Progressive Dinner for Sept 5

Well, guys, this is our last dinner for this sequence. Let's make it a gangbusters.

Normally it would have been Dave's turn for the main course. So I'll fill in for him. I'll post it in the next day or two, and everyone else can then work around it for a nicely balanced meal.

Here are the assignments:

Appy: Ron
First course: Anne
Main: Brook
Side: Dan:
Dessert: Brook

Let's give some thought, too, to whether we want to continue with this, and, if so, how we can attract other FotWers to take part.

Whitebait and smelt are the same thing, Anne. Or close enough to make no never mind. And smelt are readily available.

So I see no reason not to run with that dish if you want.

The only downside is that I'm planning fish for the main course, and we don't want to conflict.

For our last meal of this first progressive dinner I’d like to see us really go out with a bang. So, for the main course, I’ve chosen Eric Ripert’s Black Bass With Port Wine.

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Ripert. If he’s not the finest seafood chef in America he runs whoever is a very close second. If any proof is needed, not only does Le Bernardin, his flagship restaurant, carry three Michelin stars, it has four-star ranking from the New York Times, and has held that position continuously for more than 20 years---the only restaurant with such a distinction.

The Black Bass With Port Wine was Le Bernardin’s signature dish for many years.

This particular recipe is close to my heart, because it’s the first dish I every prepared using restaurant type techniques and procedures. I used a striped bass, that first time, which I’d caught myself in the surf.

Among the things I learned from it was that seemingly illogical steps often do make a difference. For example, you might think that there’d be no difference, with two liquids are being reduced, between reducing them separately or combining them and reducing them at one time. But it actually does make a difference.

Anyway, here is our main course for this week:

Black Bass With Port Wine

1 cup ruby port
½ cup Sherry vinegar
1 stick butter, softened
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 6-ouce sea bass filets
¼ cup five-spice powder
2-3 tbls peanut oil (approx.)
1 ½ cups wild mushrooms, sliced
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tbls minced fresh parsley
1 tbls fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

Boil the port in a heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until thick and syrupy; there should be just enough liquid to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Stir in the vinegar and boil until syrupy. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt & pepper.

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil over moderately high heat. Season fish filets lightly with salt and pepper. Coat each filet on both sides with the five-spice powder. Sauté the filets in the hot pan, turning once, until crusty on the outside and opaque throughout. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

If necessary, add peanut oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, over moderately high heat until softened and browned. Add the shallots, parsley and thyme and cook until the shallots are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange each filet on a bed of mushrooms. Top with the sauce.

Margi, when we first kicked this idea around the question of beverages came up. We agreed that it was up to the individual posters to offer suggestions, particularly if specific drinks when with the dish.

If the group as a whole wants you to do those pairings I’ll certainly go along. But if you want to participate I’d much prefer you did so with tried and true dishes. That, after all, is the whole point of the exercise.

  we're getting ready to head out the door.  Margi, I think this is a good idea, but I think it would work out well if a sister thread is started for the pairings for the progressive dinner. 

Progressive Dinner for Sept 5th - For the food course exercise

then...

Progressive drink pairings for Sept 5th Dinner - To post/discuss the different elements of pairing wine and drink with differing food courses.

 I think this would be a great way to learn elements of cooking foods in courses, and an equally intriguing discussion of pairing drinks with foods.  While I do think these are two different exercises, I think it's a wonderful idea to marry the two through the common theme...although I think a sister thread is warranted (to keep the threads on topic and on discussion to the exercise)

   Anyway...that's my ideas.  I'll read any other discussion/suggestions when I get home tonight.

Dan

Dan,

I think your suggestion is excellent. Let us see, what the other members involved on the Project have to say. I like the idea, because it shall open up Wine Discussion topics which is very limited on FOTW.



Thank you, and kind regards,
Margi.

HistoricFoodie wrote: Whitebait and smelt are the same thing, Anne. Or close enough to make no never mind. And smelt are readily available.

Great minds and all that.

Reckon our posts crossed.

I wholeheartedly support a drink pairing thread, its one area I would love to learn more about.

Separate Wine & Beverage Thread in the Beverage Section ...

Okay, this is surely an execellente idea ...

Just to point out, that in the last 15 years, 99% of the Internaional Wine Challenges throughout the world, have selected Iberian wines, blind folded as the Gold Medal and Silver Medal winners.

This includes the Manhattan event, London, Brussels, and Tokoyo.

I totally agree on world designation of origin wines to be included;

I selected 2 Rosés from Iberia, for their flavor profile with the Sea Bass and mushrooms for their pairing and their Price structure here, and availability via export.

Mendoza, in Argentina, and Sonoma, Napa etcetra, are on the pricey side even for Americans.

Mushrooms are quite challenging to pair, as artichokes are; which the best suggestion is a semi sweet White cava from Sonoma California or Barcelona ... or a semi sweet Prosecco from Treviso, Veneto ...

Shall begin a thread then in BEVERAGES ...

ON SOFT DRINKS: this too shall be included as well as Sidra ( Cider sparkling ); alcohol free beers, lemonades, all natural types of fruit waters etcetra; cocktails ... etcetra ...

Thanks, have nice day.