This past week Holly and I catered a 10 course dinner for a co-worker of mine and his friends (a party of 10).  We had planned on doing eight courses but as time went on and the menu became more complete, it ended up being 10.  We had also planned on having someone to help us with dishes and serving and at the last minute that fell through.  This meant that we were running between dishes, serving, cooking, plating, etc.  It was hectic to say the least (and exhausting) and a good learning experience. 

We started cooking Friday night, cooked all day Saturday, and though we had planned on arriving several hours early, we ended up arriving a few minutes before we were supposed to start!  Even with that short of time, we had prepared well and actually started only a few minutes late (about 7:20 instead of 7:00).

Here are some of the pics.  We didn’t bring our camera but luckily one of the guests was nice enough to take some pictures.  We are missing a few of the courses but we plan on doing this same menu on Mother’s day.  Brian will be there so we will have him take pics (so come back and check them out!).

This is the "Are we going to have to pack our knives and go home?" look

Amuse Bouche Trio

For the amuse we did a trio.  First was a Cauliflower Panna Cotta with a Oyster Nectar Gelee topped with Lumpfish Caviar.  Second was Red Cabbage Gazpacho with Mustard Ice Cream.  Third was a Red Snapper Ceviche with a Rutabaga Chip and Guacamole.

Seafood

This was one of the hits of the night, Seared Scallops with Butter Poached Lobster and Fresh Morels in a Tarragon Lime Emulsion topped tableside with Parmesan Foam.  We had made this recipe the first time a few days before and we were licking our plates, so we knew it would be good.

Foie Gras

This course ended up being the most troubled course of the night.  We had bought grade A frozen foie gras and made it in the Thomas Keller style.  The problem is that I don’t think I pressed it tight enough.  Also, when it came time to serve, it hadn’t been returned to the refrigerator so when I cut it, it was soft and gooey.  I worried and decided to try and save the dish by searing it.  It shrunk a ton as the fat rendered out so I pulled it and put the bits on the plate.  I think it was still ok, just because foie gras is so good it’s hard to make it bad, but it was a horrible waste of an expensive ingredient.

The course was Seared Foie Gras with Sour Cherry Compote and Toasted Homemade Brioche.

Pasta

The next course was fun.  We made a Corned Beef and Chicken Tortellini made with homemade Ricotta and Mascarpone Cheese.  It was served with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce and a Sauteed Sage Leaf.

Pork

Sadly, the next course, which was the favorite of the night, didn’t get a picture.  It was Mangalitsa Pork Belly slow braised in Guiness and topped with Bourbon BBQ Sauce and Shaved Black Truffles.  It was served with Cheesy (9 year aged cheddar) Grits and Molasses Sauteed Collard Greens.  The only criticism we received was that they didn’t get enough.

 

Palate Cleanser

After the pork belly, a palate cleanser was served, Meyer Lemon Oregano Sorbet.

Soup

The next course also didn’t get a pic.  We served a bowl with Julienned Sugar Peas, Greek Yogurt, and Homemade Eucalyptus Marshmallows.  I then served a Green Pea Veloute tableside.

Salad

This Caesar Salad sat on a Mascarpone filled Brioche Crouton and was wrapped in a Bocarone (pickled anchovy).  It was fun and yummy, with homemade dressing.

Main Course

The main course was also a hit.  We served a Braised Lamb Osso Buco topped with Gremolata and Rack of Lamb.  We served it with Black Quinoa tossed with Gremolata, Golden Raisins, Slivered Almonds, and Braised Carrots.

Dessert Trio

The dessert trio was the finale and also was meant to mirror the amuse bouche.   We served Cocao Nib Panna Cotta with Fresh Raspberries and Syrup.  Next we served Milkless Mousse from Peruvian Single bean Chocolate in a Chocolate Ring.  Lastly we served a Black Bottomed Praline Bar with Chocolate Ganache.

Whew, were we dead when we finished!  I imagine (and hope) it will be a much lighter experience when we do this again on Mother’s day for our friends.

Well, we been at it again.  This time with an 11 course dinner.  Our trusty photographer had the flu so the pics didn’t turn out like they should, but it was all very yummy.  Luckily, Adam was nice enough to take pics with our camera.  Thanks Adam!

1st Course – Amuse Bouche

The first course was a savory sorbet.  I really love savory sorbets as they get your palate going in such a smooth and sophisticated way.  This was a beet and honey sorbet with tarragon.

Holly and I Plating the Sorbet 

2nd Course – 1st Appetizer

This appetizer was a foie gras pate, smooth sheep’s milk Italian cheese, dried plum, and parmesan crackers made in my pizzelle maker.

3rd Course – 2nd Appetizer

This appetizer was a Braunshweiger, olive, pimento pate, formed into a rose and served with a chevre kale tartlett.

4th Course – Seafood

This was a sauteed scallop with scalloped potatoes, leaks, and mushrooms, all served in a white cheddar sauce and garnished with a caper and some sauteed tree mushrooms.

5th Course – Pasta

This picture doesn’t really portray this dish very well.  These are homemade pancetta spinach 3 cheese raviolis with a roasted red pepper cream sauce.  It is served with a parmesan cheese crisp and balsamic vinegar reduction.  Also, not seen in any photos, we served some sourdough mini-loaves made from my homemade sourdough start.

6th Course – Pork Belly

Probably one of the more challenging courses of the night for some of our guests, yet also personally one of the best, was the slow braised pork belly with slivered gingered sugar peas and a roasted peach with cardamom creme fraiche.  Top Chef and Casey deserve the recipe that inspired this dish.  Though I did make several changes, manly in the preparation of the pork belly and the slivered sugar peas.  I also removed some of the garnishes, showcasing the pork more.

7th Course – Palate Cleanser

After such a heavy course we then moved on to the palate cleanser which was a blood orange-cranberry sorbet with thyme.  It was sweet yet "zingy" and a favorite of some of our guests.

8th Course – Salad

The salad was inspired by a salad done at a restaurant called Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  It is a green bean, pistachio, golden raisin salad with slivered mushrooms and a green garden gazpacho.  It is topped with a warm hazelnut encrusted egg that has been soft boiled so that when you break it open, the soft runny yolk mixes with the vinegary gazpacho and created a sort of a dressing.  It was cool, refreshing and yet elegant.

9th Course – Main

Sadly, this pic doesn’t do the main course justice, this is a roasted rack of lamb topped with a chianti-lamb reduction and breaded in a kalamata olive tapenade, served with an asparagus risotto.  It was wonderfully tender and succulent.

Prepping the Rack of Lamb

10th Course – Dessert

For dessert we had a cocao nib panna cotta with a blueberry red wine syrup with a hint of cinnamon served with a milkless chocolate mousse.  We have a blast making the caramel spiral and hazelnut spike that we used as garnishes, they looked really cool.  The panna cotta is one of my favorite desserts now, we got it from Alice Medrich’s book Bittersweet. 

11th Course – Petit Fours

For the final course we finished with a Chocolate Truffle made with Belcolade Peruvian Single Bean Chocolate.  I garnished with lavender so that when you picked up the truffle, you would smell the lavender, yum, yum.  Holly’s truffle’s are about perfect at this point!

It was so yummy and fun, but now I’m beat!