FANDANGO Catering in its continuing blog series, "Fall Entertaining Ideas," offers easy fall party and get-together food ideas.
These ideas are for smaller parties and get-togethers, so popular in fall when the weather turns cooler and appetites are a little heartier after the long hot summer days, when many are on vacation. But fall days are busy, so these ideas can be put together quickly with a combination of made and bought ingredients. The important thing is to get together with people you care about and have an easy meal that everyone will love!
One of the easiest ways to do this is to serve just three dishes: a salad, a one-dish entree, and a dessert. The following ideas can be done by just one person or if another helps that's even easier.
Idea 1:
Salad: Buy fresh spinach or baby mixed greens and cherry or heirloom tomatoes from a farmer's market. Halve the cherry tomatoes or dice the heirlooms. Wash the spinach well so no sand remains, then on a cutting board roll the spinach or greens up like a rope and cut crosswise with a chef's knife--this is called a "chiffonade" and makes long ribbons. Then cut the ribbons in half. With this technique you don't need to buy a lot of greens and the presentation is pretty. Mix the tomatoes and greens and make a fresh herb vinaigrette: Mix 1 cup olive oil with 1/4 cup sherry or cider vinegar and blend in a blender with 1/2 cup fresh mixed herbs. Add honey, salt, and pepper to taste; or, if you want a creamy dressing, add 1-2 tbsp. or more heavy cream.
Entree: Buy a seasoned pork or beef loin and add a little more dried herbs, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, or a salt-free blend. Buy slivered root vegetables (available at better supermarkets) and then cut into fourths a few Bosc pears. Put all in a baking dish, drizzle white wine mixed with a little chicken broth over, and bake according to the loin package time, basting every few minutes until done. Serve with pan juices.
Dessert: Buy a great marble chocolate cheesecake and serve with coffee or wine.
Idea 2
Salad: Same as above--it's a great salad!
Entree: Buy a mix to make white chicken chili but doctor it up with white or Marsala wine, 3-4 chiles de árbol, and about 1/2-1 cup heavy cream at the end. This white chicken chili is elegant but spicy! To carry out the theme of "an elegant chili gathering," serve scallions and grated Fontina cheese for topping the chili instead of the usual Cheddar or Jack.
Dessert: Since the entree is spicy, serve a couple of flavors of ice cream with a master touch--Dulce de leche sauce (you can buy one at better or gourmet supermarkets). Mix a bit of chocolate syrup into the dulce de leche and, if you're feeling indulgent, add some mini chocolate chips to the top of the sundaes.
Idea 3
Salad: Same salad
Entree: Fettucine with Marsala Bolognese--Finely chop 2-3 green onions and sauté in 2 tbsp. butter with a little olive oil. In same saute pan brown ground beef or pork, then add a pinch of cinnamon and allspice, a non-acidic pasta sauce (like Ragú traditional) if you don't make your own homemade marinara (and who does, except our Chef Jesús?), 1/2 cup Marsala wine, and 1/2 cup Parmigiano. Let simmer 5-8 minutes and then add 1/2 cup diced Fontina, Gruyere, or Munster cheese and stir until blended. Simmer a minute or two more,then add 1/2 cup heavy or sour cream or a mixture and do not let boil. Serve with fresh cooked fettucine or linguine (available fresh or fresh refrigerated at supermarkets).
Dessert: Layer and bake chunks of French baguette, chunks of chocolate, raisins, heavy cream, nutmeg, and a little Moscatel or other sweet wine or sweet sherry in a ceramic baking dish or individual ramekins. Bake about 10 minutes or just until chocolate melts and all is hot and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Director of Sales & Operations
FANDANGO Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
(281) 796-9841
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