Surf and Turf with Roasted Beets and Potato Puree

It was decided that Derek and I were going to have a "date night" though I'm not sure what that means anymore given that we spend all of our time together anyhow. We cook together, go out to eat together...so I guess what date night means now is that Derek pays. Therefore, I'm a fan of date nights.

Rather than going out to dinner - we decided to stay in and cook a good meal - open a good bottle of wine - and then head to the movies. To be even more unoriginal, we decided on surf and turf. Cliche and simple I guess but who says it always has to be difficult! To put a slight creative spin on the dish, we were inspired by a food presentation book that my Dad had bought for me, and decided to make the plate look unique.

I let Derek do ALL of the cooking AND the presentation...

This is probably not recipe worthy but I'll write down what each of the elements were how they were prepared:

- Grass-fed Ribeye Steak: Marinate in oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Grill until medium rare. Let sit for half of grilling time. Cut on a diagonal (against the grain).

- Scallops: Rinse and pat dry. Remove the "tab" on the side. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for about 2 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the scallops. I like them still rare inside.

- Potato Puree: Using a good amount of butter and oil, saute shallots and garlic over medium low heat to get a good caramelization on the shallots and so the garlic doesn't burn. Meanwhile, peel and cube a potato and boil in salted water until it can be pierced easily with a fork. Drain. Add potatoes to shallot mixture. Using a hand mixer, puree until smooth. If needed, put the mixture through a strainer (you shouldn't need to though). Add a bit of milk or chicken broth if needed to reach desired consistence. Top with minced chives.

- Roasted Beets: Roast whole beets in over until easily pierced with a fork (about 45-60 minutes). Let cool and remove skin. Cut into uniform cubes. Drizzle with quality oil. Season with salt.

Derek popped open a Merlot that he had tasted and purchased back in South Carolina. It was an awesome Washington State wine that was only around $20!! I was surprised, it was awesome...I'll need to get the name of it. Everything was cooked perfectly. I'm a lucky one. We finished the evening with a viewing of The Social Network (good) and another glass of wine at a nearby wine bar.

Cliche but enjoyable date night!


Side Note:

A different night, a different event.

Derek and I had a few people from our apartment building over for a little wine social and put out a small cheese plate. It comprised of:

- Brie cheese
- a semi-soft Goat Cheese
- Fig jam
- Pear
- Grapes
- Crostini
- Smoked almonds
- Salt and pepper cashews

I know that the neighbors probably thought that I put it together but credit has to go to Derek for arranging the components so nicely.

Thought I'd just share that!