I am cooking for Chandi (RedRedWine) and her husband tomorrow. She won one of our prizes, and that includes dinner!

So I want it to be really special. I invited some other friends, too, because I want to have courses and it's too hard to make courses for three people.

How does this look? Does it sound like a winning dinner?

Antipasti:
Salami from Volpi in St. Louis
Cheese and Olives
Bread and good olive oil

First course:
Butternut Squash Lasagna
(should I do risotto instead?)

Second course:
Pork Loin Braised in Rosemary Infused Milk
Salad of Greens and Mixed Sauteed Mushrooms

Cheeses with Mostarda

Dessert:
Lemon Baba Cakes with Ice Cream
Chocolate from Russia and Sicily

I haven't shopped yet. I'll serve prosecco with the antipasti, Sauv blanc with the primi, and some good Italian red with the secondi. My friend Andy, who sells beer for a living (and is a beer snob) is going to bring some interesting beers, too.

I hope Chandi likes it!

Pork loin in milk is one of my favourite secondi! Funnily enough, I've never eaten it in Italy, but often cooked it, in Marcella Hazan's and someone else's (forgotten who) version.

It's quite rich - I'd go for the risotto rather that the lasagne (yes, squash lasagne is going to be leaner than a ragù one, but there's the besciamello & cheese...).

Sounds great - I wish Stroud was closer to California

Jonathan

I think that the butternut squash risotti would be really great followed by the pork!
have fun!
judy

Pork recipe, please ?

This sounds yummy! Wish I too lived nearby and could invite myself to join the party. Have fun!

Sounds delish, Shannon!

My first thought was to go for the lasagna as a more unusual way to use the squash, but I take Jonathan's point that lasagna would be "heavier" than risotto.

I just happened to have picked up some pork loins at the market last night ... might have to look in my Marcella Hazan cookbook for the milk recipe. Yum!

Hmm... maybe Risotto with Barolo and Gorgonzola instead?

I got the recipe for the pork from Marlena de Blasi's "Regional Foods of Northern Italy" (a book I HIGHLY recommend). I've made it twice with awesome results. I can post the recipe if there are no issues with copyright. Otherwise I'll email you the recipe, Kim.

Not the two toghether. Gorgonzola would kill the wine's flavor, and red wines give roisotto an ugly color. Pear and gorgonzola? Just gorgonzola? (No way to grab some good, aged Castelmagno, eh?)
Also, why not cooked vegetables with the pork roast? I would consider making carrots and... Rape... Turnips maybe? Cut them in thin slices, blanch separately in water (rape will need to be cooked a bit longer than carrots), throw away water, put in a pan with butter and milk (1 pound of vegetable = 1 glass of milk) and a pinch of salt; simmer until ready, add a tiny bit of nutmeg and a tablespoon of Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve in a table dish, carrots on one sides, rape on the other, so that everyone serves himself or herself freely. Carrots are sweet, rape bitter and tangy: IMHO they complete each other. And they could be nice with the roast. If you throw in some broccoli (or, better, broccoli romani if you can find them) you will also have a nice plate with the colors of the IRISH flag.

quote:

red wines give roisotto an ugly color.

Yes - I had a risotto al sagrantino once in Bevagna: tasted delicious, but didn't look at all appetising.

Jonathan

I agree with Jonathan about the risotto being lighter, but it also takes more "hands on" time when your guests are there, versus the lasagne. If you want to spend more time with your guests than at the stove, go for the lasagne! And I have also done the Hazan version of the pork braised in milk, absolutely wonderful. Will have to try it your way, with the rosemary infusion, sounds lovely.

Aren't you glad we all DON'T live too close? Because if we did, you'd probably have about 100 show up for dinner after posting that menu!

Now I'm drooling.

Ginger

I'm going to vote for your original menu, Shannon.

I love roasted butternut squash lasagna, and don't think of it as heavy if you go easy on the besciamella and parmigiano. If you can get good fresh spinach lasagna noodles that makes it perfect.

I might add some sauteed baby spinach to serve with the pork.

Well, I have switched to butternut squash & gorgonzola risotto - the one that T-Mac posted here last month. Since I have an in-house stirrer, I might as well take advantage of her.

I thought the mushrooms with salad greens would be a little lighter than doing another starch, but roasted veggies might be good. Easy, too.

Since you've already switched to the risotto this is moot but I was going to suggest possibly doing the butternut in a ravioli instead of a lasagna.

Toss with a small amount of clarified butter and sage leaf...sprinkle with a touch of nutmeg and a few chopped pecans (I put those into the ravioli too)
The ravioli could be made ahead of time and then you could finish them off in just a couple of minutes.

Post photos for all of us to see.....please,please,please!

I've been on a risotto "kick" lately. Alice's pear and gorgonzola is next on my list.

I don't think that there is a serious legal issue with a recipe, but there are ethical considerations. When known, the "creator" of a recipe should be cited.

Here's an article about this topic from the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...AR2006010300316.html

Marion, interesting article, I always give credit to the source for recipes, even when I tweak them for my diet but it would be nice to have a definitive policy.

quote:

I don't think that there is a serious legal issue with a recipe, but there are ethical considerations. When known, the "creator" of a recipe should be cited.

Interesting turn this thread has taken. Makes you stop and think.

I have seen almost the same recipe for many things in numerous books - even in some of my vintage cookbooks from the 1800's. "Who" gets the credit for a ragu, for example, or polenta, for banana bread, or even coquilles st. jacques?

Most recipes are variations of an accepted standard practice. I remember being told in school that in order to claim a recipe was something you could put your signature on that you had to alter the ingredients and method of preparation by at least 10%.

Doesn't seem like much, does it? For Emeril, that means that much of the time all he has to do is toss in his essence and yell "BAM!" to call a recipe his own.

There aren't many ways to re-invent the wheel and it is accepted practice that we start with a base and work from there - fine tuning, tweaking and seasoning until we end up with a product that suits our taste buds.

Still, it is good practice and good manners to quote the source of a recipe if known. Most times we just don't know. I read cookbooks like many others read novels and am always on the lookout for an innovative addition to an old standard.

quote:

Originally posted by Jonathan:
Sounds great - I wish Stroud was closer to California
Jonathan

Jonathan, St. Louis is closer than San Diego. You should split the distance and meet Shannon here.
After shopping at Global Foods, she can use my kitchen and cook for you. (Dan and I would be happy to join you at the table, of course.)

I'm almost thinking I should cook for Jonathan in Venice next month. But that would take away one night from Osteria da Alberto.

quote:

Jonathan, St. Louis is closer than San Diego.

Very true, Deborah! But Venice is even closer, and I've already got my flight (and apartment) booked So I'll just have to postpone my trip to see the evenin' sun go down.

Shannon, oh yes, da Alberto You're right, there's some serious tasting work to be done in Venice. But I think you should come and stay with us in Puglia - you can cook us a meal there (Last time I was wandering through Venice's Pescheria, I was pleased to see that the Orate were labelled as 'di Mare Puglia')

Jonathan

Well, it was a really fun night. Lots of great wine and conversation. I was a little bummed with the way the food came out, but I think I was being a little hyper-sensitive. Everyone pretty much licked their plates clean.

Next time, I think I will stick to plan A and make lasagna... risotto, especially a double batch, is just too nerve wracking. I didn't cut the squash small enough (my bad) and it was a bit al dente.

I also overcooked the pork slightly. I did end up roasting some baby carrots, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes and those were a major hit. Also, the baba cakes with ice cream (and a jar of Picolit jelly) went over well.

Actually, everything went over well, but I think it was because the conversation flowed, the wine was awesome, and the vibe very laid back. I am exhausted now though!

Cooks are generally their own worst critics - as with most artists. I'll bet everything was great and memorable.

Now for the visual aids so the rest of us can commit to memory this lovely dinner -------- Any pics???

Pumpkin ravioli: make them big, square, and garnish just with fresh butter and Parmigiano in a big bowl; let sit in the warm (just barely warm!) oven for 20 minutes before serving.

Risotto: stirrer? Risotto is supposed not to be stirred, but pumpkin risotto... Well, I make it like a soup, very dense soup. It turns out just slightly more "saucy" than risotto.

Riis e zucca (rice and squash)

half a kilo (one pound) of (butternut) squash
one potato
one small onion
4-5 glasses of rice
butter
grated Grana Padano
optional vegetable or meat stock (can be substituted with plain warm water with a pinch of salt)

Seed, peel and dice the squash. Peel and dice the potato. Mince the opnion and sauté it with a little butter in a casserole. Add the vegetables and sauté for a few minutes. Add the stock (or some plain water with a pinch of salt) and cook until the squash and potato are soft. Mash partially the vegetables; they must not be compltetely puréed, there must be some bits left. Add the rice, and a bit of warm water if needed. Cook until al dente. The result must be dense but not as firm as a risotto. Stir in some more butter and the cheese.

I didn't take any photos of the food... sorry. I do have a couple of photos of the table, which I will post on my blog later.

I always forget to take pictures! Then everyone is halfway done, and it is too late.