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A Leprechaun’s Feast from the Emerald Isle
Cheddar Crackers ~ Watercress Soup ~ Salmon with Melted Leeks~Lamb Tenderloin with Pinot Noir Sauce Horseradish Mashed Potatoes Garnished with Peas ~ Lemon Curd Tart With Candied Violets and Mint ~ Irish Tea Tiny Shamrock Cookies
St. Patrick’s Day is always intriguing for parties because it falls in March, a month when one needs some conviviality, and it often falls on a weekday, when one doesn’t usually think of having a party. Since it falls on Saturday this year, I present an elegant “Leprechaun’s Feast” with several leprechaun-sized courses. As always, you can make all the courses, or you can simplify and eliminate one or more of them, depending on your time and inclination. The mood should be like a limerick: fun and a bit bawdy, certainly anything but serious. For party favors, make an accordion book of limericks and Irish jokes. On the front cover, put each guest’s name and an Irish blessing or toast, a different one for each guest. Sometime during the dinner, each guest must stand up, raise his or her glass, and read the blessing to everyone. (Download instructions here). For my dinner, the color scheme will be many shades of green and white with purple accents. I will start with an emerald green tablecloth. Under each plate I will use a white crocheted lace doily slightly larger than each plate so the lace peeks out all around. I will use my white Wedgewood Countryware china and Waterford crystal goblets. Large, luxurious white hotel napkins provide tactile richness. For the centerpiece, I will fill a low, rustic basket with a largish river rock to stand in as a Blarney Stone, several small pots of baby tears, Johnny jump-ups and bright pansies from the garden center, and a bed of moss to cover the pots and fill in the spaces. An all green and white color theme can become boring if you aren’t careful. Choosing some pansies in warmer colors such as purples, reds and oranges will give the shot of warm color needed to bring your color scheme to life. Low crystal candleholders with white tealights or tapers provide a warm glow. Celtic music works well when guests arrive. When everyone has had enough Irish music, which could be one CD or all night, depending on your crowd, put on some soft jazz.
These recipes will make 8 leprechaun-sized
portions. If you are eliminating some of the courses, you will need to
increase the proportions for the remaining recipes.
6 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup flour ¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2/3 stick cold butter, cut into pieces 1-2 tablespoons cold water
Combine dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse briefly to blend. Add butter and pulse a few times, just until butter has broken into pea-sized and smaller pieces. Add 1 tablespoon water and pulse a couple of times. Pinch some dough together and see if it sticks. If dough is still too dry, add more water as needed until you can form a ball with the dough. Be careful not to over-process. Roll dough into a 2” diameter log, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350º. Slice dough into ¼” thick slices and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet 10-12 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden. Cool on a rack.
2 tablespoons butter 2 leeks, white part only, washed and sliced 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced 1 cup chicken broth 2 bunches fresh watercress leaves 1 cup milk ½ cup cream 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Wash watercress and remove all stems. You only want the leaves for this recipe. Let drain. Sauté leeks in butter until soft but not browned. Add potato, chicken broth and salt; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add watercress and simmer 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, purée in a blender until smooth. Add milk, cream and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Put in a clean saucepan and warm slowly. Serve in small bowls or demitasse cups. Salmon with Melted Leeks
4 medium-sized leeks, white part only, washed and finely sliced
1/4 cup butter Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds salmon filet 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon butter ½ fresh lemon
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350º. Cut salmon into eight small portions. Place in a glass baking pan. Brush with oil. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with butter. Bake salmon for 15-20 minutes, or until just barely done.
Place a piece of salmon on a plate. Top with some of the melted leeks
and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Lamb Tenderloin with Pinot Noir Sauce
2 pounds lamb tenderloin 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup Pinot Noir or other red wine 1 cup beef broth 2 large shallot, minced 2 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces
Sprinkle lamb tenderloins with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400º. Heat oil in a sauté pan until very hot. Sear lamb on each side until nicely browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Cook in oven for 2-5 minutes longer, until done to your liking. Remove lamb to a large plate and cover with foil. Pour all but 1 tablespoon fat out of the sauté pan and place pan over medium heat. Sauté shallot for a minute or two. Pour in wine and simmer, scraping up the brown bits, until it reduces by half. Add the beef broth and simmer until it reduces again by half. Whisk in butter, a piece at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve: place a small mound of mashed potatoes on a plate. Slice each lamb tenderloin on a sharp diagonal into three slices and place around the mashed potatoes. Dribble some of the sauce on top of the lamb and dribble a little more around the edges. Spoon some peas alongside and serve.
4-5 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced ¾ cup half and half ½ stick butter 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper
Cook potatoes in salted water until tender. Mash potatoes with a masher or electric mixer, or put through a potato ricer. Beat in cream, butter and horseradish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Peas
About 4 cups shelled peas 1 teaspoon butter Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper
If you can get fresh, tender green peas at the market or from your garden, that’s perfect. If you are not positive that the peas are sweet, tender and freshly picked, you are better off with frozen peas, much as I hate to say it. There is nothing worse that tough, starchy peas.
Cook peas in salted water until tender. Drain. Stir in butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Lemon Curd Tart with Candied Violets and Mint
2 ½ cups flour 1 ½ teaspoons salt ¾ stick cold butter, cut into pieces ¾ cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled ½ cup ice water
4 eggs 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoons grated lemon zest ½ stick butter, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup heavy cream, chilled 4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Candied violets for garnish* Mint leaves for garnish
Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter pieces and spoonfuls of the vegetable shortening. Pulse until butter and shortening are the size of coarse meal. Add ice water, a bit at a time, pulsing and then pinching dough to see if it will hold together. As soon as it is moist enough to hold together, gather into a ball, form into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.
Assemble 8 small individual tart pans. Roll dough out onto a floured surface. Cut into circles to fit your pans and line pans with the dough, trimming the tops to form attractive tart shells. Re-roll dough as necessary to make 8 small tart shells. Chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350º. Line each tart shell with a piece of parchment or foil that extends over the edges and fill with dried beans or peas. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove beans and foil or parchment and bake 10-15 minutes more, until golden brown. Let cool.
For the lemon curd: Bring 1” or so of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Mix eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk at high speed until light and fluffy. Whisk in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Place bowl over simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture forms a smooth, thick custard. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time.
Fill each tart shell with lemon curd. Refrigerate until time to serve.
Just before serving, whip cream and confectioner’s sugar in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Whisk in vanilla. Top each tart with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with a couple of candied violets and a fresh mint leaf.
To make your own candied violets, buy violets or Johnny jump-ups that have not been treated with pesticides. Whisk together about ¼ cup pasteurized egg whites and 1 tablespoon water. Dip each flower into the egg white mixture and set on waxed paper. Sift granulated superfine sugar over all sides. Let dry.
1 cup butter, softened ½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg 2 cups flour ¼ teaspoon salt A small (about 1½”-2” diameter) shamrock shaped cookie cutter, or use another shape if desired Green sanding sugar or decorating sugar
Beat butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and confectioner’s sugar and beat another 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and egg and mix until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix just until completely combined. Don’t over-mix. Pat dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350º. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼” thick. Cut with floured cookie cutter into desired shapes. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until cookies show resistance when pressed lightly with a finger, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the size.
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Copyright © 2008 by Charlotte Rose. All rights reserved. |
