September 29, 2007

Appetizers

 Bacon-Wrapped Enoki

• FAST

ACTIVE TIME: 10 MIN TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN

MAKES 2 DOZEN HORS D'OEUVRES

INGREDIENTS

12 slices of bacon, halved crosswise

Two 4-ounce packages enoki mushrooms, trimmed and split into 24 bundles 

3 scallions, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch lengths

Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 425°.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bacon on it 3 inches apart.  Set the mushrooms on the bacon slices.  Top with the scallions and season with pepper.  Roll up into tight cylinders and secure with toothpicks.

2.  Roast the enoki bundles for 18 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and crisp.  Drain the bundles on paper towels, remove the toothpicks and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The bundles can be made through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight.

Wine Recommendation:

The mild mushroom and salty bacon here will flatter a creamy but not too oaky Chardonnay. Try a New World one, like the 2002 Trefethen Estate from Napa.

Basil Leaves Stuffed with Chèvre and Pine Nuts

• FAST

TOTAL TIME: 25 MIN

MAKES 20 HORS D'OEUVRES

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup pine nuts

4 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temperature 

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

20 large unblemished basil leaves, about 3 inches long 

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a small, dry skillet, toast the pine nuts over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes; let cool.

2.  In a small bowl, mix the goat cheese with the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper.

3.  Spread 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each basil leaf. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, pressing them into the cheese. Scatter the chopped tomato on top. Pinch each leaf together near the center to form slightly rounded bowls  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve.

Recipe by Kathy Gunst

From Easy Dishes for Anxiety-Free Entertaining, September, 2002.

Salad/Soup

Blue Cheese and Walnut Spinach Salad

w/Maple Dressing

Main Course

Broiled Swordfish with Roasted Tomato Dressing

(written for 10 servings)

 10 1” to 1 ½” thick swordfish steaks – 10 oz each

1 cup olive oil

½ cup finely chopped basil leaves

2 tsp minced garlic

Salt and pepper

Combine oil, basil and garlic.

Coat fish steaks with marinade.

Salt and pepper steaks.

 2 pints of cherry tomatoes

1 cup olive oil

½ cup finely chopped basil leaves

4 TBS balsamic vinegar

Cover broiler pan with foil.

Lightly oil foil and tomatoes and broil until tomatoes slightly charred and soft.

Place tomatoes, oil, basil and vinegar in blender and puree until smooth (long time).

Taste for seasoning; add salt and pepper if desired.

Cover and set aside.

Cover broiler pan with foil again.

Lightly oil foil and place as many steaks as possible on broiler.

Broil about 8 – 9 minutes until nicely browned on both sides, turning once.

Remove steaks, cover and hold while broiling remaining steaks in same fashion.

Plate steaks, pour tomato sauce over each and serve.

 Source:    The Yachting Life, April (?) 2007 Edition, with variations.

Orzo Salad with Feta and Avocado

(written for 10 servings)

1 lb – 2 lb orzo; large grain, Greek, if possible (Note: we used 2 lbs and had plenty left over.  Other ingredients below are for 2 lbs orzo; adjust where you feel necessary)

1 cup olive oil

Salt

4 Hass avocados

4 pints cherry tomatoes stems removed and halved

4 tsp minced garlic

6 shallots, thinly sliced

Juice of 2 oranges

Grated zest of 2 lemons

10 oz feta cheese (French, if possible), crumbled

Leaves from 12 large fresh marjoram sprigs, coarsely chopped

Reserve 1 whole marjoram sprig for each plate or serving for garnish

Bring large pot(s) of water to boil, following package directions.  (Start with HOT water from tap)

Salt the water, add orzo and cook al-dente, 8 – 10 minutes.

Pour orzo into fine mesh sieve and run under cold water to stop the cooking.  Drain well.

Place orzo in to LARGE serving bowl and toss with ½ of the olive oil.

Pit, peel and cut avocadoes into small cubes.

Add avocadoes, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, orange juice, lemon zest, feta, chopped marjoram, and remaining olive oil.  Gently toss. 

Serve on plate with swordfish, or plate separately – we did it on same plate.

Add garnish.

 Source:    Williams-Sonoma PASTA.  1^st Edition 2001, with variations..

Wine

ZEAL

Marlborough

Product of New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc - 2006

Zeal (n., enthusiastic devotion, passion)  The Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand are unlike those from anywhere else in the world.  Wildly rich, super ripe, exotically flavored, these wines turn even the most tame wine drinker into a passionately devoted Sauvignon Blanc fan.  From Marlborough, New Zealand's most prestigious viticultural region, comes this intense and racy Sauvignon Blanc.  

With flavors of gooseberry, passion fruit and guava, Zeal is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

This straw-yellow wine offers fresh, clean tropical fruit aromas and classic Sauvignon Blanc gooseberry flavor.  Zeal is fresh, crisp and lively.  This is an excellent wine especially well-matched to light appetizers and meals, including salads, scallops, and to take the heat off spicy cuisine.

Dessert

Peach Melba Cakes

Makes one 10-inch tube cake

This cake was inspired by the famous peach-and-raspberry combination Escoffier created for the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba. In the Mustards version, sweet, juicy peaches are baked into individual golden butter cakes and sauced with tangy raspberries - a fruit-and-cake match made in heaven. You can use flavorful freestone peaches that are firm but ripe. If they have thick, fuzzy skins, you should peel them.  (This is easily accomplished by blanching them briefly in boiling water to which you have added a bit of lemon juice, then plunging them into ice water. The skins should then slip right off)  I recommend superfine sugar for the cakes, but granulated sugar will do. The cakes can be made early in the day, then reheated as described below.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Butter and flour six 4-inch ramekins (they should each hold 1 1/4 cups).  Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and set them aside.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cream the butter and superfine sugar in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and beat until smooth.  With the motor running, add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition, and beat until smooth. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternately with the sour cream and starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat only until combined.  Finish mixing by hand with a spatula.  Divide the batter among the ramekins, and level the cake batter with a small spatula or butter knife.  Set a peach half, cut side up, into the center of each ramekin atop the batter.  Sprinkle each cake with 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar. Bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown around edges and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  The cake batter will bake up around the peaches without completely covering them up.  Allow the cakes to cool in the ramekins on a rack.

While the cakes are baking, combine the berries with the 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon juice, and gently crush the raspberries with a fork to release the juices.  Allow the raspberries to macerate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, then taste and add sugar as necessary.  The raspberries can sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour, or you can refrigerate them until they are needed.

To serve, increase the oven temperature to 450°.  Return the cakes to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, then run a paring knife around the edges of the ramekins and turn out the cakes.  Turn them right side up on serving plates, and surround each with a helping of raspberries.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream.