Last night we hosted some of Bruce's work associates who were in town for the International Speciality Coffee Expo - one of our favorite conventions of the year. I've blogged about it twice before, here and here. For dinner, I planned a similar dinner menu that I learned worked real well last year; I kept the carbs low in the meal (no potatoes and no bread or rolls) so everyone would enjoy the dessert more. Lower carbs in a meal means a less full, bloated feeling after eating. In other words, a feeling that you can still eat more...(and since I like to plan my meal around the dessert, this is a good thing.) This year, I made my Chocolate-Raspberry Cake and like last year, it was the star of the show.
Last year, I made our favorite Lemon Curd and White Chocolate Truffle Cake that ended up being in my top three most popular recipes of 2017. This recipe is just as good in my opinion. I'd forgotten how good this recipe was until last night. It isn't too rich but oh, so chocolaty. The frosting is very light and just the right amount of chocolate flavor. It uses Dutch-processed cocoa powder and the frosting has creme fraiche in it to give it that smooth, silky texture. Bruce had the honors of serving the dessert to our guests.
I put a little dollop of whipped cream on each serving because it goes so well with the fresh raspberries that are in the filling of the cake and also on top of the cake for decoration. After everyone's first bite, there was an immediate, "Oh Yummmmmm!" The moans, the groans...then you know it was a success. The only other carb in the meal was this orzo salad I made that I decide was worthy enough to blog about. I made a similar side dish for Easter 2011, Orzo with Mushrooms and Walnuts. Orzo is a good substitute for potatoes because it's a nice, light pasta. Cooked vegetables go really well with orzo and then add a little crunch to it like nuts and you've got a perfect side dish. This dish uses roasted pine nuts in it and I also substituted roasted pine nuts instead of almonds on the green salad which was this recipe here.
I served a seasonal vegetable using this recipe; Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas and Avocado that many of the guests took seconds because it's that good. And the main entree, which I guess you could say was the real star of the show, was the Mustard Crusted Beef Tenderloin. This recipe always turns out so perfect and is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. This meal was one of best we've served because everything went so well together and was perfect for the situation of sort-of-still-cold-weather-but trying-to-be-Spring; visitors from out-of-town who I know appreciate a home cooked meal when traveling, and it was a fairly easy to prepare ahead of time so I can socialize, too.
The view is also the star of the show and I sometimes forget how much time everyone likes to spend hanging around enjoying the view.
Bruce made his Peppered Smoked Salmon this week to serve as appetizer, appropriate for guests visiting Seattle. A perfect beginning for a party and a perfect ending with the cake. Dinner party a success.
Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 8
1 small eggplant, peeled and 1-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Toss eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan.
3. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
4. Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.
5. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
6. Let cool to room temperature, then add the pine nuts and basil just before serving.
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