Going away dinner party for 8

Catered a going away party for 8 a few weeks ago in beautiful Lafeyette.  Saying goodbye to friends is hard, but what made it easier is delicious food, laughter and wine!

Menu

Tuna Tartare on Wonton with Edamame Wasabi Puree

Mini BLT on Brioche with Arugula, Baby Heirloom Tomatoes & Basil Aioli

Sesame Beer Battered Green Beans with Hot & Sweet Mustard

Dinner

Caesar Salad

Shrimp Scampi with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Broccoli Rabe

Dessert

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Milk Chocolate Ganache & Whipped Cream

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots, Onions and Bacon YUM!

looks like this bird is ready for the oven!

Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots, Onions and Bacon




Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 ½ to 2 hours



Ingredients

1 (5-6 pound) roasting chicken

6 small to medium russet potatoes or other potatoes you have on hand

1 large onion, cut into 1 inch slices and then cut into quarters

6 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

1 lemon, halved

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 teaspoons of Herbs de Provence

Kosher Salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons paprika

4 to 6 slices of bacon



Directions:

Begin with preparing your ingredients by cutting your potatoes in half and then in half again. Peel and slice your onion into 1 inch thick slices and then into thirds. Peel your carrots and cut them in into thirds if they are skinny, if thick, cut in half lengthwise and then into 2 inch pieces. Then cut your lemon in half. Add your potatoes, onions, peeled carrots and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a roasting pan. Season with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of the Herbs de Provence and 1 teaspoon of the paprika, toss together well and then add ½ cup of wine and the 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.



To prepare your chicken, remove the bag of giblets from the inside of your chicken. Thoroughly wash your chicken with water, inside and out. Then pat your chicken with a paper towel until completely dry. Generously season the inside of your chicken with salt and pepper. Season the outside with salt and pepper as well and sprinkle the remaining Herbs de Provence and Paprika on the outside of the chicken. Place the two lemon halves and the garlic inside the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken on top of the vegetables and wrap the bacon around each leg and two slices cross wise on top of the chicken, this will help baste the chicken as it cooks and add great flavor to the entire dish.



Bake at 425 degrees for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours or until an instant read thermometer reads 180* Fahrenheit. (Insert the thermometer in the inner thigh area near the breast of the bird, but not touching bone) Then remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let your chicken sit for 15 minutes.

Dinner Party in San Carlos...More Photos

Cream Of Corn Soup with Crab
Baby Spinach Salad with Red Onion, Pomegranate Seeds, Curried Walnuts, Pears, Bleu Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Bleu Cheese Encrusted Bacon wrapped Beef Fillet with Red Wine Sauce, Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Tarragon Butter and Parmesan Buttermilk Mashed Red Skinned Potatoes

Dessert "Sampler Plate" with Petite Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake, Blueberry Creme Brulee and Pistachio White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Spring Dinner Party

An elegant setting for a perfect Spring Dinner Party!

Fresh Tarragon Pea Soup with Crab Cheddar Toast

Butter Lettuce Salad with Pear Champagne Vinaigrette

Game Hen with Wildflower Honey & Orange with Buttermilk mashed Red Skinned Potatoes & Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze & Shaved Parmesan

Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake with Raspberry Sauce

I catered a wonderful party in Atherton last night for my new clients' Kelly & David. The weather yesterday was a beautiful spring day, a perfect backdrop for this dinner party. Fantastic views into the garden from the elegantly set dining table would set the mood for the evening.

As guests arrived we served them cocktails and butler passed hor d'ouevres of a delicious Korean spiced Tuna Tartare on wonton with Edammame Wasabi puree and a flaky Artichoke Phyllo tartlet with a mixture of creamy ricotta cheese and Parmesan.

After guests were seated in the dining room, we served the first course of fresh Pea Tarragon soup topped with a Crab & Cheddar toast, followed by a salad of tender Butter lettuce dressed in a a Champagne Pear vinaigrette with grapefruit, avocado, goat cheese and sunflower seeds.

We temped the party guests enough with small morsels, so we then presented them with the main course of roasted Cornish game hen with wildflower honey & orange, buttermilk chive mashed red skinned potatoes, asparagus with balsamic glaze and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. A sweet ending to a fantastic dinner party was a triple chocolate truffle cake with raspberry sauce, made with three different kinds of chocolate-it was rich, creamy and fudge like...YUM!