As I've said before, there's almost nothing I enjoy more than the pleasures of good food with good company. I love having friends over for dinner, and I love cooking and serving them dishes that make them moan ... one of several very enjoyable ways to make someone moan. ;^)It's also always a good way to try out new dishes, ingredients, flavors, techniques, etc. There's always more to learn, whether I'm still in culinary school, between classes, or working making food for a living.
Here's some of the stuff I've been cooking at home over the last several months:
What's that? You wanna come over? Well, let's see if I can fit you in ... ;^)In honor of the dinner served in the film "Big Night". "Little Big Night"
Green Apple Risotto
Timpano di Maccheroni
A huge pastry filled with ragú Napoletana, pasta, peas, meatballs,
Parmagiano and mozzarella cheeses and more (which took two days to make)
Sweetened Mascarpone Cheese with Strawberries
and a drizzle of Old Balsamic Vinegar
Sweet Potato and Crab Chowder A Going-Away Dinner
for my friend Steve, May 1997
Lump crabmeat with sweet potatoes, sweet Texas 1015 onions
and cream, flavored with Louisiana tasso ham
Seared Creole-Seasoned Ahi Steaks
Seared rare, stuffed with Truffled Foie Gras
with Roasted Shallot Port Sauce and Steamed Asparagus
Crawfish Mashed Potatoes
with fresh chives, crème fraîche and smoked bacon
Endive, Watercress and Walnut Salad
with lemon-walnut vinaigrette dressing
1994 La Crema Pinot Noir, Sonoma County
Banana, Pecan and Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding
with Mint Crème Anglaise
Maple Butter Glazed Roasted Turkey Thanksgiving Dinner 1997
(marinated for 48 hours in a brine with maple syrup,
sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper, and herbs)
Turkey Giblet, Sage and Porcini Mushroom Gravy
Shrimp and Andouille Dressing
Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Pears
Green Beans with Walnuts and White Truffle Oil
Roasted Root Vegetables (Potatoes, Parsnips and Turnips)
THREE different kinds of cranberry sauce, including:
Port Wine Cranberry Sauce with Ginger
Regular Jellied Cranberry Sauce that Slides Out of the Can (for my roomie), and
That Shocking Pink NPR Susan Stamberg Cranberry-Onion-Sour Cream-Horseradish Thing
Chocolate Pecan Tart
Tea-Smoked Swordfish on Thai Red Curry Risotto Other Stuff
with Peas and Peppers
Andouille Cheese Grits Topped with Fried Eggs and Creole Sauce
Bananas Foster French Toast
Pan-Seared Red Snapper on Ancho Corn Chili, with Grapefruit Margarita Sauce
Jicama, Carrot and Iceberg Lettuce Salad with Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette
Strawberry Pie with Homemade Rhubarb Sorbet
Shrimp Creole
Grilled Ginger-Garlic Marinated Chicken
Sweet Potato Chipotle Gratin
Coconut-Cardamom Custards with Roasted Banana Sauce
Grilled Halibut with Roasted Corn Sauce, topped with
Grilled Basil-Garlic Portobello Mushroom and
Fresh Herb Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Creole Crab Cakes
Orange-Pecan French Toast
Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo
White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Pasta Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp
Jokai Bableves (Hungarian Bean and Smoked Sausage Soup)