“She's keeping it simple and luxurious, in line with Cecily's menu--- mozzarella and tomato salad, duck lasagna, and chocolate mousse for dessert--- but she's made a few tweaks. The salad has evolved into homemade ricotta and roast tomato with homemade bread. The tomatoes have been slow-roasting for hours, with thyme, olive oil, and garlic, until they're sweet, jammy, and fragrant. After Nick had canceled on Tuesday, she'd ended up spending the evening practicing making ricotta. She'd been through half a dozen muslins and piles of rubbery, beige curds before finally mastering the technique--- and tonight a bowl of smooth, creamy cheese sits on the counter as proof. The lasagna feels like it's taken an entire decade to make, though in reality it's only been six hours, three for the soffritto, another two spent braising the duck legs in red wine, another hour once the meat had fallen off the bone, making a rich, thick sauce to be layered between pasta and smothered in Parmesan and mozzarella. Kate's upgraded the chocolate mousse with cocoa nibs and fresh raspberries. She's licked the spoon a few too many times, but what in this world is more delicious than chocolate melted into double cream?” SaladItalian FoodLasagnaChocolate Mousse Book:Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies Source: Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies