The minivacation is over, we are back and have to get into the working mood. As you see I am blogging, not working, so the mood did not make a full come back yet. I will clean up the pictures and stories from Big Bear and put them together in a couple of days, so now I am looking through my old photos and recipes, and as I am cleaning the folders, I decided to post some of them.
This post is about a cocktail dinner party back in January, with some friends and my bosses. Everything was made with the great support of my husband - in charge of cleaning up the house, and my sister, who helped with the plating and cleaning up after me in the kitchen.
I don't know how you guys are when throwing a party, but I am all about the food. It doesn't matter that I am exhausted when the guests arrive, it matters to me that all that I planned is on the table. Last month I went to a dinner, where my friend planned everything so that she could enjoy her guests, so the appetizers were plated and the 2nd course, asparagus lasagna, was cooking while we had drinks and the appetizers. That's when I realized how different (not to say wrong) my thinking is and how it needs improvement.
This was a cocktail party because we were too many for a sit down dinner at our small table, and also because all of my guests enjoy small bites. I'll write now about the menu, but some of the dishes will show up separately afterwards.
The appetizers were:
* Greek olives and fresh mozzarella balls which I marinated for about 2-3 hours in olive oil with paprika, basil, chili flakes, salt and pepper
** pear slices with goat cheese mousse, topped with caramelized walnuts and red currants
I whipped 7 oz goat cheese with 5 tablespoons heavy cream, salt and pepper, then mound it on top of round pear slices. I put a hand full of walnuts in a small pan, sprinkled them with sugar and wet them with water (a tablespoon), then let the sugar melt and caramelize the walnuts over medium-low heat. I chopped the walnuts when they cooled down, then topped goat cheese mousse with currants and walnuts.
*** cucumber slices with sour cream, smoked salmon, dill and fish roe
We all like smoked salmon and this combination with cucumber is such a staple, but I loved my little forks and couldn’t wait to use them. I loooove dill, and it couldn’t be missing, and I added some lumpfish caviar which thought that looked good on top.
**** asparagus tart
This was so simple to make and was very tasty. I like asparagus grilled, roasted or steamed, and I wanted to use it this time, so this recipe was just perfect. I’ll post the recipe separately this week.
***** lettuce cups with orzo salad and shrimp
The lettuce leaves could be called anything but cups this time, as the Bibb lettuce (or Boston) was not very curvy, but was still tasty. The orzo salad is one of my favorite pasta salads of all times, and the original belongs to Ina Garten, but this one is slightly different from the one she has on the Food Network website, as I change it sometimes based on what I have in the fridge. This one will come in a separate post too.
****** "Chinese hats" made from won ton skins, with tuna tartar and microgreens
For the main courses we had salad with grilled salmon on skewers with an Asian orange glaze and bacon wrapped pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and blackberry-wine reduction.
Because my pictures are not the best for all of these dishes, I'll post some now, and later, for each individual post I'll try to remake them and have a better picture hopefully.
Am revenit din mini vacanta noastra de la munte, si pana o sa pun pozele si povestile impreuna, am zis sa fac curat prin pozele vechi si pe cele pe care le pastrez sa incep sa le postez treptat. Asa ca incep cu o petrecere din Ianuarie, cand ne-am adunat cu sefii si niste prieteni. Am planificat meniul cu o luna inainte, schimbat planurile de nu stiu cate ori si nu as fi reusit sa termin toate fara ajutorul sotului meu si al surorii mele, care m-au ajutat curatand si aranjand masa.
Nu stiu cum sunteti voi cand aveti o petrecere, eu sunt obsedata si ma stresez numai in privinta mancarii. Nu conteaza cat de epuizata sunt cand vin musafirii, conteaza sa fie pe masa toate cate mi-am propus. Mai degraba ma obosesc mai tare decat sa tai ceva de pe lista. Si nici o data nu ma invat minte sa fiu mai calculata data viitoare. Insa luna trecuta am vazut cat de aiurea gandesc, cand am fost la cina la niste prieteni si Jennifer a planificat totul atat de bine incat a stat cu noi tot timpul, nu era deloc obosita. Aperitivele erau pregatite pe farfuriute incat numai le-a adus la masa cand ne-am asezat, iar felul doi, o lasagna cu sparanghel se cocea in cuptor cat noi am stat de povesti si sa ne cunoastem la un pahar de vin. Si desi mi-am dat seama ca asa trebuie facut, nu sunt sigura ca data viitoare ii urmaresc exemplul.
Pentru ca noi nu avem loc la masa pentru o cina formala cand sunt atatia invitati, am pregatit totul ca pentru un bufet. Meniul urmeaza mai jos, dar multe dintre retete o sa le postez separat zilele ce urmeaza, cand poate o sa am si timp sa le gatesc din nou si sa refac pozele.
Aperitivele au fost:
1. masline grecesti cu bile de mozzarella proaspata marinata timp de 2-3 ore in ulei de masline, busuioc, ardei iute, sare si piper
2. felii de para cu mousse de branza de capra frecata cu smantana lichida, cu nuci caramelizate si coacaze
Pentru mousse-ul de branza de capra am spumat cu mixerul branza de capra (200 g) si smantana lichida (cca 75 ml, din cea pt. frisca), cu sare si piper, pana a iesit o spuma. Nucile le-am prajit in tigaie cu cateva linguri de zahar si o lingura de apa, cat sa se caramelizeze. Am pus cu spritul branza pe feliile de para, iar deasupra nuci si coacaze.
3. castravete cu somon afumat, smantana, icre si marar
Combinatia asta e atat de clasica si de banala, numai ca voiam tare mult sa folosesc furculitele micutze pe care tocmai le luasem. Mararul imi place la nebunie, asa ca nu putea lipsi, iar icrele aratau dragut in varf.
4. tarta cu sparanghel
Mie imi place sparanghelul pregatit in toate formele - la gratar, la cuptor, oparit, asa ca am vrut sa il adaug la meniu si m-am bucurat sa gasesc reteta asta, pe care o voi posta separat saptamana asta.
5. cupe din frunze de salata cu orzo si creveti
Frunzele de salata de data asta nu au fost prea curbate incat numai a cupe nu arata, dar au fost la fel de gustoase. Salata de paste orzo e una din preferatele mele, originall ii apartine Inei Garten si reteta ei de pe website-ul Food Network e putin diferita, incat o fac dupa cum imi vine si in functie de ce am prin frigider. O s-o postez separat de asemenea.6. "palarii chinezesti" facute din foite de pachetele, umplute cu verdeata si tartar de ton
Pentru felurile principale am avut o salata cu gratar de somon, taiat fasii, pus pe frigarui, cu o glazura asiatica de portocala, si medalione de muschi de porc invelit in bacon cu piure de cartofi si sos de mure si vin rosu.
Pentru desert - cupe dintr-un aluat cu migdale cu inghetata de zmeura si lamaie, si niste sticksuri invelite in ciocolata. Nu stiu cum sa traduc numele retetei, se cheama almond tuile, si m-am gandit ca vine din franceza, dar pt. tuile am gasit tigla, iar desertul asta e mai mult ca o dantela decat o tigla.
Toate retetele pe care nu le-am scris aici o sa le postez separat imediat dupa ce le refac.
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