I am not posting the recipes for these dishes since, though they were all quite good, they each had flaws that needed to be fixed before taking the time to write out a recipe. I did post the cocktail snack Myoga, Miso and Pork Bites as they were stupendous tasting, easy to make and will definitely be trotted out often this season. MAKE THEM. Still, I am posting images and descriptions of the other dishes that may inspire you to make your own version.
Beet Green Salad with Pineapple and a Ginger Vinaigrette
I liked this - the vinaigrette was made with both fresh grated ginger and finely chopped pickled ginger, was zingy in all the right ways and the perfect complement to the pineapple. Some felt that the texture of the turnip leaves were all wrong for salad but I think this could be remedied in the future by cutting them as though for a chopped salad rather than tearing them. I will tinker with this and try again.
Poached Cod Fillets with a Borscht Reduction and Crispy Potatoes
I have liked cod with beets ever since I had a version, slathered in caviar, at Le Bernardin. Since my budget these days does not run to that, I made a version thereof which was quite good. It also was quite pretty and reminded me of Indian festival colors despite being quite Russian in flavor. Cooking the potatoes in duck fat was not necessary though the other parties highly approved.
Caramel Apple Pie
As we all know, desserts are my nemesis and this was no exception. My idea of cooking the crust and the apples separately was a good one as the apples came out perfectly but the crust didn't quite work - I think I may have been overly generous with the butter. Should I make this again I think i will make a proper pie crust but what's not to like about apples cooked in caramel and then said caramel further reduced to be poured over the top of the pie?