Our upcoming “Night at the Disco” Dinner Club, as I mentioned in my last post, is not the typical format for our meal - we usually have a served meal that is more easily defined into “courses”. This Dinner Club will be a more active one; filled with music and, hopefully, some serious demonstrations of classic disco moves!
So how to plan the food for an evening where everyone is up and moving most of the time? When we sat down to design our menu for this Dinner Club, fondue was the first and obvious choice for all of us involved. Not simply because it evokes memories of those times (yes we’re getting old) – for me the memory of my mother preparing “pizza fondue” for us kids to share in the basement together while she was hosting adults upstairs – but also because of the portability of such food and the ease in serving without making everyone feel they must sit down to the table the entire time. “Grab a plate and go”, so to speak!
But fondue can be tricky… There’s no earthly way to fill yourself up on such fare. Not unless you stand all night at the side of the buffet or station and feed yourself continually. Now, I’m not saying my husband won’t do just that (or a few of the guys involved for that matter), but to save him and anyone else from feeling they have to cook their own meal piece by piece, table-side over the course of four or five hours, our group has integrated some terrific 70’s foods that are satisfying, filling accompaniments to the fondue we’ll be enjoying throughout the night.
Two of the Dinner Club couples (myself and said hubby included) are bringing casserole-type dishes that can be easily spooned onto the plate to accompany the fondue. When cocktails are involved – as they always are with our group – it’s important to make sure you’re serving something substantial enough to hold up! My dish for the night is a “Mashed Potato, Rutabaga and Parsnip Casserole with Caramelized Onion”.
That title is quite the mouthful, but the point is that so is the dish! A couple of good, hearty spoons-full of this amped-up-mashed-potato creation will be the perfect filling side dish to our Fondue Bourguignonne! Add a serving of the colorful and veggie loaded Ratatouille another couple is contributing and you have a perfectly balanced plate that will satisfy and sustain you through hours of disco fever dancing!
Below is the recipe (which I have never made before – that’s another reason I so adore Dinner Club - trying new things!) Give it a try yourself paired alongside a simple steamed vegetable and roasted or braised meat entrée! Root vegetable creations are always hearty and delicious in winter!
Found at: www.epicurious.com
Bon Appétit | November 1994
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
7 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 pounds parsnips, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 pounds parsnips, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 large onions, thinly sliced
Preparation:
Butter 13 x 9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine first 7 ingredients in large pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well. Transfer vegetables to large bowl. Add 1/2 cup butter. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until mashed but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mashed vegetables to prepared dish.
Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté until onions are tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread onions evenly over mashed vegetables. (Casserole can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)Preheat oven to 375° F. Bake casserole uncovered until heated through and top begins to crisp, about 25 minutes.
