Category Menus & Recipes

Parties That Cook’s Not-So-Secret Recipe: Savory Rhubarb and Thyme Bruschetta

Parties That Cook is going to let you in on a little secret: We love rhubarb! From rhubarb pot de crème (thanks Rosie!) to strawberry-rhubarb pie, we all need a little rhubarb in our lives. This tasty recipe for Savory Rhubarb and Thyme Bruschetta is just another way to get our fix! If you want to try this recipe with the help of a professional chef, check out our upcoming Date Night Couples Cooking Class in San Francisco or any of our Sumptuous Small Plates events!

Savory Rhubarb and Thyme Bruschetta with Romano Pecorino Cheese
This recipe and others like it can be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Rhubarb Chutney:
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup white wine, dry; such as Pinot Grigio
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated (from about a 2-inch piece)
12 ounces rhubarb, trimmed and cut crosswise, 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

Bruschetta:
1 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese

Methods/Steps
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Rhubarb Chutney: Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic, ginger and salt until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add wine, vinegar and raisins and bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice and rhubarb. Cook until the rhubarb starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend for 15-20 seconds (until blended but chunky). Return to sauté pan and then cook until thickened (about 10 minutes). Add the thyme and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Make Bruschetta: Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush the bread slices on one side with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake until the slices are golden around the edges and crisp, about 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Assemble: Using a vegetable peeler, shave ribbons of cheese. Put a slice of the shaved cheese on the bread, then a dollop of chutney and garnish with a sprig of thyme. Serve immediately.

Serves/Makes
Makes about 24 Bruschetta

Parties That Cook Celebrates Bastille Day with Petite Croque Monsieur Sandwiches

Today is la Fête du 14 Juillet. Celebrate Bastille Day with the French by breaking out your bleu, blanc, rouge and these petite Ham and Gruyere Croque Monsieur Sandwiches! Tried and true, this recipe has been featured in a few of our past cooking classes. A precaution: One bite of these delicious little ham and gruyere sandwiches may compel you to compete in a Bastille Day Race.

Petite Ham and Gruyere Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
This recipe
can also be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library.
For another tasty Bastille Day recipe, check out this post from one year ago.

Ingredients
Sauce Mornay:
4 Tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon chives, minced
1/2 teaspoon whole nutmeg, freshly grated 
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 

Sandwiches:
12 slices sandwich bread 
6 slices good quality deli ham
1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided 
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

Methods/Steps
Preheat Oven to 325º

Prepare Bread: Start Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour until completely blended; cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until thickened and no floury taste remains, about 5 minutes.

Season Sauce: Remove sauce from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly, stirring, until very warm. Add chives, nutmeg, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper and let the sauce cool completely.

Make Sandwiches:Increase oven temperature to 500° F. Grate the Gruyere and put 3 tablespoons grated cheese on each piece of bread. Top with a slice of ham and another 3 tablespoons of cheese. Top with a piece of bread.

Toast Sandwiches: In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter over moderate heat. Cook the sandwiches, turning once, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches, using 2 Tablespoons of butter per batch.

Cut and Broil Sandwiches: Cut each sandwich into 4 little rectangular sandwiches. Top each rectangle with about 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce mornay. Top with remaining cheese and broil or bake until bubbling and cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.

Serve: Place on a platter and garnish with a crisscross of chives.

Serves/Makes
Makes 24 Petite Sandwiches

Fun fact: France’s tricolore flag symbolizes the Republic’s three ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all French citizens.