Dinner for Two.

There is something so thrilling  about coming up with a recipe on the spot…I love it. My finger snaps, I close my eyes, and I start to quietly mouth out flavors that I think would pair well together.

Cookbooks are wonderful to have around the house.  I adore the old ones, the new ones, the encyclopedias of knowledge, and Dictionaries of scientific facts, the wordly flavors, and the combustion of ingredients.  They are my addiction.  But our home is small.  Filled with wonderful recipes, they become my references to inspiration.  I use as my sources for my ideas with recipes from blogs, to cookbooks to the many magazines that are out there. The other day I came across an article for Duck L’Orange, a classic French recipe in one of my magazines …I lost the article (where are you? ) but could not waste any time, as my car rental was expiring.  So I opted to make my own rendition of Duck L’orange.

I made this in a small cast iron skillet for my client (that I personal chef for)  and decided that this recipe, if doubled would be a great and luscious dinner for 2.  When I cook for Vipul, I have to decide that it is that I am going to cook for him that day…meals for 4 days made in one day. At first I was in a state of panic thinking about it…then well now, I realize just how fun and exciting it is to cook for him each week.  I will go back and list the recipe, but so that you can know what I go through every Monday starting at 10:00 ending at 8:00 Start to finish.  That includes having coffee and creating a list, creating a menu, renting a car, sourcing the meats, produce, prep, cooking, packaging, and plating.  Oh yeah CLEANING.

Here is this week’s Dinner Menu:

Tonight:

Dinner #1:

Salad: Ripe Cantelope, Treviso and Golden Heirloom Tomato Salad with Mint, Chives, and Red Wine Vin.

Entree: Thai Style Seafood Stew w/Cod, Prawns,and Scallops in a Lightly Spiced Broth w/Turnips, Tree Oyster Mushrooms & Baby Broccoli over Buttanese Rice.

Lunch: Slow Roasted Lamb Sandwhich with Calvestrano Olive Puree Treviso and Rapini Leaves

Dinner #2: Harissa & Mace Rubbed Poussin Stuffed with Cous Cous Flavored with Salt cured Black Olives Apricots reconstituted in White wine Pickled Garlic and Dill Flavored with Cinnamon alongside/ Roasted Sweet Peppers.

Dinner #3: Sage and Pepper Rubbed Chateaubriand alongside Paprika Smashed Potatoes and Slow Braised Rainbow Chard w/Fuji Apples scented with ginger and garlic.

Dinner #4: Duck Leg Braised w/ White Wine, Cream and Orange Juice w/Slow Roasted Garlic Cloves, Carrots Turnip Greens and Pearl Onions