Three easy dishes for entertaining that can be made the night before
by Kristine Nesslar
I’m back at work full time and while the dinner parties of the past where I prepared for 6 days are out of the question I’m not willing to give up entertaining completely. The only solution, other than hiring a caterer or having pizza delivered, is to keep it simple and have at least one terrific dish that can be made the night before.
Following are three of my favorite “make ahead” recipes that should be prepared beforehand. These are not recipes that I make for one occasion.
The Bluefish Pate is a recipe I’ve made at least once a year for the last 20. It’s not low fat but it’s so delicious that it’s worth every bite and a little goes a long way. The green beans are one of my favorite picnic dishes and are terrific all year round and a very real help to the busy host. Both dishes come from one of my favorite cookbooks Sarah Lee Chase’s Open-House Cookbook.
The last dish is from Mario Batali’s Simple Italian Food. It’s a wonderful winter dish that is easy to prepare and must be refrigerated overnight.
Sarah Lee Chase’s Smoked Bluefish Pate
1 pound smoked bluefish, skinned and flaked
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature and cut into small chunks
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into bits
1 medium red onion, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons capers, drained
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Cognac
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon wedges and capers for garnish
French Toast Rounds
Beat the bluefish, cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer just until combined. Add the onion, dill, capers, lemon juice, and Cognac; beat until blended but do not over-beat so that the pate will have some texture. Season to taste with pepper.
Pack the pate into small crocks or 1 large one. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight to mellow the flavors. Garnish with lemon wedges and capers and serve at room temperature with toast rounds.
Makes about 3 cups.
Sarah Lee Chase’s Green Beans in Dill Walnut Sauce
3 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 bunch scallions, white bulbs and green stalks, minced
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups Cherry tomatoes, optional
Have a large bowl of ice water at the ready. Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Add the green beans and boil for one to two minutes. Drain immediately and then immerse in a large bowl of ice water to prevent further cooking and retain the bright green color.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place the scallions, dill, parsley, walnuts, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade; process until smooth. With the machine running, pour the olive oil in a thin, steady stream through the feed tube to make a thick green sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drain the beans and dry with a towel. Toss the beans with the dressing in a mixing bowl. The beans may now be kept for a few hours to overnight. When you are ready to serve add the cherry tomatoes for color contrast, if desired. Transfer the beans to a flat serving dish. Serve at room temperature.
Makes 10 – 12 servings.
Mario Batali’s Warm Terrine of Sausage, Peppers, Polenta, and Mozzarella
8 ounces sweet sausage
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into
1/2-inch-wide- strips
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into
1/2-inch-wide-strips
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into strips 3 inches by
1/4 inch by 1/4-inch at room temperature
6 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups quick-cooking polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Spread the sausage in a baking pan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Drain the fat, crumble the cooked sausage to resemble rough bread crumbs and set aside.
In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Gently sauté the garlic until golden brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and sauté until soft, 7 to 8 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let cool.
Have ready an oven proof dish approximately 13 x 4 x 4 inches.
Bring the water to a boil, adding the salt and sugar. Slowly add the polenta to the boiling water in a thin stream, whisking continuously. Lower the heat and cook until the polenta resembles the texture of hot cereal, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from heat. The polenta will begin to thicken immediately, so time here is of the essence.
Moving quickly, pour a 3/4-inch layer of polenta into the prepared terrine. Sprinkle all the crumbed sausage over the polenta. Cover the sausage with about 1 1/2 cups more polenta, using a spatula to smooth the top. Next, make a layer with the peppers and garlic cloves and top with another 1 1/2 cups the way to the edges. Arrange the mozzarella over the polenta (but do not bring he mozzarella to the edges as it will stick to the sides when it melts.) fill the terrine with a final layer of warm polenta; there may be polenta left over. Smooth the top all the way to the edges. Cover the terrine with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
To serve, invert the terrine onto a cutting board. (It should come out quite easily.) Cut the terrine in 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and serve immediately.
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