We started off with a spread of snacks and nibbles.

Salad

Once everyone was here, we started on the salad while the bird was in the oven.

Shaved Root Vegetable Salad
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Serving Size: 4

Summary:

Slice the red beets last and keep them separate until serving so their color won’t bleed onto the other vegetables.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons hazelnuts, divided
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons hazelnut oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red beet, peeled
1 medium golden beet, peeled
1 small turnip, peeled
1 carrot, peeled
2 radishes, trimmed
1/4 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Crush 2 tablespoons hazelnuts; place in a small bowl. Whisk in orange and lemon juice, vegetable oil, and hazelnut oil. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice beets, turnip, carrot, and radishes using a mandoline or V-slicer. Place red beet slices in another small bowl and remaining vegetables and parsley in a medium bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons vinaigrette over red beets; pour remaining vinaigrette over vegetables in medium bowl. Toss each to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange red beets on a platter; spoon over any vinaigrette from bowl. Top red beets with remaining vegetables. Drizzle salad with any remaining vinaigrette; garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts.

Soup

Tomatillo Gazpacho.
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Ingredients:

4 pounds tomatillos, chopped
1 pound onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1-2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
Ground cumin, to taste
Cilantro, chopped, to taste
Sour Cream, optional

Directions:

Boil tomatillos, onions, garlic, jalapenos, poblanos and vegetable stock until soft.

Puree till smooth and strain, then chill.

Puree raw cucumber then chill.

Combine chilled tomatillo puree with cucumber puree, then add a little ground cumin and chopped cilantro and blend till smooth.

Vegetable

The major vegetable side dish was a roasted squash:

Roasted Acorn Squash with Chile Vinaigrette
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Recipe By: Gourmet
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Summary:

This late-season squash is roasted to coax out its subtle sugars before being mixed with citrus juice, chile, and cilantro.

Ingredients:

2 (1 1/2 – to 1 3/4-lb) acorn squash
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile, including seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450F. Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. Toss squash with black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

While squash roasts, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer paste to a small bowl and whisk in lime juice, chile (to taste), cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined. Transfer squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Potatoes

Of course you can’t have thanksgiving dinner without potatoes. These where great, with the mix of white and sweet potatoes, the mix of flavors.

Mashed Potatoes with Cilantro and Roasted Chilies
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 poblano chilies
3 lbs. russet potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, quartered
1 lb. sweet potatoes
3 garlic cloves, peeled, bruised
1 cup warm half and half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Char chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed chilies; chop coarsely.

Cook potatoes and garlic in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 35 minutes. Drain. Transfer potatoes and garlic to bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth. Gradually beat in half and half. Add butter and beat until melted. Stir in chilies and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuffing

The stuffing is of paramount importance as well, and this one fit the meal perfectly.

Southwestern Corn Bread Stuffing
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Serving Size: 12

Summary:

Chilies and corn—staples of the southwestern diet—are the hallmarks of this stuffing. Its intense corn flavor comes from a mixture of corn bread, corn chips, corn kernels and cream-style corn. It gets its zip from poblano and jalapeño chilies.

Ingredients:

Buttermilk Corn Bread (see below)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers
4 large poblano chilies, stemmed, seeded, chopped
3 large jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage or 4 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups crushed corn chips
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups (about) canned cream-style corn

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut corn bread into 4 equal pieces. Crumble 3 pieces onto large baking sheet (reserve remaining piece for another use). Bake until slightly dry, about 20 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers, all chilies, sage and oregano and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with corn bread. Mix in cilantro, corn chips and corn kernels. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.

To bake stuffing in the turkey:

Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough cream-style corn into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream-style corn, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to brown, about 15 minutes.

To bake all stuffing in pan:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Mix in 1 1/4 cups cream-style corn into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Buttermilk Corn Bread
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Yield: Serves 12

Summary:

Use to prepare Southwestern Cornbread Stuffing, or enjoy this on its own.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, oil, sugar and eggs in large bowl to blend. Add dry ingredients, stirring just until blended.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)

Turkey

And of course the turkey, the required protein side dish (well, ok, some people consider it the centerpiece of the meal). Suzanne makes a mean turkey. This was no exception. She skillfully melded a couple different recipes to come up with this.

Achiote Butter-Basted Turkey with Ancho Chili Gravy
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Yield: Serves 14

Summary:

Achiote paste is a combination of vinegar, spices and annatto seeds, which have a unique, earthy taste. Basting the turkey with butter and achiote yields a moist, richly flavored bird, and the slightly piquant sauce is a refreshing change of pace from traditional gravy. Offer your favorite mashed potatoes, and pour a Pinot Noir.

Ingredients:

2 fresh poblano chilies
3 dried ancho chilies, stemmed, halved, seeded
1 22- to 24-pound turkey, giblets discarded
1 large white onion, quartered
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons achiote paste
3 1/2 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup Masa Harina (corn tortilla mix)

The Brine:

1 1/3 cups kosher salt
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
4 cinnamon sticks
6 ancho chilis, rinsed

In a large pot, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 qt. water. Remove from heat and add 5 qts. cold water, the garlic, cinnamon, and chilis. Let cool to room temperature.

The Rub:

2 tbsp. ground dried ancho chilis
2 tbsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Prepare brine and soak turkey in it. Chill, covered, 12 hours.

Char poblano chilies over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose chilies in paper bag. Let stand 10 minutes to steam. Peel and seed chilies.

Toast ancho chilies in heavy large skillet over high heat until color darkens slightly and chilies are fragrant, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer ancho chilies to medium bowl. Add enough hot water to bowl to cover chilies. Let stand until chilies soften, about 20 minutes.

Puree 4 ancho chili halves with 1/2 cup soaking liquid in blender. Add roasted poblano chilies; puree. Season with salt and pepper. Drain remaining 2 chili halves; chill. (Puree and soaked chilies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse turkey inside and out. Pat turkey dry. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Cut remaining 2 ancho chili halves into strips. Place chili strips and onion in turkey cavity.

Mix butter and achiote paste in small bowl to blend. Run fingers between turkey breast skin and meat to loosen. Rub half of achiote butter over turkey breast under skin. Rub butter over outside of turkey. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Tuck wings under turkey. Tie legs together to hold shape. Pour 1 1/2 cups broth into pan. Rub turkey with olive oil and rub with oregano and ground chili.

Roast turkey 45 minutes. Tent turkey loosely with foil. Continue roasting until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices, about 3 1/2 hours. Transfer to platter. Tent with foil.

Pour turkey pan juices into measuring cup. Spoon off fat from pan juices, reserving 1/4 cup fat. Add enough remaining broth to pan juices to measure 3 cups. Return 1/4 cup fat to roasting pan. Place pan over 2 burners set at medium heat. Add Masa Harina; whisk until mixture resembles paste, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Add chili puree; simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

Cranberry Sauce

What’s turkey without cranberry sauce. This was perfectly on theme, and so yummy.

Chipotle Cranberry Sauce
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Recipe By: Bon Appétit
Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Summary:

This relish has a smoky, savory
quality, thanks to the chiles and
garlic. Unlike most cranberry
sauces, this one doesn’t require
any added liquid.

Ingredients:

2 dried chipotle chiles
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (generous) ground cumin

Directions:

Place chiles in medium saucepan filled with water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chiles are tender, adding more water if needed to keep chiles submerged, 1 to 11/2 hours, depending on dryness of chiles. Drain.

Combine softened chipotles, cranberries, sugar, and lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until cranberries begin to pop, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon, and cumin. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly and flavors meld, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Remove chipotles. Stem and seed. Mince chiles and return to cranberry sauce; stir to distribute. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

Notes:

Ingredient tip: Dried chipotle chiles can vary by brand, with some being more supple than others. Look for chiles that give slightly when pressed between your thumb and forefinger. Chiles that are hard may not soften sufficiently when simmered in water.

All Together

Dessert

Chad brought this amazingly good pumpkin cheesecake.

Snappy Pumpkin Cheesecake
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Recipe by tasteofhome.com
Service Size: 12

Summary:

I won first place in a pumpkin baking contest with this snappy dessert. The judges gave high marks to its gingersnap-pecan crust and creamy marbled filling. If you wish, substitute cinnamon graham crackers for the gingersnaps. —Lisa Morman, Minot, North Dakota

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 30 cookies)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

GARNISH:

Whipped topping, optional
Additional gingersnap cookies, cut into wedges, optional

Directions

Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and pecans; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.

Place 1 cup filling in a small bowl; stir in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining sugar. Remove 3/4 cup pumpkin filling and set aside. Pour remaining pumpkin filling into the crust; top with plain filling. Drop reserved pumpkin filling by spoonfuls over top; cut through filling with a knife to swirl.

Place pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipped topping and cookie wedges if desired.

And I made this creme brûlée.

Chocolate-Ancho Crème Brûlée
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Recipe By: Epicurious.com
Serving Size: 8

Summary:

In this intriguing twist on a delicious and popular dessert, the ancho chilies add a touch of earthy heat.

Ingredients:

3 cups whipping cream
1 cinnamon stick
1 dried ancho chili with seeds, stemmed, chopped
Pinch of ground cumin
1/3 cup plus 6 teaspoons sugar
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/3 cup sugar in heavy large saucepan and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Strain custard to remove any lumps as well as the chilies and cinnamon. Reserve the chilies to mince for garnish.

Divide custard among eight 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place cups in heavy large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake custards until almost set in center, about 35 minutes. Remove cups from water and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat broiler. Mix remaining 6 teaspoons sugar and ground cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over custards. Broil until sugar melts and caramelizes, watching carefully and turning often, about 2 minutes. Use a brûlée torch is you have one, instead. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Refrigerate.) Transfer to plates and serve.

The Result

Everyone had a great meal and a great time.

THis has been sitting in my draft folder long enough that I’ve lost track of what I wanted to say. Since tonight we’re going to a second of these meals (by the same chef), I thought I should publish this one as is.

Back in February, Urban Daddy ran a story on a series of underground dinners in Chicago. We’d been familiar with this in San Francisco (in particular ForageSF) so we were excited to learn of this.

Suzanne made the arrangements, and Sunday night we caught the train North and embarked on our culinary adventure.

The menu was titled “Summer Solstice”, as it took place on June 19 and was driven largely by the previous day’s farmer’s market.

The Meal

Summer Squash blossoms, stuffed with Ricotta, with a green garlic puree.

Grilled soft shelled crab, dusted with curry, with pickled turnip and galangal puree.

Whole sardines with a peach, caper, fennel, sorrel, and mustard sauce and a panzella.

Wild Boar with a peppered beet puree and a pear and basil salad.

Strawberry tart with a vanilla and balsamic reduction.

The Experience

In all we had a great time.

We recently had some folks over for dinner and Suzanne made a Thai meal. She’s been bragging about he ability to cook authentic Thai food, so this was her chance to back it up.

And back it up, she did! In style. Seven dishes and two sauces. We fed six people and had plenty of leftovers. Maybe the most amazing thing was that the entire meal required a shopping trip to a single Thai market that rang in at just under $90.

I helped out some, but not much. I did, however, make the Miang Yuan. I’ve been making them for years, and when I suggested we have them on the menu, it was suggested that if I wanted them, I could make them. Not a problem.

Here are the dishes.

Miang Yuan (Fresh Spring Rolls)

• about a pound of shrimp
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 oz rice vermicelli
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 9 tender lettuce leaves (such as Boston), cut lengthwise in half, washed, dried, wrapped, and chilled to crisp
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 18 round rice paper wrappers, each about 8 inches in dia.
• Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Clean and/or cook the shrimp as required.

Soak the rice vermicelli until soft and drain.

To assemble the rolls, set out the ingredients on a counter in the above order. Fill a bowl with hot water. Dip a wrapper in the water until it’s soft and spread it out on a flat surface. I found that using a small cutting board worked well, then you can simply slide it along the counter from ingredient to ingredient.

Place a few shrimp in the middle of the wrapper, slightly on your side. 3 if they’re medium or more if they’re small. Place Cilantro on the shrimp, arranging it pretty if you care to. Add some noodles and carrot. Cover with a piece of lettuce and top with sprouts and mint.

Fold the edge of the wrapper nearest you over the filling. Tuck each side over the ends of the filling, and continue rolling to make a roll.

Pile them up, keeping them from touching too much. I put a piece of plastic wrap between each layer. Cover to keep from drying if you’re not serving them immediately.

Look Chin Gai (Chicken Balls)

• 1 pound boned, skinned chicken
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 quarts water

Grind all ingredients except the 2 quarts of water (duh) until a smooth puree is formed.

Bring the 2 quarts to a boil. Form 1-1.5 tbsp balls out of the chicken stuff. Drop them into the boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface and are firm. Remove and drain thoroughly on a rack.

Brush the balls with oil and grill or broil until browned. Put them on skewers if you like.

Serve the above dishes with one or both of the following sauces.

Nam Jim Gratiem (Garlic Sauce)

Makes 3/4 cup

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground chili paste
• 2 tsp (about 4 cloves) finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a stainless-steel or enamel saucepan and bowl slowly until the mixture is reduced buy about a half. Ideally you want it to have a consistency slightly thinner than heavy cream.

Can be stored for up to two months in a closed jar in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Nuoc Cham (Chili Dipping Sauce, Vietnamese style)

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh red cili
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp finely chopped, unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp finely shredded or grated carrot

In a food processor or bender combine the garlic, chili, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, lime juice and water. Blend well.

Can be stored for up to two months in a closed jar in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature, adding the peanut and carrot just before.

Yum Wun Sen (Transparent Noodle Salad)

Serves 4-6.

• 1/4 bean thread noodles
• warm water
• 2 cups of napa cabbage (once shredded)
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 green onions (white and green parts)
• 2 serrano chilis or 1 tsp ground, roasted chili paste)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp (2 cloves) finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 lb ground pork or ground chicken
• 1/4 lb peeled, deveined raw shrimp
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• Green lettuce leaves
• 12 cup coriander sprigs

Soak the noodles for twenty minutes in warm water to cover. Drain well, cut into two-inch lengths and set them aside in a colander to continue draining.

Slice the cabbage into paper thin shreds. Finely shred the carrot. Thinly slice the celery and green onions diagonally. If using the serrano chilies, slice them into thin, lengthwise strips. Set the vegetables aside in one bowl, and mix in the chilies.

Heat a wok, add oil, and coat the pan. Add garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden. Add pork or chicken and stir-fry until the pink color has completely disappeared. Add shrimp. Add the noodles and toss gently until mixed.

Put the meat/noodle mixture into a mixing bowl and add the raw vegetables, fish sauce, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and allow to cool to room temperature.

Put a single layer of lettuce leaves on a serving platter and arrange the salad over them. Garnish with coriander sprigs.

Kwaytiow Paht (Stir Fried Rice Noodles)

Serves 4-6.

• 1 large package of fresh, wide rice noodles (or the corresponding amount of dry rice noodles)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sliced shallots
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh red or green hot chilies
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• fresh thai basil and/or mint to garnish

Prepare noodles as directed. Drain and set aside.

Heat a wok, add oil and swirl. When the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add shallots and stir-fry for a minute. Add garlic and chili and fry for another 30 seconds.Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper to taste. Stir until the mixture thickens, about five minutes.

Add the drained noodles and gently stir-fry until tender yet still firm to the bite, about a minute, adding a little more oil if the noodles stick. Add basil and mint and gently toss until the leaves wilt.. Remove from heat.

Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the herb leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gai Pad nam Prig Pao (Chicken in Roasted Curry Sauce)

Serves 4-6.

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup roasted red curry (see below)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 green onions, white part only
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp (2 cloves) finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup whole, unsalted, roasted peanuts

Mix fish sauce, sugar, water, and roasted red curry in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside. Slice the green onions diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces.

Heat a wok, add the oil, and swirl. Add garlic and stir-fry until light golden. Add chicken and str-fry until the pink color is completely gone. Add the liquid from the first step and stir until it boils.

Add peanuts and green onions, stirring until the onions are crisp-tender and the peanuts are heated through.

Serve warm, with rice.

Nam Prig Pao (Roasted Red Curry)

Use hotter chilies if you want a spicier curry.

Makes 3 cups.

• 3 oz wet tamarind (or 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate + 1/4 cup warm water)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 lb dried New Mexico or California chilies
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 1/4 cups dried shrimp
• 1/4 cup shrimp paste

Skip this step if you’re using tamarind concentrate. Soak the wet tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes or until it is soft. Press it through a sieve, making sure to press through all the pulp you can. Scrape the outside of the sieve carefully to get all the pulp, and discard the residue inside the sieve.

Place the tamarind and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies, and tear into pieces once inch square or smaller. Heat a wok, add 1/2 cup of oil, and swirl. Stir-fry the chilies over moderate heat until they are a deep red and lightly fragrant, being careful not to let them burn. Remove the chilies, but not the oil. Set them aside in a bowl.

Add two tbsp more oil to the wok and stir-fry the garlic until it is lightly golden. Remove the garlic, but not the oil, and add it to the chilies.

Add two tbsp more oil to the wok and stir-fry the onion until it is light golden. Remove the onion, but not the oil, and add it to the garlic and chilies.

Add 1/4 cup more oil to the wok. Add the dried shrimp and cook for about a minute. Add the shrimp paste and stir-fry until the color has become uniform and the strong oder has subsided. Remove the mixture, including the oil and add it to the previously fried ingredients. Allow them to cool to room temperature.

Place the fried mixture and the oil in a food processor or blender and grind it to a smooth paste. If it seems dry or crumbly, add more oil to form a smooth, thick paste.

Add the cooked tamarind mixture to the ground chili mixture and stir to combine well.

Store the curry in a closed jar in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Mussaman Nue (Beef Mussman)

Serves 8-10.

• 2 oz wet tamarind or 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 lb flank steak
• 1 cup whole roasted unsalted peanuts
• 3 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 large potato
• 2 cups thick coconut milk
• 1 recipe of Musman Curry (see below)
• 12 cardamon seeds
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar

Skip this step if you’re using tamarind concentrate. Soak the wet tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes or until it is soft. Press it through a sieve, making sure to press through all the pulp you can. Scrape the outside of the sieve carefully to get all the pulp, and discard the residue inside the sieve.

Cut the beef into 1/3-inch cubes. Place beef, peanuts, and thin coconut milk in a large covered saucepan and boil gently over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Peel the potato and cut it into 1/3-inch cubes. Add it to the saucepan, stir, and cook the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes more. Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.

Bring the thick coconut milk to a boil in a saucepan and remove it from the heat.

Heat a wok and add 1/4 cup of the thick coconut milk and the Musman Curry. Stir the mixture over moderate heat until it is thick and pale tan. Add the cardamom seeds. Add the rest of the thick coconut milk, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring it over high heat until the sauce becomes slightly thick after each addition.

Add the mixture from the above step to the beef mixture, and bring it to a boil. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and tamarind solution/concentrate. (If you used concentrate, add 1/2 cup warm water and stir to mix well).

Serve with rice.

Nam Prig Gang Mussaman (Musman Curry)

Makes 1/2 cup.

• 7 small dried red chilies
• 2 pieces kah
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin or fennel seeds
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 stalk lemon grass, bottom 6 inches only
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Soak the chilies and kah in the warm water for 20 minutes. After soaking, drain and discard the soaking water.

Place the coriander seeds, cumin (or fennel) seeds, and the coves in a dry skillet and roast them over moderate heat until the cumin seeds have darkened, the cloves have turned a green-grey color, and the mixture is very fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Chop the chilies, kah, and lemon grass finely. Combine with the remaining ingredients and pound or grind to a smooth paste with a mortar or blender. (If you’re using a blender you may need to add water to aid in grinding.)

Can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Taco Saku (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Makes 16 pieces.

• 1/2 cup long-grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup small tapioca pearls
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 cups thick coconut milk

Soak the rice in the 2 cups water overnight

Bring 1 1/2 water to a boil. Put the tapioca pearls in a sieve and rinse them quickly under running water. Add them to the boiling water and stir until they become translucent. Add the 1/4 cup+ sugar and stir until it dissolves.

Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into small custard cups or an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan.

Wash the soaked rice in 2 or 3 changes of water until the water runs clear, and drain it well. Grind the uncooked rice with the salt, sugar, and 1 cup of the coconut milk until it is pureed.

Put the ground rice mixture into a pan with the remaining coconut milk. Cook over medium heat until it thickens slightly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until it is very thick but still pourable. If the mixture begins to dry out or gets too thick to pour, add more coconut milk as needed.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture evenly over the layer of tapioca pudding.

Serve at room temperature.

For our April dinner party (yes, it’s officially “our” dinner party now) Suzanne made Tortilla Soup.

Compared to our previous dinner parties, this was cheap and simple. I believe the ingrediants came to around $30 at the corner Mexican market (one of the many advantages of living in The Mission). It did take Suzanne all afternoon to prepare everything, though.

The idea is that you make a simple broth, and an assortment of things for the diners to put in their bowls. We had plenty of options, including:

- passila chilis (julienned and fried)
- jalapenos (julienne and fried)
- corn on the cob (boiled and sliced into rounds)
- cilantro (coarsely chopped)
- tomatoes (chopped)
- tortilla strips (fresh fried)
- queso fresco (crumbled)
- white onion (finely chopped)

Start by making a simple broth however you like. Ours was a vegi broth. Be to throw in some Epazote.

Here are a couple of the results:

We recently had our February dinner party. This time we went with an Italian theme as mentioned in a previous post.

Things played out pretty much as planned. The only real change was that a few people had to bail so we ended up with 6 including me and Suzanne.

While we finished cooking the pasta, there was antipasti for people to nibble on. Top to bottom: sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, grilled eggplant, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers.

We also had a selection of Italian cheeses.

The final bit of antipasti was a mozzarella roll. Suzanne got the cheese at the Fancy Food Show (possibly NSFW if you work somewhere uptight). It was a sheet of mozzarella rolled up into a cylinder. The idea is to unroll it, put stuff on it and roll it up again. Like a jelly roll or sticky buns. Suzanne filled it wirh sundried tomatoes and fresh basil. Neither of us are quite sure how we felt about the result. I later found a great way to put it to optimum use. That’s for a latter post.

Then there was the pasta. We cooked up some dried faro linguini that @daksis had given me to try. Very nice flavor and texture. Also I made (from scratch) a ricotta gnocchi. For sauces we had a basil pesto and an “almost” puttanesca (leaving out the anchovies as one guest was vegetarian).

Then there was dessert! Suzanne made an incredibly good Ligurian lemon cake with raspberries, and I made tiramisu from the recipe in The Silver Spoon (also see this, which includes the tiramisu recipe) which I recently added to my cookbook collection (at the suggestion of @daksis).

Throw in lots of wine and plenty of coffee, and we had a very pleasant evening.

My (now ‘our’) February dinner party is starting to take shape. This month it will be an Italian meal. French might have been a stretch, but I’m largely in my element with Italian cooking.

The plan is to start with a spread of antipasti: roasted peppers, olives, cold meat, …

The plan is to have some pasta:

Not that much variety!

I’m thinking of making homemade fettuccini and gnocchi.

I’ll also make a selection of sauces.

A tomato based:

Of course, a pesto:

Add a salad, bread and some Italian wine.

And for desert: Tiramisu.

This part will be something new.

I’m considering my first dinner party a success. The food went over well, although the crème brûlée didn’t set right. That figures: 2 perfect practice runs and it fails when it’s in the limelight. Oh well… there will be more crème brûlée. In any event, it provided great entertainment for one my guests who appointed herself sous chef and manned the torch.

Here’s the menu:

Appetizers:

Mixed olives

Not much to say about this. Olives in a nice dish, and a place to discard the pits. Done.

Sun-dried tomato & bocconcini skewers

Again, trivial to make, and only takes a few minutes. I’d thought I saw this in The French Laundry cookbook. I was mistaken… I have no idea where saw it, I’ve flipped through so many cookbooks in the last 2 weeks! Both my own and at bookstores. It could have come from anywhere.

Take a tub of cherry sized bocconcini, a jar of oil packed sun-dried tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Take small skewer (cocktail style) fold a piece of tomato in half and skewer it. Add a piece of bocconcini and a second piece of tomato. Done.

Chunks of sweet baguette

This was from The Acme Bread Company in San Francisco, my preferred source of bread. I put this out at the beginning and left it out through the main course.

Main course:

Potato gratin

I used the Classic Potato Gratin recipe at Fine Cooking. I can not emphasize how much I appreciate my mandoline now: consistent extremely thin slices. Yes, I could see though them. It took about 5 minutes to slice half a dozen or so potatoes.

Boeuf bourguignon

This is the centerpiece of the meal, in my opinion. Julia Child’s famous recipe. From start to putting in the fridge for overnight, this took 7 hours to make:

• ~1 hour to prep & saute the various random bits
• 2 hours to brown all the beef
• 3 hours bubbling in the oven
• ~ another hour to finish the gravy, and let it cool enough for the fridge

Not something I’d make frequently, but I will be making it semi-regularly. It is Just. That. Good.

Brussels sprouts

Trim, wash, quarter, saute in plenty of butter with a bit of olive oil, freshly ground pepper (is there any other kind?), and a sprinkle of Sel Gris. Slowly sauté until the sprouts are golden brown and just caramelizing.

Roasted cauliflower and garlic

Again, pretty simple. Trim, clean & chunk the cauliflower. Trim, peel, and crush the garlic. Crush with the side of your chef’s knife… repeatedly, scrapping the spine of the knife over it mashing the garlic into the cutting board. Give is a course chop if required. Melt, butter and oil in an oven-safe skillet. Add a bit of pepper and a sprinkle of salt (these days I use sel gris for pretty much all my cooking). Add the garlic and let it soften a bit. Add the cauliflower and slowly sauté until it starts to brown. Pop it in the oven until it’s nicely roasted. (I put it in with the gratin in the 400F oven)

Dessert:

White chocolate crème brûlée

This recipe was also from Fine Cooking.

Ongoing:

A selection of cheese and fruit

Apple, pear, a mild gruyere, emmental, and a triple cream brie that seemed popular.

General comments

Pretty much everything on the menu was organic, local and/or seasonal, primarily from WholeFoods. Their pastured beef is amazing. The butter was standard off the shelf unsalted stuff, but will be better next time. I don’t think the olive oil is organic, but it’s from a family operation in Modesto: Sciabica.

As I said, this was my first time having more than a couple people over for dinner in a LONG time. And certainly the first time being so adventurous and experimental with the menu. As I was on my way home to start the cooking, I experienced the trepidation… “What have I gotten myself into? What if people don’t like my food?” But once I got home and starting doing prep, any anxiety evaporated. I was in my element. I got into the zone. I was cooking.

I’m already having ideas about next month.

The kitchen elves are hard at work (nod to JK Rowling). Ok… that’d be me. The boeuf bourguignon has been bubbling away in the oven for about 2 hours. I just topped it up with a bit more wine. Mushrooms are sauteing merrily.

I’m making a slightly larger batch this time… starting with nearly 5 pounds of beef rather than 3. That’s a lot of beef. It took over 2 hours just to brown it all! It’s amazing really.. it starts out as a pot full of beef & wine and transforms into a pot full of awesome in a mere 3 hours. That water to wine trick has nothing on this.

Another hour or so will finish it for tonight. Then I’ll grab a few hours sleep before heading out to Sur la Table & Whole Foods (this seems to have become a weekly pilgrimage) to get the final few things I need. Then home to make the custard for the creme brulee, get the gratin going, finish the bourguignon, make the side dishes, and assemble the appetizers.

It’s going to be a busy day, but hella fun! I’m already planning out next months’

My first dinner party is in a couple days.

OMG THAT HAPPENED FAST!!

I think I’m ready. It’s been a long time since I did a dinner party, and this is my first one solo. I’ve practiced the main dishes very successfully. I did another practice run of the creme brulee tonight and had some friends over to test & critique. It passed muster with flying colors.

I picked out some southern european appetizers (utilizing olives, sundried tomatoes, and Bocconcini) to kick off with, then we’ll slip into buffet-style with potato gratin, boeuf bourguignon, a side vegetable (I’ll see what’s good/local/seasonal Saturday morning), and a simple salad of greens. Add bread, oil, and wine and finish up with white chocolate creme brulee and coffee.

Seven guests are lined up. It’s going to be loads of fun.

After my friend Phil came over to help consume last weekend’s Boeuf Bourguignon, I realized just how much more fun cooking is when you share it with friends.  It’s been a couple years that I’ve been cooking for just myself.

I’ve decided that to get the most enjoyment out of my kitchen adventures, and to keep pushing myself, I will host a monthly dinner party. It will be on the Saturday most closely following the 15th.  I’ll be posting menu ideas, etc. here in advance.  It will, of course, be by invitation only.  I expect there will be some regulars as well as special guests.

I’m starting off this month with a classic French menu, including Boeuf Bourguignon, Potato Gratin, and Creme Brulee.  I’m still nailing down the other bits & pieces.