Three summers ago Doug and three good buddies decided it would be fun to bike from here to Steve and Christy's lake house in Culver, IN, 120 miles away, where we wives would be relaxing and waiting for our
crazy studly menfolk. And they did! They had a great day and a great ride and when they pulled up, we had the margaritas ready to go and spent the rest of that spectacular weekend relaxing, swimming, boating, drinking and eating at that glorious house by the lake (capped by John Iglar singing EVERY VERSE of the Edmund Fitzgerald with Doug on guitar.)
That fall, Doug and I decided to have a dinner party with that same group to reminisce and watch the video that Todd had put together. We had a lovely night around the table and reveled in that glow that, for me, only a great dinner party brings. That "we're so blessed to have amazing friends and a warm house and life is so good" kind of glow. So we did it again the next fall, and the next, and this past weekend was version 4.0.
I love throwing dinner parties. I love bringing people into our home and cooking for them. It takes a lot of planning and work but I enjoy it and for me the key to enjoying myself is this: say yes to help and be ok with imperfection. So if our house isn't perfect I decide it's fine. If our tree is up on December 5th but still undecorated? No biggie. And when my lovely friends offer to bring something I say YES. It's amazing how much easier it is to plan if I don't have to think about appetizers. Or fancy cocktails. Or whatever course you want to farm out.
I set the table the night before:
Then on Saturday I got down to business. Because while I release a lot, I do care about the food. A lot.
On the Menu:
Appetizers/drinks
Donna brought Barefoot Contessa's
roasted shrimp cocktail (the only way to do it!!) and
Christy brought a gorgeous cheese platter and her bacon wrapped dates.
All were supremely delicious.
Catherine (and Larkin) brought a ridiculous amount of delicious wine and champagne.
Margie and Todd brought the fixings for cosmos & dark & stormies. These were very, very popular.
For dinner we served:
Ina's Arugula salad with parmesan and lemon.
It's a simple and insanely delicious salad.
Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Skirt Steak - trimmed - about 1/2 lb/person. I used almost 6lbs for 10 people.
(this sauce is also amazing on grilled chicken breasts - just pound them out, salt & pepper them and grill 4 min/side then smother in chimichurri.)
Melissa d'Arabian's Chimichurri - I doubled this recipe.
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- Red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2/3 cup olive oil
Place
cilantro, parsley, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, red pepper
flakes, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until
roughly chopped. Slowly pour in the olive oil and process until
chimichurri is semi-smooth, about 4 seconds.
Cut the steaks into about 12 inch pieces, then throw them in large ziploc bag with some marinade (I used about 1/2 cup marinade for each ziploc bag) and marinade all day, flipping occasionally. Bring to room temp at least an hour before grilling.
Grill the skirt steak about 4 minutes per side for medium rare, 5 for thicker pieces, then cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain into about 2-inch pieces. Arrange on a platter and spoon some chimichurri on top. Put the rest of the chimmicurri in a bowl and pass on table.
Quinoa Pilaf
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled, finely chopped
1red bell pepper, seeded, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt & pepper
Heat oil, add onion, pepper, garlic and pine nuts.
Cook until union is soft, about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and cook 1 minute.
Stir in broth, season with salt & pepper. Heat to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, simmer until broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and add parsley.
Lemon Pepper Green Beans
Blanch about a pound of green beans in boiling water. Drain, then add the zest and juice of one lemon and tons of pepper and a little salt. YUM.
Can't wait for 5.0!
oh - let's not forget dessert!!
Mexican Chocolate Cake
Despite getting slightly overcooked because of a disastrous olive oil accident at the Jewel, this cake was pretty darned good. I'd definitely make it again. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
For cake
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For glaze
- 2 cups chopped pecans (71/2 ounces)
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan well and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
Melt butter (2 sticks) in a 3-quart
heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water
and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in separately
sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
Sift together flour, baking soda,
cinnamon, and salt into a bowl, then sift again into cocoa mixture and
whisk until just combined (don't worry if there are lumps).
Pour batter into cake pan and bake until
a wooden pick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 45 to 55
minutes. (Leave oven on.)
Cool cake in pan on a rack 20 minutes, then loosen edges with a thin knife and invert onto a plate.
Make glaze:
Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow
baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 6
to 8 minutes. Cool pecans slightly in pan on a rack, about 5 minutes.
Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan
over low heat, then stir in half-and-half and confectioners sugar. Add
chocolate and cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in
pecans and salt. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Spoon glaze over top and sides of cake
(cake will still be warm) and spread with a small offset spatula or
knife to cover completely.
Cake (with glaze) can be made 2 days ahead and kept
at room temperature in a cake keeper or covered with an inverted bowl.
