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so many reasons to throw a dinner party, so little cash. Don't let a
bourgeois obstacle like money interfere with your ability to surround
yourself with your favorite people and one of life's great pleasures. When
the mood strikes before the proverbial check arrives in the mail, I like to
host what I call the "$20 Dinner Party." It's a potluck dinner party
without the luck. The premise is simple. Instead of asking every guest to
bring a prepared dish, I assign each of them a single gourmet ingredient and
ask them to bring a bottle of wine. Then I assemble the meal according to my
own discriminating standards and a sumptuous time is had by all. Nobody's
feelings are hurt when their tuna casserole goes untouched (and best of all,
there's no tuna casserole).
By using my suggestions for guest assignments as a guideline, the remaining
ingredients should cost no more than $20. Or, select a recipe from your
favorite cookbook and assign your own list of ingredients. If you are one of
the culinary challenged, lure a kitchen-friendly friend by absolving them of
their obligation to bring anything, and let them do the cooking.
FRESH ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH A CREAM
OF PESTO SAUCE AND ASPARAGUS
Serves a party of 8
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
6 ears fresh corn (or 3 cups frozen corn). Husk cobs, then
remove kernels with a sharp knife
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus. Discard bottom third of spear
and cut remainder into 1/2-inch pieces.
6 garlic cloves. Minced
8 servings of fresh angle hair pasta. (4 ounces/serving)
1/2 pint half & half cream
14 ounces pesto (two 7-ounce containers)
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt.
2. Preheat oven to 350° F.
3. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté
until first signs of browning. Add corn and asparagus and sauté for
approximately 8 minutes, or until asparagus is cooked, but still crisp. Stir
frequently, covering in between. Reserve in a warmed bowl and cover.
4. In the same (now emptied) sauté pan, add pesto, 1 cup of parmesan, cream
and black pepper. Stir and allow to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
5. While pesto sauce is simmering, add pasta to boiling water and cook
according to directions.
6. At the same time, baptize bread with a few sprinkles of water and toss in
the oven to heat.
7. Remove pasta when cooked and drain. As you drain it, recapture 1/2 cup of
the pasta water and mix into the pesto mixture. Return drained pasta
immediately to the pot it was boiled in. Add pesto sauce and corn/asparagus
mixture and toss thoroughly.
8. Serve immediately on warmed plates and top with a sprinkle of parmesan.
Don't forget to take the bread out of the oven.
Guest assignments (all under $10)
1. Cheese, olives and/or other simple foods suitable for nibbling on before
dinner.
2. Fresh crusty bread.
3. Fresh pasta. Ideally from a pasta store, or from the fresh pasta section
of your grocery store. In a pinch, dried pasta will do just fine.
4. Pesto (Contadina makes a very acceptable version, available nationally
in the refrigerated section).
5. Fresh asparagus.
6. Parmesan cheese (ideally, imported parmesan reggiano).
7. Dessert (may be homemade if the guest's baking reputation precedes
them).
Le Secret: With this or any other recipe, be very specific when assigning
guests their ingredient (i.e. suggest a particular brand and/or store).
The Adventure Club: Ask half the guests to bring champagne instead of wine
Music to Cook By: Louis Prima, "Zuma," Rhino Records
Wine: Catch as catch can
Feb. 19, 1997
A R C H I V E S
Previous 5 articles:
Chocolate Climax (02/12/97)
Virtual Tropical Vacation (02/05/97)
Eggs Carbonara (01/27/97)
Superdips (01/20/97)
Roasted Winter Vegetables (01/13/97)
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