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    Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours
    Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours
    Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours
    Ebook379 pages1 hour

    Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours

    By Ali Larter

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    A month-by-month culinary scrapbook that brings out the reveler in every home cook




    Ali Larter is a busy actress, well known for her roles on the NBC show Heroes and in movies such as Varsity Blues and Legally Blonde. But when not on set, she is usually throwing a dinner party or entertaining at home. In fact, Ali has been cooking and entertaining all her life, and in an instant, she can whip together a wonderful meal, whether it's for a family Sunday brunch, a spontaneous Super Bowl party, or an elegant (but not stuffy) New Year's Eve dinner. Her parties seem effortless, but it hasn't always been that easy for her. In fact, at Ali's first dinner party, she made the common rookie mistake of putting too much pressure on herself to make things perfect. Needless to say, with hungry guests, a burned hand, a broken air conditioner, and a mouse scampering across her fourth-floor New York City walk-up, the night ended in disaster.

    Through the years of trial and error, Ali has learned that while looking effortless takes some effort, cooking is not about being perfect—it's about having a great time! And now she's eager to share her passion and knowledge for cooking, collecting her favorite go-to menus into this wonderful cookbook: from her jalapeño cheddar cornbread to crab pots with lemon caper dip, lamb chop lollipops, strawberry mint cake, and for thirsty revelers, her eucalyptus gin martinis.

    Ali's mouthwatering recipes and inspiring party ideas are broken down by month so you can take her lead through the seasons with celebrations such as an October Harvest Party, a January Detox, and a July Americana BBQ. Brimming with charm, beautiful and intimate photos, and Ali's personal touch as a perfectly disheveled, sassy, effortless host, Kitchen Revelry will enliven and inspire your celebrations for years to come.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateSep 10, 2013
    ISBN9781250038838
    Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours
    Author

    Ali Larter

    ALI LARTER is an actress and year-round reveler. She lives in Hollywood Hills where she hosts her ritual dinner parties and legendary get-togethers. As a homecook, Ali has been on Rachel Ray and Top Chef Masters. Ali shares her celebrations with her husband, Hayes MacArthur; her son, Teddy; Jackpot the shepherd; and Ella, the wheaton.

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      Book preview

      Kitchen Revelry - Ali Larter

      Introduction

      This book was inspired by a disaster: My first dinner party! I was a young, struggling actress living in a fourth-floor walk-up above Pete’s Tavern in New York City. I was trying to make new friends and had invited a few people over for dinner. In an attempt to make it a perfect evening, I planned an overly ambitious and complicated menu and soon realized I was in way over my head. My guests waited … and waited; I could feel them getting hungrier by the minute. Stressed, I took refuge in libations. And it was only downhill from there: my air-conditioning broke, I burnt my hand trying to light a flambé, and just to add to the drama, a mouse ran across my living room! I was tipsy, burned, and totally embarrassed. After my guests left, having barely picked at their dinner, I called my mom and burst into tears, swearing never to host another dinner party again.

      Well, I have gotten past that disastrous evening. In fact, I learned a lot from it. Whether acting in a movie or following a recipe I was consumed with getting it right and not messing up. I had always put a lot of pressure on myself. That night taught me to focus more on enjoying the process and to find beauty in imperfection. Nowadays I don’t shy away from doing something because I’m worried I’ll fail or a dish won’t come out right. I know now that had I let that disastrous evening stop me I would have missed out on so much! That’s what Kitchen Revelry is about: the process, not the outcome. So much happens around the dining room table: laughter, sharing, and even a little debauchery. So let this book inspire you to cook, invite friends over, and enjoy delicious food. Savor life.

      My love of cooking started at a young age, growing up with fun-filled dinners with my family in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where my mom made the kitchen the sanctuary of the house. As I grew older and my work took me to places from Italy to India, my horizons were broadened. All these places made culinary impressions, whether it was walking through Italian open-air markets, sitting in the kitchen of a Mumbai home, or talking to a baker on Spring Street.

      The recipes in this book reflect these cherished moments, memories, and tastes. They reflect how I choose to celebrate the spirit of every occasion throughout the year. I photographed this book in my home with all my friends and family. Each occasion is built around a complete menu. Through laughter and tears, I’ve experimented, carefully tested, and assembled them with my friend and partner on this book, Tracy Zahoryin. We’ve eliminated the guesswork for you. These menus include my go-to recipes that you can whip up in an instant, my best of the best when you want to pull out all the stops, and my favorite entertaining ideas that are simple, chic and sexy.

      Kitchen Revelry is a table full of luscious foods … friends old and new. It’s about looking up to see lipstick-smudged glasses, a sink full of dirty dishes, pools of wax dripping from burning candles, and creating the memories of a great time. Move forward fearlessly, trust your taste, and pop the next bottle of champagne!

      september

      Cooking school

      September is back-to-school month, and since a reveler is a kid at heart and always willing to learn, this month we are going to cooking school. My cooking school is all my go-to recipes I’ve been making for years, ones I pull out of my back pocket whether I want to enjoy the food alone or dazzle a crowd.

      PARTY OF 2 TO 4

      Vodka Martini with Cerignola Olives

      Classic French Omelette

      Shallot Vinaigrette with Simple Salad

      Charcuterie 101

      Roasted Chicken

      Turkey Braciola

      New York Steak with Herb Butter

      Ricotta Meatballs with Chianti Sauce

      Cauliflower-Reggiano Puree

      German Chocolate Cupcakes

      Vodka martini with cerignola olives

      SERVES 2

      Everyone should know how to make a perfect martini. So Bond. In goes the olive, out go your troubles.

      Ice cubes

      ½ ounce dry vermouth (1 tablespoon)

      6 ounces premium vodka (¾ cup)

      2 Cerignola olives

      Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vermouth and shake vigorously to coat the ice; pour out any remaining liquid. Add the vodka to the shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into two chilled martini glasses equally; add an olive to each glass and serve.

      Classic french omelette

      SERVES 1

      This classic French omelette—inspired by my travels and a Youtube video by Julia Child—is good morning or night. I like mine with raclette, a semi-firm swiss cheese that melts beautifully, and simple greens tossed with shallot vinaigrette.

      3 large eggs

      1 tablespoon unsalted butter

      2½ tablespoons grated raclette cheese

      Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

      1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

      In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Pour the eggs into the skillet. Swirl the skillet for 1 minute and continuously move a silicone spatula through the eggs in a figure eight. While the center of the eggs are still moist, remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the cheese over the eggs. Return the skillet to the heat, fold two sides of the eggs over the cheese. Flip omelette onto plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

      Shallot vinaigrette with simple salad

      MAKES APPROXIMATELY ½ CUP VINAIGRETTE

      This is an everyday dressing that is wonderful on all variations of lettuces and vegetables. It’s a welcome change from bottled dressing and so easy to make.

      5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

      1 tablespoon minced shallot

      1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

      2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

      ½ teaspoon agave syrup

      ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

      ¼ teaspoon sea salt

      ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

      6 ounces mixed lettuces

      Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously until emulsified. Toss the vinaigrette with the lettuce and serve.

      Charcuterie 101

      I could live my life on a charcuterie plate, there’s always some variation of one being served at my house. The cheese, a soft, a hard, a goat, a bleu; champagne grapes and blackberries; and prosciutto and salami all packed together on a wood board. Buy whatever you love or let these ideas inspire you. Quality cheeses and meats are key. Aesthetically, the canvas should have an artfully messy look, clustered, and overflowing with abundance. Fill it in with seasonal fruits or chutneys, crackers, and torn up baguettes. Remember to crumble some of your cheese so that it looks inviting, and stab in a few small knives for additional cutting.

      A classic charcuterie is only meats, but I like to pack mine with everything. For larger parties, plan for about 2 ounces each, meat and cheese, per person. Always serve your charcuterie selections at room temperature for the most flavor. My favorite bite is raisin bread with a chunk of aged gouda and a drizzle of truffle honey.

      MEATS

      Prosciutto

      Mortadella

      Fennel Salami

      Soppressata

      Serrano Ham

      CHEESE

      Triple-Crème Brie

      Humbolt Fog

      Truffle Cheese

      La Tur

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