Need suggestions/help

[Lord of The Curry 0]

So the girl I'm seeing right now is coming back to my place for dinner tomorrow after our day out. Now, I'm not helpless when it comes to cooking but I want to make a solid 3-course meal for her and maybe even some dessert if it'd be simple enough. Nothing involving me getting laid is riding on this but her previous boyfriend didn't cook for shit so I want this to be nice but not fancy, lest it seem I'm trying too hard the first time. A few primers on the gal in question....

 

- Doesn't eat seafood. Like, none.

 

- Not a huge fan of spicy food

 

- Enjoys rice

 

- Is trying to eat gluten-free stuff lately

 

Any help on something not too complex/pricey would be appreciated.

 

Oh, I also found a bottle of red-wine vinegar I bought on impulse a while back and haven't used yet. Can I make some kind of dressing out of it?

[Lei Tong 0]

Sounds like you have enough time to marinate some carne asada, which you can serve with some Spanish rice and whatever type of beans she prefers. Desert would largely depend on what she does/doesn't like. Oh, and throw in a salad with the starter.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

She actually wanted to go to a Mexican place joint when we left her place but seeing as how it'd have been my first meal of the day on a very raw stomach I declined.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

[Lei Tong 0]

She actually wanted to go to a Mexican place joint when we left her place but seeing as how it'd have been my first meal of the day on a very raw stomach I declined.

 

Well there you go. Just get some flank steak, put together a marinade that you think she can handle, and do it big, son.

 

[Guest Vitamin X]

- Doesn't eat seafood. Like, none.

 

- Not a huge fan of spicy food

 

- Enjoys rice

 

- Is trying to eat gluten-free stuff lately

 

Any help on something not too complex/pricey would be appreciated.

 

Oh, I also found a bottle of red-wine vinegar I bought on impulse a while back and haven't used yet. Can I make some kind of dressing out of it?

Sounds like she's into healthy stuff... try to get stuff that's seasonal/local/organic if at all possible. That might impress her, especially if she's doing the whole gluten-free thing for no apparent reason- really the only reason to do this is if you have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, which 98% of people don't have, yet because it's in health food stores people assume it's healthy...

 

I don't think I'd take Lei Tong's suggestion- Mexican food sucks without the spice and you just mentioned she's not a huge fan. Plus, come on, beans? For a dinner date? Never, EVER a good idea.

 

Tell me more about what you've got in your fridge and the sort of rice you have, and I can tell you what you can do. If she enjoys rice, some sort of risotto would actually wow her quite a bit, something garlicky and creamy and not too hard to make, and you can make it in a variety of ways.

 

As for the red-wine vinegar, you're in luck! That's exactly what I use for my vinaigrette.. This is my recipe: 1 part vinegar, 2-3 parts olive oil, 1 part honey, and 1 part dijon mustard. I'll say use about a teaspoon for each thing, but if you want to have a lot of salad between you guys and a good amount of dressing, you can use a tablespoon of each, but it might be a bit much. Mix the vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard first in a very small bowl, hell anything you can pour the dressing out of. Then, keep stirring and pour in the olive oil (extra virgin of course) slowly, like at a drizzle, which will allow the fats to emulsify and get all yummy and up in the vinaigrette.

 

Also by 3 course, I assume you mean appetizer/soup/salad then entree then dessert? For dessert, you might want to look into getting a nice dessert wine like a sherry or something equally sweet but inexpensive- this has the added benefit of alcohol and it works as an aperitif for after the meal.

[ulfistgut 0]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database...arb_68036.shtml

 

This is awesome, impressive and fairly straightforward to make (unlike most risottos it's oven cooked so you don't need to be over a pan for the whole thing). You can swap out Pecorino for Parmesan if thats easier, and you don't need the specific rice (but it may need a little longer in the oven). Roast some nice mushrooms alongside it and you've got a winner.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Make this salad:

 

Chop up a nice-size chunk of red cabbage. Put it in a big glass mixing bowl and pour on a bunch of that vinegar you have, salt generously, and throw in a buuunch of cracked pepper. Leave it in the fridge while you're out.

 

When you get back, take it out and toss it with a bunch of different dried fruit and chopped walnuts. Use cranberries, raisins, apricots, and apples.

 

Julienne half of a pie apple. Granny smith or something really tart like that. A pear would be ok, too.

 

Crumble gorgonzola all over the thing. Toss n serve with some lemon juice squeezed over it. You have your acid, salt, a little spice, sweetness, bitterness. A few different textures. Gotta use your whole mouth with it.

 

 

 

Is it cold? Make fast tomato soup. Get a couple cans of crushed tomatoes. Get a dutch oven hot with some shallots and herbs, and then cook the maters. Add some chicken broth. Puree. That simple. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped chives.

 

You have salad, soup..serve with a crusty loaf and tell her to shove that gluten shit.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

- Doesn't eat seafood. Like, none.

 

- Not a huge fan of spicy food

 

- Enjoys rice

 

- Is trying to eat gluten-free stuff lately

 

Any help on something not too complex/pricey would be appreciated.

 

Oh, I also found a bottle of red-wine vinegar I bought on impulse a while back and haven't used yet. Can I make some kind of dressing out of it?

Sounds like she's into healthy stuff... try to get stuff that's seasonal/local/organic if at all possible. That might impress her, especially if she's doing the whole gluten-free thing for no apparent reason- really the only reason to do this is if you have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, which 98% of people don't have, yet because it's in health food stores people assume it's healthy...

 

I don't think I'd take Lei Tong's suggestion- Mexican food sucks without the spice and you just mentioned she's not a huge fan. Plus, come on, beans? For a dinner date? Never, EVER a good idea.

 

Tell me more about what you've got in your fridge and the sort of rice you have, and I can tell you what you can do. If she enjoys rice, some sort of risotto would actually wow her quite a bit, something garlicky and creamy and not too hard to make, and you can make it in a variety of ways.

 

As for the red-wine vinegar, you're in luck! That's exactly what I use for my vinaigrette.. This is my recipe: 1 part vinegar, 2-3 parts olive oil, 1 part honey, and 1 part dijon mustard. I'll say use about a teaspoon for each thing, but if you want to have a lot of salad between you guys and a good amount of dressing, you can use a tablespoon of each, but it might be a bit much. Mix the vinegar, honey, and dijon mustard first in a very small bowl, hell anything you can pour the dressing out of. Then, keep stirring and pour in the olive oil (extra virgin of course) slowly, like at a drizzle, which will allow the fats to emulsify and get all yummy and up in the vinaigrette.

 

Also by 3 course, I assume you mean appetizer/soup/salad then entree then dessert? For dessert, you might want to look into getting a nice dessert wine like a sherry or something equally sweet but inexpensive- this has the added benefit of alcohol and it works as an aperitif for after the meal.

 

In terms of rice I've got some long grain/brown combo stuff. I'm gonna for sure do a salad with some bread then the entree/dessert.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Okay then unless you're willing to get arborio rice- with which I'll suggest a butternut squash risotto to keep with the whole "local seasonal" thing- I like Agent's idea up there with the salad and soup as well.

 

I just thought of this since she's trying to do the whole gluten-free thing for some reason... Polenta. Very easy, quick to make, and delicious. After eating a salad, it's a pretty good meal to make- easy, warm, cheesy and creamy, and you can choose to either make it kind of soupy or pan-fry them into little cakes and throw a couple things on top.

 

Here it is with oyster mushroom on top in the creamy soup version:

 

And this is with a sea scallop on top, although you might be able to try a different variation:

 

Lots of things you can do with it, and it's gluten-free because it's corn-based and not wheat or anything like most pasta would be. Google polenta and see what you can come up with.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Ended up doing some chicken breast strips sauteed in olive oil with some seasoning and the rice I had with a salad and crusty bread. She loved it. Thanks VX and Agent for the ideas, I'll look this thread up when I'm cooking for her again.

[muzz 0]

I don't think you can go wrong with Chicken Breast, good choice.

 

Crusty Bread should be had with everything.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Man fuck a chicken breast. Make liver.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

And subsequently say goodbye to my dick gettin' sucked? I thinks not.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

What? She doesn't like liver n onions?

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

What? She doesn't like liver n onions?

 

Maybe if he was dating my granny. Throw in some gizzards too.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Fuck a person who doesn't like themselves some offals and liver pates. That shit is delicious.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I need some of that patented VX cooking genius here- she's a HUGE fan of avacado's and I'm really not. I need a happy medium dish to cook for her this week that I won't vomit up all over her kitchen table. I was thinking of grilling them and using them in some kind of Mexican dish or using them cold and chopped up in a salad.

[Darthtiki 0]

I would like to make a motion that we change this thread to the Recipes for Dinner Dates.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Obvious answer: Guacamole.

 

Avocado is a piss-poor fruit anyway. I don't get why people like it so much. Shit's all thick feeling and doesn't even taste very good. Make your own dip and serve it with tortilla chips and a moderately spicy tortilla soup.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I would like to make a motion that we change this thread to the Recipes for Dinner Dates.

 

Good call

 

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Fuck a person who doesn't like themselves some offals and liver pates. That shit is delicious.

 

Don't think Agent was talking foie gras.

[the max 0]

Obvious answer: Guacamole.

 

Avocado is a piss-poor fruit anyway. I don't get why people like it so much. Shit's all thick feeling and doesn't even taste very good. Make your own dip and serve it with tortilla chips and a moderately spicy tortilla soup.

 

My gal's weird cousin put it on a BLT one time. I tried it and it was great.

[Maztinho 0]

I need some of that patented VX cooking genius here- she's a HUGE fan of avacado's and I'm really not. I need a happy medium dish to cook for her this week that I won't vomit up all over her kitchen table. I was thinking of grilling them and using them in some kind of Mexican dish or using them cold and chopped up in a salad.

 

If you don't like Avocados this is the best thing for you, since you can minimize your portion, and give her more. Also when you are picking them you want them to have a tiny bit of give while still being firm without "dead spots" on them. I'm not really into Avocados either, but I like them on bagels with a veggie-cream cheese spread if they at the ripeness I've described above. At this firmness they'll go well on salads too since they'll still be firm enough to hold some form of shape without getting guacamole on you.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I was about to say that avocados go GREAT on BLT sandwiches, or even as a vegetarian alternative to the BLT- the ALT. You just cut it up in small little slices and enjoy.

 

I definitely dig them in salads as well. I absolutely adore avocados personally, and they're pretty darn good for you in the same manner that olive oil is. Guacamole is okay, but that won't really impress her, seeing as how that's kind of boring and usual. Your idea of grilling them is pretty good too- if you do it right over some coals, it can come out with a texture similar to seared foie gras, and brings out a really nice flavor you don't get otherwise. For that, I would suggest cutting them up in nice, big slabs.

 

Serve with a small side of steamed rice and cuban black beans, and it's a fairly decent little meal. Another idea is to grill half of it (removing the shell obv.) and then filling the little hole that the pit leaves behind with some tomato or black bean salsa.

 

Don't think Agent was talking foie gras.

True, but chopped liver is great. It's definitely something I hated when I was younger and it has to be made the right way. And foie gras is far from the only kind of liver pate that's really, really delicious. In fact, most pates by definition are made out of liver and most of them are great- particularly duck and venison.

[Fartsauce 0]

Make her an egg salad sandwich covered in hot sauce along with a can of beans and garlic bread. Give her anal after.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Is that the origin of your board handle, Fartsauce?