Dinner Night, take 2

Ah! La cuisine française est magnifique. Avec ses petites portions et des mélanges bizarres, qui n'aimerait pas ce menu?

That's right, this week's Romantic Dinner was chock full of traditional French food. Have a look-see at the menu.

Appetizer: Roulade
2T parmesan cheese
1c soft goat cheese
2T assorted chopped herbs (I used mint, basil, and chives)
2T e.v.o.o.
Blend in a food processor and wrap in cooked or cured ham. Cut into pieces like sushi.

Salad: Salade de Tomates et Fromage, served with a warm Bacon Vinaigrette
The salad: tomatoes, cubed/balled mozzerella, basil, sauteed garlic
The vinaigrette: 3T oil; 2T vinegar; 1-3tsp brown sugar; 1/4tsp mustard; 1 pinch celery seed; 1/2T finely minced onion; 1T crumbled bacon. Wisk together over low heat.

Entree: Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
3lbs chicken pieces with skin
1T oil
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3/4c dry white wine
3/4c reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4c heavy cream
2T dijon mustard
1T finely chopped chives
1.Preheat oven @450 degrees
2. Pat chicken dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Heat oil in an oven proof pan until simmering
4.Brown chicken, skin side first
5. Put in oven for 15-20 minutes, skin side up
6.Plate chicken
7.Add shallots, wine, and broth to the pan, scraping up brown pieces, reduce by half (roughly 2-3 minutes)
8.Add cream. Boil until slightly thick (roughly 1-2 minutes)
9.Strain sauce and whisk in the rest.

Entremet: Melon au Jambon de bayonne brochette
(Or a fancy way of saying melon balls with ham on a skewer and lightly seared.)

Dessert: Flan
1 1/4c flour
2/3c sugar
4 eggs
4c milk
1tsp vanilla
1 pinch of salt
Butter to grease the pan
1.Preheat oven @425 degrees
2.Sift flour into a bowl, create a crater
3.Add sugar, salt, and beaten eggs into the center
4.Pour in milk, slowly, stirring as you go
5.Stir until smooth, add vanilla
6.Grease and flour deep pie pan, add batter
7. Bake for 45 minutes
8. Refrigerate until cool

So that was our delectable dinner. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (And still am. Mmm... Flan.) If you would like pictures, go ahead and leave a comment. Also, there WILL NOT be a Romantic Gourmet Dinner Night next week. It's mine and hubby's birthday and we're going out of town for a couple days. Yes, we share the same birthday. And don't worry, tweethearts, I'll have my phone close at hand for awesome birthday updates.