A Mid-Summer Soiree: Dinner Party Menu

Generally, on Friday nights, I have my children and grandchildren over for dinner and, very often, it isn't until the very last minute that I know exactly who is coming and how many friends of theirs will be tagging along.  

In order not to mess with my open door not-quite-empty-nest policy, I try to do the bulk of my entertaining with a few dinner parties sprinkled over the course of the year.  Because they are generally not on Shabbat, my menu can be somewhat more complex and I don't have to take the constraints of Shabbat into account.

And, yes, I am known for going a little bit over the top with my menus...but when I get in the swing of making and trying out new recipes, I am often having too much fun to stop :)

This was a recent, mid-Summer soirée for a handful of couples.

Hors d’Oeuvres
Armenian Meatballs with Plum Sauce
*Mushroom & Pesto Ears
Fried Olives
White Bean Dip (pita chips, baby carrots, sliced peppers)
Preplated 1st Course
Cold Corn Soup garnished with Sliced Shitake Mushrms & Minced Chives
Salad
Radicchio leaf filled with Avocado, endive, heirloom tomatoes
Buffet
Beef Tagine
Grilled Chicken Cutlets with Grilled Peaches-Sauce in Gravy Boats
Lemon-Pistachio Rice
Roasted Potatoes
Steamed Asparagus
Dessert
Nectarine & Blackberry Galette
Rhubarb & Raspberry Galette
Chocolate Truffles, *Meringues, *Candied Orange Rind
Melon
Coffee/Tea

*recipes on Kosher Cookbook App for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

Black Olive Tapenade--a Perfect New Years Eve Hors D’oeuvres

Black Olive Tapenade P Yield: 1 ½ cups

Quick, easy and multi purpose! Use it for hot/cold hors d’oeuvres or as a topping for any mild firm fleshed fish before cooking. Tapenade has a zesty bright flavor that will please any palate.
Prep time: 10 min.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces pitted Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers (rinsed)
1 clove garlic- smashed
1 medium shallot- peeled and minced (enough to equal 3 tablespoons)
¼ cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice- to taste
EQUIPMENT
Electric food processor
DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in bowl of processor. Pulse on and off until desired smoothness is achieved. My preference is for it to look like you have finely minced all the ingredients as opposed to a paste- but it is up to you to decide.
2. HORS D’OEUVRES

To serve cold: Use tapenade as a dip for crackers, chips or crudités.

To serve hot: Spread 1- 1 ¼ cups tapenade on one sheet of defrosted pareve puff pastry leaving at least ½ inch around the edges. Roll each short end three times toward the middle so that both sides meet. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 ½ hours before slicing. Place thin slices (less than ¼”) on lined cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg and bake in preheated 350 F. oven for 20 minutes or until browned. Cool on rack for at least 10 minutes until tapenade ears become crisp and are easy to handle. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FISH

Cover any firm mild fish with a layer of tapenade. Bake until fish is done the way you like it.