Thanksgiving Culinary Tour # 2 Seafood
If you really would like to be nontraditional this year, you may serve appetizers and desserts with the perfect wines all day long. Keep in mind that this is a culinary tour, so plan on cooking and eating in intervals. The following are some great ideas that will take you through this seafood culinary tour and an entrée recipe in case you want to serve a meal.
Each of the following courses is relatively easy to prepare and some of them can be made in advance. If you will serve the recommended wines you will be the hit of the decade.
Langoustine Rotie Aux Amandes a lá Creme de Pistache is a great appetizer to begin your seafood culinary tour. If you will serve your guests appetizers throughout the day, you will keep everybody happy and full. This appetizer takes about 20 minutes to prepare. The low acidic, dry Fendant Perle du Valais 87 is an excellent accompaniment to this dish.
The next delectable treat should top your last, so after an hour or so, serve the Prawn cone with sesame and curry. Not only does this offer a unique and creative presentation, it is scrumptious. This dish is richer in flavor than the langoustine, so it should be accompanied with an energetic, fruity wine such as Chablis er Cru. It will take you about 45 minutes to prepare.
If you would like to continue serving appetizers for the entire tour, your should try the
Artichoke hearts with crabs, horseradish butter and chive which takes about an hour to prepare. This can be served in small portions, as a soup or it makes a wonderful dip served with warm French bread. The wine of choice is an exciting, herby-light Jurancon sec.
At this point you tour can take either direction. You can choose to serve Squash Soup with Goat Cheese Gnocchis. Most of this soup, which takes less than an hour to prepare, can be prepared the day before so this will give you a little time to socialize. Try a spicy Corbieres Rose with this soup.
If your guests prefer an entrée you should serve the solid seafood dish Roasted John Dory with vegetables. This hearty dish can top off your Thanksgiving feast and takes less than an hour to prepare. You will want to serve a full-bodied white wine like Chassagne –Montrachet with this dish.
After this culinary tour, you will need to serve a dessert that is light yet full of flavor. Fresh fruits gratin with Sambucca sabayon will be great with espresso and a glass of Sambucca or Nectarines with lemon and juniper sherbet – called Colonel is great and should be served with a glass of Genievre, a Dutch gin.
Keep in mind that the majority of these recipes are designed to serve four (4) people, so plan accordingly. Be sure to set a beautiful table and try the Pliage en cone napkin fold to add a beautiful finishing touch. With a little preplanning, purchasing, and preparation you can give your family and guests a delicious meal that will be remembered until next year. And you will be able to enjoy the day.
