Dinner with Dan, Yael, and Naama

Sunday evening we went out into the north part of the county to have dinner with Dan and Yael Ben-Daat and their daughter Naama. Carter went with us, making our party six. In 18 months, Yael has most industriously carved a large organic garden and orchard out of what was nothing before and she supplies us things at the restaurant that other growers don't grow: chickpeas, artichokes, borage, and so forth. She wanted us to come see her farm, of which she is obviously and justifiably proud, and so kindly invited us to dinner. It took about a nanosecond to agree to come: people who are willing to cook for a chef are few and far between. Most people miss the part that chefs pretty much eat anything and are not at all critical when other people are cooking for them: it's such a rare treat.

Artichoke in Bloom

Chickpeas (tiny green pod upper left)

When we arrived, we got the grand tour of the gardens and orchards and then went into to a huge three-course feast. It is clear that Yael and Naama love cooking and that they had been at it all day. We started with a beautifully arranged appetizer plate (enough for a whole meal!) of shredded cucumber salad, a moussaka of venison (from the back yard), and a pattypan squash stuffed with mushrooms. I would have been very satisfied to stop there, but then they started bringing platter after platter of dinner from the kitchen to the dining room.

Smoked Turkey in Pastry

How gorgeous is this smoked turkey breast coated with sun-dried tomato pesto and wrapped in pastry? Dan smoked the turkey himself and it was very moist and delicious. If I weren't so full, I could have eaten a lot more than the half slice that I did eat.

Roasted Veg, Yum!

These roasted vegetables were awesome! I love roasted vegetables of any kind and these all scattered with cloves of roasted garlic were amazing. My favorites were the beets, but there were also butternut squash, three colors of potato, sweet potato, and broccoli. I loved them all.

Wheat Berries, Roasted Beans and Tomatoes

I could have gorged on this platter of wheat berries, roasted green beans, and roasted tomatoes but I just didn't have the room. Somehow I failed to get a picture of the big pot of braised lamb that had cooked for a long time. For dessert, we had profiteroles stuffed with ice cream along with chocolate and caramel sauces and fresh berries.

I would be very remiss if I did not mention the gorgeous condiment sauce that Yael made from tahini, garlic, cilantro, and parsley, sort of hummus meets chimichurri. This dinner reminded me how much I like this sauce on falafel. Outstandingly delicious and I definitely plan to make some soon!

Dan, Yael, and Naama, thank you for your gracious hospitality! תודה לכם