The Gourmet at the Table
Here at The Gourmet Online we love to be in the kitchen, but we don't want to be there all the time. Yes we can get lost in a day of baking and braising, stirring and slicing. Even though we know quick rise yeast works just fine, at times we still want to do it the old fashioned way. That's not to say we don't value (and utilize) shortcuts in the kitchen that make life easier and give us more time at the table with friends and loved ones.
We just like to keep it light and easy. This meal is simple and quick -just for you!
Here are three courses of incredible flavors that are easy to prepare and will thrill the gourmets in your life.
1st Course: Blood Orange Salad
Peeled sliced blood oranges with fresh basil leaves and a dusting of crushed pink peppercorns. Plate this and drizzle with Giovanni Giachi Dolciolio and Cucina Viva Classic Balsamic Cream. I keep the pink theme and use a finer grain pink sea salt.
2nd Course: Shrimp with red peppers in lemon oil with black truffle polenta
Cook Savini Polenta with Black Truffles and spread on a board to cool. You'll be cutting out shapes to use as your base for the shrimp once the polenta has cooled. Round and square shapes are good, but go for it and use a cool cookie cutter on the cooled polenta. The polenta can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for a couple of days.
Take a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp and place in a bowl with 1 large minced shallot and two tablespoons Boyajian Lemon Oil. Keep this cool for about a half hour.
In the mean time, dice two red peppers rather finely. Shred Italian parsley leaves into strips. In a large non-stick sauté pan on medium low sauté the red peppers with L'Olivier Rapeseed Oil. Rapeseed oil has a high smoke point and a very neutral flavor.
Salt the shrimp and toss the whole thing in with the peppers. Turn on high heat and when the shrimp start to curl slightly you are done.
Put your rounds of polenta on a plate and ladle the shrimp and red peppers on top. Here comes the gilding of the lily. Take just an eighth of a teaspoon Jean Le Blanc French Walnut Oil and drizzle over each entrée. Sprinkle the shredded parsley over the shrimp, and serve with a wedge of lemon.
3rd Course: Dolci Amarena
A "Napoleon" of pound cake, Fabbri Amarena cherries and Valrhona chocolate. Take a pound cake (yes store bought if you don't have time) and slice it into three layers. Make sure the slice is at least an inch and a half wide.
Pull out 16 cherries from the jar and set aside.
In a double boiler place one bar Valrhona Le Grands Crus Amber & Elegant 70% dark chocolate, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Melt the mixture slowly while stirring with a spatula.
Now it's assembly time. Place one layer of cake on a plate and drizzle a bit with the chocolate. Place a couple of cherries on top and put another layer of cake on. Now for one more drizzle of chocolate and a couple more cherries. Top with the last layer of cake and drizzle with chocolate.
Life is short-Eat Good Food
