Father's Day Delight

By Cathy Brown

sure hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. Now that the kids are out of school, that mad rush in the morning to get everyone up and out the door by 7AM has been replaced by quieter mornings with a little more time to enjoy my coffee before heading out to work.

I got to thinking about Fathers’ Day coming up and want to do something special for the love of my life. Big Dave works really hard every single day and shares all his spoils with us, his loving family. Since I work as well and all the kids are on different schedules, I don’t always have time to have a planned dinner on the table. Many times I just kind of throw something together from any ingredients that resemble any form of protein and sustenance that I can scrounge in the fridge or cupboard and call it dinner. Or I stop and pick up a rotisserie chicken or, I know I shouldn’t admit to this, FAST FOOD. The kids complain but Dave never does. He just eats what’s been put out and, much of the time comes in after everyone else has eaten and has to nuke his. We’ve actually learned to microwave fast food burgers until they’re still edible.

With Fathers’ Day on the horizon I have this need to whip up something a little more substantial; something that has been thought through and planned out; something to make dad feel really special. You can prepare this while he’s out fishing on the boat, or napping in the hammock or catching up on the yard work. Most men love meat and potatoes. There are a few rare exceptions, so if you like, you can skip the main meat portion. But since mine does, Dave, this one’s for you.

Fathers’ Day at the Browns

For starters: Tomato soup. Tomato soup is men’s’ favorite soup according to statistics and this one is easy to make and SO good. It comes from a Miami restaurant. (That’s Florida, not Ohio) Serve it with some rolls, piping hot from the oven.
Unicorn Village Tomato Soup
1⁄2 stick butter
1⁄2 c diced onions
1 clove minced garlic
1-1/2 t basil
1-1/2 t oregano
1-8 oz can tomato puree
1-28 oz. and 1-16 oz can tomatoes
2 T honey
3⁄4 c heavy cream
1-10 oz. frozen chopped spinach – thawed and drained thoroughly
1⁄4 t salt
1/8 t white pepper
1⁄4 c grated Parmesan
Puree the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Sauté garlic and onions in butter. Add basil, oregano and sauté 1 minute more. Add all tomato products, honey and cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes. Add spinach and cook 15 min. longer. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.

Roast Prime Rib of Beef
For the main fare, let’s roast a Prime Rib. I used the whole rib because I love to have the leftovers, but you can buy it by the rib or even boneless. You can roast it in the oven, or you can grill it on a charcoal grill. In fact, we were visiting our Bluffton friend Jim Saba and he had one cooking on his grill. It was outstanding.

If you’re going to do it in the oven, the best thing to do is use a meat thermometer. That eliminates any guesswork. Place the roast fat side up in a roasting pan. Roast in a 325-degree oven. Cook it to 140 degrees for rare, 160 degrees for medium and 170 degrees for well done. Figure on about 15 minutes per pound for medium rare. If you buy the roast with bone, calculate 2-3 servings per pound; boneless 3-4 servings per pound.

If you would like to cook on the grill, heat your charcoal, and move to the sides. Place the meat in the center and grill to desired doneness. He cooked an 11 pound boneless roast 3 hours to medium rare perfection.

Serve with Horseradish Sauce
1-cup heavy cream
1⁄4 c horseradish, well drained
Whip cream until just stiff. Stir horseradish in.

The best accompaniment to Prime Rib is a type of Au Gratin potato. This one is called Potato Dianne, named for the creator. They are the BEST I have ever had.

Potatoes Dianne
5 pounds Idaho Potatoes, peeled
8 oz.Fresh Romano Cheese, grated
8 oz.Fresh Parmesan Cheese, grated
1⁄2 cup Chives, chopped
3 cups cream
Salt and pepper

Slice potatoes thinly. If you have a food processor, use the 2mm blade to slice.
Coat your baking dish lightly with olive oil. Lay out half the potatoes. Sprinkle half the chives and season. Cover with 1⁄2 the cheese and 1⁄2 the cream. Repeat. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until potatoes are nicely browned and bubbly.

Ratatouille
This traditional French vegetable is good hot or cold. It can be topped with cheese, baked and served as an entrée in itself or served cold with sandwiches. It is one of the most versatile dishes and very delicious. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

1⁄2 cup olive oil
2 eggplant, peeled and diced
2 large zucchini, sliced thickly
2 large yellow squash, sliced thickly
2 large green peppers, cut into large squares
1 large red pepper, cut into large squares
1 large onion, sliced
1 t basil
1 t oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz can tomato puree
1 tsp salt
1⁄2 t pepper
Heat olive oil in pan. Add garlic, eggplant, red and green peppers. Cook for approximately 10 minutes. Add squash, zucchini and onions. Cook until vegetables are cooked but crisp. Add tomato puree and seasoning. Serve.
Option: Sprinkle 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese over top and bake in 350-degree oven till melted. Serve as an entrée.

 

For dessert I chose this delicious White Chocolate Mousse with Amaretto. This is the real deal. No pudding replacing the cooked pastry cream. It takes a little effort, but well worth it.

8 ozs. Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
6 eggs, separated
1 cup powdered sugar
1⁄2 cup amaretto
2 cups whipping cream

Melt the white chocolate and set aside. Beat the egg yolks with the powdered sugar and amaretto. Whip until it forms a dissolving ribbon when you remove the beater. Pour the mixture into a double boiler, beat with a wire whisk constantly and cook until it becomes thick, approximately 3-4 minutes. Put the mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the melted white chocolate. Stir until well blended and smooth. Whip the whipping cream and set aside. In a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Now fold in the whipped cream.
You can put the dessert into individual glasses or serve in one large serving bowl. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until set. Garnish with shaved chocolate and fresh raspberries.

I hope your Dads and Husbands enjoy these dishes. Let me know how they turned out. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at: cbrown@SouthernLifestyleGroup.com

As always, these recipes can be found on my website at www.SouthernLifestyleGroup.com/cathy

Happy Father’s Day!! Enjoy!!