Mom's 50th

[peppyre]

It's my mom's 50th birthday and of course I am planning on doing something big. I need some more ideas for food. I want to stick with basically finger food, appies, salads and things, since we will be in the back yard and I want to keep it quite casual. All my mom really wants to do is drink, so my main focus will be to keep enough food in her to stave off as much of the hangover as possible

I would like to do something with Duck breast but since I have never cooked it, I am at a loss. I'm going to have some Hanger steak on the grill, some chicken, prawns, salmon, maybe crab (it's really cheap here right now) but what should I do with everything.

It looks like I will be feeding around 20 people. So, what should I cook?

[kelautz]

When's the party and how much time do you have to devote to it? Any helpers?

[little ms foodie]

for my wedding reception we had duck breast served on polenta that had been cut into circles. It had a 'bbq' sauce on it and was divine! Another fav is cucumbers with ahi in them, cubes of cukes hollowed out and filled with ahi.

[Trishiad]

I know you said finger foods but from your list of meats my brain went off on a theme tangent.....steak, chicken, and shrimp Fajitas, rice, beans, margaritas, great mexican beer, dacquiris (many boozy options) a tequilla marinated fruit salad. So simple with salsas a plenty and stacks of tortillas. Skewer the fruit to make it easier to eat while standing or wandering.

[Badiane]

So many ideas!!!

Since you have never cooked duck breast before, I don't think a party for 20 on a special occasion is the place to try and develop that skill. You could, tho, if you wanted to include duck, whiz down the the chinese grocery and get a bbq duck, or to Oyama and get some confit and make this:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/108327

I make a modification of it sometimes...you could change it up to fit your timeline and skill level and tastes. Nice hand held recipe.

I already put my crab suggestion in the Vancouver crab topic...so I won't type it again.

I seem to be full of Asian style stuff today...I like a nice poached or steamed shrimp wrapped in a snow pea and skewered with a toothpick drizzled with a nice sesame soy or nuoc mam type viniagrette. Or, you could wrap the shrimp in bacon, pancetta or prosciutto, skewer it and grill it. A nice tomato viniagrette would be good.

You going to bbq the chicken? I'd stick with thighs or legs...but that is just me. Or do a nice salad with the chicken in it. Good make ahead.

New potato salad, a nice pasta salad, maybe something with couscous or another grain?

I could go on for hours.

For salads,

[peppyre]

The party is July 9 and I am planning on taking a few days off work that so I have plenty of time. No helpers, but that's not a big deal. I've done catering work where I was the only person remaining sober during the crucial cooking/knife moments. Skill level isn't an issue either. It isn't so much that I haven't cooked duck, I have confit in my fridge that I made back in January, (yes Arne, I still have some left) I just haven't dealt with the actual breast in any way and I would like to do something unique. I don't really have a "theme" in mind and if I don't think I really want one other than I'd like to give everything the aura of being simple but yet very elegant and classy. There will be lots of wine and a few bottles of champagne. And cocktails...there are always cocktails with this group.

So, will this help with the suggestions

[rjwong]

For what it's worth, Click on this link to this week's LA Times Food section digest (15 June 2005).

There is an article on cooking with beer, with four recipes, if you're so inclined.

A different article has a recipe for duck breasts with pan-roasted cherries.

peppyre, for some reason, I'm getting the impression that most everyone will be drinking their meals at your mother's 50th, ehh?? Perhaps you might want to PM Marlene and/or Sam.

[suzilightning]

with crab so cheap what about a crab salad served on endive spears?

mini crab quiches?

sausage rolls?

what about doing the duck breast then slicing it thinly - pop on crostini with some arugula and maybe a dab of chutney?

whatever you do don't forget the tiara for you mom to wear:wink:

[barolo]

How about seafood platters with crab, shrimp, mussels, clams, oysters etc.? You can cook all them in all advance and offer dipping sauces or have some raw, some cooked. A big platter or two with seafood on crushed ice looks great and seafood works well with champagne.

Gazpacho shooters in little glasses to start would be a nice.

I don"t have any great duck ideas, I think of it as winter food for some reason.

[aliwaks]

peking duck "quesdillas"come to mind

shredded dock in flour tortilla or if there is asian market near you rice paper with hoisin, scallion & cucumber

or non asian :

mini saffron dried cherry risotto cakes with slices of rare duck breast and drizzle of reduced pan sauce/zinfandel will look really pretty tied with a blanched scallion

a good make ahead as well you could make the cakes tomorrow and freeze then re-heat

baby duck club sandwiches:

toast + mustard + duck + toast + tomato + herby-mayo+ arugula+ toast

those are my duck suugestions

or petit duck wellingtons with shitake mushrooms & pate de foiegras

[peppyre]

I think we have a keeper with mini saffron risotto cakes with duck breast. Yum!!

I also like the idea of the crab on the endive. Crab is extremely inexpensive here right now and I think it definitely has to be apart of the menu. I'm also getting a hanger steak that I can grill, I'll have a crudite platter with veggies from my mom's garden. A spinach salad, again from the garden. I'll get my mom's husband to make his BBQ'ed bacon wrapped oysters and I think maybe a couple more salads and some bread and I think that's it. Thanks for all the ideas, I'll take pictures to capture the chaos of all this.

[highchef]

I second the idea of 'shooters' uplink...more, there are oyster shooters (in shot glasses or oriental style ceramic spoons) and this lovely thing using your crab meatpea crab shooters. I'd use a spicy avacado recipe and modify the crab..it's the structure of the thing that's soo cool and so party time! That makes it easy to eat while you drink...a glass in either hand!

[suzilightning]

peppyre-

how was the party? what did you finally decide on serving? how many times were the police called - oops, sorry. you aren't in poughkeepsie

any pictures?

[peppyre]

The party was fantastic!! I actually have a ton of pictures that I haven't been able to upload from her computer. (my question about that was never answered either)

I only have internet at work until tomorrow but I will try and get the menu and pictures for everyone later in the week.

I'll just say, the duck that I made was outstanding!

[peppyre]

Since it's been 6 months and I've had time to forget quite a bit, I figured it was a good time for an update. I've had a helluva time uploading all these photos into imageGullet and gave up many times. But finally, they are there.

I'll start with dinner one that was held on her actual birthday. It was her choice, whatever she wanted.

The menu:

Fresh Crab

Shrimp Salad with Thousand Island Dressing

This is sans dressing, to be added later, but what a great dressing. I've never made Thousand Island before, and I have to say, it was damn tasty.

The crab was wonderfully sweet and Sam agreed

We drank a very special bottle of Champagne:

The feast!

My mom was very patient and waited for me to take the picture, her husband on the other hand, was shaking his head laughing at me. He thinks this is all very weird.

But wait...there's more to come.

[suzilightning]

oh, pep -

your sam is a stitch and your mom is so lucky(please note i am only 1 year older than she is!! )

the crab looks divine and the signed bottle of pol roger <SWOON > how can i get one of those - though preferably a cuvee sir winston churchill - my favoirte premium champers

[Gifted Gourmet]

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What a wonderfully humorous photograph!

Hope those aren't paranoid crabs ...

[peppyre]

oh, pep -

your sam is a stitch and your mom is so lucky(please note i am only 1 year older than she is!! )

the crab looks divine and the signed bottle of pol roger <SWOON >  how can i get one of those - though preferably a cuvee sir winston churchill - my favoirte premium champers

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Yeah, Sam is pretty cute. As we say, he gorgeous....that's it He's my mom's cat and quite honestly, my cat can't stand him. He's too silly for her.

As for the bottle, well, men tend to adore my mother. She's gorgeous, with a personality to match. Let's just say that "Sir" Pol Roger was a wee bit smitten