The Dinner

The Dinner

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This is my week to host The Dinner for my women's group. The menu:

Bruschetta with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil

Pasta puttanesca

Sesame fish with a pink grapefruit-onion coulis, served on a bed of freshly harvested arugula
White bean salad

Ate de membrillo

Mar 1, 2005, 12:55 PM

Post #2 of 18 (1336 views)

Re: [jennifer rose] The Dinner

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The menu sounds great. Pasta puttanesca has always been one of my favorites. I just hope for your sake this group of "Ladies" has a really good sense of humor or they don't speak Italian.

uj

esperanza

Mar 1, 2005, 1:07 PM

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Re: [Uncle Jack] The Dinner

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Hey, UJ, it's on the menu at Ma Come No in Guadalajara. I order it frequently.

Trust me, we know who we are...if the shoe fits...

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Mar 2, 2005, 1:39 PM

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Re: [esperanza] The Dinner

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On your personal recommendations I will now have to encourage our local Italiano eateries (all 2 of them!) to "kick it up a notch". hehehe

jennifer rose

Mar 2, 2005, 2:03 PM

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Pasta Puttanesca

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We have pasta puttanesca at least once a week in my house, particulary when we've been working hard and don't have much time to cook. Or shop for ingredients, because all of the ingredients can be found in most anyone's larder. Everyone always has pasta and fresh tomatoes on hand, right? Got some leftover salsa? Throw it in, and you can forget about adding other seasonings. The anchovies and olives lurking in the back of the refrigerator? Toss 'em in. Want to add some protein? Open up a can of the cheapest tuna you've got in the cupboard.

Why, I can throw together pasta puttanesca in the time it takes to .......

esperanza

Mar 2, 2005, 2:15 PM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Pasta Puttanesca

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<falls off chair laughing, third time this week>

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Mar 2, 2005, 2:27 PM

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Re: [esperanza] Pasta Puttanesca

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yo tambien!

Esteban

Mar 3, 2005, 9:45 AM

Post #8 of 18 (1249 views)

Re: [jennifer rose] Pasta Puttanesca

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Personally, I believe using tuna gives the Puttanesca a bad rap. I would rather see you add something like some chopped leftover chicken asada.

Mar 3, 2005, 11:30 AM

Post #9 of 18 (1242 views)

Re: [Esteban] Pasta Puttanesca

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Just a matter of taste, Steve. I would think that tuna would go better with the anchovies than grilled chicken.

uj

Rolly

Mar 3, 2005, 1:23 PM

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Re: [Uncle Jack] Pasta Puttanesca

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Raw tuna, yes! Lightly grilled tuna, maybe. Canned tuna is for the cat.

Rolly Pirate

jennifer rose

Mar 3, 2005, 1:42 PM

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Re: [Rolly] Pasta Puttanesca

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C'mon, Uncle Jack. Working girls can only afford canned tuna.

Mar 3, 2005, 4:54 PM

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Re: [Rolly] Pasta Puttanesca

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I just flashed back to the days when Tuna Casserole was in vogue, but hated by all male members of the household, including the cat!

Texwheel

Mar 3, 2005, 8:33 PM

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Re: [Marlene] Pasta Puttanesca

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I never "did not like" tuna casserole. I never "did not like" anything, and my current, though gradually decreasing girth reflects that! My mom is not a fancy cook, but she taught me to eat anything, and I have. You would scarf up anything she puts on the table and ask for more, and she'd be delighted! I guess it's that country-czech heritage! Nothing, absolutely nothing they cook does not taste great.

I hope to experience the same relative to Mexico someday, for more than a short visit.
Tom Williams
Georgetown, Texas
Texwheel@aol.com

Mar 4, 2005, 4:38 AM

Post #14 of 18 (1209 views)

Re: [jennifer rose] Pasta Puttanesca

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Jennifer, you accuse me unjustly. It was Rolly who declared that canned tuna was only for pussys.

uj

DonaldEug44

Mar 4, 2005, 9:16 AM

Post #15 of 18 (1197 views)

Re: [Marlene] Pasta Puttanesca

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Anyone who makes tuna casserole should be forever banned from the kitchen. My ex-wife knew 365 ways to make tuna casserole and tried to feed me every one of them the first year we were married. Only person I ever knew who could burn a pot of water.

Last night it was fresh Alaskan halibut I caught on my fishing trip. Cooked on the grill with a light cream sauce and fresh brussel sprouts. Tonight it will be a grilled salmon filet, from the same trip, sprinkled with a few spices. Even the cat makes sure he gets his share.

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein

Esteban

Mar 4, 2005, 4:03 PM

Post #16 of 18 (1176 views)

Re: [Uncle Jack] Pasta Puttanesca

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Perhaps you forget Cesear Salad with chicken (the dressing includes anchovies). Besides, Puttanesca is more like something that could smell like fish but tastes like chicken. Fresh atun de aleta amarilla.....yes possibly but canned, absolutely not.

Mar 4, 2005, 5:30 PM

Post #17 of 18 (1170 views)

Back to basics, Steve

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I don't believe Ceasar Cardini ever said anything about chicken:

CAESAR SALAD

Original Recipe
As printed on the back of the business cards from Caesar's Restaurant & Bar in Tijuana where the original Ensalada de Caesar was created by Caesar Cardini in 1924. Caesar’s has been closed since 1985. A Burger King now occupies the building.

Ingredients:

· 3 medium heads of Romaine lettuce (chilled, dry, crisp)*
· 1 cup of Croutons
· 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce**
· 5-6 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
· 1 pinch of Salt
· 1/3 cup of Garlic flavored olive oil***
· 1-2 tablespoons of wine vinegar
· Juice of 1 1/2 Lemons
· 1 raw Egg
· Freshly ground Pepper

Procedure:

Arrange lettuce and croutons in bowl. In a second bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the lettuce and croutons. Some folks prefer to sprinkle the cheese over the salad after applying the dressing. Serves 4

* There is still some controversy as to whether the original salad was individual leaves spread on a plate with the croutons on top and the drizzled with dressing and eaten with your fingers like an hor d’oeuvre or a more conventional salad of hand torn romaine leaf pieces. Here in Mexico, many restaurants serve individual leaves. Your salad, your choice.

**Supposedly the original recipe did not contain anchovies. Some “Experts” claim that the original anchovy taste came from the Worcestershire sauce. Whether or not it was Caesar Cardini who later changed the recipe, anchovies have been a pretty standard ingredient in a Caesar Salad for, at least, the last 60 years. Many recipes today also call for a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard. I use both anchovies and mustard. It makes a much spicier salad.

***The easiest way to make garlic flavored olive oil today is to put two smashed garlic cloves in the 1/3 cup of oil and zap it for about 30 to 40 seconds in the microwave and then let it sit on the counter for an hour or so.

Mar 4, 2005, 7:25 PM

Post #18 of 18 (1161 views)