Need menu help.
 

Have a dinner date Saturday night and was looking for some advice with the menu.

Tomato salad with basil...does the wine that comes out with this good with the scampi?

Shrimp scampi....what wine? Chardonnay? Pinot?

and dessert...:confused: I was thinking a fruit paired with champagne? I was never any good with dessert.

I like this chick and trying to show a good impression...:D

Also if you have a different main I should try I am all ears. Kinda opposed to the hevy cream, but hey who doesn't love shrimp? I wish I could do something exotic like 'vashtail' or just invite javadog, jyl, and vash to come be entertainment and the chefs.

Was never a fan of the filet, and not sure if I could pull the lobster off. Plus there needs to be some sauce on that plate. It just looks naked.

lobster is so easy- just cook it on your grill, baste with lemon butter and pinch of garlic takes about 5- 6 minutes(notice the red color on the tail), kinda like cooking shrimp to tell when its done( don't cook it too much)use shears or scissors to cut and pull meat of lobster out so it looks the same as in picture. Chicks like filets- good cut of fresh meat, not cheap crap, center cut 3inches thick, rub with olive oil season with sea salt & cracked pepper, high heat to sear, then lower heat to cook, wine=red cherries jubilee for dessert( its easy, too) Get on youtube- its your cooking friend

I BBQd a Buffalo Ribeye tonight, BBQ the shrooms at the same time, steamed Asparagus, we had eggnog, not what you would have for a date but my wife liked it.
Haven't had Buffalo for a long time, really liked it.

Don't worry too much about 'what wine for what food', I think you should have a red you like and a white you like and then let her pick "what color" when you start. She's going to pick white, and then you look golden, because Scampi and White are a thing.

The salad is cool, don't forget some fresh mozzarella.

Scampi is good too, but sometimes lots of garlic = a girl worried about making out.



Also, swear to god this is corny, but ask her if she's allergic to any foods before you go shopping. One time I did a home dinner date and I made Kung Pao Shrimp, and I nailed it. Except she was allergic to shellfish AND soy. Game over.


Fruit for dessert is cool, you could do some easy melted chocolate and whipped cream or something, and if you wanna take it easy you can just eat the fruit but if you want to make a naughty movie you can feel that out too and you've got all the tools if it goes well.

I like the way you think Gogar. Looks like I will stick to the 'KISS' method with this date. Just be real basic and easy. Can't go wrong with freash food. Now where the hell will I find fresh strawberries and rasberries in December!?! This chick's a keeper. I don't cook for hookers and blow.


P.S Gogar, we may just end up being neighbors a year from now....

Your on target with the fresh food thing. You don't have to be a chef, but if you take the time to make a girl a good meal, and take the time to show that you paid attention to details....yeah, that can lead in a good direction.

I need to learn to cook, and to pick up chicks.... You bastard.

Get off the frickin computer, and you can do both. Come back one day a week and tell us your stories!

Sorry bub, the computer is up while I am working(or attempting to) on school stuff. I flat ass don't have much time between work, school, and climbing. There are a few cute girls at the wall though.

Dude to be honest I am digging the single life. Been rocking it since June. But man it sure is nice to get out there and have fun. This new chick was a blind date, turned into a second date, turned into a 'hey we kind of like each other..'

I am not complaining.

Sid, just get out there and have fun!

Whatever you do don't let her look in your camera bag!! :-))

Well played sir ;)

Don't apologize to me. You're the one climbing instead of having sex with girls. :D

Here is a dessert that is luxurious yet dead easy.

I needed an impressive dessert for my wife's surprise birthday dinner but my wife always handles the desserts, I don't bake or even eat dessert, so someone gave me this recipe and it was a hit. There are some steps involved but you do it all well before dinner, then you can stick the ramekins in the fridge, and place in preheated oven about 1.5 hours before dessert time. Or even make it earlier - but don't serve it very cold straight from the fridge, I'd place ramekins in a pan of hot (boiled) water to warm up so that the caramel bottom releases from the ramekin. Make in individual ramekins (not the 8 inch dish stated in the recipe, and reduce the cooking time - start checking after 45 min) and include two extras. One will be the "tester" that gets poked and prodded and turned out to check for done-ness - you want the custard set on the outside, still soft on the inside, I didn't use a thermometer but think 175F internal would be about right. The other is her reward for being very, very bad.

Also some raspberries or strawberries on top would look pretty.


"Crème Carmel

1 qt milk
2 vanilla beans split lengthwise or 3 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use the
extract but use the good stuff)
2 c sugar (divided into ½ cup
-and 1 ½ cups portions)
3 T water
1 drop lemon juice or white vinegar
8 large eggs
4 egg yolks
pinch salt

In large saucepan , over low heat, scald the milk with the vanilla.

Remove from the heat and let steep 30 minutes. Then remove beans (if using) and discard.

Caramelize an 8 cup round baking dish. Place ½ cup of sugar, water and vinegar or lemon juice in a small sauce pan and cook over high heat until golden (be careful not to scorch, once it starts to turn golden it goes really quick!). Carefully pour the caramel into the baking dish, tipping the dish to ensure the bottom is all covered. Let the caramel harden.

Preheat your oven to 300.

Place the eggs, yolks , 1 ½ cups sugar and salt in a bowl. Whisk together until the mixture is pale yellow and thickens.

Strain the cooled milk mixture into the egg mixture and stir to blend . NOTE: I usually strain the custard mixture again to make sure there are no solid bits like that white yucky thing in the eggs! You want it silky.

Pour this custard mixture into the caramelized baking dish.

Place the baking dish in a larger dish and pour boiling water half way up the outside of the baking dish. Bake 1 ½ to 2 hours or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let cook and then refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve run a knife around the edge and invert onto a deep plate. The carmel will run out an fill the dish."

You'll notice a creme caramel is much like a creme brûlée. The first one is cooked with the caramelized sugar at the bottom of the ramekin, then turned over, the ramekin removed, and the thing stands up with caramelized sugar is on top. The latter is cooked and served in the ramekin with the caramelized sugar on top the whole time. The creme brulee's custard can be cooked less since it doesn't have to support itself.

Okay, my advice. Tomatoes are not good in December, at least in Oklahoma. I'd go with a slightly more elegant salad. Thomas Keller makes one with lots of fresh herbs that can be prepared in advance, is quite tasty, and probably different from anything she's ever had.

Shrimp Scampi has lots of garlic in it. As others have said, that's not a good idea on a date. Nor does it pair well with wine. Tell us what types of food she likes and we'll recommend something else.

Dessert will depend on what the main course turns out to be.

JR

I need to run past beef by her. I know she isn't a pork, veal, lamb fan. So I am kinda stuck in the mud with the Seafood. Thanks jyl, and JR

Grilled shrimp on a stick can be a great appetizer or addition to the main course. Brush with butter lightly flavored with lemon and garlic. The smokey grilled taste compensates for the lack of garlic flavor. A great substitute for the scampi--classy but without the overbearing garlic problem.

I knew I should have learned how to make creme brulee!

BR, i'm not single..so i will just have to live thru you. :(

first good luck on the date. forget about the wine. buy an assortment. you dont want to look to pompous thinking your really know wine. i like reds with any meal better anyways.

here is my best DATE plan. roast a chicken!! nothing sexy-er than having some hottie show up at your place and the entire joint smells like home cooking. youtube, carving a chicken if your idea of taking one apart starts with yanking off a drumstick.

forget the tomatoes. store bought sucks, and store bought during winter really really sucks. keep it simple, a nice green salad dressed lightly with some good olive oil, and balsamic or lemon..salt/pepper. finish the salad when she is there..she sees you in action, and the salad wont be all wilted. she should be sipping on a nice bubbly glass of prosecco. YUM!

while the oven i hot, you may as well use it for the side dish..potatoes gratin. easy, elegant. i did all this on my first home cooked meal for my wife. i went the distance and cut the potatoe gratin out with a round mold. i set the potatoes on the center of a plate, put a few slices of chicken on top..drizzled a pan sauce..garnished it. she was MINE! we were married a short 8 years later..hahahhah.

(clean sheets on the bed, clean towels in the bathroom)

nothing oozes confidence than a person that is whipping up a pan sauce!

stolen photo from one of the best restaurant bought roast chickens.:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1291913688.jpg

Vash I bow down to you. You may be out of the game, but certainly didn't forget how to play. I think i am going to mix a few of these ideas and see what I come up with. I wish I could practice the meal on myself Friday night but have the company xmas party, damn. I'll try it out Saturday morning to get an idea of what I am doing.

Smooth and organize is the key to this game.

lemme know if you need any help.

chicken is easy. you really dont even need a thermometer. cook it at 325, and it is essentially done when the drumstick feels loose if you move it about. dry it off with paper towels, and wipe butter on it before you pop it in the hotbox..for a good looking skin.

For god's sake clean your bathroom esp the toilet.

Here's my simple roast chicken. The larding, lemons, and turning keeps the breast meat from getting dry which is the main problem when roasting chicken.
- Separate skin from meat, on the breasts especially but also the thighs, by getting your fingers in there and feeling around. Good practice for later.
- Cut some bacon strips, push them between skin and breast meat, not all crumpled up, lay them sort of flattish.
- With sharp knife tip, cut short slits in skin on back and thighs. Lets fat render out.
- Salt the cavity, then take two lemons, cut into quarters, stick them into the cavity. Or peel the lemons and don't bother quartering. You can stick in some herbs if you want. Lemons are important.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle a little salt on the skin. Pat the skin lightly with flour or conrstarch. This all helps dry the skin.
- Pat chicken dry w/ paper towels. I don't truss it.
- Put chicken in pre-heated 350F oven (temp not really critical), breast side down, over a pan to catch drippings, roast for 30min.
- Turn chicken breast side up, brush breast skin with melted butter, roast for another 30 min or until done, brush with butter a couple more times.
- When chicken is done - I use a thermometer and want 160F in breast and deep in thigh, but the wiggly leg works - remove from oven, crank the broiler, adjust rack to put the chicken about 6" from broiler element. Broil chicken for about 5 min or until breast skin is nicely golden brown and crisp. Don't get distracted, don't walk away, keep the oven door open and watch the broiling the whole time, because golden brown is not far from dark brown then black.
- Remove chicken. Let cool while you make the pan sauce.
- I don't know about carving the bird in front of the lady. I'm not graceful at it, but it could work for some. I usually remove the whole breast half, take off the skin (it will simply lift off, bacon and all), slice the breast, lay the skin flat and slice it to match, then re-assemble.
- The lemon juice bastes and flavours the bird, the bacon shields the breast meat from drying out, the separated and buttered skin dries and browns nicely.

Can you set up a webcam, just for me and vash. We want to see the cooking.

WOW!! larding is hardcore!

i did it once with salt pork. hardcore!

Damn You guys are hardcore. How much is a roundtrip ticket from Portland, ha...! I'll try and take some pics. Though if I only snap one or two during the process you know what happened to me. Don't send the rescue squad.

I agree with the roast chicken. Scallop Potatoes go well as a side. Easy directions: Slice potatoes and 1 onion. In a pot, cover them with cream or milk. Boil until potatoes are soft. Pour all into baking dish add cheese bake on 350 until bubbly and turning a little brown on top. Delish. Salad: Spinach, goat cheese, pecans tossed with vinaigrette. Fruit with Chocolate for dessert. Good Luck.

scald a quart of heavy cream, as it cools off separate six eggs, save whites, you won't need them. whisk yolks with 3/4 cup of sugar, teaspoon of real vanilla extract, and a little dark rum [or gran marnier or bourbon, your choice], when cream is cool enough to not scramble your yolks, whisk together.
pour into coffee cups or ramekins, whatever you've got. place into a pan and fill pan mid-way up with hot water, place pan in the middle of oven set at about 325 degrees, bake 45 minutes and check, should be not quite set in the centers, just a slight jiggle when done, might take another five minutes or more.
remove and let cool.
when ready to serve sprinkle some sugar on top, lightly burn sugar with a small torch.
cookie and coffee to go with.

extras will keep in fridge tightly covered with cling film for a week.

you can make maple or coffee flavor too.
a tiny pinch of cinnamon won't hurt anything either.

If you do the roasted bird, buy a nice fresh, free-range one. You might consider an herb compound butter (fresh parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, honey, salt, pepper) under the skin, in lieu of the bacon. Rub the outside with plain butter, salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity (after cleaning, drying and seasoning it) with half a lemon, half an onion, and sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary. Scatter the giblets in a roasting pan with the other half of the onion and add some white wine. Pile the chicken on top. Roast at 350 for half an hour, then 450 till done. Baste as needed. Make a pan sauce out of the drippings.

I'd say that mashed pototes would go well with this. Do them right, with cold butter and hot, reduced cream.

There are a lot of easy side dishes that you could do. Steamed asparagus, Vichy carrots, etc.

Another easy main dish is the halibut with crab sauce that I have posted here a couple times. It's easy, can be done at the last minute and is really tasty. You might have to substitute another fish (cod, flounder, sea bass) for the halibut this time of year.

Whatever you make, make sure the ingredients are all of high quality, and fresh.

As for the wine, buy a nice bottle of white, from France. Lots of choices. Spend at least $20, and $30 would be better. You can drink it throughout the whole meal.

For a large fee, you can fly me to Houston and I'll cook it for you. I'll be in Austin and Dallas this weekend anyway.

JR

Ok need some more help guys. Have the bird and rest of the food. Can I put the butter inside the bird now to marinate? Or should I wait till I put the bird in the oven to add the lemons and herbs?

Here is the gameplan:

Throw bird in the oven for an hour and a half at 350 degrees.

Fresh salad with cucumber and tomato. Sip on Prosecco.

Carve up the bird and serve with Yukon Gold poatotos that were quartered and and rosted with the bird in the oven. A nice Pinot Noir to go with dinner. Vintage baby, 2006, lol.

Strawberries, rasberries, and blackberries as the dessert with homemade whip cream with Kaluha added to it. Went the fruit rout because it's easy and interactive. She can help me clean the berries and make the cream.

Damn this is gonna be fun.

Flowers on the table?

Edit: P.S guys/gals who helped me with the planning. You all should get laid tonight.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292095150.jpg

Get the bird to room temp. Then do the butter, onion, lemon, herbs etc. Then, straight into the oven.

Make sure you butter under the skin and on the outside. Season the bird in the cavity and outside. Turn up the heat at the end to get a golden skin. Cover any hot spots with foil, if needed. Use a thermometer to judge doneness.

Roast the potatoes separately, or you'll end up with very dry potatoes. Better yet, do mashed, so you have something to use the gravy for. See my earlier notes.

Gotta go, headed to Texas.

JR

You can prep the chicken - butter, lemons, herbs, etc - now, then refrigerate, take out 1 hour before it goes into the oven to give it time to warm to room temp. Judge roasting time by doneness, not a fixed time, probably 1 to 1.5 hr. Use wiggly leg test or thermometer or cut into thigh where attaches to body to judge. If not starting breast down or larding w/ bacon, then suggest placing some foil over the breast for the first 1/2 hour, to reduce drying out.

Quartered potatoes won't take as long as the chicken, so put them in 20 min after the chicken. Salt them lightly. If not making a pan sauce, you can spoon off some of the chicken drippings and drizzle over the potatoes when starting to roast them - fat is tasty. Check done-ness w/ fork, they'll likely be done before the chicken which is okay, easier if not everything is ready at once.

Good idea to leave some fun prep to do together. Nice choice of wines. You're doing a good job. Bathroom clean?

Observe food safety w/ that raw chicken.

Remember pictures. Not of her, of the food!

hahahaha..i see prosecco!!! alrighty then!!

have fun. oooo..7:00 pm cali time. game time!

I suppose BR is going to be asking for help cooking her breakfast now.

- just kidding.

Jyl, you couldn't have been anymore correct! I should have brought OJ with me. We winged it with some oatmeal and some leftover blackberries.

I want to give every single one of you a thanks. You made me look like Bobby Flay in the kitchen which in turn translated into the bed. Thanks guys.

Here are the pics:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292201119.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292201161.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292201209.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292201238.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1292201271.jpg

thank you thank you thank you

Who the hell wants to look like Bobby Flay in the bedroom? :eek:

Haven't a clue.

Did she at all think it was weird that you were taking pictures of the food?

Her: "Hey Baby, why are you taking pictures of the food!?"

You: "Eh, my support group of middle-aged men need proof of my accomplishment!"

Her: "Well, alright...just don't take the camera in the bedroom later on. Deal?"

;)

ALRIGHTY THEN!

my wife and i just "high fived" your success!