For this week’s Sunday Supper, I will on Sunday be making supper for 8 on Monday. Is that how to put it? The making is on Sunday, with prep on Saturday, while the eating will be on Monday.
It is my turn to “host” our literary groups meeting in St. Paul. Therefore I will make a double batch of Boeuf Bourguignon according to Julia Child’s version from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I’ve made it before and it is becoming comfortable. I have adjusted the recipe according to my lights and am confident I can bring off a double batch.
At this point in our literary endeavors we are coming to the end of our reading of some of T.S. Eliot’s works. I think we may move to Yeats. We read aloud, share observations as well go, and then have a big meal. The boeuf has the advantage of improving with a day’s rest. You can then simply warm it and even put it out buffet style.
I will also prepare what Julia suggests, some little braised onions, sauteed mushrooms, peas. Green salad. I may go with buttered egg noodles rather than boiled potatoes. I will also provide green salad with a vinaigrette and lots of good bread. I am projecting a budget of about $50 for the whole.
I would dearly love to find a pumpkin pie for dessert.
What sort of coffee should I serve?
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Mystic Monk, of course ! Midnight Vigils blend especially if serving with dessert, since the sweetness in the flavored coffees would fight the sweetness in the dessert.
Yeats and Boeuf Bourgignone? This is a near occasion of envy for me.
Pumpkin pie is in season at the grocery store; however, pumpkin cheesecake should also be in season at Byerly’s and perhaps at the SuperTarget Midway.
Pumpkin Pie is easy, especially if you buy those frozen pie crusts. (I find they are way better than the crusts you find on the whole frozen pies or even most bakery pies). Anyways you can make it Sunday and store it in the fridge until Monday. Here is my mothers recipe.
Pumpkin Pie
1 Cup brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves, nutmeg, and ginger
1 15oz can pumpkin
Beat together and put in uncooked crust.
Bake 10 min at 450 degrees
then 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Let cool and refridgerate.
Father, I make a fantastic pumpkin pie right from scratch (no store-bought filling), but it would probably arrive too late for your dinner party. Perhaps next time!
I am allergic to pumpkin, squash, zucchini, melons, and all members of the Cucurbitaceae family. May I suggest a a black cherry or Bing cherry pie with cream? If you are reading Yeats, why not have Irish whiskey as well for afters-or a Jameson’s ginger cocktail?
Father, I don’t know if you’re familiar with cheesecake-baking, but a Pumpkin Cheesecake with a sour cream topping is absolutely out of this world! Here is a recipe:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PumpkinCheesecake.html
That may be a bit much to tackle along with everything else you’re making….so just in case, here is a really easy pumpkin pie recipe:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/libbys-famous-pumpkin-pie/Detail.aspx
Fr. Z,
I agree with the above comment… fresh pumpkin pie is easy to make and is far superior to virtually anything you’ll find in the store. Just start with a fresh pumpkin. Differing from the recipe above, you’ll want to cook it. A way to make it easier – and this may not be doable for Monday’s dinner, but certainly for Thanksgiving and Christmas – is to cut the pumpkin into food processor manageable chunks, devoid of the skin. Put them into zip lock freezer bags and freeze it. When you need it all you have to do is thaw it… either by letting it sit out and thaw or in a microwave. Either way is good. You’ll want it to be somewhat soft so that the food processor can do its magic. After you puree the pumpkin take the list of “wet” ingredients from above and mix them first in a big sauce pot. You’ll then mix in the spices and other things and then bring the pumpkin to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or so. After you’ve cooked it remove it from the heat and put it back into the food processor and slowly pour in the eggs so as to temper and not scramble them. Once that is done pour the mixture into pie shells of your own making or purchased. I just buy them pre-made. It is just easier. Be certain to perforate them all over with a fork and bake for about 5 minutes before pouring the batter into them. After your pour the batter into the shells, begin to bake them according to whatever recipe you may use – usually about 30-40 minutes. After 5 minutes or so, if you have any batter left, open the oven and pour what is left into the shells as the batter already there would have settled. After baking let them cool to room temperature and then refrigerate if you like it cool. Serve with sweetened whipped cream with or without brandy mixed into it.
I would serve freshly ground French Roast coffee.
Bon Appetit!
One of Julia Child’s cookbooks – not the 2 volume one but one of the big ones with the full color glossy pictures – has a recipe for pumpkin pie that is basically pumpkin souffle’ in a crust. You beat the egg whites separately. It also contains bourbon, which is a plus.
I use the Pillsbury ready-made crusts that come rolled up in a box. They’re better than homemade because they use quality lard. Nothing is a decent substitute for lard in a piecrust.
I really love pumpkin pie, but find that after a large meal I feel unwell if I eat as big a slice as I should like, since it is so dense. Hence, pumpkin chiffon pie. Plenty of recipes on the web.
As for coffee, it should be very strong and served in rather small, plain, thin-lipped white cups. I like best to make it in a vacuum brewer, the operation of which also makes for after-dinner entertainment.
My mom uses lots of butter instead of lard or shortening, and it comes out wonderful. Julia Child would approve! :-)
What is so wonderful about this sort of thing is that a couple people offered to make pumpkin pies for our group (the majority of whom are priests). Nice people out there.
For pumpkin pie, buy a can of Libby’s pure pumpkin (not the mix). The recipe on the can is excellent.
Tomorrow it’s going to rain all day (no tennis), so I’ll make chili and watch football. Is there anything more American than chili dogs?
BTW, on a dark Karo syrup bottle is a very good recipe for pecan pie. Easy to make, it’s even better when a shot of Jack Daniels is added.
cafe corretto of course. After such a big diner a small volume digestive will be needed. The grappa could of course be substituted with another liqueur, maybe something monastic in origin
Ha, I remember the old French proverb:
“If you want to lose your faith have dinner with the priest.”
Just kidding.