When I first starting writing this post, it was pre COVID-19 pandemic, and clearly my, and everyone else’s work life was significantly different. Also, our socializing style was absolutely different. That said, the premise behind what I originally wrote still remains the same; enjoying lunch with a friend. And so, let me continue on the thought and pleasure of sharing time with people you love - Take 2. And here’s to dreaming about the time when there will be a Take 3, 4 and beyond.
When you have your own company, and consult, it often times means you can create your own schedule. Work when others play, and play when others work. It creates an environment where you can be available for whatever opportunity lands on your doorstep. Work-Play balance is so important. I have never taken this for granted, and now more than ever I truly appreciate its freedom. I fully realize that many people do not readily have the ability to take a leisurely lunch with a friend mid week. But my work life affords me some awesome flexibility. So when my friend Donna, who is an ESL teacher, was going to be in my neighborhood, it was only natural that we lunch, as we have in the past. Now with the current pandemic situation, all of our work lives have been altered, and maybe it affords you a more flexible schedule and freedom as well. If it is, I highly recommend taking fully advantage. It is such a luxurious way to spend an afternoon; sharing a meal, a glass of wine and catching up time with a friend I adore.
Sure, one glass of wine at lunch can’t hurt. Especially when you start with a hearty bowl of Cauliflower Soup.
For this meal, I wanted to try out a recipe idea I had seen from Ina Garten. Her food and entertaining style are very similar to mine. (PS I didn’t copy her style. I discovered her long after my entertaining and cooking style was embedded in my heart.) I absolutely adore her!
JC and I love sautéing shrimp and getting a good sear on them, and so our go to method is usually cooking them in a cast iron pan to get a nice texture. But she cooked the shrimp in fennel which made them a bit softer in texture. I love fennel and I love shrimp. And so does Donna. That added up to - let’s give it a try. Since I was making this on the fly, and wasn’t actually thinking of sharing this on the blog, I didn’t measure anything (as is my typical style). However, Donna loved it so much and wanted to recreate it for her guests the following weekend, I had to come up with approximate measurements from my mind’s eye. I know you probably think that is an odd thing to say, but I can see and guestimate how much I’ve cut of an ingredient. And that is what I did went I sent Donna my approximations. I changed Ina’s recipe a bit to make it more my own.
Our Lunch Menu
A plate full of love. Polenta topped with the shrimp, tomato & fennel plus roasted root veggies topped with Marinated Feta.
Faux Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Green Salad
Roasted Carrots, Onions & Parsnips with Marinated Feta
Creamy Polenta
Shrimp with Fennel & Tomatoes, see below
Homemade Coffee Ice Cream
Creamy Polenta
Big Green Salad and Marinated Feta
Ingredients
1.5 lb shrimp
1 fennel bulb, cut in small pieces
4 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1.5 -2 c grape & heirloom cherry tomatoes
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1/8 c fennel fronds, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 c white wine
Magic 3 (salt, pepper, olive oil)
Instructions
Using about 1/4 c olive oil, sauté fennel until slightly softened.
Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper and let cook down.
Then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and let cook for 5-7 minutes over medium low heat so not to burn the garlic.
Salt and pepper the shrimp, then add them into the pan cooking for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the wine and turn the shrimp over and cook until done.
Add the parsley and fennel fronds.
Cook the fennel and tomatoes down until the are softened. Then add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
Add the shrimp and wine and let cook for 3-4 minutes.
It is such a lovely combo of flavors.
I served this with polenta, but it plays just as nicely with rice or pasta.
A great way to start the lunch; warm soup and crisp white wine.
Since my creamy cauliflower soup is so easy to make, I whipped up a batch and we started with that.
For the vegetables, I just roasted heirloom carrots, parsnips and onions at 425 degrees until nicely caramelized.
The feta mixture is easy to make. All it entails is cutting up some herbs and aromatics, stirring it together and then pouring it over feta cheese. Next step: spread it on everything!!
Marinated Feta
Now that is a lunch made with love.
We finished the meal with some of my homemade coffee ice cream. Donna loved that too. It’s so easy to please a food lover. Just make yummy things and stir it with love. That’s how you create a ‘school day’ memory with a good friend.
