Dinner party recipes for someone who eats yogurt for dinner
April 15, 2011 10:49 AM Subscribe
Go-to dinner party fare for recovering vegetarian?
After having my kitchen redone, I am keen to have lots of people over for dinner, but most of my experience is making a pretty casual dinner for two (easy fish dish), or something for a herd (soup, chili, stew). Most of my groups will be 4-5 people.
I am looking for something really tasty that is out of my soup pot comfort zone that says "dinner party." At this point, I have one proven recipe for 40-garlic chicken, but that will get old after a few weekends. What are your tried-and-true super delicious dinner recipes?
(I've seen this question and a few others, but I'm looking for something a little broader.)
After having my kitchen redone, I am keen to have lots of people over for dinner, but most of my experience is making a pretty casual dinner for two (easy fish dish), or something for a herd (soup, chili, stew). Most of my groups will be 4-5 people.
I am looking for something really tasty that is out of my soup pot comfort zone that says "dinner party." At this point, I have one proven recipe for 40-garlic chicken, but that will get old after a few weekends. What are your tried-and-true super delicious dinner recipes?
(I've seen this question and a few others, but I'm looking for something a little broader.)
Best answer: I'm not sure how "Recovering Vegetarian" informs what you're looking for, so you might clarify that to get better responses. That said, I'm a person who cooks a lot but almost never cooks meat, and am actually pretty nervous about getting meat done properly. With that as background, I had great results with devil's chicken thighs from Smitten Kitchen. It has a lot of steps, but you could do some of them ahead of time, its good for a dinner party because it has a nice long baking period at the end during which you can interact with your guests, and it came out perfectly the first time with no anxiety.
posted by juliapangolin at 11:06 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by juliapangolin at 11:06 AM on April 15, 2011
This might be useful; I've used it in the past for entertaining and quite liked it.
Otherwise, I tend to go with dishes I don't need recipes for: risotto, grilled ribs, pasta dishes. These are things I make all the time that can be fancied up so I don't have to keep checking the recipe while I'm cooking. I go on auto-pilot which frees me up to have a glass (or two or three) of wine and talk to my friends. You can already roast a chicken - you now have a basic technique you can fall back on while trying different flavor profiles.
posted by cooker girl at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2011
Otherwise, I tend to go with dishes I don't need recipes for: risotto, grilled ribs, pasta dishes. These are things I make all the time that can be fancied up so I don't have to keep checking the recipe while I'm cooking. I go on auto-pilot which frees me up to have a glass (or two or three) of wine and talk to my friends. You can already roast a chicken - you now have a basic technique you can fall back on while trying different flavor profiles.
posted by cooker girl at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2011
I'd recommend Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything and/or the vegetarian version. That said, there are plenty of pasta dishes that are easy to make for group dinners and easily made more or less meaty.
posted by maryr at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2011
posted by maryr at 11:17 AM on April 15, 2011
Best answer: Going through my Epicurious recipe box, here are some dinner party favorites:
Update your 40-garlic-cloves roasted chicken to this amazing Jamie Oliver recipe for Herbed Roasted Chicken. The side – potatoes and roasted celery root – is already built in. I usually end up being asked to share the recipe with friends and family after they've tried it.
If you ever need to make a last-minute dinner for guests, try this Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange and Avocado Salsa, served with seasonal veggies (i.e. sauteed snow peas and red radishes with dill). Healthy, you can substitute ahi tuna or other fish, and gets rave reviews every time.
I eat beef only once every couple of months, but I always come back to the following two recipes:
If you're looking to impress and are not too opposed to spending good money on a wine that you won't get to drink, this red wine sauce is always spectacular. I typically serve it with individual filets mignon, cooked to order (seared, then broiled).
For your summer outdoor grill parties, this Beef and Andouille Burger with Asiago Cheese is incredible. Like, the best thing ever. Don't change anything about the recipe: it's perfect. I've never had a guest try it and not demand to see the recipe.
As far as salads go, this Kale Salad with Pinenuts, Currants and Parmesan is great, unusual, and everyone loves it. The recipe calls for soaking the currants overnight, but microwaving them in the vinegar for a few minutes works just as well. It's certainly easier to make and eat with flat-leaf kale, but tastes just as good if you can only find the curly kind.
posted by halogen at 11:22 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Update your 40-garlic-cloves roasted chicken to this amazing Jamie Oliver recipe for Herbed Roasted Chicken. The side – potatoes and roasted celery root – is already built in. I usually end up being asked to share the recipe with friends and family after they've tried it.
If you ever need to make a last-minute dinner for guests, try this Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange and Avocado Salsa, served with seasonal veggies (i.e. sauteed snow peas and red radishes with dill). Healthy, you can substitute ahi tuna or other fish, and gets rave reviews every time.
I eat beef only once every couple of months, but I always come back to the following two recipes:
If you're looking to impress and are not too opposed to spending good money on a wine that you won't get to drink, this red wine sauce is always spectacular. I typically serve it with individual filets mignon, cooked to order (seared, then broiled).
For your summer outdoor grill parties, this Beef and Andouille Burger with Asiago Cheese is incredible. Like, the best thing ever. Don't change anything about the recipe: it's perfect. I've never had a guest try it and not demand to see the recipe.
As far as salads go, this Kale Salad with Pinenuts, Currants and Parmesan is great, unusual, and everyone loves it. The recipe calls for soaking the currants overnight, but microwaving them in the vinegar for a few minutes works just as well. It's certainly easier to make and eat with flat-leaf kale, but tastes just as good if you can only find the curly kind.
posted by halogen at 11:22 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
We have discovered that a bit of activity involved in the eating makes for a fun dinner party. It's more fun to feel as if there are more cooks in the kitchen, even if you are only letting your guests really participate minimally to keep you sane and the meal on the table on time. So for example:
Slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches and then you make a fun slaw (Mark Bittman has a bunch of cole slaws I believe listed in his summer no-stove meals list)
- everyone has to assemble their own sandwich and brush on the vinegar dressing. Come to think of, most fancy-sandwich assembling is fun. Consider a gourmet-grilled-cheese dinner party too.
For bigger parties that involve some kind of TV event (ahem, deathly boring Academy Awards!) we have had dumpling wrapping parties - this involves some prep work to assemble the fillings (we do a ground pork + mushroom, or pureed shrimp + cilantro + scallion) or shredded carrots + cabbage bound + egg whites), and some manual dexterity lessons, but then you end up with a bunch of friends sitting around the table, sipping wine, wrapping lumpy dumplings and laughing at someone's getup on the tv. And then you boil them in a flash and dip them in soy sauce and shredded ginger. Good party.
I recently discovered that mussels in a white wine / tomato broth is the easiest thing in the world - just pour in and steam for a couple of minutes - Add an argula salad and crusty bread. Impressive, fun to eat, and when you are done with the meal and surrounded by shells, you'll all feel an incredible sense of accomplishment - you opened so many shells!
Might Dinner Party Power!
posted by sestaaak at 11:25 AM on April 15, 2011
Slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches and then you make a fun slaw (Mark Bittman has a bunch of cole slaws I believe listed in his summer no-stove meals list)
- everyone has to assemble their own sandwich and brush on the vinegar dressing. Come to think of, most fancy-sandwich assembling is fun. Consider a gourmet-grilled-cheese dinner party too.
For bigger parties that involve some kind of TV event (ahem, deathly boring Academy Awards!) we have had dumpling wrapping parties - this involves some prep work to assemble the fillings (we do a ground pork + mushroom, or pureed shrimp + cilantro + scallion) or shredded carrots + cabbage bound + egg whites), and some manual dexterity lessons, but then you end up with a bunch of friends sitting around the table, sipping wine, wrapping lumpy dumplings and laughing at someone's getup on the tv. And then you boil them in a flash and dip them in soy sauce and shredded ginger. Good party.
I recently discovered that mussels in a white wine / tomato broth is the easiest thing in the world - just pour in and steam for a couple of minutes - Add an argula salad and crusty bread. Impressive, fun to eat, and when you are done with the meal and surrounded by shells, you'll all feel an incredible sense of accomplishment - you opened so many shells!
Might Dinner Party Power!
posted by sestaaak at 11:25 AM on April 15, 2011
Best answer: Make your own ravioli (purchased dumpling wrappers are the easy way to go) . Fill with anything you like, meat or non, and top with a very light sauce to let the fillings speak for themselves. Optional to toss in a complement in the same dish, e.g. brussel sprouts, or chunks of sausage, or roasted garlic cloves, or whatever.
A few things we did last fall were beet and goat cheese filling with a sage butter sauce and toasted walnuts, pumpkin filling with blue cheese sauce, and one of my favorites, the "steak dinner" - blue cheese raviolis and arugula-onion raviolis, tossed with caramelized onions and little 3/4" cubes of steak.
posted by aimedwander at 11:26 AM on April 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
A few things we did last fall were beet and goat cheese filling with a sage butter sauce and toasted walnuts, pumpkin filling with blue cheese sauce, and one of my favorites, the "steak dinner" - blue cheese raviolis and arugula-onion raviolis, tossed with caramelized onions and little 3/4" cubes of steak.
posted by aimedwander at 11:26 AM on April 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
And again on the pseudo-participatory dinner party tip: my friend once had a "make your own pizza" party in which she prepared the dough, laid out all these different toppings in little bowls, and had each guest point out their own combination. Everyone ended up eating a slice of each pizza that was made, more or less, but it was fun to feel as if we *each* had contributed somehow to everyone's enjoyment, even though all I did was point my grubby fingers at the mushrooms and goat cheeses and my friend really did all of the work.
posted by sestaaak at 11:32 AM on April 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by sestaaak at 11:32 AM on April 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
BYOB. That is, of course Build Your Own Burrito. Offer a selection of fillings: rice, beans, chicken, beef, sauteed onions and peppers, a few varieties of salsa, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, etc. and large tortillas.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: not sure how "Recovering Vegetarian" informs what you're looking for
Sorry if that was confusing. It probably doesn't inform what I'm looking for so much as it explains how I've gotten this far and only know how to make soups and stew-type dishes.
posted by *s at 12:04 PM on April 15, 2011
Sorry if that was confusing. It probably doesn't inform what I'm looking for so much as it explains how I've gotten this far and only know how to make soups and stew-type dishes.
posted by *s at 12:04 PM on April 15, 2011
Best answer: I recently made Nigella Lawson's recipe for ham cooked in cherry coke, and it was a big hit. Simple and forgiving, time-wise, too. I roasted asparagus and made a layered goat cheese/yellow squash/new potato gratin with it - all easy to get ready ahead. I find with dinner parties that the less last-minute work, the better (that way I can have wine with the guests!)
posted by tizzie at 12:31 PM on April 15, 2011
posted by tizzie at 12:31 PM on April 15, 2011
This is a close approx of the gratin recipe, but mine didn't add olive oil.
posted by tizzie at 12:33 PM on April 15, 2011
posted by tizzie at 12:33 PM on April 15, 2011
My most successful parties are bread, cheese, salad and charcuterie. My husband's a chef, and usually, I get the bright idea for a party on the spur of the moment. Rather than ask him to cook, I just buy the best cheese and meats I can afford. Sometimes, I'll bake the bread, depending on how rushed I am. I think the secret is to have lots of a few things, plenty of amusing little garnishes and condiments and lots of wine. People linger at the table, eat everything in sight, and then I'll splash out on a great dessert, usually homemade.
No last minute fuss, not much to clean up and if there are leftovers, I know I'll use them up.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:56 PM on April 15, 2011
No last minute fuss, not much to clean up and if there are leftovers, I know I'll use them up.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:56 PM on April 15, 2011
A very good recipe for spicy shrimp soup. I also make this with chunks of boneless chicken breast, omitting the clam juice. You can add a teaspoon or two of red pepper flakes to it if you like things spicy.
posted by luckynerd at 3:22 PM on April 15, 2011
posted by luckynerd at 3:22 PM on April 15, 2011
Best answer: stuffed squash! looks so impressive but is so simple!
cut a butternut squash in half, bake it in the oven.
meanwhile, cook up some couscous, then fry it in a pan with peppers/spices (best with warm brown spices like garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, etc)/onions/garlic until it is nice and flavourful.
remove the squash from the oven when it is mooshy, scoop out most of the filling, mix it with the couscous. put it back in the squash. grate some sort of cheese on top. bake it for another ~20 minutes. bingo!
goat-cheese stuffed eggplant rigatonis!
cut some eggplant into thin strips, then par-boil or steam them till soft.
meanwhile, make a tomato sauce - onions, garlic, herbs, fresh/canned tomatoes. standard fare.
while that's happening, steam some spinach. mix with goat cheese and herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, scarborough fair whatever). lay the flat eggplant pieces out, spoon a little bit of goat cheese into one end and roll them up.
put all of the little rigatonis (one big eggplant makes like a million) into a baking pan.
spoon the tomato sauce onto the rigatonis, bake in the oven for, you know, awhile.
chicken breast with fennel and orange zest!
zest an orange, or several. add that zest and the juice of one orange with a lot of freshly ground fennel seeds. add a little bit of oil (olive works but lately I'm obsessed with avocado).
Spoon this all over some chicken breasts. let it sit in the fridge for a little bit. fry up some onions and oil in a hot skillet then throw in the chicken breasks, cook until the chicken is done (I am constantly terrified of undercooking chicken and cut it open about nineteen times a chicken breast to make sure it's OK so I feel your pain)
cook with quinoa, cous cous, bulgar, or other grains!
it makes your meals look interesting.
roast chicken with lemon and garlic and herbs UNDER THE SKIN!
I've never made this but it was so good I had it at a dinner party I almost ate the whole bird. delicious served cold, too.
fancy salad!
salad made with: spring mix greens, herbs still in there, orange zest, nuts, fennel, edible flowers, that sorta shit. people go AWOL for it.
tip from my mother:
never have more than one thing on the plate of the same colour!
so no cauliflower and mashed potatoes at the same time.
posted by ameliaaah at 7:26 PM on April 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
cut a butternut squash in half, bake it in the oven.
meanwhile, cook up some couscous, then fry it in a pan with peppers/spices (best with warm brown spices like garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, etc)/onions/garlic until it is nice and flavourful.
remove the squash from the oven when it is mooshy, scoop out most of the filling, mix it with the couscous. put it back in the squash. grate some sort of cheese on top. bake it for another ~20 minutes. bingo!
goat-cheese stuffed eggplant rigatonis!
cut some eggplant into thin strips, then par-boil or steam them till soft.
meanwhile, make a tomato sauce - onions, garlic, herbs, fresh/canned tomatoes. standard fare.
while that's happening, steam some spinach. mix with goat cheese and herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, scarborough fair whatever). lay the flat eggplant pieces out, spoon a little bit of goat cheese into one end and roll them up.
put all of the little rigatonis (one big eggplant makes like a million) into a baking pan.
spoon the tomato sauce onto the rigatonis, bake in the oven for, you know, awhile.
chicken breast with fennel and orange zest!
zest an orange, or several. add that zest and the juice of one orange with a lot of freshly ground fennel seeds. add a little bit of oil (olive works but lately I'm obsessed with avocado).
Spoon this all over some chicken breasts. let it sit in the fridge for a little bit. fry up some onions and oil in a hot skillet then throw in the chicken breasks, cook until the chicken is done (I am constantly terrified of undercooking chicken and cut it open about nineteen times a chicken breast to make sure it's OK so I feel your pain)
cook with quinoa, cous cous, bulgar, or other grains!
it makes your meals look interesting.
roast chicken with lemon and garlic and herbs UNDER THE SKIN!
I've never made this but it was so good I had it at a dinner party I almost ate the whole bird. delicious served cold, too.
fancy salad!
salad made with: spring mix greens, herbs still in there, orange zest, nuts, fennel, edible flowers, that sorta shit. people go AWOL for it.
tip from my mother:
never have more than one thing on the plate of the same colour!
so no cauliflower and mashed potatoes at the same time.
posted by ameliaaah at 7:26 PM on April 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kenchie at 11:05 AM on April 15, 2011 [1 favorite]