Winter Luncheon Table Setting

Winter encourages the making of one dish meals like risotto, stew, spaghetti and soups. A Friend was coming for lunch so a Shrimp Risotto seemed like a perfect dish to serve using a winter table setting of blue, gold and silver. The risotto is quite colorful with peas included which sets a nice counterpoint to the color of the shrimp. You’ll find the recipe at the end of this post.

The Risotto is served in a Pier 1 white pasta bowl with a simple gold edge around the outer rim.

The setting begins with a placement scattered with gold and silver balls. I used a terra cotta charger covered in silver as the base. The silver picks up the silver in the placemat. Mikasa made the dinner plate which is edged in blue and silver and gold. Silver and gold are applied in thin lines around the inner rim of the plate. Then we have the Pier 1 pasta bowl edged in gold. A Mikasa bread and butter plate sits to the side of the setting.

Here you can see the dinner and bread and butter plate next to each other with a white napkin shot with gold and silver thread. Yamazaki Cache Gold flatware incorporates the silver and gold theme that is part of the setting. Note the beautiful scrolled fork of the flatware.

Beautiful Waterford crystal champagne glasses and Rockport crystal goblets complete the setting.

Each champagne glass depicts one of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The one above has three French Hens etched into the crystal. I use these glasses up to January 6th which is the official ending of Twelfth Night celebrations.

A simple container of flowers flanked by brass candlesticks works as a centerpiece for the table.

Here’s an overview of the table setting. It brings in the winter white look with silver and gold accents.

The Risotto looks wonderful in this setting and was a really tasty lunch.

Risotto Recipe

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

zest from 1 lemon

fine sea salt

1 cup white wine

4 cups chicken stock (I use unsalted)

1 cup risotto rice (I used carnaroli)

1 pound large shrimp, shells removed, deveined

1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 bag frozen peas

In a large, heavy pot warm 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. After 3 minutes add the garlic and the lemon zest. Stir in the rice and cook for two minutes. Add the white wine and cook for two minutes. Add 1 cup of warmed chicken broth, stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time and wait until broth is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Continue until the rice is cooked to al dente, about 30-35 minutes. Meanwhile cook peas and add to rice mixture stirring to distribute evenly. Add cheese to the risotto and mix.

Shrimp Recipe

1 pound shelled and de-veined shrimp

2 garlic cloves, minced

zest from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Melt butter in olive oil over medium heat in a medium frying pan. Add shrimp, lemon zest and garlic and stir. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side using tongs to turn over the shrimp. Add shrimp to the risotto. Serve in pasta bowls immediately. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Hope you give the recipe a try and have a great week.