I had a ball this week! I'm still a chef and I still love it! The owner's of a local winery that we love to visit called and asked if I would be interest in doing a dinner for the workers who volunteered to help with the bottling this week. It's been so long since I've done any professional cooking (1 1/2 years!!) I just jumped at the chance.
On to the menu, which anyone wanting to know how to put together a dinner party menu, NEVER do this one! It is the most unbalanced selection I've ever been involved in. Gorgonzola & Brie in one appy; Muenster in the other; Gruyere in the salad; Parmesan in the entree!!!!!!!!! Never repeat a product like this! But...this is what the customer wanted and mine is to do
So here it is and a couple of the recipes -
Gorgonzola and Brie Torte
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/cjdacook/torte.jpg
GORGONZOLA and BRIE TORTE
24 ounces cream cheese, divided
12 ounces butter, divided
6 ounces brie, rind cut off
6 ounces gorgonzola cheese
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch scallions
Line a 10" springform pan with plastic wrap; set aside.
Beat half the cream cheese with half the butter and the brie; put in pan.
Layer with chopped herbs.
Beat remaining cream cheese with the remaining butter and gorgonzola.
Top with herbs.
Bring up sides of plastic wrap and wrap until ready to unmold.
Chill until ready to serve.
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Pepperoni Pie Squares
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/cjd...peroni.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/cjd...onitwo.jpg
PEPPERONI PIE HORS D'OEUVRES
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 c milk
2 lg eggs
1 lb Muenster cheese -- cubed
8 ozs sliced pepperoni -- chopped
1/2 tsp oregano -- dried
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp fresh parsley -- chopped
Pizza or Marinara Sauce
Combine first 8 ingred. (flour thru parsley) in a bowl; pour into a
lightly greased 13X9" baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 30 min.; cool slightly, & cut into squares.
Serve w/sauce
For the marinara sauce, I just make my favorite 'throw together' one.
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Tomato-Gruyere Basil Salad
Beef al a Bourguignonne
Parsley Buttered Noodles
Roasted Butternut Squash Penne al Burro
Dinner rolls with lemon zest whipped butter
Northwest Bumbleberry Cobbler
Blueberry-Maple Sauce (thank you Lorraine)
Heavy cream
NORTHWEST BLACKBERRY COBBLER
For the Filling: 6 cups berries -
3 cups blackberries
1 cups raspberries
1 cups blueberries
1 cups strawberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup a.p. flour
For the Batter:
2 cups a.p. flour
1 cups plus 1 T. sugar
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 cups milk
8 tablespoons butter (1/4 lb.), unsalted and melted
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
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1 cups heavy cream, whipped for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°. Filling: Mix the berries, sugar, & flour in a large bowl, & pour into a 15" nonreactive oval baking dish. Let stand ~35 min.
Batter: Combine the flour, 1 c. of sugar, b. powder & salt in food processor.
Process to combine; add milk & melted butter, beat till smooth.
Spoon the batter over the berries, making sure you spread it to the edges of the dish (to prevent any excess juice from boiling over). (Note: I don't agree with this, I think it's so pretty to let some of the juice come thru a couple places and a little around the edge.)
Sprinkle the remaining 1 T. sugar and the nutmeg over the batter.
Bake in center of oven till the crust is brown and crisp on the outside & cooked all the way thru, & the berries are bubbling up thru it, ~ 1 hour. Remove cobbler from oven & let cool for 10 min. before serving.
Serve the cream along side.
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This is the first time I've ever run out of food!! These people are all eaters!!! What a fun dinner. I had to tell them no way can I do any large dos for them - I'm too frickin' old and tired, but I have all their small parties sewed up!
a Chef's Journey rides again!!
On to the menu, which anyone wanting to know how to put together a dinner party menu, NEVER do this one! It is the most unbalanced selection I've ever been involved in. Gorgonzola & Brie in one appy; Muenster in the other; Gruyere in the salad; Parmesan in the entree!!!!!!!!! Never repeat a product like this! But...this is what the customer wanted and mine is to do
So here it is and a couple of the recipes -
Gorgonzola and Brie Torte
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/cjdacook/torte.jpg
GORGONZOLA and BRIE TORTE
24 ounces cream cheese, divided
12 ounces butter, divided
6 ounces brie, rind cut off
6 ounces gorgonzola cheese
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch scallions
Line a 10" springform pan with plastic wrap; set aside.
Beat half the cream cheese with half the butter and the brie; put in pan.
Layer with chopped herbs.
Beat remaining cream cheese with the remaining butter and gorgonzola.
Top with herbs.
Bring up sides of plastic wrap and wrap until ready to unmold.
Chill until ready to serve.
------------
Pepperoni Pie Squares
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/cjd...peroni.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/cjd...onitwo.jpg
PEPPERONI PIE HORS D'OEUVRES
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 c milk
2 lg eggs
1 lb Muenster cheese -- cubed
8 ozs sliced pepperoni -- chopped
1/2 tsp oregano -- dried
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp fresh parsley -- chopped
Pizza or Marinara Sauce
Combine first 8 ingred. (flour thru parsley) in a bowl; pour into a
lightly greased 13X9" baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 30 min.; cool slightly, & cut into squares.
Serve w/sauce
For the marinara sauce, I just make my favorite 'throw together' one.
-----
Tomato-Gruyere Basil Salad
Beef al a Bourguignonne
Parsley Buttered Noodles
Roasted Butternut Squash Penne al Burro
Dinner rolls with lemon zest whipped butter
Northwest Bumbleberry Cobbler
Blueberry-Maple Sauce (thank you Lorraine)
Heavy cream
NORTHWEST BLACKBERRY COBBLER
For the Filling: 6 cups berries -
3 cups blackberries
1 cups raspberries
1 cups blueberries
1 cups strawberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup a.p. flour
For the Batter:
2 cups a.p. flour
1 cups plus 1 T. sugar
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 cups milk
8 tablespoons butter (1/4 lb.), unsalted and melted
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
----------
1 cups heavy cream, whipped for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°. Filling: Mix the berries, sugar, & flour in a large bowl, & pour into a 15" nonreactive oval baking dish. Let stand ~35 min.
Batter: Combine the flour, 1 c. of sugar, b. powder & salt in food processor.
Process to combine; add milk & melted butter, beat till smooth.
Spoon the batter over the berries, making sure you spread it to the edges of the dish (to prevent any excess juice from boiling over). (Note: I don't agree with this, I think it's so pretty to let some of the juice come thru a couple places and a little around the edge.)
Sprinkle the remaining 1 T. sugar and the nutmeg over the batter.
Bake in center of oven till the crust is brown and crisp on the outside & cooked all the way thru, & the berries are bubbling up thru it, ~ 1 hour. Remove cobbler from oven & let cool for 10 min. before serving.
Serve the cream along side.
-------
This is the first time I've ever run out of food!! These people are all eaters!!! What a fun dinner. I had to tell them no way can I do any large dos for them - I'm too frickin' old and tired, but I have all their small parties sewed up!
a Chef's Journey rides again!!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
www.achefsjourney.com
