Eat your heart out...

So dinner with Mr went pretty well tonight. I'm an eater. Not a cook, but I suppose that love for really good food, means a love for cooking. I'm just scared to do it myself. I know so many great chefs, and have eaten many wonderful meals... to think I could do it myself? Seems too imposible. But tonight, somehow I pulled it off. I don't even remember the last time I cooked... I live by myself, which means that cooking is a waste of time, money and mess most of the time. But having the pleasure to cook for someone else is something of a treat. So I planned a four course meal for Mr and me, and it went a little something like this...





First course: Warm Asparagus Salad with Pickled Beetroot, Goats Curd & Hazelnut Vinaigrette:

This is from Justin North's cookbook, I modified it a little by adding the goat's curd, and changed a few of the ingredients cause I didn't have everything in my cupboard. It seemed to work though!


Serves 2

8 Asparagus Spears (peeled)
1 Pickled Baby Beetroot (I did this myself, it was super easy)
Goats Curd
Baby Lamb's Toungue (or Tat Soi if you can find it, but any micro herb will do that's not too overpowering)
Hazelnut Vinaigrette (2 tspn Dijon Mustard, 40ml Red Wine Vinegar, Salt & Pepper, 40ml White Truffle Oil, 40ml Grapeseed Oil, 1 tspn Sugar, 2 tbspn Crushed Hazelnuts - Roasted)

The only cooking you have to do with this, is to sautee the asparagus spears at medium heat for about 3 mins, until they start to colour but are still firm and slightly crunchy. It's sooooo delicious! Then arrange all the ingredients on the plate.

Second Course: Duck a L'Orange


This is a French Classic, and something I should have never tried to cook for the first time, especially for someone who considers their second home Paris! But, of course being stubborn and determined, I tried this recipe from Gourmet Traveller, and Mr seemed to love it... aparently it's one of his favourite dishes :)

Serves 2

2 Duck Breasts (about 200g each)
1 bunch Baby Carrots (trimmed & peeled)
1 cup Chicken Consomme (Campbell's brand from the supermarket is pretty good)
40ml Grand Marnier
1 tbspn Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbspn Honey
1 Orange (peeled and thickly sliced horizontally)
Cinnamon Quils


Score the fat on the duck, and rub generously with salt. Leave in the refrigerator wrapped in paper towel for a couple of hours. Heat a large pan with butter over medium heat and cook the duck skin side down for 5-7 mins until skin is crisp. Turn duck and add carrots. Cook for another 5-7 minutes. Take both duck & carrots of heat, wrap in foil and leave in warm place to rest. In the pan with the remaining butter, add consomme, grand marnier, red wine vinegar & honey. Bring to boil and reduce by about half (about 5 mins) Add orange slices, cook until heated through. Season to taste. Serve duck with orange slices, carrots, cinnamon quils and watercress for garnish.


Course Three: Italian Goats Cheese with Pastillia Nash Prune & Walnut Log


Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of this one :( It was so yummy, I gobbled it down before I could even think to take a pic... Instead I posted a pic of the delicious hazelnuts I roasted. But this one is so super easy... the most important part is getting a really yummy and good cheese. My recommendation is to visit Carmello down at Ocello, the cheese shop on Bourke Street, Surry Hills.



La Tur (Italian Goats, Sheep & Cows Milk)
Pastillia Nash Prune and Walnut Log (finely diced)
Honey
Salted Croutons

Smear the super ripe, yummy cheese onto the salted croutons, and top with diced log & honey! Yes, it's that simple! And believe me... you won't regret it... Yummmmmmmmm. Anyway, what's dinner without a cheese course?


Fourth Course: Apple Tarte Tatin



And, in keeping with the French theme, I finished off our meal with the all time classic Apple Tarte Tatin. Again, super easy. I made it ahead of time and put it in the oven just as we were having our cheese course! Also slightly modified from a recipe I found in Gourmet, this was the perfect way to end the meal!

Makes 4


2 sheets Puff Pastry
2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled & sliced)
Melted Butter
1 tbspn Demerara Sugar
1/4 tspn Ground Cinnamon
Maggie Beer Burnt Fig Ice Cream


Pre-heat over to 180C. Cut 4 circles into the pastry sheets. Arrange apple slices in a circle on the pastry. Brush generously with melted butter. Combine sugar & cinnamon in small bowl and sprinkle over tarts. Bake in oven until golden brown (about 15mins) Serve with a generous scooop of ice cream.


So there you have it! If you've gotten to here and you're still reading, I'm impressed! Recipes don't really do it for me, but I thought it was important to add them, seeing as they were so simple and easy. Even for someone who doesn't cook a lot. I do watch a lot of cooking though! (On television & at work...) I suppose the most important piece of advice is, just do it. And if you feel stupid and don't know what something in the recipe is, don't worry! We've all been there! Just call your mum, or your friend that cooks a lot, or your cousin who is a chef... and just ask them. Don't feel silly about it... I was hoping I would find 'Demerara Sugar' in the sugar isle, and luckily I did. Phew... that's one phone a friend I didn't have to use this time. But seriously, like men, food and cooking can be so intimidating. But they shouldn't be, and once you get over that hurdle, it is so rewarding! And the taste will go on in your mind long after Mr has left you alone on your couch. All that, and I sleep alone tonight? Hmmm, who cares? Tonight, I think I will heart my eat out, and not eat my heart out...