There's a lovely European tradition of serving champagne coolers to courting couples. And, a romantic picnic at a concert in the park is the perfect courting venue to serve this culinary opus. The flavor of passion fruit is delicate in this sparkling cooler with a fresh strawberry lingering at the bottom. The music begins dolce while you offer to one another a spoonful of tangy marinated black bean salad in individual endive leaves. Furtive glances continue as the music turns allegro and you bite into homemade herbed Italian rolls filled with sun-dried tomato pesto, smoked turkey, fresh fennel, and provolone. And the grand finale will crescendo with chocolate amaretto cookies. After all, love and chocolate should be taken andante and work its way to appassionato.
This entire menu can be prepared the evening before. Keep everything refrigerated until time to leave, then, pack it in an insulated bag, box or basket. Don't forget the spoons, champagne flutes, bar towel, napkins, and a blanket.
Passion Coolers
Ingredients:
o 1 bottle of your favorite Champagne, thoroughly chilled
o Small flask or thermos of passion fruit juice
o Fresh strawberries, rinse, do not hull, pack into small container and chill.
Method:
1. To serve: fill champagne flute half full with passion fruit juice, top up with champagne.
2. Drop-in a fresh strawberry with its leaves attached .
Mediterranean Black Bean Salad
Ingredients:
o 1 can (12 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
o 1 Tbsp diced red onion (or 1 scallion sliced thin)
o 1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
o 2 Tbsp diced green bell pepper
o 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
o 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
o 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
o 1 Tbsp olive oil
o ½ tsp cumin
o 2 or 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
o Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
o Fresh endive leaves
Method:
1. Place all ingredients, except endive leaves, in a bowl and fold to combine. Chill several hours to marinate.
2. Pack in small sized bowls with tight fitting lids. (Tupperware or Rubbermaid)
3. Wrap endive leaves in damp paper toweling and refrigerate in a snap lid container.
4. To serve: place a spoonful of salad in each endive leaf.
Filled Italian Rolls
Ingredients:
o 4 Homemade Italian Herb Rolls (recipe below), sliced in half
o 8 Tbsp Sun-dried Tomato Pesto (recipe below)
o 12 oz. smoked turkey, sliced thin, from your favorite deli
o 4 thin slices fresh fennel bulb
o 4 slices provolone cheese
o Handful baby spinach and arugula leaves, rinsed and spun dried
Assembly:
1. Spread Sun-dried Tomato Pesto on both halves of each roll.
2. Place ¼ of the smoked turkey on the bottom half of each roll.
3. Place a slice each of provolone cheese and fresh fennel on each roll.
4. Place ¼ of the spinach and arugula on each roll.
5. Cover each roll with its top half.
6. Wrap each filled-roll individually or place all filled rolls in a snap-top box.
7. Chill thoroughly
Homemade Herbed Italian Rolls
Ingredients:
o 3 cups flour (plus flour for work surface)
o ¾ tsp salt
o ½ tsp fennel seed
o ½ tsp oregano
o ½ tsp basil
o ½ tsp rosemary
o 1 cup tepid water
o 1 Tbsp yeast softened in ¼ cup warm water
o Cornmeal
Method:
1. Place all ingredients, except cornmeal, into a large food processor.
2. Pulse to combine. Turn speed to high and allow to process until dough forms a ball. If air is very dry, flour will require the additional of more water. Add water 1 Tbsp at a time until a moderately soft dough is achieved.
3. Dust counter work area with flour. Turn dough out onto flour. Knead into a ball.
4. Dust counter again. Cover dough with a large bowl and let proof for 40-45 minutes until doubled in volume.
5. Preheat over to 400° F. Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil and dust with cornmeal.
6. When dough has proofed, punch down and let rest 10 minutes.
7. Pinch off enough dough for 2 dinner rolls. Shape into an oblong roll, 4-5 inches long.
8. Place on prepared baking sheet 2-inches apart. Let rise until oven reaches temperature required. They will finished rising during baking.
9. Optional: For a shiny crust, whisk one egg white with 1 Tbsp water and lightly brush rolls just before baking.
10. Place rolls in the center of the hot oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped with your knuckle. If additional baking time is needed, lightly tent rolls with foil to avoid over-browning tops.
11. Optional: If crusty rolls are desired, throw 3 ice cubes onto bottom of oven during baking. This will create the humidity needed to produce crusty tops.
12. Remove to a cooling rack. May be frozen in freezer bags for longer storage.
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients:
o 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, measured after draining, reserve oil
o 2 small garlic cloves
o 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
o 6 green pimento stuffed olives, minced (or 1 Tbsp chopped capers)
o Enough reserved olive oil to make an emulsion
o Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Method:
1. Place tomatoes and garlic in a food processor and pulse to chop coarsely
2. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet until fragrant. Cool and add to processor.
3. With processor running, dribble in reserved olive oil until emulsion is smooth but still has some chunky texture... scrape bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Stir in minced stuffed green olives.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Chocolate Amaretto Cookies
Ingredients:
o 1 cup butter
o ¾ cup brown sugar
o 1 cup granulated sugar
o 2 eggs
o 2 Tbsp Amaretto liqueur
o 2 ½ cups flour
o 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
o ½ tsp baking soda
o ¼ tsp salt
o 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
o ½ cup chopped almonds
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or use a silicon baking sheet
3. Cream butter, sugars, and amaretto. Add eggs and continue creaming until fluffy.
4. Into a bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.
6. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheet, spacing about 2-inches apart.
7. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until light brown and set.
8. Remove to a cooling rack.
9. When completely cooled, store in an air-tight container at room temperature.
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