The Secret To Stress-Free Entertaining

By Linda Guica, Inspire Contributor

A caterer once told me the secret to stress-free entertaining: "Just think of a KISS," he said. "Keep It Simple, Stupid!"

This caterer is quite a character and, because I've known him for a long time, the "stupid" didn't faze me in the least. In fact, he was right about the stupid part. I can remember dinner parties when I actually made everything from scratch, including egg noodles for the pasta course, the stock that served as a base for a sauce and always an elaborate dessert.

No wonder that by the time the guests arrived, I was too pooped to party.

Our television cooks — Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray come to mind — always make everything they do look incredibly simple. Just remember that they have plenty of back-up: a kitchen staff that preps the food, a stylist that finds the perfect serving dish, even make-up artists and the like.

Home cooks aren't as lucky in the staff department, but that's no reason to turn in the hostess hat. Instead, remember that your guests will be thrilled to have a night out, most likely offer to bring something (and it is your job to accept!) in a show of appreciation for your efforts.

Some cooks love to experiment on guests and crack open a cookbook to find a new recipe to try. If you are the type that gets nervous when the evening, or the preparations, doesn't go exactly as planned, do yourself a favor and stick with a tried-and-true recipe.

With hot weather already here, a menu that showcases fresh ingredients, prepared simply, is the way to go. Iced Honeydew Soup should be prepared ahead because it needs time in the refrigerator to chill and for the flavors to meld. Serve it in soup bowls with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream. Or if dinner is on the patio, ladle the soup into martini or cocktail glasses.

Nutritionists are always telling us to eat more fish. Tuna mimics the texture and heartiness of a steak and will appeal to the meat-eaters among your guests. Soaking it in an Asian-inspired marinade enhances the flavor, while a turn on the grill adds an appealing smokiness. The mango salsa is a colorful twist on the Mexican favorite.

For side dishes, alternate slices of ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella on a serving platter, drizzle with a good olive oil, then sprinkle with a handful of capers, some kosher salt and fresh chopped basil.

Another easy alternative is an Italian-style potato salad. Boil new potatoes until tender and cube them into a bowl. Add fresh steamed green beans. Dress with olive oil, salt and chopped fresh mint.

For dessert, make life easy and pair your favorite cookie, either homemade or store-bought, with icy fruit sorbet. If you feel ambitious, consider a cake that only looks like it took hours to make. Start with an angel food cake, again either store-bought or homemade, but don't worry about from scratch; Betty Crocker makes an excellent angel food cake mix. Slice the cake horizontally into two or three circles and spoon fresh fruit and its juices over the first layer (strawberries, blueberries and peaches make a nice presentation). Top the fruit with sweetened whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining layer(s), then frost with the whipped cream.

Bon appetit!

Iced Honeydew Soup

1 ripe honeydew melon
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste

Cut honeydew in half and remove seeds. Using a melon ball scoop, scoop enough balls to make 1-1/2 cups; set aside.

Peel remaining melon and cut into chunks. Put the melon chunks in a blender or in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth; there will be about 3 cups of puree.

In a large bowl, combine puree with remaining ingredients, and mix well. Stir in reserved melon balls. Chill well before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

 

Grilled Tuna with Mango Salsa

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks

Marinade:

1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

Mango Salsa:

1 large mango, pitted, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Combine the marinade ingredients. Arrange the tuna steaks in a dish just large enough to hold the fish. Pour the marinade over the tuna, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

While fish is marinating, prepare salsa. Combine all ingredients; set aside.

Preheat grill to medium-hot with rack about 4 to 5 inches above the coals. Remove tuna steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Grill tuna to desired doneness, from medium rare at the center to cooked-through when the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork (about 10 minutes per inch of thickness). Serve tuna steaks with mango salsa. Serves 4.

 

Linda Giuca is the Food Editor of The Hartford Current, in Hartford, Connecticut.