Livin' La Vida Loca at the Lundquist's!

Once again our hosts, Karen and David, did a tremendous job with a rainy summer evening.  Their indoor Fiesta Nite was a riotous success!

Everyone was greeted with a beautifully set table and bar as well as a cool, crisp margarita!  To accompany that was a fresh, homemade salsa and guacamole with blue corn chips.  Now, what's not to love about that?

Our first course was from the Bayons... who brought their own equipment in which to prepare the dish.  Oooooooh that's right folks:  a deep fryer!  There's not much that could have come outta there that wouldn't have been fantastic, really.  As it was, what did emerge on a lovely platter was just deliciousness:  deep fried empanadas stuffed with plantains and black beans served with a fresh salsa verde.  Crispy on the outside and just a touch of sweetness from the plantains.  They left me wanting six more, but with more dinner to go one must pace a bit.

Karen and I shared the main plate.  She & David with an entree of blackened shrimp tacos (chicken tacos for our land lovin' folk) and all the fixin's, and Josh and I with a grilled corn salad.  The shrimp was perfectly done and just spicy enough to get the tongue tinglin'.  The corn salad was a nice cool-down from the spicy shrimp.  Lime-cilantro dressing, cucumber, fresh tomatoes and green onion were tossed with the grilled corn.  I thought they paired wonderfully, and it was one of the few times throughout the evening where the conversation lulled... a good sign!

Jen & Andrew came through once again with a phenomenal dessert, and probably the most unique of the evening:  blueberry hand pies with sweet corn ice cream.  The hand pies were just delectably sweet and stuffed with fruit, and just big enough to pleasantly top off the meal.  The ice cream had a very delicate but true sweet corn flavor.  It was such a pleasant surprise to see just how well it paired with the blueberries!

Throughout the evening there were margaritas, rum cocktails, wine and sparkling wine and LOTS of laughter.  My head and my cheeks hurt on Sunday morning for reasons not unrelated.

It was a spectacular meal and only marred by the absence The Rhodes.  Thank you again and again, Karen & David, for such a beautiful evening!!  

Oooh, Aaaah, Ooooh - Small plates, big flavor!

I'm gonna start off with what I usually wind up with because it needs to be stated in advance:  Thank you Bayons!!  The idea for the night was to bring our usual sit-down formal dinners down a notch and keep it casual with appetizers, wine and roving conversations.  

Everyone did at least one, if not two, appetizers or small plates of a dish.  Some were put out immediately while others rolled out as the evening went on, making for something new and delicious to try all night long.  Chris & Chris put out a gorgeous, gooey cheese platter with a truffle triple cream and a plain triple cream both oozing out of their rinds, a true German Munster (quite stinky but very yummy) and a blue cheese & mascarpone terrine.  An antipasto platter complimented all the cheeses beautifully, and their Spanish white wine was paired very well!  They would have a whole other dish to serve, but for now all we could do was revel in the smokey flavors wafting in from the grill.

Karen & David put some very tasty combinations together for us as well.  Both platters had a Mediterranean flare, the first with kalamata and green olives, salami, marinated bocconcini and marinated tortellini - all skewered together; the second was roast beef crostini w/ a horseradish cream sauce and arugula.  The latter I was still thinking about the next day, wishing I'd had just one or two more - delish!

Josh and I had originally planned on a meatball of some sort, but on a recent trip to the Peach Tree Tea House in Fredericksburg, Texas we quickly changed our minds.  There we had a delicious chilled avocado soup that just blew me away... and I said, "We have to share this with the gang!"  The soup has a little bite from pickled jalapenos so we served it with a drizzle of sour cream sauce in its little shot glass.  The other dish we brought is one of my favorite appetizers:  chicken liver pate.  It did not look appetizing, I'll admit, but I was quite proud of my first attempt at this recipe (also my first Julia Child recipe, Mu-haaa!) - perfectly cooked, good texture and great flavor.  

G-BALLS!!  Now, I think this was the quietest moment of the evening, when everyone was tucked into a little bowl containing three unassuming looking meatballs from Gerald & Jillian.  These tasty little orbs, later dubbed G-Balls by a certain Texan lady, were wolves in sheep's clothing, for inside each lamb & kobe beef ball was a creamy potato-cheese center.  To top it all off was a homemade pesto coating each one.  Everyone was too busy Oooooh'ing and Aaaaah'ing to chat much just then.  But wait, there's more!  Later these two rolled out fresh pasta raviolis in a simple tomato-oregano sauce.  Again, rather unassuming in appearance but heaven to the taste buds!  

Okay... second course from the Bayon grill is ready: ribs.  Ooooooh yeah.  Smoked 9 hours and sauced to perfection.  Now, the best part about the ribs was Jen.  She'd never eaten ribs before.  How that could be I don't know, but the issue was remedied this night, and with ribs that raised the bar pretty high!  

It was Jen and Andrew who capped off our epicurean adventure with beautifully packaged  individual panna cottas topped with a strawberry-rhubarb compote and pistachio shortbread.  The cream set very well, great texture and so creamy and sweet.  Just what our palates needed!

Once again, everyone brought amazing, wonderful food & wine, and lots of smiles and laughter to share.  Thank you to the Bayons again for an marvelous night!  

Happy New Year!

It was Chinese New Year at the Rhodes' house!  Gerald and Jillian hosted a marvelous Asian feast to ring in the Year of the Snake.  It was all about good food and good fortune.

Jillian, true to form, put thought and effort into every detail of the table.  Gorgeous shades of red, orange and gold draped the table, the sideboard, even hung from the ceiling!  Mandarin oranges, flowers and tea lights dotted the length of a long, low table that was surrounded by multitudes of throw pillows as seating.

Josh (and Alyssa) started off the evening with a course of two pressed sushis.  One was a salmon & tuna square, the other was a Spam musubi.    The Spam had been pan fried in teryaki sauce and was sandwiched between small layers of rice with a hint of furikake (nori sprinkles).  The fish had been cut to criss-cross the square, giving the recipient about two bites of each delicious fish.

Karen & David brought on course number two with a rich and spicy tom yum soup with shrimp & mushrooms, accompanied with beautiful little handmade dumplings.   The unassuming presentation of the course belied the complexities of the flavors.  The layers within the soup were just delightful - each bite brought a new flavor forward... followed by a swift kick of spice.  The lemongrass was my particular favorite note.  The dumplings were little bites of heaven - delicate to the tooth, but a good punch of flavor!

The next dish was as close to a salad course as we came.  Jen and Andrew passed two plates - one of bright green butter lettuce leaves and then one of a ground chicken and peanut filling.  Following those was a sweet red pepper sauce.  Lettuce wraps done right!  So much better than the super salty, goopy PF Changs wraps.

After a brief interlude of more drinking (which happened to be white wine for the night, with a shot of sake here and there), gabbing and a leg stretch, Gerald and Jillian brought out the very traditional whole chickens for the main course.  Chickens.  Plural.  Each couple was presented with their own game hen, smoked and coated in an orange glaze.  It is very bad luck to cut the bird before it's presented at the table, so they were brought to the table whole and cut there!  Accompanying the chickens was a side of peanut noodles, again for good luck.  The noodles were delicious, perfectly sauced, and the chickens were just outrageously good!  Perfectly done, juicy and very, very flavorful.

Finally, to round out our Asian feast, Chris and Chris made traditional mooncakes for dessert.  Not excessively sweet, these delicious little pastries were filled with a smooth bean paste, and baked to perfection with a lovely golden sheen on top.  They were just three or four bites but it was the perfect amount.  And because no Chinese dinner would be complete without them, fortune cookies were passed for everyone as well!  While were enjoying our cakes and cookies, Jillian pointed out a little red bag next to each place.  A red envelope with money is traditionally given to kids at New Years, but since we aren't kids we got chocolate and lotto tickets!  Better in my book.

The Rhodes' hosted a really wonderful night with food that was out of this world brought by all.  I for one feel extremely lucky already to have such fabulous friends to share these nights with.     

nián nián yǒu yú

Comfort in a Fall Harvest

Our fall dinner was a spectacular success, if I do say so myself!  Josh and I hosted all our dear friends for a dinner based around the idea of celebrating the seasonal harvest and the comfort of fall foods.  The kids were shuffled off to spend the evening at the Bayon's, I put the flowers in our home grown centerpiece pumpkin and Josh made up some cocktails in mason jars to welcome our guests - apple cider and a choice of rum or bourbon (of which I'm enjoying one now!), yummy either way!

With everyone arrived and plates prepped, it was time for our appetizer course:  Pickled beet salad.  Now... these were no ordinary beets out of a can/jar from the store.  These were bought fresh, cooked and pickled at home from scratch by Team Bayon!  Two kinds of beets, red and orange, gave the dish extra depth of beety flavor.  Hard boiled eggs were added to the pickling liquid and were a wonderful accompaniment to the salad.  Everyone loved it - even Josh, who typically shuns all things beet related.  The Chardonnay served with it was light and fruity, a mix of oak and steel casking and very well paired.

The Lundquists were up with the first course, an Autumn Chopped salad w/ pears, bacon, cranberries & pecans tossed in a poppy seed & balsamic vinaigrette.  I know there were clean plates all around and even a couple second helpings of this delicious salad!  Great fall flavors, but light, crisp and bright.  It was paired quite nicely with a blended wine of Petit Syrah and Petit Verdot.

After a short break to chat and drink and make room we moved on to the main course, ala Josh and I - a butternut squash and mushroom lasagna.  Jen and Andrew served a very yummy spinach gratin along with it. The orange and white of the lasagna and the deep green of the gratin looked lovely and tasted even better!  We found super fresh, ripe squash and cinnamon mushrooms from the Boulder Farmer's Market that morning, and paired with the fresh thyme and sage in the cheese layers it was one our best batches of this fall-fantastic lasagna!  The gratin was warm and luscious.  Even through the cream and cheese the spinach was still distinctive and true, nicely balanced yet comforting in it's richness.  Both dishes had a wine served with them.  The lasagna had a light Pinot Noir and the spinach brought with it a very fabulous Zin from Ravenswood to the table (thank you Jen & Andrew for sharing that very special wine with us!)

One of the many fun conversations we had at dinner was talking about what our personal "food porn" was, what makes each of us swoon to eat.  Well, I'd like to add this last course, Budino, to my list.  Oh.  My.  Gawd.  Jillian & Gerald astounded the table yet again with this butterscotch pudding, served with a choice of Pinot Noir ice wine or Grappa to drink.  I mean.... wow.  If I thought for a minute my tongue would reach the bottom of the glass I would have licked it clean!

As we wound down the night with a few cigars on the patio we all glowed from a very filling and extremely delicious meal.  Our next dinner is too far off if it's not tomorrow.

Autumn Chopped Salad

• 6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 medium pears, chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• Poppy seed Salad Dressing
• Balsamic Vinaigrette 

On a large platter or bowl, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette.  Toss & serve!

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Cinnamon Mushrooms & Sage
FOR MUSHROOM LAYER

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 pound cinnamon mushrooms rough chopped, OR crimini mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

FOR SQUASH LAYER

• 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced (about 5 1/2 cups)
• (1) 14-ounce can vegetable broth
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 4 tablespoons sliced fresh sage, divided

FOR CHEESE LAYER

• (3) 15-ounce containers whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 4 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4 large eggs
• Olive oil
• 1 box Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles

1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl; set aside.
2. Add squash, broth, 3 tablespoons thyme, and 3 tablespoons sage to same skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is just tender, about 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until squash is very soft about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and use a stick blender to puree the mixture .
3. Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon sage in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper; mix in eggs.
4. Brush 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup ricotta mixture over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles on top. Spread 13/4 cups ricotta mixture over noodles. Arrange 1 1/3 cups squash mixture over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mushrooms and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, half of remaining squash, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, remaining squash, and remaining mushrooms. Top with 3 noodles. Spread remaining ricotta mixture over; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover with oiled foil.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. (The lasagna can be assembled one day ahead and refrigerated.)

Butterscotch Budino with Maple Syrup Sauce
1 hr prep, plus three hours' chilling
FOR THE BUDINO

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 large egg
• 4 large egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 1/8 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dark rum

FOR THE SAUCE AND TOPPING

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• scrapings from 1- inch piece of vanilla bean or 1/4teaspoon good vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup Dark Amber
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fleur de sel
• 3/4 cup creme fraiche

1. For the budino, combine cream and milk in bowl or pitcher, set aside. Whisk egg, egg yolks and cornstarch in medium bowl set aside.

2. Combine brown sugar, kosher salt, and 1/2 cup of water in pot. Place over medium-high heat and let sit until edges start to brown. Tilt pot as needed to even the browning until caramelized, nutty and deep brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Immediately whisk in cream mixture, mixture will steam and caramel will seize. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Whisk a cup at a time in to egg mixture until half is incorporated. Remove from heat, and immediately whisk egg mixture back into pot until custard is very thick, about 2 minutes.

4. whisk in butter and rum. Pass through a fine mesh strainer and divide among 10 6-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap, allow to cool and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or up to 3 days.

5. For sauce combine 1/2 cup of cream and vanilla in medium saucepan. Heat until simmering. Add butter and remove from heat; set-aside.

6. In large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine maple syrup, sugar and enough water (3-4 tablespoons) to make a wet sandy mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling pan for even cooking, until mixture is medium amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in cream mixture; set aside and let cool (may be refrigerated and reheated before serving)

7. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup cream in a large bowl until it begins to thicken. Add creme fraiche and whisk until thick and fluffy. To serve, spoon a tablespoon of warm caramel sauce over each budino. sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon fleur de sel, and add a dollop of cream topping.

Low Country Shrimp Boil... at altitude!

Dave & Karen were our hosts for this fantastic summer treat!  A low country shrimp boil... up at altitude.  The house looked and smelled beautiful, and I was even greeted with big hugs from one of the smaller residents (thank you, Trip).  There were luminarias trimming the deck out back, and a long table decked out with a checkered table cloth, butcher paper and tea lights in mason jars.  The skies had grown dark but everyone was hopeful it would blow over or hold off until later.
As guests arrived Karen started us off with a lovely white wine in glasses with personalized charms - small, silver trimmed tags that coordinated elegantly with the table settings.  Soon the cocktails were all set up and we could get the show underway!
Gerald & Jillian started us out with an amazing cocktail:  ginger-infused citrus vodka with fresh lemonade in a candied ginger rimmed glass.  It was brilliant!  Refreshing, crisp and layered with wonderful flavors that melded into one wonderful drink.
With these lovely libations was the first appetizer course brought to us by Chris & Chris:  zucchini fritters served crispy with a basil mayonnaise.  No one had just one!  They were fried but felt quite light.  The zucchini still had some tooth to it and gave each piece a wonderful texture, but also it gave the whole piece a shape that allowed the delicious basil sauce to catch in nooks and crannies, adding another level of awesome to these little two-bite balls of deliciousness!
A second round of appetizers came from Josh and I in a Manhattan style seafood chowder, served with a strip of salty schiacciata bread.  Accompanying these were a couple growlers of Josh's home brewed hard lemonade, each glass muddled with a bit of mint.  Clams, bay scallops and shrimp, combined with a healthy amount of butter and cream, gave the soup a rich, broad seafood flavor.  The flaky crunch from the flat bread was a nice contrast to the smooth chowder.
Dave & Karen now stepped up to deliver the main course:  boiled shrimp, keilbasa, potatoes, corn on the cob and onions were laid out in big pans down the center of the table for everyone to dig into.  No plates.  No place ware.  Everyone just sat at the long table with their drink and went to town.  Not only did the food all taste wonderful, it was super fun to eat!
The rain held off just until we'd about finished dinner, then we all shuffled inside.  Jen & Andrew then sliced up a sweet piece of delectable shortcake with a mix of berries piled high and topped off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream for each of us.  A subtle layer of lemon curd lay between the cake and berries to brighten up the sweetness on top.  The cake was perfectly done - spongy and light with a nice fine crumb.  Just the perfect finish to our meal!
A huge success!  Thank you to everyone as always for your effort, imagination and laughter.  And a special thanks to our hosts, David and Karen!!  See y'all at The Redmore's in October!

Bayon Zucchini Fritters
 BASIL MAYO:

• 1 cup basil
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

FRITTERS:

• About 6 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 fresh jalapeño, stemmed and minced (including seeds)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 slices crisp-cooked bacon, finely chopped

Basil mayo:

Purée basil with mayonnaise, water, and lemon juice in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl and chill until ready to use.

Fritters:

Preheat oven to 200°F.
Heat 3 inches oil to 350°F in a deep 5-quart pot over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir together zucchini, jalapeño, chives, and a pinch of salt in another bowl. Add egg, milk, and bacon to zucchini mixture and toss to coat zucchini. Stir in flour mixture until incorporated.
Fry small spoonfuls of batter in batches of about 10, turning occasionally, until golden-brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 350°F between batches.

Redmore Seafood Chowder

• 2 Sticks butter
• 1 Cup flour
• 2 Quarts Half & Half
• 4 Cans baby clams (2 minced, 2chopped)
• 2 Cups Scallops - raw
• 1 Cup cooked shrimp
• (Crab, or really any other type of seafood you'd like)
• Salt, pepper, Seafood Magic, Old Bay, or other seasoning to taste

1. In a 4 qt. pan, melt butter and stir in flour till smooth.
2. Gradually whisk in half & half. Stir till thickens.
3. Heat till boiling.
4. Add seafood and juices (Chop scallops if necessary.)
5. Boil till scallops are done  5-10 min
6. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and any other desired seasonings to taste.

Better the second day.

Lundquist Shrimp Boil

• 2 Zatarain’s Crab “n” Shrimp Boil in Bags
• 1/2  bottle Zatarain’s Crab “n” Shrimp Boil oil
• 1 Cup salt
• 3-4 large onions (peeled and quartered)
• 2 lemons cut in half
• 6-10 whole ears of corn cut in half or 12-24 frozen small corn n the cob
• 3 lbs Kielbasa cut into 2 inch pieces
• 3 pounds large raw shrimp in shells (about 25 per lb)
• 2 whole bulbs garlic, unpeeled with top sliced o
• 18-24 small red potatoes
• Freezer paper
• Squeezable butter, spicy mustard and cocktail sauce
• 2 baguettes sliced into 1 inch slices
• 1 34 quart turkey fryer with strainer basket that goes almost to the top of the pot

1. Bring water to a boil in a covered pot with large strainer basket (fi ll pot 2/3 full)
2. Add garlic, Zatarain’s spice bags, Zatarain’s oil and salt - boil for 15 minutes
3. Add potatoes - boil for 7 - 8 minutes
4. Add corn - boil for 5 minutes (if corn is frozen you may need to turn up heat to get the water boiling again)
5. Add kielbasa - boil 8 minutes
6. Squeeze lemons into pot and then throw them in along with the onions - boil 3 - 4 minutes
7. Add Shrimp - boil for about 5 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink --don’t over cook.  Serve!

Jaffe Berry Shortcake

"I used a pan called a “Mary Ann Pan” (@Williams Sonoma) that has an indentation on the top for the fruit to go in.  But you can probably use a regular springform pan and cut a bit of the cake out on top to hold the fruit."  -Jen

WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 cup chilled heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp sugar

 Beat together until stiff peaks form.  (I would double this…I don’t think it made enough)

FRUIT FILLING

• 3-4 cups of mixed berries
• ¼ sugar

Combine all refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until berries are tender.

CAKE

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• Lemon Curd – (ok…I bought this and didn’t make it from scratch…)

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt.  Set aside
2. Beat butter and sugar on medium speed 2 min.  Reduce speed to low and add 1 ½ cups sugar slowly, beating until blended.  Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-5 min
3. Add eggs 1-at-a-time beating well after each.  Add in vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and start/ending with flour.  Beat just until blended but no lumps.
5.  Pour batter in prepared cake pan (grease/flour) and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Let cool for 15 min and turn out on wire rack to cool for 1 hour.

Cake prep:

1. Strain berries over mesh sieve.  Using a pastry brush, spread berry juices over top of cake
2. Top cake with lemon curd, berries and serve with whipped cream

A beginning...

Three dinners into our little dinner party experiment and it is proving to be a huge success!  Hosts have really put forth effort in making a welcoming and appetizing environment in their homes, and all the guests have brought their A-game in their dishes and drinks.  All of this combined has made for wonderful, memorable evenings with the best of friends.