With care, no need to dread a dinner party
I love throwing dinner parties.
Don’t get me wrong — I am not the second coming of Martha Stewart. But my idea of a great time is sharing a meal with friends.
Through years of trial and error, I finally figured out the rules to winning at entertaining:
Keep the numbers manageable: four to eight people.
If you are inviting more than four, invite people that know each other, have common interests or are so much fun.
Keep the menu simple and only experiment on guests when it is an official taste-testing evening.
Here is a simple, easy-toprepare dinner party for four. Want to invite extras? Go ahead and double all of the recipes.
Note: The serving sizes are according to Canada’s Health Guide.
Grilled Salmon Fillets with Raspberry Salsa
You can’t beat fresh British Columbia sockeye salmon. It’s loaded with heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Add in the goodness of local raspberries and this recipe is a winner in the flavour and health departments. It’s adapted from Healthy Starts Here! (Whitecap 2011) and serves 4.
1 13-oz (370-mL) salmon fillet cut into 4 equal pieces 1½ cups (375 mL) fresh raspberries Zest of one lime 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lime juice ¼ cup (60 mL) cilantro, finely chopped 2 green onions, sliced thinly 1 tsp (5 mL) red pepper flakes 1 tsp (5 mL) extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
Preheat barbecue or indoor grill to high. Rinse the raspberries, drain well and lay out on paper towels or a tea towel to dry.
Rinse the lime and dry it well before you zest it. Toss together the zest, fresh lime juice, cilantro, green onion, red pepper flakes and oil in a large bowl. Gently toss in the raspberries. Set aside.
Place salmon fillets on grill and close the lid. Reduce heat to medium. Grill until the salmon releases from the grill, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip over. Close the lid and cook until just done, about 3 to 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Do not overcook the fish as this will dry it out. The fish should reach an internal temperature of 160 F (70 C).
To serve, put one piece of grilled salmon on each person’s plate and spoon one quarter of the salsa over.
Summer Smashed Potatoes
Steaming new potatoes helps prevent them from going mushy. Serves 4
12 small new local potatoes, rinsed well 1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Place a steamer basket inside a medium saucepan and add enough water so that the water is just below the bottom of the basket.
Place potatoes in the basket, cover and bring the water to the boil. Reduce heat to medium high and steam for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are just soft.
Remove potatoes from steamer basket, drain any water left in the pot. Put potatoes back into the pot and smash them with a large fork or a pastry cutter.
Drizzle with oil, mix in with a fork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.
Rustic Heirloom Tomato Salad
You can find heirloom tomatoes at most farmers markets.
24-30 heirloom grape or heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters ¼ cup (60 mL) feta cheese, crumbled 8 kalamata olives, pitted and quartered 4-6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces 8-12 fresh oregano leaves, whole 4 tsp (20 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Place a quarter of the tomatoes on each person’s plate. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the feta cheese and a quarter of the olives.
Sprinkle with a quarter of the fresh basil and oregano leaves and drizzle each serving with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the extra virgin olive oil.