shallots, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 3 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 4 x 5-6 oz. salmon fillets
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together the lime juice, zest, honey, 2 tbsp. of the parsley and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet with a lid (oven proof) and saute the shallots until golden and starting to soften (5 minutes). Stir in the rice and add the broth. Cover with the lid and place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. The rice will be almost cooked and most of the broth should be absorbed. If dry, add more broth 1/4 cupful at a time.
Remove from the oven and lightly sprinkle salt over the rice. Season the salmon fillets and arrange over the rice, pressing lightly . With a spoon, try to tuck the asparagus into the rice to be anchored. Drizzle the dressing over the fillets. Cover and return to the oven. Bake for another 8-10 minutes until the salmon is just opague in the center and the asparagus is crisp-tender.
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the fish and sprinkle with some chopped parsley.
Serve with warm rolls and butter. Did I mention a glass of Pinot Gris would be a perfect addition? I thought so…
September Dinner Party
Here is a menu you may wish to try. It is not that difficult and the recipes are on site.
Appetizer:
- Crab Cakes with garlic aoli
- Wine: Pinot Grigio
First Course:
- Seafood Bisque
- Second Course: Chicken Salad
Main Course:
- Pork Tenderloin with sauce
- Baby garden beets, corn and julienned carrot sticks, green beens
Dessert:
- Chocolate Brioche with homemade vanilla ice cream
- Shot of Baileys to go with your coffee.