New recipe April 14, 2011

This evening's treat came from Epicurious.com: Asian Shrimp, Pineapple, and Peanut Salad. This was a delicious and spicy salad. Besides the named ingredients, it had shallots, mint, jalapeño, lime juice and fish sauce, so there were a lot of different flavors blending to make a great dish.

We did not have wine with the meal, because we ate before heading to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts to see Traces, a show with all the acrobatic artistry for Cirque du Soleil, but much more intimate. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

We also enjoyed a Domaine de Pellhaut Harmonie de Gascogne 2009 after the show.

New recipe April 13, 2011

Tonight I made Steak au Poivre, with a recipe from a fun book called Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food, by Evan Goldstein (with recipes by his mom, Joyce Goldstein). I couldn't find a link to this specific recipe, but the key to his sauce is a combination or brandy, white wine, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire Sauce. I served it with some roti chapati (you get the uncooked dough at Costco and finish it on the griddle--quite nice!) and a mixed salad with Viandox vinaigrette.

This recipe was intended to pair with a Bordeaux style Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend, so we had it with a very nice 2005 Chateau Lafon-Rochet. Great pairing!

New recipes April 12, 2011

Tonight, Carl made a wonderful Moroccan Chicken with Tomatoes, Eggplant and Almonds, another Epicurious.com find. He served it over white rice. It has wonderful flavors, and is a complete meal.

We drank a Michel Langlois Coteaux Giennois 2005 with this. That might seem a little old for a white, but it is in excellent shape and had the roundness and fruitiness it needed to complement this dish. Yum!

New recipes April 11, 2011

The photo is of an old friend, Mark Krinock who was in Denver for a meeting and joined us for dinner. We had Tuna Kebabs with Ginger Chile Marinade, from Epicurious.com, with Basmati Rice and a mixed salad I made up with roasted asparagus, enoki mushrooms, sesame seeds and sea beans, with an asian vinaigrette.

It was quite nice, though I think I would either make the onion pieces smaller or start grilling them a little before the tuna to cook them a little more through.

This was nicely matched with a Graffigna Grande Reserve Malbec 2007, courtesy of Mark. Thanks!

New recipes April 10, 2011

Tonight we thoroughly enjoyed Beef Tenderloin with Morels and Tarragon Marsala Sauce, from Epicurious.com, with home created sauteed potatoes onions and peppers. This was fabulous! The salad was a mixed salad with a Dijon Tarragon Vinaigrette. The wine was a 2006 Chateau Doyac Bordeaux, which as an excellent match for the meal!!

New recipes April 9, 2011

This evening' recipes were Curry-Dusted Scallops on Green Pea Puree, and Black Radish Salad, both from Epicurious.com. Black radishes, if you didn't know, have a black skin but the flesh is white. So the color was not unexpected, but the radish flavor was mellow and delicious. Both recipes are from Epicurious.com.

The wine was the Vie di Romans Sauvignon Piere 2007, which was a great match to the food.

New recipes April 8, 2011

This evening, Carl was waiting for me to return from Madison, and enjoyed Rick Bayless' Guacamole with Toasted Almond and Apricot. When I got home, he served me a wonderful cocktail, the Blue Moon. Yum!