I started out with some simple nibbles in the lounge, grilled eggplant arancinis that we placed on a bed of crushed nicoise olives with roasted garlic and fresh oregano.  Three sisters farm grit cakes topped with smoked mushrooms and sweet and sour peppers.  The last nibble was truffle root vegetable crostinis.  Look at that knife work, my Sous Chef Nolan clearly passed skills class!

We had to play with our new kitchen toy, seeing the look on my Sous Chef Dino’s face when he plays with the cryovac machine is priceless, he’s happy Dino!  We made compressed watermelon carpaccio topped with marinated kumatos, watermelon radish, slivered onion rings, cucumbers, fried capers, fried ginger and mint.

We had some beautiful local baby carrots, I cooked each seperately golden with garlic, orange with ginger and purple with chilies.  They were cut into small rounds and tossed with dried baguette and the remaing cooking liquids and parsley to make a panzanella.  This was wrapped in basic eggless pasta dough and baked.  Garnished with olive oil poached fennel and a pesto of arugula and hazelnuts.

At this point in the evening the rest of the guests at the table were eating steaks and drinking bigger red wines, so I took a simple and beautiful approach to match. Grilled king trumpet mushrooms, asparagus and watercress emulsion, corn shoots and (below) caramalized caulifower and olive oil crushed yukon gold potato gratin with fresh thyme.

Dessert, I didnt get to take a picture but it looked and tasted amazing.  John a.k.a. PC1 and Amanda made a heirloom apple crisp with organic oat struesal and orange sorbet.  A fun day of cooking during a classic Chicago winter blizzard!

Part 3 of my short cooking demonstration filmed in my home kitchen along with the recipes for a simple elegant meal.    Now watch the video, print off the recipes, go shopping and cook a great meal in your own kitchen on Valentines Day!

Chocolate Creme Pots…caramilized oranges & madeleines

7 oz                bittersweet chocolate

1 ¾ cups       heavy cream

3 tbsp             butter

Method:

1. Bring the cream up to a boil.
2. Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler, whisk thoroughly with a whisk.  Whisk cream into this mixture.
3. Pour mixture into ramekins or desired dish, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Garnish

4 pcs              Madeleine (available at most coffee shops)

1 ea                Orange, cut into segments

3 tbsp             Sugar

As needed   your favorite coffee or espresso drink

As needed   powdered sugar, optional

Method

1. Remove chocolate cream pot form refrigerator.
2. On a oven proof pan lay out orange segments, sprinkle with sugar.  Using a blowtorch caramelize the sugar.  If you do not have a blowtorch using you r broiler set on high caramelize the oranges under the broiler.
3. Be very careful removing the oranges place on top of the chocolate, garnish with a dusting of powder sugar.  Serve with madeleine’s on the side and your favorite coffee drink