27 Sept 2011

Easy supper for impress




I did this for a special dinner

If you want to impress, this is the moment!!!.


 I swear all of it is pretty easy. But what really matters is the personalized presentation you give to your plate when you serve your guest





What inspired me was that for the first time my sage plant  flowered. Beautiful flowers of delicate purple.



For the starter I made: thousand leaves, then, chicken with sage sauce and beautiful sage flowers to garnish. And for dessert, a moist  chocolate cake with caramelized apples and calvados



For the starter I chose something really easy, and in my opinion it represents the spring. This was done by cutting round sheets of filo dough, previously baked. 


Thin sliced tomato interspersed with olive oil, fresh oregano, fresh cheese and  basil









Chicken  as main course was a good choice, very light and delicate. A tip for you: More time you marinate it ,more tastier it will be



Ingredients



  • 1 pound of boneless chicken breast
  • Salt to taste
  • ground pepper
  • 2 cups white wine
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 6 cloves garlic, grated
  • A handful of sage
  • A handful of parsley
  •   2 tablespoons of oil to saute
  • 200 g of fresh cream
  • 3 lemons





    Method:



    In a bowl, place the chicken with lemon juice, salt, pepper and wine. Let the chicken marinate for about 2 hours.


    Then, reserve the marinade and cook chicken in hot oil for 7 minutes on each side. Reserve.
      In a saucepan, brown the garlic and onion. Add the marinated chicken, cream. Gather sage. Cover and let cook for few minutes. Just before serving, correct the salt and sprinkle with chopped parsley.


    Serve with white wine.


    Makes 8 servings







    And finally to close the night with a golden key, a chocolate cake as a  dessert, but it is not an ordinary cake, it is creamy, a crispy crust that when you bite it would seem that you´d be eating a foam. For me it is delicious because most chocolate cakes tend to be dry.


    Hope you like it and have very good week




    Calvados chocolate cake with caramelized apples


    Ingredients


    • 185g bittersweet chocolate
    • 100g butter
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 3 egg whites
    • 100g demerara sugar
    • 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
    • 30ml of a spirit drink of your choice, use calvados, but can be with whiskey or rum, or cherry liqueur
    • 1 / 4 cup flour
    • 1 pinch of salt





    For caramelized apples


    • 4 apples, peeled and seeded
    • Juice of two lemons
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups sugar




      Modo de hacer:



      Preheat oven to 150 ° C
      Grease a pudding mold rectangular.
      Line with parchment paper and spread it with butter
      and put into refrigerator


      Melt chocolate with butter in double boiler
       or microwave oven and set aside to chill.


      Beat the yolks with a tablespoon of demerara sugar
       Beat until pale and fluffy.


      Add the drink,melted chocolate, vanilla, flour and salt. Mix well.


      Whip egg whites with remaining sugar
        and fold the batten gently .
      Remove the pan from the refrigerator.
      Put the batten and baked  on double boiler.
      Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
        Meanwhile, cut the apples and add 
         lemon juice  and sugar


      Put in a large skillet with
        the other ingredients and cook until
      browned.
       Chill and cut the cake into slices and garnish
        with apples
      Serve with whipped cream








      Makes 10 servings

      13 comments:

      Unknown said...

      pero que menú más rico!! la presentación es de matrícula! perfecto. El fin de semana que viene tengo visita en casa por lo que probablemente copie este menú algún dia! enhorabuena!

      Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

      This is a special meal Sylvia, perfect for these in between season days.

      Recetas al instante said...

      wow this cake looks so so good I am a Chocolat Lover.

      Anonymous said...

      Yes definitely a menu to impress:) Well chosen and all looks delicious..Great pics;)

      Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen said...

      Beautifully presented, and that chocolate cake is the perfect end!

      Unknown said...

      Una cena para quitarse el sombrero!!!!La presentación es exquisita, perfecta, me vuelve loca!!!!
      Besos

      Usero said...

      Las recetas me encantan pero es que las presentaciones y las fotos son una obra de arte, me quedo a seguirte y te espero cuando quieras en mi cocina, un abrazo

      www.sosimplesassim.com.br said...

      Oi Sylvia,
      QUe beleza de cardápio! Inspirador!
      Gostei muito.
      Bj e uma ótima quarta,
      Lylia

      Marly said...

      Oi, Sylvia,

      Impressionante mesmo esta ceia! E, simples, sem dúvida. Eu acho que a combinação de sálvia com aves resulta ótima, por isso mesmo eu sempre tenho sálvia congelada e seca, rsrs. Já o bolo de chocolate com as maçãs e calvados deve ter ficado excelente.

      Beijoca e, desde já, bom fim de semana!

      (ah, já ia me esquecendo, teve sorte com os macarons?)

      kankana said...

      Such a gorgeous looking meal .. and the light u added to the pictures are making it like a dream!

      Lori Lynn said...

      Delightful Sylvia!
      I must plant sage in my garden. Those flowers are gorgeous!
      I love the phyllo rounds too...
      LL

      Manderley de GuindillayCanela said...

      Que fotos tan bonitas y las recetas son fantásticas.

      Besos

      Ruth said...

      Thanks so much for the lovely comment on my blog - your recipes look great and your photos are amazing!