I wanted to use some leftover veggies and cheese, so I decided to try this recipe. I made a few changes; I substituted the zucchini and mushrooms with corn, peas and tomato. Also used vegetable broth instead of chicken. It is a bit light on the seasoning. Next time I will add more salt. This is vegetarian and gluten free. It can turn into a vegan salad without the cheese.
http://www.thestayathomechef.com/2013/01/brown-rice-and-black-bean-casserole.html
I had the occasion to finally visit Chef’s Table at the Kensington Riverside Inn. Eight of us were there for a surprise birthday dinner. Our table was directly in front of the open kitchen and offered a nice view of the hustle and bustle. We started off with an amuse bouche, which tasted like a deconstructed BLT. The flavors that I remember were lardons, and a gelee with a subtle mustard flavor.
My second course was agnolotti which is similar to ravioli. The flavors were very delicate and complimented each other nicely.
I suspect this was the birthday girl’s appetizer. The presentation was nicely done.
I had the ling cod for my entree. The fish was perfectly cooked. The granola added an interesting texture to the dish. The flavors of tomato bubbles, carrot and saffron seemed very much like my appetizer. If I had realized that, I would have ordered differently.
The dessert was light and refreshing. The subtle flavor of the poached pear was a nice foil for the strong flavor of the blackcurrant ice cream.
The service was very good. The servers had a sense of humor and showed patience while waiting for our entire group to arrive. They must have spent a lot of time memorizing the ingredients for each dish. It’s the type of service that I would expect from a fine dining restaurant. This warrants another trip for a special occasion, next time with hubby in tow.
