Merced Dinner Club

Monday, February 16, 2009

SOUTH AMERICA ! Dinner hosted by Rudy and Brenda




Courses and Guests



Photo (Kyle and Tania)
Rudy and Brenda hosted a bountiful South American menu dinner party during January 2009. Recipes from Argentina; Peru; Venezuela; and more.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

German Potato Salad (Ocktoberfest Dinner)

Dinner hosted by Rich and Mary Miller
German Potato Salad submitted by Brenda and Rudy Ortiz

Ingredients
· 3 pounds new potatoes
· 1 yellow onion, quartered
· 1/2 pound bacon, diced
· 1 large red onion, diced
· 3/4 cup cider or red wine vinegar
· 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
· 1/4 cup canola oil
· Salt and freshly ground pepper
· 8 green onions, thinly sliced
· 1-2 stalks chopped celery
· 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions
Preheat the grill to high. Place potatoes in a large pot with the yellow onion and cover with cold water. Cook until tender. Drain, discard the onion, and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover to keep warm.
In a large sauté pan cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the red onions and celery to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the vinegar and mustard seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the canola oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the hot dressing to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serves 8

Monday, February 02, 2009

South American wine choices (January 2009)


Submitted by George and Catherine Kniazewycz

Layer Cake Malbec '07 Has a dense, purple core with a brilliant red rim. Black fruit on the nose followed by anise, chocolate and spice. Soft tannins; lush with an intense mouth full of fruit.

El Portillo Malbec '07 Ripe and full-flavored, yet not too far over-the-top; a red with panache; soft tannins makes it a good roast chicken partner.

Gascon Malbec '07 Fruit-forward and generous, delivers full-ripened flavors with no edges or hard spots; smooth and tasty; a fine choice with grilled beef.