I do love cooking. I woke up around 7:30, checked e-mail, made tea. Everyone was still asleep (still are), so I decided to start the prep for tonight. For the appetizer, I'm making a fancy layered
portobello bruschetta, which has many stages of preparation, most of which can be done in advance. I've finished marinating (balsamic, honey, brown sugar, thyme) and baking the portobello mushrooms; the red onions are gently sauteing now. In a bit, I'll roast the red peppers -- I'm a bit nervous about this step because I haven't actually roasted red peppers in a long time; usually I cheat and just buy the ones in jars. But I thought I'd try it this time; if I fail, I can always pick some up this afternoon. I forgot salad greens while shopping yesterday, so I do have to go back to the store.
I don't really want to be a housewife. I'd get bored. But I do like having the place clean, and I rather love putting together impressive meals. The menu for tonight:
- portobello bruschetta with rosemary aioli
- creamy asparagus soup
- potato-fennel gratin
- herb-crusted rack of lamb
- winter salad with roasted beets
- black forest cake
I'm not actually making the cake -- we ordered it yesterday from Artopolis. But everything else -- should be fun! I'm only slightly nervous about the rack of lamb, which I haven't cooked before. The other dishes I've made, and enjoyed muchly. The fennel adds a lovely delicacy to a potato gratin, and the roasted beets work surprisingly well in a salad. Mmmm...
Around 11-ish, if everyone's up, I'm planning to take Sharmi and Ryan down to show them Hyde Park. We'll have lunch there, and then come back up; I'll go back to cooking, and they'll either go to the Art Institute or a film (it's Chicago film festival time). Nice day. Not getting any actual work done, but nice day. :-)
