Tag st. paddy’s day

Parties That Cook’s Saint Patrick’s Day Recipe: Grilled Broccolini and Ciabatta Bread Salad

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Menus & Recipes, News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , March 16th, 2012 @ 3:36 pm

It’s Friday, and what are you doing? “Working.” We know the deal. Plotting your escape from the office and the subsequent Saint Patrick’s Day madness under the guise of getting things done. (If you’re a legit celebrator, yes, the party starts a day early.) Before you head out to this weekend-long pub crawl in San Francisco, or any of these places in Chicago, maybe this reconstructed pub crawl in Seattle, or even this traditional pub crawl in Portland, prepare for battle by loading up on bread-y goodness. This absolutely delicious Salad of Grilled Broccolini and Ciabatta will have you feeling the luck of the Irish all day. It even comes complete with pot-o-gold raisins!

For those looking for events not primarily about the booze this weekend, not to worry. You will still enjoy this hearty bread salad featuring plenty of greens! For an extra dose of themed events, check out:  San Francisco | Chicago | Seattle | Portland

Salad of Grilled Broccolini and Ciabatta Bread with Pickled Shallots and Golden Raisins

This recipe can also be found in our Soups, Salads and Pastas Section!

Ingredients

Pickled Shallots:

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

1/4 cup agave nectar

4 large shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Vinaigrette:

2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced (can substitute regular lemons)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup olive oil

Grilled Broccolini Salad:

2 lbs. broccolini, stems trimmed

1 lb. ciabatta, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Extra virgin olive oil for garnish

Meyer Lemon wedges for garnish (can sub regular lemon)

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Methods/Steps

Prepare Pickling Liquid: In a small saucepan, combine the sherry, vinegar and agave syrup and bring to a boil.

Slice Shallots: Place the thinly sliced shallots in a small heatproof bowl. Add the raisins, chopped thyme, salt and the hot pickling liquid. Cover the bowl with plastic and set aside.

Make Vinaigrette: Combine lemon zest, juice, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, red pepper flakes and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil.

Grill Broccolini: Heat a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat. On a sheet pan, toss the broccolini with half of the vinaigrette. Working in batches, grill the broccoli over moderate heat, turning, until lightly charred and barely tender, 5 minutes. Transfer the broccolini to a bowl, cover with foil and let steam for 5 minutes.

Grill Ciabatta: Lay the bread slices on a sheet pan and brush both sides generously with the rest of the vinaigrette. Grill the ciabatta over moderate heat until crisp, 1 minute. Cut the ciabatta into 1-inch cubes. Place back onto the sheet pan until ready to serve.

Serve: Lay out all first course plates in a single layer. Divide the grilled bread evenly among the plates. Top with the broccolini. Drain the raisins and shallots. Scatter the raisins and shallots over the broccolini. Garnish each plate with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a lemon wedge and toasted pine nuts. Wipe plate rim and serve.

Serves/Makes

Serves 16

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook® from Food and Wine Magazine June 2011.

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!