A Fall Dinner Party with Friends

Thy bounty shines in autumn unconfined
And spreads a common feast for all that live.

- James Thomson

I love fall. With the end of summer, the season brings with it shorter days and cooler nights; a richer color palate and denser fruits; pumpkins and pomegranates, nuts and apples, and fragrant spices all inspiration for a fall dinner party. Because my darling husband, Terry, and I are still newlyweds, we are experiencing events in fresh ways. This was our first dinner party together in our recently redecorated home. And, although it was put together in a hurry, we still used the china, crystal and silver; but because we wanted to enjoy the company of our friends, we tried to keep things simple as well. Using things we already had was key to the simplicity. The centerpiece was an antique dough bowl which a stop at my favorite pumpkin patch, St. Andrews Episcopal Church, filled.

The menu was actually inspired by our first Valentine's Day as a couple. We made Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon--which was a lot of work and made enough to feed the citizens of a third world country. So, this time I went to my goto gal, Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, for her version. Ina's recipes are so easy to follow, tasty, and the results reliable. 



The only alteration to the recipe that I made was to use pre-sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms, and the rest was followed exactly. Be sure to stand carefully back before flaming the cognac!



Photo: Foodnetwork



I served the Bourguignon over a slice of crusty sourdough bread which I oven toasted and smeared with a half clove of garlic and a salad which was constructed using butter lettuce called Living Lettuce available at Kroger. It is a non-GMO product and extremely fresh with a very delicate flavor and is my new favorite. I tossed the lettuce with pomegranate seeds, walnut halves, and a homemade vinaigrette (recipe follows). When the salad was plated, it was topped with pear slices and crumbled Chevre such as Montrachet.

Photo: Foodrepublik

For dessert, I made Ina's French Apple Tart from her Back to Basics Cookbook, with a few alterations for simplicity. First, I already had a ceramic tart pan; and second for company, I didn't want to experiment with a dough recipe. I am simply not that brave. So, per Ina's suggestion, I used a defrosted puff pastry dough. Working fairly quickly, you layer the sheets of dough with melted butter between the layers. Easy. I trimmed and rolled the crust to make the edge. Cutting back a little on the sugar as my round would not accommodate the same quantity of apples, I baked it setting the timer for the recommended 40 minutes, but checking on it in 30 just to make sure that the pan change didn't make a difference. And, as it turned out, 40 minutes was perfect to brown the crust and caramelize the apples. I glazed the tart with the apricot jam warmed with a little spiced dark rum. Tarts are served at room temperature and topped with either ice cream or whipped cream. We chose whipped with about a half teaspoon of real vanilla and a tablespoon of the spiced dark rum. Delicious!



Our dear friends, Jacque & Keith

Elizabeth's Fall Salad Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 large peeled & quartered shallot

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Citrus Champagne Vinegar

1 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Using a small electric food chopper (I use a Black & Decker) chop the shallot until fine; add 1/2 cup olive oil and emulsify. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend together.

Happy Fall!

Elizabeth