ENTERTAINING II: EASTER FEAST!

II TOOK ME FOREVER to write this - I am busy practicing after all, but here it is, finally, Part II!

EASTER CAME VERY EARLY this year and I wasn't sure that I'd be able to give two dinner parties back to back but it all turned out rather well. Considering that Easter is the most important event in the liturgical year, impromptu this dinner certainly wasn't. In fact, plans were in the works for at least a year since friends from Berlin were coming to dinner.

As you can tell from the photograph above, all the silverware means only one thing: many courses! Five in all if you include the Grapefruit-Lime Granita to cleanse the palette in between the pasta and the lamb. And, of course, like the dinner party the previous Monday, music, champagne and hors d'oeuvres preceded dinner.

People ask me "how do you do it - perform and cook a lavish meal all in one evening?" The answer is simple: planning, and a big oven and refrigerator! It isn't difficult practicing 6 hours a day and letting something simmer on the stove, or bake in the oven, days before the event. In other cases, as the previous Monday, everything was cooked well before any of the guests arrived.The most important motto for me, though, is make the appetizers and the desserts first! I usually do this at least a day beforehand. So, what did we eat?

We started nibbling on Balsamic Chicken Liver Mousse and Cheese to the music of Chopin, Schubert and Takemitsu! Talk about a change of pace!

Afterwards, we began to eat in earnest:

Liver Dumpling Soup

Veal and Spinach Lasagna with Saffron Pasta

Riesling

Grapefruit and Lime Granita

Roast stuffed and rolled Leg of Lamb

Lima Beans, Peas and Brussels Sprouts Poached 

in Lamb Broth

Stuffed Tomato

Sauteed Mushrooms

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Crème Caramel

Pavlova with Strawberries and Whipped Cream*

Dinner lasted 6 hours with a dog walking break in between and loads of gossip and laughter! 

So, you can probably guess that I made the liver mousse on Thursday as well as the meringue for the Pavlova (it needs to dry out in the open air after sitting in a warm oven with the door slightly ajar for at least 24 hours. I made the Crème Caramel on the Tuesday before Easter - the longer it sits in the fridge, the more the hardened caramel softens and is absorbed into the custard. By Sunday, what was a mold that adhered to the sides of the dish, now turned round and round swirling and swimming in caramel sauce.

Liver Dumpling Soup

Lasagna with Saffron Pasta

Saffron Pasta

Harry's Bar Dinner Rolls

* Recipes for the Pavolova can be seen in the following entry: 

http://paoloknows.blogspot.com/search?q=Pavlova

Crème Caramel

This recipe is for either a small or large custard depending on how many people you're going to serve. 

Caramel:

1 ¼ cups vanilla sugar

½ cup water

Custard:

2 fresh vanilla beans

3/4.5 cups whole milk

¾/1.25 cups vanilla sugar

3/5 whole eggs

6/9 egg yolks

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES

For the caramel:

Place sugar and water in a heavy saucepan.

Put on medium heat and simmer until it caramelizes, a dark amber color.  Too far and it will burn and taste bitter, so keep your eye on it! This takes time so prepare to wait....and wait....and wait. When sugar starts to crystallize do not stir and use a pastry brush dipped in water to push sugar crystals down from the sides of the pan.

Pour the caramel into the ramekin or baking pan (for one big creme caramel, I use a souffle dish) and let it cool overnight.  

For the custard:

Steep the vanilla and milk – put vanilla beans in milk and scald (170º), cover and let infuse for 10 -15 minutes.

Put all eggs into a large mixing bowl.  Once the milk is fully infused add the sugar and whisk vigorously. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking. Be sure to scrape all the seeds in the pod into this mixture.

Pour the custard base into the mold.  Place in a water bath (boiling) in the oven and cook until set and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, 1 – 1 ½ hours depending on size and heat of your oven.

Let cool completely and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. I usually let it sit in the fridge for 2 or 3 days so the caramel liquifies around the set custard. 

Place a plate over the dish, invert to unmold and serve.

Buon appetito!