The New Tableware
What better way to baptize these wonderful dishes than to have an "Iron Chef" style dinner. When I do these, I invite friends over and instruct them to buy food without giving me any hints as to what they are buying until they arive. The challenge is then for me to prepare a dinner and match it with wines that I have.Invited for this dinner were hiking buddy, Cabinet Lady and partner Crazy Craig. Talk about lucking out, both these two fine gourmands are avid gardeners. And in addition to plundering Whole Paychecks they brought with them a bounty of phenomenal just picked produce including bell peppers, jalapenos, New Mexico peppers, small red onions, green beans, tiny grape tomatoes, roma tomatoes, red and golden beets, and small prune plums. From Whole Paychecks they had Sea Bass steaks, blackberries, figs and orzo pasta.
Look at all this food!
What's a Tin Chef to do?
What's a Tin Chef to do?
The taste of the produce CL and CC brought was unbelievable. When you have great ingredients it makes everything easier. Ideas started flowing with the food prep right behind.
The Menu
First Course - Three Salads
ROASTED PEPPERS MARINATED IN OLIVE OIL, LEMON, AND ANCHOVY PASTE
ROASTED BEETS WITH GINGER AND RICE VINEGAR
GRAPE TOMATOES AND RED ONIONS IN VINEGRETTE
Second Course - Pasta
ORZO WITH ROMA TOMATO, ROASTED RED ONION SAUCE
Main Course
SEA BASS WITH BLACKBERRY, SALT PORK REDUCTION
GREEN BEANS IN BERBERE BUTTER
Dessert
PLUM CLAFLOUTI
First Course - Three Salads
ROASTED PEPPERS MARINATED IN OLIVE OIL, LEMON, AND ANCHOVY PASTE
ROASTED BEETS WITH GINGER AND RICE VINEGAR
GRAPE TOMATOES AND RED ONIONS IN VINEGRETTE
Second Course - Pasta
ORZO WITH ROMA TOMATO, ROASTED RED ONION SAUCE
Main Course
SEA BASS WITH BLACKBERRY, SALT PORK REDUCTION
GREEN BEANS IN BERBERE BUTTER
Dessert
PLUM CLAFLOUTI
Tin Chef de-I peeling roasted peppers
It was hard to believe how sweet both the grape tomatoes and the little red onions were
Cutting the Beets
Microwaving them cut the cooking time by 2/3rds
Microwaving them cut the cooking time by 2/3rds
Plating
Let's hear the catcalls about colored plates now!
Let's hear the catcalls about colored plates now!
The Three Salad First Course
Pasta Course
The Sea Bass
When I tasted the blackberries they were very tart and I had the idea for using them instead of citrus in my sauce.
Berbere (on the green beans) is an Ethopian spice mixture I picked up from Saveur Magazine and use in just about anything.
When I tasted the blackberries they were very tart and I had the idea for using them instead of citrus in my sauce.
Berbere (on the green beans) is an Ethopian spice mixture I picked up from Saveur Magazine and use in just about anything.
It was a fabulous eveing and the whole dinner was served al fresco
Plum Claflouti
Claflouti is a dish where fruit is baked in a crepe like batter. It requires great fruit like our plums. Having some Austrian Plum Brandy to macerate the fruit in didn't hurt.
6 comments:
What a difference it makes for plating! Now your food pics really pop.
Let's hear it for white plates! The food looks terrific, AND baby bird is gone, so you can eat outside again. It looks like fun for all.
Unbelievable. You call it fun and I would call it a nightmare. What a menu?? I don't know how you do it. I wouldn't even know where to begin, though I'd have white plates to serve it on! Nicely done!!
If I were given this challenge, I would need a couple of weeks to research recipes on the internet. I am impressed. Can we do the same thing when we come to visit next time?
I am DROOLING! Wow!
What a great idea to do with guests.
I should do try it. Except, we would eat salad. Then another salad. Then maybe an onion-- with salt. Probably sugared hot peppers for dessert... With Tums in the candy dish.
Now you see Beth - there's the spirit - look at that creativity - sugared hot peppers.
But I'm still not getting on any of those horses of yours.
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