I’m trying to figure out what I want to make for a Very Special Dinner on Monday. Ennis was teasing me about being a cook who never cooks for him, even though this is patently untrue. I didn’t deny it because a text only has so many characters. But if I had, I would remind him that I made him turkey burgers on Friday.
I sort of see his point though. I help him get dinner together when I go over to his place, but it’s been a few months since I cooked a dinner where I did the majority of the cooking and also decided the meal. I’ve been pretty busy with school and then I just end up at his place after my class, so I don’t have time to schlep ingredients or miscellaneous utensils he doesn’t have over to his place. I miss it though. I really love the prep work that goes into a meal, and all the planning that it requires. I get a little giddy at all the pieces that can be fit together, and not just when it comes to food. Ask me about a party I’m planning and I’ll tell you about how I intend to arrange the napkins, or what color scheme the flowers will fit into and how they’ll contrast with the vases or other glassware. For someone with champagne tastes and beer pockets it’s a struggle to restrain myself.
But, to return to food, I am trying to figure out what kind of a great meal I can achieve while still sticking to a modest budget. Here are things I’d like to try:
Looks luscious, doesn’t it? And I love a chance to work on a good demi-glace. It seems so accomplished. I might do this with chicken instead, however, seeing as I have some that is dying (ha!) to be dethawed.
I remain strong on my stance about the best way to eat grits. This meal might convince a boy from Alabama that I’m right. It would also be good for a summer meal. And since it’s not quite summer this might appear later, alongside some grilled corn.
I have sweet potatoes that could mount a good challenge to the chicken in the “Who Needs to Be Eaten First” category. Also, I’ve been mocked for using store bought sweet potato fries when I had real sweet potatoes in the house. This could be a chance to redeem myself.
OK. After some serious internal struggle this is what I’m going to prepare: Rosemary Chicken (perhaps braised?) with Peas and the Sweet Potato and Fennel Gratin. For dessert we will have Mixed Berries and Vanilla Ice Cream and afterwards we will have a talk that designates this as a Very Special Episode in the “Relationship of Ennis & Meredyth” wherein our future location and employment will be discussed. Wish us luck!
Thanks Food Porn for making my mouth water and my boyfriend happy!