Elton Johnsure knows how to throw a party!
“We’re doing a five-course dinner for a thousand people,” Elias told PEOPLE at the 2015 Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party Media Preview Day on February 19. With a menu that includes vegan cauliflower curry soup, rosemary crusted filet mignon with scallop truffled potatoes and for dessert, a meringue shell stuffed with the strawberries with a ring of the whip cream, the chef has a lot on his plate.
“When we’re shopping we bought 250 pounds of hamachi, 160 pounds of yukon gold potatoes, 300 pounds of corvina sea bass, 250 pounds of filet mignon and 12 cases, which is roughly about 120 pounds of cauliflower,” he said. “We use about 180 pounds of coconut milk to make the vegan soup so the food list keeps going and the amount and the quantities just keep increasing.”
But, all the hard work pays off. “It’s really a glamorous night,” says John’s husband David Furnish who co-hosts the event. “And Elton and I really love throwing a good party.”
As for the menu, Furnish says, “It has to be a special, treaty menu that’s not too heavy that keeps the energy up and that serves out nicely over the course of the evening because it’s a long night and we have to keep people’s taste buds alive and challenged and everything so I always look forward to the food.”
So, even if you can’t make it to Elton’s party this year (sigh), we have the exclusive cocktail hour recipes so you can make these light bites at home.
Honeydew Bite and Prosciutto Rosette1 honeydew melon2 oz. very thin prosciutto
Hamachi with Mango Relish & Chive Oil
Sweet Mango Salsa:2 cups sweet mango, minced2 tbsp. sweated shallot, minced1 tbsp. sweated ginger, minced½ cup yellow pepper, minced3 tbsp. sliced chives2 oz. soy oilSalt and Pepper to taste
1.Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Yuzu Soy Dressing:2 oz yuzu juice1 oz lime juice2 oz soy sauce1 cup waterPinch sugarSalt to taste
To serve:Wasabi oil (can be purchased at any Asian specialty store)2 heads frisee (picking the yellow parts only and reserved in cold water until serving)3 tbsp. finely sliced chivesPinch of sea salt4 oz. of hamachi (per person)1 Fresno chili½ orange, sliced
Plating:1.Drizzle wasabi oil around dish.2.Alternate layers of hamachi, fresno chile and oranges slices (4-5 slices of each). Spoon a line of mango salsa along the top. Spoon yuzu soy dressing over the hamachi. Garnish with picked frisee and a sprinkle of chives. Add a pinch of sea salt to garnish.
Grape Crostini with Ricotta Cheese
3 slices of brioche sandwich bread, cut into 12 ¾ of an inch rounds1 cup of green grapes1 cup of red grapes, cut in fours½ oz. roasted pine nuts, finely diced12 small sage leaves, fried½ cup ricotta cheeseSalt, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powderAdd 1 tsp. of chopped parsley
1.Turn your oven at 250°F. Toss the cut grapes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Pull them out and let the cool for 5 minutes.2.Mix the roasted grapes with the pine nuts. Bring oven to 350°F. To toast the brioche crostini, toss them lightly with some olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley and toast for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown.Season the ricotta cheese with a pinch of salt, white pepper, garlic powder and little onion powder.3.Get crostini out of the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Place the season ricotta cheese in to a disposable pastry bag. Cut a very small tip to pipe the cheese in to crostini. Just to cover ½ of the crostini very thin layer. Spoon the grape mixture in to the crostini and garnish with the fried sage leaf.
Gingered Ahi Tuna Tartar With Wonton Chips and Lemongrass Aioli
12 daikon sprouts3 oz. of ahi sashimi grade diced1 small package of wonton wrappers, cut in 12 ¾ of an inch rounds
To make the chips:1 egg yolk1 tsp. black sesame seeds1 tsp. white sesame seeds1 tbsp. mayonnaise1 lime zest and juice of 1 lime1 tsp. lemon grass finely mincedA pinch of salt1 tbsp. chopped cilantro½ tbsp. sesame oil
1.Turn the oven at 250°F. Brush the wonton rounds with egg yolk both sides on parchment paper and top with the sesame seeds. Put them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
To make the aioli:1.Mix the mayonnaise with half lime zest and half lime juice and a pinch of salt.
To make the tuna tartar:1.Mix the ahi with lime zest, the rest of the lime juice. Add cilantro, sesame oil, lemongrass, 1 tsp. of lite soy sauce and taste it.
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source: people.com
