As I worked on reviving my meal planning efforts, I was reminded of a constant struggle in my kitchen:  pairing main courses with sides, breads, and/or desserts.  I absolutely agonize over this, because I believe a perfect meal is one where the flavors layer together, each playing its own part as foundation or enhancement or compliment or contrast in such a way that if one ingredient were missing, the whole symphony would be flat.

I’m a little bit nuts aren’t I?  You can imagine how paralyzing it is for me, then, to divine a new main dish recipe and have no idea what to serve it with.  Case in point:  remember this Special Meal for No Reason?  Well, I knew I wanted to serve the scallops with rice and black beans, but it took me nearly a week to figure out how those sides should be seasoned and presented.  One does not simply slap a seared scallop atop bland beans and rice.

And, of course, there are the Saveur Recipes I’ll be cooking over the next year or so.  I certainly can’t pair these delicious recipes with boring sides, ergo the menu I created to go with Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic.

Luckily, I often do manage to come up with a perfect (or at least darn good) menu, but I rarely keep a record of the whole meal, instead posting single recipes I think will most interest you readers.

No more!

Alongside this week’s launch of my new, improved meal planning efforts, I’m kicking off “Lovely Meals”.  These are tried-and-true menus, carefully selected to create a symphony of flavor without being too complicated (let’s face it – I get carried away sometimes).  Each Lovely Meal features a main dish and coordinating sides as well as any recommendations I have for wine pairing or recipe alterations.   Find all the Lovely Meals by clicking on the button up there on the menu bar!

Bon appetit!