From time to time we are asked to prepare a no-holds-barred dinner. Last night we executed an eight course dinner for eight guests at an elegant hilltop home in Santa Barbara. The menu was decidedly French Classic with a few Santa Barbara touches.
Any menu is ingredient driven. Shopping is the first and most important task closely followed by getting the mise en place ready; i.e., preparations are ready up to the point of final cooking. With that being done, the final cooking and plating is relatively easy.
Caviar set the tone for an upscale evening. We did the usual suspects for garnishing the caviar, chopped hardboiled eggs, brioche, capers, chopped onions (rinsed), creme fraiche, potato latkes, chives. The ahi was a change from my choice of local cultured abalone. The unusual side was a medley of seaweed and mugwart (salicornia, glasswart, sea beans, sea asparagus). The plant grows wild in the costal marshes around Santa Barbara. The squab featured a tarragon vinaigrette, squash demi glace and a thick slice of seared Hudson Valley foie gras. The ravioli was filled with a lobster mousse and diced lobster, floated on a reduced lobster jus. The lemon sorbet, served in a frozen lemon shell, was dosed at the table with my own limoncello (see earlier blog on that subject). The sea bass, poached and set on a pearl pasta and vegetable pearl ragout, was glazed with a Dijon mustard dressing mixed with fines herbs (chives, chervil, parsley). The veal loin was roasted, sauced with a truffled demi glace and garnished with local filet beans ·thin haricot vert), "turned carrots" and potatoes fondant. Dessert was prepared by my pastry chef wife, Christine Dahl and was composed of an assortment on mini desserts.
Wish you could have been there!
Tastefully yours®,
