Need to make something awesome Saturday - Page 4

Manton,

My suggestion would be:

1. Citrus marinated salmon from the FL cookbook. Pretty straightforward, and plates very well. Can always miss out on the caviar - if your catholic philistine guests aren't worth it



2. From the Gavroche cookbook, the rib of veal with herb crust, tomato and olive sauce, and fondant potatoes. Didn't find a good photo online - but it is a fantastic dish, and looks amazing

3. Some over the top, absurd chocolate dish. M-P White had a tasting dish of chocolate in "White Heat" which he desribed along the lines of 'for people who have no taste, and only care about how things look' (in fact he was probably a lot ruder than that - will have to look it up)

this. serve it with some seasonal vegetables. just a few. artfully arranged. if they leave hungry, they'll think it must have been good.

Manton

For this time of year make a chicken fricasee using a touch of white wine, lots of heavy cream and finished liberally with terragon. Amp the presentaion with turned vegetables and the way you cut down the chicken. Airline the breasts and take the thighbone and leg-knuckle out of the leg if using 4# chickens. If you use game hens, quail or guineas, think about the shape as plated.

Good new or old world white or decent burgundy should put it over the top.

Any prepared lobster dish from a bisque to a stew gets oohs and ahs - check out the sping lobster dish in Robuchon's Simply French.

Trio of fish cakes (lobster, crab and tuna/halibut/salmon/etc)

If you want to go color and meat - spice some lamb loins with the three Cs, roast and slice as medallions with a red-wine-thyme jus spiked with black olives over a white puree (potatoes are too pedestrian, go celeriac, parsnip, turnip, etc). Garnish with some coarse chopped pistachios, finely sliced shallot circles and diced (dried) apricots.... From a plating perspective you have lots to play with.

Now I'm getting hungry. Been invited for stone crabs, last of the season. No need for presentation other then presenting them to me.

Braised

One last thought as a starter or amuse. Fry off some baby artichokes roman style and serve on a plate smeared with a good purply black-olive tapenade (a fine ground tapanade as opposed to a coarse chopped one). Jose Andres presents them this way at JAleo in DC. Absolutely addictive, you mop up the tapenade with the artichokes. Absolutely awesome.

OK, time is up. What did you choose?

Beautiful plating.

v.nice manton