I wrote:

> APPETIZER
> Poached celery with shrimp

The celery could have cooked a bit longer, but the flavor was good. The
poaching liquid was made from the shrimp shells along with some white
wine, a chopped onion, and some celery.


> MAIN COURSE
> Chicken livers with blood-orange glaze and segments
> Mashed cauliflower
> Mixed greens

Before going shopping for the ingredients, I took stock of what we
already had, and found that we had fresh tuna, more shrimp than we'd
need for the appetizer, and a bunch of Meyer lemons. We also didn't have
cauliflower, but our farmers' market has been carrying some beautiful
broccoli romanesco, so I decided to buy that instead, both because of
the enhanced nutrition and the prettier color. We didn't have any
greens, so I was going to buy some, but there was a gorgeous bunch of
multi-colored baby carrots which looked even better than the greens did.
So the main course turned out to be:

* Seared tuna steaks with savory Meyer-lemon zabaglione

* Shrimp mousse: The zabaglione took three egg yolks and a whole egg. I
used the egg whites as the binder for the mousse. Just puréed the
(peeled and deveined) shrimp with the egg whites, some salt, and some
tarragon, spooned the mixture into ramekins, covered with foil, and put
into the steamer until firm.

* Broccoli romanesco two ways: Puréed with cream, with the crowns simply
steamed and arranged decoratively in the purée.

* Twice-steamed baby carrots: I learned this technique from an episode
of "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef". You cut off the tops of the carrots,
leaving about a quarter-inch of greens, then steam them for about nine
minutes. After that par-cooking, you use a paper towel to rub off the
skins from the carrots. Then you season them and steam them to the
desired degree of tenderness.


> DRIFTING TOWARD DESSERT
> Farina timbale with candied red bell pepper

Moths had infested our box of Cream of Wheat, so I made a polenta
timbale instead, and put a dollop of mascarpone on it to hold the
heart-shaped chunk of candied red bell pepper.


> DESSERT
> Apricot clafouti (made using dried apricots reconstituted in plum wine)

Lin had cooked the previous night, and we never got around to the
dessert she'd procured: heart-shaped tart shells with a thin layer of
seedless raspberry jam topped with chocolate ganache. So that's what we
had instead of the clafouti.

Lin took pictures! They'll be posted on Facebook because clueless AOL
newbie Sheldon "Pussy" Katz can eat a bag of shit.

Bob