Good Morning.
The first thing to do in this sublime setting is find a couple of chairs and pour a glass of wine, then off we go with a
MUSHROOM AND CHIVE BISQUE. I assume you have someone to prepare the meal and a handsome waiter to serve it.
5 tbsp. butter
1 pound fresh white mushrooms, wiped clean with a bit of vegetable oil and patted dry, then chopped
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 cups chicken broth
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
Whipped cream and more chives for garnish
In a large skillet, melt the butter, add the mushrooms and saute for about 3 minutes until soft. Add flour, dry mustard, and salt. Cook for maybe 2 minutes, stirring. Add the chicken broth and cook, stirring, until thickened. Put this mixture
into a blender and process until smooth. Add cream cheese, sherry, and 1/4 cup chives and blend again. Reheat if necessary.
To serve, ladle into shallow bowls, float a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream on top, and finish it off with a few more chives. Serves 6 but no worries: it warms up nicely the next day.
Even people who don't like mushrooms think this bisque is terrific. Don't use chives that come in a jar. Grow or buy the fresh
product and snip away. Vegetarians can substitute vegetable broth and all will be well.
Now we have GREEK MAHI MAHI.
For Two
1 1/2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped into chunks
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Dash of kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 6 oz. mahi mahi fillets, 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt, your choice
2 tbsp. crumbled Feta
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
4 lemon slices
Toss the tomato wedges and cucumber chunks with 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, vinegar, kosher salt, and oregano. Set aside. Wash the fillets and pat dry, then sprinkle with a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise or yogurt, Feta, herbs, and lemon juice. Preheat your broiler. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil and lightly coat with oil. Place fish, skin side down, on the pan, spread with the mayo mixture, and top each fillet with 2 lemon slices. Drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Broil 8 inches from heat until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Watch carefully and if the top starts to get too brown, cover with foil and continue cooking. Remove and let rest for 3 minutes, then serve with the tomatoes and cucumbers either on top or on the side.
The Greeks have given us many things - democracy, mythology, baklava, hopefully the aforementioned waiter, and one of the funniest movies that ever happened. There was a lot of wisdom in that film because the family figured out how to change when they needed to and stay the same when they should, not always an easy task.
CREAMED ORZO WITH SPINACH goes well with the fish or anything else. Double the portion and it could be a meal by itself.
For Two
1/2 cup dry orzo
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. flour
1/2 cup Half and Half
3/4 cup baby spinach, washed, dried, stems removed
1/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated is best
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain thoroughly, and set aside. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized skillet. Add the garlic and cook no more than 2 minutes. Stir in the flour for a minute plus, then add the
Half and Half, stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts, maybe 3 minutes. Stir in the cheese.
Add the orzo and carefully combine with the spinach and sauce. Taste and add salt and pepper.
Some people like rice more than pasta, and others prefer pasta to rice. Orzo is the perfect compromise.
Now have STUFFED PEACHES for dessert.
For two
2 large peaches
4 lady fingers
4 almond macaroons
2 tbsp. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/8 tsp. almond extract
Whole milk
1 tsp. butter
Split the peaches and remove the pits. Scoop out and reserve about a third of the pulp, leaving the rest attached to the skin.
Place these shells in a greased baking dish, cut side up. Chop up the pulp you set aside and place in a bowl. Crumble the
ladyfingers and 3 macaroons and add to the bowl. Add the sugar, about 1/4 of the beaten egg, the extract, and just enough
milk to make a soft filling. Throw out the rest of the egg or do something else with it. Fill the peach shells, crumble up the
other macaroon, and sprinkle on top of each shell. Dot with butter and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes until golden.
Top with whipped cream or a little vanilla ice cream.
My husband liked macaroons. He also wore conservative ties, celebrated the change of seasons, and prepared a variety of culinary delights with a great deal of garlic. The house was often filled with an aroma that had the power to make
anyone feel better about almost any annoyance, including the common cold, a stack of bills, or perchance, the evening news. We sat side by side at the dinner table, never across, garlic and all. I recommend it.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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