shortlist no. 26 / may 20, 2011

This shortlist was a bit too ambitious. Though I bought all the ingredients, I didn’t even come close to attempting the bomboloni. Later in the week I used the fontina, mozzarella, ricotta and ham for homemade calzones, so don’t worry. No cheese was wasted. No cheese is ever wasted.

It turned out to be a lovely dinner on a chilly, wet night. I thought I’d made way too much to eat, but it turned out to be just right, with a good salad and the lightest cheesecake ever preventing us from going overboard. The brandade was definitely the star of the evening, and I regretted making the portions as small as I did. I figured they would be little bombs and our guests would be reclining after an explosion at around half a ramekin-ful. To my delight, the ramekins were licked and scraped clean (with apologies to the dog).

I really relished in having the oven cranked all day for the cake, the bread and the cod. The house was warm and full with the sound of rain on the tin roof and smells of baking cheese and just corked wine.

Oh, cold weather. I think I might be appreciating you more now that you’re never around.

early winter dinner for 6

cheeses, fresh bread, olives and cold cuts

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Tuscan beans and shrimp

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apple, fennel, bleu cheese and walnut salad

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salt cod brandade with toasted bread and capers

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Safta’s cheesecake