MENU FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 3, 2011

I was on hold for my doctor’s office the other day. A message, which kept repeating itself, offered wishes for the New Year – peace, joy, prosperity.  I noted there was nothing about good health. In short, prosperity to cover your medical bills…..

We often get requests for recipes.  We can’t publish exact recipes due to copyrights. The cookbook codes follow each recipe and there is a listing of the codes on this site.  Also, a lot of these recipes come from either http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus/advancedsearch or http://www.foodandwine.com/.  And even if it doesn’t, a search there should yield something close. 

That being said, we are going to try to offer one recipe from the previous week that we have found special in our own way.  This week we will start off with A Sauté of Lobster in Madeira and Cream. This is one of the most delicious, easy, elegant dishes on the face of the earth.  Serve either over fresh pasta or on puff pastry shells.  Add an arugula salad and there is dinner.  And as one lobster serves more than one person, it can be economical – especially if lobster is on sale as it was last week at Shop Rite for $4.95/lb. The recipe calls for 2 – 2lb lobsters to serve 6.  I cook 2 11/4-1 ½ lb lobsters and this gives the two of us enough for dinner and lobster omelets or lobster rolls the next day.  And, oh yes, it can be done in advance…..

(more pictures on last weeks's post here.

Sautéed Lobster in Madeira and Cream adapted from Julia Child’s recipe in The Way To Cook

2 – 2lb lobsters, cooked

6 tbsp butter

1 ½ tbsp minced shallots

Salt and pepper

A pinch of tarragon

2    -3 tbsp dry Madeira

½ -2/3 c or more heavy cream

1 tsp of tomato paste

Shell the lobsters and cut the meat into small pieces.

Melt the butter and add the lobster and shallots, herbs and sauté until warm

Add the Madeira and the cream and stir in the tomato paste. Cook for several more minutes until the sauce thickens a bit.

That’s it!!! Enjoy! 

Mon. AM             Lobster Omelets 

(the above is leftovers, by the way)

Mon. PM              Braised Brisket of Beef with Dried Cranberries and Portobellos

                             Potato Pancakes

                             Julia Child’s Apple Sauce, Tossed Salad

Tues. AM             Russian Borscht CCI

                             With Sour Cream, Fresh Dill and Pumpernickel 

Tues. PM              Eric Ripert’s Cod Basquaise AE

                             Celery Risotto CIC 122,          Salad

Weds. AM            Tortellini with Sausages, Fennel and Onion BA 12/10 60

                             Salad 

Weds. PM            Lamb Shoulder Braised in Red Wine and Madeira with Black

                                Olives and Dried Cherries

                             Steamed Rice

                             Salad

Thurs. AM           Borscht 

Thurs PM             Broiled Tilapia Fillets with Orange Butter and Basil PFLCG 93

                             Orzo with Pine Nuts and Dried Cranberries IMK

                             Sautéed Green Beans

Fri. PM                 Turkey Meat Loaf with Feta and Sun Dried Tomatoes GAH 128
                             Fresh Tomato Sauce, Whole Wheat Pasta

Sat. AM               Turkey Meat Loaf Hero 

Sat. PM                Pickled Herring

Fredda Kaufman’s “Gordon’s Pot Roast” with Root Vegetables

                                and Red Wine

                             Mashed Potatoes

                             Carrot Pureed

Sun. AM              Eggs Benedict 

Sun. PM               Rumaki with Home Cured Bacon

                   Maple Brined Roasted Pork with Apples Onions and

                                Mustard Bread Crumbs BA10/09 85

                             Scalloped Potatoes