Second NY Potluck Dinner

[elyse]

Oh yeah, I regret not having any of Rachel and Jason's special rum. Save me a shot?

[tommy]

jason, what's with the "hair" on the poached balls?

elyse, bring your pie to the farmers' market for sure.

[elyse]

jason, what's with the "hair" on the poached balls?

tommy, you have finally suceeded in grossing me out.

elyse, bring your pie to the farmers' market for sure.

I absolutely shall. Still have to find pans though.

[Rachel Perlow]

No, no, tommy's right. The poaced balls especially look like little aliens. We decided to add cellophane noodles to the mix, but didn't cut them up small enough and they stuck out. The recipe's been edited to reflect this and a few other changes (like using real lemongrass - when food processed fine enough, you don't feel anything fiberous).

[Jason Perlow]

jason, what's with the "hair" on the poached balls?

Bean Thread Noodles.

[tommy]

(like using real lemongrass - when food processed fine enough, you don't feel anything fiberous).

ahhhh...the sweet smell of victory. and fresh lemongrass.

nice job with the bean thread noodles j.

[Jason Perlow]

nice job with the bean thread noodles j.   

It tastes a lot better than it looks

[=Mark]

Actually I kind of liked the way the poached larbballs looked. I bet if you had fried them instead the noodles would have added a nice crunch...

Oh yeah, thanks for the ride to Penn Station. Was gratified to see I'm not the only one who obtains gratuitous pleasure from pissing off my GPS unit.

[Jason Perlow]

Actually I kind of liked the way the poached larbballs looked.  I bet if you had fried them instead the noodles would have added a nice crunch...

Oh yeah, thanks for the ride to Penn Station.  Was gratified to see I'm not the only one who obtains gratuitous pleasure from pissing off my GPS unit. 

deep fried, you mean... the other larb balls were pan fried.

[SobaAddict70]

hm I wonder what they would taste like as dumpling filling?

I had a couple for breakfast today btw. Finger-lickin' good!

Soba

[Bond Girl]

A good time was had by all. I went home over stuffed with food. Elyse's pie really rocked. I like to thank suzanne for being such a great hostess.

[Jason Perlow]

hm I wonder what they would taste like as dumpling filling? 

I had a couple for breakfast today btw.  Finger-lickin' good!

Soba

They would probably work really well as a dumpling filling, in fact the formulation is bascially a dumpling filling.

[Jason Perlow]

A good time was had by all.  I went home over stuffed with food.  Elyse's pie really rocked.  I like to thank suzanne for being such a great hostess.

Yes, same here to Suzanne and HWOE, they were fantastic and very gracious hosts!

And yes, Elyse's pecan pie was truly a magnificent specimen. Definitely more than good enough to base a successful business on, I think.

[NewYorkTexan]

What great pictures.

What is it going to take to have Jason and his camera join us down in Austin for our next event.

A free airline ticket is not the correct answer

[Rachel Perlow]

Free Airline Ticket and Hotel Room.

Back to the larb/noodle thing: When raw, the noodles stuck out of the fried ones too, but they mostly broke off during cooking. I think just cutting the noodles up more would have helped.

[SobaAddict70]

ok the recipes.

Full disclosure: 2 of the recipes are from Lorenza's Pasta (Lorenza de'Medici, 1996, Clarkson Potter). The tomato sauce is inspired by the version found in Simple Italian Food (Mario Batali, 1998, Clarkson Potter), but I went a couple of steps further.

For the tomato sauce:

garlic

tomatoes (Mario specifies canned tomatoes, but I prefer using Pomi vacuum packed when not using fresh. Here, I used chopped tomatoes although the strained version works just as well.)

onions

carrots

EVOO

salt

pepper

Saute garlic in EVOO. Add onions and carrots. Add a bit of salt. Saute until onions are slightly translucent -- actually this is the step that's kind of difficult to describe as far as I'm concerned because its pretty instinctual. Add tomatoes, lower heat and simmer. Adjust seasoning to taste as sauce simmers. At this point, I added dried basil and dried oregano to the mix and let it simmer for a little over 45 minutes. Then strained through a food mill, using the fine disc. Saved and reserved the tomato/onion pulp for later. Reserved the tomato sauce for use later.

----------------

I decided to improvise for the vegetarian offering since people were supplying olives in the form of olive bread and Suzanne's marinated olives. Also, by the time this got served, it had cooled down quite a bit so people thought that it was some kind of pasta salad. It's ok though...people liked it....but it really wasn't supposed to be a pasta salad. Oh well, maybe next time. The final product is quite a bit different from Lorenza's version.

For the fusilli alla siciliana:

Cauliflower

EVOO

Garlic (I used about half a head)

capers

anchovy fillets (I was planning on getting salt-packed anchovies but couldn't so I opted for the more familiar kind)

flat-leaf Italian parsley

red pepper flakes

balsamic vinegar

Roast cauliflower (350 degree preheated oven) for an hour and 15 minutes. I had prepared it by breaking into florets, and seasoning with EVOO and kosher salt. Took out the cauliflower, let it cool for a bit, and then chopped the whole florets up into smaller pieces.

Saute minced garlic in EVOO, add capers and anchovies. Saute until anchovies have disintegrated into the sauce. Ok, so this wasn't a purely vegetarian offering, but the anchovies are only there to provide a certain depth of flavor. I like to use them because they add a bass note to a lot of dishes along this particular vein. Tossed in a good dash of red pepper flakes, not enough to overwhelm things but enough to lend a hint of a bite. Added the florets to the garlic/anchovy mixture, drizzle with a little more EVOO, toss to coat and cook uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more EVOO as needed. Towards the final 5 minutes of cooking, added a splash of balsamic vinegar and let the vinegar mostly cook off. I wanted just a hint of tang and sweetness. Added a little more EVOO, and adjusted seasoning to taste. Prepared fusilli and combined pasta with the sauce directly in the pot. Added parsley and tossed to coat.

I've made this dish A LOT of times, so I've reworked the recipe a lot. Roasting the cauliflower adds a new dimension to the dish that the original one lacks...not that the original one isn't any good.

Lorenza uses pici in the pici alla salsiccia e funghi (pici with sausages and wild mushrooms). Pici are a sort of thick spaghetti with a hollow tube down the center. I couldn't get pici at the last moment, so had to settle for percatelli. On the subject of pasta secca, I prefer using Di Cecco first, Barilla second, and generic/Ronzoni dead last. I feel that Di Cecco is a superior product, but other views may vary. I also tried to get dried porcini, but had to settle for portabella and shiitake.

EVOO

onions

garlic

sweet Italian sausages, casings removed and meat crumbled

wild mushrooms

Pomi chopped tomatoes (for the tomato sauce, I used 1 and 1/2 boxes, reserving the half box to be used directly in this dish)

dried thyme (Lorenza suggests using marjoram)

salt

pepper

basic tomato sauce (above)

tomato/onion pulp (above)

red wine

Saute onions and garlic in EVOO. Add sausages, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until sausages are browned. Deglaze with a splash of red wine. Add wild mushrooms. Add tomato sauce, adjust seasoning, cover and reduce heat, simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato pulp and reserved chopped tomatoes. Add thyme (or marjoram if using). Adjust seasoning. Simmer uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until volume of sauce has reduced by a little under half. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Meanwhile, prepare pasta and then combine directly in saucepot.

Sorry Jason, but the recipe database is too complicated for little old me.

Soba

Edited July 14, 2003 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[Aquitaine]

What a wonderful way to spend an evening! Thank you, Suzanne F and HWOE, for opening your doors so graciously to the voracious and vociferous horde. Thank you also for letting us invade you (and drop lettuce and who knows what else behind your furniture) and leave you with way too much cleanup...

I'm not going to single out any individual dish, since they were all impressive (I guess that was to be expected from eGulleters...) and attractively arrayed. But most of all, it was just great to be able to meet everyone in person. A very congenial group.

The salad dressing used for the orange-cucumber-red onion-and-lettuce salad is a creation of Floyd Cardoz at Tabla, New York, and was published in the New York Times on December 8, 1999. (Only the dressing recipe....) I'm not sure what the rules are about posting published recipes. So I'm going to paraphrase....

Lime Chutney Sherry Dressing

1 part sherry (like an oloroso; not too dry and not too sweet)

1 part red wine vinegar

1 part EVOO

1/16 part Indian lime pickle, like Patak's Mild Lime Relish

1/16 part mango chutney (I use a sweet one, rather than a hot one)

Chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Over medium heat, reduce the sherry to two-thirds of its original volume.

In a blender, process the lime pickle, chutney and vinegar until smooth. Blend in the sherry. While the machine is running, slowly add oil until emulsified.

Add the tarragon, salt and pepper. Do not blend. Refrigerate unused portions (keeps for quite a long time in a cold refrigerator; bring to room temperature before serving).

Sometimes I serve the salad without cucumbers and add black olives and a spinkle of cayenne....

[Suzanne F]

Okay: here's the list of the much-consumed consumables, as complete as it can be since I forgot to ask some people to sign their stuff in, before they left. Also, I didn't note who brought the Balthazar baguettes, and neither did they; so what if they were bought? They were a very important and delicious contribution!! Listed more or less in the order in which people signed in:

KyleW (in absentia; aka, from my freezer): sourdough ficelle

megc: tapenade; goat cheese

elyse: pao de quijo puffs and crackers; pecan pie; beer

=Mark: Chicken Salad Sunrise

Rachel Perlow: watermelon ice creams (several versions), watermelon sorbet, lychee and key lime sorbet; beer and soda. And ice.

Jason Perlow: larb balls (steamed and deep fried), with lettuce leaf wraps, pickled vegetables, sliced cucumber, cilantro, mint, and Thai basil leaves, and dipping sauce (Rachel helped on this, too ) Plus wasabi mayonnaise for Fat Guy's brisket, and a special Appleton rum

Bond Girl: spicy lobster-tomato salad; madeleines

SobaAddict70: perciatelli with wild mushrooms and sausage; fusilli with roasted cauliflower, capers, and anchovies; Pellegrino

Aquitaine: salad of organic (right?) lettuces with oranges, red onions, and cucumber, with a lime relish-sherry dressing (so is that cayenne in the itty-bitty jar that says "olive oil" on top?)

Fat Guy and Ellen Shapiro: Brisket braised in veal-sherry stock with 3 sauces: horseradish cream, veal stock emulsion (modified from recipe from Dave the Cook), and warm reduced jus; a multi-gallon jar of "new half-sour pickles" and most of a bottle of soju which is still sitting in my freezer, nice and slushy

Anil: coffee liqueur; anise liqueur; Belgian chocolates and Turkish tea which unfortunately did not get opened

jhlurie: green beans; baklava; chocolate custard/yellow cake melange (tasted a lot like Boston Cream Pie, even though it didn't look like it); some sort of slabs of custard that tasted like a cross between creme caramel and the filling for galactoboureka; and some truly horrible sugar-free chocolate, the only positive of which was the label of one that proclaimed: "Zero Carbs – Zero Guilt – Zero Laxative Effect"

jogoode: wine? He left early, before I made people fill in the list.

Belmont3: brandade; onion-and-bacon quiche; Nyons olive-gruyere bread with roasted tomato sauce; wine

Suzanne F: Chicken – Duck liver and pork terrine with mushrooms; marinated black olives; chimichurri-based creamy herb dip (baby carrots, sugar snap peas); spiced sorrel beverage, with or without 2 kinds of rum; iced tea; assorted crackers

HWOE: wine

I'm not sure who contributed which wines, other than HWOE who gave Dr. Konstantin Frank 2002 Dry Riesling, and Paumanok 2001 Festival Chardonnay. There was also: Falesco Vitiano 2001 from Umbria; 2000 Puligny-Montrachet; 2001 Chablis from Louis Michel et fils.

As Jason's excellent photos show, the table was riot of color contrasts, the food was a riot of flavors, and the company was simply a riot. We all managed to keep our clothes on. Even though a few of the ladies got a bit steamed up looking at the "Famous Chefs Naked with their Blenders" calendar. (well, Rachel did take off her shoes, but that doesn't count.)

There was not a dud in all the dishes. My personal favorites included megc's tapenade, Bond Girl's lobster-tomato salad, Aquitaine's leafy salad, and Belmont3's quiche, as well as the aforementioned and deservedly praised cheese thingies, larb balls, and Soba's pasta dishes (which, btw, were cooked fresh, from scratch). But truly, everything was great. Even =Mark's pasta salad

The cleanup (yes, HWOE has participated mightily) has been worth it for the great time we all had. Sorry I forgot to show more people around the place, including checking the time and temperature from The Watchtower.

Thank YOU all for coming. And for those who couldn't make it, yes, we've got to do this again, please. Here or somewhere else.

[tommy]

suzanne, i'm looking forward to hearing how you made that terrine.

[jhlurie]

Aquitaine, I think those are exactly the rules. They own the words, not the concepts. I'm pretty sure it can even be inputted into RecipeGullet with that understanding, paraphrasing and attribution.

[elyse]

Jon, your teeth don't look yellow on my computer, and I see no bags under your eyes. Mr. vanity.

Anil, I didn't even see the liquors.

Next time we do this, can somebody please remind me that beer is filling and will make me eat less?

[elyse]

Suzanne, can I come over for dinner tonight?

[anil]

.....

Next time we do this, can somebody please remind me that beer is filling and will make me eat less?

Eat less ? Make it an eating continium - Like today - It started @ Allen ST. with congee and just concluded half-hour ago with a tart from Payard & a watermelon gazspacho @ Bastille Day on 60th & 5th 6 hours of slow munching

EAT and be HAPPY

[=Mark]

Are all the other recipes in the eGullet collection? Here's mine. (Make sure your saffron is fresh!)

[Suzanne F]

Suzanne, can I come over for dinner tonight?

You kidding? I'm not sure we're even going to have dinner tonight! But actually just about everything went into the freezer; we'll see how the sauces hold up. The green beans are in the veg bin; we knocked off the tomatoes from the lobster salad earlier, along with some of the terrine, goat cheese, and that yummy tapenade. Of course, I had to leave your addictive cheese thingies out on the counter so that I can keep picking at them. DAMN they're good.