Yesterday was another grey and rainy day until the evening when Z came along with lobsters, wines and lamb chops in hand :) What great fun we had putting together this fabulous dinner in my tiny kitchen, starting out with Z signature lobster salad, followed by Z signature baked lamb rack and couscous and ending with my J.G.Vong's molten chocolate cake and vanilla gelato with Grand Marnier sauce. Of course, dinner with Mr. Z has to include the appropriate wines, so our friend Chef brought along a gorgeous Chardonnay de Bourgogne and a luscious Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
To see Z in the kitchen is to see a true epicurean. He was delightful, tossing out instructions along with Z secret cooking tips (no longer secret as Russ took thorough notes of his every move while I snapped away these incriminating shots) in between sips of wine of course.
So, hot-of-the-press here is to share with you Z's delicious menu and signature recipes that you've been wanting to get your hands on. :) All you have to do is ask ... and Z will come and cook up a storm for you :P
Thanks Z, you were great!!! Russ and I enjoyed our get together so much, let's cook again soon :)
Go to April 04 to see all the recipes for this menu or click
here . Click on menu to enlarge
Here are details of the wines that we had for that memorable dinner from Z.
" Obviously, people may or may not be able to find the exact wines for this dinner so here are some possible substitutions:
1. the Chardonnay for the lobster salad:
* same level as the Montagny 1er cru "La Grande Roche": Chablis "Vaudesir", Chablie "Montee de Tonnerre", Petit-Chablis, Pouilly Fuisse, Sancerre (or most Loire Valley wines), higher end California Chardonnay such as Cakebread, Keenan, Sterling, etc.
* entry level stuff: Macon-Lugny, Macon-Villages, St Veran, Robert Mondavi Chardonnay, most Napa or Sonoma Appellation, Mondavi Pouilly-Fume, Sauvignon Blanc from France or California or Australia.
* money is no object: Corton-Charlemagne, Le Montrachet, Meursault "Goutte d'Or" (or any other Meurseault for that matter), Chateau Montelana Chardonnay, Long Vineyard Chardonnay.
2. the Bordeaux style red for the lamb:
* same level as the Heitz Cellar 2000 Cab: Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, most 3rd to 5th growth Bordeaux, high end Australia, Ribera del Duero from Spain.
* entry level stuff: Bordeaux Superieur, most Napa or Sonama regional Cab or Merlot, Australian Cab or Merlot.
* money is no object: Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour, Chateau Petrus, Heitz Cellars "Martha's Vineyard", Stag's Leap Wine Cellar "Cask 33", etc...
Enjoy,
Z. "
all key ingredients in a spring roll. Each person will make his/her own springroll-in-a-bowl by starting with a handful of salad, cucumber, bean sprouts, rau tho*m, then add on the 
, 
nuoc mam with carrots 
, 
Now that has got to be top fusion-ism :-)
