How to serve a five course dinner
Ian and Susanna came over for dinner two nights ago. Ian is good people; he's Irish, from Dublin, but has lived in Edinburgh for five years and works in the IT Security field. We have roughly the same job for different companies. Anyway, Susanna is his girlfriend. Susanna's very pregnant, about seven months, and has reached the walking slowly, sleeping on pillows stage.
They had invited Ingrida and me around to dinner in September, and because I went home to see Maman and help out, then Christmas and New Year happened, we didn't get to return the favour until two nights ago.
Here's what I made:
1. Vichysoisse. Which I served warm, because it tastes better warm. And, I used plenty of the green part of the leeks, because it looks better - I don't care what Joel Robuchon says. This soup is so easy to make that I'm surprised I don't make it more. Creme Fraiche is a must, though, which can be hard to find in America. Served it with home made bread (see the pheasant course, below).
2. Salad. Spinach, blanched petit pois, olive oil, salt flakes, feta, a squeezed lemon. Toss with your hands. Simple and very tasty. Takes five minutes, if you dawdle.
3. Pheasant, which I'd shot myself. I was going to make a salmis, but I was baking bread and don't have a double oven, so I couldn't cook the pheasant independantly (a salmis needs the meat pink but you want the skin crisp), so I just barded it with bacon and roasted it. Then I took halved some water chestnuts, chopped an apple, crushed some crispy fried bacon and sauteed the whole thing. After the pheasant was cooked, I used the pan juices and some mushrooms to make a gravy. I sliced a breast and a leg/thigh combo off for each guest and served them arranged on a bed of poached Savoy cabbage, strew the water chestnut/apple/bacon mixture on top and then drizzled the mushroom gravy over top. Not to toot my own horn, but this looked fantastic and tasted every bit as good as it looked. And it sounds like work, but it really wasn't.
4. Fish. Haddock, in fact, but I was looking for Tilapia. I stole this recipe from Papa: poach the filets and some peanuts in chicken stock, serve over basmati rice. Easy as pie.
5. As soon as the pheasant and bread were out of the oven, I slid in a cherry pie. I admit it - I cheated on the cherry pie. I didn't make my own pie filling, I bought cherry pie filling from Tesco's, but hey, I was feeling lazy.
There was also a cheese course, ready for action, but it took us five hours to get through the above and it was half twelve already, so Susanna especially was ready for bed. Ingrida had work that night, so it had just been the three of us until she showed up at around midnight. She missed most of the meal, but was happy to content herself with pie - three slices of it!
Anyway, the kitchen is finally clean, this morning, but it was worth every dirty pan.
Comments
O, Gluttony how I do adore thee!
It's so interesting how Nathan and I are differentiating in our cooking. Strange that Nathan has drifted back to our continental roots. Though, I cannot blame him, the UK and Scots aren't exactly known for their famous cuisine. As I develop my tastes I have discovered that I am beginning to drift southward in my tastes. Beyond the Cajun's to the traditional foods of Latin America, currently, Mexico. Next on my list of things to make, mole con pavo.
I'm glad you had such a wonderful evening with your friends, Nathan.
Posted by: Mendon | February 17, 2006 1:35 PM
Popop used to hunt pheasant all the time. Sucessfully, unlike his deer hunting. Mimi used to prepare it 'pioneer style', in which she roasted it with bacon on top (much like you did) and then mixed heavy cream with the pan drippings for a sauce (no flour). Yummmmmm!
Posted by: ma | February 17, 2006 1:44 PM
No foie gras? LOL IC had Battle Foie Gras on the other day which was fun. Wish I could have been there to enjoy such a succulent spread! So you've gone hunting? My Iowa friends hunt birds lots, but I never have. Good to eat the fruits of your labor. Glad you are eating well over there and congrats on your big dinner!
Posted by: Hardisty | February 17, 2006 2:28 PM
Well normally I do not shoot my tilapia. It is much neater. Basmati rice would be luscious mixed with wild rice stuffed in the pheasant too. Oh well, next time I'm in towne I'll stink up the kitchen some more.
Posted by: papa | February 17, 2006 2:37 PM
That sounds wonderful! I love ccoking for others. It's so satisfying to feed people.
I've been enjoying some Low Country cooking. Chris has been making Pilau, greens and Shrimp and Grits. It's a whole new set of tastes for me. I'm hoping for some Frogmore stew soon.
Posted by: gregg | February 17, 2006 8:48 PM
Mensch, if you're looking to go south of the border, check out this white American guy who is known for his 'old-country' Mexican cookbooks. He just came out with a new one that is much more approachable for us good old reality people. Sorry - can't remember his name. If you can't find his cookbook on Amazon (I know it's there), let me know and I'll find it for you.
Posted by: Mara | February 17, 2006 9:27 PM
I heard that that haddock was good enough for Jehovah.
What? Mara, put that rock down! AH!
Posted by: Mark Fojas | February 17, 2006 9:28 PM
Pilau? I always thought it was spelled purlow!
Frogamore stew is incredible; really, it needs to be done in summer, when there are a dozen of you and then you cover the table with newspaper and dump the whole thing out onto the table and picke the shrimp out with your fingers. Oh, that's good eatin'.
Posted by: Nathan Dornbrook | February 17, 2006 11:38 PM
The cookbook says it's spelled Pilau, but pronounced purlow.
I love it.
Posted by: gregg | February 18, 2006 12:26 AM
Really? Pilau rice is made by Indians over here, and is just a kind of Basmati with some herbs in it - nothing anywhere near as good as a purlow.
Posted by: Nathan Dornbrook | February 18, 2006 1:31 AM