Dinner Menu

I started trying to listen to General Petreaus, then they couldn't figure out how to get his mic working, and as you might know from reading my performance chronicles, I'm a big stickler for production values. Also there were ladies from Code Pink there. Way to go ladies. No minds are going to be changed one way or the other, might as well let them know in the room that you're out there and you're pissed off.

Here's what I served for the double anniversary dinner.

I started out by cleaning out the deep freeze in anticipation of my son's return from the wilds of Wyoming in time for us to hit the mountains for Black Powder Elk season.

Ingredients for Elk Roast

1 whole elk tenderloin (about 3 lbs)
2 big yellow onions sliced
6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
1 cup dry red wine
salt, pepper, cayenne

Brown the elk loin on a big griddle. This won't perform the fabled "seal in the juices" function, but it will provide a nice crust beginning. It's more of an esthetic thing. Then put it into a large roasting pan. Season well with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Put the crushed garlic cloves and the onion slices all around the roast and dump in the wine. Cover and place in a 320° oven for 3 hours. Keep checking the liquid level and if it starts to look sludgy don't be afraid to glug in some more wine or water. When the roast is done to your liking (an internal temperature of 130 is a nice medium, where the roast is thoroughly cooked through with just a little tease of pink in the center) allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing thin and dousing with:

Ingredients for Cumberland Sauce

3/4 cup ruby Port
1 Valencia Orange
1 Meyer Lemon
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon dry mustard (I use Coleman's but follow your bliss)
4 tablespoons Red Currant jelly
Cayenne Pepper
Ground Ginger

Squeeze the juice from the orange and the lemon, zest them both. Combine, in a heavy saucepan, the Port, the juice, the zests, and the shallot, adding enough water to totally submerge the zests and shallot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer uncovered, without stirring until reduced by 2/3's. Cool. In a sauce boat add in the jelly and the mustard, then use the ginger and cayenne to taste.

Ingredients for Farmer Charlie's Famous Carrots

Enough carrots to serve as many folks as you're serving
peeled and sliced on the bias. Reserve the tops and greens.
Sweet butter
salt
fresh chopped sweet basil

Put an inch of heavily salted water in the bottom of a large pot and bring to a rapid boil. Cover the bottom of the pot with the tops and greens of the carrots to create a steamer effect. Place the sliced carrots on top of this and cook, covered until nicely al dente.

In a serving bowl toss the cooked slices with the butter and basil, salt lightly and serve.

It's about 2 p.m. General Patreaus has spent nearly thirty minutes of his testimony so far explaining that the data isn't cooked and he's not a liar. If he's not a liar I feel bad for him. Still, the data is suspect merely because of the administration that has generated it. If this General is the first honest man we've seen in five and a half years we're all fucked. But, hey, we knew that.

3B's