Salad Splendor

Who says salads have to be boring? Today's lunch included:

Fresh Baby Spinach with Crispy Lardons, Poached Egg drizzled with a Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Finely diced shallot
Fresh lemon juice
Dijon mustard
Honey
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

The egg is poached enough to hold its shape but with a soft center. The Lardons (in this case, good old fashioned bacon) are crispy. The dressing is tangy and the spinach, rich.

Not bad for a dreary Sunday!

Dinner Party Menu

I recently hosted (not catered) a small dinner party of 5 for my dear friend’s birthday. She has some strict food likes/dislikes as well as food allergies, so taking that all into consideration, I wanted to do something fun for her. Not wanting to be stuck in the kitchen when my guests were there, I needed to think of things that could be prepared ahead of time and/or could be finished quickly or reheated right before people arrive.

APPETIZERS

• Kale chips: Made the morning of the party: washed and dried well, flat kale leaves (no stalks!) tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Baked in one layer on low heat for a long time. Light, airy, crispy and salty. A great starter and conversation piece as they were served standing upright in a tall glass. *Caution*: Tough to eat in mixed company as they tend to get stuck in your teeth. Have toothpicks handy.

• Grandma’s Swedish Meatballs: Ok, so this was my version of Grandma’s recipe. And, frankly, they’re not classic Swedish meatballs, which are often in a cream sauce. These are actually sweet and sour meatballs. (I never did understand why she called them 'Swedish') My guests do not eat ‘beast’ so I used ground turkey. Earlier in the day I made a basic meatball recipe (ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg), formed them into tiny, single bite size meatballs. Baked in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes then transferred to a crock pot where the sauce was already waiting. Crock pot on low, these were ready and waiting for us once the party started 5 hours later. These were a huge hit.

• Cheese and Crackers: Yes, it’s more than ok to take some help from the store when having a party. 3 different cheese in varying textures and flavors – stinky, creamy, aged, etc. The plate was garnished with a mixture of dried fruit. *Note*: One of the smellier hard cheeses on the plate wound up in a little of the sweet and sour sauce on my plate. A delicious accident!

SALAD

Fresh baby spinach, dried cranberries and candied walnuts in a pomegranate vinaigrette.

Candied Walnuts
1 cup walnut pieces
¼ cup superfine sugar
Place both the walnuts and sugar in a dry, non-stick pan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until sugar has melted and walnuts are coated. Do not let burn.

MAIN COURSE

Chicken Pot Pie with a puff pastry crust (specific request by the birthday girl)

DESSERT

A giant cupcake-cake made by the same friend who made the chef’s hat cake to the left. We make a great team!

When a Chef is Expected to "Bring Something"

There's nothing more gratifying to me than cooking for my friends and family. They are my biggest fans, amazing critics and the world's best guinea pigs. But the pressure is always on. I've got to top myself from last time, don't I?

When someone has a party or you go stay with someone for the weekend, you ask and always mean "What can I bring?"

Whatever you decide to bring has got to be GOOD. I mean, you can't bring storebought cookies or a cake when they KNOW you can make it yourself.

So you start to think through your arsenal, "nope, they had that last Easter. No, I made this for that party a few months ago." So then you think about what you can make that's new and fresh. But you realize:
a) you don't have time for a dry run**,
b) whatever it is needs to be mostly assembled and/or cooked ahead of time because their house probably won't have the right equipment
c) noone wants their kitchen taken over by someone else when it's their party.

**Side note on the dry run: Most people, especially most chefs no matter how famous or experienced, are a bit insecure. So a dry run is essential for the chef to actually enjoy themselves at the event instead of watching every face as they take a bite.
"Are they gagging?" "Did they just spit it out or were they wiping their mouths?" "I KNEW there was too much pepper."

I'm going to stay with some family who I adore this weekend. I normally bring a bottle of wine and something edible. Here's what I decided on this time; a dessert, an appetizer and something a little different from a bottle of wine:

* My famous Peppermint Patty Brownies. Time tested and approved. They come out great, even when I vary the brownie recipe slightly. A chewy brownie, with a layer of peppermint frosting and topped with ganache. Best served cold, near frozen.
* A salad of cubed watermelon, sliced feta cheese, fresh mint and a dash of sea salt. Sweet, salty, and couldn't be more stress free.
* Tarragon infused Vodka. I did a small test a few weeks ago and it came out delicious! I'm doing it on a larger scale today, with the intention of mixing the concoction with lemonade and served straight up. The combination of the slightly anise flavor with the sweet, tangy lemonade makes this a really refreshing summer drink. I'm a little nervous about the infusions, but since I've done it once, we should be ok. It's infusing now - I'll let you know how it turns out.