CRU CATERING
RECIPES

4 Cheese Macaroni | Thai Seafood Rissotto | Butter Lettuce Salad

Four Cheese Macaroni

2qt Heavy Cream (reduced in half)
1lb Pasta (we use orecchiette)
1cup Pepper Jack (hand grated)
1cup Aged Cheddar (hand grated)
1cup Fontina (hand grated)
1cup Mozzarella Cheese (hand grated)
1/4cup Olive Oil

FOR FINAL COOKING

1/2cup Pepper Jack (hand grated)
1/2cup Aged Cheddar (hand grated)
1/2cup Fontina (hand grated)
1/2cup Mozzarella Cheese (hand grated)

Salt and pepper

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

Reduce Cream in half in a medium size sauce pan. Cook the pasta in salted water el dente. Cool down rapidly in cold water then drain all excess water. Coat the pasta lightly in Olive Oil to prevent sticking. Set aside. Grate all the cheeses by hand keeping them separate. It is important to grate all the cheese by hand. Pre bought grated cheese tends to have corn starch added to the cheese. This will change the texture of your final product. When the cream is reduced whisk in the cheeses, (all one cup cheeses), under a low heat until fully melted. Set aside off the heat. Add together in a big mixing bowl the rest of the cheese, pasta and cheese sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix very well without breaking up the pasta. Add final ingredients to a casserole pan and bake at 375 degrees until lightly brown on top.

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CRU CATERING
RECIPES

4 Cheese Macaroni | Thai Seafood Rissotto | Butter Lettuce Salad

Thai Seafood Rissotto
(Serves Four People)

Making the Risotto

1ea Box Risotto (usually a one pound box)
1ea Whole White Onion Finely Diced
2 cups White Wine
1.25 qt Chicken Stock (this may very depending on the risotto)
1/4cup Olive Oil

Over medium high heat a large sauce pan. Add the oil to the hot pan and then the diced onions. Sautee the onions until translucent. Add the risotto and continue to sauté, STIRRING CONSTANTLY with a wooden spoon, until the risotto becomes slightly translucent. Add the White wine and continue stirring until the wine has been absorbed by the risotto. VERY IMPORTANT, Always stir your risotto to help bring out the natural starches and creamy consistency of the rice. Add the chicken stock one cup at a time continuing to stir. Always wait until the risotto has absorbed the stock before you add anymore. Continue this process until the rice is “el dente”(el dente = hard to tooth). Place the almost cooked risotto on a sheet tray and spread it out to cool down. Place in the refrigerator until cool.

Thai Risotto
Risotto – Enough for four servings

12ea Mussels
4ea U-10 Scallops
1lb Seafood (any very fresh seafood, Tuna, Grouper, Salmon etc.) Cut into ¼ inch cubes
8ea 21-26 Shrimp
1/4cup Olive Oil
1cup Chicken Stock (or fish stock, or shrimp stock, this can vary)
2T Chopped Shallots
1T Chopped Garlic
2T Coconut Milk
2T Soy Sauce
1ea Chopped Tomato (prefer Concasse)
1ea Julienne Red Pepper
1ea Julienne Poblano Pepper
1T Chiffonade Thai Basil
1/2t Fish Sauce
¼ cup Unsalted Butter
1/2t Chopped Thyme
1T Hot Sauce (or cayenne)

Heat over medium high heat a large sauté pan or a risotto sauté pan. Place all the seafood on a plate and season hourly with salt and pepper. Add the Olive Oil to the already hot sauté pan. Add the Shallots and Garlic and sauté until translucent. Add all your seafood and sear until half cooked. Remove the seafood from the pan and place on another plate. Add your Tomato, Julienne Peppers and Risotto to the pan. Stir in, with a wooden spoon ¼ cup of chicken stock. Always continue to stir the risotto. Then Slowly add the Coconut Milk, Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Hot Sauce and more Chicken Stock. Add the seafood continuing to stir. Last add the basil, Thyme and Butter continuing to stir. Add more stock if needed to create a creamy consistency. All this happens with a hot pan. The risotto should still be slightly “el dente”. Arrange the seafood around the risotto in four large bowls.

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CRU CATERING
RECIPES

4 Cheese Macaroni | Thai Seafood Rissotto | Butter Lettuce Salad

Butter Lettuce Salad
WITH PORT WINE POACHED PEARS,
TOASTED WALNUTS, GORGANZOLA AND HONEY SHERRY DRESSING

4 heads Butter Lettuce
6 ounces Gorgonzola
8 ounces Toasted Walnuts
8 ounces Diced Pears
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Wash the Butter Lettuce and pat dry on paper towels. Julienne the Butter Lettuce and set aside. Cut the Poached Pears into a rough dice and set aside. Toast the Walnuts to help extract some of the natural oils. Cut the walnuts in to a rough chop and set aside. Crumble up the Gorgonzola and set aside. Do not pre assemble the salad. This salad has to be made at the last minute or your Butter Lettuce will not hold up.
FINISH – place all ingredients in a mixing bowl (Lettuce, Gorgonzola, Pears, Walnuts and Dressing) and mix together. Add salt and Pepper to taste. The amounts of Gorgonzola, Walnuts and Pears really depend on your personal tastes. DO NOT OVER DRESS…..

HONEY SHERRY VINEGRETE

2 T Smooth Dijon
1 t Chopped Thyme
1 ½ cups Olive Oil (extra virgin is sometimes to strong, we like to use pure olive oil)
1 ½ cups Peanut Oil
1 cup Sherry Vinegar
1 T Lemon Juice
¼ cup Honey
salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor add the Dijon Mustard, Lemon Juice and Sherry Vinegar. Blend together for a few seconds. While the processor is running slowly add the Peanut Oil a little at a time to gradually emulsify the dressing. After all the Peanut Oil is added slowly add the olive oil. At this point taste the dressing and see if you would like to add more oil or vinegar to your taste. Finish with thyme, honey and salt and fresh crack black pepper.

POACHED PEARS

5 ea Pears (peeled)
Port Wine
Red Wine
1 ea Cinnamon Stick
¼ cup sugar

Peal the Pears and place in a sauce pan. Add the Wines to cover the pears (50% Red Wine, 50% Port Wine). Add the Sugar and Cinnamon stick. Place on the stove top on a medium heat. Bring the Pears to a boil. Let them boil for about two minutes and remove them from the heat. Let the pears steep refrigerated in the liquid for at least an additional twenty minutes.

Cru Catering | 1784 Harmon Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29405
843.534.CHEF (2433) info@crucatering.com catering packet site credits

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