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Going out to Denver the end of June, gonna make a rehearsal dinner for my nephew, his new bride, and fifty odd of their nearest and dearest.

I'm putting an unprecedented amount of advance planning into this one; I rented an airbnb with a full kitchen so I wouldn't drive my daughter in law bonkers, I have some large scale pots and pans at my son's house, I'll send some stuff out in advance. Or I'll run around denver for a day finding where all the cool middle eastern groceries are located!

I'm keeping this low key. All the salads will hold from the day before, or earlier in the day, the pkhali is premade and fun enough to put on the zucchini disks with a group, the meatballs are the only cooked thing, sheet pans inside the house in the oven, each batch takes 18 minutes.

Rehearsal Dinner for Brad and Nicole

Menu
Hors Dourves

Spinach Pkhali (georgian vegetable/walnut pate) served on zucchini rounds

Muhammara, ditto, zucchini rounds

Baked meatballs with Panko and Walnuts

Plain boiled room temp baby potatoes, with Salsa Verde

Main Course

Going to have two grills going, I got the grill crew lined up!

Grilled Chicken Thighs (from Trader Joes) (one per person) (rubbed and grilled)

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Charmoula

Side Salads

I'll make three out of the four:

Lebanese Style Tabouleh with Bulghur

Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad

Bowties with Onion, Corn, Zucchini and Tomatoes

Shirazi Salad with cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, sumac and mint.

Maybe add a watermelon, peach and tomato salad. My daughter loves that, if the fruit looks okay, it's in

Prep-This stuff goes to the airBnB, I'm borrowing most of it, buying asterisks
  1. Big Pans from Max
  2. Big Pasta pot from Nancy
  3. Sharp Knife
  4. Large Cutting Board
  5. WoodenSpoons, spatulas, strainer
  6. Veg Peelers
  7. Kitch Towels/potholders
  8. Meat Thermometer
  9. soap and sponges
  10. Food Processor
  11. *Salad Mixing bowl/prep bowls (max?) (see end of email for my preferred size)
  12. *Salad Transport/Storage Vessels (1 gallon tubs)
  13. *Chicken/Fish Storage/Transport Marinate
  14. Parchment/Saran/AlumFoil/TwoGallonBags
  15. Large Colander
  16. Mandoline
  17. *8 Sheet Pans
  18. Prep bowls
  19. LemonSqueezer
Service
  1. (2) 5' tables for buffet & (1) for the bar
  2. If the kids will help, we'll pass the 4 apps on trays (meatballs with toothpicks, pkhali and muhammara on crackers, potatoes with a dollop of sauce on top)
  3. Alternatively, we can just put the apps out for people to pick at, but I like passing better.
  4. Grills and fuel. Max, can we grab the big one in advance so we don't have to schlep it?
  5. Tools for the grill
  6. we'll have 1 sheet pan raw, 1 sheet pan cooked for both the tuna and the chicken. four in all.
  7. 3 sheet pans for cooking the meatballs
  8. 2 sheet pans for spreads. Plus, double up on the cooked ones for later
Service Supplies
  1. Toothpicks/Napkins/Trays for appetizers. Maybe little plates, but that's optional
  2. Platters for Meat and Fish for Buffet, 2 sets
  3. Large bowls for three different salads for service. Probably two sets of three
  4. 2 spatulas to serve the fish, 2 tongs for chicken, 6 spoons for the salad
  5. If we get carried away, we can package silverware and napkins
Schedule
  1. Tuesday
    1. Go to Restaurant Supply, set up the kitchen
    2. Buy produce, chickpeas and meatball stuff, etc.
  2. Wednesday
    1. Make Meatballs and chickpeas. Freeze Meatballs
    2. Make Salsa Verde and Charmoula
  3. Thursday
    1. Buy ChickThighs and Fish
    2. Make Appetizer spreads
    3. Make Tabouleh
    4. Peel and cut carrots
    5. Marinate Chicken Thighs
  4. Friday
    1. Boil Potatoes
    2. Make the pasta salad
    3. Put the Carrot Salad together
Shopping
  1. General
    1. 10# onion
    2. 4 heads garlic (peeled?)
    3. Salt
    4. Spices from NYC
    5. Lemons, probably 20
    6. 1.5 ltr Olive Oil
    7. Mint, lots
    8. Cilantro
    9. Flat Leaf Parsley
  2. Appetizers
    1. 2-3 jars red pepper (or peppers if we can grill them)
    2. 5# spinach
    3. Pomegranate Molasses
    4. 2# Walnut (meatballs too)
    5. cilantro (3 bunches)
    6. Zucchini to slice for Crackers
    7. Crackers
  3. Meatballs
    1. 3#beef
    2. Panko
    3. Capers
    4. Parsley
  4. Potatoes
    1. 4# little potatoes
    2. Anchovies
  5. Chicken
    1. 50-60 pieces chicken thighs
    2. Some Rub
  6. Tuna
    1. 1lb to three people
    2. Lots of Herbs
    3. Corriander
  7. Tabouleh (alternate-Shirazi)
    1. Fine Bulghur
    2. Curly Parsley
    3. Scallions
    4. Mint
  8. CarrotChickpea
    1. 4-6#Carrots
    2. Raisins
    3. SliveredAlmonds
    4. Orange juice
    5. 1.5# chickpeas
  9. Pasta Salad
    1. 3# bowties
    2. 6 ears corn
    3. 6 tomatoes
    4. 6 zucchini
    5. Basil
  10. MoreSpices
    1. Allspice
    2. Coriander
    3. Cinnamon
    4. Ginger
 
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YARD (Yet another rehearsal dinner)

Lots of pent up demand I guess from couples who made it through the pandemic together! This is a small one, the real wedding is next year in Shanghai, this is the "legal" wedding for only immediate family so as not to detract from the main event.

Dinner for Natasha and Yang

Appetizers
Spinach Pkhali on Zucchini Rounds
Pissalairde
Radishes with Butter

First Course
Zucchini soup

Main
Wagyu beef, almost like sashimi
Chicken with Black Beans
Baby Bok Choy
Dry roasted okra
Bulghur Pilaf

Dessert
Maybe I'll ask John to bring a french berry tart
 
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The return of Harald and Carma

Appetizers
Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
Baba Ganoush

First Course
Freekeh with Chickpeas and herbs

Main
Lamb chops
Tagine of Arthichokes, Potatoes, Peas and Olives
Dry Roasted Okra with cumin and corriander

Dessert
Bird's Nest Cookies
 
Ian's going away party

One of the people that moved onto my hall just as the pandemic started is a young lawyer who's now transferring to Erie Pennsylvania to clerk for a federal judge. We all really grew attached to him while he was here (and he feels he hit the brooklyn neighbor jackpot!) so of course I have to do one last socially distant dinner out in the hall to wish him well on his new endeavour.

Whole different crew from the one above, I've made a fair few dinners I didn't post in between, but I'm making sort of the same idea as the last one I posted above. Those baby lambchops are a favorite in the summer since I can't grill, they don't take all that long in the oven. Plus, any excuse to use my new tagine is what's for dinner and I always love the combo of artichokes and lamb. I may skip the carrot and chickpea salad, that tagine is really substantial.

Appetizers
Pan Fried tofu cubes with Salt and Pepper
Probably Miho will make something too

First Course
Chickpea and Carrot Salad a la Marocaine
Shirazi Salad

Main
Roasted Baby Lamb Chops
Tagine of Arthichokes, Potatoes, Peas and Olives

Dessert
Paul's bringing dessert
 
Dinner for Laquisha’s birthday

Appetizer
Spiced African egg salad

First course
Celery root and potato soup

Main course
26 hour pernil in the Anova (smells dang good already!)
Sautéed kohlrabi
Black eyed peas (for a brown eyed girl)


I need tomatoes, lime, cilantro carrots
 
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Last minute addition, I like the way this one is shaping up, figured I'd post it.

Hanukah dinner

First Course
Watercress Soup

Main Course
Duck Breast
Sweet Potato Latkes
Slow cooked Compote of Fennel, Onion, Raisins and Pancetta (break out your best clay pot, this one took 2 hours of slow stewing on low heat)
 
Omnicrom New Year’s Eve
back to the hallway

my neighbor came by and told me 22 pc of Brooklyn is positive, I have no idea if he’s right but all these people have young toddlers, we’re not screwing around

first course

Turkish red lentil soup (covers the lentils for those seeking riches)

main course

porchetta, 24 hour sous vide in the Anova oven

broccoli rabe

beets vinaigrette

yellow eyed peas

dessert

strawberries dipped in chocolate

happy new year to everyone, i only wish I could invite you all over to share it!
 
Back in Business

Got 11 and two maybes, I told my daughter we're back in business!

appetizers
Sardines with fiery hot mustard and gherkins on Lebanese kaak crackers

first course
Buccatini with Neonata (baby anchovie and pepper sauce from Puglia)

main course
Stincho (braised pork shanks) with wild mushrooms
Spatchcocked chicken (for the unfortunates that claim not to eat pork)
Baby Brussel Sprouts
Polenta
 
rickbern said:
Back in Business

Got 11 and two maybes, I told my daughter we're back in business!

appetizers
Sardines with fiery hot mustard and gherkins on Lebanese kaak crackers

first course
Buccatini with Neonata (baby anchovie and pepper sauce from Puglia)

main course
Stincho (braised pork shanks) with wild mushrooms
Spatchcocked chicken (for the unfortunates that claim not to eat pork)
Baby Brussel Sprouts
Polenta
Click to expand...
That menu sounds inspired..!
 
Thanks! It's inspirational!

I occasionally post over on the what's cooking thread but lately I've been cooking for two. Hopefully the virus will continue to abate and when the warmer weather arrives we'll have something worthy of this epic thread! 😊
 
Thanksgiving 2023
Got 30 coming

Apps
Salmon rillete
Beet pikhali
Spinach pikhali
Wagyu zabutan sliced thinly


Dinner
2 capons
Gravy
2 salmon sides
Salsa verde
Risotto bolognese with mushrooms
Renkon kinpira with lotus root and carrots
Brussels sprouts
Lebanese green beans
Maybe Jacket potatoes
Moroccan cranberry sauce
Maybe orange and olive salad

Subject to change without notice!
 
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For Friday, gluten free

Apps
Salmon rilletes
Repurposed dal
Served on boiled tiny potatoes

Latkes with apple sauce

Carrot ginger soup

Roast duck
Lentils with plenty of mustard
Gf renkon knipra
Something green, not brascia
 
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@Michi I got a beautiful piece of smoked bluefish today
image.jpg
 
According to Paquette, the number one mistake people make when smoking fish is that they simply overdo it. Yes, you want a nice smoky overtone to the finished product, but you should still maintain the delicacy of the fish and not overwhelm it. Food that has been over-smoked is too dry and has a harsh, bitter aftertaste.

https://www.onthewater.com/smoking-fish
 
Christmas Eve
11 people

Appetizers
Sardines, gherkins and mustard on triscuits
Smoked bluefish
Stir fry squid black bean sauce

Antipasto
Tiradito (Peruvian sashimi/ceviche thing)

Pasta
Chitarra with clams and mussels

Main
Cantonese steamed fish
Stir fried kale

Cookies
 
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13 people

Appetizers
Again with the sardines, this time on ka’ak. Subbed artichoke for gherkins

Pasta
Stropazetti with neonata

Main
8 hour pernil
Spiced sweet potato wedges
Black eyed peas
Garlic spinach
Chicken thighs for the never porkers

Jordans dessert wine
 
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Nine people, girls night

Appetizer
Tiradito (used up the last of the leche de tigre)

Salads
Kaathi dal
Zallouk (Moroccan eggplant)
Brussels sprouts with balsamic

Main
Jambalaya with chicken, shrimp and andouille
 
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