In food company.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving last week!

I don't know anyone who doesn't love eating...but it's always a special treat to get friends together who all love to cook too (as you may recall, my dearest friends in DC were dubbed "Potluck People"). A few weeks ago, five of us brought a favorite dish for a fall dinner party:

Jason's roast carrot salad: (I can't say I've ever featured carrots quite as magnificently as Jason's duo; the oven-roasted spices were a delightful, rich contrast to the tangy crème fraîche in both recipes)

Followed by roast carrot soup: (Officially my favorite take on a velvety classic)

Lilly's Boeuf Bourguignon à la Julia Child: (Cozy and splendid for a cold fall evening - with that all-day chef's love-taste)

My mini chocolate mousse cakes: (Suzy McMullen meets mousse, ganâche, toasted hazelnuts, and raspberries)

I think the logistical key to any dinner party is being aware of how much time dishes need in the oven and/or on the stove top, as everything needs to be timed out (as opposed to a larger potluck-style gathering where dishes can come and go as their chef-owners). We each prepared components of the dishes at home and then assembled and plated at our gracious host and hostess's home.

I love large events such as Friendsgiving (more on that to come), but intimate dinner parties give us all a chance to sit down at a table and enjoy...and a good time was surely had by all.

P.S. - Food52 is a fabulous website-exchange-community-resource-center-marketplace that everyone should get to know.

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Roasted Carrot Soup
(from Food52)

Serves 4

6 to 8 large carrots (about 1 3/4 lb.)
1/4 c olive oil
Salt
6 c low-sodium vegetable stock
1 inch-long piece ginger, peeled
1 sprig thyme, plus more for garnish
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Peel and cut the carrots into 1/2" pieces. Toss carrots on a foil-lined baking sheet with 2 T of olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Set an oven rack 6-8" from the heat source and turn on the broiler. Broil carrots until they brown and soften, turning them with a spatula every 5 minutes or so; this should take 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil and infuse with ginger and thyme by simmering gently for 15 minutes. Brown the onion over medium heat in a medium stock pot with the remaining olive oil, stirring frequently. Toast the garlic with the onion and oil, then add carrots. Remove the ginger and thyme from the stock and add the stock to the pot with the onions and carrots. Bring to boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to puree.

Use an immersion or a standard blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Adjust consistency if desired by adding more stock or water. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Carrot Avocado Salad
(from Food52)

2 lb. large carrots quartered and cut into 3" segments, peeled (about 4 c)
Kosher salt
1 orange
1 lemon
1 t cumin seeds
2 medium garlic cloves
1 T fresh thyme leaves
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 t red wine vinegar
1 t red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 T sugar
1 avocado, cut into 12 wedges
2 c mixed baby sprouts, herbs, and microgreens
1/4 c crème fraîche
2 T toasted sunflower seeds
2 t toasted sesame seeds

Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 450*F. Place carrots in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Season with salt, set over high heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the carrots and transfer them to a medium bowl.

Cut the orange and lemon in half and juice half of each one, reserving the juice and the remaining halves. Combine cumin, garlic, thyme, 2 T olive oil, the red wine vinegar, red pepper, 1 t orange juice, and 1 t lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Season the marinade to taste with salt and pepper. Add the marinade and the unjuiced citrus halves to the carrots and toss to combine. Spread the carrots and citrus halves on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the carrots are slightly shriveled with a few brown spots, about 20 minutes. Allow the carrots to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile squeeze the juice from the roasted citrus halves into a small bowl. Add the remaining fresh orange juice, lemon juice, remaining 6 T olive oil, and sugar. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Divide the carrots and avocado slices onto four plates. Divide the greens among the plates on top of the carrots and avocado. Add a tablespoon of crème fraiche to each salad. Sprinkle sunflower seeds and sesame seeds over each plate. Drizzle dressing over and around each salad (reserve any remaining dressing for another use), and serve immediately.