So, Kate came over last night for my meal-of-the-year re-enactment, courtesy of the amazing leftovers I was lucky enough to snag at Tuesday night’s Electrolux ICON event. After sharing the leftovers with my coworkers earlier in the day, I still had about 1/2 cup of risotto and a hefty segment of lamb tenderloin left … not to mention the seared tuna and molten lava cakes hanging out in my fridge. I was worried about the damage I might do if left to my own devices, so Kate popped over to relieve some of the expansion responsibility (because, oh, what a heavy burden it is).
I started us off with fancy apps:
OK, so my seared tuna atop wasabi-infused guacamole and a white cheddar soy crisp is not exactly on level with the giant-spoon classiness I experienced Tuesday, but I think it is a close approximation … and it tasted delicious. Kate and I had two each.
Kate and I both prefer our meat closer to well-done than to rare, so I fired up the oven to give the lamb a few more minutes. While that was cooking, I worked on the risotto. Since I brought such a small amount of it home from work, I decided it needed (1) bulking and (2) healthing. I sauteed the veggie scraps I salvaged from the event (asparagus peels, mushroom stems, and spinach) with garlic and olive oil and then immersion blended them into a paste (another non-classy variation of the Chef’s method). The paste went into a pot with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, the remaining 1/2 cup of risotto, and lots and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
The result: enough food for two! Colorado Lamb Roast, Spring Asparagus Risotto, and Carmelized Onions:
I think I am most excited about those onions!! Thank goodness I still have a bunch more in the fridge 😀
Can you guess what came after dinner????
Yes, the chocolate molten cakes!! I tried to keep presentation as true to the original as possible. Sadly, I had no gold dust on hand.
I heated the lava cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes at 350. When they were warm, I slid a knife around the edges and inverted them onto the plates. In lieu of the magical chocolate disk, I topped each cake with a square of Newman’s Own Organics orange dark chocolate. Ohhh, yum. I daresay this chocolate actually improved the cake (which I didn’t think was possible before I took a bite!). Seriously, look at the melt-action taking place here:
The “ice cream” was actually about 1/2 cup each of lemon curd-infused healthy cream cheese icing which I iced via the freeze-for-20-stir-freeze-for-20-stir method. It needed color for photography’s sake, so I topped it off with a blueberry sauce I made by simmering a couple tbsp of Brigitte’s homegrown frozen blueberries until the juice thickened.
One last look at the whole package:
As much as I could eat molten lava cake every night for the rest of my life, I am relieved that Kate helped me so that I do not have to! Expansion does have its limits, even for me 😛
In case you would like to try your hand at re-enacting this meal from scratch (something I haven’t even attempted yet!), I have created a page of Chef Steelman’s very own recipes right here!
Have you re-enacted anything (food or non-food) lately?
And have you entered my Bob’s Red Mill giveaway?
so glad I could help! 🙂
LikeLike
So sad I couldn’t help. Haha!
LikeLike
okay, I want all of that 🙂 especially the risotto, the onions, and that cake!
LikeLike
I WANT THAT CAAAAAAAAAAKE!!! Please?? 😀
LikeLike
wow that was amazing. sometimes i try to recreate a really good meal.
LikeLike
I’m officially drooling after reading this..
LikeLike
I try to recreate meals all the time! Love doing that at home. 😀
LikeLike
Seriously that is the best dinner ever! Your friend is seriously so lucky to have been invited over for this!!!
LikeLike
just posted another giveaway!!!!
http://nhershoes.blogspot.com/2009/04/she-says-time-for-another-giveaway.html
LikeLike
Can i come over for leftovers?!
LikeLike
Ooohhh wow. I will eat that cake any time. It’s inspired me to have my fifth course after dinner now. Haha, I kid. Kinda. I just re-enacted Veganomicon’s black bean burgers! Mine are a much lazier version.
LikeLike
wow…it takes so much effort to create a meal as gorgeous as that!!! MANNN I really want the appetizers and OH MY GOSH the dessert has so much love and thought that went into it, you deserve maaad props Sarah!!!
Hope your Friday rocks!!
LikeLike
Holy moly. I want that chocolate cake right now.
LikeLike
Awesome job on the reenactment
LikeLike
I am drooling… I want that cake!
http://theidleloaf.wordpress.com
LikeLike
that dessert looks INCREDIBLE!!! droooooool.. I want some pleaseeee 😀
LikeLike