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Lynne Rosetto Kasper
Lynn Rosetto Kasper is host of The Splendid Table. . . a nationally syndicated public radio call-in program devoted to the bountiful world of food, broadcast on KMUW FM89, listener supported public radio serving Wichita and South Central Kansas. Tune in every Saturday from 3 – 4 pm and join Lynne and her guests! For more information about FM89 membership, programming and special events, visit us online at www.kmuw.org
Food & Drink
2002-10-01 11:28:00
Quick dinner - vinaigrette
:  I'd like to serve an after-work dinner for 10 of my colleagues. We'd all be arriving at my apartment together so I wouldn't be able to get everything ready ahead of time. Do you have some suggestions? Lynne: This menu is one I've done in the past. Build the meal around a braised lamb stew because it can be prepared the night before, refrigerated, then reheated for 20 minutes or so while you pour wine and pass around some radishes that your guests dip in fresh goat cheese. But don't say it's lamb stew, call it something like Moroccan Inspired Lamb Braise. Put into it some small potatoes, small young onions, carrots, some green beans, and flavorings like lots of garlic, cumin, coriander, tomatoes, and paprika. You could do the dish with chicken instead of lamb also. With the lamb stew serve couscous that you've heated with a bit of liquid in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes or so while the stew heats up. Get fancy if you want by throwing in some cinnamon sticks and raisins. For the salad, wash the greens a day or two ahead, spin them completely dry, roll them in paper towels and put in plastic bags in the refrigerator to crisp. You can make a dressing ahead and have it in a shaker jar. Dessert can be fresh rhubarb that you've cooked ahead with sugar and cinnamon and chilled. Serve the rhubarb in little bowls topped with sliced, sweetened fresh strawberries and whipped cream on the side. Lynne's Classic Vinaigrette DressingMakes about 2 cups and keeps for a week in the refrigerator.This is the true Italian or French dressing. It's so basic, it's scary. But trust me, when made with good-tasting vinegar and oil this is a star.Get a pint jar (2 cups) with a screw top. You're making this by taste, not by exact measurement so the quantities are approximations.· 1/2 cup good tasting vinegar (ie a blend of rice vinegar and balsamic, or cider, wine or sherry vinegar)· 1/2 cup good tasting extra-virgin olive oil· salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine in the jar, shake, taste and then add more oil or vinegar to balance. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Use at room temperature, shaking to blend. Remember a little goes a long way, so always start with a couple of tablespoons.Variations. The key to each of these is tasting as you blend.Herbs and Garlic: Each time you use the dressing, you could add herbs to the salad, or rub the bowl with garlic before adding the greens.Dijon Dressing: Put about 1/2 cup of the dressing in bottom of salad bowl, add generous tablespoon Dijon mustard, some fresh tarragon and 1 shallot, minced. Blend, add greens and tossHoney Mustard Dressing: Add to Dijon Dressing, brown sugar or honey to taste. Also a tablespoon of mayonnaise makes it creamy.French Bleu Cheese Dressing: Take a little basic vinaigrette, blend in bleu cheese and garlic to taste. Creamy Bleu Cheese: Add sour cream, mayonnaise and minced onion to bleu cheese dressing.Ranch Dressing: Mix in salad bowl blend into some basic dressing minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped scallions, and chopped b
Question:  I'd like to serve an after-work dinner for 10 of my colleagues. We'd all be arriving at my apartment together so I wouldn't be able to get everything ready ahead of time. Do you have some suggestions? Lynne: This menu is one I've done in the past. Build the meal around a braised lamb stew because it can be prepared the night before, refrigerated, then reheated for 20 minutes or so while you pour wine and pass around some radishes that your guests dip in fresh goat cheese. But don't say it's lamb stew, call it something like Moroccan Inspired Lamb Braise. Put into it some small potatoes, small young onions, carrots, some green beans, and flavorings like lots of garlic, cumin, coriander, tomatoes, and paprika. You could do the dish with chicken instead of lamb also. With the lamb stew serve couscous that you've heated with a bit of liquid in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes or so while the stew heats up. Get fancy if you want by throwing in some cinnamon sticks and raisins. For the salad, wash the greens a day or two ahead, spin them completely dry, roll them in paper towels and put in plastic bags in the refrigerator to crisp. You can make a dressing ahead and have it in a shaker jar. Dessert can be fresh rhubarb that you've cooked ahead with sugar and cinnamon and chilled. Serve the rhubarb in little bowls topped with sliced, sweetened fresh strawberries and whipped cream on the side. Lynne's Classic Vinaigrette DressingMakes about 2 cups and keeps for a week in the refrigerator.This is the true Italian or French dressing. It's so basic, it's scary. But trust me, when made with good-tasting vinegar and oil this is a star.Get a pint jar (2 cups) with a screw top. You're making this by taste, not by exact measurement so the quantities are approximations.· 1/2 cup good tasting vinegar (ie a blend of rice vinegar and balsamic, or cider, wine or sherry vinegar)· 1/2 cup good tasting extra-virgin olive oil· salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine in the jar, shake, taste and then add more oil or vinegar to balance. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Use at room temperature, shaking to blend. Remember a little goes a long way, so always start with a couple of tablespoons.Variations. The key to each of these is tasting as you blend.Herbs and Garlic: Each time you use the dressing, you could add herbs to the salad, or rub the bowl with garlic before adding the greens.Dijon Dressing: Put about 1/2 cup of the dressing in bottom of salad bowl, add generous tablespoon Dijon mustard, some fresh tarragon and 1 shallot, minced. Blend, add greens and tossHoney Mustard Dressing: Add to Dijon Dressing, brown sugar or honey to taste. Also a tablespoon of mayonnaise makes it creamy.French Bleu Cheese Dressing: Take a little basic vinaigrette, blend in bleu cheese and garlic to taste. Creamy Bleu Cheese: Add sour cream, mayonnaise and minced onion to bleu cheese dressing.Ranch Dressing: Mix in salad bowl blend into some basic dressing minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped scallions, and chopped basil with equal amounts of mayonnaise and buttermilk.
 
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