Entertaining isn't something we do as frequently as we used to, probably because we are still making friends here and also because work and life in general is very busy. I remember a time when we had friends over for dinner at least once a week, sometimes for last-minute dinner parties but other times for overly-detailed celebrations. Now, we probably only host two or three times a year, so when we do, you know I pull out every stop; consider the use of every dish, plate, sherbet or goblet; and pour over every recipe that has been waiting in the wings.
When our friends Gab and Kristina came in from Boston, MA and Dallas, TX for a quick trip to Marfa and Fort Davis, I put a lot of thought into each of the six courses (yes, six), not just what I would serve, but also in what I would serve each culinary creation...food photos courtesy of Gab, one of our guests!
Mustard-marscarpone spread with toasts, sesame sticks, bread sticks, assorted olives and almonds served in the little black lotus bowls with the black tidbit plates.
Double-baked three-cheese soufflé served in individual cast iron skillets with a white, Rosenthal under plate.
Butter lettuce with a lemon-oregano vinaigrette on white, Rosenthal salad plates.
Homemade bucatini with homemade tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese in the oddly shaped pasta bowls.
Basil gelato in the chartreuse Russel Wright sherbets.
Easy candy bar tart on the patterned, Rosenthal dessert plates.
If I say so myself, everything was delicious and we had a wonderful time talking and catching up over the course of the meal. The only thing I felt like need some tweaking was the salad dressing, which was a little on the sour side--but the citrus, red pepper and oregano were a great flavor combination and will probably become something else in the kitchen. The gelato and pomodoro were of my own devising, so there are a couple of recipes for you to try.
I use corn starch to thicken my gelato, although many recipes use eggs instead. This recipe is the perfect thing to bridge an Italian main course and dessert; its first taste is sweet, which is replaced with a strong herbaceous flavor and ends with the spicy note of basil. Affected? Yes, but effective.
2 cups basil leaves
3 cups milk
3 tbsp corn starch
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon zest
¼ tsp. salt
Combine
basil, 2 1/2 cups milk, sugar, zest and salt in a blender and puree until smooth.
Pour into a two quart saucepan and heat gently until sugar dissolves. In the meantime, combine the remaining milk with the cornstarch and whisk to form a slurry. Continuing heating the basil-milk mixture until it begins to steam; stir in the slurry and continue to cook until the mixture has thickened. Remove
from heat and pour through a fine strainer; chill in the refrigerator for several hours, or for best performance with your ice cream maker, overnight. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's
instructions. Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Makes about one quart of gelato.
Recipe: Pasta al Pomodoro
Everyone has a favorite red sauce and it may come from a jar--there are so many good-quality brands out there it is easy to find several you like. Lately, I've been trying to find my own perfect recipe and have tried every trick, idea or suggestion. My version combines slowly cooked onion, garlic, tomato sauce and great canned tomatoes to make a delicious sauce. My secret ingredient? Fennel pollen. My secret tool? Using the immersion blender for a smooth, delicious sauce.
For the sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely minced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes, use a very good brand
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
Pinch of fennel pollen
Kosher salt
3 large fresh basil sprigs
To assemble:
12 ounces bucatini or spaghetti
2 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving. You'll want more!
Heat
extra-virgin olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add
minced onion and cook, stirring, until very soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add
garlic and cook, stirring, for another 2-4 minutes. Add crushed red pepper
flakes; cook for 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium, add tomatoes, sauce and season lightly with kosher salt; cook, stirring
occasionally, until sauce thickens a little, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, cover and set aside for 30 minutes to an hour. Remove basil, purée with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender, until very smooth.
When you're ready to serve, bring water to a boil
in a large. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook,
stirring occasionally, until not quite tender. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain pasta.
Bring pasta back to a simmer, add pasta and some of the pasta water; cook, stirring, until sauce coats
pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta water if needed. Remove pan from heat; add
butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Serve with more cheese, if desired. It will be desired!
Serves fours. The sauce can easily be doubled to serve a larger crowd or to have some to save for later. I added chopped green and kalamata olives, four extra cloves of minced garlic and 1 tsp. of red pepper flakes to my leftovers for a spicy, easy 'puttanesca.'
