Hello! Thank you for reading another of our blog entries, I'm never quite sure how these are going over or how helpful they are and so I will just keep typing away every week. One question I have for all of the residents here is, what other avenues of communication would you like to see? We have this blog, we have menus on Touchtown, we have a Culinary meeting every week, a Food committee meeting every month, the menus are placed into cubbies with extra copies at the front desk, the hostess desk, and the mail rooms, what else would you like to see? The Food and Beverage Committee is hosting a Food and Beverage Forum on the 29th, that will be helpful and hopefully that will continue every month after that but we still want to be as proactive as possible with our communication. If you have any ideas on how you would like to receive information, please let me know. we are always looking for new ways to do things
In the Hive Market this week, check out the Lamb Champvallon. According to Larousse Gastronomique This potato topped French dish dates from the reign of Louis the XIV. Supposedly it was invented by one of his mistresses, but which one? There are fourteen (!) officially recognized mistresses. The French call this dish Cotes d'agneau Champvallon but I can find no reference to any official mistress with the name. In any case I don't think Louis picked his ladies for their culinary talents and so I felt comfortable tweaking the recipe a bit. It's really a fancier version of the Shepherd's Pie we saw last week but with large tender pieces of lamb, fresh herbs, and plenty of red wine in the mix. We will also offer a really nice Bacon- Wrapped Filet Mignon, Tilapia, Cheese Raviolis, and Roasted Chicken topped with lemon vinaigrette for a nice light alternative. Several residents have asked me recently to return to a few more sandwiches, and so I will try to work that into the mix as well.
In the Restaurant this week, the Soup is Carrot-Ginger topped with Dill Crème Fraîche. Now Crème Fraîche is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: fresh, cultured cream. Think sour cream before it turns sour and you are just about right. If you ask for no topping this dish would be dairy-free, and since it is really just a big bowl of puréed vegetables. Then, I think we all know that you can have as much dessert as you like once you've eaten a bowl.
The Appetizer is a Lobster-Filled Inari. Now Inari is basically a sweet tofu that has been deep fried to make it puff open, then it is chilled and stuffed with lobster and vegetables. Traditionally Inari is filled with just rice, bit of course here at Vi we always try to make everything special. Just to make it even more special, we are serving a small glass of chilled sake with each order. Why? Well, it would taste really nice with the Inari, we have a case of Sake that I want to see put to good use and of course I like to keep Susan's life interesting by serving things her underage staff can't deliver (don't tell her that part).
The Cheese is one we have served before and I really liked it. It is called 5Q's and it is a sheep's milk cheese aged in sherry barrels. It has a really nice flavor, interesting texture, and we are serving it with Membrillo which is a paste made from Quinces. This combination is very Spanish, and very good. Did you know we have a couple of bottles of good Spanish Amontillado? I didn't either until a week or so ago when I cleaned out the wine room. Amontillado is very dry, slightly nutty and would be great with this cheese. I promise to show the bartender where it is and I won't even charge you for it if you promise to discuss The Cask of Amontillado with me-one of my favorite stories by Edgar Allen Poe.
I know I'm a lot to deal with... sorry everyone.
At dinner, check out the Grilled Swordfish steak topped with crispy fried beets, served over tomatillo sauce, baby carrots and quinoa. This is a very healthy dish, the swordfish we have been getting lately is really nice. Swordfish is available year round, but I feel like we get the best product in the winter months.
We have Sous Vide-Seared Bistro Tenders this week with Sauce Espagnole. Now, we have a lot to unpack here so here goes nothing: A Bistro Tender is also called a shoulder tender, a teres major, or a bistro steak. This is a very popular cut of meat in restaurants lately, as millennial diners are getting tired of the same cuts of meat and looking of more flavorful options. We are of course not serving Millennials but occasionally I like to see how people like different things. Ours come from Harris Ranch in California and we will be cooking them sous vide style before searing them to order. Now cooking beef in the sous vide style means that they will be marinated in a vacuum sealed bag and then cooked to an exact temperature of 125 degrees in that bag (basically: to rare). All of the moisture, flavor and tenderness are preserved, and when the meat is ordered we put it on the grill just long enough to sear more flavor and to bring it to whatever temperature is requested. This way of cooking is part of what is called modernist cuisine, and while I may not be getting any younger I still think it's worth trying new methods and new ideas. Espagnole sauce is simply a brown veal stock reduced with lots of tomatoes to give it more acidity, and we are going to keep it gluten-free. With wild mushrooms and rosemary potatoes this one would be great with Zinfandel, please try it.
Don't miss the Barbecued Chicken with macaroni and cheese served with corn on the cob. A resident told me last week that he preferred Cattleman's Barbecue sauce and reminded me that not everything needs to be fancy so here we go. We have 90 Shilling beer back in stock and that might just be the best thing for this.
As a Light Entrée this week, try the Shiitake Mushrooms and Pea Shoots served over Soba Noodles and Grilled Quail's Breast. Quail is very flavorful, as well as very lean, and we are adding pickled cabbage and topping with Ginger-Garlic Vinaigrette for a bright finish. Lots of different flavors are going on here, so I suggest a Gewürztraminer or Riesling to match up.
The Pasta this week is a Sausage and Beef Lasagna, with garlic bread and lots of marinara.
For Dinner Specials, take a look at the Grilled New York Strip with Chimichurri, the Chicken Pot Pie, Pan-Seared Scallops, Pesto-Grilled Chicken, Baked Halibut, Pot Roast and the Butter-Poached Lobster Tail.
At lunch, try the Grilled Angus Beef Burger, the Grilled Lamb Loin, Fish and Chips, Stir-Fried Beef, and Crispy Chicken Confit.
Keep an eye open for the Sip and Savor event later this month. I haven't yet come up with a theme, it feels like we have done everything. I was thinking that it's been a while since we took a look at Spanish wines, I've always had a soft spot for Riojas.
As always, I hope to see you Monday morning at 10 am in the Dad Clark Bar for the Culinary Corner!
