Time again for the Men to cook for the Glenhardie Dinner Club.  Menu and recipes are from my friend John McAllister.

Menu

Hors D’oeuvre

Host Choice

Appetizers

Prosciutto di Parma “Purses”

Black Olive Tapenade

Soup

Minestra Di Funghi Selvatice

Wild Mushroom Soup

Pasta

Veal filled Ravioli with Marinara Sauce

Salad

Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

Entrée

Stuffed Lobster Tails with shrimp and crab

Risotto with Peas

Dessert

Oranges in Cointreau

Wine

Luna Di Luna Pinot Grigio…. (White)

Identified By Joseph Mc Guire

PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA “PURSES”

• 20 sturdy fresh chives each at least 5” long
• 10 thin slices prosciutto di Parma, each about 8 x 4 inches
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Ripe cantaloupe ( e.g. Quart container at Whole foods)

1. Bring a large skillet of water to a boil and add the chives. Stir, separating the chives gently, just until they turn bright green, about 5 seconds. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water and let stand for a few seconds to stop the cooking. Remove the chives and drain them on paper towels.
2. Cut the prosciutto slices crosswise in half to make pieces that measure about 4 inches square. Place 1 teaspoon grated cheese in the center of each square. Gather the edges of the prosciutto up over the cheese to form a “purses”* with a rounded bottom and ruffled top, pinch the prosciutto firmly where it is gathered, and tie a chive around this “neck”.
3. In a large, preferably nonstick, skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat. Add half of the purses and cook, shaking the skillet very gently occasionally, until the undersides of the purses are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon butter and cook the remaining purses in the same manner. Serve with fresh ripe melon wedges.

Note #1: *Cook these “purses” just long enough to brown them . Overcooking will make them salty and, as prosciutto di Parma is a carefully cured product, it doesn’t need to be cooked to be rendered edible. When buying the prosciutto, ask for slices from the widest part of the ham which will measure about “eight by four inches”.

PREPARED BY JOHN MC ALLISTER

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY DAVID JOHNSON

BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

Serves 10

• 3 tablespoons vinegar packed capers (e.g. Small jar–Whole Foods)
• 1 ½ cups (8 oz./250g) pitted Kalamata olives (e.g. Whole Foods Olive stand)
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 6-8 anchovy fillets, rinsed (e.g. 2 oz Cento can in olive oil-Whole Foods)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper

1. Drain, and rinse vinegar packed capers and pat dry
2. In a large mortar, combine the capers, olives, garlic, anchovies, and thyme. Using a pestle, and working in a circular motion, grind together until evenly chopped. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while stirring constantly with the pestle until a very finely chopped spread-not a smooth puree- forms.
3. Alternatively in a food processor combine the capers, olives, garlic, anchovies and thyme and process until finely chopped about 1 minute. Then with the motor running pour in the olive oil in slow steady stream and process until very finely chopped. ( I used this method —note: somewhat chunky…not a paste)
4. Season to taste with pepper.
5. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

PREPARED BY JOHN MC ALLISTER

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY DAVID JOHNSON

MINESTRA DI FUNGHI SELVATICE

Wild Mushroom Soup

Serves 12

FOR THE SOUP

• 8 pieces (2/5 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 ½ cups water
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 slices bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled, left whole
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, left whole
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 2½ quarts (10 cups) Chicken Broth
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

FOR THE FRESH MUSHROOMS

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced – see below
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

1. In 1½ cups of warm water, presoak the dried porcini about 20 minutes, until softened. Drain, reserving all but the last 2 teaspoons of the steeping liquid (to avoid unwanted sediments). Remove and rinse the softened porcini.
2. In a 5-quart pot, heat 5 tablespoons olive oil, add the bacon and onion, and sauté until translucent. Add the potatoes, carrots, and shallot, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the stock, drained porcini, reserved soaking liquid, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and keep on low boil about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
3. To prepare the fresh wild mushrooms, heat the olive oil in the large skillet and sauté them in batches, over medium-high heat, until all water has evaporated, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer the mushrooms to the soup pot and simmer 30 minutes, skimming occasionally. Remove and discard potatoes and carrots. Add the pepper and parsley, and serve piping hot.

Notes:

The soup is best when made with several varieties of fresh wild mushrooms – porcini, shiitake, chanterelle, hen-of-the-woods, etc. Other types of dried mushrooms may be substituted for the dried porcini specified, but porcini are preferable.

The dried and fresh wild mushrooms are available at Whole Foods.

PREPARED BY FRANK PARISI

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY DAVID JOHNSON

VEAL-FILLED RAVIOLI WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Serves 8

Stuffed Ravioli:

• 24 fresh ravioli stuffed with veal *

1. Boil Water in suitable pot
2. Add raviolis and cook for eight minutes or until “entire” raviolis is tender
3. Place three ravioli on a small plate
4. Top with sauce and serve .

*Note:

Suggest purchase Ravioli at: Carlino’s Specialty Foods
2616 E County Line Rd, Ardmore, PA 19003 – (610) 649-4046
-or –
128 W Market St, West Chester – (610) 696-3788

Vince’s Marinara Sauce:

• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 small Onion, chopped (fine…not too chunky)
• 1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 4 Teaspoons Dried Basil Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 2 Teaspoons Oregano
• 8oz. White Wine OR 1 Teaspoon White Sugar

1. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion in the olive oil; about 10 minutes.
2. Break apart the whole tomatoes with your hands and add to the pan along with the crushed tomatoes, basil, white wine/sugar, salt and pepper.
3. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY VINCE SCRIBONI

SWEET AND SOUR CUCUMBERS SALAD

Serves 5

• 2 medium size cucumbers
• 3 scallions
• 6 radishes
• 1 sprig of parsley, snipped
• 2 tablespoons tarragon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh crushed herbs, if available

1. Peel and slice the cucumbers as thinly as possible.
2. Slice scallions very thin, including the tops.
3. Then add sliced radishes and snipped parsley.
4. Combine vinegar, sugar and oil; pour over cucumber mixture.
5. Toss, season to taste
6. Refrigerate1 hour before serving.
7. Makes about 2 cups.

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY BOB MCKELVEY

STUFFED LOBSTER TAILS WITH SHRIMP AND CRAB

Serves 4

Lobster Tails:

• ½ stick unsalted butter
• 1 (61/2 oz).can crab meat, drained
• 4 lobster tails, prepared as shown( (6 oz. each)*
• 1 C butter cracker crumb (such below as Ritz)
• 3 oz. shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut into chunks
• juice of ½ a lemon
• ¾ C butter cracker crumbs
• 2 T. chopped fresh chives
• ½ stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1T. lemon zest, minced
• 2T. chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch of cayenne

1. Lobster tails come frozen. To thaw, leave tails in the fridge overnight or run cold water over them for about an hour. Prepare lobster tails by cutting down both sides of the belly (not the meat) to the fan. Remove meat, devein, cut into 1” chunks; reserve the shells.
2. Preheat oven to 400*; place a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Melt ½ stick butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in lobster, shrimp, and lemon juice; cook just until seafood starts to turn pink. Add chives, zest, and cayenne.
4. Off heat, stir in crab and 1 cup of cracker crumbs just until combined (use a light hand when stirring the crabmeat – otherwise it will break down into shreds). Divide stuffing among the 4 reserved lobster shells. (Stuffed tails may be covered and chilled for up to 1 day). Arrange tails on prepared rack.
5. Combine remaining ¾ cup of cracker crumbs with melted butter and parsley, then sprinkle over each prepared tail.
6. Roast until topping is crisp and stuffing is hot, about 15 minutes.
7. Serve with Champagne Butter Sauce.

*Note:

– Recommend purchase at Suburbia Seafood, Bridgeport , Pa 610-265-7426

– Recommend not using crackers …Use bread crumbs instead e.g. used Pepperbridge Farm thin white bread, cut crust off and create fine bread crumbs in food processor

– Recommend boiling empty lobster shells before stuffing them

Champagne Butter Sauce;

In French cuisine, this sauce is called a beurre blanc (burr BLAHN). If you don’t have sparkling wine, dry white wine works too. Makes ½ cup.

• 1 cup dry sparkling wine or dry white wine
• 1T. shallots, minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cubed (8 T.)
• 1t. minced fresh tarragon
• salt to taste

1. Reduce wine with shallots and thyme in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until liquid is nearly evaporated.
2. Remove and discard thyme, then whisk in butter 1 or 2 cubes at a time until melted. Finish with tarragon and salt.
3. To prevent the sauce from “breaking” (separating), keep it warm in a bowl of hot water rather than on the stovetop.

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY JOSEPH MCGUIRE

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

Serves 10

• 2 pints Chicken Broth
• 5 tablespoons Butter
• ½ cup small onion finely chopped
• 1 ½ cups Arborio Rice
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese-(e.g. Whole Foods)
• Salt and pepper to taste (very little)
• Freshly Shelled Peas packet -(e.g. Whole Foods)

Pot #1

Put broth in pot and cook to almost boiling

Pot #2

Put onion, butter (3 tbls) in pot and brown onion

Add rice for about 1 min. (should be translucent)

Add wine

Add broth to cover rice and constantly mix

When liquid disappears add more broth

Medium high heat (17 mins. cooking time)

It took a little longer for me …test rice ..do not cover

Pot #3

Cook peas until tender —just covered peas with water –high heat

Drain

Assemble :

Fold in Peas then rest of butter and Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)

Serve

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY JOHN MC ALLISTER

ORANGES IN COINTREAU

(from Sanibel-Captiva Cookbook)

• Twelve to fifteen navel oranges, peeled and sliced or segmented
• One and one-half cups sugar
• One and one-half cups water
• One and one-half cups cane sugar syrup (Karo syrup)
• One-quarter cup lemon juice
• One-quarter cup Cointreau
• Pepperidge Farm Milano Double Chocolate cookies

1. Place the orange segments in a large jar or other sealable container such as Tupperware.
2. Combine next three ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Remove from high heat and place on medium heat. Keep saucepan uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and liqueur. Pour over oranges and refrigerate at least overnight. Serve cold.
5. Serve on individual plates, perhaps five or six segments per plate.
6. Add one or two Pepperidge Farm Milano Double Chocolate cookies to finish the plate

NOTE: If the oranges are good sized, half this recipe should probably suffice for a dinner party. I recommend segmenting the oranges. In heating the mixture, forty minutes seems to be overkill. Go with the slightly thickened criterion..

RECIPE IDENTIFIED BY BOB MCKELVEY