by louise fiszer
Feeling relaxed and comfortable in someone’s home and enjoying food they have prepared is one of life’s great pleasures. Sharing our table returns us to a tradition that has nourished us physically and emotionally. In the complex, harried time we live in, there’s no better way to revive our spirit of friendship and kinship.
Cause for celebration does not have to be on the grand scale of a bar mitzvah or wedding with a three-digit guest list. A new job, an improved grade, a birthday or anniversary, a finished project are all legitimate reasons to invite loved ones to take part in a festive meal at home. To enjoy the company of our visitors without being tied to the kitchen or warding off impending disasters, think about the following:
• Cook in your comfort zone. Choose foods you like to cook and eat. Don’t experiment with new dishes.
• Know your audience. Find out before they arrive if there is anything that they won’t or can’t eat.
• Cook seasonally. This will help your budget and enhance quality.
• Short on time. Buy the best quality, ready-made foods to create a dinner you can assemble.
• Create the illusion of control. Set the table beautifully and slip into something fabulous.
• Taste everything — before you serve it.
• Accept compliments. Offer no apologies.
Here is an elegant menu that features the season’s best and requires little last-minute preparation. Serve with small bowls of assorted imported olives and warm nuts for starters and finish off with thin slices of pound cake (bakery-bought or homemade) topped with several flavors of fruit sorbet.
Grilled Halibut on Raspberry Greens
Serves 12
3 lbs. halibut fillet, skinned
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 cups mixed salad greens
2 cups raspberries for garnish
mint sprigs
Raspberry vinaigrette:
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. raspberry vinegar
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup olive oil
Cut halibut into 12 portions and place on cookie sheets. Combine mustard, yogurt and oil. Spread a tablespoon over each portion of halibut. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours. Cut greens in bite size pieces, place in large bowls, cover and refrigerate until a few hours before serving.
Grill or broil halibut 4-5 minutes per side and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered up to 1 day before serving.
Just before serving: Toss greens with raspberry vinaigrette. Spread on large platters. Place halibut over greens and sprinkle with fresh raspberries and mint sprigs.
To make raspberry vinaigrette, combine ingredients and mix well.
Asparagus with Asian Dipping Sauce
Serves 12
3 lbs. asparagus, trimmed
3/4 cups low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. sesame oil
Bring a large stockpot (8-12 quarts) of water to a boil. Add asparagus to pot with salt and simmer 4 minutes. Drain under cold water and spread asparagus in a single layer on baking sheet. Cover with towel and spread another layer of asparagus. Continue until all asparagus are layered this way. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Make dipping sauce by whisking remaining ingredients together until well blended. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
To serve, arrange asparagus on large, decorative trays. Place sauce in wine glasses next to asparagus.
Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to loufiszer@aol.com.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California