MrsF came home with two 1/2lb steaks, 1.2lbs of shrimp from Jewel and a loaf of LaBrea sourdough, plus ingredients for dessert, for the four of us.
The steaks were grilled simply, and served with a bearnaise that broke.
The shrimp were made into Dejonghe, using a blending of several recipes (no, not one of the ones featuring cocoanut):
1.2lbs shrimp, peeled
1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 stick butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
1 tbs chopped parsley
1.5 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbs sherry (no Vermouth in the house)
1 tbs lemon juice (fresh)
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of nutmeg (Beard suggestion, didn't taste it)
several grinds of black pepper
2/3C bread crumbs
Place shrimp and artichoke in a single layer in a shallow baking dish
Combine all other ingredients except bread crumbs into a compound butter. Mix the bread crumbs into it, then spread over the shrimp.
Bake 15 minutes in a 400-degree oven, turning on the broiler for two minutes afterward to brown the bread crumbs.
The Beard method of the compound butter mixed with bread crumbs came out rather mushy. Higher heat might have helped, but I might try melting half the butter with the wet ingredients (lemon, mustard, sherry) and pouring directly over the shrimp, then combining the rest of the butter with the crumbs, to have a drier texture. I also used part panko, and they may have just dissolved under the moisture.
Very tasty, and I could have probably used even more garlic.
MrsF baked up four wonderful molten ganache mini-cakes, served with vanilla ice cream (am I the only one who doesn't like the texture of Breyer's new double-churned varieties?)
What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang