Dinner Party

“Dining partners, regardless of gender, social standing, or the years they've lived, should be chosen for their ability to eat - and drink! - with the right mixture of abandon and restraint. They should enjoy food, and look upon its preparation and its degustation as one of the human arts.”― M.F.K. Fisher, Serve It Forth

I end the Colorado series with our last meal together. I offered to cook dinner for a few of Kelsey's roommates and friends. I decided to make it a tapas/potluck style dinner as I love to eat meals that are little bits of many different tastes. It was an ambitious menu for one person, in a short amount of time, but I had some awesome Sous Chefs to help me out. Although cooking a large meal for a group of people can seem a little scary and overwhelming, when you are in the kitchen with your friends and guests and they are all part of the process of creating the meal, cooking can be just as enjoyable as consuming the meal.

Menu:

Prosciutto and Green Olives
Calamari and Cod Ceviche
Shrimp and Spanish Chorizo Bites
Sherry Mushroom Bruschetta with Pine Nuts
Chili Lime Sticky Wings
Simple Salad

I always like to start a meal with a few easy, simple, light finger foods to get every one's pallets ready. An amuse bouche if you will. Nothing that will fill you up, just a few salty bits while you sip your first cocktail that wet every one's appetite for the meal to come. Olives are my go to, light and briny. Prosciutto is just tasty, but whatever you see in the grab and go section that looks good to you, you are already making a meal, let the store help you out!



Sherry Mushrooms with Pine Nuts

This is a wonderful appetizer, and a different take on the usual tomato bruschetta. The savory mushrooms are a perfect canvas for the aromatic ingredients (especially the sherry) which makes this dish melt in your mouth.


Serves 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) container cleaned and sliced Button mushrooms
• 2 (8 ounce) containers cleaned and sliced Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
• 1/3 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large french baguette, cut into 1/4 inch slices, and drizzled with olive oil
Directions
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until beginning to brown.
Stir in mushrooms, sherry, and pine nuts; continue cooking until mushroom juices have almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and season generous with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
While mushrooms are sitting, place baguette slices on a baking sheet under the broiler for a few minutes (watching carefully that they don’t burn.) Spoon some of the mushroom mixture over each slice and serve immediately.

Source: Very Culinary
http://veryculinary.com/2011/04/07/sherry-mushrooms-with-pine-nuts/

Shrimp and Spanish Chorizo Bites

A stunning and elegant dish, and so quick and easy!

makes about 30 bites

 1/2 pound medium shrimp (about 30 shrimp), peeled and deveined if necessary

1 (7.9 ounce) package of Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon dry Sherry

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, oregano, vinegar, Sherry, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil; toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Skewer one shrimp and one round of chorizo onto wooden toothpicks or skewers. Repeat with the remaining shrimp and chorizo.(I skipped this step)

If you skewered: Working in batches, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place a few skewers into the pan and sear on both sides until the shrimp are cooked through and the chorizo is lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a serving platter and garnish with the parsley.

If you didn't: Heat skillet over medium heat. Use the oil and sherry marinade the shrimp was in, as your oil for cooking. After the oil marinade mixture has come to temperature add chorizo and shrimp. Cook mixture until shrimp just turns pink. Serve the entire mixture (including oil and sauteed garlic) in a shallow dish. Garnish with parsley. I like to serve it this way with crusty bread, the oil becomes flavored with the spicy chorizo and the sauteed garlic, perfect to dip the bead in. Enjoy!

Source: The Galley Gourmet
http://www.thegalleygourmet.net/2012/06/shrimp-and-spanish-chorizo-bites.html

Chili Lime Sticky Wings

These are perfect for any get-together! A big game, Potluck, Grad party . . . They’re just good!

For the chicken:
• About a dozen large chicken wings
• Season each wing evenly with kosher salt, ground black pepper, chili powder, and a little cayenne pepper, garlic powder (the amount for each is totally up to you)
• For garnish, chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp oil or non-stick cooking spray for the baking sheet
For the glaze:
• 1/4 cup honey (or more)
• 1 to 2 tsp lime juice
• 5 tbsp butter
• hot sauce to taste (Cholula or Tapatio or your favorite)
• Season the glaze with cayenne pepper, black pepper, a pinch of salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, cumin, and chili powder (taste as you go and adjust seasoning)
• Kosher salt to sprinkle on top (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray evenly with non-stick cooking spray or brush 1 tablespoon of oil all over the bottom of the foil lined baking sheet.

For the glaze...

Combine all of the ingredients except the lime juice, into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a soft, controlled simmer and allow to reduce for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste as you go, adjusting the seasoning as you see fit. Add the lime juice at the very end, and stir. Remove from heat, cover loosely, and set aside to keep warm while the chicken cooks. As the glaze sits, it will thicken and become stickier by the minute -- just a heads up.



For the chicken...

Rinse the chicken wings under cold water quickly, then pat each wing completely dry with paper towels. Season each chicken wing all over with all of the seasonings listed. Arrange each wing flatter side up (see photo for reference) on top of the scallions, leaving at least 1-inch of space between each wing. If you arrange the wings too closely together, they will steam rather than crisp up.



Place the chicken wings on the middle-lower oven rack and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush 1 to 2 coats of the glaze over each wing. Place the chicken wings back into the 450 degree oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, I glaze the wings throughout the cooking process flipping them every time, in about 5-7 minute intervals. Keep an eye on these last 10 minutes, because depending on your oven, it can caramelize faster than you'd expect and burn. If wings are not crisping, you can turn over to broil and keep a sharp eye on them so they do not burn. Allow the wings to rest and cool for 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle just a tiny pinch of kosher salt over each glazed wing to help bring out the flavors.

Serve with a garnish of chopped fresh cilantro.

Enjoy



Recipe adapted from: Carnal Dish

http://carnaldish.com/recipes/meat/poultry/chipotle-lime-stickywings/#.T7LnRFIxinA

Calamari and Cod Ceviche

This is one of my go to dishes! It’s perfect on a hot day, and very addicting. This is a crowed-pleaser!

5 Calamari Bodies (Cleaned)
1 fillet of Cod or any white Fish
1Bell Pepper (whatever color you prefer)
1Jalapeno
Cilantro
1Red onion
2-3 Cloves Garlic
4-5 limes
EVOO
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Red Pepper Flake
Avocado



First slice the calamari into rings. Cube fish into small bite size pieces(look out for bones). Next juice limes over fish. I start with 2-3 and then increase after fish has marinated and "cooked" from the acid by taste. I season with salt and pepper (and other seasonings above) little by little as I go. Adding more seasoning as I add each ingredient. I always taste after every step. I start with garlic(minced), then the onion(diced), then the Jalapeno(diced), then the red pepper(diced), finally the avocado(small bite size pieces). After I add the avocado, I juice about half a lime directly on top of it, before I stir it in to the rest of the mix, to prevent discoloration. And finally the cilantro. A final taste for seasoning. And then I place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through by the acid. Serve with a drizzle of EVOO and garnish with cilantro and tortilla chips.



Simple Salad

Just that...whatever salad ingredients you have, lettuces, veggies, fruit? Cheese, nuts, croutons.... and whatever salad dressing you prefer in your fridge. Have Fun!

Needless to say it was a wonderful meal, and I am not solely referencing the food. The company was exquisite and welcoming. There is something about sitting down and dining with people that puts everyone at ease and allows everyone to relax and get to know each other.

 It could also be the vino or PBR.

But this is the art of dining, telling stories, laughing with or at one another and making new friends and memories. It’s how we make, experience and enjoy our culture.

We ate and drank "with the right mixture of abandon and restraint", and I can't wait to reunite with these old and new friends to do it all over again.

Until next time, Bon Appetit Colorado!

Boulder Food Crawl

Day two in Boulder started early!

I was so excited to be in
Colorado I woke Kelsey up even though it was an hour earlier my time.

I wake up early...sorry Kels

We started with some bagels and coffee on the go to fuel up for our hike! Boulder has great hikes with beautiful views. And as I sit here in rainy rainy dreary Seattle I am soo missing this one.

We got off the trail and needed to cool off in the creek! After a brief stop at Target for floating accessories we were on the banks of the creek trying to beat the oppressive heat.

Here is Kelsey with her floaty! Isn't she a cutie! She is deciding if she should brave the creek and float down the "rapids". 

We had a long morning/afternoon filled with aerobic activity. So what does that mean to me???

Wine Time Baby!

After we cleaned up from our very "Boulderish" day. We headed to an Italian Pizzeria called

 Pizzeria Locale.

They offer a great HH. The restaurant is clean, bright and white, with a long bar where you can feel like your in Napoli watching the handsome bartenders pouring Vino Bianco.

Prosciutto Di Parma Riserva & Olive

The prosciutto was buttery and perfectly salty, the olives paired nicely with the crisp white wine. I was already in HHH (Happy Hour Heaven).

But we were at a Napoli Pizzeria, so we had to try the pizza.
(I know, poor us) 

http://www.pizzerialocale.com/

We ordered the Margarita Pizza. It was stunning. Thin crust, melty cheese, simple yet amazing sauce and basil. All we could both think of was the scene from Eat Pray Love.


But because we had more appetizers to conquer we did not devourer the whole thing like Julia Roberts.



Next we strolled down the street to Aji, a Latin American restaurant. We chose more than a few items off their menu as well as the menu of their sister restaurant next store Leaf, a vegetarian restaurant.


We started with their house sangria.

Refreshing...

Aji makes their own hot sauces, which are fabulous!

From the Aji menu we ordered:

Duck and Pork Tacos

Lobster and Banana Ceviche

From the Leaf Menu:

Tempura Avocado

Apricot Deviled Eggs

It was all amazing and delicious, but my favorite were the Lobster Civiche and the Tempura Avocado.

http://www.ajirestaurant.com/Home_Page.html

Not only were there plantain chips but the civiche actually had citrus marinated bananas mixed with the rich lobster meet. I would not have guessed banana and lobster together but it was a pleasing surprise. Topped with pickled red onions it was tangy & luxurious.

http://www.leafvegetarianrestaurant.com/Home_Page.html

This dish was truly amazing. On the plate is a sour orange sesame reduction, with black sticky rice cradling the tempura avocado, topped with a mango salsa. Tempura avocado is genius, crunchy exterior and a silky lush interior, the acid cuts the richness of the dish. It was inspired!

No need to say how we felt after this meal, FULL. But well worth it! Long drawn out meals are what it is all about, we sipped and nibbled, laughed and caught up on each other's lives.

We slowly walked back to the apartment, and caught up on The Bachelorette, a perfect evening after our meal...ok meals!

Day 3 next and more food to come!

Saturday morning always feels so great. You have the whole weekend ahead of you, Monday seems so far away. But we all know 6pm Sunday afternoon comes REAL fast. But this is why we all must let Saturday morning soak in! This is usually best achieved with liquid, the alcoholic version. And yes I do proudly wear the title of Lush!

Saturday morning the boy and I headed over to a new restaurant that was recommended to us for brunch. Cafe Parco is a lovely Italian inspired cafe. There were only a couple of other people in the restaurant so we were seated next to the open window overlooking the park across the street.

If you are going out to breakfast booze should almost always be involved.

There were many scrambles and frittatas. There was a sweet and savory section which had savory style French toasts. For example this was the dish that was recommended.

Panino Croccanti

Two pieces of French Toast

Layered with rosemary ham and black truffle Sottocenere

and topped with a soft egg.

This sounded great to me, but since it was recommended by my boyfriend’s co-worker, he was planning on ordering it. I pondered over the Pork Belly, but then decided that I would opt for the Sweet shrimp and avocado scramble with potatoes. At the last minute my boyfriend changed his mind and ordered the Banana Bacon Waffles. If he would have ordered the original dish we went there for, I might be more enthusiastic about this restaurant, but since we didn’t I’m not sure this review represents the best dishes this kitchen has to offer.   



The dishes came out very quickly and my dish was exactly how I would have expected it. The shrimp were a little over cooked, but the flavor was good and put avocado on anything and I will eat it.

The Banana Bacon Waffle was really good, sweet and savory with a light and crunchy waffle. Over all, great service, average food, a little pricey, charming atmosphere and hey there’s booze!



I’m sure we will venture back to Café Parco and we will have to try the recommended dish!!
All in all great start to the weekend, but Sunday afternoon came to quickly again!

http://cafeparco.com/main.php