Vernal Equinox Dinner - 3-20-2015

Beltane is an ancient pagan festival that celebrates the Spring Equinox. Think of fairies foraging thru the forest for feasting druids. Yes!

Mead tasting

Potato and white bean soup with basil, pinenuts, and fried fingerling potatoes

Beet pancake, almond-horseradish cream sauce, warm asparagus-fiddlehead-ramp salad, served with a poached egg on top

Spaetzle with caramelized onions, rosemary, raw sheep's cheese, and dandelion greens served with leek and chestnut stuffed mushrooms

Honey-saffron goat milk panna cotta with pistachio brittle and edible flowers

7PM, BYOB, sliding scale $25-$40
Want to RSVP for this dinner? Please fill this out:
http://chezkate.com/questionnaire.html
Kate will get back to you by sending you an email from yummyaskrak@gmail.com

Chinese New Year Dinner-- 2-28-2015

Dim Sum-- 5 small plates:

Hot and sour soup with shiitake mushroom dumplings and slivered Chinese greens

Scallion pancakes with black garlic rice vinegar dipping sauce. Served with a side of red cabbage slaw with preserved garlic and chilis.

Sesame tofu with red pepper, grilled pineapple, and green onions.

Stir-fried szechuan  sticky rice cakes with sugar snap peas, tomato, egg, and peanut.

Salted cashew custard with black sesame lace cookies.

7PM, BYOB, sliding scale $20-$40
Want to RSVP for this dinner? Please fill this out:
http://chezkate.com/questionnaire.html
Kate will get back to you by sending you an email from yummyaskrak@gmail.com

Saturday, January 31 -- Winter Tapas

Friends! Let's say goodbye to January by welcoming back KRAK (Kate's Renegade Aboveground Kitchen)

1/31/15, 6:45, Kate's place, friends only.

RSVP for you and up to one guest by texting me. Your RSVP means this is on your calendar and you plan on coming. I can only serve up to 10 people in my apartment! First come, first serve :) Can't wait!

Winter Tapas: 5  small plates, $20, bring a bottle of wine, cider, or beer to share


-- Grilled kale with pomegranate seeds, olives, red onion, and tahini black garlic dressing

-- Butternut squash coconut bisque with cilantro-peanut chutney

-- Fried eggplant battered in chickpea flour, drizzled with honey and herbs

-- Polenta cakes with tamarind-tomato chickpeas and mint chutney

-- Key lime pie with gingersnap crust and raspberries

Pumpkin Soup

Had some friends over for garam masala making on Saturday. We cooked long into the night, but first we roasted and ground a fresh batch of spices!

 

Garam masala is a warming spice made in North India. Here is a really easy and delicious recipe you can make for when you're not eating turkey in November. Thanks Rissi for being my scribe!

Pumpkin Soup

2 Tbs canola or peanut oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 can pumpkin
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 cup water
1 Tbs chicken or veg bullion.
1/2 tbs garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tbs brown sugar
cilantro or mint, minced

-- Heat the oil in a medium sized soup pot.
-- Put in the mustard and cumin seeds, and let them sputter and pop. Cumin will brown, mustard will turn grey.
-- Add the onions and ginger to the hot oil. Sautee until translucent.
-- Add the water, pumpkin, and coconut milk, stir.
-- Add remaining spices, bullion, and brown sugar, stir.
-- Bring soup to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-- Add fresh herbs to the soup before serving. Enjoy!

Highlights from the 2013 Summer Season! Thanks everyone for coming out!

Dinner Thursday August 15

Come join me and my sisters in my back-alley yard for dinner!

Watemelon-lime-mint margaritas

Fresh tomato-mango chili with quinoa, bacon, scallions, and avocado cream

Summer rolls with sliced bratwurst, beets, kale, red onion, thai basil, fresh mint and vermicelli with peanut-tahini sauce

Sweet potato stack with cilantro-pistachio tofu pate, black bean-ancho chile-cocoa sauce, corn relish, wild rice, and toasted pepitas

Desert TBA

*This meal is gluten and lactose-free, will accommodate for vegetarians!

6:30 -- Bayview-- Sliding scale $20-$40

Please RSVP by clicking here http://chezkate.com/questionnaire.html

DINNER Thursday July 25

TAPAS

Green pea bisque, horseradish cream, curried carrot chips

Thai watermelon salad with arugula, peanuts, basil and mint

Roasted beets with crispy vidalia onion rings, goat cheese, honey, black pepper

Bison biryani with golden raisons, almonds, carmelized onions, raita 

(Vegetarian option with chickpeas)

Homemade macaroons:

Bergamont, chocolate, and sea salt

Lavender and rosewater caramel

Pistachio cardamom

Sliding scale $30-$50, BYOB, 7-9pm, Bayview

RSVP http://chezkate.com/questionnaire.html