Interactive Italian Dinner Party

[Varmint]

For the past 3 years, I have hosted for our law firm an interactive Italian dinner party in which every attendee must get involved in the cooking/preparation of at least one dish. I set the menu, prep most of the food, and provide general oversight for the meal. We typically have 20 to 30 people attend. Every dish is plated.

We serve inexpensive wines that are paired with each dish.

I throw some of the standard Italian conformities out the window. For example, I generally serve a salad early in the meal. I don't strive for authenticity all the time. I even offer cappuccino (egad) after dinner. I'm looking for new ideas that can be easily assembled but are somewhat different from what I've done in prior years. Here's my menus from the last 3 dinners (excuse any horrific misuse of Italian):

2002

Antipasti

White Bean, Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

Smoked and Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto Bruschetta

Vino Rosso: N.V. Tre Uve

Vino Bianco: 2001 Bidoli Pinot Grigio

Insalata

Mixed Green Salad with Marinated Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Cracklings of Prosciutto di Parma

2000 Tiamo Pinot Grigio/Garganega

Primi

Shrimp-Filled Mushroom Caps with a Shallot & Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

1998 Vietti Dolcetto D’Alba

Secondi

Slow Roasted Copper River Salmon with Chianti Risotto and Braised Baby Spinach

1997 Sensi Chianti Riserva

Dolci

Ciambela with Minted Berry Compote

N.V. Stefano Farina Bianco Della Rosa

2001

ANTIPASTI

Prosciutto di Parma with Local Melon

Beef Carpaccio with Lemon, Capers and Parmigiano-Reggiano

1995 Melini Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany)

1999 Leverano Rosato (Apulia)

PRIMI

Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto with Grilled Prawns

1998 Pescorari Pinot Grigio (Friuli)

SECONDI

Roasted Breast of Muscovy Duck with Wild Mushroom, Arugula and Chianti Ragout

Soft Polenta with Pecorino Romano and Chives

1995 Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno Riserva (Basilicata)

INSALATA

Mixed Greens with Fennel, Gorgonzola, and Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette

1998 Borgo Sauvignon blanc (Friuli)

DOLCI

Fresh Fruit Crostata with Whipped Lemon Marscapone

NV Mondoro Asti (Piedmont)

2000 -- I don't have a wine listing

ANTIPASTI

Rosemary and Cheese Focaccia

Herbed Cannelini Bean Puree’

Antipasti Selection of Vegetables, Cured Sausage and Salami, and Olives

INSALATA

Seared Sea Scallop Salad with roasted Tomato & Garlic Vinaigrette

PRIMI

Homemade Tagliatelle with Wild Mushroom, Pancetta & White Truffle Oil

SECONDI

Swordfish Sardinian Style

Spinach, Escarole and Basil Saute with Toasted Pine Nuts and Garlic

DOLCI

Florentine Schiacciata with Crema Pasticcera and Blood Orange Gelato

So, can we come up with an eGullet composed menu for our dinner this summer? When the dinner occurs this summer, I'll be sure to post pictures. This event usually occurs in June or July, but I just learned today that I get to do it again! Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[awbrig]

Sounds like fun, Varmint!

Can you get some potato gnocchi in there?

Edited March 25, 2003 by awbrig (log)

[Varmint]

Sounds like fun, Stone!

Can you get some potato gnocchi in there?

Er, Stone?

Gnocchi is a bit of a bitch to make; however, I can imagine getting the dough prepared in advance and having 5 people roll the gnocchi along the tines of a fork. That might work, Brig. Thanks.

[awbrig]

Sorry about calling you Stone...I had just seen his name or responded to one of his posts or something...sorry VARMINT! (I corrected my previous post)

I have found that homemade gnocchi with a pesto sauce or cream sauce is always a HUGE hit!

[Craig Camp]

The wines and dishes from your past menus have heavily favored the north. Why not look to the south. Perhaps theme the dinner around a region. Sicilia would be an interesting choice - lots of interesting new wines. The various pasta al forno dishes are good choices for large dinner parties as they can be totally prepared in advance.

[vengroff]

I'll second the gnocchi. I think it's easier to make than most homemade pasta. What about a wild boar roast for a secondi?

[Varmint]

Craig-

I'd love to hear specific dishes from Sicily, as my familiarity is more on the north. I don't necessarily want the dishes prepared in advance; instead, I'm trying to get everyone involved in the cooking/assembly stages and then the plating. This dinner is for our summer clerks, and it puts people in situations that are a bit different than what you see at a typical dinner party.

Vengroff-

Catch me a wild boar, and I'm there.

[Craig Camp]

There is and excellent cookbook called La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio by Wanda and Giovanna Tornabene. I have used it often.

Small arancine are a great start at parties and as its spring one of the pasta dishes with spring vegetables is a good idea. I recently made the Penne con Carciofi e Piselli and it was a lovely, light dish. For more intensity try one of the tomato sauces made with estratto. Fish or meat as a main course?

Where are you based? This makes a difference because of availability of ingredients.

Edited March 25, 2003 by Craig Camp (log)

[Varmint]

I'm in Raleigh, NC, but the dinner is not until mid-June. I just got budgetary approval to repeat this event, and since it was fresh on my mind, I wanted to solicit guidance from the board.

We don't have anything confining our menu. We have traditionally favored seafood, but we can do fish and meat.

As far as sourcing ingredients is concerned, starting this far in advance will help me locate what I need.

Thanks for y'all's help.

[ronfland]

Maybe panzanella for the salad this year? (fun assembly for those who like to get their hands a little messy)

Including figs and venison in the menu might be fun. Lamb too seems to be missing from your previous messages.

Would it be too warm for a traditional soup, like wedding soup (escarole and white bean) or a beautiful chicken broth with crespelle (which might be fun for the attendees to make)? If so, I seem to remember some Italian fruit soups (in the north) - let me check.

[Craig Camp]

How's the fish in NC? You're near the coast so it ought to be good.

Do you want antipasti as a stand-up cocktail sort of thing or as a sit down course?

Do you know the Carolina Wine Co.? They should be able to get any wine you need.

[The Camille]

Hi Varmint

Here are a few links for Sicilian recipes to give you some ideas.

Nice overview of dishes, some from Eolian Islands:

http://www.lacucinaeoliana.com/

A comparison of 3 caponatas:

http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/b...?terms=caponata

Translated to English by the Sicilian chef (he's translated "sardines" as "Sardinians" ):

http://www.ricettemania.com/sicilia/english/

My suggestions:

If you're interested in the caponata, make the agrodolce (sauce) separately, and use a combo of the techniques in the 3 recipes (grill the eggplant, fry the celery and/or some fish, etc.). Plates nicely that way. Consider spiedini (listed as Sicilian roulades in the last link). Labor intensive prep, but it would work well for your interactive setting. You can do meat or fish in this style. These are great Sicilian summer dishes.

Gnocchi wouldn't be traditional Sicilian, but so what? You could use one of the traditional sauces and create a new dish (some ideas under "pastes" in the first link).

Hope this helps.

[Varmint]

How's the fish in NC? You're near the coast so it ought to be good.

Do you want antipasti as a stand-up cocktail sort of thing or as a sit down course?

Do you know the Carolina Wine Co.? They should be able to get any wine you need.

We can get good fish, but we can't be guaranteed about what's in on a particular day -- it's all based on what the boats brought in.

Antipasti has generally been stand-up food to go with a couple of lighter wines before we sit down.

I do know Carolina Wine Co. and its owner, Chrish Peel. He's a former lawyer! I've traditionally worked with another merchant, simply because of longstanding friendships (and the fact it's 2 minutes from my house), but Chrish is also a client from time to time!

[Varmint]

Maybe panzanella for the salad this year? (fun assembly for those who like to get their hands a little messy)

Including figs and venison in the menu might be fun.  Lamb too seems to be missing from your previous messages.

Would it be too warm for a traditional soup, like wedding soup (escarole and white bean) or a beautiful chicken broth with crespelle (which might be fun for the attendees to make)?  If so, I seem to remember some Italian fruit soups (in the north) - let me check.

Thanks for the suggestions. Figs aren't in season until later in the summer. I am thinking along the lines of a hearty meat dish this year. I've shied away from it in the past, but I think it's time to be brave! I'm not too worried about it being too hot for soup, as we DO have air conditioning here!

[Varmint]

Camille, thanks for all your suggestions. I'll spend some time with the linked sites.

[ronfland]

Sorry about the fig comment - here in NY we often have imported figs in July decent enough to cook with. Then of course - there are dried ones.

[Varmint]

Sorry about the fig comment - here in NY we often have imported figs in July decent enough to cook with.  Then of course - there are dried ones.

No apology necessary. I adore figs, but I'm currently in mourning as we lost our best producing fig tree in an ice storm this past winter. I use them as much as I can, and have often incorporated them in various dishes. I made lots of fig gelato last summer. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

[NewYorkTexan]

What a creative idea for a dinner party.

Perhaps it would be too casual for your dinner party, but one thought would be to do pizzas on a grill. Prepare the dough in advance and have a guest handle the toppings and grilling.

Grilled prawns using rosemary skewers on a bed of broccoli rabe. You can go in several different directions for the base, polenta…pasta…other vegetables.

[Varmint]

What a creative idea for a dinner party. 

Perhaps it would be too casual for your dinner party, but one thought would be to do pizzas on a grill.  Prepare the dough in advance and have a guest handle the toppings and grilling.

Grilled prawns using rosemary skewers on a bed of broccoli rabe.  You can go in several different directions for the base, polenta…pasta…other vegetables.

Grilled pizzas are a lot of fun, and we've done that for smaller dinner parties.

I did grilled prawns with rosemary branches in 2001, served with a sun-dried tomato risotto, and they were a big hit.

Keep the ideas coming, folks. This is great!!

[guajolote]

Marinate a leg of lamb w/ :

olive oil

rosemary

anchovies

garlic

lemon zest

garlic

chopped black olives

Cut some slits in the leg and push the marinade in.

Roast on a grill

[KatieLoeb]

Varmint:

I agree that the Southern Italian twist might be refreshing this time out. If you're doing wines for that definitely try to find some Primitivo from Puglia (the "heel" of Italy's boot) or Sicily. It's genetically the same grape as zinfandel and would compliment anything you'd normally serve a Zin with, like roasted meat/lamb or even BOAR! The wines are always a bargain and absolutely delicious. Other red varietals are negroamaro or nero d'Avola from Sicily. For whites, I'd try some Malvasia (dry with dinner, or sweet for dessert) or try some wines from Regaleali, a more "modern" winemaker that is experimenting with Chardonnay and Cabernet. You could also serve a nice vermouth as an aperitif, or cook something in Marsala. Possibilities are all over the map, so to speak.

Sounds like a LOT of fun too!

P.S. While visiting Baltimore check out Bin 604. Way cool wine shop with great customer service. If it were closer to Philadelphia they'd be vying for my regular business along with Moore Brothers.

[Varmint]

Egad, do you have any idea of how impossible this meal would be if only eGulleteers were invited? Everyone would demand to take control of the kitchen. That's why I ensure that most people don't have a ton of cooking experience!

Thanks for the wine suggestions, Katie. I've gone through a couple of cases of Primitivo, so that's something with which I'm very familiar.

As far as Bin 604 is concerned, I assume that you'll be acting as my guide?

[KatieLoeb]

As far as Bin 604 is concerned, I assume that you'll be acting as my guide?

I have to check and see how late the store is open on Wednesday evenings, and more importantly, how early I can skate out of my office that day. I'd like to figure out how close/far from eventual dinner destination the shop is. If it all works, you're on - I'd hate to be that close by and not have a chance to leave with a half a case or so! They also always have several bottles open for tasting, which definitely scores points with me.

[Varmint]

I'm less than a month away from this event, and I'm starting to think about a menu.

I like the focus on Sicily, and want to incorporate eggplant and mint in some of the dishes. The one thing about caponata is that it's been my experience that this dish is best made the day before. I don't want to really do that, as it doesn't give folks much of a learning opportunity.

Arancini may be a good start for hors d'ouevres before the meal. Suggestions for what to stuff them with would be appreciated. I've never made arancini. What type of rice would you use? What's a good recipe resource?

I may do a seafood salad type of appetizer or a tomato and bread salad. The latter may be new to most folks in attendance. However, an eggplant and seafood appetizer would be good. Any ideas?

I will do a pasta dish. I'm thinking of something fairly hearty and meat-based. I'm not finding wild boar readily available down here. Bill, do you know of any source?

I'll probably go back to seafood for the entree. I'm thinking about serving it with a green bean, red bell pepper, and mint sautee (with great EVOO and sea salt).

Dolci are always a wildcard. I typically make that myself, but please offer examples of simple, but fairly elegant, concepts. Some sort of citrus cake would work well. I'm pretty wide open on this.

Once we have the menu set, I'll consult you for the wine!

[slkinsey]

I like the focus on Sicily, and want to incorporate eggplant and mint in some of the dishes.

The thing that I find so interesting about Sicilian food is that is has many elements that seem less Italian and more North African. Lots of lamb, pine nuts, saffron, currants, mint, fennel, preserved lemons, etc.

For a primo you could make Mario's "Two Minute Calamari Sicilan Lifeguard Style" which includes Israeli couscous, calamari, pine nuts, currants, chili flakes and other good things. A real Sicilian classic is "Pasta con le sarde" which has bucatini, sardines, fennel, anchovies, saffron, raisins or currants and pine nuts.

For the secondo, there are many interesting lamb dishes, or you could make "Farsu magru" which is sort of like an interesting Sicilian meatloaf.