Lots of wonderful fresh and homemade food (which sadly didn’t all get captured) and fun 2 days in a row.
Was really great that the weekend was absolutely perfect for doing just about everything al fresco.
Pictures and some recipes will be found after the jump.
Dad’s 65th – Saturday May 30, 2009
Dad’s 65th – Sunday May 31, 2009
On Sunday we had:
French Toast with Caramelized Pecans, Strawberries and Cream
Parmesan Potato Pancake
Recipe modified from Food Network original.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions
Warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch diameter) nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about another 2 minutes. Season the onion mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl and set aside. Reserve the pan.
Meanwhile, grate the potatoes in a food processor using the grating attachment blade. Use a kitchen towel to help squeeze out the water from the grated potatoes. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add the Parmesan and the basil. Stir to combine and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Warm the remaining olive oil over high heat in the same pan that was used to cook the onions. When the pan is hot, but not smoking add the potato mixture. Use a spatula to press the mixture down into the pan firmly and evenly. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the potato mixture until the bottom is golden brown and the pancake can move in the pan, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low if the pancake is browning too fast in places. Place a large plate on top of the pancake and flip the pancake out of the pan. Turn the heat on the pan back up to high. When the pan is hot slide the pancake back into the pan and cook until the bottom is golden and is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. Slide the pancake onto a serving platter, slice, and serve.
Pear and Nutmeg Upside-Down Cake
Recipe modified from Gourmet Magazine original.
- Ingredients
For topping:
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large firm-ripe Comice or Barlett pears
For cake batter:
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
Accompaniment:
Sweetened whipped cream flavored with a very small amount of almond extract
Directions
Make topping: In a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet melt butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly onto bottom of skillet and heat, undisturbed, 3 minutes (not all brown sugar will be melted). Remove skillet from heat.
Peel and core pears and halve lengthwise. Cut 3 pears halves lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and arrange wedges, overlapping, around edge of skillet. Cut remaining pear half crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and fan decoratively in center of skillet.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Make cake batter: Into a bowl sift together flours, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed add milk, beating until just combined. Beat in flour mixture in 3 batches until just combined.
Spoon batter over topping in skillet, spreading evenly (be careful not to disturb topping), and bake in middle of oven 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and springy to the touch. Cool cake in skillet on a rack 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of skillet. Invert a plate over skillet and invert cake onto plate (keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together). Carefully lift skillet off cake and replace any fruit that is stuck to bottom of skillet if necessary.
Serve cake warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
