Hail Bacchus!
The dinner that was...
Wine: Cat's Pee on a Gooseberry Bush, Sauvingnon Blanc, Australia
Bread: Some whole grain baguette
* Note - all food was covered with a dusting of freshly grated parmesano reggiano cheese.
Greek Salad
***********
Mix audience appropriate amounts of the following:
Mesculn Lettuce
Whole Flat Parsley Leaves
Grape Tomatoes
Chunked English (seedless) Cucumber
Shards of red onion, sliced as thinly as humanly possible
Chunks of Feta
Kalamata Olives (if desired, and please, use the ones with the pits - pre-pitted just doesn't taste the same)
Feta Dressing
*************
Made enough for 3 side-dish sized amounts of salad, also used as dip for the steak.
Measurements approximate (like I ever measure ANYTHING)
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup finely diced soft greek feta cheese
3 tbsp light flavoured olive oil
1/2 clove of garlic, FINELY minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp liquid honey
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Mush feta into other ingredients until mixture is creamy. Let sit for 30 mins. Remix before serving.
Crab and Mushroom Risotto
*************************
- chicken broth (start with 1 litre, have another standing by, or add water or white wine as the amount goes down), brought to a simmer
- one whole clove garlic, with slits cut into it
- 8 oz mixed mushrooms (not white button mushrooms, or full sized portabellas though - I used baby portabellas and oyster mushrooms)
- 2 shots (lets say around 1/4 cup) sherry or other suitable liquor (optional)
- too much butter
- too much olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup of arborio or "italian-style" rice
- thyme to taste (I used about 1 tsp, dry)
- Parmesan cheese
- Flaked crab meat (not imitation)
Heat the chicken broth to a simmer - keep it at least gently steaming while you work. Add the garlic to the broth. Saute mushrooms in butter and oil. Add salt and pepper.
When mushrooms are soft, add the sherry, if using. When it has absorbed into the mushrooms, add the dry rice to the pan. Stir until rice is coated.
Add broth one ladle full at a time. When the rice has soaked up the liquid, add more. If the liquid level in the pot gets down too far, add more broth/water/wine. Continue this until the rice is cooked (takes 30-40 minutes, and you'll have to taste it for doneness).
Add as much grated parmesan as you want (I usually add about 1/4 cup), and as much crab meat as you want (again, about 1/4 cup). Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.
Steak
******
- Good cut steak (I apparently managed to find boneless top sirloin for CHEAP. The food gods like me.)
Per 8 oz steak, marinate in the following for 30 minutes at least:
- 1 clove minced garlic
- sea salt & fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
Turn on your broiler. Find a rack to put the steak on, and a tray for underneath to catch drippies. Broil for as long as it takes for the meat to be as cooked as you want it to be (ended up being about 5 minutes per side in my crappy oven for medium rare).
Slice into really thin slices on a 45 degree angle across the grain.
Dip into the feta dressing. Really. I dare you.
We'll have leftovers for days, but dear GOD it's worth it.
Wine: Cat's Pee on a Gooseberry Bush, Sauvingnon Blanc, Australia
Bread: Some whole grain baguette
* Note - all food was covered with a dusting of freshly grated parmesano reggiano cheese.
Greek Salad
***********
Mix audience appropriate amounts of the following:
Mesculn Lettuce
Whole Flat Parsley Leaves
Grape Tomatoes
Chunked English (seedless) Cucumber
Shards of red onion, sliced as thinly as humanly possible
Chunks of Feta
Kalamata Olives (if desired, and please, use the ones with the pits - pre-pitted just doesn't taste the same)
Feta Dressing
*************
Made enough for 3 side-dish sized amounts of salad, also used as dip for the steak.
Measurements approximate (like I ever measure ANYTHING)
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup finely diced soft greek feta cheese
3 tbsp light flavoured olive oil
1/2 clove of garlic, FINELY minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp liquid honey
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Mush feta into other ingredients until mixture is creamy. Let sit for 30 mins. Remix before serving.
Crab and Mushroom Risotto
*************************
- chicken broth (start with 1 litre, have another standing by, or add water or white wine as the amount goes down), brought to a simmer
- one whole clove garlic, with slits cut into it
- 8 oz mixed mushrooms (not white button mushrooms, or full sized portabellas though - I used baby portabellas and oyster mushrooms)
- 2 shots (lets say around 1/4 cup) sherry or other suitable liquor (optional)
- too much butter
- too much olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup of arborio or "italian-style" rice
- thyme to taste (I used about 1 tsp, dry)
- Parmesan cheese
- Flaked crab meat (not imitation)
Heat the chicken broth to a simmer - keep it at least gently steaming while you work. Add the garlic to the broth. Saute mushrooms in butter and oil. Add salt and pepper.
When mushrooms are soft, add the sherry, if using. When it has absorbed into the mushrooms, add the dry rice to the pan. Stir until rice is coated.
Add broth one ladle full at a time. When the rice has soaked up the liquid, add more. If the liquid level in the pot gets down too far, add more broth/water/wine. Continue this until the rice is cooked (takes 30-40 minutes, and you'll have to taste it for doneness).
Add as much grated parmesan as you want (I usually add about 1/4 cup), and as much crab meat as you want (again, about 1/4 cup). Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.
Steak
******
- Good cut steak (I apparently managed to find boneless top sirloin for CHEAP. The food gods like me.)
Per 8 oz steak, marinate in the following for 30 minutes at least:
- 1 clove minced garlic
- sea salt & fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
Turn on your broiler. Find a rack to put the steak on, and a tray for underneath to catch drippies. Broil for as long as it takes for the meat to be as cooked as you want it to be (ended up being about 5 minutes per side in my crappy oven for medium rare).
Slice into really thin slices on a 45 degree angle across the grain.
Dip into the feta dressing. Really. I dare you.
We'll have leftovers for days, but dear GOD it's worth it.