Gatherings: A perfectly balanced winter menu.
Asparkle and splinter of wood fire, the unhampered laughter of two towheaded toddlers, the nutty bouquet of browned butter and sage. On a chilly February evening, simple worldly pleasures are reason enough for celebration.
When I dream up dinner gatherings, balance and harmony among the different recipes is keenly on my mind. For winter meals, I aim for a dish that embodies each of the following: warm and comforting (typically a soup, bisque or stew), deeply flavored and savory (a mouthwatering protein-based main), light and fresh (a salad or vegetable side) and dark, rich and complex (a buttery, chocolaty or creamy dessert).
A recent impromptu get-together with college friends had me following this formula to a T. The grown folks gathered around the table, chatting and eating while their little ones ran excitedly around the house, stopping for an occasional bite.
The meal started warm and cozy with a simple tomato soup and finished cool as every last drop of espresso ice cream was licked from the bowl.
You, too, can throw together a thoughtfully varied spread, open your doors to those willing to brave the elements and find your very own happy place.
A recipe that is quick to make but tastes as if it’s been slow-simmered all day, for me, is an essential implement in my culinary toolbox. Tom’s Tasty Tomato Soup comes together in just 25 minutes but is richly flavored and luxuriously textured. It even earned “best tomato soup” accolades from one of our dinner guests. You can garnish this soup simply with shaved Parmesan or, as its original author suggests, with baked browned butter croutons as an added treat.
The main course for this February fête takes some time to prepare, but is a feast for the eyes and stomach thanks to careful preparation. Tender chicken breast is stuffed with lemon and sage folded into a silky blend of ricotta and Parmesan, then wrapped in prosciutto and baked until crisp on the outside and melty on the inside. It’s cut horizontally into pinwheels and serve with a browned-butter, lemon and sage glaze. In the words of Guy Fieri, “Welcome to Flavortown.”
Turmeric is a spice known for its antiinflammatory properties and vibrant yellow color. Whisking it into the cooking water with quinoa builds a beautiful base for a delicious grain salad. Stir diced Gala apples and English cucumbers into the mix with crumbled salty feta cheese and a flash of green from fresh parsley for a side dish that is both healthful and beautiful.
Nigella Lawson is a culinary goddess, and her recipe for No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream deserves some sort of a genius award. This dark, toasty espresso-flavored concoction is perfectly sweet and exceptionally light in texture, the perfect finish to a savory winter meal.
This ice cream requires no boiling, no churning and no dedicated machine. The secret is a whipped amalgam of heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk spiked with Kahlua and instant espresso powder. I didn’t have a single drop left over, but if you happen to, I’d recommend stirring a spoonful into your morning cup of Joe for a surefire way to beat the weekday blues.
In the middle of winter, we find our balance between staying home with hot tea and a novel and venturing out to congregate with friends and family over good food and wine. Meals, too, strike a harmony — poised between luscious and light — as spring beckons us through the long tunnel of winter. Whether you venture out or welcome in, I hope you find your joy among food and friends this February.