Now, I may be over-thinking things just a bit, but that's how I roll. And, not to brag or anything, but I throw a damn good party, so I must be doing something right. Here's how the day went down. You may want to take notes, friends and enemies; here are 11 easy steps to a successful Dinner Party Day (DPD, patent pending):
1. Early morning run/swim. I like to start most days this way, but on DPD's it's a must. A little time on the treadmill/in the pool gives you time to plan menus, pick wines, choose outfits, etc. It also burns off pesky nervous energy.
2. Check for allergies/food dislikes. Nothing brings a DPD to a grinding halt like a trip to the emergency room with your guest in anaphalactic shock. The Kid's encouraging reply, however, ('None! Go crazy!') bode quite well.
3. Finalize the menu. Because I was looking to impress (both The Kid and you, my readers and detractors), I chose something I had never made before - a one-pot curry (recipe below). A risk, yes, but worth it.
4. Head to the grocery. Fresh ingredients can make or break a recipe. Running errands will also help pass the time - a plus if you are a bit anxious about the impending dinner.
5. Consider the amount of prep involved and plan accordingly. I picked only a few of the more complicated/messy ingredients to have chopped and measured ahead of time, rightfully assuming that it would be more fun having The Kid help in the kitchen; especially in a galley kitchen where space is at a premium. Lots of excuses to reach across/bump into each other, if you catch my drift.
6. Make the dough/bake the bread (see recipe below). As some of you may remember, I have not had the best of luck with bread-baking. That I attempted to make fresh bread again, may or may not indicate how much I'm into The Kid. Impressing him aside, having something baking in the oven when a guest arrives makes the whole apartment smell nice (and sets you up for the compliment: "something smells good...")
7. Shower and dress. If you, like me, usually cook in your pyjamas (or, in the case of one memorable batch of muffins, wearing nothing but an apron) choosing an outfit can be difficult. My advice? Comfort and functionality first. Anyone who shows up on DPD and expects you to be chopping and peeling in pearls and heels shouldn't have been invited over in the first place.
8. Crank up the jams. My "dinnerpartay" ipod playlist is mostly jazz standards and classical pieces. You want a mix of unobtrusive background music, songs you can hum/sing, and tunes to dance to (should the impulse strike). Dancing in the kitchen might be the best kind of dancing.
9. Start chopping greens/mixing the salad dressing (recipe below) as 6pm approaches. You don't want it to appear as though you've just been sitting around waiting for your guests to arrive. Plus, if it had turned out The Kid wasn't handy/interested in helping in the kitchen (he was), it wouldn't have seemed as though he had to help.
10. Mix a couple of martinis. I like to prep with cocktails, have white wine with the salads/appetizers, and then red wine (or another white depending on the dish) with the main course. Whether or not dessert will be the kind that requires liquid accompaniment, is entirely up to you and your guest. Personally, I find it better to have both hands free when it comes to dessert.
11. Set your guest to work while you finish the salad. The Kid made short work of peeling and chopping all the veg for the curry; most excellent considering peeling potatoes is possibly my least favorite kitchen chore. Have the salad ready just as the curry starts its 20 minute simmer. Finish your martinis, pour the wine, and get ready for a wonderful meal and equally wonderful company.
Fuck Yeah! Foccacia
so named 'cuz I finally made truly edible bread; from the March 2010 issue of Food+Wine
2 cups spelt flour
1 envelope dry active yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons sea salt
In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, water, honey, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 3/4 teaspoons of salt. Stir until a dough forms. It may be sticky but that's ok.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, but no more than 1 minute.
Oil the bowl and put the dough back in it. Cover with a dish towel and place the bowl in a warm place to rise for about an hour. It should double in size.
Since I still don't turn the heat on very high in my apartment (and having learned my lesson the last time I tried to make bread in a 55 degree kitchen), I let the dough sit on top my oven which I had turned on to 200 degrees. Actually, having the heat down for a DPD turned out to be a great idea. The colder the apartment, the closer you have to sit to your guests. The closer you have to sit, well, I'll leave that up to you.
When the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the dough into a 8x12 inch oblong and brush with the remaining olive oil. Using your finger, poke indentations into the loaf. Sprinkle with the rosemary and salt. Let rise uncovered on the cookie sheet for 45 minutes. (This is a good time to grab that shower and get dressed).
Put the bread in the oven at 350 and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned all over. Let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing and transferring to the bread basket on the dinner table. Yes, I have a bread basket. Yes, I pulled out all the stops for The Kid. Yes, there may even have been bread plates.
In The Mood Salad
from the aphrodisiac-themed menu in the February 2010 issue of VegetarianTimes. The starred ingredients are those with supposedly amorous side effects.
for the dressing
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons minced ginger**
2 tablespoons sesame oil**
for the salad
3 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup watercress, coarsely chopped**
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped**
1 cup of fennel root, sliced very thin (basically the inner couple of bulbs)**
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced**
1 cup radishes, thinly sliced**
the green tops from those radishes, sliced in ribbons**
2 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds**
to prepare
Toss the greens, watercress, parsley, radish tops, and onions in a large bowl. Add the fennel, radishes, and pineapple and toss again. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the avocado and sesame seeds and serve immediately. (thanks to The Kid for taking the DPD pics)
The Kid and I drank Funf riesling with the salad which was actually a bit too sweet for the ginger-pineapple salad. I'd recommend something much drier, a Kabinett riesling or pinot grigio, maybe. Even so this salad was excellently delicious and went great with the foccacia.
DPD Vegetable Curry
from the March 2010 issue of F+W
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
2 tablespoons green onion, green parts only, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
a few grinds each fresh ground pepper and sea salt
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons mild curry powder
2 cups coconut water
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 packed cups kale, stemmed and coarsely shredded
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons vegan sour cream
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, jalapeno, and green onion. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, sweet potato, and carrot. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini and curry 1/2 teaspoon at a time, stirring in between to coat the veggies.
Pour in the coconut water and lime juice. Simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are soft and the liquid is reduced by half, about 20-30 minutes.
Add the kale and cilantro, cooking until the kale wilts. Stir in the sour cream, turn off the heat, and serve immediately.
Since I used mild curry powder, this dish was not very spicy. Don't get me wrong, it was amazingly delicious, but those who like a bit more kick might sub in some hot curry powder. Or like The Kid and I did, pour on some of Gary Gecko's Thai Juan On hot sauce. Sriracha would have been killer, too. Muy caliente, muy delicioso. We paired the curry with a fabulous Alsace Pinot Blanc, which might be my new favorite white wine.
***
And so the first (and hopefully not the last) DPD of 2010 ended.
Well, it ended as far as you're concerned, readers.
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