Menu advice

Matthew Williams said:

The main course is:

-pan seared lamb chop in brandy-tarragon demiglace with matchstick
fennel
-gateau aux pommes Anne
-sauteed chard with shallots

For the appetizer, I was thinking of something very light and simple,
like sliced honeydew melon wrapped in prosciutto. I'm just afraid that
this is too simple and might not go well with everything else.

I'm stumped about soup. A cream soup is out of the question because I
cannot consume milk protein. Again, I'm looking for something to mesh
with the rest of the meal.

I'm also stumped about dessert. Again, no milk. I can use all the
butter I want but no milk, cream, etc. I would prefer something that
can be prepared ahead of time, since everything else will be rather
time consuming. What kind of dessert goes well after a meal of lamb?

Again, the constraints are that the missing parts must fit into the
big picture, and milk products other than butter are not to be used.

Wonderfully ripe melon with prosciutto sounds *perfect*. Just be careful
to get a wonderful melon and ripen it. It would be so disappointing to
be served hard, tasteless melon.

Would a simple carrot soup using chicken broth be possible? Using an
immersion blender allows for many creamed soups without the "cream".

A light lemon or kiwi sorbet, made in advance and served with some fancy
cookies like Pepperridge Farm Milanos with the chocolate layer or tea
cookies would be a treat for me after a big meal. All can be at the
ready before meal time.

Good luck, sounds like a wonderful meal.

"Matthew Williams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm planning on throwing a dinner party in a few weeks, and I have
most of my menu planned out. I think it's a pretty solid menu that
goes really well with a Shiraz I have picked out (I planned the main
course around the wine), but I'm stumped about appetizer, soup, and
dessert. Sure, I could pull together some random things for any of
those courses, but I'm really going for a thoughtful, well-planned,
harmonious menu.

The main course is:

-pan seared lamb chop in brandy-tarragon demiglace with matchstick
fennel
-gateau aux pommes Anne
-sauteed chard with shallots

For the appetizer, I was thinking of something very light and simple,
like sliced honeydew melon wrapped in prosciutto. I'm just afraid that
this is too simple and might not go well with everything else.

I'm stumped about soup. A cream soup is out of the question because I
cannot consume milk protein. Again, I'm looking for something to mesh
with the rest of the meal.

I'm also stumped about dessert. Again, no milk. I can use all the
butter I want but no milk, cream, etc. I would prefer something that
can be prepared ahead of time, since everything else will be rather
time consuming. What kind of dessert goes well after a meal of lamb?

Again, the constraints are that the missing parts must fit into the
big picture, and milk products other than butter are not to be used.

Thanks!

Gazpacho for the soup, stuffed mushroom caps for the appetizer and
fresh fruit for the desert. Or fresh fruit [censored]. There is a great stuffed
mushroom appetizer in [censored] Farmer's 1985 edition, you just use
seasonings, bread crumbs and fresh parmigiano cheese.

Quoted message said:

Matthew Williams said:

I'm planning on throwing a dinner party in a few weeks, and I have
most of my menu planned out. I think it's a pretty solid menu that
goes really well with a Shiraz I have picked out (I planned the main
course around the wine), but I'm stumped about appetizer, soup, and
dessert. Sure, I could pull together some random things for any of
those courses, but I'm really going for a thoughtful, well-planned,
harmonious menu.

The main course is:

-pan seared lamb chop

Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
get past the stench.

Lamb = Baaaaaaaad

Sheldon

Matthew Williams said:

The main course is:

-pan seared lamb chop in brandy-tarragon demiglace with matchstick
fennel
-gateau aux pommes Anne
-sauteed chard with shallots

For the appetizer, I was thinking of something very light and simple,
like sliced honeydew melon wrapped in prosciutto. I'm just afraid that
this is too simple and might not go well with everything else.

Nothing wrong with the dish. Making everything complicated is an
overkill.

Quoted message said:

I'm stumped about soup. A cream soup is out of the question because I
cannot consume milk protein. Again, I'm looking for something to mesh
with the rest of the meal.

A simple consommé.

Quoted message said:

I'm also stumped about dessert. Again, no milk. I can use all the
butter I want but no milk, cream, etc. I would prefer something that
can be prepared ahead of time, since everything else will be rather
time consuming. What kind of dessert goes well after a meal of lamb?

If you can find good pears, make poires au vin rouge (pears in red
wine). If you prefer it richer, make mousse au chocolat.

Victor

Matthew Williams said:

Quoted message said:

I'm planning on throwing a dinner party in a few weeks, and I have
most of my menu planned out. I think it's a pretty solid menu that
goes really well with a Shiraz I have picked out (I planned the main
course around the wine), but I'm stumped about appetizer, soup, and
dessert. Sure, I could pull together some random things for any of
those courses, but I'm really going for a thoughtful, well-planned,
harmonious menu.

How about Spring Pea Soup

2 lbs peas with pods, rinsed and chopped, or 1 lb peas podded
2 shallots
(Optional - slices of proscuitto or other bacon, diced)
1 branch thyme
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 litre water, light chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup loosely packed spinach, rinsed
3/4 cup heavy cream (Optional)
Kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, sweat shallots (and bacon if using) and thyme branch in
olive oil until translucent. Add peas and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the wine and cook until it has almost evaporated.

2. Add the liquid and bring to the boil. Season and then simmer for 15
minutes. Puree solids with just enough liquid to facilitate blending along
with the spinach, in a blender. Pass through a fine sieve, rubbing with the
back of a ladle, into another pot. If using cream reduce it by half in a
small pot.

3. Adjust consistency with any remaining liquid, add cream, bring back to
simmer, season to taste, and serve.
--

Debbie

(Email account is valid but one I do not check. To email use above
name dot neill at sympatico dot ca)

All of the advice has been very helpful, thank you all.

I'm really set on lamb. I know not everyone likes it, but I am
planning the dinner party from the menu up. I know that sounds
exclusive, but hey - I'm in college and this is more of a treat to me
and a friend that will be visiting, so if people don't want lamb then
then don't have to come.

The carrot puree soup sounds wonderful. I think a pureed roast carrot
and root vegetable soup. A little tarragon with the roots during the
roasting will add a nice thread to tie the soup better to the main
course.

Poires a vin rouge sounds like the perfect dessert - only I'll be
eating and BSing while the preparation will need to be done.

All of the advice has been wonderful, thanks to everyone.

cybercat said:

Gazpacho for the soup

Great if one has a supply of frozen tomatoes from last season,
and/or lives in the southern hemisphere. Otherwise it
might be a bit of a problem.

Although I think I've heard of a cucumber-based Gazpacho with
no tomatoes.

Steve

"Steve Pope" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

cybercat said:

Gazpacho for the soup

Great if one has a supply of frozen tomatoes from last season,
and/or lives in the southern hemisphere. Otherwise it
might be a bit of a problem.

Although I think I've heard of a cucumber-based Gazpacho with
no tomatoes.

Good point.

Debbie said:

Matthew Williams said:

Quoted message said:

I'm planning on throwing a dinner party in a few weeks, and I have
most of my menu planned out. I think it's a pretty solid menu that
goes really well with a Shiraz I have picked out (I planned the main
course around the wine), but I'm stumped about appetizer, soup, and
dessert. Sure, I could pull together some random things for any of
those courses, but I'm really going for a thoughtful, well-planned,
harmonious menu.

Well, in NZ, lamb is never a problem. We love it.

I like the sound of your menu, Matthew. But I think three courses are
enough. I would suggest, in keeping with a sort of French theme you
have going, French onion soup and for dessert, French crepes (very
thin pancakes) with a sauce and vanilla icecream. As it happens, I
served crepes for dessert myself on Saturday, with an orange-cognac
sauce. The dessert is reasonably light, can be made in advance, and
looks impressive. I am happy to give details if this suits you. Email
me to remind me, as I don't look in this newsgroup regularly.

Kathy in NZ

Matthew Williams said:

I'm planning on throwing a dinner party in a few weeks, and I have
most of my menu planned out. I think it's a pretty solid menu that
goes really well with a Shiraz I have picked out (I planned the main
course around the wine), but I'm stumped about appetizer, soup, and
dessert. Sure, I could pull together some random things for any of
those courses, but I'm really going for a thoughtful, well-planned,
harmonious menu.

The main course is:

-pan seared lamb chop in brandy-tarragon demiglace with matchstick
fennel
-gateau aux pommes Anne
-sauteed chard with shallots

For the appetizer, I was thinking of something very light and simple,
like sliced honeydew melon wrapped in prosciutto. I'm just afraid that
this is too simple and might not go well with everything else.

I'm stumped about soup. A cream soup is out of the question because I
cannot consume milk protein. Again, I'm looking for something to mesh
with the rest of the meal.

cream soups aren't out of the question. Just use canned cocount milk
in place of cream and/or milk. For many "cream" dishes, coconut milk
is superior to cream.

Quoted message said:

I'm also stumped about dessert. Again, no milk. I can use all the
butter I want but no milk, cream, etc. I would prefer something that
can be prepared ahead of time, since everything else will be rather
time consuming. What kind of dessert goes well after a meal of lamb?

See above about using coconut milk. While it can't be totally
prepared ahead of time, individual chocolate souffles are always a
winner. For them, you can prepare the chocolate base ahead of time,
leaving only whipping the egg whites, folding together, and baking for
the last minute.

Rice pudding made with coconut milk is divine, may be prepared ahead
(in which case best served chilled), and flavored however you like (I
like flavoring with cardamom and adding raisins and pistachios, but
that is just me).

Another idea is poached pears - best poached in red wine with spices.
Add a sauce if you like, but it is not needed. They may be prepared
the day before and either served cold or reheated. If reheating,
leave them a tad underdone on the initial cooking, and store them in
the refrigerator in the poaching liquid.

Later,
Mark Muller

Sheldon said:

Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
get past the stench.

Lamb = Baaaaaaaad

Lamb doesn't have a stench. Maybe you're thinking of mutton?

Karen

Karen said:

Sheldon said:

Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
get past the stench.

Quoted message said:

Lamb = Baaaaaaaad

Lamb doesn't have a stench. Maybe you're thinking of mutton?

To me lamb stinks... if you had to suffer as much lamb as I did
because it was the only meat readily available with rationing during
WWII you'd hate that stench too. And that the majority think lamb
stinks is an absolute fact, very few US restaurants serve lamb and
lamb is the least proffered meat at any US stupidmarket. In some
parts of the planet and among some ethnic groups lamb is popular but
not in the US, no way, no how. The vast majority of the planet's
population doesn't eat lamb, never has, never will. Lamb STINKS!

Sheldon

Sheldon said:

Karen said:

Sheldon said:

Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
get past the stench.
Lamb = Baaaaaaaad

Lamb doesn't have a stench. Maybe you're thinking of mutton?

To me lamb stinks... if you had to suffer as much lamb as I did
because it was the only meat readily available with rationing during
WWII you'd hate that stench too. And that the majority think lamb
stinks is an absolute fact, very few US restaurants serve lamb and
lamb is the least proffered meat at any US stupidmarket. In some
parts of the planet and among some ethnic groups lamb is popular but
not in the US, no way, no how. The vast majority of the planet's
population doesn't eat lamb, never has, never will. Lamb STINKS!

Sheldon

That's how my father feels. He and his family had to live underground
for awhile in Belgium during WWII and lamb, or more accurately, mutton,
was their main meat. So to this day, he hates smelling it cooking. It
just brings back all those childhood hardships he doesn't want to
remember. My mom loves lamb but then again she spent the war in exile
in the Pyrenees and lamb was not eaten every day and it was young and
fresh. Smells seem to bring back memories so strongly.

Melondy

Melondy said:

Sheldon said:

Karen said:

On Apr 8, 3:08 pm, "Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
> get past the stench.
> Lamb = Baaaaaaaad
Lamb doesn't have a stench. Maybe you're thinking of mutton?

Quoted message said:

To me lamb stinks... if you had to suffer as much lamb as I did
because it was the only meat readily available with rationing during
WWII you'd hate that stench too.  And that the majority think lamb
stinks is an absolute fact, very few US restaurants serve lamb and
lamb is the least proffered meat at any US stupidmarket.  In some
parts of the planet and among some ethnic groups lamb is popular but
not in the US, no way, no how.  The vast majority of the planet's
population doesn't eat lamb, never has, never will.  Lamb STINKS!

Quoted message said:

Sheldon

That's how my father feels. He and his family had to live underground
for awhile in Belgium during WWII and lamb, or more accurately, mutton,
was their main meat.  So to this day, he hates smelling it cooking. It
just brings back all those childhood hardships he doesn't want to
remember.  My mom loves lamb but then again she spent the war in exile
in the Pyrenees and lamb was not eaten every day and it was young and
fresh.  Smells seem to bring back memories so strongly.

Smell is the most accurately recallable human sense, sight and color
in particular the least. Taste, touch, and hearing are in the middle
and vary greatly amongst individuals.

Sheldon

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sheldon said:

And that the majority think lamb
stinks is an absolute fact, very few US restaurants serve lamb and
lamb is the least proffered meat at any US stupidmarket.

I can always find lamb. I have never found goat. I have a craving for
goat. At a big outdoor feed twenty years ago, lamb, beef and goat were
cooked underground. The goat was superior. I've eaten it once. I want
more.
I wish they had cooked a horse too, so I could comment on that.

leo

--
<http://web0.greatbasin.net/~leo/>

Sheldon said:

Karen said:

On Apr 8, 3:08 pm, "Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
get past the stench.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Lamb = Baaaaaaaad

Quoted message said:

Lamb doesn't have a stench. Maybe you're thinking of mutton?

To me lamb stinks... if you had to suffer as much lamb as I did
because it was the only meat readily available with rationing during
WWII you'd hate that stench too. And that the majority think lamb
stinks is an absolute fact, very few US restaurants serve lamb and
lamb is the least proffered meat at any US stupidmarket. In some
parts of the planet and among some ethnic groups lamb is popular but
not in the US, no way, no how. The vast majority of the planet's
population doesn't eat lamb, never has, never will. Lamb STINKS!

I'm 36, and I have never eaten lamb, or even been anywhere where lamb
was being served. I really don't think that I have been missing out
on anything.

Sheldon said:

Karen said:

Sheldon said:

Are you sure all your guests eat lamb, a lot of folks won't, they ca't
get past the stench.

Quoted message said:

Lamb = Baaaaaaaad

Lamb doesn't have a stench. Maybe you're thinking of mutton?

To me lamb stinks... if you had to suffer as much lamb as I did
because it was the only meat readily available with rationing during
WWII you'd hate that stench too. And that the majority think lamb
stinks is an absolute fact, very few US restaurants serve lamb and
lamb is the least proffered meat at any US stupidmarket. In some
parts of the planet and among some ethnic groups lamb is popular but
not in the US, no way, no how. The vast majority of the planet's
population doesn't eat lamb, never has, never will. Lamb STINKS!

Sheldon

My wife can easily faint smack on the floor, when she smells lamb and
starts to choke and wretch. As a matter of fact, if you start to talk
about lamb, she will stop eating whatever she is eating. She has a very
weak composition, because if you mention the word "cat" when she is
eating chinese, you just killed her appetite. : )

I think if the animal (lamb) is young, that strong odor and taste is not
there, or at least very subtle.

I buy lamb chops, and they taste great with a paste of fresh garlic,
salt, and spearmint.

One thing I can't stand is mongolian mutton. Now that really is strong!

R