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Constance

Master Chef
Joined
Oct 17, 2004
Messages
8,173
Location
Southern Illiniois
We have a very special friend who is getting ready to move away soon. He is a gourmet cook, and before his wife passed, the four of us used to get together in the kitchen quite often.
Sunday, he's coming over and he, my husband and I are going to spend the day cooking. (a few beers will undoubtedly be consumed as well.)
He is bringing chicken breasts, and I have shrimp in the freezer. I'll be going to the store tomorrow, so ingredients are no problem.
I'm looking for menu suggestions from you all...perhaps some sort of theme. I want this meal to be VERY special!
 
I'm doing chicken marsala Saturday night so that comes to mind.

Continuing in the traditional vein, shrimp in a garlic and butter sauce for apps.
 
Is it cliche to go for a autumn-ish theme now that fall has rolled around? You could gather fresh leaves and create a centre piece on your table, perhaps some tealights too in little bowls here and there. The shrimp might be nice in a soup such as cream of parsnip or carrot and ginger.
You could make a spice cake or something with pumpkin or apples for dessert.

I wish you luck with your meal! :)
 
Chicken Lombardi

I usually serve this with some pasta with the remaining juices - you could always just add your shrimp at the end and have your shrimp in the pasta.

I love to grill (or bake) baguette slices until crisp and slather with goat cheese then top with homemade pesto and slivers of freshly roasted red, yellow, and orange peppers as an appetizer. For a large gathering one time I just combined all of these things in a food processor for people to slather on the baguette so they wouldn't have to "construct" each one.

But it sounds like you could have absolutely anything as the focus is going to be on your wonderful friendship.

You could do a court boullion fondu style dinner - have the broth one to cook your shrimp and chicken in also to cook some sliced mushrooms, sliced zucchini, sliced onion, etc. - have a cheesey one to dip your veggies/bread in - and then a chocolate one for dessert. You just sit around and talk and chat and eat at your own pace and everything stays hot at the same time.

One thing I do love making with a group of people is summer/spring rolls. The ones using rice paper, I use shrimp, cilantro, lime, peppers, carrots, cucumber (all julienned in long pieces), rice stick noodles and make a sauce with fish sauce and rice vinegar, garlic chili paste or chili flakes and another one with fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, and peanut butter. These would make great appetizers.
 
An option: Go totally opposite from gourmet. What are his to favorite junk/snack/hang out foods. Prepare foods that go great with beer. :chef:

I think that if he knows how to cook really well, and is a gourmet cook, he eats good food often, maybe he doesn't often eat "junk" food. :) Sometimes that can be a real treat.
 
You all have given me some things to think about. John likes all sorts of cuisines. He and his wife traveled extensively, and dined in a lot of fine restaurants, so perhaps something relatively simple would be best.
I do know I'm going to make an apple crisp, as that is one of his fave desserts. I'll pick up some good rich French Vanilla ice cream to go with.
The Chicken Lombardi sounds delicious. I had thought about doing an Alfredo, but it's so rich and filling, and we'll be nibbling all day.
So does the crab-stuffed shrimp...I have a great recipe from Joe's Crab Shack. I have enough shrimp to do more than one way.
 
Well, I pretty much have the menu figured out.
My husband makes some good Cajun grilled shrimp, and he wants to do that for an appetizer. Then I'm going to do the Chicken Lombardi and fix some pasta to go with...fettucine noodles, I guess.
I'm also going to do "Centralia House Shrimp"...will post the recipe under seafood...and good crusty bread to mop up sauces.
I need something green, so I'm going to do either some braised fresh asparagus or a spinach salad.
Then, the apple crisp for dessert.

I have saved that crawfish supreme sauce recipe...it looks so good!
 
Constance - when I do the Chicken Lombardi I cut up roasted asparagus to add to my pasta - of course I add more Fontina cheese to the pasta also and some gray salt. You could even add some fresh baby spinach leaves along with the asparagus and the heat from the noodles will wilt them.
 
Jambalaya would have been good, mudbug, but I went in another direction this time.

Kitchenelf, that's a great idea. I think I'll do that.
 
The dinner was a great success! I ended up not making the Centralia House Shrimp, and just made a simple scampi instead, because I wanted the flavor to compliment, not compete with the chicken dish.
We had the Cajun Grilled Shrimp as an appetizer, and it was just the perfect tidbit to nibble on while we prepared the rest of the meal.
We loved the Chicken Lombardi...couldn't find any fontina, so I used a soft mozzerella instead. The scampi and braised aparagus Went on top of the pasta, and we dipped our bread in the garlic/olive oil/butter from the scampi. Even the apple crisp turned out to be the best I've made.
Our friend, who is not one to give false compliments, said it was better than a meal in a 4 star restaurant!
Now...any volunteers to help me with the sink full of pots and pans? :)
 
The dinner sounds exquisite... I am happy that all of you guys had such a great time!!
I would help you with the dishes... but OH DARN!! you live a little too far away!! shucks!! (didn't someone say it's the thought that counts??
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Wish I would have remembered to say Gruyere would be a good substitute. Both Gruyere and the fontina have a certain "bite" to them that adds to the flavor - maybe next time? You can even do equal parts of Swiss and fresh grated Parmesan.

Your dinner sounds like a winner!!
 
Thanks anyway, Urmaniac. Your heart's in the right place.

Thanks for the hint, Kitchenelf...I'll remember that the next time. My daughter did the shopping for me, and all she knows about cheese is Velveeta, grated mozzerella and string cheese. The fontina was probably in the gourmet section.

That's the thing about being stove up...you have to count on others for so many things. I'm just lucky to have such dear friends and family to help out.
 
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