Pink of Perfection

Though my means may be reduced from the days of whole sides of salmon and a digestif of chocolatey brandy, my love of entertaining has not waned. And why should it? A party can still be a be a kick-up-your-heels affair when guests are served bowls of chili, they just might not be as inspired to don a plaid strapless number, or pair their seductively low-cut red silk with pearls. Serving a dinner that seems a little special requires a bit of scheming, but it’s not impossible. A magician may pull a rabbit from a hat, but a clever hostess can extract 3 courses for 8 people out of $50. Some general tips for a thrifty affair:

• Have your guests bring the wine. When people ask what they can bring, be specific. Guests love assignments! Let them know that the party’s bar will be stocked by the guests and to bring what they want to drink. And no, this does not seem cheap. You’re serving forth a multi-course dinner, you don’t need to quench everyone’s thirst, as well. A bottle or two stowed in the fridge just in case might put worry-wart hostesses at ease (and provides the opportunity to take a nip of something before the guests arrive).
• Go easy on the appetizers. As much as I love cheese — and believe me, I mean I love cheese — people, ahem, have a tendency to overdo it when a creamy wedge of brie is plopped right in front of them as they’re tossing back drinks. You wouldn’t want your lady guests wishing they bought their green off-the-shoulder frock one size large this early in the evening. Pre-dinner nibbles should whet the appetite, not sate it. Olives and cheesy breadsticks always seem to go over well.
• Make vegetables the stars. Instead of relying on a pricey roast to steal the show, put super fresh seasonal vegetables in starring roles in beautiful salads, soups, and side dishes. A $2 head of cauliflower and precious little else can become a delicate and creamy soup that starts the night off on a high note.
• Let the sales guide you. It’s easy to plan a menu when the sky’s the limit — it takes resourcefulness to think about what’s in season and what’s on sale to come up with courses that complement and enhance one another. Think of it as a challenge!

All recipes serve 8.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

This soup can be made two days ahead of time. Just wait until you’re reheating it to add the sour cream.

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 head cauliflower, florets separated and stems chopped
½ cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup sour cream
chives or scallion greens to garnish

Melt the butter in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, cauliflower, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute, then add the stock and cook until the cauliflower is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Purée the soup in a blender in batches. Stir in the sour cream, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and garnish.

Fall Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
adapted from Everyday Food

In lieu of a cheese plate, buy a wee bit of cheese to add a rich note to an autumnal salad.

10 ounces mixed greens
3 ounces blue cheese (my heart flips for for the cow’s milk Bleu d’Auvergne)
1 sweet and tart apple (like honeycrisp), chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, and mustard. Season dressing with coarse salt and ground pepper. In a large bowl, combine greens with apple. Drizzle dressing over and toss gently until leaves are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with blue cheese and serve.

Rosemary Lemon Roast Chicken with Fall Vegetables

1 large roaster chicken, 7-9 lbs
1 bunch rosemary
1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 acorn squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced into eighths
4 beets, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350° F. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Zest lemon, then quarter. In a small bowl, combine lemon zest with 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary, butter, salt and pepper. Gently lift skin from breast of chicken and rub with butter mixture. Squeeze half of the lemon over chicken; squeeze remaining two quarters inside chicken and toss in chicken cavity with 2-3 rosemary sprigs. Season outside of chicken with plenty of salt and pepper and roast under juices run clear, about 2-2½ hours. Note: Many roaster chickens come with a timer that will pop out when the chicken is done.

Keeping beets separate (so their juices don’t stain everything), toss chopped vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and slightly caramelized, shaking the pans twice during cooking to prevent burning, 45 minute to an hour.

French Chocolate Cake
adapted from Bistro Cooking

This cake can be made the morning of the party while you are leisurely drinking your coffee and listening to Morning Edition. Tell one of your friends to bring a cabernet sauvignon to drink with this.

12 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup butter
¾ cup sugar
5 eggs, separated
⅓ cup flour
confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9½-10-inch springform pan. In a double boiler, or heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate, butter and sugar, stirring until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and let cool.

Beat egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture one at a time. Stir in flour. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gently and without rushing, fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining whites.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a wire rack, remove the side of the pan and let cool completely. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve.