Intimate Affairs` End of summer grill
Boston lettuce salad with lemon caper vinaigrette
Mixed grill of sea scallops, beef tenderloin and pork tenderloin with cilantro pesto basting sauce+
Parsley almond rice
Black bean and fresh corn salad with orange vinaigrette+
Buttermilk pie with strawberries and sweetened whipped cream+
Colin Reeves` Harvest menu for fall
White bean soup with fresh pumpkin and sliced smoked duck+
Loin of pork with fresh marjoram braised in milk
Warm Cumberland sauce with figs
Potato tart with Italian parsley
Saute of red cabbage and Brussels sprouts in walnut oil+
Warm apple pie with maple ice cream
Food for Thought`s September buffet
Green peppercorn-cured salmon with cucumber-dill sauce+
Turkey roulade with apple chutney+
Pork loin studded with garlic with spicy fruit sauce
Basmati rice with pumpkin
Combination fresh fruit tart
Chocolate mud pie
+ Recipe appears on this page
Clip and save the following hearty recipes from Chicago area caterers for your fall parties.
COLIN REEVES` WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH PUMPKIN AND SMOKED DUCK
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Soaking time: 1 hour
Cooking time: About 4 hours
Yield: 16 cups, 8 main course servings
1 cup dried white beans
1 pound lean smoked slab bacon
2 medium onions, minced
2 leeks, cleaned, sliced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, peeled, cubed
2 celery ribs, minced
1 large sprig fresh parsley
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
6 whole black peppercorns
10 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 pounds fresh pumpkin or hard winter squash, peeled, cubed
1 whole smoked duck breast, cut into julienne strips
1. Pour the beans into a large casserole along with water to cover them by 2 inches. Heat the water to a boil over high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain well.
2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Add enough water to the beans to cover them by 2 inches. Season with salt, cover the casserole and transfer to the oven. Bake until beans are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from the oven, drain and set aside.
3. Blanch the bacon in a large pot of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Return to dry pot and cook until bacon is crisp and fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the onions, leeks and garlic to the bacon fat and cook over low heat until they are soft and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and a good pinch of salt. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
5. Add the stock and bacon and heat to a boil. Add the pumpkin and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Add the drained beans and cook an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. Discard the parsley and bay leaf. Recipe may be prepared ahead to this point. Reheat before continuing.
6. Add the sliced smoked duck breast. Let the meat warm through, then serve soup in flat plates or bowls.
COLIN REEVES` RED CABBAGE WITH WALNUTS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into small pieces
1 medium-size head red cabbage
3 tablespoons oil, preferably walnut
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
3/4 cup creme fraiche
Salt, pepper
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast until fragrant and golden, about 8 minutes, checking frequently so nuts don`t burn. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Core and cut the head of cabbage into fine strips.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage and saute until until just limp, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mustard and creme fraiche and mix well. Heat until warmed through, season with salt and pepper and fold in walnuts. Serve hot.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT`S CURED SALMON WITH GREEN PEPPERCORNS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Marinating time: 28 hours or longer
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
1/2 tablespoons dried green peppercorns, crushed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 whole salmon fillet, about 1 1/4 pounds, scales and pin bones removed but skin left on
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup olive oil
1. Lightly toast peppercorns over low heat in a dry saute pan (not nonstick) to release flavor, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool, then blend with sugar and salt.
2. Place fillet in a large pan, skin side down. Gently rub salt mixture into the fillet, using all of it. Add half the chopped dill and press it into the fillet.
3. Turn the fillet so the skin side is up. Wrap a board or another flat object that will cover the salmon in plastic wrap. Place it on the fillet and add a 2-pound weight or two 1-pound weights. Transfer pan to the refrigerator and leave, uncovered, for 24 hours.
4. Remove weight and board from salmon, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Rinse pan and dry. Rub olive oil and remaining dill into fillet, return to the pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Slice salmon crosswise in very thin slices. Serve on plates or thin slices of dark bread with cucumber dill sauce and other condiments as desired. CUCUMBER DILL SAUCE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 2 cups
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon each: minced fresh dill, fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground white pepper
1. Grate the cucumber, transfer to a strainer and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Squeeze excess juice from cucumber, transfer to a bowl and stir in sour cream, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend, taste and correct seasoning as desired.
3. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT`S TURKEY ROULADE
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Smoking time (optional): 2 hours
Cooking time: 75 to 90 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
1 whole turkey breast, about 5 1/2 pounds
2 tablespoons each: shredded asiago cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon each: minced fresh oregano, minced fresh basil
8 slices prosciutto ham
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
1. Have the butcher bone, halve and skin the turkey breast, then butterfly and flatten each half, or do so yourself. Mix together the two cheeses and, separately, the three herbs.
2. Lay breast piece flat on a work table and line the top of each evenly with half the prosciutto, garlic, nuts, shredded cheeses and herbs. Roll each piece tightly along the wide side. Wrap each piece with cheesecloth and secure with twine.
3. Smoke in a covered barbecue grill or smoker over a mixture of charcoal, mesquite and hickory chips for about 2 hours. Alternately, the turkey can be without the additional step of smoking. Either way, place turkey in a preheated 350-degree oven and cook until internal temperature registers 170 degrees, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours longer.
4. Allow to cool, remove cheesecloth and cut crosswise into thin slices. Serve with chutney.
INTIMATE AFFAIRS` MIXED GRILL WITH CILANTRO PESTO
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 6 to 8 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
24 large sea scallops
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound beef tenderloin or boneless sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2-3 limes, cut in half
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic
4 serrano peppers
3 cups cilantro leaves
4 tablespoons each: vegetable oil, melted butter
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1. Oil and light a charcoal grill. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes.
2. Thread the scallops, pork and beef alternately on the skewers. Squeeze lime juice over them and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a blender or food processor, puree the garlic, peppers, cilantro, oil, butter and stock. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Coat the skewers with the sauce, place on the grill and cook as desired, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare, basting and turning frequently. Serve at once.
Note: The skewers may be assembled up to a day in advance and kept, tightly covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. The sauce may be prepared ahead as well. Return the skewers to room temperature an hour before cooking.
INTIMATE AFFAIRS` BLACK BEAN AND FRESH CORN SALAD WITH ORANGE
VINAIGRETTE
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Soaking time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
2 cups dried black beans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups chicken stock or broth
Salt, pepper
4 cups fresh corn, about 8 ears, cut from the cob
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Orange vinaigrette, recipe follows
1. Pour black beans into a large pot and add water to cover by at least 2-inches. Heat to a boil then cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.
2. Drain water from beans, and add the brown sugar, cumin and chicken stock. Heat to a boil and simmer until beans are tender but still firm, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more stock if necessary. Drain in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Drain again.
3. In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, red pepper, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour orange vinaigrette over mixture and toss. Chill before serving.
ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon each: peeled, finely chopped ginger root, chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh tarragon
1. Combine orange juice, vinegar, mustard, oil, pepper, ginger, dill and tarragon in a bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid and whisk or shake to blend.
INTIMATE AFFAIRS` LEMON BUTTERMILK PIE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND SWEETENED CREME FRAICHE
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
3 eggs, room temprature
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
Grated rind (yellow part only) of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 pie crust (9-inch), prebaked, cooled
1 1/2 pints strawberries
Sugar to taste
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat the eggs by hand until light and gradually beat in the sugar until you reach the ribbon stage. Add the salt, flour, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla, in that order, beating
continuously. Gradually stir in the buttermilk and then the melted butter.
2. Pour the mixture into the prebaked shell and bake for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking 20 to 25 minutes longer. The center of the filling should still be loose as it will continue cooking after coming from the oven. The pie slices best when completely cool.
3. Wash strawberries, hull them and cut the large ones in half. Transfer to a bowl and add sugar to taste.
4. Place pie slices on serving plates, spoon strawberries over them and add a dollop of sweetened creme fraiche.
SWEETENED CREME FRAICHE
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Standing time: Overnight
Yield: About 1 1/4 cups
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons buttermilk
Sugar to taste
Vanilla to taste
1. Mix the cream and buttermilk well and leave overnight at room temperature.
2. Mix in sugar to taste and a couple of drops of vanilla. Beat until lightly thickened.
