OK, this turned out to be one of the more eventful dinner parties I've attended. Here's the story.
Ben had decided on a main course of grilled halloumi cheese* with marsala sauce to accommodate Karen, our vegetarian. I offered to go early to help cook (as his sous chef - I would never usurp another cook's kitchen) and Ben accepted.
When I get there, he says, "Why don't you make the marsala?" So I start by slicing an onion and browning it. I add sliced brown mushrooms and sauté. I look to Ben for guidance on what to do next and he tells me, "Oh, I trust you. Just wing it."
I don't have a recipe for marsala sauce in my head!! I freak out for a few seconds, then figure what the hell... I'm sure I can cook something decently edible. I add a dab of tomato paste to the sautéed onions and mushrooms. (You always want to cook tomato paste a bit, to get rid of that raw flavor.) I'm now ready to add the marsala and deglaze. At which point Ben hands me a bottle of merlot.
Marsala, for the record, is a fortified sweet wine. Not the same thing as regular red wine at all. So okay, I'm rolling with the punches. I use the merlot, and toss in a handful of sugar to compensate. After a few minutes to let the alcohol burn off, I pour in some vegetable stock, and season with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh tarragon.
The ingredients bubble together for a bit, and the sauce reduces. I check the seasoning one last time, and throw in a knob of butter at the end for gloss and flavor.
The final product was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself. It ended up being more like a beef-less boeuf bourguignon than a marsala sauce but it went well with the halloumi. (It'd also go well with the more robust meats - beef, pork or lamb. For chicken or veal, I'd use a proper marsala sauce, like Martha's.)
Ben served salads with grilled artichoke and ricotta salata to start, and sides of individual sundried tomato bread puddings and steamed asparagus with the halloumi. Abby contributed a pan of chewy, gooey brownies and coffee ice-cream for dessert, and Ben pulled out a ridiculous assortment of digestifs to complement.
Ben and Rebecca, thanks for having us all over to your gorgeous apartment - and busting out the good china to boot!
Karen, it was so nice to have you back with us! Come back again soon!
*Note: Halloumi is a goat and sheep's milk cheese, originally from Cyprus. One of its unusual qualities is that it can be grilled or fried without melting.
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