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Supper Club No. 15 — Aperitivo Italian Style!

Ariel Pastore-Sebring

Supper Club No. 15 — Menu + Recipes

Paid Partnership with Luxardo, see video here.

This Supper Club was inspired by frothy Espresso Martinis and Alpine indulgences, all in the name of Après Ski! To me, the holidays are all about generosity and my love language is hosting: creative directing a table setting (lol), shaking craft cocktails for when you walk in the door and melting down pounds of swiss cheese just to see that sparkle in your eye. So here’s my gift to you, the step by step instructions to recreate this dreamy, cheesy night. Cheers!

Luxardo Espresso Martinis

Makes 1 Drink

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 oz. base spirit of choice (Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, Tequila, etc.)

  • .5 oz. Luxardo Espresso Liqueur 

  • 1 Espresso coffee

  • Garnish: 3 coffee beans, 1 Luxardo Maraschino cherry and an orange peel on a toothpick

Make it!

  1. Pull Espresso shot and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add all liquid to a cocktail shaker with a big handful of ice. 

  2. Shake vigorously (just when you think you’re done, keep shaking). Once the shaker is icy cold, strain contents into a martini or coupe glass. Top with three coffee beans and your cherry/orange peel toothpick.

Warm Spiced Olives

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of olives with pits (I’d recommend a mix of Castelvetranos, Niçoise and whatever else you like!)

  • 3 smashed garlic cloves

  • 2-3 orange peels

  • Juice of half an orange

  • ½ tsp. smashed pink peppercorns or a couple grinds of black pepper

  • ½ cup good olive oil

  • *optional 1 tbsp. Calabrian chili paste 

Make it!

  1. Combine all ingredients into a medium sauce pot. Heat over medium-low and simmer for ten minutes until the garlic begins to soften and your house smells incredible.

  2. Turn off burner and cover until ready. Serve in a small bowl with toothpicks for easy snacking!

Morty D Twists

Makes 10 Twists

Ingredients

  • ½ stick salted butter at room temperature

  • ¼ cup pesto

  • ¼ cup finely chopped (or blended), toasted pistachios

  • 1 box of Grissini or thin Italian breadsticks

  • 5 to 10 slices of Mortadella, (you can never go wrong with getting more!)

  • Salt to taste

Make it!

  1. Toast pistachios and chop or blend until they resemble breadcrumbs. Set aside to cool.

  2. In a small bowl, smash butter with a fork until smooth. Add pesto and cooled pistachio until combined. Adjust with salt.

  3. Lay a slice of Mortadella on a cutting board and smear the compound butter all over. With a knife, slice the Mortadella into 1 inch strips. Carefully twirl the Mortadella around your Grissini (butter side directly onto the Grissini). Leave enough room at the bottom so that someone can hold it easily. 

  4. Arrange Morty D Twists into a glass like you would flowers. 

Rainbow Crudités and Vinaigrette

Makes 1 Platter

Ingredients

  • An assortment of your favorite veg: radicchio, rainbow carrots, treviso, endive, radishes, snap peas, romanesco, etc. Just make sure you’ve got a nice array of color.

  • 1 shallot, minced

  • 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar

  • 1 tbsp. warm water

  • 1 garlic clove, grated

  • ½ cup olive oil

  • 1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard

  • 1 ½ tsp. whole-grain mustard 

  • 2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped 

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Make it!

For the Vinaigrette 

  1. Rinse shallot in a fine-mesh sieve with cold water. Add to a medium bowl with vinegar and warm water for five minutes to mellow out.

  2. Whisk in olive oil, garlic, Dijon, whole-grain mustard, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Adjust with more acid or salt, if needed. 

For the Crudités

  1. Wash all veg in a colander, allow to drain and dry for a few minutes. Do not remove carrot or radish tops!

  2. Asses anything with a top and remove excess, leaving about 6 inches of greens to hold the carrot or radish. For carrots and radishes, carefully slice them longways, keeping the tops intact.

  3. With any leafy greens, dry them off and begin arranging smaller leaves, slice any large leaves in half longways. This is a work of art, so get creative!

  4. Once you have your preferred bites, arrange everything on the platter, grouping by color. Pour vinaigrette into a small bowl and add to the center for dipping. 

Classic Fondue

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Gruyere, grated 

  • ½ pound Emmental or other Alpine Swiss, grated

  • 1 cup dry white wine (Pinot Gris is great)

  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch

  • 1 tsp. lemon juice

  • Sprinkle of nutmeg

  • Fresh grated black pepper

A few dippers as inspiration

  • Sliced filet mignon

  • Prosciutto-wrapped dates

  • Pears

  • Apples

  • Potatoes

  • Bread

  • Crudités

Special Equipment

  • Fondue pot and heat source (sterno, swiss fire gel, induction, etc.)

Make it!

  1. Add cheese, white wine, cornstarch and lemon juice to a large pot and heat over medium-low to melt the cheese. Stir for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Sprinkle in nutmeg and a few grinds of pepper.

  2. Pour mixture into your fondue pot and place over a moderate heat source. As you dip, continue to stir the pot. Enjoy!

*If your fondue becomes stringy or clumpy, it might be getting too cold. Either turn up the heat (if that's an option) or pour it back into the original pot and reheat over the stove.

Happy Holidays from my steak n ‘tini to you and yours!