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Gravlax with Dill Sauce and Brown Bread Toasts
Mustard-Coated Butterflied (Grilled or Broiled) Leg of Lamb
Mixed Cheeses and Garlic Side Souffle
Truffled Spring Vegetable Ragout
Richard Sax’s Flourless Chocolate Cloud Cake with Whipped Cream
About the Class
This is a beloved menu. If anyone doesn't eat meat but wants to come anyway, there is still plenty to eat but I'd be happy to cook chicken thighs in the same mustard marinade as they are also delicious.
This menu is classic and so perfect and delicious that no one notices the dishes are all traditional old stand-bys.
Gravlax is easy to make and way less expensive than smoked salmon and I actually prefer it. It's perfect for a crowd and make ahead. You can scale down the recipe but keep in mind that leftovers stay fresh in the fridge for 2 weeks and freeze well for a couple of months. The mustard sauce is a 10 plus and also good on cooked or grilled chicken, pork or salmon.
The lamb riffs on Julia Child and replaces her roast leg of lamb with butterflied and boneless. Easier to cook, easier to slice and serve.
The garlic-scented Mixed Cheese Souffle is a very special side dish. If you don't want to waste it as a side, it makes a marvelous first course (I like to make individual souffles for starters) or main course at lunch with a large green salad served alongside.
The truffled green veggies -- asparagus, green peas, sugar snaps and haricots verts -- is easy and can be served hot or room temperature. If served room temperature, it can be made several hours in advance.
I've experimented with a number of flourless chocolate cake recipes over the years. This one is probably the best. Super chocolatey but light as well and topped with clouds of whipped cream. Highly recommended.
A crisp salad of spicy greens, fennel, endive, capers, orange and grapefruit (dressed with citrus) perfectly complements the richness of the other dishes. You can serve it alongside or between the main course and dessert.
Pears, dark rum, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract and a small amount of flour combine to produce one of my favorite desserts ever. Line a springform pan with sliced pears, pour over a simple batter and bake. After a few minutes of baking, another simple batter (made in the same bowl, no need to wash it) is poured over and the cake is baked until done. Served slightly warm or at room temperature, the dish is a melange of cake, pear tart and custard. The absolute best!