Guys Cook Night

Newly dubbed the "Guys Cook Night" by our friend Bruce Lowry, Saturday night's event at our house was a smashing success.  When we, the Carpenters and the Lowrys got together last November, Walt mentioned that he had a special half bottle of 1980 d'Yquem to open sometime soon.  It was determined that in January all six of us could reconvene at Chez Adams and celebrate the new year with this particular after dinner wine.  Which meant that a dinner was in the offing as well!

butternut squash gnocchi, from Bon Appetit Magazine

The men outdid themselves with recipes both old and new and the meal was quite the gourmet accomplishment.  It started off with Walt's warm homemade salt cod brandade spread on Bruce's homemade bread.  Bruce also made homemade sweet potato crisps as well, and all was washed down with a little prosecco.  At the table we sat down to Steve's homemade butternut squash gnocchi in a browned butter and sage sauce.  That was followed by two kinds of Walt's homemade sausages (chicken and pork) in an apple reduction sauce, with homemade pear chutney.  What better on a wintry night than  a rabbit cacciatore with rhubarb chard?  The salad course was a crispy, crunchy delight of sliced Granny Smith apples and celery root with a light dressing.  A cheese course was offered and rejected because we were so stuffed.  But we did have a dessert:  two kinds of oranges sliced with zabaglione. 

My apologies that this photo is not of the dish we actually had, but the resident photographer went off duty that night.