For almost two years, I have been involved in a weekly supper club. Each week a group of friends gather for a home cooked meal, wine and a gabfest.
Roasted asparagus from last night's dinner
Not everyone can make it each week, but the act of sitting down during a hectic schedule and eating a meal with your friends is really wonderful. Over these past two years I have had homemade enchiladas, roast chicken, meat and potatoes, Vietnamese pho and soft shell crabs to name just a few of the memorable meals I have devoured. Each week, one person cooks the entire meal and everyone else comes over and gobbles it up.
Last night I made chicken marsala, polenta, roasted asparagus and an apple galete for dessert. I had checked the weather before planning my meal and knew it was going to be cold and rainy so I wanted something comforting.
Cooking down mushrooms and onions for chicken marsala
Chicken marsala with polenta and fresh parsley
An extremely "rustic" apple galete
Supper club used to be only 3 people but the group has since ballooned to 8 people on any given night. Cooking for that many people can be hectic, especially on a week night. I have tried to fine tune my supper club skills to a science so that when it is my turn to cook it doesn’t involve into kitchen chaos. Invariably I forget something, but here are a few of my tips for cooking a big meal for a large group:
- Check the kitchn, epicurious, milk and mode, smitten kitchen or food network for an inspiring recipe
- Shop for the food the day before (two days is even better)
- Do prep work the day before and make things ahead including dessert.
- On the day of try to cook things at the same temperature or at the same time
- Use disposable plates (eek I know, not very green, but much easier to clean up)
- Wine will make any meal better
The best part is obviously sharing a meal with friends, but homemade whipped cream also helps.
Delish!
Unfortunately most times I am cooking for Supper Club I do not have time whip out my iPhone and snap photos, so the evidence of my previous meals is all in my belly. However here are a bunch of recipes from meals past that I really enjoyed.
- Short ribs with tagliatelle
- Mexican tortilla soup
- Greek lamb burgers
- Fish en papillote
- Pork banh mi
- Mushroom ravioli (used my pasta recipe)
- Crispy fish sandwiches
- Fried chicken
- Beurre blanc scallops
- Oven ribs
Hopefully you make a meal for a few buddies soon!
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