Category Go Green

Your Guide to a Green St. Patrick’s Day from Parties That Cook

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Entertaining, General, Go Green, News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , March 16th, 2011 @ 11:32 am

Have you spent so much of March celebrating Mardi Gras that you forgot about Saint Patrick’s Day?! Begin freak-out: It’s TOMORROW! Stop freak-out: Parties That Cook is here to help! We know where to go and what to eat around San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle this Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2011.

It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without a good beer. Head to the incredibly Irish Ireland’s 32 for 32 options of beer and whiskey. Note:  they WILL kick you out for complaining about the Irish folk songs. Another option, Abbey Tavern will have live music all day! 7×7 has their list of the 12 best Irish pubs in San Francisco. Should you want to take the route of sophistication, The Buena Vista has your fix of delicious Irish coffee. The Irish Bank – also on the list and, surprisingly, not an actually bank – will host its annual St. Patrick’s day Block Party complete with Bag Pipes and Irish Dancers! Make sure to stay safe once those Irish car bombs hit, and take advantage of Free Cab Rides Home and AAA’s Tipsy Tow – only available on the most special of Holidays!

Stop by the historic Johnny Foley’s in San Francisco for some traditional Irish fare – just don’t mind the tourists. For those who want to make their own Irish meal, SFGate has your traditional Irish recipes! 7×7 also offers 5 St. Patrick’s Day cocktail recipes that will help you avoid that green beer. Not one for the crazy crowds? You can still partake in a range of interesting events at the Crossroads Irish-American Festival through March 25!

For those in Chicago who did NOT dye the river green (OK, you can still come), there are plenty of spots offering St. Patrick’s Day specials! Guinness Pizza, Shepherd’s pie (with Jameson gravy) and an Irish milkshake with Baileys and Jameson –Oh my! The Chicagoist presents their list of where to eat and drink this Thursday. Someone PLEASE try the Peterson’s vanilla malt ice cream and mint, garnished with Lucky Charms cereal for those not lucky enough to be in Chicago! This Sunday, grab your running shoes and undo some of Thurday’s damage at the 10th Annual St. Paddy’s 5K Run/Walk benefiting the Irish-American Heritage Center!

Seattle’s Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub (also found in San Francisco and Portland) is gearing up for its 28th annual St. Patrick’s Irish Festival that doesn’t just end on the 17th! Talk about authentic, the festival includes a great line up of Irish Bands direct from Ireland and the Pacific Northwest. You should also consider heading over to Fado Irish Pub for a grand ole St. Patrick’s Day with live music after 2pm, or the 3rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Beer Blast! Plenty of Irish food, brew, and music to be enjoyed by all!

Parties That Cook Vegetarian Recipe: Polenta Toasts with Red Bell Pepper Pesto and Goat Cheese

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General, Go Green, Menus & Recipes Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , February 24th, 2011 @ 4:25 pm

Have you ever wanted to be one of the “cool kids”? It’s OK to admit, we can’t all have been Cheerios at McKinley. There’s still time to make the transition, even for those no longer in school. The IT thing to try right now: Vegetarian Food. Parties That Cook is here to help with this recipe for delicious Polenta Toasts with Red Bell Pepper Pesto and Goat Cheese that will give you a whole new view of vegetarian food!

Polenta Toasts with Red Bell Pepper Pesto and Goat Cheese
This recipe can also be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!


Ingredients
Polenta:
Canola oil for oiling sheet pan and frying
7 cups milk
2 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups polenta (coarse cornmeal)

Red Bell Pepper Pesto:
2 red bell peppers
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeds removed and chopped
1/4 cup smoked almonds
2 large cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice plus 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Toasts:
7 ounces goat cheese
1 Tablespoon milk or cream
Thyme sprigs for garnish

Methods/Steps
Polenta: Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Combine milk, salt and butter in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Gradually add the polenta, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Cook the polenta until it is creamy and thick, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Pour out onto oiled sheet, spread evenly so that it is very smooth and flat. Let cool to room temperature.

Red Bell Pepper Pesto: Roast the pepper over a stovetop flame until blackened (or broil in the oven until blackened). Transfer to a paper bag for 5 minutes to steam then peel off the charred skin and remove seeds and stem. In a food processor, blend the peppers, chipotle, almonds, garlic, oil, lemon juice and zest, Parmesan and salt until very smooth.

Grilled Polenta: Using a wet, 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out polenta circles. Heat canola oil in a large non-stick grill pan or griddle. Cook polenta on one side until golden then flip and cook on the other side. Transfer finished circles to a serving platter.

To Serve: Mix the goat cheese, milk and thyme with a fork. Spoon goat cheese into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Put a dollop of the pesto onto each polenta circle. Pipe a rosette of goat cheese in the center. Garnish with thyme sprig and serve.

Makes 24 Polenta Toasts

Want to try something new, eat delicious food, and learn a few new cooking techniques in the process? Then be sure to check out our first ever Vegetarian Tapas Cooking Class on March 1, 2011! Vegetarian International Tapas (similar to the one above) are on the evening’s menu, though you don’t actually have to be a vegetarian to attend. After this class, you may just be inspired to try Source, a Vegetarian and Vegan restaurant with a much-anticipated opening in San Francisco on March 2.

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