It was so good, I finished his plate too...

How ladylike? But you would have done the same thing.

A few days ago, George (the boy, if you're new to the game) made me this insane meal, after a full day of work and three hours in the kitchen.

As if that weren't enough, the food was perfect.

This meal was a truly exciting, enjoyable experience that made me feel special. This! This is what it's all about.

For the bruschetta, he whipped up a very fresh vinaigrette of tomato, garlic, basil, olive oil, creamy goat cheese and toasty bread. The crispness of the bread with the creaminess of the cheese, topped by the tartness and acidity of the vinaigrette, was a fantastic bite.

Then came the two leading players. The noodles are udon noodles with ginger scallion sauce, tossed with homemade pickles and cauliflower. The recipe is by David Chang of Momofuku fame (of pork bun fame, but also due credit for his delicious ramen and delectably crazy desserts). That's something in itself, because this is no easy cookbook to tackle...I've been afraid of cracking it open, myself...but as usual, GQ made it seem painfully easy.

The red snapper with citrus vinaigrette over butternut squash puree recipe is here. Thanks, Gourmet! (R.I.P.) I love fish like no other food group (is ice cream a food group yet?), but this butternut squash puree was my favorite part of the whole meal. It's creamy and, yes, buttery from the squash's natural deliciousness. It's seasonal, so you don't need to worry about upsizing your carbon footprint. It's both salty and sweet, and the cayenne pepper gives it a subtle kick. I'd eat this just as a soup, with a nice loaf of sourdough.

Red Snapper with Citrus Vinaigrette Gourmet | March 2000

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Active Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 hr
ingredients
For citrus vinaigrette
2 tablespoons thawed passion-fruit purée or juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar or malt vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons finely diced mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, and green)
1 scallion, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

2 lb calabaza or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cayenne to taste
6 (6-oz) red snapper fillets with skin

3/4 cup olive oil
preparation
Make vinaigrette:

Whisk together passion-fruit purée, citrus juices, and vinegar. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Stir in remaining vinaigrette ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Make squash purée and fry fish:

Steam squash in a steamer over boiling water, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Purée with butter in a food processor and add cayenne and salt to taste. Keep warm, covered.

Pat fish dry and make 3 diagonal slashes through skin of each fillet. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry 3 fillets, skin sides down, until golden, about 3 minutes. Turn and fry about 1 minute more, or until just cooked through. Transfer to a platter and fry remaining 3 fillets in same manner. Serve fish, skin sides up, on a bed of squash pur)e and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Together, these dishes were the perfect balance of savory and sweet, homey and experimental, hearty and fresh.

Ah, what a pair.