A Perigee Moon Supper

On March 18th, Salt Water Farm hosted a Full Moon Dinner for 21 guests inspired by my recent trip to Spain.  I safely smuggled a few items into the country including partially salted cod, a few links of well cured chorizo, about 20 slices of Iberico ham, arbequina olives, honey and a some Spanish cheeses.  The cheeses only lasted a few days before I had consumed them all. (I inherited this strange addiction from my father where I must have a hunk of cheese and a cocktail at about five o’clock . . . every day.)  I was able to use some of the remaining ingredients throughout the meal, which I’m hoping gave it a certain authenticity.

It was particularly special occasion because the moon (the perigee moon, to be exact) was the closest it has been to the earth in twenty years and was 15% bigger and 30% brighter than an average full moon.  After the first course, all of the guests got up from the table and went outside to watch an enormous red sphere rise from over the Atlantic.  As is followed its arch, higher and higher into the sky, a bright beam of moonlight lit up the sea, the waves twinkling.  It was pretty special.

The garbanzo bean soup was a dish that I had tried in Seville.  A local food aficionado gave me convoluted directions to a nameless, sign-less hole in the wall with good trucker food.  It was excellent trucker food, from the simple soups, to the ham croquettes to the creamed spinach and stewed lentils.  I kept imagining American truckers pulling into the truck stops to fuel up on a Big Mac and a Frosty.  Romesco sauce is probably my favorite sauce in the world.  I’ll reveal the recipe for those you you who would like to try your hand at it.  It goes with just about anything grilled, fish, meat, vegetables . . . .

March Moon Supper at Salt Water Farm

A Taste of

Salt Cod Fritters, Lemon Aioli

To Start

Garbanzo Bean Soup, Chorizo, Escarole

First Course

Greenhouse Baby Swiss Chard, Fennel, Golden Raisins, Sherry

Second Course

Garlic Roasted Chicken, Patatas Bravas, Roasted Artichokes, Romesco

To Finish

Dates, Oranges, Orange Blossom Honey

Romesco

Recipe adapted from Susan Goin’s “Sunday Suppers at Luques

5 dried ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed

1 thick slice day old county style bread

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup raw almonds

3 cloves garlic

1 can San Marzano tomatoes

1/3 cup roughly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

The juice from 1/2 of a lemon

A dash of sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and fresh ground peppercorns

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees.

Fill the teakettle and bring to a boil.  Pour water over the stemmed, seeded peppers and let hydrate for 15 minutes.

Place the nuts on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 10 minutes or until they begin to brown.

In a frying pan, add two tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Fry the bread on both sides until it absorbs most of the oil and turns golden brown.  Remove bread from pan and set aside.  Drain the chilies and add them to the frying pan.  Cook in remaining oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add the whole tomatoes and cook until the liquid is almost absorbed.

In a food processor, grind nuts, garlic and bread to a coarse meal.  Add the tomato and chili mixture.  With the processor running, slowly add the remaining olive oil in full.  Toss in parsley, lemon juice and vinegar and generously salt and pepper to taste.  Give the mixture a couple more pulses and it’s finished.