BFF PART 2 (THE FOOD)

Cityfarmer and the Don arrived last Fri. afternoon, and after much swimming, wine, and music, we were all getting hungry. Farmboy had gone to Costco earlier that day and picked up 4# of prawns for a new shrimp cocktail recipe I had just seen in our Press earlier that week. The presentation was a feast for the eyes, and the shrimp, a feast for the tummies!

I found a ginormous(yes indeedy, ginormous is now a bona-fide word, as it can now be found in the latest edition of Websters dictionary!) martini glass, filled it part way with water and sea shells, and placed it in the freezer several hours ahead of serving.
Enter the shrimp.

In a large sauce pan put:
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 small vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 TBL whole peppercorns
2 large or 4 small bay leaves (I used fresh)
3 TBL sea salt
2 teas. tabasco
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups water
Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes
ADD:
1 lb. large shrimp and poach anywhere from 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp, stirring once each minute until shrimp begins to curl. DO NOT OVERCOOK!!!
Remove from heat, and using a wire mesh skimmer, lift out shrimp, drain briefly and transfer to a shallow dish. Let cool 10 min. Strain liquid thru a fine strainer and let cool as well. While still warm, peel shrimp, leaving tail section intact. Devein if not already done. As soon as poaching liquid is cooled to lukewarm, pour over shrimp. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the shrimp in the liquid.
When ready to serve, drain shrimp well and arrange around the rim of the martini glass.(the actual recipe called for individual martini glasses, but I liked the idea of one huge glass, which I will also use for maybe a cracker spread or something like that in the future.) I then took a small brandy snifter and filled it with cocktail sauce and placed it in the center of the glass.
I have to say, this was THE best shrimp cocktail I have ever eaten. So good, I ate mine w/o the sauce! Even tho the recipe seems long, it is very simple, and I will never make shrimp cocktail any other way.

Also on the menu:

PROSCIUTTO, FIG, & MARSCAPONE BRUSCHETTA
from: homecookkirsten.blogspot.com

Fresh crusty bread
prosciutto
dried mission figs, sliced thinly (I used fresh figs, as the market had them that day)
marscapone cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Slice bread. Rub with garlic. Drizzle with oil, and top with a bit of s&p. Bake at 350 till warm and crispy. Let cool a few minutes. Spread with marscapone. Top with figs, then prosciutto and another sprinkle of s&p and drizzle with oil.

This was another very simple recipe, but it presents like it took a lot of time and effort, and was absolutely decadent in taste. The creamy marscapone, the sweet velvety figs, and the salty prosciutto was a perfect combination.

After consuming vast amounts of appetizers, we moved on to Joy and Don's contribution:
grilled tenderloin of beef, smashed potatoes, and fresh green beans.

Oh my.