{"id":245,"date":"2018-01-24T09:33:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-24T09:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bostonzest.com\/?p=245"},"modified":"2018-01-24T09:33:00","modified_gmt":"2018-01-24T09:33:00","slug":"entertaining-wrap-it-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bostonzest.com\/?p=245","title":{"rendered":"Entertaining? Wrap It Up!"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the most casual burrito to Julia Child\u2019s elegant \u201cSalmon en Papillote,\u201d food in wraps, of one kind or another, can be a great solution for entertaining.<\/p>\n

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Here's one of our favorite wrap-ups \u2013 a Vietnamese cr\u00eape using lettuce to create the perfect bite!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

On the casual side of the world of wraps, many food cultures have their own version. Think of the Italian piadina, Greek gyros, Vietnamese lettuce wraps, Mexican tacos, Indian roti, Japanese sushi, Chinese moo shi, dumplings and the list goes on and on. Many of these began as street food and the wrapper made it easy for someone to eat as they stood or walked along.<\/p>\n

On the elegant side, we have a world of food wrapped in paper (in the case of Julia\u2019s \u201cen Papillote\u201d) or in pastry as in Beef Wellington, Camembert wrapped in pastry, savory strudels, and pies enclosed in hot water crust, pizza dough, puff pastry, phyllo, or dozens of other coatings.<\/p>\n

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Quesadillas are another wrapped food.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Create a Wrap Bar<\/strong><\/p>\n

For easy entertaining you can create a wrap bar which is nothing more than a table filled with an assortment of good things to tuck inside another good thing. You can have a theme using any of the cultures mentioned above.<\/p>\n

For example: a taco table could have tortillas, salsas, avocados, pickled onions and cabbage, meats, chopped lettuce, crema, and lime. You can offer non-meat options like saut\u00e9d zucchini, scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes, or for a very authentic taste nopales \u2013 otherwise known as cactus paddles.<\/p>\n

By letting everyone select and prepare their own meal, you can accommodate friends and family with many food preferences.<\/p>\n

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Here is another favorite of ours, Salmon en papillote with carrots, ginger, chives, and lemon zest peeking out of its parchment paper wrapper.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

En Papillote<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Jacques P\u00e9pin\u2019s \u201cNew Complete Techniques<\/a>\"\",\u201d this master of cooking skills writes, \u201cWhen you see \u2018papillote\u2019 on a menu in a French restaurant, you can safely assume that it describes a dish served in an envelope of parchment paper \u2026\u201d He goes on to explain, \u201cWhen the papillote is folded correctly (it is sealed so that none of the aroma and steam can escape) it browns nicely, inflates, and the dish inside bakes in its own juices. The papillote is served directly on the serving plate and the guest opens it himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

If this is the only dish you learn to cook for company, you will be a relaxed chef with happy guests. You can prepare the packages hours in advance and tuck them into the refrigerator to wait for their trip to the oven.<\/p>\n

Change-ups for different guests are easy. If salmon is on the menu, just substitute a piece of chicken for the person who doesn\u2019t like fish. You can make a vegetarian option or one without a specific ingredient.<\/p>\n

Your main item in the parchment paper<\/a>\"\" package is topped with a selection of vegetables, herbs, and seasoning that enhance the flavor and complete the meal. With today\u2019s prepared vegetable options in the marketplace, you don\u2019t even have to do all the chopping and prep work. Just select your main ingredient and shop for some spiralized vegetables to add to the meal. <\/p>\n

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If folding the packages is more than you care to do, there are even parchment paper bags<\/a>\"\" to make that part easier.<\/p>\n

Most versions take less than half an hour in a hot oven and are ready to slide onto a dinner plate and present at the table.<\/p>\n

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Cr\u00eapes are another lovely wrapped meal.<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Some dinner party entr\u00e9es, such as Beef Wellington, take a bit of skill and cheffy work to succeed. If you have the time and the skills, this dish can be fun to make and very impressive to serve. However, there are other options that can begin with a package of pizza dough or frozen puff pastry and your imagination. So the next time it\u2019s your turn to entertain, think about how you will wrap it up!<\/p>\n

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n