Scattershooting Again
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything. Busy, lazy, lethargic, otherwise involved, you name it. So anyway, what’s happened in the last 10 days?
The Obama Biden ticket won by a significant margin, leaving me happier about the election and the direction of this country than I have been in 8 years. It truly is wonderful to have a president who can speak English and actually reads. President elect Obama has a huge task in front of him, but I believe he has the intelligence and the demeanor to make the decisions and carry the influence necessary to make some long overdue changes in this country.
Next, as happy as I am about the presidential election outcome, I am just miserable about California’s Prop 8. I know that eventually this will look as backward as laws against racially mixed marriages, but I was really hoping California would come through on this. I have never understood anyone who believes that granting rights to another person could somehow diminish their own. That’s small minded, backward thinking in my opinion.
I had a dinner party recently. It went really well. I had Asparagus & Leek Soup to start, Normandy Veal Chops with Apples and Calvados, and for dessert an Almond Tart. It tasted delicious but I had to be really free with the garnishes or it would have been a completely white meal!
Speaking of cooking, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and that’s my favorite time to cook. I’ll be making pumpkin breads and zucchini breads to share with friends. We’ll have a small Thanksgiving dinner with LJ’s mom, so I can’t decide if I will do just a turkey breast or Cornish game hens. I’m open to suggestions. Fire away. I like to be at least partly old fashioned, but then I love to throw something in unexpected. I’d like to be cooking for more than 3 people, but I think I’ll just make a big dinner and then take the leftovers to the lake and share them with friends. After all, that’s what cooking is all about.
Recipe of the Day: Normandy Veal Chops
4 Golden Delicious apples (about 7 oz. each) (I used Granny Smith and used 3 large)
5 tablespoons butter
4 veal chops, about 7 oz. each
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons calvados
¾ cup heavy cream or crème fraiche
Peel, core and quarter apples; divide each quarter into 3 slices. Melt half the butter in a large skillet. Add apples a cook over moderate heat for approximately 10 minute, turning after 5. Remove and keep warm
Melt remaining butter and sauté veal over moderate heat for 5 minutes on each side. Remove veal to pan with apples and keep warm.
Pour calvados into pan to deglaze and boil until reduced to a glaze. Add cream and boil until reduced by half.
Arrange veal and apples on serving plate and drizzle with sauce.