what makes a dinner party?

What does it take to qualify for a dinner party, I wonder? Is it in the number of guests? Or courses? I’m not sure.

In any case, inviting my husband’s best friend over for dinner and to see our new flat qualifies in my mind.

Key ingredients for the dinner party: wine (the type depends on the season, the food, and your mood) and excitement.

And I am excited. I’ve been thinking of what to serve for days. I’m not going to go all out, though – after all, it is a Monday and I have to rush home after a long day’s work. And I don’t want to be paying for it days later.

Appetizer:
Fennel and parmesan salad

Main course:
Seared tuna with green peppercorns
Roasted plum tomatoes
Risotto

Dessert:
Strawberry frozen yogurt with fresh raspberries

I must divulge my inspiration: an old South Beach Phase 1 recipe. Like many, I grappled with South Beach – I won a few battles, but alas, I lost the war. I simply had to deny myself too much and often felt ill for lack of energy. But there were a few gems.

Tuna served with fennel and parmesan salad really is a quintessential South Beach dinner. Protein and fat-biased, most certainly.

For the appetizer, you must shave the fennel and the parmesan. Make a ‘dressing’ from the juice of one or two lemons, a couple of sprays of olive oil and the feathery dill-like leaves of the fennel. Cracked black pepper is a must. Allow the fennel to marinate in the dressing, and mix through the parmesan at the end. Season as desired.

For the main, I chose tuna because it’s so easy and so tasty. If you pick up quality (and please make sure it’s sustainably line caught) tuna, just sear it for 2 minutes on each side, maximum. To prepare, use a pestle and mortar to crack green peppercorns, then press the tuna down on the peppercorns. To sear, let 30 sprays of olive oil spray heat up to a very high heat, then, as I said, let them spend a couple of minutes on each side. These shouldn’t be done until the last minute.

Ideally, the first thing you need to do is start the plum tomatoes. You know how I roast ‘em – 30-40 minutes in a 200 C oven, with salt, garlic (if desired), wine vinegar, and olive oil spray.

As soon as those are in, start the risotto. I’m not making much – it’s only a small side dish, not a main, and it’s only there to give enough weight to the meal. I’m going classic – no added vegetables aside from the onion and garlic at the beginning. You’ll need one onion, 2 small cloves of garlic, 1 small glass of white wine (not for you!), and 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock. I’m using homemade.

The key to a good risotto is patience and fortitude. STAY NEAR THE KITCHEN! It really is about adding just enough liquid at regular intervals. Though I’ve also heard a wooden spoon is key.

I’m not adding cream to this risotto either – to be honest, I really don’t think it’s necessary. A bit of parmesan and a lot of black pepper at the end will be fine. Oh, and and a bit of lemon zest never hurt anyone.