La Vie En Rose

This was the first evening in a long time that I cooked a full meal, and it turned out absolutely delightful! I would have taken pictures to photo blog, but I will have to admit, it wasn't the prettiest presentation. This one was more about the taste than the looks!

For an appetizer, I started with lightly toasted baguette with a very rich, creamy goat cheese and pure pear preserves. I could have stopped here and just made my entire meal cheese spread on bread with jam!

The main dish was composed of three selections: steamed brussles, skillet potatoes, and sauteed dover sole. I started with the potatoes, which I imagined as the grounding aspect of the meal. I wanted to give the more earthy flavors an appearance here, so I seasoned the potatoes with garlic, mustard powder, sumac, cumin, s&p, and a light dash of smoked paprika. I added butter for tenderizing, and cooked the hell out of my taters for a good 45 mins to an hour on medium low heat.

Much later, when the tots were nearly done (or, to be honest done, just getting softer and softer), I set the brussels to steam. These I steamed for about seven or eight minutes to make aldonte, retaining the fresh texture but releasing the wonderful flavors and aromas. I decided I would season the brussels the least, with just a dousing of lemon juice, salt, and generous pepper.

For the sole, which I started at the same time as the brussels, I simmered a dill sauce made of fresh dill, butter, garlic, lemon juice, pimentos, capers, s&p. Cooking dover sole one must be especially gentle, as it's a very light and delicate fish and will break apart very easily if flipped often. I find it's best not to flip it at all, but to cook it at a lower heat and cover it. I added the sauce at the end, and there you have it!

Tonight's wine selection was a mediocre bottle of 2006 Tempranillo, selected for two reasons. One, it was $5.99, and two - I preferred a red wine on a cold night but didn't want to opt for a wine that was too heavy. At the same time, going for a pinot noir or a burgondy, would have been too fruity. Tempranillo, depending on its aging qualities, can prove to be an apt compromise of intense bright fruit on the front palate and light oak on the back. Still, I think a white Torrantes would have probably been ideal for this dish.

In the end I went for the easy, fool-hardy dessert of lightly toasted baguette pieces with olive oil drizzled and melted semi-sweet dark chocolate, with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.

My belly is in heaven.

Tonight's music selection: Nina Simone.