Christmas Dinner for Two

                  

What do you do when it's just the two of you for Christmas dinner?  In our case, it's a chance to try a new recipe and to have duck.  We just love duck but you can't find cut up duck here in Los Angeles.  I have to buy a whole duck and cut out the spine, cut off the wings, legs, breast.  It's a big job with sharp scissors, but it's so so good.  I use my Le Creuset of course, because it makes the juiciest meat.  All I do is make up a butter, herb de provence and garlic mix and stuff it under the skin.  Salt and pepper each piece and then brown it in olive oil and then put it in the oven for 30 minutes.  So easy and so good.  I also made roasted potatoes and a new salad called Bettes de Vigneron (vineyard-style swiss chard).  A parent of one of our students gave me this fantastic cookbook called "The French Market" and I love it.  There are so many authentic french recipes from southwest france.  I had to try this 'warm' salad.  It has swiss chard, onions, garlic, raisins, walnuts and lemon juice (salt & pepper too).  It was really good, very earthy and yummy.  Something we will be eating again soon.

Here is the duck.  Don't get tons of mean from this little bird...just enough for two.

The Swiss chard salad was so good. Very french.

But the best part of making dinner is that Bruce always cleans up.  I love to cook, love to try new recipes and he's so open to try new things and he's always there to clean up my big mess (although I try to clean as I go so I don't have tons for him).  I was going to make this traditional french dessert called "floating islands" - which is custard with meringue and caramel sauce, it's in the "french market cookbook", but after reading it I decided it would be too much work.  I'm not feeling 100%.  Been fighting a sinus cold for a few days, so instead we had vanilla bean ice cream with this armagnac (a french brandy), sea salt, caramel sauce that another parent (who happens to be a food writer for the LA times) made for us.  She told me that you can basically put it on anything and it was unbelievable on the ice cream. 

We had a lovely day.  It was about 70 and sunny here.  We relaxed, took the dogs to the park, went for a bike ride (although I had to turn around after 8 miles because I wasn't feeling great...Bruce ended up doing 38 miles).  We ate some great food, we exchanged gifts in bed this am with all the dogs and took a great nap this afternoon.

Can't ask for anything more! 

Comments

[Becky]

Wow. I am SO impressed! Here's to wishing you both a very belated happy holiday and wonderful new year to come... 'tis your first as Mr. & Mrs. too!