Parties That Cooks August Cookbook Club: Yotam Ottolenghis Plenty

Last week, the ladies of Parties That Cook gathered around the offices kitchen table (you better believe we have a kitchen in our office!) for Augusts Cookbook Club. It had been a while since our last lunch, having skipped Julys Cookbook Club, and it was clear we were all excited to bring it back.

This month it was Erins turn to determine our fate select the featured cookbook. She went with Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi (of London). This book provides large, beautiful photos of the completed recipes. Theyre quite inspiring. Prime example: Beth got ahold of the cookbook early on. She not only found it a difficult to pick a recipe, but ended up tagging the book with so many post-its you would have thought it was her go-to cookbook! Im pretty sure she ended up buying the book for herself.

And now, on to the recipes:

Watercress, Pistachio and Orange Blossom Salad After blatantly calling her out in the previous paragraph, its only fair that we put Beth first. Her vibrant salad provided a great break from the bold flavors found in many of the other dishes. After the effort it took to narrow down her selection to this recipe, I cannot wait for Beth to bring in some of her other creations from this book! (Fingers crossed)

Mango and Coconut Rice Salad Talk about a gorgeous menu item! Heather selected this crisp, refreshing salad a great option for those with dietary restrictions celebrations. Heather was pretty pleased with her salad, though she did wish there was a bit more flavor to the rice.

Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango -Roxanne brought in this delicious dish, and let me just say: YUM. These cold noodles cook very quickly! And though she removed them from boiling water before the recipe had advised, Roxanne still thought they were overcooked. Nonetheless, everyone loved the light, mild citrus flavor of this salad. I enjoyed the leftovers all week!

Eggplant with Buttermilk -Michelene went with the cover recipe a beautiful, simple dish we all welcomed onto our plates. Michelene said she could see herself making this recipe again for her next get-together.

Stuffed Zucchini -Crissy, also impressed with the amazing photography in the book, claimed the Stuffed Zucchini for this cookbook club. The results: DELICIOUS. On a normal day, one stuffed zucchini could probably serve as lunch in itself. On a cookbook club day, however, we feast!

Mushroom and Herb Polenta As usual, Rebecca was one of the last to pick her recipe, but this time, it proved worth the wait! This buttery, cheesy side tastes best hot out of the broiler. And while Im sure one could easily eat a heaping helping of this polenta for lunch or dinner, Id definitely recommend a light salad to offset the rich flavors of this dish.

Lemon and Goat Cheese Ravioli -Rosie elected to make fresh ravioli, vowing to put her pasta maker to use. Mission. Accomplished. Though they lost some of their heat waiting for certain slow pokes to get their contributions to the table, these giant raviolis were so tasty! I dont think ONE single ravioli made it to the fridge.

Caramelized Garlic Tart -Bibby selected her dish early on, and boy did she choose wisely! This fantastic tart had a great, crumbly crust (thank you, puff pastry!), and you really cant go wrong with goat cheese. Perhaps this dish really did live up to its hype as the most delicious recipe in the world, but Ill let you decide.

Surprise Tatin -Erin took the cake (pun intended, as we quickly learned this book did not offer dessert recipes!) with the Surprise Tatin. Whats so surprising, you ask? Would you be surprised if I told you those were potatoes layered across the top of that puff pastry tart? BAM! This tart was also quite delicious (another victim of wonderful goat cheese).

Christina was unable to cook for this cookbook club, as she hosted a huge summer bash the day before. Luckily for us, she decided to contribute a simple, delicious (addictive) drink instead! Lemonade + Strawberries + Mint + a dash of Sparkling Water is really the only way to go on a warm summer day. Mmmm!

Notice anything missing from this lunch? (Besides mention of Laura, Kelle or Tanya, each of whom were unfortunately unavailable.) How about MEAT?! Thats right, Plenty is a vegetarian cookbook. And you know, we didnt miss the usual meaty centerpiece at the table this time. Together, our dishes brought a wholeness to the meal, proving that you dont need meat to have a truly satisfying lunch/dinner/party. We had PLENTY.

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Ease into Fall with Parties That Cooks Toasted Quinoa Recipe

Now that Labor Day has passed, Im sure youve all packed up those white pants, cleared away those grills, and said goodbye to summer. If youre anything like us, you actually havent are holding onto summer for dear life might be having trouble welcoming cooler weather and transitioning into fall. Luckily, weve got you covered with this tasty side dish thatll get you excited for the new season. Toasted quinoa, tear drop tomatoes, and an arsenal of herbs come together to create a refreshing dish reminiscent of summer!

Toasted Quinoa with Tear Drop Tomatoes and Cilantro Scallion Pesto
This recipe can also be found in our section of Side Dishes!

Ingredients
Quinoa:
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoons kosher salt

Cilantro Scallion Pesto (makes about 1 cup):
2 Tablespoons pepitas, toasted
2 scallions (light green parts only), roughly chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems
1/3 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Tomatoes:
1 pint tear drop or cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lime, juiced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Grated queso anejo or ricotta salata cheese for garnish
1 Lime, cut into wedges for garnish

Methods/Steps
Wash Quinoa: Place quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water, about 1-2 minutes. Shake briskly to remove excess water. (If you dont rinse, quinoa will be very bitter). Bring the water up to a boil in a sauce pan.

Toast Quinoa: In a large high sided saut pan or a Dutch oven that has a lid, dry roast the washed quinoa over medium high heat. Stir constantly until it gives off a nutty aroma and all of the water from washing evaporates, about 5 minutes.

Cook Quinoa: Pour the boiling water over the quinoa and stir in the olive oil and salt. Bring back up to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid, stir and let the quinoa dry out for 2-3 minutes more. The germ around the grain should be very apparent.

Toast Pepitas: Toast the pepitas in a dry saut pan over medium heat until they brown and pop, about 3 minutes.

Prepare Ingredients: Chop the scallions and remove the very end of the cilantro stems. Peel and smash the garlic and juice the lime.

Make Pesto: Place all of the pesto ingredients, except the olive oil, into the bowl of a food processor. Turn processor on and slowly add the olive oil. Scrape the sides of bowl and process again. Taste and re season if necessary. Set aside for use later.

Halve Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half (or quarters if large) and place into a small bowl. Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro, add to the tomatoes. Stir in the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Dress Quinoa: Add the pesto into the quinoa and incorporate well. Gently mix in the tomatoes. Serve quinoa warm or at room temperature, garnished with the grated cheese and lime wedges.

Serves/Makes
Serves 10

Recipe created by Parties That Cook www.PartiesThatCook.com

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Savor the Summer with Parties That Cooks Labor Day Lettuce Cups of Minced Gingered Chicken

Just because summer may be coming to a close, doesnt mean the warm weather immediately disappears. In fact, for some, (like those in SF) the real summer warmth has yet to begin. Cool down as we transition into fall with this deliciously refreshing recipe for lettuce cups filled with gingery chicken! Try them out for your Labor Day bash, or whip them up for a weeknight family dinner we all know your time is precious now that the kids are back in school! With the cooking done quickly in a wok orskillet, youll have plenty of time to enjoy the summer sun or savor your free time in the evening.

Lettuce Cups Filled with Minced Gingered Chicken, Peanuts and HoisinSauce
Try this recipe with Pork or check out more tastyappetizersin our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Lettuce Cups:
2 heads butter lettuce

Minced Gingered Chicken:
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, finely minced
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons Lap Chang Chinese sausage, finely diced*
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced
1/2 cup (6 small caps) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, finely chopped
3/4 cup minced water chestnuts, drained and minced
3 scallions, finely sliced
2 Tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
Pinch of ground pepper
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
Cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts for garnish

Methods/Steps
Grind Chicken: Grind the chicken thighs in a food processor until coarsely ground or minced. Combine the ground chicken, soy sauce and cornstarch in a large bowl. Set aside.

Chop Ingredients: Mince the garlic and the ginger. Set aside. Remove and discard the mushroom stems. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside. Drain and mince the water chestnuts, slice the scallions and cilantro. Roughly chop the peanuts. Set all ingredients aside until ready to stir fry.

Stir Fry: In a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 1/2 of the canola oil. Add the Chinese sausage and cook until sausage has rendered, about 1 minute. Remove from pan (or if using a wok, push to the side). Add remaining oil. Add the garlic and ginger and saut for 1 minute. Add the ground chicken mixture and cook until the chicken is brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped shiitakes, oyster sauce, pepper and chicken broth. Cook until sauce thickens and coats the chicken. Toss in water chestnuts and the reserved sausage. Remove from heat and add the chopped scallion and cilantro. Drizzle with sesame oil. Toss to combine.

Assemble and Serve: Brush each lettuce cup lightly with hoisin sauce. Spoon warm chicken mixture into chilled lettuce cups. Sprinkle with peanuts and garnish with a sprig of cilantro. Serve immediately. Put extra hoisin sauce on table if desired.

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook www.PartiesThatCook.com from The San Francisco Chronicle.

*Lap Chang-A dried, hard sausage usually made from pork and a high content of fat. It is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned with Rose water, rice wine and soy sauce. It can be found in Asian markets and sometimes in the Asian section of better grocery stores.

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