Hello!
This week we will be celebrating Valentine's Day with a chocolate demonstration in the Centennial Room, accompanied by some wine and whiskey that I think would enhance the chocolate. It will be a good time, and who doesn't love chocolate?
The soup of the week is Golden Beet with Ginger and Orange. Basically this soup is almost exactly what it sounds like. Golden beets have a pale gold color, some say they are lighter in flavor than red beets. Either way, they pair nicely with citrus, so we are using orange juice as the broth for this soup, and lots of fresh ginger. If you think about it, this is basically a bowl of vegetable and fruit. If you have this soup I say you have eaten your vegetables for the day and can go straight to ice cream. I can supply a note for your doctor if you wish.
The Cheese of the Week is Queen Bee from Beehive Cheese in Utah. This is an Irish Cheddar-style cheese that is rubbed all over with powdered Porcini mushrooms. Check them out at https://beehivecheese.com/
We are serving this with Bee Squared Honey made right here in Colorado. This honey has been aged in Whiskey barrels, and I think it will pair well with the cheese. The honey is really nice on its own, maybe not as good as our honey but they do a nice job and I may be a bit biased. https://bethsbees.com/
As an appetizer this week, we have Chicken Meatballs simmered in Sweet and Sour Sauce. Chicken is much lower in fat than our usual meatball, with a firmer, drier texture. The sweet and sour sauce is mild enough not to overpower.
At dinner we have Swordfish Marinated in Garlic and Ginger and grilled. This is served with a Thai coconut curry broth over mashed boniatos and enoki mushrooms. Boniatos are a white yam, commonly served in the Caribbean. They are firmer in texture than the sweet potatoes we normally serve and have a sweeter flavor.
The Lamb Chops this week are from New Zealand, and they are grilled and served with a salsa made from tomatillos, agave nectar, mint and cilantro. Roasted broccoli is served with this and we added some Hatch green chilis to our mashed potatoes for an extra kick.
New Zealand Lamb is grass fed; it is smaller and leaner than Colorado lamb. It is free-range and has a mild flavor. We will have Colorado lamb soon too, it tends to be seasonal in quality.
We have Grilled Pork Porterhouse Chops. A Porterhouse is similar to a T-bone steak. The T-shaped bone in the center separates the loin and tenderloin, so you get a little of both. This is brushed with a glaze made from tamarind and strawberries. Tamarind is a tropical fruit, looking like a large bean pod. The pod and seed are discarded but the flesh in-between is tart, flavorful and is used in Worcestershire Sauce. When I was a younger cook I worked at Louie's Backyard in Key West. The outdoor dining was amazing, an open deck under a huge Tamarind tree overlooking the beach, and we would gather the pods to use in the kitchen. The fruits attracted a local rodent known as a Palm Rat. Palm Rats are harmless, they don't carry disease, they don't infest houses, they live in semi tropical areas like Florida and eat fruits and nuts. Very cute. They also look very similar to a regular old rat, and so when one would come scampering down a tree to grab a fallen Tamarind from between the Gucci sandals of a customer paying top dollar for the best cuisine on the island the screams could be heard all the way to the kitchen. Good times.
For a Vegetarian special, we have an assortment of Grilled Zuchinni, Mushrooms and peppers With Hazelnut Romesco sauce and Basmati Rice. The sauce is a Spanish classic with toasted bread, Garlic, Hazelnuts and olive oil simmered together with spices and pureed. This is really nice and you should try it. If you order this with the Beet soup, you get a double portion of ice cream.
As a pasta we have Linguini tossed in Sun Dried Tomato Pesto with asparagus, garlic, fresh basil and a little bit of fresh mozzarella. This one has a really nice French olive oil that I think you will like. This also makes me wish that our herb garden was in bloom so we could use our own basil. Soon though....
For Dinner Specials look for Seared Beef Tenderloin with Scallops, Chicken Cordon Bleu, New York Strip with Peppercorn-Bourbon Sauce and Grilled Shrimp with Kiwi Salsa.
On Friday we will be having a Tex-Mex Buffet- Bob is buying Margaritas for everyone (he doesn't know yet...), and on Saturday we are having an Italian Buffet. Those menus will be at the hostess' Stand.
At Lunch we have a Burger Topped with Marinara and Mozzarella-Kind of a pizza burger if you think about it. This is served with Pasta salad.
We have a Margarita Pizza built with fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes on house-made crust. This one might take a few minutes as we are cooking this to order.
We have Grilled Ham, Sliced Apples and Brie on Sourdough Bread as a sandwich special. If you haven't tried this one, please do. The salty ham with the apples is really nice and the Brie just melts it all together. I have some really nice mustard in the back if you ask for it, and this whole thing goes with Sweet Potato Fries.
For Lunch Specials look for Grilled Leg of Lamb, Flank Steak and Slow-Cooked Pork Belly.
As always, more details are available at our Monday Morning Culinary Corner Meeting at 10 a.m. in the Dad Clark Bar.
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