So you’ve invited a bunch of people over for dinner and now you need to figure out what you are going to feed them. I love to invite people over for dinner and given a couple of glasses of wine the guest list grows exponentially. The food sets the tone for the night and you want a meal that allows you to enjoy your own party.
I remember a party I threw in my 20’s where I was whipping food out of my tiny NYC kitchen feeling a bit tweaked and a guest asked me if I was ok. A stressed host makes for uncomfortable guests. So pick a menu you feel good about and allows a fair of prep ahead of time. For the record I’m usually sprinting up the stairs to change when the first guests is arriving chugging a glass of wine while I get ready – while the hubbs plays bartender.
So plan accordingly. Use, your menu for design inspiration for cocktails and the table setting. Have fun with this. I like to mix in formal and casual. Also, give some thought to how you want to serve. I love elaborate tablescapes, but they are not conducive to large platters of food on the table.
If Flowers are part of your vision , buy them the day before and keep them uncut in a large vase. This gives everything a chance to open up a bit. I forget to buy flowers all the time – so I’ll use greenery from the fridge mixed with items from around my house. A centerpiece of shells with fresh herbs or lemons is quiet charming.
This very simple plan will make dinner party night a blast:
Invite Friends for Saturday night. Plan Menu on Wednesday. Thursday head to the wine shop. Friday Go Grocery shopping and pull out all of the linens and plates you want to use- make sure you have enough candles people. Saturday afternoon cut flowers, set table and prep as much as possible. This all seems simple, but will make a huge difference in whether you get to enjoy your own party.
I went with a slightly bohemian feel incorporating Ikat, Morrocan glasses & darker china. To add pops of color I used vintage pink stemware and skipped flowers in favor of lots of candles.
For my Menu I went with Surf and Turf. One of my guests was a vegetarian so that allowed everyone to be able to enjoy a dinner without be left out. I like dessert to be fun – so I often offer something silly along with a more traditional option.
I also, like to set up a bar with several options for choose your own adventure. I’m a huge fan of Organita flavored sodas which come in a bunch of different options and pair well with Vodka and Rum. If the group is big enough I lean towards serving Magnums of Prosecco and Wine . Just the sight of a Magnum makes it feel like a party!
The best part about throwing a dinner party is that you get to spend time with your friends so remember to enjoy and by doing as much in advance in as possible you should have an amazing time and get to be a guest at your own party!
Menu
Scallop Ceviche w Guacamole & Plantain Chips
Clams with Fideo & Garlic Aioli
Coffee & Pomegranate Grilled Skirt Steak
Chilled String Bean Salad
Chocolate Bark w Black Cherries, Candied Ginger, Hazelnuts & Grapefruit Zest
Key Lime Pie
Scallop Ceviche
1 lb Bay Scallops cut in half
1 Large ripe Mango diced
1 small shallot finely diced
1 thai chili finely diced
Juice 1 1/2 limes
Juice 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sweet thai chili sauce
2 ripe avocados
Queens Hot Sauce or hot sauce of choice
In a medium size bowl combine Scallops, Mango, Shallots, Thai Chili, Juice 1 lime , 1/2 Lemon & Chili Sauce. Combine and let chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl add avocado and mash well. Add 1/2 juice of a lime, 1/2 the juice of one lemon, a couple of dashes of hot sauce and a few pinches of salt. Mix well. taste for seasoning and cover by placing plastic wrap directly onto guacamole and let chill with the Ceviche.
Serve the ceviche and guacamole in pretty dishes in a large platter with Plantain chips and Tortilla chips.
Clams with Fideo
5 Dozen little necks cleaned and rinsed
1 package fideo or spaghetti broken into 1 inch pieces
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoons saffron
1 cup Garlic Aioli
3 large leeks diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
In a large pot saute the leeks with the olive oil. Season with a teaspoon of salt. Add the stock and saffron and bring to a boil, add fideo to the pot and cook for about 7 minutes. Add clams, reduce to a simmer mix well and cover. Shake the pot frequently until the clams are open about 5 minutes. Pour everything into a large oven proof dish removing any clams that did not open. Pour the Aioli for the clams and place under the broiler for a minute or two – until the aioli had melted int everything. Serve family style.
Pomegranate and Coffee Skirt Steak
4 -5 lbs of skirt steak
2 cups room temperature black coffee
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic roughly chopped
3 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses
In a large Bowl combine the coffee, mustard, olive oil, garlic and Pomegranate Molasses. Mix well and add the skirt steak. Marinate for at least 3 hours and put to 24 hrs. When ready to grill bring out of the fridge for a least an hour before. Remove steak pat dry with a paper bowl and season with salt and pepper. Grill to your preferred temperature. 5 Minutes per side for rare, 7 minutes per side for medium and 10 minutes per side for well is a good rule of thumb. Make sure to slice against the grain and enjoy.
Chocolate Bark with Dried Cherries , Crystalized Ginger, Hazelnuts and Grapefruit Zest
2 bars semi sweet bakers chocolate
1 cup roughly chopped dried cherries
1 cup roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped Crystalized Ginger
Zest 1/2 ruby red grapefruit
1 bar white bakers chocolate
In a large heat proof bowl over simmer water melt the dark chocolate. Pour out onto a parchment lined cooking sheet. Spread with an offset spatula and sprinkle evenly with Cherries, Hazels Nuts , Ginger and Zest. Melt the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl over simmering water and splatter over the bark. Place in the refrigerator until cool. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
