Giving the guests a preview of the evening
The antipasto buffet
The second course-Brasato (Italian pot roast)
The aftermath
If you wonder what I have been doing since Thanksgiving, the above pictures show the result of a week's work. The last few years I have donated Italian dinners for 12 guests to annual auctions benefiting a couple of worthy causes. Last night's was sold at the Meerkerk Gardens auction last February.
The menu was as follows:
Antipasto Misto ~ Zardetto Prosecco Brut
Prosciutto
Salame Genovese
Salame Milanese
Three Crostini
~with chopped tomatoes
~with walnut pesto and white beans
~with artichoke paste
Grilled Peppers with Spicy Oil
Grilled Eggplant and zucchini with olive oil, lemon and thyme
Pickled Onions
Olives
Primi Piatti ~Campogrande 2006 Orvieto Classico
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Butter, Sage and Grana Padano cheese
Capellini with Mushroom Sauce
Secondo Piatto ~ Banfi Col di Sasso 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon & Sangiovese e/o A Mano 2006 Primitivo
Brasato (Italian Pot Roast)
Roast Potatoes
Roast Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar –
Carrots, parsnips and Brussel sprouts
Dolce ~ Falchini Vin Santo del Chianti
e/o Liquore di Limone di Sorrento
Mixed Gelato ~ marsala wine and chocolate
Biscotti with walnuts, chocolate chips and orange
Prosciutto
Salame Genovese
Salame Milanese
Three Crostini
~with chopped tomatoes
~with walnut pesto and white beans
~with artichoke paste
Grilled Peppers with Spicy Oil
Grilled Eggplant and zucchini with olive oil, lemon and thyme
Pickled Onions
Olives
Primi Piatti ~Campogrande 2006 Orvieto Classico
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Butter, Sage and Grana Padano cheese
Capellini with Mushroom Sauce
Secondo Piatto ~ Banfi Col di Sasso 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon & Sangiovese e/o A Mano 2006 Primitivo
Brasato (Italian Pot Roast)
Roast Potatoes
Roast Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar –
Carrots, parsnips and Brussel sprouts
Dolce ~ Falchini Vin Santo del Chianti
e/o Liquore di Limone di Sorrento
Mixed Gelato ~ marsala wine and chocolate
Biscotti with walnuts, chocolate chips and orange
It was all cooked from scratch by yours truly. I even made the squash ravioli!
While I enjoy doing it, the dinners are an incredible amount of work. It takes 4-5 days to prepare everything and then I and a helper cart everything to the winning bidder's home, finish cooking, serve and cleanup. However this one was loads of fun especially as I and my helper knew a number of the guests. It was also the first I have done on Whidbey Island so the trip home afterwards was less than a half hour. Now that it is over I feel like I can finally concentrate on Christmas.
I will be posting some of these recipes on this blog in the near future.
2 comments:
My mouth is watering, Louise...what an incredible feast! I so want you to post those recipes so Rachel can make the butternut squash ravioli and the gelato for me one of these days very soon. The entire menu was extraordinary and your pairings of the wine and spirits with your food were inspired. I think I may know someone who would be happy to help in the future... in the past Rachel has donated Middle Eastern meals as auction prizes. After spending this year in Italy I will encourage her to start thinking about doing Italian as well. I think the two of you would make an unbeatable team. And me?? I'll do what I do best... EAT!
Louise: Stunning!!! What a gorgeous display of food; such a feast. I'm really glad that we've met because at some future time, I'd sure love cooking in a kitchen with you! The streets of Alessandria are sparkling with a million lights; it's a beautiful time here.
Best to you and Dom. Rachel
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