Sunday Supper ~ No. 1

Our first evening of Sunday Suppers was a smashing success ! We can't thank you all enough for joining us and making it such an enjoyable evening. A huge thank you to our guests: Marlene & Todd Capron (clients turned dear friends), Cecily Cowburn (the greatest), Kate Diago (from Ceci NY), Mel Barlow (dear friend, photographer, helper & neighbor), Xochitl Gonzalez (uber talented wedding planner & amazing friend), and of course Ken Rivera (my sweet husband & partner who helps me with all my crazy projects)! Our first dinner, entitled No. 1 was a simple supper that can easily be made at home. The Styling: rustic wood tables, fresh garden roses and apple blossoms in an array of ball jars. The Snacks: Casey served a basil lime water and some raw almonds for nibbles. For dinner, we served a mixed green and herb salad with a french vinaigrette, salmon baked in parchment with tomato, shallot, thyme...haricot vert with lemon butter, toasted almond couscous and for dessert...strawberries with zabaglione.

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Recipes

Basil Lime Water

Put 6-7 sprigs of opal basil 1 cup of cold water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.
Let steep for 15 minutes. Remove basil leaves and refrigerate the liquid until completely chilled.

Mix 2 liters of sparkling water, the juice of one lime and the basil water in a pitcher.
Garnish glasses with fresh leaves of opal basil and a thin slice of lime.

Copyright © 2009 by Casey Solomon

Herb Salad and Dijon Vinaigrette

salad greens or mesclun mix 4 to 6 people
2 tablespoons each chopped dill, basil and parsley.
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced shallots
3 tablespoons champagne or red wine vinegar
½ cup really good olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


In the bottom of a large bowl, mix together mustard, shallots and vinegar. Pour olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly with a wire whisk. The dressing should be thick and emulsified. (You can also do this in a blender.) Put the greens in the bowl on top of the dressing. Scatter the herbs on top and toss. Serve immediately. If preparing ahead, do all the steps above except
tossing. Keep in the fridge.

Copyright © 2009 by Casey Solomon

Salmon Baked in Parchment

4 6oz. salmon fillets
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
6 large shallots, julienned
1 fennel bulb, julienned
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle salmon filets with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss together tomatoes, shallots, fennel, olive oil, salt and pepper. Holding the thyme by the stem, strip four sprigs of their leaves and add to the tomato mixture.

Take a 15 by 36-inch piece of parchment paper and fold in 1/2 like a book. Draw a large 1/2 circle on paper with fold of paper being the center of the circle. Cut out circle and open. Lay salmon on parchment to one side of the fold. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over each salmon piece and place a thyme sprig on top. Fold the other side of the circle over the fish and starting at the top of the circle, fold up both edges of the parchment, overlapping folds as you move along. Once you reach the end tip, twist several times to secure it tightly. Do this for each piece of fish. Place the packets on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Cut the parchment down the center. Be careful, it will be steamy.


Copyright © 2009 by Casey Solomon

Toasted Almond Couscous

¼ cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups couscous
¼ cup golden raisins
1 cup pitted and chopped green olives

In a sauce pot toast almonds over medium heat, remove and reserve. Add the butter and chicken stock to the pot and bring
to a boil. Stir in the couscous, and raisins. Cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let the couscous stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff couscous with a fork and toss in the almonds and olives.

Copyright © 2009 by Casey Solomon

Haricots Vert

1 pound haricots vert, ends trimmed
2 tablespoons melted butter
juice and zest of one lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a small stockpot of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots vert and cook until just tender, about 1 minute.
Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath. Drain. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Add the drained beans, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until just heated
through and crisp-tender. Turn the heat off and toss with the lemon zest.

Copyright © 2009 by Casey Solomon

Strawberries and Zabalione

8 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1 cup dry marsala wine or sweet vermouth
1 lemon zested
1 vanilla bean
1 ½ pints fresh strawberries

In a metal bowl, whisk together the yolks and sugar. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out with
the back of a paring knife. Add seeds to the egg mixture. Set the pan over (not in) simmering (not boiling) water and
continue to whisk while you cook it until thick and pale yellow. Add the wine gradually as you whisk and continue
to cook until light and fluffy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes then refrigerate stirring every so often until
cooled. In the meantime, hull and quarter the strawberries. Divide among four dishes. Remove the chilled zabaglione,
stir in the lemon zest and spoon over the strawberries.

Copyright © by Casey Solomon 2009