2011 has started off in a fantastic way for yo soy!
we tried all new menu items that proved to be a hit! we started the evening off with a mezcal and tequila cocktail mixed with fresh lemon and a chamomile syrup! it was paired with zucchini fritters topped off with a sambal apricot sauce.
we then sat down for the 2nd course which was the pozole recipe that my stepmom from mexico gave us! it was packed with roasted peppers and chiles, as well as pork that was extremely moist & tender! the soup was sprinked with nice bits of hominy and finished off with roasted sesame seeds to add a nice chinese accent. we then served chile rellenos that were stuffed with chihuahua cheese and sprinkled with chinese sausage. the acidity from this dish came from the puree under the pepper that was avacado & cocount with fresh lime. this was the most difficult dish to prepare since we experimented with a different type of chiles other than traditional poblano. the risk seemed to pay off since everyone at the table loved this dish! it was delicious! the main course was a dish of roast beef with mandarin orange glaze + piloncillo reduction paired with cumin spiced sweet potatoes and chinese (napa) cabbage sauteed with oyster mushrooms! it was a healthier play on orange beef, with it's great orange zest and potent chili kick, without the frying factor.
the dessert course was, by far, the best dessert to date! at least in our eyes! it was a dessert that we were kinda scared of, but once we tried it, PURE HEAVEN! the top layer of flan and the bottom layer of moist chocolate cake together was a great treat for this meal. it was rounded off by a cajeta reduction and garnished with candied kumquats that added the perfect acidity! we loved this dessert so much we titled this blog entry chocoflan! viva chocoflan!
we also had the pleasure of having a slew of new guests at our dinner table! we were extremely excited to have met wiliam, newt, and paul! you guys are fantastic and we hope to see you back here soon! and of course, the entertainment, stephen leonard! he always brings the smiles and tears with his amazing voice and stunning guitar riffs!
what a way for us to welcome the new year! a special thanks once again to doug, gabe, and matthew for your help in our dream. also, a huge thanks to brian for carrying a lot of the load this dinner!
on a more serious and pensive note, what a lot of people at the dinner table did not know was that i got an emergency call from my mom in texas the sunday prior to the dinner. that sunday my cousin lee was rushed into the emergency room and was immediately put into i.c.u. and the situation seemed grim. i had to make plans to get home to corpus christi and lend my support and love to my family. unfortunately, lee did not make it, and he slipped away quickly that monday afternoon. it was heartwrenching to see my family in such pain from a sudden loss in our large, loving family. however, it was warming to hear the eulogy at his rosary from other family members. mainly, most spoke about how he cooked the best beef brisket and caught the best fish to fry for his friends and family. through those couple of days the main feeling i had was that life is short, and it is to be enjoyed every single minute, especially over great food and loved ones! i came back to chicago late that saturday evening, and was not sure if my spirits were gonna be high enough for our yo soy dinner the next day. ultimately, it was great to come back home to a yo soy dinner filled with that lust for life, and the eagerness to try different things and meet new people. i am hoping we can get a recipe of my cousin lee's to share with you guys one dinner! that is the way brian and i know how to do tributes, and i think lee would approve.
r.i.p. cousin lee. you enjoyed life, food, and family! viva la familia!
salud!
mikey + brian