| Chef Jacques' February Newsletter |
 |
 |
 |
| Sunday, 07 March 2010 10:31 |
|
Greetings, I know those of you in the Washington area are probably getting sick of the snow. This winter has been brutal and here we go again. Yes, it is inconvenient, but a snow day can be unexpectedly romantic and fun. Recently I’ve enjoyed a few surprise days stuck in the house with mon amour, and we’ve had afternoons by the fire, with champagne, of course, and just a little time to relax. If you don’t have plans yet for Valentine’s Day this year, I say declare it a snow day and spend the entire day at home with your special someone (unless of course you have reservations at L’Auberge Chez François).
Valentine’s Day is on Sunday this year, so work shouldn’t get in the way (unless of course you work at L’Auberge Chez François).
As many of you know, I think cooking at home is the ultimate romantic treat. The food is tempting, but it is the energy you put into the preparation and serving of the final meal that is sexy. Plan a meal that involves you cooking together; even in a small kitchen you can make room for two. Everyone ends up hanging out in the kitchen anyway; you’ve seen it happen a hundred times at parties or family gatherings. So, start your evening there first and who knows what may follow. Love really does begin in the kitchen.
Don’t let the bad weather keep you from getting a gift for your snow-day valentine, in addition to a great meal. Hint to the guys: When she says she doesn’t want you to get her anything for Valentine’s Day, she is lying. You can order tickets to my upcoming spring classes online at www.chefjacques.com. I’ve just posted two new offerings, and cooking classes make a great gift. Also, you can order a personalized copy of my most recent book on romantic cooking, Two for Tonight, from my website and have it arrive in time for Valentine’s Day. Just click here: http://www.chefjacques.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CJ&Category_Code=B To start you off creating a romantic menu for Valentine’s Day, I’m including my recipe for Tartare of Arctic Char. Char is a fish that tastes just like salmon but is smaller, making it a better size when cooking for two. You can buy both wild and farm-raised char. Wild fish are preferable from a nutritional standpoint. This dish makes a nice, light appetizer and is a great start to any meal. I wish you, and your snow-day valentine, love, romance, and delicious food. Love begins in the kitchen, Chef Jacques
Tartare of Arctic Char Serves 2 Ingredients: 6 ounce Arctic char fillet ½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest ½ teaspoon lime juice ½ teaspoon finely minced chives 1/3 teaspoon sea salt Freshly ground pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 2 radicchio leaves 1 cup mesclun salad 2 Martini glasses 10 capers Chive straws 1 teaspoon caviar 2 thin lime wedges Skin the Arctic char and remove any dark blood line down the center of the fillet. Remove any pin bones. Coarsely dice the Arctic char using a very sharp, clean knife and cutting board. Place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate. Peel off 2-3 strips of the outer rind of the lime using a potato peeler and finely chop to obtain ½ teaspoon. Cut 2 thin wedges and press the lime to obtain ½ teaspoon of juice. Add the lime rind and juice, chopped chives, sea salt, pepper, cayenne, and olive oil to the diced Arctic char. Toss well, taste, adjust seasoning, cover and refrigerate. To Serve: Place a radicchio leaf and a small bunch of salad in the bottom and up 1 side of each Martini glass. Divide the seasoned Tartare between the 2 glasses over the radicchio leaves. Garnish each Tartare with 4-5 capers, a chive straw and ½ teaspoon caviar. Attach a lime section to the rim of each glass. Serve with toasted slices of country bread. Variation: For a spicy tartare, add ½ teaspoon finely chopped Jalapeño peppers and omit the caviar. You can also substitute salmon for the Arctic char. |
