We all
need a day off every now and then. A time to step away from our job and
do something for ourselves, something that will melt away the stress of
the week
and rejuvenate us for the week ahead. On my day off I did what any
good Research and Development Chef would do, I hosted a dinner party!
I have
just moved into my new condo, I was still waiting on my table and chairs
to be delivered, and just couldn't fight the urge to have a special
group of people
over to celebrate my very first dinner party! But I couldn't play this
one safe, just because my crowd was family doesn't mean I could phone
this one in. No I had to bust out all the stops and really set the tone
for my new life in the heart of Westport.
During
the summer the grill is my tool of choice. Fast and direct or low and
slow a fired up grill loaded with goodies for friends and family is a
Norman Rockwell
painting of summer. And in the spirit of back yard cookouts I wanted
to make the grill the focal point of the entire dinner. I wanted to
elevate the standard meat and potatoes fare with light and fun dishes to
both entertain and delight!
The
evening needed to start with a bang, set the tone, get these people just
screaming with anticipation for the next course. So I went a little
crazy and came
up with something amazing, a grilled polenta pizza margarita! The
polenta was made in a traditional style with rich homemade chicken
stock, shave parmesan and fresh cracked black pepper, but I scaled back
on the amount of stock to create a firm yet delicate
crust. After a brief period in the cooler to firm up I oiled the crust
with olive oil and took it to the grill. The parmesan created
wonderful crisp grill lines while imparting that great toasty cheese
flavor throughout the crust. The pizza was then topped
with tri color, home grown, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella
slices. A second trip to the grill to melt the cheese then the whole
pie was topped with fresh picked dark purple and sweet Italian basil a
robust balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive
oil. The contrast of sweet tomatoes,crisp smokey crust, the toothy
texture of the polenta and the melty goodness of the mozzarella almost
made me forget about every other pizza out there.... almost.
Now
that I had their attention we moved on to the main event. I started
with a salad and pasta combo, homemade fettuccini noodles with a fresh
clams, julienned
zucchini and white wine sauce tossed with fresh herbs and home grown
red chili's. The clams were steamed in a mixture of crisp white wine,
fresh thyme and a little home grown cayenne pepper. While they were
steaming away the julienned zucchini was sauteed
with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh thyme. The sauce and
zucchini were combined then tossed with the noodles still steaming from
their pot of salted water. The sweet clams were highlighted by the
bright flavor of the wine and fresh herbs while
the cayenne pepper brought up the rear with a sweet floral heat. A
wonderful light pasta for a hot summer day.
The
scent from the grill would waft into my house every time I opened my
door, guiding my guests through their current course and setting the
stage for the next.
Grilled hearts of romaine were plattered right off the grill and
dressed with shaved parmesan, seasonings and drizzled with homemade
Caesar salad dressing. The cheese melted into the grooves and the
dressing coated each of the leaves. The char added a smoke
and bite to the romaine, the melted cheese added a creamy texture and
the dressing kept the salad fresh and bright.
Our
main course was next, herb brined rotisserie chicken with roasted tri
colored pearl potatoes with red onion and rosemary. The chicken we
brined with salt,
sugar, white wine, lemons, garlic, peppercorns, fresh basil, rosemary,
thyme, oregano,and sage pulled right from our garden. The chicken
turned slowly on my rotisserie while the potatoes roasted in the drip
pan underneath. The brine kept the chicken super
moist, the grill made the skin golden brown and crispy, and the
potatoes were the perfect medium of texture and roasty flavor.
The
last course of the evening was a throwback with a fun modernist twist,
an Amalfi coast Ricotta Tort topped with a fresh blueberry and lemon
verbena compote.
The torte is like a very light whipped Italian cheesecake, bursting
with the flavors of fresh lemon and tangy ricotta. The sweet and tart
blueberry compote was enhance by the herbal bite of the lemon verbena.
It was a perfect ending to an amazing dinner,
leaving us all satisfied yet not stuffed.
Summer
is the time of year for fresh and light. Smoke and char add elements to
our familiar dishes that turn them from old favorites to new classics.
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