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.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391313341.jpg

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