When our kids were younger, we were always having dinner parties. It seemed like the easiest -- read the only -- way to get together with our friends, who also had little ones who prevented Saturday evenings at home from being relaxing occasions.Since the girls became teenagers, I have gotten out of the dinner party habit. Saturday evening at home with a take-out pizza, a glass of wine, and a DVD, book, or my computer sounds just heavenly after a long week at work.
But last weekend was un pont -- a long weekend, and a four-day one at that. So I finally got it together enough to have a real dinner party: three other couples, new recipes, plenty of champagne to celebrate Obama's victory -- the whole nine yards.
As a bonus, I picked up a few new ideas along the way.
The dish in the top photo is a fairly simple rice, corn and black bean salad with a mild homemade salsa. I got the recipe -- and the presentation idea -- from here:
I had bought this book for myself about a year ago, and yet had never gotten around to using it.I like Deseine's idea of presenting a salad in mugs, mainly because the ingredients don't have to be arranged as artfully as in the now omnipresent verrines. And the visual effect was still much nicer and less picnic-like than just plopping a big salad bowl in the middle of the table.
For the main dish, I also tried a new recipe from this book:
Crumbles are oh-so-fashionable in France; I often wonder if there are now more French recipes for crumbles than British ones.The recipe I started with was called "Crumble Nordique," which consisted primarily of seasoned salmon over a bed of onions, with a savoury crumble topping.
I decided to go green with a bed of onions and zucchini, and at one point early on in the preparation, the dish looked like this:
Of course, later it got crumbled and baked. But by that time, I was having such a good time I forgot the camera for the rest of the evening!
12 comments:
The rice salad sounds similar to what we call a "Yumm! bowl," a menu item at a local chain of restaurants called Café Yumm!. (They are actually franchising beyond Eugene now.) They are delicious; I go there at least once a week for lunch!
Well, you'll have to make it again and post a picture when you do. I'm intrigued.
Good sign that the party was going well!
Obama's victory was a fantastic reason to throw a dinner party. :)
It all looked delicious. I like the idea of savory crumbles. Must have a look at that book next time I'm in a book store.
Where did you find the black beans? I never see them down here.
They are hard to find. I bought mine in Toulouse at some great store that sells spices and so forth. Maybe you know it -- I can't remember the name, though. They were dry, not canned.
I bet they could be ordered on Internet.
About the crumbles - I've noticed that, too, but why on earth do they insist on serving fruit crumbles cold?
That salmon crumble looks as if it would be delicious.
I can relate to your thoughts here...when the children were here, we entertained alot and then it slowed down.
Our cameras must become part of our jewelry it seems, can't go anywhere without it! Looks delicious
Ronell
Wow that is a LOT of salmon! I love dinner parties. And I know what you mean about forgetting to take further photos.
Nicole, those are small-to-middling chunks -- it's a close-up photo, so it may give the impression of being more than it is.
It was a dish for 10 people though. I used 8 medium-sized salmon filets.
Yum! I like the sound of the savory crumble. I'll have to check that out.
We have black beans coming out of our ears, only because every time we go back to the UK we stock up. We certainly can't find them around here.
live in France and I make this really yummy tomatoe and red-pepper savory crumble:
For the crumble use equal amounts of flour, grated-parmesan cheese and butter ( I use half salted butter) ... organic of course !
( I find that if you use 120g of each then you can feed 4 guests.... well at least in France you can... )
Mix the parmesan to the flour and then add the butter from the fridge (cut up into cubes). Once the mixture is nice and crumbly put it somewhere cold (fridge or if you're in a hurry.. freezer but not too long ;-))
Preheat your oven (6-7) (200 ° C)
Then peel your tomatoes (I use 4-6... depending on the season, quality, size... if the tomatoes aren't tasty enough, then I suggest adding tinned organic crushed tomatoes ). Cook them with 1 large peeled red-pepper (cut up into strips) and 2 cloves of crushed garlic and some 'herbes de provence' (thyme, .... .
Fry you onions (1- 3) white or yellow ones till golden and soft in olive oil and add 1-2 teaspoons of curry powder, salt, pepper.
Add to the tomatoe- red pepper sauce.
Butter your 'gratin dish' (dish must be deep enough) and pour you veg. sauce first, then sprinkle your savory crumble on top.
Cook for 35 min but I suggest checking it at 25-30. The crust must be golden not burnt.
I'm going to try another crumble soon( leeks, bacon, potatoe and cream with the same parmesan mix).
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