Thanks a lot Tweeze. The roast chicken is my 'secret weapon' to put it lightly.

I waltzed into a completely barebones and was able to pull it off which I thought was a success in its own right.

Perfect Date Night Meal:

Main
3# fresh chicken, never frozen
Wash the bird, make sure it is tempered, and super dry.
S&P the cavity with a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme
rosemary & Garlic infused butter under the skin on top of the breast meat. (This really helps)
15 minutes at 450
1:20 at 350
Side of potatoes that I roast in a separate dish.

Dessert
Homemade whip cream using heavy whipping cream, powder sugar, a bit of vanilla.
A. Involves her in some capacity in the kitchen so she doesn't seem totally inadequate
B. Get to see ummm....her...endurance with a whisk...lol ;)
Dip blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries with fingers and keep it light and fun.

Works like a charm, every time*.

*You will get laid. Tom guarantee.

Details? And not about dinner :D

I would suggest full length green beans, steamed then lightly sautéed with a little truffle oil. And maybe a wild rice pilaf. My mother makes a Basil Cream sauce for Salmon. I'm not a seafood person, but my wife loves it.

Geez. I thought he wanted to learn to cook, to eat well.

Didn't think it was a means to an end...

JR

Ha. It's all in good fun Java. I LOVE trying out new recipes. Not my fault the ladies love it.

Red,
PM your cell number. New phone.

Chicken Parmigiana with linguine, in my wife's Marinara Sauce. She makes 16 quarts every fall and cans it for a winter's worth of enjoyment.

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Nice Dave...haven't had Chicken Parm in a while. Great menu idea.

Does your wife start off with fresh tomatoes?

FWIW I made some lentil soup the other night with Italian sausage that was insane. I should have taken a pic!

Carry on gents....great job by all!

Yes, she does all fresh tomatoes. She grows the plums and San Marzanos, and buys a bunch of Heirlooms. It's wonderful stuff...I stand in awe of her ability. It gets better every year.

Very inspiring. I guess that's why it's called the Garden State! :p

I spent a few days there in my youth picking tomatoes for a relative who had a small farm. Just remembered that after reading your post.

We're putting in a small veggie/herb garden this week for a client just down the street. They do a lot of home cooking and he was in the food service biz for many years including time spent in DC. He has some interesting stories too.

I'll plant a seed in their head about the tomatoes and sauce... ;)

Stuff grow pretty well here in the NJ countryside, very good soil, and her green thumb doesn't hurt. She also has a pepper garden where she grows about 25 different varieties of hot peppers. Right before the Marinara, she does a similar size batch of salsa and cans that as well. This year's batch is known as "Burns Twice", thanks to the Ghost Peppers, which did quite well last summer.

For once I agree with Tom wholeheartedly. Good cooking by a man will get you laid. For sure. And the chicken recipe? Yup. For sure lay. But then again, I don't know if you should listen to me. I am all foodie and no care in the world for jewelry and flowers from a man. I buy those myself. :)

And mmmmmmm... Chicken parmigiana.

I think I'm going to cook a chicken tomorrow.....heck, maybe even right now ;)

If cooking a simple roasted chicken gets you guys laid, I should sell you my short rib recipe. God knows what that would get you...

JR

John and I talked about doing a recipe book with this theme. I think it would sell.

I've thought about doing a book for less experienced cooks, like maybe "the 50 things you really need to know how to cook", or something like that. Wasn't thinking of the "getting laid' angle, more along the lines of people needing to know more than how to use an Iphone.

JR

Sex sells. :) and it would be a public service for young people.

I would buy the book in a heartbeat.

The dish doesn't have to be technical. I have found that the lady would much rather relax in the kitchen and drink a glass of wine. She could care less if I am flambéing away and trying to pull of a fancy move.

Presentation and plating is the key. I try to watch all the YouTube videos I can find on presentation skills. Also, when carving the bird....try to do it with at least some skill.


What other recipes do you think I could add for a simple date night??

Tacos...

JR

Oysters

Bananas

Boys boys

Before we graduate you from your surefire chicken recipe onto surefire recipe number two, let's work on your menu and presentation.

The next time you make this, use Anthony Bourdain's roast chicken recipe from his Les Halles cookbook. This will accomplish several things. One, the finished chicken, with fresh herbs visible under the skin, will look better. It will also have a more complex flavor. You will also make a simple pan sauce from the drippings. And, you'll cook it ahead of time and serve your guest a finished plate, not try to carve the thing on a Costco cutting board in front of her. She can be seated at the table while you finish plating.

As always, buy a good chicken (air chilled, or equivalent), pay attention to the size (don't buy a 5 pounder) and follow the recipe as carefully as you can. Do not **** with, "improve" or modify his recipe. Truss the bird properly, turn it, baste it, cover the breast with foil if it is getting too done and DO NOT let all of the liquid evaporate out of the roasting pan. Make sure the dark meat is properly done. (You did bring the chicken up to room temperature before cooking it, right?) Study advanced chicken carving and offer the lucky guest a whole breast, or whole leg/thigh quarter. Make the pieces pretty and don't screw up the delicate skin.

When making the sauce, make sure you get rid of the excess fat in the pan first. I usually deglaze the roasting pan and strain the contents into a sauce pan for making the sauce. Have some good, rich chicken stock on hand if you want to make a larger volume of sauce, or wish to adjust the balance between the lemon, wine and chicken flavors.

Next, you are going to make mashed potatoes. You can make a basic version (potatoes, butter, whole cream, salt, white pepper) or you can make something exotic like what Joël Robuchon would make (equal parts potato and butter, properly seasoned). Use Yukon Golds, boil them whole, drain them, skin them, run them through a ricer or fine food mill, then add gobs of cold, unsalted French butter. If you use cream, simmer and reduce it first. Season with plenty of salt, white pepper to taste, and don't whip the hell out of it and make thick glue. Taste, taste taste until happy.

The green veggie will be haricot vert, cooked like Thomas Keller would suggest. Buy fresh ones, trim them properly and blanch them in plenty of heavily salted water. Shock them in ice water. When ready to finish them, saute some finely minced shallots in butter, warm the beans through and finish with a little chicken stock. They need to be glazed, not wet and runny. The chicken stock needs to be yours, not canned or Rachel Ray in a box. Season, if needed (if you blanch them right, this won't be necessary), add a little butter and swirl off-heat. Taste a few.

This will all be served on nice plates with real knapkins and silverware. You will need a steak knife, as well. Have freshly sliced baguettes on the table (real ones, from a bakery, fresh that day and not stale) with some nice butter, at the correct temperature. I cook with unsalted butter but salted butter goes on the table. French butter again, not American, or God forbid, Irish. The right temperature is halfway between room temp and fridge temp. Serve it on a butter dish.

The wine will be French, white and from Burgundy. Something in the $20-30 range. Serve water also, her choice of still or sparkling. Ice or not, her choice. Lemon, lime or plain, her choice. Do not serve city tap water. Nice glassware. Thin, with a stem, for the wine.

Lastly, you will need a dessert. I'd recommend a bittersweet chocolate souffle, ala Eric Ripert.

I'm sure all of these recipes can be found on the internet, if you don't want to go out and buy the relevant cookbooks (you should buy them, anyway). If you want to guild the lilly, we can talk about a cocktail, some canapes, etc.

DO NOT photograph the finished meal for us before she eats it.

JR

Totally. Especially to guys... No brainer. And you have to have girls in it. Attractive girls giving their opinions on what is good date food to make. I think you guys have a great idea!


Yes! Tom you are hitting the nail on the head. Doesn't have to be fancy schmancy. I had this guy once who made me dinner several times and it absolutely made me swoon! Learn how to make desserts. Women love sweets! Let's see, I have had spaghetti, fried rice, bread pudding, grilled steak, and lobster made for me.

And yes, I would have to agree. Ribs way more than chicken. ;) Learn how to make cornbread.

A roast is one of the easiest things to cook and it presents very well.



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But as mentioned leave the Asparagus off the menu till the relationship is well established. Substitute anything with colour.

A young couple for their wedding dinner had asparagus. 300+ people. The whole fancy hotel smelled like asparagus pee.

I will be right over!

My next "cooking" project will be a DIY liquid food substitute.

I've been reading about the Soylent project and it is quite interesting. My initial recipe is: oat bran, whey protein powder, olive oil, iodized salt, 2 multivitamins, 4 other vitamin and mineral supplement pills, blend with water, pour into bike bottles to sip all day.

What do you think - will this be a chick magnet meal?

Ewwwwwwww!!!! No!

JR,

Thank you. Insightful as always. I really do appreciate your wealth of knowledge.

I absolutely love cooking.

That's why you get laid. Women love a man who shows passion in something. I'm sure this was evident while you were making everything Tom.

But I'll plate it really well!

See you in 3 days. :) It's only a 29 hour drive.

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I usually get the woman to cook for me.

Obvisously dating the older crowd, as the new generation can not cook, sow, write or spell and so on :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I usually have to tell them to "Google it" about 20 time a day!!! Thank God I don't rely on them pay for my pension but I digress...

Back to the subject, tonight supper:

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Picture Thread: What's For Dinner?
 

What is your definition of older generation? I cook, sew, fix things. Honestly? Because I have had to. I have learned to rely on myself, not the men in my life. Do not be so quick to judge the new female generation while the new male generation has changed as well. I agree, few women nowadays know how to cook a good meal but Darwinism. They find that men value looks and a good rump so they invest in the gym, make-up, clothes, and plastic surgery. Be careful what you ask for.

Now carry on. Nice piece of meat. ;)

Not mutually exclusive: "a good rump" and "a good rump roast" . . . I will not post pictures to illustrate these concepts.

My wife made this loaf.
Meat was 50% beef, 50% pork.
Wrapped it all in 3/4 pound of bacon.
Cheese on top after it was done.

Better than any meatloaf I have had prior, but exclaiming, "FINALLY, a meatloaf that doesn't SUCK!" was not the compliment she was looking for.

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They already have this. It's usually marketed under the name "beer".

This will very shortly become a lamb and pumpkin curry

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Cooking

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and eating

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I want that recipe, Jeff!

Last night: Shrimp Scampi.

Added too much wine (is that a thing?) and had to reduce a lot longer than expected. Added the green onion too early and subsequently ruined the color.

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Ian, (post 1480)
Here is the recipe for the bread I posted a few days ago, sorry for the delay. It is "Jim Lahey's NY Times No Knead Bread"

No-Knead Bread
Yields one 1 1/2 pound loaf

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.


1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Ian, pre heating the dutch oven (we use a LeCreuset
dutch oven) is a critical step. Glenn
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Couple suggestions... When the shrimp is almost cooked through, remove it and set it aside. Reduce the wine/garlic mixture. Add in the almost-cooked pasta and finish cooking it in the sauce, tossing almost continously. Add the shrimp back in to combine.

Or, saute the garlic and dried chili briefly, then add the wine and reduce. Then add the shrimp and, when it is almost cooked through, add the pasta and toss for a few minutes.

The trick is to get the pasta cooked through and coated with the sauce without overcooking the shrimp. (Please use fresh gulf shrimp, never farmed shrimp.)

I'd add more dried chili flakes and delete the green onions in favor of fresh flat leaf parsley, added off the heat.

If you feel like experimenting and you want more shrimp flavor in your dish, make a quick shrimp stock with the shells and heads and incorporate some of that into the dish when reducing the wine.

Carry on,
JR