Recipe: Romantic Dinner Menu - Caesar Salad, Steak Diane, Asparagus Bundles, Duchess Potatoes, Bread Pudding, Chocolate Cherry Bread (bread machine)

Romantic Dinner
rec.food.cooking/Dave Jerzycki/1993

Caesar salad
(everyone has a different variation of this, here's mine)

Make some garlic olive oil the day before. I use one clove of garlic, crushed, and place it in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of some good olive oil.

If you are so inclined to make some croutons: coat some day old French bread cubes with some olive oil and bake in a 325 degree oven till browned. I usually just buy some croutons at the store.

Have ready: 1 large egg, a head of romaine lettuce torn up into bit sized pieces, 2-4 tbls of freshly squeezed lemon juice (I like lemon juice so I use at least 4 tbls), 1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.

To coddle the egg, immerse in boiling water for 1 minute. Hint: I take an egg out of the fridge a good 4 hours before to let it come to room temp. Putting a cold egg in boiling water will crack it.

In a bowl, place the lettuce, toss in a few croutons, give a generous twist of the pepper mill. Add about a 1/4 cup or so of the garlic olive oil and mix.

Break the coddled egg into the bowl, sprinkle with some of the lemon juice, and lift with a salad fork and spoon to mix. Toss in the cheese and mix again.

(Before I start preparing the salad, I like to put some salad plates into the freezer to chill down.)

Remove the plates from the freezer, add on your salad, and serve.

Steak Diane
(here's another recipe with many variations)

Filet mignons (depends upon the number of people, I use 1 6-8 oz steak for each individual. 12-16 oz for the wife 8-) )
salt and freshly ground pepper
2-4 tbls of butter
olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard, (or any other coarsely grained mustard.)
4 tbls shallots
a "shot" of Worcestershire sauce (2-4 tbls?, depends upon your taste)
2 tbls fresh lemon juice.

With a meat mallet pound the steaks between layers of wax paper to 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Season on both sides with some salt and pepper. Sometimes I like to use a little garlic powder as well.

Heat up a skillet on the stove. Add 1-2 tbls butter and a little olive oil. As soon as the butter sizzles, add the steaks. Fry on both sides to desired doneness. (Note, never add more than two steaks to the skillet or overcrowd the steaks. It will cause the steaks to simmer and not saute'.) Remove the steaks when done and keep warm.

Add a little more butter to the pan, and saute the shallots for about a minute or two. Toss in some Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice to the pan juices. Raise the heat a little and cook until the juices are blended and a little syrupy. Add back the steaks and coat all over with the sauce.

Asparagus Bundles

Asparagus tips and phyllo pastry. If you have never worked with phyllo, prepare yourself for a treat 8-;

I purchase some fresh asparagus, and use only the tips, about 2-3 inches in length. Steam the tips for about 2-3 minutes and refresh under cold water.

Remove the phyllo from the freezer the night before. Have a damp towel ready on the counter for the phyllo. Remove the phyllo and unwrap. Immediately place it on the damp towel. Only remove the amount you need, this stuff dries out quickly.

Cut one phyllo sheet in half. Brush both sides with some butter.

Starting from the long end, in about an inch, put 5-7 asparagus tips on the phyllo. Season with some salt and pepper or lemon and pepper. Fold the sides over the asparagus and roll up. Place bundles on a buttered cookie sheet or bake pan.

Bake the bundles at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until they brown. Make a hollandaise sauce to pour over the bundles.

Duchess Potatoes

Boil 2-3 medium-large russets in some lightly salted water. Drain (I like to reserve the cooking liquid to use when mashing the potatoes).

Return the pan to the heat and dry up and remaining moisture. Beat the potatoes until smooth. Add in some butter, 2-4 tbls. Add 1 egg yolk to the cooled potato mixture. (If your potatoes are too hot, the yolk will start to cook prematurely.) Add some heavy cream or the reserved liquid, or a combination of the two to the potatoes. Whip after each addition of liquid. Use your judgment here. You want a good flavor, but firm enough to hold a shape when dropped from a spoon. Season the mixture with some salt and pepper. I like to grate in a little nutmeg as well.

Pack into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and squeeze individual servings onto a buttered or foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated over at 400 degrees in the upper rack until the edges start to brown, about 20 minutes. I sometimes broil these hummers to get a nice brown color. Drizzle with butter and serve.

Chocolate Cherry Bread (for Bread Pudding)
(This is great warm with just some butter.)
I make this in my bread machine, a Hitachi HB-201B

Regular loaf
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups of white bread flour
1/2 cup wheat bread flour
1 tbls dry milk
2 tbls chocolate cherry sauce (or chocolate sauce)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 tsp Grand Mariner
1/2 tsp orange peel
2 tsp active dry yeast

Large loaf
1 1/4 cup water
2 cups flour
1 cup wheat bread flour
2 tbls dry milk
1/4 cup chocolate cherry sauce (or chocolate sauce)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup cherries (I use a combination of bing and red cherries)
1 tbls Grand Mariner
1/2 tsp orange peel
3 tsp active dry yeast

I use the add mixture setting on my bread maker. I toss in some of the chocolate chips and cherries when I start the machine (about half the mixture) I toss in the rest when the thing beeps at me. I found if I add all of it at once, it macerates the mixture. This way I get a good combination of macerated chips and cherries and whole ones.

I make this the day before. I slice up the bread into thick slices to dry. On the day I make the bread pudding I do the following:

Bread Pudding

Combine:
6 eggs, beaten
1 quart milk
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Place 3 1/2 cups dry bread cubes (about six thick slices or so) Chocolate Cherry Bread (recipe above), in a large and deep baking dish. The custard and bread take up a lot of room. Pour egg mixture over all.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or till a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving. Serve as is, with a sauce or just some whipped cream.