Wedding Menu

Wedding Menu- August 30, 2003

This is a post I prepared to celebrate L and T's anniversary, but then I had a senior moment and "I FORGOT!" Doh- Anyway, I'll try to recreate the missing recipes and post them soon. It was a wonderful menu.


Oaxan peanuts and tri color chips with salsa
Scallop cakes with cilantro aioli
Jicama and orange skewers with mint and lime marinade
Mini Mexican quiches of cheese and green chilies
Cherry tomatoes stuffed with corn salsa

Mexican spring rolls with herbed dipping sauce*
Savory chicken fillo empanadas*
Mini sweet peppers with cilantro ranch dip
Pepper jack cheese cubes with scallions

Dinner Buffet:
Marinated prawns with lemon mango salsa served on greens*
Cheese enchiladas
Tortillas –warm with guacamole* and assorted salsas
Shredded red cabbage and orange salad with White Mexican Dressing*
Black Bean and corn salad with red sweet peppers*
Garden tomato salad with fresh oregano vinaigrette*

Bowls of seasonal berries
Brownies
Wedding Cake



*recipes made by friends and family

Thinking about the Menu

Here are some menus from this past week- I'm interested in keeping track so that I can develop the most complimentary combination. Recipes are posted for many of these entres.

Chicken Fajitas, Black Beans, Fajita Veggies (onions, sweet peppers, zucchini*) Guacamole and Soft Tortillas. (used roasted garlic, cumin, chili powder in the veggies- Xmas fajita spice rub, chopped onions and tomatoes in the chicken) *nice combination- I'd like to try pumpkin with fajitas some time.


Lemon Thyme Chicken, Thin Spaghetti**, Roasted Lemon Cauliflower, Greens with Diced Apples, Toasted Pecans and Balsamic Dressing.** only starch I had -worked ok, but wide noodles are better with this- I also didn't have mushrooms, which add a lot, I think.


Teryaki Salmon*** with Sushi Sides (Sliced Avoacado, Scallions, Pickled Ginger), Rice, Stir Fried Snap Peas and Broccoli with Toasted Black Sesame Seeds.***I've given up making my own marinade for this and use SoyVay- it must be loaded with sugar as the dish comes out carmelized ...but boy is it tasty!

Coq au Vin

This is a wonderful wintertime, do ahead, chicken in wine stew to enjoy with friends. It takes a bit of chopping and stirring- but most of the work is done ahead and if you make
the mashed potatoes ahead, too- it's not bad. I mash the potatoes with soy cream cheese, and margarine, and chicken broth- refrigerate overnight and just reheat in the microwave.
We also had a salad with spicy pecans and pears, and quick, sauteed green beans tossed with roasted red peppers. Pumpkin pie came with a friend for dessert!




Coq au Vin (Adapted from The Silver Palate)


~One day before serving, fry 10 slices of bacon in a large roasting pan that can
handle stove top cooking too. When crisp, remove and drain on paper towels

~Brown about 6 lbs of chicken pieces in the hot bacon fat. I think that thighs (with skin and bones) are best- but you can also use halved (like you have to cleave the usual size chicken breast in half) chicken breast pieces (so they’re more the size of thighs) if you only like white meat- or mix and match. Remove when nicely browned and set aside.

~Add to pan and sauté for 5 mins-
20 or so 1 inch peeled boiling onions
2 bunches, chopped scallions (mostly just the white part)
1 small regular onion chopped fine
1 large head garlic, cloves separated and peeled (cut big cloves in half)

~Sprinkle 3 tbls flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to combine
Cook for a minute or so.
~Slowly add to vegetable mixture:
3 ½ cups of good quality hearty red wine (cabernet sauvignon or a favorite)
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried thyme leaves, 3 bay leaves,
2 tbls ketchup
2 tbls dried or fresh parsley, chopped
~Heat mixture to boiling, return chicken and crumbled bacon to pan and spread
out evenly. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool, cover and refrigerate over night.

~The next day, let the coq au vin warm to room temperature before baking.
~Add 1 pound mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered, about 4 cups of 3 -4 inch
long, julienned carrots
~Bake covered for an hour in a 350 degree oven.

~Uncover, stir, add additional broth so that the tops of the chicken pieces can
brown, but the lower halves stay in the liquid, and continue cooking for
at least an hour- or until the meat is almost falling off the bone tender
and the liquid is gravy consistency.

~Serves 8-10, sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley and mashed potatoes.