11.06.2008

Matthew Cressler Demands a Dinner Party

all pictures courtesy of LEO

I have met Matthew Cressler a total of three times:
Once, at the office when he came to pick up Mary Ellen.
Once, at the American Academy of Religion.
Once, in Grant Park, with 100,000 other giddy Chicagoans (granted, a lot of deep bonds were formed that night).

So, it's sort of - you know - forward, right, for him to invite himself over for a dinner party?


Apparently every time Mary Ellen cooks for him, he asks, "When is Cassie going to have us over for a dinner party?" Now, Matt, if you're reading this, I just want to say - I think Mary Ellen is a pretty rad girl, and I gather she's a decent cook; in general, it's bad form to talk about some other chef's cooking when you've just been cooked a nice meal. It seems particularly bad form if you've never eaten said other chef's cooking. So I'm feeling obligated to throw a dinner party just to keep you from continuing to put your foot in your mouth.

salad of heirloom lettuces, market grapes, sunflower sprouts,
shaved chioggia beets, oregon bleu

I'm thinking December 13th, what do you think Matt? Does that work for you and Mary Ellen? I want to make sure your dinner party fits into your schedule. Do you have any dietary restrictions, or foods I should avoid? Any foods you're particularly fond of? How about any preferences for fresh flowers? What about lighting - do you prefer votive candles or tea lights? Sparkling water or still?

So, I'm banking on waning readership with this one, but who else would like to come to Matthew Cressler's Dinner Party (aside from the usual Chicagoans, you're already invited and you know who you are)? Rumor has it Guy will come up from Woodstock; other out-of-town diners (including, but not limited to, those from: Durham, Seattle, New Haven, Bellevue, Cambridge, Portland, NYC) are invited to take a little trip to Chicago, and since Matt is taking care of a wine pairing with each course, visiting travelers should plan on bringing nothing but their fine selves.

Until then: a recipe from the last dinner party.


Fresh Sage Pasta, Foraged* Mushrooms, Red Kuri Squash, Sage

(the mushrooms and squash preparation is inspired by a Thomas Keller recipe.)

Ingredients:
(for the pasta)
3 tbs finely chopped sage
1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
healthy pinch of salt
1 large, fresh egg
1 tsp good olive oil

(for the mushrooms and squash)
NOTE: The kuri shell is very very hard - you'll need extremely big muscles, like Chef Yum Yum's, and a very sharp knife to peel it and chop it to the requisite 1/2 inch dice. You should have about 3 cups squash once it is chopped.
1 medium sized red kuri squash; if red kuri is not available, you can use butternut, but you will likely live to regret the decision.
canola oil
1 tbs butter
12 sage leaves

12 oz. mixed foraged mushrooms
canola oil
1 tbs butter
1 medium shallot, minced
1 tbs fresh thyme

(finishing the pasta)
4 tbs butter
2 tbs minced chives
1 tbs fresh italian parsley
1/2 lemon

Method
(for the pasta)
Dear Readers, there are many, many great recipes for making fresh pasta out there; the ingredients above draw from the Greens Cookbook; may I also commend to you any of Mark Bittman's recipes, as well as the excellent, excellent class Amber and I took at Terragusto (more on that in a later post). It is far too late, and far too illegal for me to copy the 3 pages of pasta making instruction that Deborah Madison offers. Buy the book; it is worth the investment, and easier on the eyes than a blog, anyways.

(for the mushrooms and squash)
In a large, deep and heavy bottomed pan (le creuset!), heat a thin layer of canola oil over medium high heat. Add the butter and let it brown a bit, then toss in half the sage leaves and half the squash (you'll want to fill the pan but not crowd the squash), and salt and pepper to taste. Cook squash, tossing occasionally, until well caramelized and brown on the outside, and melting on the inside. On a paper towel lined baking sheet, drain the squash and sage leaves separately. Repeat with remaining squash. Set aside, and wipe out your pan with a paper towel.

Heat another layer of canola oil in the same pan, and add the butter to brown. Toss in the mushrooms and raise the heat; cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, and raise heat to evaporate any excess water they release. Add the shallot, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook 3 or 4 minutes. Drain on another paper towel lined baking sheet, and wipe out the pan with a paper towel.

(finish)
As soon as your pasta water comes to a hot and bothered boil, brown remaining 4 tbs of butter in your pan. Toss in the parsley and chives and let them crackle a little, and then, carefully carefully squeeze the lemon half into the browned butter (it will splatter!). Cook your pasta for just a minute or so, then drain and toss with just 1/2 the browned butter. Toss the remaining butter with the squash and mushrooms and heat until just warmed. To plate, nestle a small serving of pasta next to a scoop or two of the mushrooms and squash. Serves 6, exactly.



*If by "foraged" one means "bought at the Green City Market," then, yes! in fact I did forage those mushrooms!

15 comments:

lesley said...

"matthew cressley demands a dinner party" would make a fantastic children's book title. also, this looks delicious. also, is mark bittman that guy on the batali/paltrow pbs show? because i'm a little obsessed.

sincerely,
lesley clayton, faithful reader, former roommate and current BFF of rosalind carnes, it's lovely to e-meet you

Matthew Cressler said...

I AM the illustrious and notorious Matthew Cressler. December 13th is a suitable date if the festivities commence precisely at 6:42 p.m. As for dietary restrictions, I eat only parsnips and herring. Regarding the decore, I would prefer Azaleas lining the red-carpet to my seat, but Cyrsanthemums will suffice. Oh, and votive candles, of course.

...I'm SO EXCITED! But I must admit, I have never felt so much pressure in attending a "party". Hopefully the royalties from the aforementioned children's book "Matthew Cressler Demands a Dinner Party" (forthcoming, 2009) will cover my therapy expenses.

Sincerely (anticipating this regal affair),

Matthew

catbabies said...

i would like to be invited. that is the day before my dad's 60th birthday. we can celebrate matt and bob. it is also 8 days before mine.

chef yum yum said...

lesley:

nice to e-meet you too! i feel so, so foolish that i didn't include austin in the list of possible locales of out-of-town diners - you and ros should come up!

and re: bittman...not sure about the paltrow show (no tv!, but if i did, i would only watch food tv); his "how to cook everything vegetarian" is one of my absolute favorite cookbooks, and he does super adorable cooking videos every wednesday for the new york times. check it out!

matt:

it's all about you. done, done and done.

(and rosalind - how i know lesley - is a designer, so she can very well handle the illustrations. chef yum yum will take care of the text. which means: i don't think you'll see any of the royalties. luckily for you, mary ellen is your non-profit sugar mama.)

max:

max, i would love for you to come. but, WHO ARE YOU?

i suspect i know. and if i'm right, there's a seat for you at the table, and your date, one p. gilmour...

lesley said...

bravo to you for forgoing tv! i am not so strong. this show is definitely bittman with mario batali and a surprisingly charming g.paltrow driving across spain and eating gratuitously. it is simultaneously wonderful and infuriating because we can't afford to do it ourselves.

Natalie said...

chef yum yum, i want to come to your dinner party! can you get the board of yum yum to fly me up? the private jet this time, no more of this commercial fiying business. i'll make it up to them in fresh beans and white sweet potatoes.

Melvin Ming said...

Although I have never met his excellency, Matthew Cressler, I have no qualms with a universe ordered around him, provided he is a benevolent dictator. I feel privileged that the orbit of a cresslerocentric cosmos includes New Haven, and shall explore the possibility of somehow being drawn in to this most auspicious of occasions.

My own claim to fame is that I have met Mark Bittman, have even hung out with him one could say. He used to date one of my profs.

chef yum yum said...

lesley:

this show sounds amazing! i will watch it on the couch at my parents' house when i am home for thanksgiving.

natalie:

my private jet is your private jet. pack up you beans, you're coming to chicago!

devin:

WHAT? a prof at yale? was mark bittman dating a theologian? (male or female?) that is so unbelievably fabulous...

Natalie said...

wait. USED to date? did he and serene break up? i've been fantasizing about her wonderful life in which she teaches during the day and then is served fabulous dinners every night.

and hi, devin! hope thing are going well in new haven.

chef yum yum said...

so, how is it that everyone but me knew that mark bittman was dating a theologian? serene jones no less? didn't anyone think it it was important to tell me this????

chef yum yum said...

also, natalie, re: "fantasizing about her wonderful life in which she teaches during the day and then is served fabulous dinners every night."

isn't that essentially YOUR life?

Melvin Ming said...

hi natalie! nice to run into you here.

Yes, sadly, they broke up. Not sure how long ago. Sorry to explode your fantasy, which is doubly ruptured now that her days are spent hectically leading a seminary in NYC instead of teaching theology up here in the Have. Alas.

CYY: i'll keep my ear to the ground for all future culinary-cum-theological gossip. You'll be the first to know and this blog can be a clearinghouse for breaking news in that sphere.

chef yum yum said...

oh good, thank you devin. i've sort of hoped that chef yum yum could evolve into a classy celebrity gossip site, but it always seemed like i was dreaming too big.

Natalie said...

oh, i guess that is my life. hmm. sounds more glamorous from afar. maybe matthew should get a tv program.

and you would think that mark bittman could show a little break-up grief in his recipes, you know? like "tear-salted risotto" and "knead-out-the-bitterness bread" and also lots and lots of chocolate. but instead it's all this chipper, "you use it everyday, but can you cook with it? microwave recipes!" and "no-knead bread even FASTER!" how unseemly.

i hear about theological gossip because the King of Theological Gossip currently studies at Duke (having done his master's at Yale). apparently he is not a very good King, though, if he didn't know about Serene's break-up with Mark.

Chesrow said...

Looks delicious-I am absolutely going to make this pasta!