First Dinner Party of Spring

What did we say about April showers and May flowers?  Where does this snow fit in?!

Bev and Briar braced against wind and snow.

 

Last week we were on very different paths:  Andrea was in England by her son Charlie’s bedside post-op, and the good news is he came through very well.  Andrea and Charlie got to watch one great movie The Lives of Others,  and a string of really bad ones too.  

  Meanwhile, Kris was busy volunteering at the Child Witness Centre 8th Annual Youth Symposium, where 2,000 grade eight students came together to be inspired by some leaders who have overcome challenges in their lives. 

At the end of the week we gathered around the barbecue for some creative development and the earliest dinner party ever (all the guests were gone by 9:45!!  ....yawn!)  On the menu was:

Bev's Arugula Salad with Pecans, Smoked Gouda and Asparagus

Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette*

Grilled Vegetable Succotash*

Potato Gratin with Caramelized Onions and Emmenthal Cheese

Smoked Beef and Pork Ribs with Spicy Indiana Barbecue Sauce

Ginger Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

One of our guests, Linda Jarrett, was preparing for the annual MS Walk which was happening the next morning.  She is the top fundraiser for our local chapter with over $18,000 in pledges!  Congratulations, Linda.

Grilled Polenta with Gorgonzola and Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

Polenta is very versatile and is a great make ahead dish.  The polenta should be prepared in the morning, then let to sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.   We adapted this recipe for grilling by putting the cheese on top instead of inside the polenta.  It is quickly grilled and then ready to garnish and served as an appetizer, side dish or even main course.  Another time, try serving it with a marinara sauce, or for a Mexican twist, with salsa and black beans ( and lots of cilantro!)

Polenta

2 cups cornmeal

6 cups water or chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

2 tsp Mediterranean rub (stay tuned for more information about our product line; meanwhile, substitute Italian Seasoning)

3 tbsps  butter

Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

2 tbsp sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, finely chopped

4 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped – we recommend basil and fennel

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

½ tsp grainy mustard

½ tsp honey

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 ounces gorgonzola cheese, sliced

Prepare polenta by combining cornmeal, water, salt, and herbs in a large saucepan, whisking until blended. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. As you notice the cornmeal thickening, keep stirring, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir every 3 – 4 minutes to prevent scorching. When polenta is thick and creamy, it will start to pull away from the sides of the pot. Add butter. Transfer to a small baking sheet which has been lined with plastic wrap. Flatten and smooth the surface with your hand, or a flat spatula dipped in water. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours .

Prepare vinaigrette by chopping herbs, sundried tomato, garlic and salt together. Scrape off cutting board and add to glass jar. Add sherry vinegar, grainy mustard, honey and extra virgin olive oil. Shake vigourously and set aside.

Preheat grill on MEDIUM-HIGH. Cut polenta into triangles, brush with oil and grill 4 minutes. Turn and top with gorgonzola cheese and cook another 4 minutes. When ready to serve, drizzle vinaigrette over top. If serving as an appetizer or main course, plate on top of a bed of arugula.

Grilled Succotash

Succotash is typically a combination of late summer corn and beans, but we took our cues from what looked best at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.   Only the tomatoes were grown locally, but there was a big stack of corn from Florida that looked juicy and moist and that inspired the rest of the dish.  The green beans (which would have been our preference) looked sad, so we used sugar snap peas and asparagus instead.

4 cobs corn, husks left on
1 bunch scallions
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and halved
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 pound asparagus, ends snapped
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of one lime
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat barbecue on MEDIUM-HIGH for 10 minutes, reduce heat to MEDIUM-LOW and brush the grids with oil to prevent sticking.  Place the corn on the grill, and turn every 5 minutes until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.  Meanwhile, brush the remaining vegetables with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place the tomatoes cut side down on the grill, lay the scallions on the grill on a diagonal, and place the asparagus and sugar snaps (or green beans if using) horizontally on the cooking grids.  Another option is to use a wok topper to minimize vegetables slipping through the grids.  Continue turning and cooking the vegetables until they are softened and have light grill marks.  Cool slightly.

Into a medium bowl, cut the corn nibletts off the cob.  Slip the skins off the tomatoes, then chop them coarsely and add them to the bowl with the corn.  Chop the green vegetables into bite-sized pieces and add them to the bowl.  Sprinkle with lime juice, chopped herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to combine well.  Cover and let sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.