A dinner party so easy you don’t even need recipes
People often tell me they simply can’t cook without a recipe. But often you don’t really need one: You need a technique, a method.
Though quantities are given, the three dishes in this menu don’t require strict adherence to a recipe. All that is needed is confidence and a sense of direction. Then you can adapt and substitute, depending on personal taste and what you have on hand.
Take this citrus salad first course, which spotlights the sweet navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges, ruby red grapefruit and mandarins at the market right now. The concept is utterly simple: Arrange this in-season fruit on a plate, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Voilà.
Customize the salad to suit you. Make it with only sliced oranges, or use a mixture of citrus. I chose daikon radish slices to add crunch, but you may choose a different radish, or skip it. I found gorgeous spicy watercress to add to my salad. You might choose radicchio instead, or forgo greens altogether and garnish the salad with fresh mint leaves. Whichever variation you come up with, you’ll have a bright, beautiful, refreshing salad.
For the main course, cauliflower cheese, a British comfort-food classic, you really don’t need a recipe. Again, it’s the technique you need, specifically making a white sauce (béchamel). Cook together equal parts butter and flour, then whisk in a couple of cups of milk.
Blanch whole heads of cauliflower or use large florets. Coat the cauliflower in sauce, shower with whatever kind of cheese you like and bake until golden and bubbling. Cheddar is traditional, but I also used provolone, Asiago and feta for added sharpness. The “recipe” is quite forgiving, and because cauliflower cheese can often be a bit bland, I added a sprinkling of cumin seeds and a touch of ground cayenne. Baked cauliflower for dinner on its own is lovely, but it can also be a vegetable accompaniment, say, for roast chicken (which, dare I say, you could even make without a recipe).
You also won’t need an exact recipe to make chocolate bark, not a dessert per se, but a little something sweet to nibble after a meal or with coffee. As for the details, dark chocolate is my preference. Use pistachio, almonds or hazelnuts. A little sea salt is nice, or you can use roasted salted nuts. The bark looks so elegant, friends will think you have pastry training.
With these and many other dishes, a little kitchen knowledge goes a long way. When asked for the recipe, simply say it’s more about intuition than instruction.
4 navel oranges
1 medium grapefruit (redfleshed)
1 (6-inch) chunk of daikon radish
1 bunch watercress (or upland cress)
Salt and black pepper 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. With a sharp knife, remove skin and pith from the oranges and grapefruit. Cut the fruit crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, discarding any seeds.
2. Peel daikon and slice into thin rounds.
3. Arrange watercress sprigs, citrus and radish on a platter or individual plates.
4. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
Salt and black pepper
2 (1 1/2-pound) heads cauliflower
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the pan
3tablespoons all-purpose flour
2cups whole milk or half-andhalf
Small pinch of grated nutmeg Small pinch of ground cayenne
1cup grated sharp Cheddar (3 ounces)
1cup grated provolone or Asiago cheese (3ounces) 1cup crumbled feta (4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon cumin, caraway or fennel seed
2tablespoons chopped parsley 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. With a paring knife, remove the tough core from the bottom of each cauliflower. Working one at a time, lower
Thea’s Mandarin March Cosmo. 8 ounces dark chocolate baking wafers
1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios
Cauliflower cheese.
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the wafers in a bowl, then set bowl over a pan of rapidly boiling water (or use a double boiler).
2. Allow chocolate to melt completely, stirring frequently, then pour onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Sprinkle the surface with chopped pistachios. Leave in a cool place to harden, about 2 hours. To serve, break bark into rough pieces.
Pistachio chocolate bark.