The night-before-a-flight dinner party

So I just returned from the States yesterday after a whirlwind 9-day trip. It should have been closer to 14, but thanks to the Iceland volcano, it was cut short a bit at the beginning. So instead of flying out on Tuesday, we didn't get to fly out until Saturday.

All that aside, we had a great time celebrating my dad's 60th and our impending July arrival. We succumbed to gluttony a few times - hot chicken wings and queso dip spring to mind - but also scoffed many of my fresh favourites such as yellow squash and raspberries.

But flash back to the night before our flight out of London - we had some friends over for dinner before our trip and to show them our new place, which we'll be moving into next week. I needed something simple, fresh, and ideally easy to prepare ahead as we were doing lots of work at the new flat. I also needed something that wouldn't leave leftovers, and since the weather was so nice, I wanted something summer-inspired but in keeping with mid-spring availabilities.

Here's what I settled on:

• sticky lemon chicken (served cold)
• purple-sprouting broccoli and herb pasta salad (served cold)
• prawns in carrot sauce (served cold)
• mixed leaf salad
• fresh sun-dried tomato bread
• a round of camenbert (I abstained, pregnant as I am)
• white wine (spritzer for me)

I think it turned out well - we ate around 7:30, with it still light outside and the windows and doors open. It was a Friday, so everyone was in a good mood, and I wasn't in the least bit stressed thanks to the early preparation.

If you like any of these ideas, I've put general recipes for the ones in bold below. Check 'em out and let me know if you want more info, and I can surely provide it.

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Sticky lemon chicken
I only had an idea in mind, not a recipe, so after a bit of browsing I came across this recipe from Notecook and this one from Good Food, which I picked the best bits from.

To make:

1. Cut slices into the fat of drumsticks and thighs (maybe 10 pieces total?) and season. 
2. In a casserole dish, add the juice and zest of 2 large lemons, 1 tbsp of honey, 1 clove of garlic (chopped), 1 tbsp of oil, a pinch each of paprika/salt/pepper and whisk with a fork. 
3. Add the chicken and rub the juices into the chicken. Roast for 45 minutes or until done at 200 C / 400 F. 
4. Allow to cool, then refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Some chopped herbs on the top would look pretty here.

If I'm honest, it didn't end up quite as 'sticky' as I would have liked - I think I would have needed to add more honey or a little sugar to make it stickier. But the citrus aromas were lovely - I'd probably amp that up a little more too.


Purple-sprouting broccoli and herb pasta salad
This one was also an idea in my head - I was initially thinking asparagus, but couldn't get any British asparagus at the store. Purple-sprouting broccoli from Herefordshire looked good, so in the basket it went.

To make:

1. Blanch 400 g (14 oz) purple sprouting broccoli (regular is fine, just not as pretty) and then plunge into cold water to cool. Set to the side.
2. Boil 300 g (10.5 oz) fusilli pasta, rinse with cold water, then set to the side.
3. To make the dressing, use the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a handful of chopped fresh dill, and 3 tablespoons of basil pesto. (If you don't have basil pesto, use a handful of basil and 2 more tablespoons of oil).
4. Combine the broccoli, pasta and herb mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice or herbs if you like, and topping with lemon zest is a pretty touch.

Makes enough for 4 people with leftovers (so probably 6, if you're serving the chicken too).

Prawns in carrot sauce
Okay, so this one was a total cheat - my mother-in-law brought me back some carrot sauce from the Canaries, which I've been meaning to try out. It was actually quite nice - had the essence of cumin, onion and red peppers in it in my mind, though one site lists the ingredients as "oil, garlic, paprika, salt, vinegar, pureed carrot, thyme or other herbs". Anyway, it was good (though I did set the smoke alarm off in the middle of the night when I stir fried these bad boys up).

Sun-dried tomato bread
Okay, so kinda another cheat. I'm not perfect! This was a pre-mix that I used in the breadmaker - my breadmaker's not well equipped to take additions to the mix after the start, so if I want anything "fancy" I have to go pre-mix. The smell is fab. I'm sure with a little planning I could try doing something on my own, but my mind was on flights and ash clouds. Deal...

how to throw a dinner party that is healthy and delicious, part III

Well, you've made it this far with me. Watching the pre-dinner snacks and the portions may seem obvious, but when there's so much to coordinate, they are concepts easily forgotten. What's next?

Tip #3: Go seasonal

Keeping everyone entertained is one of a host’s main jobs at the dinner party. Conversation should flow (and ideally faster than the wine). Food is a topic on everyone’s mind. Unique ingredients like imported oils or unusual herbs are talking points around the table.

Unfortunately, these exotic ingredients are often expensive, full of calories or have been flown halfway around the world before arriving on your table. By using seasonal ingredients, the produce you serve will be at its freshest and most delicious.

Seasonal ingredients also add an instant theme to the dinner: tomatoes and berries refresh in the summertime, apples and pumpkins inspire the harvest in the autumn, cranberries, parsnips and pears feel festive in the winter and watercress and broad beans awaken the palate in the spring. These touches are certain to charm your guests.

By using local ingredients, you can take this idea one step further. One of my friends has told me before: “I love telling my guests where the food on their plates is from. Mushroom soup is one of my specialities, and it’s great to say that the chestnut mushrooms are from Suffolk, the shallots from Lincolnshire and the fresh rosemary from my windowbox.”

Roasted mushroom soup
(serves 8 as a starter)

750 g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
250 g shallots, peeled and sliced
4 cloves of garlic
4 stalks of rosemary
20 sprays of olive oil
8 pints of hot vegetable or chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil to a foil-lined roasting tin. Roast for 30 minutes.

After roasting, decant the vegetables and juices into a large pot and add the hot stock. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and use a hand blender to puree the soup, adding 1 pint of skimmed milk during blending.

Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with fresh rosemary and freshly ground black pepper.

how to throw a dinner party that is healthy and delicious, part II

Here’s a second pointer to keep in mind when hosting a dinner party (or planning any meal ahead of time).

Tip #2: Portion control

Trusting your stomach to tell you when to stop eating is a dangerous game. Luckily, recommended serving sizes are there to help. Too often, this information on the back of the package gets ignored, with shoppers focusing instead on the number of calories per 100 g.

Even with good intentions, the task of plating three courses for eight people has even a conscientious host rushing to finish – and serving too much. A large appetizer might please your dinner guests at first but leave them struggling to finish the main course.

Plan ahead: for example, exactly how much mozzarella will you need for your salad? If a serving size is 30 g, and eight people are invited, you’ll need 240 g. Measure it out ahead of time and keep refrigerated. Salad dressings should be measured individually and served on the side, in attractive ramekins or little bowls if you have them.

When serving, plate each person’s meal – whether it is a starter, main course or dessert – individually. Green vegetables are an exception, and bowls can be placed on the table should guests want extra helpings. This way, no one goes hungry, but no one overindulges either.

Apple, mozzarella, avocado and bacon salad
(serves 8)

240 g reduced-fat mozzarella
5 apples of your choice (Royal Galas are great), cored and sliced
400 g baby spinach leaves
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted and stoned
16 pieces of Danish reduced-fat bacon
4 tbsp cider vinegar
10 sprays of olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

(steps 1 through 4 can be done in advance)

Set out 8 plates and place 50 g of baby spinach on each plate.

Divide the apples into 9 portions. Distribute the portions to each of the plates, reserving one portion for the dressing.

Slice the avocado thinly and distribute equally among the plates.

Slice the mozzarella thinly and divide into 8 equal portions, weighing if necessary. Add to the bowls.

Preheat the grill to medium and place the bacon under the grill. Grill for 8 minutes, turning once.

To make the dressing, add the extra apple portion, cider vinegar, olive oil spray, salt and pepper into a blender until smooth.

Add the bacon slices (2 per serving) to the dishes and drizzle the dressing over. Serve immediately.

how to throw a dinner party that is healthy and delicious, part I

While I'm on the subject of the holiday season, it's a good time to talk about that wonderfully stylish concept that often involves tonnes of stress.

The prospect of throwing a dinner party terrifies even those experienced and competent in the kitchen. The best dinner parties require menu planning, catering for those with dietary requirements and preparing for the unexpected – and a touch of glamour.

Five or six nights out of the week, keeping a healthy eating plan – lean meats, lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains – is just possible. On other nights, whether it is a trip to the cinema, a cocktail party, or dinner with friends at a local restaurant, sticking to a plan is not quite as easy. Social situations can be difficult. But with planning, perseverance and a few pointers, throwing a fantastically healthy dinner party is not only achievable, it’s easy. I've come up with five great tips to pulling it off.

Tip #1: Watch the nibbles

In a perfect world, all guests would arrive at the same time. Everyone would sit down together and you, refreshed and unhurried, present the first course to delighted faces.

Wake up from dinner party dreamland. The reality goes more like this: a few guests turn up early, and then the rest trickle in until the last guest shows up 30 minutes late.

Setting out a couple bowls of nuts to keep hungry stomachs at bay is a speedy solution. However, a small handful of cashews totals about 150 calories. Three or four handfuls later, and a guest has eaten 600 calories without even realising it.

Serving fresh crudités instead is a fresh and inspired option. Crunchy celery, sweet carrot sticks, juicy cucumber rounds and luscious cherry tomatoes allow your guests to snack without spoiling their appetites or racking up too many calories. Add a few low-calorie dips: reduced fat crème fraiche mixed with herbs and a homemade hummus with roasted aubergine are both good choices.

Dill crème fraiche dip
(serves 8 as light pre-dinner nibbles)

1 tub of reduced fat organic crème fraiche
1 handful of dill, chopped
juice of ½ lemon
freshly ground black pepper

Chop the dill finely.

Combine the dill, crème fraiche, lemon juice and black pepper in a small serving bowl.

Serve with plenty of fresh crudités, particularly cucumber and carrot.

Recollections from the “dinner party”

All in all, a success. I did make a few tweaks to the menu. Since it was a much more casual environment, I scrapped the appetizer, and added the fennel and parmesan salad as a salad with the main course. And I added a few stalks of crisp grilled English asparagus to each plate.

Main course:
Tuna with green peppercorns (seared for two minutes, each side)
Slow-roasted plum tomatoes (roasted with vinegar and a few olive oil sprays)
Grilled asparagus (literally just 4 minutes under the grill)
Risotto (a classic risotto with onion and shallots – no extra vegetables, no cream, just finished off with some lemon zest, black pepper and grana padano)

Wine:
Pinot Grigio (a really well balanced Italian wine to what felt like a modern Italian-inspired menu)

I was very pleased with how it turned out. The boys were pleased by the protein-rich tuna, and the risotto on the side (just 30 g dry weight per person) was enough to keep them from getting hungry. The tomatoes were so vibrant and just the right addition to the plate to cut the creaminess of the risotto. The asparagus, added at the last minute, was a great palate cleanser. (And, if we’re being artistic, it clinched the presentation as well)

My only concern would be that the acidity of the parmesan and tomatoes could be overpowering for some, especially with wine. But it didn’t last night, at least, thanks to the tuna and the asparagus.

Dessert:
Strawberry frozen yogurt with fresh English raspberries.

I am not much of a pudding person, I admit. It does always seem an afterthought to me. However, I’m aware that to many, dinner is not complete until the bowl is empty and the last scrapings of something creamy have been licked from the spoon.

The best thing about these dishes was how simple everything was. The risotto was perhaps the only dish that takes a bit of skill and practice.

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.