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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:15:26 -0700

I'm hosting my 28th birthday party in my grandfather's backyard. Since the yard is large, complete with pool, patio, gazebo, putting green, and grass, I'll be setting up each part of the dinner in a different area. The cocktail hour begins in the patio. Neat rows of glasses filled with campari cocktails and platters of bruschetta will await the arrival of the guests.

The long rectangular dinner table will be set up on the grass, to the left of the pool. A simple white tablecloth will cover it, along with printed paper placemats, white dinner plates, blue cloth napkins, menu stands that act as placecards, and wine glasses. Candles in mason jars and low vases filled with white flowers will run down the middle of the table.

I'll hang paper lanterns and white lights from the trees, line the fence with tiki torches, and place a fountain in the pool. After dinner we'll move to other side of the yard for dessert, digestifs, and a putting contest!

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:50:16 -0700

There's lots going on with the drinks at my 28th birthday dinner. I plan on serving a different wine with each course, but before we sit down to the meal, I'll offer guests glasses of a specialty cocktail. Since the menu is rustic Italian, the cocktail features Italy's most popular aperitif and campari. When mixed with a sweet late-harvest wine and fresh-squeezed orange juice, the vibrantly colored spirit tastes far from bitter.

At dinner, I pair the salad with a crisp, dry, minerally Italian white wine. A fruity aromatic rosé will balance out the richness of the cheesy pasta course. For the seafood stew entree, I'll serve a light-bodied softer red wine.

Finally, there's only one thing to sip with the dessert: a slightly sweet sparkling wine! To check out the campari cocktail recipe, read more.

Late-Harvest Wine and Campari Cocktails
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

3 3/4 cups sweet late-harvest white wine, such as Riesling
2 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
1 cup Campari
Ice, for serving

Directions

In a large pitcher, mix the white wine with the fresh orange juice and Campari. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Fill tall glasses with ice, pour the cocktail over the ice and serve.

Serves 10.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:30:38 -0700

I'm pretty traditional when it comes to birthdays and I can't remember celebrating one without a special cake. It may come as a shock, but every year, I make my own birthday cake. Researching cake recipes and going through the process of baking one has become a ritual that I look forward to and enjoy - as much as the senselessly extravagant birthday party. For 28, I've decided on a chocolate truffle cake with ganache topping and rum syrup. Instead of serving regular vanilla ice cream, I'm upping the ante and pairing the cake with a tropical sorbet terrine. It has three (coconut, raspberry, and mango) layers of sorbet that I think will perfectly complement the richness of the cake. To look at these scrumptious dessert recipes, read more.

Tropical Sorbet Terrine
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 pint coconut sorbet, softened
1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened
1 pint mango sorbet, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 6-cup (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches) loaf pan with a long strip of plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; set aside.
Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool completely.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted coconut in prepared pan. Dollop coconut sorbet on top, and spread evenly; sprinkle with cup toasted coconut. Repeat with raspberry sorbet and remaining cup toasted coconut, then mango sorbet. Fold plastic overhang over sorbet, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 2 weeks.
To serve, unfold plastic, and invert pan onto a plate; remove plastic. Slice terrine crosswise with a serrated knife.

Serves 12.

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Chocolate Truffle Cake
From Saveur

Ingredients

For the cake: 
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 
1 1⁄2 cups flour 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%,  chopped 
1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
 7 eggs, separated 
1⁄2 tsp. salt 
1 cup sugar 
1⁄2 cup dark rum
For the ganache
 24 oz. semisweet chocolate, preferably 54%,  roughly chopped
 3 cups heavy cream 
Chocolate shavings 
Cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

Make the cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Grease pan with 1 tbsp. butter. Add 1⁄4 cup flour; shake to evenly coat inside. Invert and tap out excess flour; set pan aside.
Set a medium bowl over a 1-qt.saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate; melt. Set aside to let cool.
In a large bowl, beat the melted chocolate, butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour and salt and mix until just combined; set batter aside.
In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until frothy. Sprinkle in 1⁄4 cup sugar and beat to form stiff, glossy peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the cake batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack; let cool. Invert and unmold cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers; set cake layers aside.
Dissolve remaining sugar and 1⁄4 cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until syrup has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum; let cool.
Make the ganache: Place chocolate in bowl of a standing mixer. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour over chocolate; let sit for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine chocolate and cream. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until ganache reaches room temperature. Chill until ganache has the consistency of peanut butter, 2 hours. Transfer bowl to standing mixer fitted with a whisk. Whip on medium speed, 15–20 seconds.
Place bottom cake layer on a cardboard cake circle. Using a pastry brush, brush cake with one-third of rum syrup. Using a butter knife, spread 1 cup ganache evenly across cake top. Top with second cake layer and one-third of rum syrup; repeat process with remaining cake, rum syrup, and ganache. Spread remaining ganache over cake. Press chocolate shavings onto sides. Shake cocoa powder over cake with a mesh sieve.

Serves 16.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:09 -0700

Selecting a menu for a large dinner party is tricky. You don't want to choose dishes that require last-minute preparation, and you need to pick recipes that will feed a crowd (or can easily be doubled to do so) and consider the dietary needs of your guests. Luckily, the majority of my friends are adventurous eaters and while two girls don't eat meat, they do eat fish and cheese. Thus I'm serving a rustic Italian meal that's several courses long. When the party begins, plates of tomato and basil bruschetta and chicken-liver crostini will sit - ready to be devoured - on tables in the patio. I'll also set out an assortment of Italian olives, shards of Parmesan cheese, and chunks of salami.

At the table, the first course will consist of a crunchy, Italian salad with mustard vinaigrette. The second course is a decadent baked pasta dish oozing with melted cheese. For the entree, we'll enjoy a fragrant seafood stew with garlic toasts for dipping. This is a luxurious menu that's wonderful at any occasion, be it a birthday party or simply a Saturday night, so check out the recipes and read more.

Tomato, Red Onion, and Basil Bruschetta
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 cups assorted cherry, grape, and teardrop tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 large loaf focaccia, halved horizontally (reserve half for another use)
1 garlic clove, peeled, halved

Directions

Combine halved tomatoes, finely chopped onion, 3 tablespoons olive oil, chopped fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl; season tomato topping with salt and pepper. Topping can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.
Preheat broiler.
Place focaccia half, cut side up, on baking sheet; brush bread with olive oil. Toast bread in broiler until top is golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.
Immediately rub cut side of bread all over with halved garlic, then cut focaccia crosswise into 4 equal pieces.
Top toasted focaccia with tomato mixture and serve.

Serves 4.

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Chicken-Liver Crostini
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoon capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
1 cup chopped parsley
1 sourdough baguette, thinly sliced and toasted
1 lemon wedge

Directions

Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add livers and cook over medium-high heat until undersides are browned, about 3 minutes. Turn livers over and add red-pepper flakes, capers, and 1 tsp salt. Cook until livers are just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Increase heat to high and add vermouth. Boil, stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy, about 3 minutes. Transfer livers with a slotted spoon to a cutting board, then transfer sauce to a bowl.
Coarsely chop livers and add to sauce. Season with salt and pepper and gently stir in parsley. Spoon onto toasts and squeeze a little lemon juice over each.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: Liver mixture, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat, then stir in parsley, before spreading on toasts.

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Crunchy Italian Salad
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, halved, cored, and cut into wide strips
1/2 head red cabbage, halved, cored, and cut into thin strips
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup packed basil leaves, shredded

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, and Dijon; season with salt and pepper.
Add lettuce, cabbage, onion, and basil; toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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Baked Four-Cheese Spaghetti
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
1/2 pound imported Fontina, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound mozzarella, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound Gruyère, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and spread the spaghetti on a baking sheet; let cool.
In a large bowl, toss the Fontina with the mozzarella and Gruyère.
Spread one third of the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixed cheeses and half of the Gorgonzola over the spaghetti and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of spaghetti, mixed cheeses, Gorgonzola and salt and pepper. Top with the remaining spaghetti and mixed cheeses.
Bake the spaghetti in the center of the oven until the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into squares and serving.

Serves 8.

Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 early in the day and covered with plastic wrap. Uncover the dish before baking.

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Seafood Stew
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups good white wine
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 quart Seafood Stock, recipe follows, or store-bought fish stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
24 mussels, cleaned
3 tablespoons Pernod
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.
Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.

Serves 6.

Seafood Stock:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Shells from 1 pound large shrimp
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup good white wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems

Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine.

Makes 1 quart.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:50:55 -0700

Well folks, it's time for me to plan my favorite event of the year - my birthday party! Since I threw a blow-out bash at a bar for 27 and a big picnic at an oyster farm for 27.5, I've decided that, for 28, things should be more subdued. Thus, I'm hosting an intimate dinner party for me and my 20 closest friends. The dinner will be served in my grandfather's gorgeous backyard, but before I can think about the menu, I have to send invitations. To learn how I made the ones seen here, read more.

I wanted an invite that looks clean, fun, and is representative of my personality. After searching several paper stores in San Francisco, I decided on a navy, cream, and turquoise theme. I purchased the majority of my supplies at Paper Source. Here's what I used:

Dark blue cardstock
Decorative paper
Glittery paper
Satin ribbon
Single hole punch
Sequins
Glue
Cream printer paper
computer
printer

Here's how I made the invite:

First, I decided on the long rectangular shape (4 1/8x9 1/2 inch) of the envelope. Next I cut the navy cardstock down to 4-x-9 inches. This would be the base of the invite.
I created a stencil of the word party by opening a blank workbook sized at 4-x-9 inches in Photoshop. I made the font as large as it could be (to fit in the space) and printed on regular paper. Using a pencil, I carefully connected the letters and cut out the word. I traced it onto a thick piece of cardstock and cut out again to create a stencil.
I traced the stencil onto the glittery paper and cut out 20.

Next I focused on the text. I opened another blank workbook, this time sized at 3-x-8 inches. Then I wrote the following message:

Your presence is requested at a birthday dinner to honor PartySugar

Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cocktails begin at 6:45

Al Hogan's House
Alamo, California 94507

Dress your best!
Regrets only: 415.444.4444

I printed this out and had FabSugar check for spelling and grammatical errors. When I was satisfied with the text, I printed it with a thin border on 23 sheets of nice paper. I cut these down to size.

To create a border for the back of the invite, I cut the decorative paper into 1-inch strips.
Next I cut the satin ribbon down to 3-4 inch pieces. I needed 4 ribbons for each invite, in total 80 ribbons.

Once I had all of the elements ready, it was time to assemble. I punched a whole in the glittery word Party and the base navy cardstock in four places: at the bottom and top of the P and the bottom and top of the Y. I used the ribbon to tie the glittery party stencil to the navy-blue cardstock, and repeated until all the invites were complete.

Then I turned the invite over and glued the decorative paper strips onto the edge of the navy cardstock to create a border. I trimmed off the excess and used this to fill in the remaining sides, repeating until each invite back had a border.

I glued the text to the middle of the back of the invite and repeated until all the invite backs were finished.

To give the invites some sparkle, I glued several sequins to the front (the side with the word party) of each invite. Then I set all of the invites aside to dry for several hours.

I slide the completed invites into the envelopes, addressed them with a nice navy pen, and sent!

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What Would You Do?

partysugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:15:46 -0700

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior. I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do. Here's today's scenario:

You've spent a lot of time planning a fantastic birthday party at your favorite bar. Although the party starts at 9, you made a bunch of small snacks - spiced nuts, truffled popcorn, caramelized peanuts, etc. - for your guests to enjoy with cocktails.

The snacks are prettily set up on a table near an open window that overlooks the street. The party is going fabulously when you look up to see three unidentified guests throwing your homemade goodies out the window! They are trying to hit people outside! What would you do?

To find out what I did - this very thing happened at my birthday party on Saturday night! - read more.

First, I rapidly determined if the food-throwers were random people at the bar or friends of friends. Since they happened to be the cousins of a friend, they were technically a part of my party. I made the food for everyone, but for everyone to eat, not launch at other guests. I walked over to the offenders and said, "Excuse me, that food is not for throwing. Please stop." Then I turned on my heel and left as quickly as possible.

How would you handle the situation? What do you think of my reaction? Did I overreact?

Source

Come Party With Me: My Birthday - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:15:51 -0700

I'm hosting my birthday party at a chic city bar, but I'll be bringing my own decorations to create a unifying theme for the bash. I'll use pink accessories to go with the invitations, including pink votive holders, flamingo toothpicks for the finger food, pink lilies, and handmade pink pom poms hung from the ceiling.

On the tables, I'll lay out placemats and pretty matchbooks for the guests to take home as favors. These curved saucer martini glasses will be perfect for both the featured cocktail and a champagne toast. And of course, I can't forget an elegant dessert dish for the yummy chocolate cake.

Come Party With Me: My Birthday - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:14:56 -0700

Obviously, I think my birthday is a cause for celebration, and with celebration comes champagne! When choosing a signature drink for my bash, I wanted something that would subtly echo the floral motif of my invitations without being too juvenile. A playful twist on a classic, grownup cocktail seems fitting for someone turning 27.

I've settled on this variation on the French 75 cocktail; it features blood oranges so it has a slightly pink, but not too pink, hue. Better yet, it will please both cocktail connoisseurs and casual drinkers, and it can be made in large batches. To get the recipe, read more.

Blood Orange French 75
Bon Appetit

Ingredients

3 blood oranges (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups gin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon angostura bitters
2 750-ml bottles chilled Champagne

Directions
Serves 12.

Cut 1 orange in half through stem. Cut each half crosswise into 6 slices; reserve for garnish.
Using small knife, cut peel and white pith from remaining 2 oranges; chop oranges.
Transfer chopped oranges with juices to bowl; mash with potato masher or wooden spoon. Stir in gin, sugar, and bitters.
Strain into 2-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to release liquid. Chill 4 hours.
Pour scant 2 tablespoons gin mixture into each of 12 glasses; fill with Champagne and garnish with orange.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:00:40 -0700

Although cheesecakes squares or macaroons are delightful options, my birthday party won't be complete without a birthday cake. Chocolate cake is my favorite and this interesting twist on the classic German chocolate cake is unexpected and scrumptious.

Since my party is at a bar, 15 Romolo, I'll show up early enough for the bartenders to securely store the cake in a refrigerator. Let the bartenders know when you want to sing "Happy Birthday" and don't forget candles. For the inside-out German chocolate cake recipe, read more.

Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
coconut-pecan filling, recipe below
chocolate ganache, recipe below

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch springform pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the paper; set aside.
Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted; set aside.
Sift together flour and salt; set aside.
Place sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add vanilla and chocolate mixture, and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
Divide batter between the two pans using an offset spatula to distribute batter evenly, and smooth the layers. Bake until the center is set, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool completely before unmolding.
Place one layer on a 9-inch cardboard cake round. Spread filling over the layer, and invert the second layer onto the top, leaving the smooth side up. Press down gently on top layer to evenly distribute filling to edges. Using a metal spatula, smooth filling flush with sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to glaze.
Carefully transfer torte off cardboard round onto a wire rack set over a baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over cake to fully coat, shaking pan gently to help spread ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the pan may be melted and strained through a fine sieve and added back to glaze. Pour remaining glaze over torte, allowing excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan or run an offset spatula quickly over surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving. Carefully slide the cake off of the wire rack and onto serving platter.

Makes 1 cake.

Coconut-Pecan Filling

1 fourteen-ounce sweetened condensed milk
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

Place milk, butter, and vanilla in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and combined.
Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl, and, whisking constantly, add some of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks until combined. Whisk the mixture back into the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Makes about 2 cups.

Chocolate Ganache

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups heavy cream

Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife; place in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes.
Use a rubber spatula to gently stir chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth. Let sit at room temperature until cooled and just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, but up to an hour depending on the temperature of the room.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:00:09 -0700

Although my birthday starts at 9 p.m. on a Saturday, I want to offer my friends snacks to nibble on throughout the night. Since the kitchen at 15 Romolo is still under construction, I'll make an assortment of easy appetizers that are best served at room temperature.

Marinated mushrooms and prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks are delicious starters. Chicken liver pate on crostini will suit the palates of my foodie friends and pair nicely with a goat cheese pesto torta. For these wonderful recipes, read more.

Marinated Mushrooms
From Whole Foods

Ingredients

1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2–4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste
1–2 cloves minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 teaspoons fresh minced oregano
2 tablespoons fresh minced Italian parsley
sea salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon each black peppercorns and coriander seeds

Directions

Clean mushrooms and remove stems.
Simmer mushroom caps in salted water for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
Add olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red onion, oregano, parsley, salt, peppercorns and coriander. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Info: Per serving (About 5oz/146g-wt.): 110 calories (70 from fat), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 3g protein, 8g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium

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Prosciutto Truffle Butter Breadsticks
From Robert Irvine

Ingredients

2 teaspoons chopped parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped chives
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
4 tablespoons white truffle oil
16 breadsticks
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
16 slices prosciutto, thinly sliced

Directions

Mix parsley, chives, salt and white pepper with softened butter and truffle oil, then spread on a flat plate.
Dip each breadstick in butter mixture so that 3/4 of the stick is covered to hold prosciutto in place.
Roll in Parmesan, then wrap a slice of prosciutto over the buttered 3/4 length of each stick, leaving a dry end of stick for guests to serve themselves.

Serves 8.

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Chicken Liver Crostini
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry
2 ounces thickly sliced bacon, cut into 1-by-1/4-inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 Golden Delicious apple-peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup brandy
Salt and freshly ground pepper
24 baguette slices, toasted
Small sage leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the olive oil until foaming.
Add the chicken livers and cook over high heat, turning once or twice, until browned all over, about 3 minutes. Transfer the livers to a small bowl.
Add the bacon to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the apple, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until very soft and just beginning to break down, about 10 minutes longer. Add the brandy to the skillet and carefully ignite with a long match; let the alcohol burn off.
Add 1/4 cup of the apple mixture to the bacon. Add the remaining apple mixture to a blender along with the chicken livers and blend until smooth.
With the machine on, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and puree until creamy.
Pass the chicken liver mousse through a fine strainer into a bowl (omit this step for a chunkier mousse). Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Spread the chicken liver mousse on the baguette toasts. Garnish with a little of the bacon-apple mixture and the sage leaves and serve at once.

Makes 24.

Make ahead: the mousse and apple-bacon garnish can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days. Return to room temperature before serving.

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Goat Cheese Pesto Torta
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
Vegetable oil for brushing pan
1/4 cup finely chopped rinsed drained bottled roasted red peppers
20 oz soft mild goat cheese, softened at room temperature (2 cups)
3 tablespoons bottled black olive paste or tapenade
crackers or toasts

Directions

Drain pesto in a small fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl 15 minutes, then discard excess oil.
Lightly oil loaf pan and line with a sheet of plastic wrap large enough to allow a generous overhang on all 4 sides. For a smoother-looking torta, oiled loaf pan can be lined with parchment paper instead of plastic wrap. Cut 1 long piece of parchment to line bottom and ends, leaving a 2-inch overhang, then trace and cut out 2 more pieces for sides of pan plus a 2-inch overhang.
Blot peppers well between paper towels to remove excess liquid.
Spread about one fourth (1/2 cup) of cheese evenly over bottom of loaf pan and top with all of pesto, spreading evenly. Drop 1/2 cup cheese by tablespoons over pesto and spread gently to cover pesto.
Top with chopped peppers, spreading evenly. Drop another 1/2 cup cheese by tablespoons over peppers and spread gently to cover peppers.
Spread olive paste evenly on top, then drop remaining cheese by tablespoons over olive paste, spreading gently to cover olive paste. Cover pan with another sheet of plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours.
Remove plastic wrap from top of pan and invert torta onto a serving plate, then peel off remaining plastic wrap. Let torta stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 8-10.

Make ahead: torta can be chilled in pan up to 24 hours. Let torta stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.

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