Birthday Dinner

Here's the plan for Mom's birthday:

Salmon cooked with the new Blood Orange Olive Oil I got out in California.

potato and portobello mushroom gratin

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 1/2-ounce package dried porcini mushrooms*

1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms

12 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup soaking liquid. Chop porcini; set aside. Remove and chop stems from portobellos; place in large bowl. Using small spoon, scrape away dark gills from portobellos and discard. Cut portobello caps into 1/2-inch pieces; add to bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped portobello stems and caps and sauté 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and reserved porcini and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat each of two 13x9x2-inch glass baking dishes with 1 tablespoon oil. Combine remaining 7 tablespoons oil, potatoes, parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in large bowl; toss to coat. Layer 1/6 of potato mixture in each prepared dish (there will not be enough to overlap slices). Top potatoes in each with 1/4 of mushroom mixture. Repeat layering. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour 1/3 cup reserved porcini soaking liquid over potatoes in each dish. Cover dishes with foil.

Bake gratins 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until tops are brown and potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Cover with foil and rewarm in 350°F oven about 20 minutes.)

*Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and many supermarkets.

maltaise sauce for asparagus

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Servings: Makes about 1 cup.

Ingredients

2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
a pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (preferably from a blood orange
,available seasonally at specialty product markets)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice (preferably from a
blood orange)

Preparation

In a blender or food processor put the egg yolks, the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and the white pepper and with the motor running add the butter in a stream. Add the zest and the orange juice and blend the mixture well. Force the mixture through a fine sieve set over a small bowl and keep it warm, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper, set in a pan of warm water. Serve the sauce over asparagus.