Joe had offered to prepare a special dinner for us while we were at the movie. I must say, after watching some less than ideal story lines unfold in the movie, I felt incredibly blessed to be coming home to a sensitive, thoughtful man who doesn't waste time with false hopes. While life doesn't always go the way you planned, it certainly goes a lot smoother with honest communication.
But enough about that. Check out this menu. (My 21-year old sister almost fell off her bar stool when Joe broke out the amuse bouche).
Amuse bouche: Peking Chicken on Fried Eggplant and Fresh Basil, Topped with Peach Roux
- Pre-heat over to 425.
- To create the roux, start by melting 1/4 stick of butter in pan.
- Salt the butter.
- Add 1 small onion, sliced.
- Reduce onion to an Italion-style sauce.
- Add 1/2 a peach, sliced. Crush the peach into tiny pieces with spatula.
- Leave the fruit in the pot for about 45 minutes to allow the peach to break down.
- Flash boil 1/2 chicken breast for 2 minutes until chicken turns white
- Cool and soak in marinade of Tabasco, honey, soy sauce, and freshly squeezed lemon
- Wrap marinated chicken in aluminum foil "Dutch oven". Sprinkle with fresh lemon and remainder of marinade.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Serve the chicken on top of one piece of fried eggplant with 2 fresh basil leaves, and drizzle peach roux over the top.
Now that was just the amuse bouche, but as usual, it was hard to move on after that and convince our palates that anything else could taste as good. But dinner came next - 1/3 of a baked sweet potato for each of us served with a small puddle of honey with cinnamon. Wilted spinach with garlic.
Poor Erika didn't know what hit her. She loved everything! It was a "tasty explosion," as I like to joke. Thank you, Chef Joe.
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