Cooking & Entertaining > Dinner Menu

Dinner Menu #2

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp, Gazpacho, Risotto alla Milanese, Argentinean Beef Stew (Carbonada), Fresh Strawberry Pie

STARTER

It is as easy to make as it is delicious, and it's a perfect appetizer for a cocktail party, or an elegant first course for a formal dinner.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

12 whole large shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 slices bacon, cut into thirds
2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce

Wrap the shrimp in the bacon pieces and fasten with toothpicks.  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle the soy sauce over them.  Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is cooked to the degree of doneness you prefer. 

Makes 12, to serve 4 to 6 as an appetizer.

SOUP

This is the recipe my mother has used to make gazpacho for at least forty years. Naturally, it is best during the summer months when fresh tomatoes are at their peak, but it tastes great at any time of year.

Gazpacho

For the soup:

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 tsp (10 ml) finely chopped garlic
4 cups (1 L) coarsely crumbled French or Italian bread,
trimmed of crusts
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
4 tsp (20 ml) salt
4 Tbs (60 ml) olive oil
1 Tbs (15 ml) tomato paste

For the garnish:

1 cup (250 ml) croutons (fried bread cubes, about 1/4 in
(1 cm) square)
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped onions
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped cucumbers
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped green bell peppers

Combine all the soup ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Ladle this mixture, about 2 cups (500 ml) at a time into a blender or food processor and blend at high speed until reduced to a smooth puree. Place in a jug or covered bowl and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours. Stir immediately before serving. Serve with the garnishes in small bowls for the diners to help themselves from. Serves 6 to 8.

SIDE DISH

Risotto alla Milanese not only makes an elegant side dish, but is frequently served as a main course as well. Accompanied by a green salad and a slice of soft Bel Paese cheese, this makes a delicious dinner.

Risotto alla Milanese

Adapted from "Leone's Italian Cookbook" by Gene Leone (Harper
& Row, 1967)

4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
2 oz (50 g) salt pork, diced
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) chopped onions
4 chicken livers, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup (250 ml) uncooked Arborio or other short grain rice
3 cups (750 ml) boiling chicken broth
1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) ground saffron (optional)
Good quality grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Heat the butter, salt pork, and olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned. Add the chopped livers, salt, and pepper, and stir. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice, stirring well, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiling broth, stir well, cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Test for seasoning and doneness. The risotto should be creamy in texture and the rice should be cooked but still slightly firm to the teeth. If the rice is too dry, add a little more broth. If too runny, cook uncovered for a minute or two. Do not overcook. Just prior to serving stir in the optional saffron. Serve with grated cheese sprinkled on top.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish, 2 to 4 as a main
course.

MAIN DISH

You can basically use your favorite recipe for beef stew, with the addition of the peaches and corn on the cob, and served in the pumpkin shell as described below. Whatever you do, don't omit the peaches. They make this dish unique and add a wonderful dimension of sweetness.

Argentinean Beef Stew (Carbonada)

3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 lb (700 g) tender beef, cut in cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 white potatoes, peeled and diced
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups beef broth, consomme, or red wine
8 peach halves (fresh or canned)
4 ears of corn on the cob, cut into 1 in (2 cm) pieces
1 6-8 lb (3-4 kg) pumpkin, top removed and seeds and
membranes removed

Heat the butter in a large, heavy pot over moderate heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 5 minutes, until tender but now browned. Add the tomatoes, pepper, beef, salt and pepper and let cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and sweet potatoes and broth or wine. Stir and lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary. Add the peach halves and the corn and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, butter the rim of the pumpkin and salt and pepper the inside liberally. Place in a large oven proof serving dish and bake in a 350F (180C) oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the flesh is tender but still firm and still offers resistance to a fork. Do not allow the pumpkin to become too soft or it will collapse. Fill the pumpkin with the stew and serve immediately, including some of the cooked pumpkin with each portion.

Hint: I recommend you bake and serve the pumpkin in the same dish to avoid breaking the pumpkin by handling it, and in a dish large enough to hold the stew in case the pumpkin bursts.

Serves 6 to 8.

DESSERT

A couple of weeks ago I asked my imaginary girlfriend Betty Lou if she had a favorite dessert. She pulled out this recipe and I immediately recognized it as the recipe I originally published on June 12, 1998. It turns out that Betty Lou had been a subscriber to my ezine way back then, more than five years before we met, and neither of us had realized it. Small world, eh?

Fresh Strawberry Pie

6 cups (1.5 L) firm ripe strawberries
1-9 in.(20 to 25 cm) pastry pie crust, baked and cooled
1/2 cup (125 ml) plus 1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar
3 Tbs (45 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
2 Tbs (30 ml) cold water
1 Tbs (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream

Pick over the berries carefully, removing the stems and hulls. Wash in a sieve or colander under cold running water and place on paper towels to drain. Pat the berries completely dry. Arrange half of them (the most perfect ones) in the pie shell and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining berries and combine them with 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring the berries to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl mix the cornstarch, water, and lemon juice together to form a smooth paste. Pour the paste into the strawberry mixture, stirring constantly, and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Puree the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing down hard with a wooden spoon or spatula to extract as much of the berries as possible before discarding the seeds. Taste the puree and add more lemon juice or sugar, as desired. Pour the puree over the berries and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil or wax paper and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Just before serving whip the cream and 1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar until it is stiff. Spread on top of the pie, making decorative swirls with the spatula, and serve immediately. Alternately, you may serve the whipped cream on the side and allow diners to help themselves.

Serves 6 to 8.

Reproduced by permission of World Wide Recipes.
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