Dinner Party for Six
From Meg's Kitchen
The following salad recipe is in keeping with our "Indian Summer/don't-mind-the-heat" theme.
The hubs and I are loosely affiliated with a local church group. We don't attend Sunday service because we are usually out of town at our place on the coast but we do believe in the church doctrine and we contribute financially by way of their annual silent auction. We offer two or three themed dinners each year for usually 4 to 8 participants. I have heard that the bidding can be very competitive and there are folks who show up to our table on a regular basis. I really try to make the dinners special because I know that these diners have paid much more to the cause than I am spending for the meal ingredients. Last week we hosted an auction dinner for four and the theme was "Chopped". Each attendee was allowed to submit an ingredient to be included in the menu. The hubs and I also added ingredients so there were a total of six. Following are the 6 ingredients, the menu and a recipe. By-the-way, I should add that two participants were gluten free and one was cow-dairy free.
Ingredients:
Chocolate
Mango
Crab
Beets
Watermelon
Tomato
Menu:
Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed With Smoked Oysters
Sun Dried Tomato Aioli with raw vegetables
Watermelon and Beet Salad
Baked Crab Cakes with Mango Salsa
Corn on the Cob
Grilled Green Beans
Flourless Chocolate Cake topped with Mango Whipped Cream or Mango Glaze
The dinner was a huge success both for the church and participant enjoyment (so they said). And it was an easy menu for me to cook. I've made flour-less chocolate cake many times before and it remains a favorite. However, I have never topped it with Mango Whipped Cream. So all of the dishes were new or somewhat new.
Last week I was out to lunch with my mother and sister (a rare event because of distance) and had a watermelon and beet salad that was really good. Motivated to recreate the salad since beets and watermelon were suggested ingredients I rose to the occasion. Following is my adapted recipe for six (easily reduced):
Last week I was out to lunch with my mother and sister (a rare event because of distance) and had a watermelon and beet salad that was really good. Motivated to recreate the salad since beets and watermelon were suggested ingredients I rose to the occasion. Following is my adapted recipe for six (easily reduced):
2 TBSP lemon juice
2TBSP olive oil
8 basil leaves, slivered
big pinch of salt
3 cups baby greens (loosely packed)
6 1-inch-thick slices of a small seedless watermelon with rind removed
6 small to medium beets roasted, peeled and cooled (I cheated and used vacuum sealed cooked and peeled purchased at one of my favorite stores - so much simpler)
crumbled feta or dried goat cheese to sprinkle over
toasted hazelnuts or pistachios to sprinkle over
In a small jar, add lemon juice, oil, basil and salt. Shake to emulsify.
Mix 1/2 of the dressing with the greens. Plate the greens on 6 dishes. Top with a slice of watermelon. Slice (cooled) beets into 1/4-inch thick slices and layer on top of the watermelon (about 1 beet per serving) Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and nuts. Evenly divide remaining dressing over each plate.
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