Ideas for my girls night dinner menu

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m having a couple of girlfriends over on Saturday night. Thinking of serving agrodolce salmon with an arugula salad and….? Saffron Risotto or maybe a couscous pilaf for a carb? Thoughts on a vegetable side?

Sounds heavy, and you need more acid to cut through the fat of the risotto. I would do arugula with a balsamic or other vinegar base. Put out an appetizer board with pickled veggies, olives, etc.

This is OP, and yes I would do the Emeril arugula salad - which is a vinaigrette dressing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love food, but I didn't know what agrodolce was. I don't know if I would love that. If you feel very confident about it, go ahead. If not, could you do half the salmon plain, or with a pesto or chimichurri topping?

I think you are on the right track! Maybe one more vegetable dish. This salad is amazing -- more like a side dish than a salad -- and easy to make ahead.

https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-moroccan-spicy-carrot-salad-recipe-snap-20170119-story.html

Thanks - I was thinking another veg too, obviously, and that salad looks interesting. I’ve never made anything from Ottolenghi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love food, but I didn't know what agrodolce was. I don't know if I would love that. If you feel very confident about it, go ahead. If not, could you do half the salmon plain, or with a pesto or chimichurri topping?

I think you are on the right track! Maybe one more vegetable dish. This salad is amazing -- more like a side dish than a salad -- and easy to make ahead.

https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-moroccan-spicy-carrot-salad-recipe-snap-20170119-story.html

I think it sounds delicious! (And didn't know what it was either - looked it up and now would like to be invited over for dinner.)

Agree that salmon, salad, and a carb is plenty. Cous cous, rice, nice bread, whatever. Another veggie dish would of course also be good! Even something like broccoli sauteed in olive oil with garlic and lemon - something simple.

OP again, and (obviously) I think agrodolce is delicious too - you should try sometime (I’d invite you but it’d be a LONG drive as I’m not in the DC area lol).

The recipe I’m planning to use is this one (but with the watercress salad swapped for my arugula one) https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/agrodolce-salmon-12273514

[Anonymous]

I have prepared salmon basically like this many times and had no idea it is called agrodulce!

I think that Katie Lee watercress salad sounds interesting, although I am always a fan of arugula and like the bite with this sweet/spicy/smoky salmon preparation.

Your menu sounds good to me and I also think a veg side not necessary but you could roast brussels and then toss in a little red wine vinegar and honey.

[Anonymous]

I guess I'm an outlier , but salmon and weird sounding sides don't really sound appealing nor do they have a "girls night vibe".

I guess you're envisioning sitting around the dining room table, a few bottles of wine, and chatting as your definitely of girls' night?

I woukd go with foods that are easier to eat and a broader variety- tapas, empenadas, brushetta + variety of toppings, mini kabobs, etc

Can you go more casual instead? A really good pizza or two from a local place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love food, but I didn't know what agrodolce was. I don't know if I would love that. If you feel very confident about it, go ahead. If not, could you do half the salmon plain, or with a pesto or chimichurri topping?

I think you are on the right track! Maybe one more vegetable dish. This salad is amazing -- more like a side dish than a salad -- and easy to make ahead.

https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-moroccan-spicy-carrot-salad-recipe-snap-20170119-story.html

I think it sounds delicious! (And didn't know what it was either - looked it up and now would like to be invited over for dinner.)

Agree that salmon, salad, and a carb is plenty. Cous cous, rice, nice bread, whatever. Another veggie dish would of course also be good! Even something like broccoli sauteed in olive oil with garlic and lemon - something simple.

OP again, and (obviously) I think agrodolce is delicious too - you should try sometime (I’d invite you but it’d be a LONG drive as I’m not in the DC area lol).

The recipe I’m planning to use is this one (but with the watercress salad swapped for my arugula one) https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/agrodolce-salmon-12273514

Wow that looks good - thanks for the recipe. I think your friends are going to be very happy with dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m having a couple of girlfriends over on Saturday night. Thinking of serving agrodolce salmon with an arugula salad and….? Saffron Risotto or maybe a couscous pilaf for a carb? Thoughts on a vegetable side?

Sounds heavy, and you need more acid to cut through the fat of the risotto. I would do arugula with a balsamic or other vinegar base. Put out an appetizer board with pickled veggies, olives, etc.

What - this sounds perfect. Do you know what arugula is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm an outlier , but salmon and weird sounding sides don't really sound appealing nor do they have a "girls night vibe".

I guess you're envisioning sitting around the dining room table, a few bottles of wine, and chatting as your definitely of girls' night?

I woukd go with foods that are easier to eat and a broader variety- tapas, empenadas, brushetta + variety of toppings, mini kabobs, etc

Can you go more casual instead? A really good pizza or two from a local place?

While I love a spread like this with a variety of things it's so much more work as a hostess. Each item has its own components and serving ware. You need to have enough variety for it to be filling. What the OP proposed is much simpler and easy to prepare and serve and will allow her to enjoy the evening. And how is her meal hard to eat? Presumably they are sitting at a table with utensils and not standing around having to hold plates and wine glasses.

Also I would not go more casual and serve pizza. If you have the opportunity to make a nice meal for your friends go for it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm an outlier , but salmon and weird sounding sides don't really sound appealing nor do they have a "girls night vibe".

I guess you're envisioning sitting around the dining room table, a few bottles of wine, and chatting as your definitely of girls' night?

I woukd go with foods that are easier to eat and a broader variety- tapas, empenadas, brushetta + variety of toppings, mini kabobs, etc

Can you go more casual instead? A really good pizza or two from a local place?

While I love a spread like this with a variety of things it's so much more work as a hostess. Each item has its own components and serving ware. You need to have enough variety for it to be filling. What the OP proposed is much simpler and easy to prepare and serve and will allow her to enjoy the evening. And how is her meal hard to eat? Presumably they are sitting at a table with utensils and not standing around having to hold plates and wine glasses.

Also I would not go more casual and serve pizza. If you have the opportunity to make a nice meal for your friends go for it!

This is OP - and yes, us seated around the table and chatting with a couple bottles of wine is the vision for this night. I also like the tapas-style meals that was suggest 2 posts up - but for larger groups. There are only going to be a few of us this weekend - as in, 3 or 4 - so it's much more of a dinner party, not people standing around socializing/cocktail party style. The quoted poster immediately above identifies the method to my madness - way too much work to make a large variety of items for just a few people - I was going for a menu that allowed me to enjoy the evening nearly as much as my guests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm an outlier , but salmon and weird sounding sides don't really sound appealing nor do they have a "girls night vibe".

I guess you're envisioning sitting around the dining room table, a few bottles of wine, and chatting as your definitely of girls' night?

I woukd go with foods that are easier to eat and a broader variety- tapas, empenadas, brushetta + variety of toppings, mini kabobs, etc

Can you go more casual instead? A really good pizza or two from a local place?

What is weird about an arugula salad and risotto? What would "normal" sides be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love food, but I didn't know what agrodolce was. I don't know if I would love that. If you feel very confident about it, go ahead. If not, could you do half the salmon plain, or with a pesto or chimichurri topping?

I think you are on the right track! Maybe one more vegetable dish. This salad is amazing -- more like a side dish than a salad -- and easy to make ahead.

https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-moroccan-spicy-carrot-salad-recipe-snap-20170119-story.html

I think it sounds delicious! (And didn't know what it was either - looked it up and now would like to be invited over for dinner.)

Agree that salmon, salad, and a carb is plenty. Cous cous, rice, nice bread, whatever. Another veggie dish would of course also be good! Even something like broccoli sauteed in olive oil with garlic and lemon - something simple.

OP again, and (obviously) I think agrodolce is delicious too - you should try sometime (I’d invite you but it’d be a LONG drive as I’m not in the DC area lol).

The recipe I’m planning to use is this one (but with the watercress salad swapped for my arugula one) https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/agrodolce-salmon-12273514

Wow that looks good - thanks for the recipe. I think your friends are going to be very happy with dinner.

You’re welcome - and I hope so! I may post back on how it all comes together.