A Great Success

“Rode hard and put up wet.” And, in fact, that was pretty much the case. I had just catered a reception for 20, without help as always, immediately followed by a private dinner for four. I’d been on my feet, in the kitchen, for almost two days solid and when I got home at 9:00 Sunday night all I could do was crash on the couch for an hour of mindless TV to unwind, and then nurse this stiff old body into bed. The parties, though, were a huge success.

For the reception I made:

Feta-Stuffed Peppers
Saganaki (fried halloumi cheese)
Pears Wrapped in Prosciutto
Stuffed Mushrooms
Smoky Spiced Nuts, and
Pinchos Morinos (I did these as cubes of meat on toothpicks)

For the dinner I served:

Rack of Lamb with Port Demi-Glace
Potatoes Savoyard
Carrots Glazed with Mint and Lemon
Braised Brussels Sprouts, and
Chocolate Pots de Crème .

I’d done a previous dinner party for these folks so I knew the kitchen (a great work space with only one flaw, bad positioning on the fridge) and they knew me. They treat me with respect and appreciation as a professional providing a valuable service — a point that I was reminded of when one of their guests treated me like a servant by “ordering” a glass of ice water. (I was not serving the reception.)

All the food was a hit, and I absolutely nailed the quantities for the reception because at the end there were only three or four bites left of everything except the stuffed mushrooms. And I must admit, the mushrooms were exceptional.

My client is gluten-intolerant and so I had to come up with a mushroom recipe that didn’t include bread crumbs. When I suggested crab stuffing I learned she couldn’t eat shellfish either. But the solution immediately presented itself and it worked — witness the lack of any leftovers.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Pancetta and Dried Tomatoes

24 large button mushrooms
2 oz pancetta, finely diced
2 oz dried tomatoes (not oil-packed, and an ingredient the client suggested — it was perfect)
2 tablespoons Amontillado sherry
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tablespoons minced red onion
1 oz shredded Parmigiano
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400F.

Remove stems from mushrooms. I find the best way to do this is to make a vertical cut around the stem with a paring knife and then pop out the stem — this leaves a nicer and more predictable cavity for filling than simply pulling out the stem. Place the stems in a food processor and chop until about the consistency of very coarse corn meal.

Bring 1 cup of water (or chicken stock) to a boil in small sauce pan. Add dried tomatoes, remove from heat, and rehydrate for 15 minutes. Then remove the tomatoes from the liquid and coarsely chop.

Cook pancetta in a small, non-stick skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Drain on a paper towel and discard all but a tablespoon of fat from the skillet.

Add chopped stems to skillet over medium heat along with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper and the thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are dry. Add sherry and chopped tomatoes and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated.

Mix pancetta, mushroom mixture, onion, and Parmigiano in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stuff into mushroom caps and bake until you can see liquid leaking out — about 15 minutes. Serve.

Note: you can make these up to the baking point a day in advance and keep them in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to cook.

By the way, apparently the Host of this party hates Brussels sprouts, but She insisted I keep them on the dinner menu because She loves them and never gets to eat them. I did and added the glazed carrots to make Him happy, but told Her He had to try one sprout. That recipe has converted more than one sprout hater and in this case he ate two of the five he was served. Apparently, in the past, his record was a mere half a sprout. And that was my greatest success on Sunday.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | party | stuffed mushrooms | hors d’oeuvres | appetizer | canape

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