Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein

On Oct. 7, 2009 a wedding dinner was held for Mr. and Mrs. Frankenstein. Thank you all for coming and sharing a wonderful evening,an evening that won't be soon forgotten!



Menu

Beverages
Bloody Mary
White Banana Cooler
Sparkling Pomegranate

Appetizers
Stuffed Small Red Potoato Shrimp
Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Mushroom Tartlett with Cheese and Brandy

Soup
Cream of Red Bell Pepper
Bread Twists with Gruyere

Salad
Beet and Pear Napoleans with Ginger Juice Vinaigrette

Palette Cleanser
Green Apple Granita

Entree
Cornish Game Hen with Blackberry Sauce
Matchstick Seasoned Potatoes

Dessert
White Cake with Chocolate Ganache, Strawberry Preserves and Cream Cheese Frosting



Recipes

Bloody Mary
2 c. tomato juice
1 celery rib, sliced into small pieces
1 lemon slice
half red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 c. ice cubes

Blend all ingredients together in a blender, except ice. When mixture is smooth, add ice and blend until it is liquified. Strain and serve. Swizzle sticks: asparagus, carrot stalk, grean bean, celery stalk. Rock salt on rim of glass

White Banana Cooler
Recipe to come


Stuffed Small Red Potato Shrimp

1 1/2 lbs. small red potatoes (about 20), unpeeled
40 frozen cooked shrimp thawed, tails intact (41-50 count)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. cream cheese
4 bacon slices, cooked crisp, crumbled
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chives, minced
green onion tops, sliced thin for garnish

Bring red potatoes to a boil, simmer until fork-tender but not mushy; put in cold water to stop the cooking and drain. Cut potatoes in half without tearing the skins. Scoop out and discard centers using a melon baller leaving 1/2 inch walls; cut a thin slice off bottom of each potato to sit level. Can be made 1 day ahead.

Put shrimp single layer in a shallow dish, sprinkle with oil, salt, pepper, and thyme; marinate 3 hours or overnight covered and refrigerated.

Combine in a small bowl the sour cream, cream cheese, crumbled bacon, seasoning salt, pepper and chives; spoon into potatoes; blot shrimps briefly on paper towels, put one on stuffed potatoes with tail sticking up; garnish with onion tops and serve.

Makes 40 appetizers.

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta

Tomato Dipping Sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. plum tomatoes. finely chopped
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar

Squash Blossoms
1 c. whole milk ricotta (preferable fresh)
1 large egg yolk
1/4 c. finely chopped mint
2/3 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
12-16 large zucchini squash blossoms
1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
3/4 c. chilled selter or club soda
3 c. (about) vegetable oil for frying

Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 2 quart heavy saucepan over meduim heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomates, water, sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 25-30 minutes.
Stir together ricotta, yolk, mint, 1/3 c. parmesan, and 1/8 tsp. each of salt and pepper.
Carefully open each blossom and fill with about 2 rounded tsp ricotta filling, gently twisting end of blossom to enclose filling.
Whisk together flour, remaining 1/3 c. parmesan, 1/4 tsp. salt, and seltzer in a small bowl.
Heat 1/2 inch oil to 375 degrees F in a 10 inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile, dip half of blossoms in batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. Season with salt and serve with tomato sauce.

Cooks note: Tomato sauce and ricotta filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat sauce before serving.

Mushroom Tartlett with Cheese and Brandy

Tartlet
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, chilled, 1/2 inch pieces
5 tbsp. (or more) ice water
2 mini muffin pans

In processor combine dry ingredients; add butter and pulse until coarse meal forms; add ice water a little at a time. Remove from processor, divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic and chill 2 hours.
Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness; cut 24 (2 1/2 inch) rounds; press into muffin pans; peirce with a fork; chill 2 hours. Bake tartlets at 400 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Filling
3 tbsp. butter
1 c. leeks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c. mushrooms of your choice, chopped
2 tbsp. brandy or dry sherry
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated

In a skillet over medium high heat melt butter and saute leeks, garlic and mushrooms until tender; add brandy, salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute more then remove from heat to cool.
Spoon 1 tbsp. mixture into each tartlet, sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.

Cream of Bell Pepper Soup
Serves 8

2 1/2 lbs. fresh red bell peppers
1 c. shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 c. half and half cream
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
garnish with parmesan cheese, grated

Char peppers over a gas flame or broil on a baking sheet skin side up 10 minutes. Enclose charred peppers in a bag for 10 minutes. Peel, seed, slice into thin strips.

In saucepan over medium high heat saute shallots and garlic in oil; add broth, thyme and charred peppers. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes. Puree in blender or food processor until smooth; return to saucepan; add half and half cream, vinegar, cayenne, salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls, garnish with cheese and serve.

Bread Twists with Gruyere
Recipe coming soon...

Beet and Pear Napoleons with Ginger Juice Vinaigrette
Serves 6

2 trimmed meduim red beets (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter; about 1 3/4 lbs.), scrubbed
1 (4 inch) piece peeled ginger
1/3 c. fresh orange juice
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large firm, ripe pears
1 bunch tarragon
1 cup mixxed baby greens (perferably spicy)
1 Granny Smith apple

Preheat over to 450 degrees with tack in middle.
Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then slice crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, finely grate ginger with a microplane over a kichen towel lined bowl. Carefully gather towel around ginger and squeeze until you have 2 tbsp. ginger juice. Whisk in orange juice, sugar, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide vinaigrette evenly between 2 small bowls.

Cut pears lengthwise around core into 1/4 inch thick slices. Cut out 18 rounds from slices using a 1 inch cooke cutter and put in one bowl of vinaigrette.
Cut out 18 rounds from beet slices and put in other bowl. Toss pears and beets with vinaigrette to coat well.
To assemble napoleons, put 1 beet round on each of 6 plates and top with tarraton leaf. Top with 1 pear round, then another tarraton leaf. Repeat layering 2 more times. DIscard vinaigrette used for beets.
Toss greens with some of remaining vinaigrette and place around each napoleon. Finely grate apple (including skin) into a bowl. Spoon a heaping tsp. apple on top of each napoleon, then sprinkel with sea salt and poppy seeds. Drizzle with more vinaigrette if desired.

Green Apple Granita
serves 1

2 Granny Smith apples, divided
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
1 tbsp. white sugar
1/3 c. apple juice
1 drop green food coloring
Strawberry for garnish
mint sprig for garnish

Peel, cut and core one apple, place in saucepan along with 5 tsp. lemon juice, and the next two ingredients. Boil approximately 3 to 5 minutes or until soft; cool; puree in food precessor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in food coloring and freeze. Puree again in food processor and return to freezer.
With the remaining apple, cut approximately 1/2 inch off the top and set aside. Hollow out inside with a melon baller leaving a 1/4 inch wall. Sprinkle remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice on the cut top and inside the shell to keep from turning brown. Fill with the frozen mixture. Lean the top against the shell; garnish with a mint sprig, strawberry and serve.

Cornish Game Hen with Blackberry Sauce
serves 2

1 cornish game hen, halved lengthwise, cleaned, backbone removed
1 tbsp. butter, softened, divided
1/3 c. yellow onions, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped, divided
1/2 c. tawny port wine
3/4 c. frozen blackberries, thawed
2/3 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Place hens on baking sheet lined with greased foil; brush with 1 tsp. melted butter, season with salt, pepper and 1 tsp. thyme. Roast at 425 degrees for 35 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove from oven, blot on paper towels.

In a meduim sized saucepan over medium high heat melt 1 tsp. butter, add onion and remaining 2 tsp. fresh thyme; saute until tender without browning. Add port wine; boil 4 minutes. Stir in blackberries (reserve 1 tsp. for garnish) and chicken broth; boil until reduced to 3/4 c. stirring frequently. Strain; discard solids. Combine remaining 1 tsp. butter with flour in a small container; whisk into sauce to thicken; add salt and pepper. Serve extra in a side dish for dipping. (Can be made 1 day ahead, covered and referated; reheat.)
Spoon onto plates, add game hens, garnish with parsley and serve.

Matchstick Seasoned Potatoes
Recipe coming soon...



White Cake

The Red Welcome/Congratulations Plate

The Dinner Table
Our entertainment, Master Ryan McCormick played so wonderfully. We were all in awe at his talent. Thank you for sharing with us Ryan!
Ryan and his little friend

At the table, eating delicacies that tickled the tastebuds!
What a lovely group. Kathleen, Amy, Pam, Jenn, Teri, Julia, Joan, Laura, Rachel and Cindy
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The help...Chloe and Connor. These two made our lives easier!

Everyone notice Melina in the background. She was indispensable to us! We are so grateful to her. When the dinner was over, we had so little cleanup, thanks to Melina! Thank you, 100 times!