In
a world where many people seem to be on perpetual diets, today’s
health-savvy hosts know the importance of offering nutritious,
low-calorie food options at their parties. Susan Peters gives us a taste
of their pizzazz!
These
inventive party-givers cook up fare that is festive and lavish without
heaping a big serving of guilt on their guests’ plates. North American
entertaining experts give us the scoop on how it’s done.
Party
Basics
In
Ottawa, Canada,
Margaret Dickenson and her husband, Larry, a retired member of the
Canadian Foreign Service, are known in social and international
diplomatic circles for hosting elegant parties. In her
multi-international award-winning book, Margaret’s Table: Easy Cooking
& Inspiring Entertaining (FRP Books, 2006), Margaret shows how to
take the ordinary and make it extraordinary, giving simple,
nutritionally sensible recipes the perception of extravagance through
exciting presentations. She stylishly garnishes her party food with
chive “ties,” edible flowers, sprigs of fresh herbs, chopped nuts,
threads of colored bell pepper/dried tomato/mango/deep fried vermicelli
noodles, a sprinkling of caviar (inexpensive lumpfish is fine) or sesame
seeds. She suggests, “A touch of pizzazz makes food more
satisfying.”
In
Baton Rouge, Louisiana,
Holly Clegg, author of the Trim & Terrific cookbook series, says,
“If the food on your table has color, then your menu selections are
nutritious.” She achieves this on her buffets by taking advantage of
seasonal foods for recipes and decorations, and using fresh fruits and
vegetables (such as bell peppers) as serving containers for dips and
sauces.
Additionally,
colorful, healthy, layered
dips can be made ahead, and they serve a crowd. Two of her favorites are
a Tex-Mex dip created from layers of fat-free black bean dip,
reduced-fat dairy products, and chopped tomatoes and peppers; and a
Mediterranean layered dip featuring hummus, fresh spinach, tomatoes and
Feta cheese. Clegg also thinks assorted sushi purchased from a grocery
store adds color and zest to any buffet.
Less
is More
Both
of these entertaining gurus believe
in serving small food portions and presenting them in dramatic ways.
Margaret
says,
“Tasty recipes served with an artistic touch do not need to be offered
in large portions.” She gives her hors d’oeuvre a ‘wow’ factor
by marinating meats and chicken before cooking to give them boosts of
flavor, and then garnishing them with tasty glazes and using special
individual serving paraphernalia to control portion sizes and make the
food more interesting. Margaret starts by preparing foods in a variety
of ways: sautéed, grilled, seared, baked or in their natural state. Then,
she presents them on skewers, chopsticks, oriental porcelain spoons or
pancake coins, in fresh zucchini/fig/cherry tomato “cups,” rolled
into crêpes or prosciutto ham, or tied into sachets/purses.
Clegg does
not fry foods;
instead, she prefers to grill or broil kebabs of chicken or beef, or
skewers of shrimp that are then served with satay sauce. Platters of
rolled-up slices of lean beef tenderloin or pork tenderloin can be
easily prepared in advance. “Miniature crab cakes are a guaranteed hit
and can be prepared ahead of time and reheated in the oven,” she says.
Be a Healthy
Party Guest
Margaret
says compensation is
the key to maintaining her slim figure when she dines on party food:
“One must remember it is just as important to be a good guest as it is
to be a good host. People would be disappointed if I did not taste and
enjoy everything. The truth is that I do enjoy it, fully understanding
that sometimes I must consume high-caloric foods that I would never make
or eat at home. I compensate for this with healthy foods in my everyday
life, whether I am home alone or entertaining. I deny myself nothing,
but I watch what I eat.” It’s not uncommon to find Margaret taking
nibbles off of Larry’s plate of food in lieu of eating an entire
course on her own.
Clegg
has a different approach to
dining than what many diet books advise. She doesn’t eat before a
party because she sincerely wants to taste and experience the host’s
menu. She keeps “trim and terrific” by limiting her portion size,
selecting foods that are not fried, and choosing those that appear to be
homemade in an effort to avoid eating processed foods. She says, “I
also try only the foods that tantalize my taste buds, and that are
innovative and worth the calories. You won’t find me around the
meatballs and chicken drumettes!”
Perfect
Hosts
Margaret
says, “I
keep careful watch on what and how much I am serving my guests. From the
moment guests arrive, food is paced so that they enjoy savoring the
crescendo of tastes and the warm hospitality that the evening has to
offer.”
Clegg
says,
“The best advice I can give to someone throwing a party is put a smile
on your face and enjoy yourself as guests will pick up on your attitude.
If you have fun so will everyone else!”
CHOPSTICKS
OF ORIENTAL MARINATED LAMB
From
Margaret’s Table: Easy Cooking & Inspiring Entertaining by
Margaret Dickenson (FRP Books, 2006)
Photography
by Larry Dickenson
Yield:
20
pieces (6 to 8 hors d’oeuvre servings)
This
incredibly appealing recipe won the category “Recipe of the Year –
Unpublished” at the Cordon d’Or Cuisine - Gold Ribbon International
Annual Cookbook & Culinary Arts’ Awards in 2007.
6
ounces lamb tenderloin, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
4 tablespoons Oriental Marinade*, divided
3 tablespoons Mustard Mint Sauce** or commercial mint sauce
Arrange
lamb slices in a single layer in a plastic container (or on a plate).
Drizzle with only 3 tablespoons of Oriental Marinade and allow to rest
refrigerated for a couple of hours, turning occasionally.
Just
before serving, sear slices briefly on both sides on a preheated
well-oiled grill pan or skillet over medium heat. (Total cooking time:
about 1 minute. Lamb should definitely be pink in center.) Immediately
transfer to a cutting board. Quickly cut slices into bite-size pieces
(3/4-inch squares) and toss with remaining tablespoon of unused
marinade. Pierce the center of each piece with tip of a chopstick or
wooden skewer, allowing lamb to rest near tip. Serve promptly, along
with a small shallow dish of Mustard Mint Sauce and a container to catch
the used chopsticks.
*
To make 1/2 cup of Oriental Marinade,
whisk together 3 tablespoons of both teriyaki and oyster sauce, 2
tablespoons of honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons of both olive oil and red wine
vinegar, 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger root (peeled), and 1/2
teaspoon each of grated lemon zest, finely chopped fresh garlic and
dried crushed mint. Store the marinade refrigerated in a well-sealed jar
for up to several months.
**
To make the Mustard Mint Sauce,
melt 1/4 cup of commercial mint jelly over low heat. Whisk in 1 teaspoon
of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of white wine vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of
crushed dried mint leaves. Remove from heat and allow to cool;
refrigerate until ready to use. Note: Margaret tends to use
the sauce directly from the refrigerator because its consistency is
thickest at that temperature.
PROSCIUTTO
WRAPPED WASABI PEARS
From
Margaret’s Table: Easy Cooking & Inspiring Entertaining by
Margaret Dickenson (FRP Books, 2006)
Photography
by Larry Dickenson
Yield:
4
servings
This
is an “assembly” recipe. It is ideal when hosting a few last-minute
guests.
4
whole ripe Bosc pears, peeled and cored with stems attached
2 teaspoons wasabi paste, divided
6 tablespoons soft unripened goat’s cheese, divided
4 thin slices prosciutto ham
8 sprigs of cilantro
2 tablespoons sieved blackberry jam
Just
before serving, rub all interior and exterior surfaces of each pear with
wasabi paste, about 1/4 teaspoon per pear. Then, fill cavity of
individual pears with 1 tablespoon of goat’s cheese and place each
stuffed pear in center of an oversized dinner plate. Wrap pear elegantly
with one slice of prosciutto ham and tuck sprigs of cilantro
dramatically into folds of ham at pear stem. Garnish plates artistically
with a small scoop of goat’s cheese and drizzles of sieved blackberry
jam. At the top of each plate, add an individual drop of wasabi to be
consumed as, or if, desired.
SHRIMP
CHIPOTLE CUPS
From
Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific Home Entertaining the Easy Way by
Holly Clegg (Running Press Book Publishers, 2006)
Yield:
36 cups
These
creative and enticing cups are simple to make with won ton wrappers, a
jar of roasted red peppers and cooked shrimp. They're eye appealing and
addicting, so be sure to make plenty! Won ton wrappers are usually sold
in the refrigerated produce section of the supermarket, alongside other
Asian ingredients.
36
won ton wraps
1 cup cooked peeled and coarsely chopped shrimp
1 cup roasted chopped red pepper, drained
1 cup chipotle salsa
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup chopped green onions
Preheat
oven to 350°F Coat mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and
press a won ton wrap into each cup. Bake about 7 to 9 minutes or
until golden brown.
Meanwhile,
in a bowl, combine the cheese, shrimp, roasted red peppers, salsa and
green onions. Remove the cooked won tons, fill each with some of the shrimp
mixture and continue baking 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is
melted.
Atlanta,
Georgia-based Carolyn O’Neil MS, RD, a healthy lifestyle guru and
co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous! (Simon &
Schuster, Atria Books, 2004), offers the following entertaining advice: