5 tips for outdoor entertaining
Summer is the perfect time to entertain. Families are together, the kids are out of school, and the temperature is conducive to sitting outside.
With the slower pace and longer days, we look for easy party ideas. Appetizers are ideal. They can be made ahead of time, leaving you time to decorate and enjoy your friends and family.
Here are some of my tried and true tips for a summer gathering.
What to serve
I love mixing and matching a variety of dishes to create a complete meal. They might include a skewered dish, something on a slice of crostini, a couple of vegetarian items and a dish with seafood, meat or chicken. Appetizers can be finger foods or require a small plate. Tapas are Spain’s version of appetizers and are wildly popular. Everyone seems to enjoy the variety and choice of eating a number of small dishes.
How many dishes?
Two or three appetizers are the ideal number of choices for a dinner party, depending on how involved the main meal might be. For an evening with an entree and a couple of side dishes, I would serve two appetizers: one vegetable-based and one that’s more substantial, such as this skewered chicken. For a party that is only small plates, I would serve at least four or five different dishes and mix up the choices to create a meal that offers something for everyone.
It’s OK to make ahead and freeze
Appetizers can be made ahead of your guests’ arrival and frozen. I recommend phyllo triangles filled with spinach and feta, crostini, herbed chevre, skewered chicken or shrimp and crab cakes to name a few.
Budget your time
Many appetizers are labor intensive, so I make everything ahead as much as possible, leaving me with simple tasks when my guests arrive, such as heating something in the oven or adding a garnish. If a dinner follows the appetizers, you can plan accordingly. When you’re planning your party, pick things that can be done in advance and either frozen or stored in the refrigerator for a day or two before your event. After catering parties over the years, I have found it helpful to hire someone to do the last-minute preparations if the party grows to more than 15 people.
Think of presentation
Don’t forget to think of the visual impact of the dishes you choose. Appetizers are usually very appealing to the eye and can be stacked on a plate with a garnish of fresh herbs or toasted black and white sesame seeds. Always add color to your plate and stay away from too many brown or beige appetizers served together. Add diced red pepper, thinly sliced radishes, chopped tomato or a sprinkling of chopped herbs. I also love the look of large white platters to display your finished product.
Amanda Cushman is a culinary instructor, food writer and cookbook author. She can be reached at chapelhillcookingclasses.com.
Skewered Scallops with Sesame Orange Sauce
This flavorful marinade also is perfect for shrimp and can be served room temperature. If you can’t find black sesame seeds, use white ones instead, toasted in a dry skillet. This is a perfect recipe for making ahead and freezing. Recipe by Amanda Cushman.
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 teaspoons minced ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, muscle removed, halved
24 6-inch bamboo skewers
Black sesame seeds, garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the honey, rice vinegar, ginger, soy, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, zest, orange juice, cilantro, mint and olive oil in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside half to the sauce in a small dish.
Add the scallops to the other half of the sauce and allow to marinate for one hour. Thread two scallops on each skewer and place on a baking sheet. Pour the marinade over the scallops.
Bake until done, about 4 minutes and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the sesame seeds and serve with the reserved dipping sauce.
Yield: Makes 24 skewers
Crostini with Burrata, Bacon and Caramelized Shallots
You can’t go wrong with bacon. Combined with the creamy texture of the burrata and the sweetness of the shallots, this is a hit at any party. The crostini can be made ahead and stored in the freezer, the cheese sliced, bacon cooked and shallots caramelized. When it’s time for the event, just assemble. Recipe by Amanda Cushman.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 baguette
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
12 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 1/2 pounds burrata, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chiffonade, garnish
Fresh pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and simmer the shallots until the bottom of the pan is dry, about 6 minutes. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the bread into 1/4-inch diagonal slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with the cut side of the garlic. Toast for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden, remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook the bacon on a rack on a baking sheet in the oven until brown and slightly crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cut into thirds and set aside.
To assemble, place a slice of burrata on each crostini, then a piece of bacon and then a spoonful of the shallots. Drizzle with a little extra virgin oil and then grind some pepper over each before serving. Garnish with parsley chiffonade.
Yield: Makes about 12 to 16 crostini
Skewered Hoisin Ginger Chicken with Mango Mayonnaise Sauce
Pork tenderloin can be used in place of the chicken for this recipe. I make the entire recipe ahead of an event and freeze. The mango mayonnaise is terrific on a sandwich or as a spread for crostini topped with grilled shrimp or scallops. Recipe by Amanda Cushman.
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
25 to 30 bamboo skewers
Mango Sauce
1/4 cup mango chutney
1 lime, juiced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
Combine hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and rice vinegar in a medium bowl and add the chicken. Turn to coat and marinate at least one hour or up to overnight, refrigerated.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, make the mango dipping sauce. Combine the mango chutney, lime juice and cilantro in a food processor and puree. Transfer the puree to a small serving bowl.
Skewer the chicken, with two pieces to a skewer, and place on two baking sheets. Bake until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Serve on a platter sprinkled with the toasted sesame seeds and with the dipping sauce.
Yield: 25 to 30 skewers
This story was originally published June 28, 2017 at 12:07 PM with the headline "5 tips for outdoor entertaining."