DINNER FOR TWO

This is a menu for dinner for a young couple on their honeymoon.  It could be accompanied with a bottle of champagne  left over from their wedding reception.


                                                          Prawn Cocktail

                                                 Beef Fillet with Mushrooms
                                                        Smashed Potatoes
                                                        Sauteed Vegetables


                                                     Frozen  Chocolate Torte

   

                                                      PRAWN COCKTAIL

This small seafood salad is very popular.

500 g (1 lb) medium sized prawns boiled shelled and de-veined

4 lettuces, only the inner, tender leaves, washed dried and shredded

Snipped chives

Sauce:

6 heaped tbsp mayonnaise, low fat if preferred

3 heaped tbsp tomato ketchup

½  liqueur glass good quality brandy, Metaxa would be fine

1 tbsp very finely chopped gurkins 

A few drops Tabasco sauce

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Pinch of sugar

Sweet paprika or

1/8 tsp Cayenne

Chives, thinly sliced lemon

6 prawns

First make the sauce.   Mix all the ingredients, except the salt, well together, taste and add salt pepper or Cayenne, if necessary.

In a bowl mix the prawns with about 6 tbsp of sauce, reserving the smaller amount of sauce for later.    

Combine the shredded salad with the snipped chives.   Divide between six individual bowls or glasses and drizzle with a little sauce.   Divide the prawns between the bowls,

and arrange them over of the salad.   Drizzle with the remaining sauce and garnish with  lemon slices, and the reserved prawns.

                           BEEF FILLET WITH MUSHROOMS AND HERBS

                                     

Fillet Mignon with Madeira Mushroom Sauce

You could alternatively prepare this dish with a dry red wine.

10 slices beef fillet 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, marinated, for at least 1 hour in:

4 tbsp garlic-scented olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp chopped marjoram leaves

Herbed Butter

4 tbsp soft butter

1 spring onion, very finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, very finely chopped

½ tsp lemon juice

Salt and, freshly ground pepper

Mushroom Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large onion, chopped

500 g (1 lb) fresh mushrooms, stalks chopped, caps quartered

2-3 tbsp duxelles* please see below

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp brandy

360 ml (1½ cup) or more, chicken or mushroom stock

1 tbsp tomato paste, diluted in ¼ cup water

1 tsp fresh marjoram, finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

60 ml (¼ cup) sweet red wine Madeira or Mavrodaphe or Coumandaria  

*Duxelles:

250 g (½ lb) mushroom stems and a few caps chopped

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp olive oil or

1 tbsp olive oil +

1 tbsp butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp chopped parsley

(Sauté the onion in olive oil or butter and olive oil until the onion is transparent.  Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is quite dry.  Then add the seasoning and parsley.  Simmer 1-2 minutes more, discard the garlic and store in a jar, cover with olive oil and refrigerate.)                    

  

First prepare the herb butter.  Combine all ingredients together and, with the help of a piece of greaseproof paper, shape a small cylinder and freeze.

 

For the sauce, sauté the onion and the garlic, in olive oil, until soft.  First add the mushroom stalks, then the caps and chopped marjoram and sauté quickly until quite dry.  Sprinkle with brandy and cook until the alcohol evaporates.  Add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Pour in the stock and simmer, stirring, for 5-8 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the duxelles

and simmer for 2 minutes more.   Sprinkle with parsley, and keep hot.

Cook the steaks in two batches.   Place a frying-pan over very high heat and brown the steaks quickly on one side, season with salt and pepper, then turn, brown and season the other side.  Lower the heat and cook until the meat is cooked as preferred, from about 5 to10 minutes.  

 

Arrange the fillet steaks on a hot serving dish, place a slice of herbed butter over, and keep hot.  Add the mushroom sauce in the frying pan, and quickly cook and stir.  Pour in the sweet red wine cook for a bare moment and spoon half the sauce over the steaks.  Serve immediately with smashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables and the remaining sauce.

    

                                               SMASHED POTATOES

Smashed Potatoes With  Cream and Sage

1 kg (2 lbs) or more mealy potatoes, peeled and sliced

Enough water to just cover

1 whole garlic clove

1 sprig of sage

Salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup or more, cream

1 tbsp snipped chives

Boil the potatoes with all the ingredients except the cream and chives.  Remove the garlic and sage and strain thoroughly.  Return the potatoes to the saucepan and heat in order to remove any possible remaining moisture. Before serving, pour in the cream and stir, and check the seasoning.  Serve sprinkled with chives and freshly ground black pepper.

                                              FROZEN CHOCOLATE TORTE

Decadent Frozen Chocolate Torte with  Blackberry Coulis

This is a lovely frozen dessert.

300 g dark chocolate, finely chopped

250 ml (1 cup) sweet condensed milk

4 yolks of medium-sized eggs, slightly whipped

1 tbsp honey

Vanilla

2 tbsp rum or Cognac or Metaxa brandy

600 ml (1 fl lb 4 fl oz) double cream, whipped to soft peaks with

2 tbsp icing sugar

Place the 6 first ingredients in a bowl over gently simmering water, stirring constantly until chocolate melts and the mixture thickens.  This could take about12-15 minutes.   Remove from the fire, stirring occasionally until the chocolate custard reaches room temperature.

Fold ¼ of the whipped cream into the custard to lighten it up, and the fold in the remaining cream,  gently but thoroughly until no traces of white are evident.

Grease a 22 cm. (8.8 inches) and line it meticulously with cling-film leaving enough hanging over the edge to help remove the torte when frozen.  Carefully pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.  Cover and freeze for 6 hours at least.

Remove the frozen torte from the freezer 10 minutes before you need it, and serve cut into wedges garnished with  fresh strawberries, blackberry or peach coulis.