Last night we had the dinner for the Oscar Night winners, which can be explained more here.
Last week Laura and I met, watched Big Night, and planned the menu. We were cooking for the three guys and Dave and Mario offered to host.
So we all gathered at 5:30 yesterday evening and chatted first... then started the movie. We took a break half way through for the first two courses. Then after the movie, we had the last two courses. A lot of food... it's a good thing we stretched it out. The guys didn't crow too much about their win, which was a mercy. This was the menu:
*****
ASSAGGINO:
Risotto di Pesce
(Shrimp and Truffle Risotto with Seared Scallops)
PRIMO
Timballo del Gattopardo
(Timbale of Pasta for the Prince of Salina)
SECONDO
Arista di Maiale alla Fiorentina con Asparagi e Pomodori
(Florentine Roast Pork with Rosemary, Asparagus and Tomatoes)
DOLCE
Tiramisù
(Tiramisu)
*****
More descriptions of each course (click on the picture for a much bigger version):
Risotto di Pesce (Shrimp and Truffle Risotto with Seared Scallops, first picture.)
Pretty much as it's described. This was the only dish we served hot.
Timballo del Gattopardo (Timbale of Pasta for the Prince of Salina, second and third pictures.)
Also known as a timpano, this contains more types of meat than I've ever put in one dish before. The ingredients include: pork loin, veal loin, pork ribs, pancetta, prosciutto, beef meat balls, pork sausage, peas, hard-boiled eggs, mozzarella, parmigiano, marjoram, rosemary, basil, bay leaves, cinnamon, onion, garlic, pasta and of course, all wrapped in an interestingly-sweet pastry. The recipe is from Valentina Harris' Italia Italia cook book. She's a wonderful writer and chef and teacher. I might make this again for Christmas, but definitely this is only a special occasion dish, as it takes - no kidding - three days to make.
Arista di Maiale alla Fiorentina con Asparagi e Pomodori (Florentine Roast Pork with Rosemary, Asparagus and Tomatoes, fourth picture.)
This was so delicious. Instead of just coating the pork, Laura rolled the flavours into it. The picture doesn't show the whiteness of the pork - I photographed the wrong angle - but you can see with the tomato and asparagus, that we kind of paid homage to the Italian flag. All the food - except the risotto - was room temperature meaning it was just easier to serve and enjoy ourselves, also we could sit outside and not feel too hot.
Tiramisù (Tiramisu, last picture.)
Laura used a recipe from a baking class she took a while back with James. I think I took the same class a year or two later, but we never made this. She made the lady fingers from scratch and it was the tallest Tiramisu I'd ever seen. Utter bliss... creamy, tasty, smooth, soft heaven. Thank goodness there were left overs of this too! I love Italian desserts - never too sweet!)
The guys provided the wine and we had a lovely time with lots of good conversation, ranging over every topic imaginable! The evening ended at 12:30 a.m. And all I'm saying is.... next year I'm winning the Oscar ballot! Hee hee.
Last week Laura and I met, watched Big Night, and planned the menu. We were cooking for the three guys and Dave and Mario offered to host.
So we all gathered at 5:30 yesterday evening and chatted first... then started the movie. We took a break half way through for the first two courses. Then after the movie, we had the last two courses. A lot of food... it's a good thing we stretched it out. The guys didn't crow too much about their win, which was a mercy. This was the menu:
*****
ASSAGGINO:
Risotto di Pesce
(Shrimp and Truffle Risotto with Seared Scallops)
PRIMO
Timballo del Gattopardo
(Timbale of Pasta for the Prince of Salina)
SECONDO
Arista di Maiale alla Fiorentina con Asparagi e Pomodori
(Florentine Roast Pork with Rosemary, Asparagus and Tomatoes)
DOLCE
Tiramisù
(Tiramisu)
*****
More descriptions of each course (click on the picture for a much bigger version):
Risotto di Pesce (Shrimp and Truffle Risotto with Seared Scallops, first picture.)
Pretty much as it's described. This was the only dish we served hot.
Timballo del Gattopardo (Timbale of Pasta for the Prince of Salina, second and third pictures.)
Also known as a timpano, this contains more types of meat than I've ever put in one dish before. The ingredients include: pork loin, veal loin, pork ribs, pancetta, prosciutto, beef meat balls, pork sausage, peas, hard-boiled eggs, mozzarella, parmigiano, marjoram, rosemary, basil, bay leaves, cinnamon, onion, garlic, pasta and of course, all wrapped in an interestingly-sweet pastry. The recipe is from Valentina Harris' Italia Italia cook book. She's a wonderful writer and chef and teacher. I might make this again for Christmas, but definitely this is only a special occasion dish, as it takes - no kidding - three days to make.
Arista di Maiale alla Fiorentina con Asparagi e Pomodori (Florentine Roast Pork with Rosemary, Asparagus and Tomatoes, fourth picture.)
This was so delicious. Instead of just coating the pork, Laura rolled the flavours into it. The picture doesn't show the whiteness of the pork - I photographed the wrong angle - but you can see with the tomato and asparagus, that we kind of paid homage to the Italian flag. All the food - except the risotto - was room temperature meaning it was just easier to serve and enjoy ourselves, also we could sit outside and not feel too hot.
Tiramisù (Tiramisu, last picture.)
Laura used a recipe from a baking class she took a while back with James. I think I took the same class a year or two later, but we never made this. She made the lady fingers from scratch and it was the tallest Tiramisu I'd ever seen. Utter bliss... creamy, tasty, smooth, soft heaven. Thank goodness there were left overs of this too! I love Italian desserts - never too sweet!)
The guys provided the wine and we had a lovely time with lots of good conversation, ranging over every topic imaginable! The evening ended at 12:30 a.m. And all I'm saying is.... next year I'm winning the Oscar ballot! Hee hee.
No comments:
Post a Comment