Our French-themed dinner to go with a French film.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Friends hadn't seen Intouchables so we had them over and served:

Dinner:

French Onion Soup topped with crusty bread and a handful of melted Gruyere & parmesan

Beef Bourguignon

“Smashed” potatoes (red potatoes boiled until done, then smashed on an oiled cookie tray, seasoned, drizzled with more oil and baked until crunchy.

Roasted Brussels sprouts with toasted almonds, crunchy bacon bits, melted Gruyere & a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar

Grape tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil.

Went for a long walk and then watched the movie with:

Dessert:

Diced & chilled fresh pineapple & fresh strawberries marinated in lemon juice/fresh mint/simple syrup because Julia said fresh fruit and cookies were all you needed with a hearty French Onion Soup.

But then, because I'm me, I also served:

a single layer of Deb's Chocolate cake with a center of sour cherry/chocolate spread and topped with my Dyslexic sauce, served on a puddle of fresh strawberry puree.

My mom’s Apple Struedel, warm from the oven (frozen unbaked since Christmas, but still perfect)

Coffee & Tea

A week earlier, I had made the beef stew with a whole bottle of wine and froze it. Then I thawed and tasted the potatoes and there is a reason why the original recipe for Beef Bourguignon does NOT include potatoes: they end up grayish/purple and pick up a bitterness from the wine. So, Friday night I picked all of the potatoes and celery out of the stew. Then I wasn’t happy with how chunky and grey the quartered onions looked, so I picked out all of those, even though they had a nice flavor. Took my home-made beef broth and re-cooked it with all those winey onions, straining out the onions at the end. Then I watched 27 minutes of Julia Child making French Onion Soup and made that with my enhanced broth. Eight caramelized onions, a huge slug of Vermouth and flambéed brandy later, I had a really good soup and more non-grey onions to add back into the Beef Bourguignon.

Through all of this prep, Larry complained that I was doing extra work for guests, but would have served HIM the stew "as made" with purple bitter potatoes and greyish onions!

He's lucky he didn't get gruel for dinner.

 
And my thanks to all for the help along the way

Michael in Phoenix for explaining about beef shanks, CathyZ for broth help, Joe for deferring to St. Julia and this whole wonderful gang for making suggestions that take me outside of my own little mind.

I finally found beef shanks and the four packages ended up costing more than the sirloin tip for the stew. But the broth flavor was worth it and our guests gave me their ultimate compliment by saying the soup was tastier than their favorite at a French bistro in St. Augustine. Oui! Tres bon!

Everyone for suggestions on using those overly-sweet gummy "dried strawberries." I was already cooked out, so I used them as the "sugar" to sweeten fresh strawberries. Pureed all in the Vitamix for a sauce that worked perfectly.

Everyone for suggestions on the 6" cookie cutters. Again, I was cooked out so they ended up standing on the table between the candle pillars as decoration. Fit in perfectly and it's an idea I would have never thought of.

 
Wonderful dinner! Larry should have been made to eat the bitter potatoes by himself in the corner

but that might have ruined the evening for the guests!

 
Hey, I'm renting that this week. Having one friend over to see it again. I laughed forever.

I've waited for 3 months for the library to get it in and I'm up next in line.

Geez, we could have just joined you cuz I'm sure not doing all that.

 
Dessert "should" have been tarte tatin and chocolate molten cake

There's a wonderful scene where Driss convinces Philippe to smoke a joint to relieve his pain spasms. They're sitting up late in a beautiful restaurant and Driss calls to a waiter for tarte tatin. When he stops by the table, Driss tells him to make sure this dessert is cooked because the chocolate one wasn't done in the middle. It was all runny and gooey.

The waiter tries to explain that it was molten cake and meant to be that way.

 
Let me know when you'll be in the area! I ride a vanpool so I'm stuck in Orlando unless I know

in advance to drive myself.

 
Wow, Marilyn, that menu sounds superb! I laughed at Larry's comment--my DH would've said the exact

same thing about any of my purple bitter potatoes & greyish onions, and he would have been RIGHT. lol! Sometimes I think gruel is too good for them....smile.

 
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