A Midsummer Night's Dinner Club.
July 17, 2017.
after searching for a summery theme, diva N decided on "a midsummer night's dream." for their dishes, the divas were inspired by the ideas of foraging in the forest, fairytales, florals, and fruits of the trees - and by titania's fairies, mustardseed and peasblossom.
Edible Flower Appetizer
Ingredients
Crusty bread, toasted
Goat cheese (I used the black pepper one)
Slices of cured ham
Fresh rosemary
Chili mayonnaise
Edible flowers
Directions
Slice the crusty bread, toast it, then layer the cheese on top. Roll a piece of cured ham on top, tuck a sprig of rosemary between the cheese and meat, put a dollop of chili mayo on top, and decorate with a few edible flowers.
Ingredients
Crusty bread, toasted
Goat cheese (I used the black pepper one)
Slices of cured ham
Fresh rosemary
Chili mayonnaise
Edible flowers
Directions
Slice the crusty bread, toast it, then layer the cheese on top. Roll a piece of cured ham on top, tuck a sprig of rosemary between the cheese and meat, put a dollop of chili mayo on top, and decorate with a few edible flowers.
Salmon in Orange-Saffron Sauce
serves 5
1 shallot, minced
2 T butter
1/2 cup white wine (i used sauvignon blanc, but it could be whatever as long as it's not sweet)
1/2 cup orange juice
a healthy pinch of saffron, crumbled
a healthy pinch of brown sugar
1 orange, thinly sliced
5 6-ounce salmon fillets
salt
preheat oven to 400 degrees. melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add shallot and cook until soft. add wine, oj, saffron and sugar, and bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
remove the sauce from the heat and puree in a blender (or use your immersion blender). divide your sauce in half.
salt the salmon fillets on both sides and place each on a piece of tinfoil boat (i.e. pull up the sides/ends so it will hold sauce).
using half of your sauce, brush your fillets generously, then top each piece with orange slices, and close your foil packets. place them on a cookie sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes (check after 15, but mine needed a bit longer).
meanwhile, return the other half of your sauce to the pan and simmer until it thickens - this will only take a minute or 2, so keep an eye on it.
when the salmon is cooked, serve with a drizzle of the thickened sauce.
serves 5
1 shallot, minced
2 T butter
1/2 cup white wine (i used sauvignon blanc, but it could be whatever as long as it's not sweet)
1/2 cup orange juice
a healthy pinch of saffron, crumbled
a healthy pinch of brown sugar
1 orange, thinly sliced
5 6-ounce salmon fillets
salt
preheat oven to 400 degrees. melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add shallot and cook until soft. add wine, oj, saffron and sugar, and bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
remove the sauce from the heat and puree in a blender (or use your immersion blender). divide your sauce in half.
salt the salmon fillets on both sides and place each on a piece of tinfoil boat (i.e. pull up the sides/ends so it will hold sauce).
using half of your sauce, brush your fillets generously, then top each piece with orange slices, and close your foil packets. place them on a cookie sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes (check after 15, but mine needed a bit longer).
meanwhile, return the other half of your sauce to the pan and simmer until it thickens - this will only take a minute or 2, so keep an eye on it.
when the salmon is cooked, serve with a drizzle of the thickened sauce.
Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad
courtesy Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/honey-mustard-broccoli-salad/12950/?utm_term=.a76b5f28dd1e
Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccoli with stems (about 1 pound total)
- 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Coarse salt (preferably Himalayan pink salt)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted (see NOTE)
- 1 apple, such as Gala, Fuji or Honeycrisp, cored and cut into small dice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Cut the stems from the broccoli and reserve them. Cut the florets into bite-size pieces. Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large, lidded pot and steam the florets in a steamer insert for about 1 minute, just long enough to take off the raw edge. Transfer the florets to a colander and let them cool. Meanwhile, use a julienne peeler, mandoline or V-slicer to cut the broccoli stems into matchstick-size pieces (julienne).
Whisk together the mustard, honey, olive oil and vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Season with a pinch or two of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Add the broccoli florets, broccoli stems, sunflower seeds, apple and parsley to the bowl, and toss to coat.
Cover the bowl loosely and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes or until chilled. Serve cold.
NOTE: Toast the sunflower seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring or shaking the skillet often to prevent burning. Cool completely.
Maple Syrup Cake with Toasted Almonds (from Pastry Affair)
Maple Syrup Cake
3/4 cup (106 grams) whole almonds (or pecans)
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar, loosely packed
6 tablespoons (60 grams) maple syrup
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (177 ml) milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease three 6-inch cake pans. Set aside. (I used a flower-shaped mini bundt pan I have.)
Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes in the oven. Place in a food processor and process until the nuts resemble a coarse flour, about 1-3 minutes. Do not overprocess. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the maple syrup and beat until smooth. Add the egg and completely incorporate it into the batter. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and finely processed almonds. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Maple Syrup Frosting
(yields about 2 cups)
3 large egg whites
6 tablespoons (76 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, not packed
4 tablespoons (40 grams) maple syrup
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Place the egg whites and sugars into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmer water (or a double boiler). Use a whisk to beat the mixture until it reaches 150 degrees F (65 degrees C), or until the sugar crystals have dissolved and do not feel grainy when rubbed between your fingers. Remove from heat and add the maple syrup.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the meringue until the mixture is cool and thick and forms glossy, stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes. Add room temperature butter a small amount at a time. Continue beating frosting 3-5 minutes after all butter has been added.
Maple Syrup Cake
3/4 cup (106 grams) whole almonds (or pecans)
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar, loosely packed
6 tablespoons (60 grams) maple syrup
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (177 ml) milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease three 6-inch cake pans. Set aside. (I used a flower-shaped mini bundt pan I have.)
Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes in the oven. Place in a food processor and process until the nuts resemble a coarse flour, about 1-3 minutes. Do not overprocess. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the maple syrup and beat until smooth. Add the egg and completely incorporate it into the batter. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and finely processed almonds. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Maple Syrup Frosting
(yields about 2 cups)
3 large egg whites
6 tablespoons (76 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, not packed
4 tablespoons (40 grams) maple syrup
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Place the egg whites and sugars into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmer water (or a double boiler). Use a whisk to beat the mixture until it reaches 150 degrees F (65 degrees C), or until the sugar crystals have dissolved and do not feel grainy when rubbed between your fingers. Remove from heat and add the maple syrup.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the meringue until the mixture is cool and thick and forms glossy, stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes. Add room temperature butter a small amount at a time. Continue beating frosting 3-5 minutes after all butter has been added.