Friday, August 04, 2006

Yet Another Delicious Dinner from Random_Speak

As it turns out, not only did I loiter irresponsibly with various and shady individuals this week, I also accidentally threw three dinner parties instead of one.

In addition to being très fashionable they were also full of butter, wine, garlic, eggs, sugar, and other things that are terribly bad for you. Conversations ranged from the feasibility of trips to Puerto Rico, poking people and brain tumors that give you face lifts to headless chickens, photography, cartoons, anagrams, illicit activity, politics, leprosy, ultimate frisbee and an upcoming trip to China.

I washed approximately seven thousand eight hundred and ninety two dishes

Also, I've decided that this blog just hasn't been random enough lately, so I'm posting one of my newer recipes: a traditional coq au vin(chicken with wine). Additional menu items from the three dinners included roast leg of lamb, baked salmon with a soy-ginger sauce, roasted sweet carrots, spring salad, blue cheese stuffed olives, french bread, brie with grapes, plum clafoutis, apple pie, and apricot cobbler.

Coq au Vin
(serves six)
Ingredients:
4 pounds of chicken pieces
1 whole bottle of red wine (DO NOT use cooking wine -- make sure it's drinkable, or don't bother to cook with it)
1/2 cup of seasoned flour
4-5 crushed garlic cloves
12 peeled shallots
8 slices of raw bacon (chopped into smallish bits)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of chicken stock
8 ounces of button mushrooms
black pepper
a large handful of fresh, shredded basil leaves

Directions:
1. Coat the chicken pieces with seasoned flour. Shake off the excess and set them aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large (and deep) nonstick pan over medium heat and cook the chicken in batches for 10 minutes (or until brownish on all sides)-- making sure to turn the pieces frequently
3. Set the chicken pieces aside to drain on paper towels
4. Add the garlic, shallots, and bacon to the pan and cook (don't forget to stir!) for about 5 - 10 minutes until the shallots are starting to turn slightly golden
5. Put all the chicken back in the pan
6. Add the WHOLE BOTTLE of red wine. Make sure it is DRINKABLE red wine, or I'll never speak to you again
7. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil
8. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes (until the chicken is tender). You need to stir occasionally, but for the most part you can just fart around, watch television, take a shower or whatever.
9. Add the mushrooms, basil, and any amount of black pepper you like
10. Cook for 10 more minutes, then serve with a smile (knives are unneccessary, as the meat will fall right off the bone)

3 Comments:

Blogger aprilbapryll said...

Mmmm, I love your leg of lamb!

Anyhow, I am in dire need of books as I has resorted to reading books that I have no interest in rather than working late even though I need to do that as well. :)

3:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I shall try this recipe posthaste.

5:27 PM  
Blogger L said...

frog princess: thank you m'dear! I shall have more upcoming dinners, so next time you shall have something new and exciting. Yes, I do want to go book shopping! I think I have a lunch free this week.... maybe Wednesday or Thursday? I'll give you a call

Tim: yes, you should! It takes time, but for most of that time you can really just fart around doing nothing. It's yummy :)

8:53 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home