Cooking with friends... A long, lovely day

[alanz]

We REALLY enjoy cooking with friends, especially experimenting with new recipes and techniques.

Yesterday, two friends from our local community theater came to our house for a (long) day of cooking and eating. They arrived at 4p.m. and we paced preparing and consuming the courses slowly, over good conversation... Dessert was finished around midnight.

Food was made and consumed in this order.

Beverage: Sangria made with Beaujolais, muddled oranges and lemons, Cognac and Grand Marnier. Frozen grapes in lieu of ice cubes.

Nibble 1: Smoked baby clams on blue cheese and cream cheese atop Sociable crackers.

Nibble 2: Gravlax with black bread and cream cheese. Lauren and I prepared this 48 hours in advance, using a new recipe that calls for less salt, and the addition of lime zest to the fresh dill. Results were buttery consistency and lovely flavor.

First course: We shucked and consumed 30 oysters, served with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. Very briny, great texture, absolutely delicious.

Second course: Caramelized Carrot Soup. From the Modernist Cuisine at Home cookbook, this wonderful soup is started in a pressure cooker using only carrots, butter and carrot juice. Spectacular, rich and... well, carroty.

Main course: Sous vide cooked fish. Two types of fish (Arctic char and Chilean sea bass) cooked separately, but with the same poaching liquid (shallots, garlic, vegetable stock, butter and saffron). The sea bass was the star. Served with a tomato / basil compote.

Salad course: (prepared after the main course) Mixed greens with bacon topped with parmesean/fennel fritters, and a buttermilk dressing. Served with asparagus spears cooked sous vide in balsamic dressing.

Dessert: Blueberry clafoutis with whipped cream.

Very ambitious, very delicious, great fun choreographing the dance of four cooks in and around our little kitchen.

I will post photos soon.

Edited July 13, 2014 by alanz (log)

[Shelby]

Sounds like the perfect day to me 

[alanz]

Although we have known them for almost a year, this was their first visit to our home, so it was a great way to spend time together.