Tonight was a "four corners" night. Once every few weeks, I have just had enough shopping, eating out, and planning. There are times when it seems like there is "nothing in the fridge" and yet, I don't have the energy go shop, or order in.
Four Corners Dinners are those that I can pull together with the ingredients from the four corners of my fridge, my freezer and my pantry - as well as the back corners of my mind.
Tonight was a whirlwind tour of Asia, Thailand, Italy, New Orleans and just Canadian Sunday dinner. A combination of veggies, leftover cans of coconut milk, and a tomato, and half a head of garlic, some peanut butter, some soup stock - everything but the partridge in a pear tree. Speaking of which...
Holiday entertaining is HERE and aren't we all stressing just a little over some of our rituals we all claim to "love" about the holidays? Family dinners? Entertaining friends? Eating at the once-a-year holiday party with the people we work with? And what's often on the menu is really H E A V Y fare.
I am stressing about doing a dinner party next Sunday for friends. I want to make the dinner completely satisfying and delectable, and for it also to be one of the healthiest meals of the month. I also have to (always) resist against my own temptation to push myself to overdoing it, and remember the point of all this visiting is to actually visit.
I love a beautiful sparkling wine to greet guests with when opening a party. Nothing says "celebrate" like it! What is classic with champagne are gougieres, cheesy puff pastry bites that are just so rich, that they cut through the acidity of the champagne. Not so much healthy... but maybe I can find something with a similarly gorgeous richness?
Avocados are a gorgeous, buttery alternative to any rich mouthful, and would probably be great on a miltigrain cracker with a sliver of orange on top, and sprinkled with lime salt on top of that.
Crisp things at a party can not be beaten, but instead of something deep fried, what about a great platter of properly prepared crudites? The trick for things like asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower is to blanch them first. Then they get an explotive green colour, and some of the raw bitterness is edged out.
Bowl of Ice Water standing by. Salted boiling water. Drop veggies in for 30 seconds. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and plunge into ice water. Done.
SKIP the ranch dressing and get creative!
Olive oil, dijon mustard and lemon juice is a gorgeous combo.
What about soy sauce, hot sauce, toasted sesame oil?
Coconut milk, curry, peanut?
Honey, grainy mustard, garlic?
Imagine the last holiday dinner you sat down to where you weren't already feeling guilty before you started dinner?
A heartwarming soup is a spectacular starting course when first sitting down. Soups are great because they can be made well ahead of time and just reheated. If you make two complimentary soups, and pour them into two gravy boats, you can pour them into each bowl simultaneously for a beautiful colour contrast. Don't underestimate garnishes on soups... some chopped green onion, a drizzle of olive oil, some fennel fronds, or a crisp crouton can elevate any soup to a restaurant style presentation.
Bill's been asking for some root veggies lately - sweet potatoes, carrots, yams, turnips. Underneath my main course I want to try for something like a potato gratin, without the cream and cheese. I love a great sauteed spinach with garlic, and will borrow a presentation style from my beloved Teka, and add long thin swirls of carrot for colour.
I can't help but lean on a portobello when looking to replicate that satiating feeling of meat. I did a cauliflower steak that was absolutely gorgeous last week, and can probably just as easily crisp that panko coating onto a portobello. With a rich mushroom gravy, it could really have that wow factor.
What if I sandwich two portobellos with something in the middle? Roasted garlic is great with 'shrooms.. I need to get a grip, because I'm already getting carried away here.
What if I use the smooth mushy roasted garlic to coat the portobello, and for the steak-spiced panko to stick to that? It would be delicious, crisp outside, and tender inside.
The meal would easily stand up to a rich red wine, with a bit reduced into the sauce for flavor.
Dessert is going to be easy. Fresh fruit from everywhere is worth the splurge. Pick a theme. Berries? Tropical Fruits? Poached pears are classic right now. A cascade of colours, with a beautiful icewine?
Test menu can happen as early as tomorrow, photos to follow.
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