The Way to a Man's Heart is Through His Wine Sauce

Now not to toot my own horn (ok I’m tooting) but I am the most awesome girlfriend ever, ever, EVER! Last night Chris joined me for “date night”, something we have sadly not had in a little too long. And while my plans for a light dinner and rented movie (the home version of the date classic only more suitable to our financial times) was modest to start, it evolved into a pretty amazing date.

First of all, I wasn’t even going to be a “romantic date” in that I was just making diner for him and Marilou. But then at the last minute, Marilou got a date offer she could not refuse (damn party animal) and left us alone. So already we were a notch higher on the romance scale. Then, as the charcoal grill heated up I decided my previous menu could use a little extra something something. So I decided to make a Bordelaise sauce. This involved opening a bottle of red wine, which of course also involved finishing the rest of it afterwards. Here was the net result:

1 roast size piece of tenderloin became two filets and 1 large filet, wrapped in the last piece of thick sliced bacon I got in New Britain. All three had a grey salt and fresh cracked pepper rub on it. to this I added the bordelaise, which is basically a red wine, shallot reduction sauce. Classic and MFing good. My only comment was that it could have reduced more and was a little watery. Next time

fresh peas (Guido’s purchase)

grilled peach salad: we had one peach left in the house and it was almost out in terms of ripeness, so inspired by a segment of Jamie Oliver at Home I watched recently I decided to throw it on the grill with the steak and throw it in a salad. I don’t remember what was in Mr. Olivers salad but mine was Boston lettuce with radishes (sliced on the mandolin) and a lime vinaigrette. OMFG it was delicious.

And finally, we had a bottle of B.R. Cohn Silver Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 which was AMAZING!!! This may be Chris and my new favorite bottle. It was a gift from my friend Kate and it has upped the ante on beverage drinks between us from now on.

Suffice to say, I am the best girl friend ever as together this meal was pretty much awesome. A big shout out to my souse chef Christopher who manned the grill like a damn professional. (That’s so hot!)

Chris rating:
Overall: 9.75 (not a prefect 10 to avoid girlfriend complacency…what a diva)
Steak: 9 (and all him PS, regardless of what he says)
Sauce: 9 (all but the thickness again, taste however was spot on)
Peas: 7 (too al dente)
Salad: 8 or 9 (not that he couldn’t decide, but I didn’t write it down and have forgotten)