Let's Start with Dessert

We're getting toward the end of the local strawberry season so they are coming at us fast and furious. It's a nice problem to have.

Tonight's meal ended with the above picture, two slices of pound cake topped with macerated strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Simple, satisfying and delicious.

Dessert was preceded by a pan seared swordfish steak and some pan roasted asparagus topped by the last of the pheasant eggs.

The swordfish was marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh rosemary, two cloves of crushed garlic and a good dose of red pepper flakes. It was seared in a pan and then finished in a hot oven. A dash of salt and a squeeze of lemon and it was ready to eat.

The asparagus was roasted in butter and topped with a poached pheasant egg. When the yolk is broken it makes a perfect sauce for the earthy asparagus.

Scott was busy recovering from the near fatality of a squirrel earlier in the day but he was more than willing to scarf down the swordfish skin.

The wine was our last bottle of the 2007 Kincaid Ridge white Revelation. From past experience I knew that the wine had a slightly sweet finish to it so we added extra garlic and red pepper flakes to the fish marinade to balance things out. The wine smelled of melons and figs mostly. There is good acid and nice balance, but just a bit of sweetness. It takes well to a chill.