mm......
August 3, 2006 11:55 AM Subscribe
So I told my new(ish) girlfriend that I'd cook her dinner this Sat. I'm pretty handy around the kitchen but I don't really have an old standby for this meal. Any ideas?
She makes a mean sangria which she's in charge of so something with a spanish/so. american flavor would be good. My inital though were some tasty fish tacos and a south of the border flavored slaw but that might be too simple. Tapas may be a good idea as well.
Also difficulty isn't really an issue but I'm not getting a trial run so there's bonus points for dishes that are hard to screw up when I don't have experience making it before.
She makes a mean sangria which she's in charge of so something with a spanish/so. american flavor would be good. My inital though were some tasty fish tacos and a south of the border flavored slaw but that might be too simple. Tapas may be a good idea as well.
Also difficulty isn't really an issue but I'm not getting a trial run so there's bonus points for dishes that are hard to screw up when I don't have experience making it before.
In this book, there is a recipe for filet mignon cooked in a poblano chile sauce with gauc and cotija (IIRC) which is to die for. The recipe is straight forward, but takes a fair amount of prep, most of which can be done the day before (for example, the chile sauce). To tools are simple: a knife, a grill or broiler, a saucepan, a blender/food processor and a large, deep pan.
For a veg/budget option, it works great with 1.5" thick slices of eggplant instead of filet mignon.
It can be hard to find some of the chiles, and you really want to make sure that you get rid of all traces of seeds.
The rest of the book is worth it, too.
posted by plinth at 12:07 PM on August 3, 2006
For a veg/budget option, it works great with 1.5" thick slices of eggplant instead of filet mignon.
It can be hard to find some of the chiles, and you really want to make sure that you get rid of all traces of seeds.
The rest of the book is worth it, too.
posted by plinth at 12:07 PM on August 3, 2006
Make sure you start off with a wedge of aged Manchego cheese and something fruity -- quince paste is best but fig cakes or even dates or grapes would be nice.
posted by mdiskin at 12:19 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by mdiskin at 12:19 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
Tapas is an interesting idea, but be aware that just because you're making several small things doesn't necessarily mean you're going to do less work than preparing a full scale recipe. Not sure how you feel about doing something like paella? It's a one dish meal, so it may mean a bit less balancing in the kitchen.
posted by theantikitty at 12:32 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by theantikitty at 12:32 PM on August 3, 2006
or of you want the s. american version of mdiskin's recommendation, go with romeo e julieta, a mild white farm cheese with goiabada, guava paste (can be found canned in your local Goya aisle). Bonus points for the romantic name??
posted by whatzit at 12:32 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by whatzit at 12:32 PM on August 3, 2006
This is a favourite recipe of mine. I've made it a few times and it's always delicious. Cuban spiced tenderloin. Mmmmm ...
posted by essexjan at 12:32 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by essexjan at 12:32 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
Tourlou-tourlou is a great, very easy summer dish. It's impossible to mess up. The name means "topsy turvy".
Get one smallish (perhaps a Japanese, they're smaller by nature) eggplant, one Idaho potato, two hothouse tomatoes, one large sweet vidalia onion, and one nice zucchini.
You will also want a bunch of fresh parsley (preferably Italian, but the normal kind is fine too-in fact, you can even get away with the dried flakes if you have to), 16 oz. of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and feta cheese crumbles-about three to six ounces. Finally, you'll want some good fresh bread from a bakery for dipping, sourdough or French.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Wash and peel the potato.
Pour a generous amount of olive oil into the bottom of a baking pan.
Wash and slice the eggplant in about half-inch thick round slices, and put it in the pan.
Slice the potato in round thin slices. Layer them on top of the eggplant.
Slice the zucchini and layer it on top of the potatoes.
Chop the vidalia onion into long thin slivers on top of the zucchini.
Chop the two tomatoes and put them on top of the onion.
Pour more of that good olive oil on top, generously. You shouldn't have much of that 16-oz bottle left. Salt and pepper generously. As a bonus, you can put whole peppercorns in, too. Put the chopped parsley on top now, too. Pour in about a quarter to a half a cup of water-it will boil off.
Put it in the preheated oven at 350 to 375. Wait about one hour and check on it. The smell will be driving you crazy by now because it's so good. As a bonus, you can throw small balls of fresh mozzarella on top in the last 10-15 minutes and they'll melt into it....mmm....
Serve hot, with fresh sliced French bread and the feta cheese crumbles in a side dish. The French bread is for dipping into the olive oil and as a feta-cheese-to-mouth delivery vehicle. Enjoy! Serves 2-3; if you have leftovers, the next day they will be even better, if you can believe that.
posted by evariste at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2006 [6 favorites]
Get one smallish (perhaps a Japanese, they're smaller by nature) eggplant, one Idaho potato, two hothouse tomatoes, one large sweet vidalia onion, and one nice zucchini.
You will also want a bunch of fresh parsley (preferably Italian, but the normal kind is fine too-in fact, you can even get away with the dried flakes if you have to), 16 oz. of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and feta cheese crumbles-about three to six ounces. Finally, you'll want some good fresh bread from a bakery for dipping, sourdough or French.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Wash and peel the potato.
Pour a generous amount of olive oil into the bottom of a baking pan.
Wash and slice the eggplant in about half-inch thick round slices, and put it in the pan.
Slice the potato in round thin slices. Layer them on top of the eggplant.
Slice the zucchini and layer it on top of the potatoes.
Chop the vidalia onion into long thin slivers on top of the zucchini.
Chop the two tomatoes and put them on top of the onion.
Pour more of that good olive oil on top, generously. You shouldn't have much of that 16-oz bottle left. Salt and pepper generously. As a bonus, you can put whole peppercorns in, too. Put the chopped parsley on top now, too. Pour in about a quarter to a half a cup of water-it will boil off.
Put it in the preheated oven at 350 to 375. Wait about one hour and check on it. The smell will be driving you crazy by now because it's so good. As a bonus, you can throw small balls of fresh mozzarella on top in the last 10-15 minutes and they'll melt into it....mmm....
Serve hot, with fresh sliced French bread and the feta cheese crumbles in a side dish. The French bread is for dipping into the olive oil and as a feta-cheese-to-mouth delivery vehicle. Enjoy! Serves 2-3; if you have leftovers, the next day they will be even better, if you can believe that.
posted by evariste at 12:41 PM on August 3, 2006 [6 favorites]
(I never have leftovers though because it's so good)
posted by evariste at 12:47 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by evariste at 12:47 PM on August 3, 2006
I wouldn't give up on the tacos idea just yet, cos I'm a chick and that sounds like an amazing dinner date-night idea. I made some KILLER carne asada tacos last week for my roommate. Fairly simple and very difficult to screw up, the bonus being that the ingredients require just enough simple prep to indicate that a tag-team effort in the kitchen will be fun, but not frustrating.
Keys to perfect tacos =
1) a great dry rub for the protein, whether it be hanger steak mmm, hanger steak chicken, fish or tofu. dry rub can be a lot of things but absolutely does need to incorporate salt, garlic powder, cumin and chile / cayenne pepper. also, squeeze about a half of a fresh lime into your protein as you cook it. oh and keep the rinds / zest from the lime to garnish your sangria with!!
2) fresh salsas. My personal 2 faves are yellow corn/black bean and salsa fresca made with a touch of minced fresh jalapeno peppers. Fresh ingredients - meaning fresh garlic, fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro - are critical here. (err, assuming you don't hate cilantro)
3) awesome cheese. I like to use queso fresco or asadero (asadero is more of a 'melting' cheese but I don't care, it tastes amazing grated onto tacos).
4) authentic fresh-fried tortillas. For the love of all things holy, unless you're vegetarian, please use those amazing, flinty-smelling, prepared-with-lard corn tortillas that you get from a Mexican grocery. you will never, ever regret it. Prepping them is really simple, just pour a thin layer of peanut oil into a skillet, and fry them into a curved taco shell using a long set of tongs. hell I'm completely uncoordinated and I can do it. or you can simply fry them flat and prepare your ingredients as tostadas (i.e. a mexican take on the pizza thingy).
good luck
posted by lonefrontranger at 12:51 PM on August 3, 2006 [3 favorites]
Keys to perfect tacos =
1) a great dry rub for the protein, whether it be hanger steak mmm, hanger steak chicken, fish or tofu. dry rub can be a lot of things but absolutely does need to incorporate salt, garlic powder, cumin and chile / cayenne pepper. also, squeeze about a half of a fresh lime into your protein as you cook it. oh and keep the rinds / zest from the lime to garnish your sangria with!!
2) fresh salsas. My personal 2 faves are yellow corn/black bean and salsa fresca made with a touch of minced fresh jalapeno peppers. Fresh ingredients - meaning fresh garlic, fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro - are critical here. (err, assuming you don't hate cilantro)
3) awesome cheese. I like to use queso fresco or asadero (asadero is more of a 'melting' cheese but I don't care, it tastes amazing grated onto tacos).
4) authentic fresh-fried tortillas. For the love of all things holy, unless you're vegetarian, please use those amazing, flinty-smelling, prepared-with-lard corn tortillas that you get from a Mexican grocery. you will never, ever regret it. Prepping them is really simple, just pour a thin layer of peanut oil into a skillet, and fry them into a curved taco shell using a long set of tongs. hell I'm completely uncoordinated and I can do it. or you can simply fry them flat and prepare your ingredients as tostadas (i.e. a mexican take on the pizza thingy).
good luck
posted by lonefrontranger at 12:51 PM on August 3, 2006 [3 favorites]
If you need a side dish, you might try this:
Green Beans with Roasted Red Onions. It's yummy, fast, impressive-looking, and impossible to mess up.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 12:53 PM on August 3, 2006
I made coq au vin last night and it was easy and very well received. Also, only the prep needs active work, then it just simmers, so you can do something more interesting while whetting your appetite.
These quantities are variable without affecting the result...
a chicken cut into pieces (or just some legs)
fry in 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or butter)
1/4 lb salt pork
3/4 cup chopped onions;
1 sliced carrot;
3 minced shallots or scallions;
1 minced garlic clove
push the veggies to one side and brown the chicken pieces;
then add 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoons marjoram or chervil, 1/2 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups dry red wine;
simmer 1 hr;
optionally add 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms and cook 5 mins more;
skim off fat;
season and serve.
Last night the side dishes were plain boiled yukon gold potatoes and steamed broccoli, but a hunk of nice bread is enough.
posted by anadem at 1:36 PM on August 3, 2006
These quantities are variable without affecting the result...
a chicken cut into pieces (or just some legs)
fry in 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or butter)
1/4 lb salt pork
3/4 cup chopped onions;
1 sliced carrot;
3 minced shallots or scallions;
1 minced garlic clove
push the veggies to one side and brown the chicken pieces;
then add 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoons marjoram or chervil, 1/2 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups dry red wine;
simmer 1 hr;
optionally add 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms and cook 5 mins more;
skim off fat;
season and serve.
Last night the side dishes were plain boiled yukon gold potatoes and steamed broccoli, but a hunk of nice bread is enough.
posted by anadem at 1:36 PM on August 3, 2006
Best answer: I think I'd be a little unnerved if someone served me tacos on a date, because they're a hard food to eat gracefully. I try to avoid eating anything with my hands on a date... there's just too high a probability of embarrassing spillage.
I think the secret to cooking for others is to do as much prepwork in advance as you possibly can and to try to avoid meals that will require you to have multiple dishes in various stages of preparation at once. To that end, I'd say a simple but flavorful meal like this one would be a really safe bet:
Grilled fish (tuna or swordfish, maybe), blackened and broiled or grilled, served with pineapple salsa or pico de gallo.
Southwestern slaw seems like a good idea
Mashed potatoes with roasted poblanos
You can make the slaw and salsa the day before, the potatoes shortly after she arrives and then pop the fish on the grill as soon as the potatoes are done. There's very little possibility of error here, but I think it's a very nice meal.
posted by chickletworks at 1:37 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
I think the secret to cooking for others is to do as much prepwork in advance as you possibly can and to try to avoid meals that will require you to have multiple dishes in various stages of preparation at once. To that end, I'd say a simple but flavorful meal like this one would be a really safe bet:
Grilled fish (tuna or swordfish, maybe), blackened and broiled or grilled, served with pineapple salsa or pico de gallo.
Southwestern slaw seems like a good idea
Mashed potatoes with roasted poblanos
You can make the slaw and salsa the day before, the potatoes shortly after she arrives and then pop the fish on the grill as soon as the potatoes are done. There's very little possibility of error here, but I think it's a very nice meal.
posted by chickletworks at 1:37 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
Put a whole chicken in a pot, along with two large cans of tomato sauce (to cover it), a very large onion cut unto eighths and stuck with a couple of cloves, plus two heaping tablespoons of ground cumin. If you have a carrot and a stalk of celery, add them too, chopped into big pieces. A bay leaf is good. Grind in lots of pepper and less salt than you think it will need.
Heat to a boil, cover and simmer for an hour or two.
Remove the chicken to a large bowl, let it cool and pull off and discard the skin. Remove the bones if you like.
Add the sauce to the meat, add salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.
If someone asks you what it is, say Chicken Chausseur. Whatever you call it, people will eat every bit. I usually double everything to make twice as much.
posted by KRS at 1:55 PM on August 3, 2006 [2 favorites]
Heat to a boil, cover and simmer for an hour or two.
Remove the chicken to a large bowl, let it cool and pull off and discard the skin. Remove the bones if you like.
Add the sauce to the meat, add salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.
If someone asks you what it is, say Chicken Chausseur. Whatever you call it, people will eat every bit. I usually double everything to make twice as much.
posted by KRS at 1:55 PM on August 3, 2006 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If she likes salmon, make this grilled salmon with tomato and olive salsa. I just made it for the first time last night, along with the sour cream/lemon side, and it was delicious and so easy. Make the salsa the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight -- it's even better the second day, plus you get more time to do other stuff. (It took me about 45 minutes to cut everything up for the salsa). I ate it with a simple salad and some bread, but you could add some rice. A very good summer dish!
You can use a little minced garlic instead of fresh. The fresh basil tastes wonderful with the olives and shallots. The fish is very hard to screw up -- I added a little lemon juice to the olive oil before I put it on the fish because I love lemon, but you don't need to.
A couple of other things: don't neglect the starter or the finish course! It is good to have something easy out while you prep the food, even if it's just cheese and crackers -- it gives you both something to keep your hands busy and is also good in case the food or prep work takes longer than you think, so you both won't be starving! And something sweet for dessert never goes unappreciated -- in this heat something as simple as ice cream with a cookie or some fruit in it would be lovely.
Good luck!
On preview, looks like chickletworks and I have the same fish-and-salsa theme!
posted by onlyconnect at 1:59 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
You can use a little minced garlic instead of fresh. The fresh basil tastes wonderful with the olives and shallots. The fish is very hard to screw up -- I added a little lemon juice to the olive oil before I put it on the fish because I love lemon, but you don't need to.
A couple of other things: don't neglect the starter or the finish course! It is good to have something easy out while you prep the food, even if it's just cheese and crackers -- it gives you both something to keep your hands busy and is also good in case the food or prep work takes longer than you think, so you both won't be starving! And something sweet for dessert never goes unappreciated -- in this heat something as simple as ice cream with a cookie or some fruit in it would be lovely.
Good luck!
On preview, looks like chickletworks and I have the same fish-and-salsa theme!
posted by onlyconnect at 1:59 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]
Personally, I'd go more spanish than tex-mex, and serve something like:
-appetizer plate with slices of good bread, spanish olives, chorizo salami, manchego cheese, serrano ham (have this ready before she gets there)
-simple salad
-seafood main (here is where you can choose your difficulty level, from a simple shrimp sautee to whole fish preparations with elaborate sauces. Also choose your budget, from tilapia to lobster. In any event, fish cooks relatively quickly, so you can spend more time with your date and less time in the kitchen)
-Some sort of not-too-sweet dark chocalate dessert (should go well with whatever sangria is still left at this point)
posted by rorycberger at 2:07 PM on August 3, 2006
-appetizer plate with slices of good bread, spanish olives, chorizo salami, manchego cheese, serrano ham (have this ready before she gets there)
-simple salad
-seafood main (here is where you can choose your difficulty level, from a simple shrimp sautee to whole fish preparations with elaborate sauces. Also choose your budget, from tilapia to lobster. In any event, fish cooks relatively quickly, so you can spend more time with your date and less time in the kitchen)
-Some sort of not-too-sweet dark chocalate dessert (should go well with whatever sangria is still left at this point)
posted by rorycberger at 2:07 PM on August 3, 2006
Best answer: No one has covered dessert yet, but let me proffer Chocolate Cups. Not sure how well they go with Spanish/Mexican food but in my experience not many people turn down some decandantly rich chocolate for dessert.
Oh and this dish is ideal for you to make the night before which saves you lots of time for cooking dinner the day of the date.
Buena suerte!
posted by mmascolino at 2:09 PM on August 3, 2006
Oh and this dish is ideal for you to make the night before which saves you lots of time for cooking dinner the day of the date.
Buena suerte!
posted by mmascolino at 2:09 PM on August 3, 2006
looks like rorycberger and I were thinking alike.
posted by mmascolino at 2:10 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by mmascolino at 2:10 PM on August 3, 2006
Something with mole. Can't go wrong with chocolate in the main course.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 2:26 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 2:26 PM on August 3, 2006
Those look good mmascalino, maybe sub in sherry for the hazelnut liquor to give it a spanish accent.
posted by rorycberger at 2:46 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by rorycberger at 2:46 PM on August 3, 2006
they are damn good rorycberger and flexible too....sub in your fav liquor or your fav chocolate and you'll have a hit. Dark Chocolate with some rum goes over well with my wife.
posted by mmascolino at 2:49 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by mmascolino at 2:49 PM on August 3, 2006
I think your best answer meals sound really yummy and good (and also will probably look impressive) but just make sure she's down with fish first. I never make fish as an entree without asking beforehand because of the sheer amount of (american, anyway) people who just don't do fish. Also, a lot of people are really skittish about olives too. I think they sound great (and i'd love to have them made for me...being a girl and all) but maybe check to avoid possible dinner disaster.
OH...and there's this spanish restaurant near me that ends every meal by serving this ridiculously amazing sweet almond liquor. You just get a shot glass of it and it's kind of desserty and soooo yummy. I'm not totally sure what it is, but it made me very very happy and uh cuddly.
posted by theantikitty at 3:15 PM on August 3, 2006
OH...and there's this spanish restaurant near me that ends every meal by serving this ridiculously amazing sweet almond liquor. You just get a shot glass of it and it's kind of desserty and soooo yummy. I'm not totally sure what it is, but it made me very very happy and uh cuddly.
posted by theantikitty at 3:15 PM on August 3, 2006
If you want something south of the border that will give you maximum time with your date and that she doesn't have to eat with her hands: Robert Rodriguez' Puerco Pibil. Slow-cooked for four hours, so you just take it out of the oven. Spectacular appearance, redolent with exotic spices. Impossible to burn, dry out, undercook, boil over, whatever.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:17 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:17 PM on August 3, 2006
I just noticed you can watch Snr Rodrigues make his famous puerco pibil on YouTube: Ten Minute Cooking School.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:19 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by obiwanwasabi at 4:19 PM on August 3, 2006
Previously on AskMe. And I'll reiterate my advice from that thread: if you are expecting action afterwards, consider something lighter. Don't fill up the object of your desire with rich heavy food, the risk is too high that said person will be too sleepy and full to reward your efforts with more than a belch and a doze on the sofa. Think light, think crispy paired with creamy, and smaller portions.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:23 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 4:23 PM on August 3, 2006
It's summer.
This is a suggestion involving some risk, but oh, so memorable, and so worthwhile, if this is the first time you are cooking for the girl:
Boil her a lobster. Steam some sweet corn (the fresher the better, less-than-two-hours-picked off a pick-your-own place for Silver Queen is more amazing than Death-By-Chocolate cake). Finish with Amaretto over Jamocha Almond Fudge ice cream.
You'll at least be remembered all her life.
posted by paulsc at 6:16 PM on August 3, 2006
This is a suggestion involving some risk, but oh, so memorable, and so worthwhile, if this is the first time you are cooking for the girl:
Boil her a lobster. Steam some sweet corn (the fresher the better, less-than-two-hours-picked off a pick-your-own place for Silver Queen is more amazing than Death-By-Chocolate cake). Finish with Amaretto over Jamocha Almond Fudge ice cream.
You'll at least be remembered all her life.
posted by paulsc at 6:16 PM on August 3, 2006
I learned from this very website about Salmon in the Diswasher. It can be a great deal of fun, and not a lot of work. One thing I would recomend is to make absolutly certain the heated dry setting is on. If you don't the salmon gets cooked to a nice tepid, the kitchen smells fishy, and you look incompetent. I know from experience. If you do it right though, it's easy, delicious, and you look like and spontainious creative type who isn't constrained by the tyrany of "pots" and "stoves". Tacos aren't bad either.
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:22 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by Doublewhiskeycokenoice at 10:22 PM on August 3, 2006
Good luck and let us know how it goes! The salsa I linked to is still good on Day 3, by the way. Two last quick pieces of advice: Get a good piece of fish -- fresh, not frozen, if you can. And if you're using a salsa recipe that requires you to chop olives, try to buy them pre-pitted. I didn't with mine and lost about 10 minutes getting the pits out.
You are super for putting this thought into your first homecooked meal for her. Hope you have fun!
posted by onlyconnect at 3:20 PM on August 4, 2006
You are super for putting this thought into your first homecooked meal for her. Hope you have fun!
posted by onlyconnect at 3:20 PM on August 4, 2006
Response by poster: Don't know if anyone is following this. But I figured I should extend my thanks. This went really well.
I ended up with more the "spirit" of the marked best answers than the actual recipes.
I started with a Michael Chirarello recipe for Prosciutto wrapped crostini with a melon crudo. Very highly recommended.
The main course this Ahi Recipe it was excellent and super easy. One twist was that instead of putting it over slices of avocado I made an heirloom tomato and avocado salad. Can't hit a farmers market in SF without finding heirloom tomatos these days. Basic recipe for the salad was 2.5 avocados. two yellow and small, and one medium red tomato. a half a red onion, some cilantro olive oil and lime juice. It's pretty much a guacamole but a bit less of the avocado and I didn't add any heat. Just mix gently so the avocado keeps it shape.
And finished up with mmascolino's Chocolate Cups HUGE bonus points there.
All told I can say I highly recommend all of these recipes. The beauty of them is that they are simple and so extremely hard to screw up. It was just chopping! I guess you could burn the Crostini and searing Ahi Correctly takes some proper use of the knob that controls the flame and a bit of timing. But really I go with sushi grade tuna and like it a bit on the raw side so this can be dealt with easily too.
posted by bitdamaged at 5:09 PM on August 7, 2006 [2 favorites]
I ended up with more the "spirit" of the marked best answers than the actual recipes.
I started with a Michael Chirarello recipe for Prosciutto wrapped crostini with a melon crudo. Very highly recommended.
The main course this Ahi Recipe it was excellent and super easy. One twist was that instead of putting it over slices of avocado I made an heirloom tomato and avocado salad. Can't hit a farmers market in SF without finding heirloom tomatos these days. Basic recipe for the salad was 2.5 avocados. two yellow and small, and one medium red tomato. a half a red onion, some cilantro olive oil and lime juice. It's pretty much a guacamole but a bit less of the avocado and I didn't add any heat. Just mix gently so the avocado keeps it shape.
And finished up with mmascolino's Chocolate Cups HUGE bonus points there.
All told I can say I highly recommend all of these recipes. The beauty of them is that they are simple and so extremely hard to screw up. It was just chopping! I guess you could burn the Crostini and searing Ahi Correctly takes some proper use of the knob that controls the flame and a bit of timing. But really I go with sushi grade tuna and like it a bit on the raw side so this can be dealt with easily too.
posted by bitdamaged at 5:09 PM on August 7, 2006 [2 favorites]
Wow! I am highly jealous of your girlfriend. It's great to hear that it turned out well.
I love the melon-prosciutto crostini idea... I'll have to give that a try.
posted by chickletworks at 9:46 PM on August 7, 2006
I love the melon-prosciutto crostini idea... I'll have to give that a try.
posted by chickletworks at 9:46 PM on August 7, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MrMoonPie at 12:03 PM on August 3, 2006 [1 favorite]