A Vegan Fall Dinner Party. And You're All Invited.

Again I have to thank all who voted for my B'stilla recipe, because I've advanced to the 3rd round of Project Food Blog! The 3rd challenge assigned was to create a Luxury Dinner Party menu, so I invited a few lucky friends over for a vegan fall feast.

I love to throw a good dinner party. Over the past few years, we've established a tradition of hosting Thankgiving dinner at our place for several friends in the city. I don't make a turkey, but even when I did eat turkey, it was the element I was least excited about in my favorite meal of the year. I've always been all about the sides, the hearty veggie dishes and warm autumnal spices and flavors. So I approached this dinner menu as a mini-Thanksgiving type of meal. I wanted it to be warm and comforting, which was just perfect for the first really crisp, cool day of the season. Fall was definitely in the air.

If you are new to planning dinner parties, I recommend consulting favorite cookbooks that provide menu ideas or different pairings. For my menu, Tal Ronnen's The Conscious Cook was a huge inspiration. The soup and the dessert that I made were both from his cookbook and part of his recommended fall menu. It's also a good idea to pick a focus for your menu - whether it's a seasonal menu you're putting together, or a particular type of cuisine, having a focus will help you to choose dishes that go well together, and ensure that your flavors complement each other and blend harmoniously.

My other tip is to simply plan ahead, so that you can actually enjoy yourself when your guests arrive. Prepare as much as you can the days before, so you're not overwhelmed with too many dishes to cook the day of your party. But leave some things to do for after the guests arrive, because in my experience nothing makes people feel more welcome and comfortable in your home than when they're congregated and helping you out in the kitchen, with cocktails or a glass of wine in hand.

The celery root soup (recipe below) was incredibly creamy and smooth, due to the genius addition of cashew cream. The diced Granny Smith apple provided both a nice textural contrast and a fresh tartness that went so well with the earthiness of the celery root. And the chive oil added another layer of flavor, as well as beautiful color. This is a truly perfect soup for the fall.

I love the challenge of inviting non-vegans over and showing them how incredibly delicious vegan food can be. This recipe from Smitten Kitchen for Mushroom Bourguignon is an elegant and comforting main course, as the portobello and porcini mushrooms are hearty and "meaty" enough to satisfy any meat-eater. I simply veganized it by using Earth Balance instead of butter, and serving it over creamy, buttery vegan mashed potatoes with fresh herbs, instead of egg-noodles as suggested in the recipe. Served alongside were balsamic glazed carrots (recipe here), and the fresh greens I got from the farmer's market that morning simply dressed with a pomegranate vinaigrette.

I have to say, though, that the real star of the show was this Roasted Banana Rum Cheesecake with Spiced Pecan Crust & Maple Rum Syrup. It even prompted one of my guests to exclaim, "This is the best cheesecake I've ever had!" The roasted bananas provide a rich moisture to the filling, and everything has just the perfect amount of spice. Surprisingly, even with the maple rum syrup drizzled over the top, this cheesecake isn't too sweet. The combination of flavors was just heavenly, and this made a perfect ending to a beautiful meal. Most definitely a vegan good thing.

Celery Root Soup with Granny Smith Apple
recipe from Tal Ronnen's The Conscious Cook 
makes 6 servings

Sea salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium celery roots, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup thick Cashew Cream (recipe below)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, finely diced
Chive Oil (recipe below)

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.

2. Add the celery root, celery, and onion and saute for 6-10 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not brown. Add the stock and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the Cashew Cream and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender and blend on high (Note: I used an immersion blender here, which is much easier, if you have one). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Place a spoonful of the diced apple in the center of each serving, drizzle the Chive Oil around the apple, and serve.

Thick Cashew Cream
makes 1 cup

1 cup whole raw cashews, rinsed well under cold water

Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough cold water to just cover the cashews. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

Chive Oil
makes 1/2 cup

1 small bunch chives
1/2 cup canola oil
Pinch of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the chives for 30 seconds in boiling water, then drain and chill in an ice bath. Drain, wrap the chives in a towel, and squeeze the moisture out. Place in a blender with remaining ingredients and blend for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Put the chive oil in a plastic squeeze bottle with a small opening or use a spoon for drizzling it on the soup.