Getting into my glory!

[richtee]

Today I start prep- one of my bestest buddies is turning 50 tomarrow. He contacted me couple weeks ago about doing the food for the party with him.

He don't mess around when it comes to eats either! Here's the menu:

Roasted herb encrusted tenderloin of beef- barded with home made bacon
W red wine/****aaki mushroom sauce

Lump maryland crabmeat stuffed mushroom caps/w bechamel sauce

Chicken paprikas with home made spatzel style noodles <one of my specialties>

Dill Rosemary redskin potatos

Green beans almondine and also with mushrooms

Salad <Romaine, ridicchio, etc, with fresh Ceaser or Italian

Pulled pork mini-sammy apps

And of course the raw veggie tray. Hey..I LIKE some of that stuff too!

Freakin' WHEEE!

 

[flagriller]

Sounds great, enjoy the feast

 

[homebrew & bbq]

That's quite a spread! How many folks are you cooking for?

 

[vlap]

Wow... Sounds great. Guess I wasn't the only one to work in fine dining. Incredible menu!

 

[cajun_1]

Sounds great.. I'm sure your buddie & friends will enjoy that spread. Q-View if possible ? (I know you'll be busy)

 

[richtee]

We're figuring on 30-40. Doing 4 loins, and about 10 Lbs chicken for the paprikas. Heading to meat store soon...Oh, sweet anticipation!

 

[vlap]

Need the serious step by step q-view...

Also a few recipes would be nice... and if ya wanna ship an xtra beef tenderloin down this way I won't mind. They sure are tasty!

 

[hawgheaven]

Ditto... and how do I get invited?

 

[blackhawk19]

That sounds great,but I would have waited till after the party to post that menu. We have some members close enough to crash the party for a spread like that

 

[richtee]

Chicken Paprikas

For 4 or so

3 or so pounds chicken parts- thighs, wings, drumsticks/upper wing.<Save the breasts for something else>
1 med-large white or yellow onion
1/8 cup butter/olive oil OR shortening
1 to 2 tbs. HUNGARIAN paprika <Best flavor...smoked optional>
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tbsp. kosher salt...or to taste at end
Water OR chicken stock to cover <About 2 cups- BEST with stock>
1/2 pint sour cream

-----
Dumplings/noodles

3 cups flour
3 eggs
3 tbsp. sour cream
1-2 tbsp. kosher salt or to taste
Couple grinds of CBP

Some notes:
I use the leftovers from a couple cut up chickens <neck, back, heart,lower wing parts etc.> to make a stock/broth for the recipe. You can use water for the base, but this is better. Save meat from broth to make Ala' king with left-over broth...economical and durn good! Leave some skin on the parts for this recipe, cut off the real fatty stuff tho....adds flavor- but fat too. It'll still work if ya wanna skin it tho.

********
Brown onion in oil mix, add all seasoning and chicken continue browning until chicken has a light gold color on both sides. Add water or stock, cover and simmer 'till tender. During this, make the dumplings...

Mix all ingredients and make a dough. Has to be fairly stiff... a spoon should easily stand in it.

Boil a large pasta pot of salted water. Holding the bowl of dough over pot, wet a teaspoon and "cut" little fingertip sized chunks of dough into water. Dumplings done when they float, do maybe 20 at a time, then skim off with a straining spoon and do another batch until finished with dough. TIP: Keep dipping spoon into boiling water after every 2-3 "cuts"...prevents dough from sticking to spoon

When chicken is about falling off bone remove from heat and add sour cream.

Pour this over dumplings and put a chunk of chicken or two on top.

 

[richoso1]

Where was I when they mailed out the invites???

 

[richtee]

Honestly, I'd not mind. His wife is a shrink, and of course some will be her Dr. ..err..shall we say "dry" friends.

It IS kinda fun playing them, tho. Think I'll affect a nervous tic in my left arm or something like that this time. Last time I played the Tourette's card. ;{)

 

[richtee]

BAKED STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS

1-1/2 cups crabmeat
2 T. butter
4 T. Finely chopped,shallots or scallions
Bechamel sauce (see below)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
18-24 2" mushroom caps

Preheat the oven to 350. Shred crab with a fork.
In a 8-10" skillet, melt the butter over mod. heat & sautÃ[emoji]169[/emoji] the shallots, stirring constantly, for 2 min., or till they are soft.
Stir in the crab meat & toss it with the shallots 10 seconds or so.
With a rubber spatula, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.



Stir in the 1 cup Bechamel sauce, then season to taste with lemon juice, salt & pepper.
Lightly butter a shallow baking dish or roasting pan large enough to hold the mushroom caps in one layer.
Sprinkle the inside of the caps with salt, spoon in the crab filling & arrange the caps in the pan.

Bake in the upper third of the oven for 10-15 min., or till the mushrooms are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife and the filling is bubbly. Serve on a large heated platter.


BECHAMEL SAUCE (Makes about 1 cup)

1 cup hot milk
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
Salt
White pepper

In a heavy 2- to 3-quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat, and stir in the flour.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Do not let this roux brown.
Remove the pan from the heat and blend in the hot milk.

Then return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, still stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.
Remove the pan from the heat, taste and season with salt and white pepper

 

[blackhawk19]

If I start now and drive around the clock I might make it

 

[deejaydebi]

Sounds like a great dinner Rich hope the buds appreciate your effort!

 

[cowgirl]

That sounds excellent Richtee! Way to go!

 

[dionysus]

Even if I started yesterday and drove non stop I don't think I could make it, but DAMN that sounds like it would be worth the trip. Hope your bud appreciates all the work. Good luck !!!!

 

[flyboys]

That sounds delicious. Definitely just made me a lot hungrier!!

 

[coleysmokinbbq]

Darn!...I would have to be way down here in GA...

Sounds like it'll be a great party!...Great Menu too!!...

Until later...

 

[richtee]

Well, modesty does not really prohibit me saying that I wow'd 'em. The dinner went almost too well...I was worried...heh. everything was great! Well, the escarole for the salad was a bit bitter. But other than that...

A view of the herb-encrusted tenderloin, pulled at 135* rested 20 min, peaked at 143, served at 120*.



A view of the results...or lack of view, I suppose. Yes, those are "mini Hammy Sammies" from the cured butt I did the other day. there WERE 35 ofthem :{) Finished with a new trial vinegar red wine mustard sauce and stuffed into these cute l'il pita breads.



Thanks due to alla great cooks here for help on several portions of this dinner.