Friday Night Delights, a la 3 Doors Down Cafe

Cardamaro Soda (Cardamaro soda & twist of orange)--a light, summery cocktail. There to the cocktail's left you see a bit of the Pugliese bread and the White Bean Spread, a 3 Doors Down favorite.




Appetizer: prawns, baby artichokes, basil, lemon, white wine--so delectable that I had to post two photos, trying to do it justice.

Suffice it to say that when I was done, the only thing left in the glass was ice and the twist of orange--there was nothing left in the bowl because I used all of the bread to clean it out, well, except for what I ate slathered in White Bean Spread. Yummy, through and through.

If you are new to my blog, please know that my older son Lamont is sous chef at 3 Doors Down Cafe.

And here's the recipe for the White Bean Spread, for you from the 3 Doors Down Cafe Web site:

What you'll need:

2 Cups Cannellini Beans
1 Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 Tbl Butter
1 Tbl Fresh Rosemary, Finely Chopped
2 Tbl Fresh Garlic, Finely Chopped
2 Pinches Red Chili Flake
2 Tbl Parsley, Finely Chopped
2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Italian Bread With A Nice, Crunchy Crust

Instructions:

Cover beans with water by two inches. Soak for 4 hours. Drain beans. Put beans into saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook beans until tender. Drain. In separate saucepan melt butter and add all remaining ingredients. Cook until onion is translucent. Add cooked beans. Mash. Add salt and pepper to taste. This can be reheated, just add a little more olive oil. Makes four cups.