123. [BME] A 5-Course Seafood Dinner with my friends

15 Jan, 2024

I was invited to a friend’s dinner party in mid-December. Last November, I was way too sick to go, so I had to decline the invitation to this regular monthly event. This time, I was very excited to attend. A lot of prep was going into this nice dinner party, so I became the impromptu sous-chef for the night.

To be honest, the instructions may not be the most accurate* because A.) it was a while ago; B.) I didn’t work on all of the dishes, different tasks were assigned to a couple of people; C.) I was a little too drunk to remember the cooking details. I tried my best to be as thorough as I possibly can... I had the foresight to write down all of the ingredients for each of the dishes though! My friend, the kind host of the party, is a great chef!

Recipes:

• Tomato Soup

• Ceviche

• Scallops and Potato Fondant

• Seafood Pasta

• Cranberry Cheesecake

• Star Seasoning

1

Tomato Soup:

Ingredients:

10 large tomatoes, diced
1 giant piece of ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, diced
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon of salt (preferably rosemary salt)
1 handful of cilantro (coriander), chopped
4 cups of coconut cream (substitute for regular cream for vegetarian guests)

Instructions:

1. In a large pan, add a tablespoon of oil. Add the shallot, ginger, and garlic, cook in oven until fragrant.
2. Add the diced tomatoes and rosemary sprig, allowing them to cook down for about 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes soften.
3. Season with salt, and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove the rosemary sprig and transfer the mixture to a blender. Puree until smooth.
5. Return the soup to the pot, stir in some coconut cream, and heat through.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro just before serving and pour coconut cream on the top. Serve hot with a slice of crusty bread.

2

Ceviche:

Ingredients:

1 slab of akami tuna, diced
2 lb shrimps, peeled and deveined
6 avocados, diced
4 black tomatoes, diced
3 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup pickled naga (or substitute pickled jalapeños)
Juice of 5 limes
Handful of walnuts, chopped
Handful of cilantro (coriander), chopped

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the diced akami, shrimps, avocados, black tomatoes, and chopped onion.
2. Add the pickled naga and squeeze the lime juice over the mixture. Gently mix.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle chopped walnuts and cilantro on top for a delightful crunch.

3

Scallops and Potato Fondant:

Ingredients:

12 large scallops
8 large potatoes, sliced into rounds
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Parsley cream (pre-made or make by blending fresh parsley with cream)
Herb oil (pre-made or make by infusing oil with herbs)

Instructions:

1. Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
2. In a hot pan, sear the scallops until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Add sliced potatoes and cook until golden brown.
4. Arrange the golden potato rounds on a plate, place the seared scallops on top, and drizzle with parsley cream and herb oil for an elegant finish.

4

Seafood Pasta:

Ingredients:

BARILLA Spaghetti Pasta no. 5
Prawn tartare
Tobikko
Lobster bisque

Instructions:

1. Cook spaghetti until al dente; reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Combine chopped prawns with olive oil, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a bowl.
3. Toss drained pasta in tartare mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed for creaminess.
4. Sprinkle toasted black pepper over the pasta; toss again.
5. Plate the pasta, creating a nest shape, and spoon prawn tartare and warm lobster bisque in the center.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley.

5

Cranberry Cheesecake:

Ingredients:

1 cup finely ground graham crackers (about 8 sheets)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 ¾ cups sugar
6 ounces cranberries (fresh or dried)
32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
Boiling water, for roasting pan

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the finely ground graham crackers and melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to create an even crust.

3. In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer the cranberries with ¼ cup of sugar until they burst and the mixture thickens slightly. Allow it to cool.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining sugar, salt, and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until well combined.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Ensure that the batter is smooth and creamy.

6. Gently fold in the cooled cranberry mixture, creating a marbled effect in the batter.

7. Pour the cream cheese batter over the graham cracker crust in the springform pan.

8. Place the springform pan into a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. This water bath will help prevent cracks in the cheesecake.

9. Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the center is set, with a slight jiggle.

10. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for an additional hour to cool gradually.

6

Star Seasoning:

This is a bonus recipe. I actually don't know all of the ingredients, but this is what I saw. We had a lot of loose potato skins that we made into chips.

Ingredients:

Garlic chips
Chili flakes
Sesame seeds
Rosemary salt
Extra garlic (for extra flavor)

Instructions:

1. Mix in chili flakes, sesame seeds, and a pinch of rosemary salt for a savory and aromatic seasoning.
2. Sprinkle this star seasoning over potato skins and cook in the the oven for 1 hour.
3. Sprinkle again, just before serving for an extra burst of flavor. Adjust the quantities to suit your taste preferences.

I had a lot of fun cooking and dining with my friends. Here's my smiley face made out of coconut cream in my tomato soup.

~ the rat on top of your head,

<3 K

#BME #best meals ever #cooking #dinner #eat #eating #food #foodie #friends