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amanda_pennsylvania

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Some friends and I have rented an AirBnB in the Virginia wine country for a weekend at the end of June. We'll be sharing cooking duties (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). This is a group that loves good food and wine (one of my friends is a professional chef). The house has a fully equipped kitchen. I think there will be 7-9 of us.

Any recommendations for an easy recipe (for any of the three meals) with a high wow factor?

 
For breakfast an overnight bread pudding with blueberries, possibly making the bread

pudding with Pepperidge Farms cinnamon swirl bread?
Here is a recipe for Thai green curry seafood chowder that is dead easy and delicious. You can use whatever seafood suits your group.

Thai Green curry seafood chowder.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons unrefined peanut oil (or regular vegetable oil)
• 5 green onions, finely chopped, dark green parts separated from white and pale green parts
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tablespoons Thai green curry paste (too much!!--2-3 TBS or to taste)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 13-to 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 small fresh red Thai chiles or 1 red jalapeño chile
• 2 kaffir lime leaves (zest of a lime as a sub)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 large carrot, peeled, thinly sliced on diagonal (about 1 cup)
• 4 cups thinly sliced bok choy (I have used haricots verts or even peas as a sub)
• Firm fleshed fish of your choice--I have used grouper, salmon, tilapia
• 8 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 8 ounces bay scallops
• 1 pound green or black mussels, scrubbed, debearded
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 cups (about) steamed rice

Preparation
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add white and pale green parts of green onions, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and garlic; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add curry paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/4 cups water, coconut milk, chiles, lime leaves, and fish sauce. Bring to simmer. Add carrot; cover and cook until carrot is just tender, about 5 minutes. Layer bok choy, shrimp, scallops, and mussels in pan. Cover and simmer until mussels open and seafood and bok choy are cooked (discard mussels that do not open), about 5 minutes. Stir in dark green parts of green onions, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and basil.
Divide rice among 4 shallow bowls. Ladle curry over rice and serve.

 
SLOW-ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER WITH PANCETTA

There is nothing to assembling this, it then looks after itself and is so tasty.

SLOW-ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER WITH PANCETTA

For a classic side, heat drained canned white beans with olive oil, chopped garlic, and chopped fresh sage. What to drink: A full-bodied red wine with black cherry flavors and hints of pepper, like Ravenswood 2002 Monte Rosso Zinfandel from Sonoma.

8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 ounces pancetta, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 4-pound rolled boned lamb shoulder, excess fat trimmed

Drop garlic down feed tube of mini processor; chop finely. Scrape down bowl sides. Add pancetta, rosemary, and pepper; blend to coarse paste. Using small sharp knife, make 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb and fill each with pancetta paste. Spread any remaining paste over outside of lamb. Place lamb, seam side down, in roasting pan.

Preheat oven to 300̊F. Roast lamb uncovered until very tender and thermometer inserted into center registers 170̊F, about 5 hours. Transfer to platter; let rest 15 minutes.

Cut lamb crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Pour pan juices into bowl. Remove and discard fat from surface. Spoon pan juices over lamb. Makes 8 servings. Bon Appétit January 2007

My notes: .........Not nec. To roast 5 hours. 3 is lots. Debone the lamb and just spread the paste throughout before rolling up. The bits of lamb cut away are fine for stew.Do ahead: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill............

 
Layered Salad - Carol's version

Layered Salad - Carol's version
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, sliced in large shreds (about 3 cups)
1 T sugar, sprinkle over lettuce
salt and pepper, sprinkle over lettuce
6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
salt eggs
1 10-oz. box frozen peas, uncooked but defrosted and dried (I run under cold water or nuke for a few minutes and then dry and chill before using)
1/2 cup finely sliced green onion
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, sliced in large shreds (3 cups)
1 # bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
8 oz. Swiss cheese, grated (2 cups)

Topping:
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise (we have used 1/2 mayo and 1/2 Miracle Whip)
1/2 cup+ grated parmesan cheese

Layer each ingredient a pretty salad bowl (deep, not 9" x 13" wide) or large Tupperware-like container beginning with 3 cups of shredded lettuce and ending with the grated Swiss cheese. Press down slightly to leave head room at the top of the container - so topping doesn't stick to the lid or plastic wrap.

Mix the topping and spread to edges to seal salad. Cover with plastic wrap/lid. Refrigerate 8-12 hours. Serves 9-12 people.

** You can sprinkle more parmesan, parsley or sliced onions before serving. I have substituted a layer of grated carrots for the bacon to make the salad more vegan friendly. Also, if the lettuce and peas aren't very dry or cold, water can condense in the bottom of the bowl. (I have many funny stories about unsuccessfully draining that extra water!) Colleen

https://finerkitchens.com/swap/forum1/257024_Make_ahead_Layered_Salads

 
Layered Salad - Jeff's lower fat version

Layered Salad - 6/16 reduced fat version (serves 4 at lunch)

A small, very-deep-but-not-wide, cylindrical - preferably clear glass - pretty salad bowl, chilled
1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, sliced in large shreds (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp sugar, sprinkle over lettuce
salt and pepper, sprinkle over lettuce
3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced
salt eggs
1/2 10-oz. box frozen peas, uncooked but defrosted and dried (I run under cold water or nuke for a few minutes and then dry and chill before using)
1/4 cup finely sliced green onion (we use less)
1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, sliced in large shreds (1 1/2 cups)
3 slices thick bacon, fried crisp and chopped fine
6 TBS Swiss cheese, grated (3/8 cup)

Topping:
3 TBS light mayonnaise
1 TBS grated parmesan cheese

Layer each ingredient in the chilled salad bowl beginning with 3 cups of shredded lettuce and ending with the grated Swiss cheese. Press down slightly to leave head room at the top of the container - so topping doesn't stick to the lid or plastic wrap.

Mix the topping, drop in small amounts across the top and (try to) spread together and to the edges to seal salad. Cover with plastic wrap/lid. Refrigerate 8-12 hours.

** You can sprinkle more parmesan, parsley or sliced onions on the top before serving. I have substituted a layer of grated carrots for the bacon to make the salad more vegan friendly. Also, if the lettuce and peas aren't very dry and very cold, water can condense in the bottom of the bowl.

6/16: Ours had 2 slices of crisp bacon, 1/4 cup Swiss, and 2 TBS light mayo - still very good Colleen

https://finerkitchens.com/swap/forum1/257027_Jeff's_Reduced_Fat_Layered_Salad

 
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