The verdict ++

So today I had my girlfriends over for lunch. I wanted to cook up a storm for two of my oldest and best girlfriends. Having been so busy the past couple of months, I had been dying to test out so many recipes. As I plotted and planned a hefty 6 course meal, I could not help but give in to the exhilaration of being in the kitchen.

I have been wanting to test the shrimp chorizo that I read about in Ideas in Food. As activa is not readily available to me, i used egg whites. It formed easily enough but it didn't feel as firm when I sliced it. The shrimp chorizo needed to be poached which was difficult as well as I could not keep the temperature constant at 52.5 centigrade. It turned out okay but I will have to rethink my procedure before I try it again.

I also made a goat cheese mousse piped over a bed of pine nuts and dri

zzled with honey. Yum! I served the mousse on little spoons alternating them with the chorizo that I drizzled with olive oil.  I also made little 

loaves of white bread that I sliced and presented in the middle of the spoons. It made such a  pretty photo!

For the next course, I served phyllo wrapped towers of foie gras, a saute of portabello and porcini mushrooms, and gruyere over a bed of mesclun with a fig vinaigrette. Whew!

This was followed a scallop ravioli in butter ginger sauce.  This is one of my favorite recipes.  I always make this using a technique that I saw in Master Class, Lessons with the World's Greatest Chefs.  You take flat leaf parsley and incorporate this into the pasta.

I tried making the Mojito Sorbet from Dragon's Kitchen which was inspired by David Lebovitz' Lime Sorbet and Mojito Granita. I have to applaud her combination concoction. It was not sweet but all the flavors are present. It was so refreshing and the rum kick was not bad either!

I pan fried some striploin to a crisp caramelization while keeping it pink inside. Arzak often serves steaks with vanilla roasted potatoes. I've been so curious to try this. There was a delicate flavour that made it different but I didn't feel like it enhanced  the meat nor the potatoes. I think I still prefer good old reliable garlic! 

And for the piece de resistance...the Filbert Gateau!  It was still a little too sweet for me but it was still good. No one could finish one whole mini cake though... and my 8" brick is still untouched!