Sunday dinner for two

This was a great day. It started with my brother taking his computer to Brentwood where my mother resides in the Memory Care Unit. We had set up Skype on both our computers and we wanted to see if I could talk to my Mother. We did talk although she refused to believe it was me until Jim came into the picture. It was good to see her and I have to say if I live to be 90, I hope I look that good.


After we signed off, Jim and I drove to Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, VA to see a pastel exhibit by my current instructor. It was very impressive. On the way back we stopped for lunch in Culpepper, VA in their restored Old Town at a restaurant called Foti’s. Upon returning home we found out that the chef-owners had been trained at the Inn of Little Washington. Our lunch was divine. We want to go back for dinner.

Dinner tonight was “leftovers” newly cooked. Over Christmas we bought tenderloin of beef that was too large for the amount of people we were serving. I had cut off the end and put it in the freezer. I also had a port wine sauce left over from another meal that I got out of Gourmet or Bon Appetite and froze the leftover sauce. Earlier, I blogged about my green beans with almonds; I froze half. Every now and then you have to get the things you put in the freezer out. Tonight was the night. I first brazed the beef on top of the stove. I put veg. oil in a pan and salted and peppered the beef. After it was brown on all sides, I put it in a 400 degree oven to 135 degrees, medium rare. We established tonight that Jim has to place the probe in the meat. I am a loser at placement of the probe. When it reached temperature, I covered it with foil for 15 minutes before carving. I also served a twice baked potato. I kind of followed a Paula Deen Recipe, but this recipe was for 6 and I was just using 1 potato. So here is my version of twice baked potato for two when the beef gets done before the potato.

I was baking the potato in the oven with the beef, but the beef got done too fast. It had to set for 15 minutes so I put the potato in the microwave. When it was done, I scooped out the middle in a bowl with butter, crème fraiche, salt and pepper. Instead of the mixer, I used my ricer as it was a small amount. Before I reloaded the potato I sprinkled the shell with a little truffle oil. I did not add parsley per her instructions but did sprinkle with paprika, and then put it in the microwave under reheat one serving. All was done in the 15 minutes I had remaining. It was good.

The one thing good about serving beef in this house is Jim brings out the good wine from the cellar. Tonight’s was stellar. He served a 1998 Reserve Viansa Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma. It was a well balanced luscious wine with a predominant aroma of blackberries.