valentine culinary demo

I'm gleaning ideas for a gourmet cooking show where i've been asked to come up with some foods that men can cook up for their mates or even kids for their moms.
I have to be able to demo this in a short time: 15min' of course I'll have a mise en place and finnished samples to amuse the spectating "bouches". keep the ingredients list short.
I'm inviting any ideas and suggestions.
Thank you
Chef Patrice

By Dpconsu (Dpconsu) on Tuesday, February 01, 2005 - 01:20 am: Edit

I did this menu for a TV demo back in 1992 in Cheyenne for the "Taste of Wyoming" series that ran for a season on channel five.

Saint V's dinner entree for two.


LAMB MEDALIONS WITH BLACK CHERRY SAUCE
SERVED WITH TURNED POTATOES AND STUFFED SNOW PEAS

INGREDIENTS:

6 LEAN LAMB CHOPS, REMOVE THE EYES OF THE CHOPS AND KEEP ASIDE, USE THE BONES FOR THE STOCK.
3 OUNCES EACH OF DICED ONIONS, CARROTS AND CELLERY
A BAY LEAF, SALT AND PEPPER
CAN OF BEEF BROTH
1 CAN OF PITTED BLACK CHERRIES IN HEAVY SYROP.
1 LB OF NEW RED POTAOES
½ LB OF SNOW PEAS
½ LB OF CREAM CHEESE
1 CAN OF RED PIMENTOES
1 8 OUNCE GLASS OF RED WINE
1-OUNCE BRANDY
1 TBSP FLOUR
4 OUNCES BUTTER
1TBLESP CHOOPED FRESH PARSLEY

UTENSILS:

2 SMALL POTS, 2 X 1 QT POTS, A SMALL PASTRY BAG AND A SMALL ROUND TIP, A RUBBER SPATULA, A MIXING BOWL, A SAUTE PAN, A HEAVY FRY PAN.

METHODS:

1) FIRST, IN THE QUART POT, ADD THE DICED VEGGIES AND BAY LEAF WITH ONE OUNCE OF BUTTER AND SIMMER UNTILL THE ONIONS ARE TENDER, TURN UP THE HEAT AND ADD THE LAMB BONES AND KEEP TURNING THE MIXTURE UNTILL ALL SURFACES OF THE BONES AND THE MEAT ON THEM IS DARK BROWN, ADD THE BROTH AND WINE AND SIMMER UNTILL THE VOLUME HAS REDUCED BY HALF, STRAIN INTO A SMALLER POT AND ADD THE ROUX. STIR AS IT BEGINS TO THICKEN AND COOK FOR 7 MINS TO REMOVE THE TASTE OF THE FLOUR. STRAIN THE SAUCE AGAIN. ADD THE DRAINED CHERRIES; IT WILL HAVE RICH DARK VELVET SHEEN TO IT AND TASTE LIKE A DREAM.

2) TO MAKE THE ROUX, MELT THE BUTTER IN A PAN AND ADD THE FLOUR AND STIR OVER MEDIUM HEAT UNTILL THE MIX IS A CRUMBLY LIGHT BROWN PASTE

3) TO PREPARE THE SNOW PEAS, FIRST PUT A POT ON THE STOVE WITH WATER AND SALT TO BOIL, WHEN IT IS BOILING ADD THE SNOW PEAS AND COOK FOR THREE MINS. AND STAIN THE PEAS INTO A BOWL OF ICED WATER. THIS PROCCESS IS CALLED BLANCHING. SNIP OFF ONE END OF EACH PEA TO GIVE YOU ACCESS FOR THE STUFFING. WHICH IS SIMPLE; PUT THE DRAINED PIMENTOES IN A OVEN PROOF DISH AND BLACKEN THEM A LITTLE BIT, ADD THIS TO THE CREAM CHEESE WHICH YOU HEAT UP UNTILL IT SOFTENS IN THE MICRO WAVE AND BLEND THE WHOLE LOTT INTO A SMOOTH PASTE WHICH YOU PUT INTO THE PASTRY BAG (JUST REMEMBER TO PUT THE TIP IN FIRST!) PUT THE BAG IN THE FRIDGE TO COOL OFF BUT NOT TOO LONG OR IT WILL BE HARD TO PUSH OUT THE MIX INTO THE PEAS. STICK THE TIP OF THE BAG INTO THE CUT END OF THE PEA AND PUSH FROM THE WIDE END OF THE BAG; I USE AN ELSTIC BAND TO SEAL THE END UP FIRST.


4) TO MAKE THE TURNED POTAOES JUST SLICE OFF A BIT FROM EACH END AND THEN EVERY ½ INCH OR SO SLICE THE PEEL OFF DOWN THE LENGTH OF EACH POTATOE. COOK THE IN SALTED WATER TILL DONE, ADD SOME MELTED BUTTER AND SOME CHOPPED PARSLEY TO FINISH.

5) TO COOK THE MEAT, SEASON IT BOTH SIDES WITH SALT AND PEPPER. JUST SAUTE IT FOR 2 MINS EACH SIDE IN A SAUTE PAN WITH ENOUGH BUTTER TO STOP IT STICKING.

6) TO FINISH THE PEAS FOR SERVICE, JUST STEAM THEM FOR TWO MINS. ON A FEW DROPS OF WINE IN A COVERED SAUTE PAN.


TO SERVE THIS ENTRÉE:

FIRST HEAT YOUR PLATES TO BE JUST HOT ENOUGH SO THAT YOU CAN HANDLE THEM.

PLACE THE VEGGIES ON FIRST AND ARRNGE THE PIECES OF MEAT SO THAT THEY OVERLAP EACH OTHER THEN HAVE COVER THEM WITH THE SAUCE.