Late Summer Picnic Menu: Some wonderful friends invited us to the Hollywood Bowl last night!

J

joe

Well-known member
What a great evening--it was the season finale with Pink Martini, Rufus Wainwright, the original human cast of Sesame Street and an 81-year old Jane Powell!

Our friends knew that if they asked us ahead of time we could not afford it, so they bought four tickets and asked if we'd join them, and if we'd mind bringing the picnic dinner if they bring the wine. Mind? Now nice is that?

Here is the menu I came up with, all familiar recipes, but I was pleased with the combination. It was heavy on peppers and garlic, but that's what dry rosé does best:

Goat Cheese and Gorgonzola with Fig-Rye Bread

Gazpacho

Cold Lebanese Chicken (with lemon, garlic, cumin, thyme, ceyenne and paprika)

Potato Salad garnished with Deviled Eggs

Patricia Wells' Roasted Peppers

Arugula Salad with lemon, olive oil, fresh herbs and Parmesan Shavings

Caramelized Orange Tart with Blackberry Sauce.

 
Gazpacho: I still wing it with Pepa's recipe from "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"

Tomatoes, cucumber. pepper (I used most of a jalapeno) onion, bread, vinegar, a clove of garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. (I skipped Pepa's handful of barbiturates.)

 
Lebanese Chicken: I like this better cold than hot. I baste it with its juices while it is cooling

to glaze it. Since most chickens are larger than the ones called for, I just add all the ingredients with a free hand. The overnight marinade is nice, but not essential:


LEBANESE CHICKEN

From Bon Appetit, 1/96.


¾ cup fresh lemon juice
8 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. minced fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried
1 tbs. paprika
1½ tsp. ground cumin
¾ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 3-pound chickens, split lengthwise, backbones removed and discarded
Salt and pepper

Lemon wedges


Whisk lemon juice, garlic cloves, thyme, paprika, cumin and cayenne in small bowl. Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over; turn chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Transfer chicken and marinade to large roasting pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Bake until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 50 minutes. Transfer to plates. Garnish with lemon. Pass pan juices separately.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lebanese-Chicken-1204

 
Love this bread and it is so easy. Still intend to add a little more brown

sugar and some cinnamon and make it as raisin bread some day.

 
What a lovely menu! I like how most can be made ahead and have the flavors

improve. Please be sure to post it in the menus section. I often go there for inspiration!
(It is wonderful to have such special friends... Sounds like a great night!)
Best,
Barb

 
Michaeil, you'll find it's a real keeper, and you can feed two people with one steak.

 
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