Valentine's Day 2010

We had a wonderful Valentine's at Chez Tolbert!

Yesterday's menu:

Amuse Bouche - Tomato Shrimp Ceviche - Definite Keeper

1 medium red tomato, peeled***

1 T. celery, diced

1 T. cucumber, diced

1 T. red onion, diced

1 t. cilantro or parsley, chopped

1 t. cooked shrimp, chopped

 1/2 t. fresh lime juice

s & p to taste

Peel tomato.  Slice 1/2 inch off top of the tomato and reserve for garnish.  Scoop out inner pulp leaving 1/4 inch shell, season tomato inside and out with S & P and drain upside down on a paper towel.

To the small bowl add celery, cucumber, red onion, cilantro or parsley, shrimp, lime juice, salt and pepper. Marinate 30 minutes then fill the tomato shell. Put the cut tomato top stem side down on a serving plate; place the filled tomato on top; garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve.

***I used small cherry tomatoes to make one-bite servings. 
Adapted from http://www.finedinings.com/

Appetizer - Deviled Clam Mushrooms - Definite Keeper

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 (6 1/2 oz.) can "Snow's Minced Clams", undrained
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 c. seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In medium pan, cook garlic in butter until golden. Stir in flour. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Spoon into 8 tiny baking shells or 8 large mushroom caps.*** Put into shallow baking pan. Bake 6 minutes or until hot.

***I used baby portabello mushrooms.  Next time, I'd brush them with a olive oil and bake for a few minutes before stuffing and baking for the second time. 
adapted from http://www.cooks.com/

Salad - Crab Louie -

Mixed reviews:  Definite keeper for Harold -- Maybe for me

Lettuce, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Fresh Dungeness crabmeat - (I used a 6 oz. packaged lump crab)
Cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced finely
Tomatoes, seeded, diced finely
Green onion, sliced
Celery, diced finely
paprika
Fresh chives for garnish

Layer in stemmed glasses lettuce, crabmeat, cucumber, tomatoes, green onion and celery.  Top with Thousand island dressing, dust with paprika, add chives and serve as a salad course for an elegant dinner party or serve in a large bowl for a luncheon with wedges of hard-boiled eggs, julienne green bell peppers, sliced black olives and fresh French bread.

adapted from http://www.finedining.com/

Soup - Shrimp and  Lobster Bisque - Excellent !

This recipe may be made with both shrimp and lobster, or with only one seafood.

1 pound shrimp in the shell, chopped
½ pound lobster, chopped
½ cup white onions, fine diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup white wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons butter

Peel the raw shrimp or lobster.  Reserve the shells.  In a heavy sauté pan, add butter, shrimp and/or lobster shells, onions, add garlic.  Cook for 7 - 8 minutes until onions are transparent and soft.  Deglaze bottom of pan with sherry. Run through the deglazed mixture through a strainer.  Add liquid to the chicken stock and stir over medium-high heat.  Add shrimp and/or lobster to the mixture. Stirring constantly, reduce volume by half.  Add heavy cream and paprika, bring to a boil and simmer for two to three minutes.

I used both shrimp and lobster.  In my opinion (and that of trusted friends and excellent cooks) this wouldn't classify as a true bisque because this is not a pureed creamy texture.  It IS however, an excellent chunky, thick, creamy bowl of goodness.

adapted from http://www.gastronomyinc/.

Entree - Pan Seared Scallops in Vanilla Cream Sauce w/Angel Hair Pasta

Mixed reviews:  Harold said he would order this a second time if it was in a restaurant.  I would not.  I couldn't get past the vanilla in a savory dish.  It smelled wonderful, was super easy and fast to make, but it didn't work for me.  On the other hand, Harold loves vanilla and he said it made him happy.

6 ounces Angel Hair pasta

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon white onion, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
salt to taste
white pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
6 large sea scallops, side muscle removed, patted dry
salt to taste
Thyme for garnish

Prepare pasta according to package direction.  In a skillet sauté white onion and garlic in butter over medium high heat without browning until transparent.  Deglaze the pan with wine reducing to half.  Add the cream, reduce again by half; add the vanilla and salt to taste.

In another skillet with oil and butter over high heat, quickly sear scallops for 2 minutes each side, do not overcook.

Spoon sauce onto plates; twirl pasta around a long-tined fork (to make this job easier, I put one serving in a teacup), slip off onto plates atop the sauce.  Add 3 scallops per plate, garnish and serve.
adapted from http://www.finedinings.com/

 

Dessert - Strawberry Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce - Do I need to review??  It's ice cream with CHOCOLATE!