Okay. It probably wasn’t a smooth move serving to guests something I hadn’t tried cooking before. Well, not guests really, but friends from the old neighborhood.
But, I’m a glutton for punishment.
I wanted to do something fairly easy but good in the seafood area (I also considered filet mignon with shitake Madeira sauce, but Susan and I had steak Friday night), so I started out with the thought of salmon steaks. Unfortunately, the fish market on High Point Road didn’t have any salmon steaks (“We don’t get a call for them much”), so I spent 20 minutes trying to decide among scallops (in vermouth cream sauce), salmon fillets (honey glazed) or shrimp (scampi).
Of course, I ended up with trout and decided on trout amandine. Trying to keep with an Atkins friendly a menu as possible, I also added broccoli slaw, roasted sweet potatoes with sweet onions and rice.
The process of fixing the trout appeared to be relatively easy. Unfortunately, my nonstick pan and stove didn’t cooperate. Turns out, when the pan heats up (the recipe said medium-high heat), it REALLY heats up. I started cooking the fish (two at a time) just before our guests arrived. I bet they didn’t bargain for entering a hot, smokey bar on a Saturday. (Note to self: Check batteries in all smoke detectors.)
“I like my fish a little burned. It’s like it’s blackened,” said one of our guests. Being the perfectionist that I am, I was happy that I had a sympathetic couple, but I wasn’t happy with the outcome of the dish.
The second pair of fish fared much better after I adjusted the heat on the stove and got the pan under control.
The test came when we sat down to eat DESPITE the phone call on a Saturday night around 7:15 p.m. from someone wanting a consigner number which delayed dinner. The fish turned out well, even the “blackened” ones (one guest insisted on one, and I had the other). Not bad! Actually, the meat was moist and flaky. When I could eat it instead of chasing down kids, I enjoyed it.
I know now that I better practice ahead of time, but all in all, not bad. The Vouvray was a nice complement to the meal. The Vouvray that I inadvertantly left in the freezer which turned out not to be too bad as a slushy.
The crowning touch was a raspberry swirl cheesecake (we cheat sometimes 
) from Cheesecakes by Alex.
So, I guess I need a little more practice at hosting dinner parties. Sure had fun, though.