I produced a great dinner last night. And I loved that it was so simple, but tasted
delicious. The main course came from a
cookbook call Celebration, Volume 2 It is from the Cooper’s Hawk Winery and
Restaurants Group. Cooper’s Hawk is a
Chicago based winery. They claim to have
the largest wine club in America. We ate
in one of their restaurant/wine tasting restaurants while recently home in IN. It was excellent and that is what inspired me
to look in this cookbook for this dinner.
My appetizers were simple. I had
2 cheeses, one St. Andre and the other goat cheese covered in blueberries. I had pate, nuts and olives. Jim served Elyse Zinfandel 2003 from Napa
with the appetizers. The main course was
Top Sirloin with masala Rub, Shitake Mushroom Risotto and Broccolini
Ingredients: (Sirloin)
1 t salt
1 ½ T masala (curry powder)
1 top sirloin roast (about 4 ½#)
Directions:
1.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Have the roast at room temperature.
2.
In a small bowl, use a fork and mix together the
salt and masala.
3.
Using your hands, thoroughly rub the spices into
the meat. Let sit at room temperature
for about 1 hour.
4.
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the
center of the roast.
5.
Place the roast in the oven and cook for 25
minutes.
6.
Reduce the heat to 325 and continue roasting
until the thermador registers 135 for medium-rare. (Plan on 15-20 minutes per
pound.)
7.
When the roast has reached temperature place on
a cutting board and let rest tented with aluminum foil for 30 minutes before
carving.
8.
Carve the roast against the grain into ½” thick
slices and arrange on a warmed platter.
Ingredients: (Risotto)
3 T EVOO
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. shitake mushrooms, trimmed and diced (buy more than it
says on the package as you will not be using the tough stems. I sliced rather than diced)
1 C Arborio rice
4 C chicken broth, low sodium
1 C red wine
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1.
In a large heavy skillet, heat the EVOO over
medium-high heat.
2.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they
are translucent, about 3 minutes.
3.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, push the onion/garlic
to the side of the pan and add the mushrooms. Cover the pan and cook until the mushrooms are
wilted, about 10 minutes.
4.
Add the rice and stir thoroughly with a wooden
spoon until it is evenly coated with the oil.
5.
Add the wine ½ C at a time, stirring after each
addition until the liquid has been absorbed.
6.
After the wine is absorbed, continue ½ C at a
time with the warmed chicken broth. (You
can do this in the microwave.) This will take about 30 minutes and yes, you
will need to be tanding there stirring the whole time.
7.
Remove from the heat, add the Parmesan and mix
well. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. I used about a teaspoon of salt
and pepper.
8.
Keep warm covered in the oven until ready to
serve.
Ingredients: (vegetable)
1 # Broccolini, ends trimmed
¼ C EVOO
½ lemon
Salt and black pepper
Directions:
1.
Just before you are ready to serve, bring 2” of
water to a boil in a large skillet with a lid.
2.
Place the Broccolini in the water and reduce the
heat to simmer. Cook until tender crisp,
about 5 minutes.
3.
Drain in a colander and transfer to a serving
bowl.
4.
Drizzle the EVOO over the hot Broccolini, then
squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the top. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently
to coat the Broccolini evenly with the oil and lemon.
This meal is so simple and anyone can make it. You will impress the heck out of anyone who
you serve it to. We started with a
Catena Alta Marbec, 1997 from Argentina with the main course. Jim followed that with Cateau Mont-Redon
Chateauneuf du Pape through the remaining meal and with dessert. Nothing like red wine and chocolate
Dessert
For dessert I turned to the Barefoot Contessa and her new
cookbook, Foolproof. Chocolate Cassis
Cake. This serves 10-12 and was a little
overkill for 4, but I have frozen the remaining cake and will serve it later.
Ingredients:
For the cake
Baking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy
12 T unsalted butter
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ C unsweetened cocoa powder
6 T crème de cassis liqueur
1 t pure vanilla extract
5 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 C sugar
¼ t kosher salt
For the glaze
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¼ C heavy cream
3 T crème de cassis liqueur
½ t pure vanilla extract
To serve
2 (1/2 pt) boxes fresh raspberries
1 pt fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C crème de cassis liqueur
Directions: (for the cake)
1.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9” round spring form pan with baking
spray. Line the bottom of the pan with
parchment paper and spray it again with baking spray.
2.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heat
proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until
smooth. Set aside to cool for 5
minutes. Whisk in the cocoa powder,
cassis and vanilla. Set aside.
3.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the
whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and salt on high speed for 5 minutes,
until pale yellow and triple in volume.
4.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture
and carefully but thoroughly fold them together with a rubber spatula.
5.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake
for 40 minutes, until barely set in the center.
6.
Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes and then
release the sides of the pan.
7.
Invert the cake carefully onto a flat serving
plate, remove the parchment and cool completely.
For the glaze:
1.
Melt the chocolate and cream together in a
heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
2.
Stir until smooth.
3.
Off the heat, whisk into the cassis and vanilla.
4.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and spread over
just the top of the cake.
To serve:
1.
Toss the berries gently with the sugar and
cassis.
2.
Cut the cake in wedges and serve the berries on
the side.
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