in article X
[email protected], Wayne Boatwright at
[email protected] wrote on 1/27/04 11:01 PM:
> We have a Corned Beef & Cabbage dinner 5-6 times a year, but it's always just the family. Along
> with the cabbage I also add red potatoes, carrots, and occasionally chunks of rutabaga. We always
> have some type of hearty bread with butter, and any beverages of choice. Desserts are random, but
> usually just family favorites, a pie or cake, etc.
>
> I recently had a request from friends for a CB&C dinner to celebrate a birthday. Now I'm in a
> quandary about a company CB&C dinner, i.e., appropriate appetizers, salad, additional sides,
> desserts, etc. I'd like this to be a special occasion that has been well-planned.
>
> Suggestions? Thanks!
>
> Wayne
I would serve a hearty seeded rye bread, for sure. Perhaps a niced composed salad incorporating
fruit as a "before" course.
I recently made one with sections of oranges, diced red pears, thin slices of red onions, on a bed
of romaine and radicchio, topped with toasted walnut halves. For a dressing, I made a walnut
vinaigrette with walnut oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, a pinch of mustard powder and salt and
pepper, which I made in the blender so it was creamy. It was a thin creamy dressing. I think blue
cheese would be nice with this, too, if you weren't inclined to make your own.
I served this with beef stew, which is soft textured like your New England Boiled Dinner, and the
crunchy texture and tanginess of the salad was a nice contrast.
A soup course is always nice, especially this time of year, and it really does say "This is a
festive occasion!" Maybe a homemade cream of mushroom soup with croutons? Or french onion soup? I
would go with something homey, but not terribly hearty....chicken noodle is out, it's too much going
on in the bowl. A simple single veggie soup, on the thin side. Maybe a winter squash soup? Stay away
from meaty soups, as it will take the focus away from the main course, and stay away from potato or
cabbage soup for obvious reasons. I think homemade cream of mushroom, french onion or winter squash
soup are elegant enough for company but homestyle enough to go with this really hearty, homey/family
style meal.
As for appetizers, how about hors d'oeurvres in the living room before dinner?
I would look for different textures...stay away from hummus or other mushy things, as the dinner is
entirely soft foods. I would also stay away crudites, since you will have a meal with boiled
carrots, you don't want to serve raw ones...and you will have (excuse me for being blunt) gassy
foods in the cabbage and rutabaga, so you probably wouldn't want to serve raw veggies. You don't
want to serve salty meats like pepperoni, salami, etc, because the corned beef is salty and you
don't want to overdo that, either.
How about baked brie? A nice cheese platter? Cheese and figs....yummm. That hot spinach or artichoke
dip is always nice. Anything in puff pastry is festive. I have made spinach puffs from frozen puff
pastry and creamed spinach from Boston Market.
And for dessert, I always like an assortment of things for dessert. Since it's a birthday, I would
do a chocolate fudge cake (You could bake it yourself or buy it) and then get one of those festive
ice cream rolls from the market or Ice cream shop. (I think Breyers makes one called "Vienetta")
It's cake and ice cream but with a grown up spin to it.
You could make your own. Just take 2 flavors of ice cream you like that go well together. Soften it.
Line a large loaf pan with foil or parchment paper. Sprinkle some crushed cookies, nuts or macaroons
or lazzeroni cookies in the bottom. Layer in some ice cream, more cookie crumbs or nuts, maybe some
ice cream topping sauce like marshmallow, caramel or fudge, the other flavor ice cream, more crumbs,
more sauce....end with ice cream, cover with foil, freeze until hard. Unmold on a platter to serve.
You could do this in a bowl and call it a "bombe", too.
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