What do you crave when you are hungry?
I have to have a test performed Friday which prevents me from eating from now (Wednesday night) until Friday. I’m hungry. Watching “Good Eats” on FoodTV doesn’t help.
Yes, I can drink water, soda, and tea, but that’s about it. I hope I survive tomorrow.
I don’t have any strong cravings yet, but I’m interested in seeing what I hunger for tomorrow.
The 2007 nominee list is out. Lots of good restaurants to seek out, for sure.
I thought I’d share the recipe I came up with tonight for soup.
Brown onion in olive oil over medium to high heat. Add the garlic… brown onions and garlic, not to a consistent dark color, but well-browned, not translucent. Deglaze with wine, add chicken stock. Add the cauliflower head and potato, both chopped up into pieces. Add salt, pepper.
Cover the pot, move to medium once the mixture comes to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into pieces (I started with 2 strips), and fry up. Before the bacon turns crispy, add one whole shallot (double lobe) and 4-5 sliced crimini mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking until everything is crispy.
After 20 minutes of simmering, blend the soup in batches in a blender, then return to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes more, after adding lobs of butter (1/2 to 3/4 stick). Finish off the soup with juice from 1/2 lemon.
Serve the soup in bowls, and mount the center of each with the mushroom-bacon-shallot mixture.
Another week, another visit to Can-Can, on Cary Street in Richmond.
I had the fortune of dining with folks who hadn’t eaten here before for dinner. They asked me what I thought of Can-Can before we ordered. “It keeps getting better.” It’s not cheap, I tell ya, but like last time, I didn’t leave disappointed, either. Sometimes a heavier check is worth it when things are done right.
Everything I had was great. The sole was a bit plain, and could have used more salt and butter. The greens (spinach?) were outstanding. The potatoes were well-cooked. The lobster appetizer was good, but the sticks used to grab it out of the fryer were confusing… I would have preferred smaller, pre-cut pieces that I could have eaten off the stick. And the dessert—very good… a homemade coffee ice cream and an ode to chocolate, both white and dark.
One in our party ordered the butternut soup and was disappointed. Coffee service came with coffee that was too cool; but it was very smooth, delicious coffee. The escargots ordered by another diner… too sandy, served in the shell.
So, by all accounts, not a superlative meal, but I faired better with my selections. I still like Can Can. For a Sunday night, it isn’t too busy, and they are still serving their heavenly raisin bread with their sweet-cream butter.
After seeing Gordon Ramsay make scrambled eggs, I tried his method, myself.
I did the mushrooms, the tomato, and the eggs with butter. I left out the crème fraiche (sp?). I served it over toast, with chives just like Gordon.
It was delicious. I have a new way now of making scrambled eggs.