June 30, 2011

What, a "Do it yourself" cocktail party? It is not as hard as you think. The market list is the most important part of the planning. You'll need wines, red, white and sparkling rose plus beer and/or ale on ice. Add lemon aid, iced tea, seltzer or soda, coke, ginger ale and bottled water for mixers and drinkers. Position the glasses on a large round table and the drinks in ice filled tubs or coolers for easy access at a self-serve bar on the deck, patio, or yard.

Arrange another table with a "groaning board" laden with an assortment of garlic and black pepper salami's, sopressata, pepperoni, thinly sliced prosciutto with fresh figs, grape tomatoes, and assorted pitted olives to start. Add breadstick filled baskets and a large chunk of Parmesan or Grana Panada or your favorite firm and robust cheese (with a cheese wedge for chunks or slicer for shaves.) If you love cheese, add fresh and aged Chevre and Pecorino with honey for drizzling and tall crisp celery stalks with their leaves standing in glass vases like flowers. Enhance the table with bunches of scrubbed radishes, peeled baby carrots both with their stems attached and jicama batons for dipping into M'Hammara (a Middle Eastern vegetarian dip.)

Pass these summer crabmeat canapés and mushroom scallop rosemary kebobs to balance out the party menu. Happy Fourth of July and Bon Appetit!

M'HAMMARA
Yield about one and one-half cups

1 pound roasted, peeled red bell peppers (available in jars, well drained)
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and membranes removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup roasted walnuts
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
About 2 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
Juice of one lemon or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
Sea salt to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Smoked paprika (about 1 teaspoon) or to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or more if needed

To prepare:
Working in the food processor, combine roasted peppers, jalapeno, and garlic and pulse until chopped. Add walnuts and breadcrumbs and process into a coarse puree. Add molasses, lemon juice, sugar, salt, cumin, and paprika and process until blended. Through the feeding tube, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Refrigerate to develop the flavor. Serve at room temperature with vegetables or bread sticks.

SWEET SUMMER CRAB ON CUCUMBER ROUNDS
Serves twelve

1 pound fresh snowy white lump-style crabmeat, picked over
2/3 cups mayonnaise plus more to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, with green tops
4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro (or parsley)
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Zest of one lime
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Coarse salt to taste
Optional: chopped jalapeno pepper to taste
1 long European cucumber

To prepare:
In a mixing bowl, combine the crab, mayonnaise, scallions, cilantro, limejuice and zest and cayenne. Mix well to combine breaking up the large pieces of crabmeat. Using a spoonful at a time, add just enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made a few hours before serving.

Wash the cucumber and score the skin with a table fork. Cut into slices, between one-eighth and one-quarter-inch thick. Sprinkle the slices with salt just before mounding the crabmeat on top. Arrange the canapés on a platter and garnish with a sprig of cilantro or minced parsley.

MUSHROOM AND SCALLOP ROSEMARY KEBOBS
Serves four

8, 7-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary
8 large dry scallops side muscle removed
8 large cremini mushroom caps, same size as scallops
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic
Extra virgin olive oil as needed
Juice of one fresh lemon
Good fistful of chopped flat leaf parsley
Pinch of lemon zest
About 2 teaspoons crème fraiche, mixed with dollop of Dijon mustard
1 lemon cut into wedges for garnish

To prepare:
Strip the leaves from the bottom four-inches of the rosemary sprigs. With a metal skewer, poke a hole on the side of each scallop through the center, remove, and then poke the rosemary sprig through the hole. Do likewise with the mushroom caps, skewering a scallop and mushroom on each sprig. Wrap aluminum foil around the rosemary leaves to prevent them from burning. Can be assembled ahead, drizzle with olive oil and refrigerate up to two hours before until grilling time.

In a small skillet over moderate heat, coat the bottom with olive oil and sauté the garlic until soft and aromatic, about four minutes. Add bread crumbs and parsley and toss until the crumbs are light brown. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon zest. Heat the grill until the coals are white hot. Season the scallops and mushrooms with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Grill until scallops and mushrooms (with stem side down) are brown on one side, about three minutes. Turn and fill the caps with crème fraiche, top with crumbs (press firmly to stay on top) and grill covered, about two minutes longer. Serve at once.