Dinner party menu

[Anonymous]

Only criteria is no shellfish/seafood
also not interested in salad because they are boring and everyone takes it as an obligatory scoop on their plate

Here are the things I'm fairly confident about making:

Appetizer
squash/roasted carrot or sweet potato soup
or
potato leek soup

Main
boeuf bourgignon
various chicken dishes but not whole roasted
various casserole and pasta dishes

Side dishes
scalloped potatoes
ratatouille or similar
carrots
peas
risotto or similar


What would go together?

[Anonymous]

Soup plus a stew or casserole plus scalloped potatoes or ratatouille (thought this is the lightest) is a lot of heavy, long-cooked things. I really think a stew or casserole needs something lighter and brighter to accompany, so I would absolutely encourage a salad with those as the entree options.

[Anonymous]

You can't have soup and then a stew so bourgignon is out.

Really, with your strengths, I would reconsider having a salad to start. Why not make a nice composed one? Individually plated with nice cheese and maybe citrus or pears and toasted nuts? Then you could make bourgignon and scalloped potatoes (so great because they are made ahead).

[Anonymous]

Your list reminds me of the meals on airplanes. I’d do catered or high end market/store where you can take it out of the containers and reheat/serve on nice serveware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can't have soup and then a stew so bourgignon is out.

Really, with your strengths, I would reconsider having a salad to start. Why not make a nice composed one? Individually plated with nice cheese and maybe citrus or pears and toasted nuts? Then you could make bourgignon and scalloped potatoes (so great because they are made ahead).

okay, I'm listening on the composed salad idea. That sounds better than what I was thinking.
pear with walnut? strawberry with basil and pistachios? I don't know much about serving citrus in salad.
I think my decisions are going to have to be made at time of shopping (are the pears ripe? can I buy them and ripen? are there blood oranges?) etc. so would be good to have options and feel confident

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your list reminds me of the meals on airplanes. I’d do catered or high end market/store where you can take it out of the containers and reheat/serve on nice serveware.

What would you make?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't have soup and then a stew so bourgignon is out.

Really, with your strengths, I would reconsider having a salad to start. Why not make a nice composed one? Individually plated with nice cheese and maybe citrus or pears and toasted nuts? Then you could make bourgignon and scalloped potatoes (so great because they are made ahead).

okay, I'm listening on the composed salad idea. That sounds better than what I was thinking.
pear with walnut? strawberry with basil and pistachios? I don't know much about serving citrus in salad.
I think my decisions are going to have to be made at time of shopping (are the pears ripe? can I buy them and ripen? are there blood oranges?) etc. so would be good to have options and feel confident

PP - here's a very easy formula. Use butter lettuce as the base or baby green leaf. depending on what's in season, these taste good together: 1. fresh oranges and candied almonds with a rice wine dressing and a little feta, 2. pears and toasted pecans with a light balsamic dressing and parmesan shavings, 3. thin sliced apples with walnuts and blue or cheddar cheese and sherry dressing. Any time you can add pickled onions, that elevates it too.

Really, it's just a matter of mixing and matching. And make your own dressing. Olive oil + sherry/balsamic/white wine vinegar or citrus juice + complementary herb if it works.

[Anonymous]

PP here - even easier than individually plated, put the entire salad on a large platter - looks great and is easier to compose at the last minute. Make the dressing and prepare the nuts ahead. Citrus can be prepped ahead too.

[Anonymous]

Cold roasted beets are another great salad addition instead of fruit. And in season now.

[Anonymous]

Endives with Oranges and Almonds
Inspired by a version at José Andrés’ Bazaar in Miami Beach

Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a light meal

3 oranges (I used 2 navel and one cara cara orange)
2 heads of endive
2 ounces soft goat cheese or chevre, crumbled
1/3 cup sliced almonds or chopped marcona almonds, well-toasted
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for drizzling
Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced chives
Flaky or other sea salt, to finish

Cut the top and bottom off your oranges, exposing the citrus flesh inside. Then, resting on either end, cut the peels, including the white pith, off the oranges. [Set aside for orangettes!] Use your knife to cut between each membrane and orange segment, cutting only so far as the center, which should release the orange segments. You can chop them once or twice more, so the pieces are not too large.

Trim end off endives and arrange individual leaves on a medium platter. Add a few orange chunks to each, then goat cheese crumbles and almonds. Season with black pepper, then drizzle with a very thin stream of olive oil. Add a few droplets of sherry vinegar to each “boat.” Scatter chives over and finish each with sea salt.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the great suggestions for the salad!

So am I covered for main/sides? Any suggestions? I can cook other things and do have time to practice. I just thought those ones would be well-received.

Dessert, I've got covered!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the great suggestions for the salad!

So am I covered for main/sides? Any suggestions? I can cook other things and do have time to practice. I just thought those ones would be well-received.

Dessert, I've got covered!

I wouldn’t do scalloped potatoes with boeuf Bourgogne, I think it’s still too heavy. Maybe some simple roasted potatoes or better some polenta or just good crusty bread. Start with a salad. That’s enough.