Want to impress? Mind you, all dinners should be to impress company, be it your children, friends or business associates. Read on, you will want to make this one right away, I’ll bet.
Tenderloin Ingredients
- 6 tenderloin filets (about 1 inch thick)
- olive oil
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 finely chopped shallots
- 1/4 cup cognac
- 1/2 cup demi glace
- 2 tbsp. butter, chilled
- 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
Scallop Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 12 scallops, medium size, muscle removed
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 -3 tbsp. butter
- 2 Ataulfo mangos, peeled and chopped
- zest of 1 lime
Asparagus Spears With Lime
- 1 -2 lbs. thin asparagus spears, trimmed of woody ends
1/2 lime, juiced
Okay, now read this through before proceeding so you can get the timing right and allow you to serve the food hot.
Use an asparagus pot to steam the asparagus. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the steaks with a pinch of salt and pepper and coating the steaks with dijon mustard. Coat the pan with the olive oil and add the steaks, searing in the hot pan. Cook only 4 minutes each side for medium.
When you turn the steak over the first time, start the scallops in another skillet on medium-high heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and add to the skillet. Sear them in a single layer, causing a carmelization. Cook only 2 minutes each side. Any more and they will be like eating an eraser.
The asparagus can now go down into the water and steam only for 3 minutes. .
After the steaks have been removed from the skillet and allowed to rest, return the skillet to the heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil, add the chopped shallots and cook for a minute. Add the cognac using a spoon to loosen the bits in the pan and flame the cognac. Add the demi glace and bring to a simmer. When ready to plate, add the cold butter to the sauce, stirring to melt and spoon over the filets of beef.
Sprinkle the scallops with the lime zest and add a tbsp. of chopped mango on top of each one. Arrange the scallops on the side of the steak.
Drain the asparagus, add to the skillet with the butter. Plate over the tops of the steaks.
Pour a glass of Pinot Noir or Merlot, sit down and enjoy. Only thing needed here is a small salad of your choice.
I have to tell you, when Don makes this, the line up of neighbors starts outside the patio door…..well, they could!
Cheesecake With Fresh Figs
You may think this is an impossible Cheesecake to make due to the fact it is made with fresh goat cheese, but it is beyond delicious.
- 1 cup finely grated gingersnap cookies
- 2 tbsp. melted butter
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 pkgs. Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup soft, fresh goat cheese
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 6-8 fresh figs, sliced in half, lengthwise
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray an 8 inch springform pan with nonstick Pam. Combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, butter and cinnamon together and press into the bottom of the pan.
In a bowl of your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese together until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla and salt and combine until really well mixed. Add the whole egg and yolk and beat to combine. Sift the flour into the mixture and mix only to combine.
Scrape the mixture into the pan and bake for one hour. When the cake is done, it will look set but still a slight wiggle in the centre. The surface will not be tacky when touched.
Allow to cool down for 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan but leave the bottom on. Refrigerate 4 hours ( or overnight). It may crack while cooling but that is okay. I always put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven while baking and this eliminates the cracking. Just let cool down in the oven as well.
When ready to serve, cut into 12 slices, and make sure you run the knife under hot water after each cut. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a half of the fig on top.
Add a lovely dessert wine and enjoy. The conversation will be endless and that is what entertaining is all about.
Yum!
Beignets From The Oven
We were in New Orleans last month and, of course, visited Cafe du Monde. This place is truly world famous for their beignets and Cafe au Laits. This recipe is done in the oven so you have less fat, less icing sugar. (If you have eaten at Cafe du Monde, you know of which I speak….) and the Cafe au Lait is the dipping sauce.
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 pkg. quick rising dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp. cold butter, cut up
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup icing sugar
Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the top along with 1 tsp. sugar. Stir and let stand until its gets foamy. This should take about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into this until it looks like crumbs.
With a fork, stir in the buttermilk and egg until blended. Like making muffins, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a few times until it becomes a smooth dough.
Using the same bowl, spray with Pam and place the dough in, cover with plastic and let sit for about 10 minutes. Spray two large cookie sheets with Pam. Punch down the dough and roll out into a 9 inch square on a floured surface and cut into 6 strips and then cut each strip into 6 pieces. Place them on the cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap that you have sprayed with Pam. Let rise for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (if using convection oven, rotate the trays halfway through the baking time). Serve warm with a slight sprinkle of icing sugar.
Cafe au Lait Dip
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. instant espresso pweder
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 oz. bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
In a medium size saucepan, whisk together the sugar, espresso and cornstarch. Add the milk and cook for about 7-8 minutes until it comes to the boil and thickens a little. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Serve warm in a bowl for dipping in the warm beignets.
OMG! Any chocolate lovers…..this is for you. You love donuts? These are better than.
YUMMY!