Time for Good Food

New Year's Eve, time for some good food. Tonight's meal is straight out of Gourmet, literally -- or it was until Gillian had to change a few things. Gillian and I decided to stay home for a New Year's Eve meal to remember. We're reproducing Gourmet Magazine's February 2007 Valentine's meal -- the app and main course -- for two. (Our ingredients are from Smaha's, Browne Trading, and Hannaford)

Tonight's Menu:
1) Gillian's Potato Crisps topped with sour cream and flying fish roe
1A) Pop-up app -- leftover spicy artichoke dip served with blanched snap peas (View image)
2) Fennel and crab meat salad (Gourmet)
3) Filets mignons (Gourmet) -- plus broccoli rabe
4) Belgian chocolates

Tonight, more than anything else, we are celebrating 2007, our thirteenth year of marriage and our fifth year as business partners at gBritt PR. We're toasting to success, health and happiness in 2008 -- our own, our extended family and friends and yours. Gillian is treating the "one she loves to the silkiness of filets mignons enhanced with alluringly spiced butter," according to the Gourmet cover shot.

Tonight we're also toasting the memory of a dear family friend who passed away this morning. Dr. Bertram Katz played an important role in Gillian's life. He will live on through wonderful memories.

Gillian's Potato Crisps (View image + View image)

Use a mandolin to slice potato very thin. On our small Zyliss mandolin, which we bought at LeRoux, we used setting #1
Lay them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and brush each side with EVOO mixed with a little salt and pepper and bake at 400 until crisp, check frequently.
Crisps are cooled and finished with a dollop of sour cream spread and topped with a TBS of flying fish roe.
Baking potato sliced thin on a mandolin
EVOO and salt and very light pepperSour cream mixture: dash of salt, beet horseradish, fresh dill - stirred together and given about an hour to absorb flavor

Remove rounds from oven and cool for a minute or so -- wait until cool so sour cream doesn't run

(Please note, Gillian says these would be out of this world if topped with plain creme fraiche and American spoonbill caviar)

Crab and Fennel Salad (View image)

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil
1 small fennel bulb (sometimes labeled "anise"; 6 to 8 oz), stalks cut off and discarded
1/4 lb jumbo lump crabmeat (about 1/2 cup), picked over
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives (Gillian replaced this with dill)
1 cup baby lettuces (We replaces this with organic mixed baby greens)

here's a link to the preparation instructions: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/237183

We enjoyed our Maine crab meat appetizer with a bottle of Heidsieck Blue Top Champagne. (View image). A superb NV -- and as we discovered, a Wine Spectator top 100 of 2007.

Filets Mignons with Spiced Butter

Spiced Butter (View image)

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Here's a link to the prep: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/237185

Filets Mignons
2 (1 1/2- to 2-inch-thick) center-cut filets mignons (beef tenderloin steaks; 6 to 7 oz each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup veal demi-glace

Gillian didn't buy the demi-glace and substituted Francis Coppola Cabernet for the white wine and used a bit extra to make the sauce.

Here's a link to the steak prep:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/237184

Our chocolates were Duc d'O Belgian - purchased at Home Goods. So far, our favorite is the Mocha Praline Truffle. Second fav... marzipan with a dark chocolate coating. Gillian's still trying to decide what she thought of the dark chocalte covered Milk Chocolate Cream and Pistachio truffle. (View image)

And viola, there it is, one of the best meals of 2007. In the nick of time.

I am so looking forward to blogging ahead in 2007. The year holds many great things -- client events, Share Our Strength parties, and the first ever "Harvest on the Harbor." Much more on all of this in the blogs ahead.

Wishing you a phenomenal 2008 -- Cheers!