Southwestern Ravioli and Blood Orange/Fennel Salad

Saturday 4 February

When we're having a leisurely Saturday dinner with friends, we like to do something that's fun to work on while we drink and chat.  In this case, our designated project was the corn and chorizo ravioli with goat cheese sauce and chile drizzle, from the Southwest Tastes cookbook.

We started with a toast to the nice people at the University of Queensland (ta, mates!) in Gruet Albuquerque sparkler; and we drank from the clever label-able glasses made by Melanie as our Christmas present. (thanks, Melanie - they work beautifully!)

We also snacked on yesterday's cheeses, crackers, and Byzantine antipasto olives from Dean's Mediterranean store.

When the Gruet ran out, we made another pitcher of Chimayo cocktails.  All very New Mexican.

For the dinner, we had already made up a batch of cinnamon chorizo and frozen it, so all it needed was to be defrosted and broken up a bit.  Holt and John did the kneading and rolling of the handmade corn pasta, and the filling of the ravioli.  The chile drizzle was just some powdered Chimayo kiln-dried chile, loosened with a little hot water.  The ravioli boiled up tender and succulent, drenched in a simple white goat cheese cream and spiced up with that vivid red drizzle.

As a palate cleanser afterward, we had some mandoline-shaved fresh fennel tossed with a white balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with blood orange slices.

This time, dessert was Holt's biscotti and Graeter's coconut-chip ice cream, plus a little shot of Old Weller bourbon on the side.
A perfect end to a Saturday of cooking and conversation.