That tinkle of ice against glass, the hum of a happy crowd and the mobbing of the helpless helper carrying a tray of hot snacks can only mean one thing: A party is in progress.
Whenever the countdown begins to the end of the year–right about now, that is–the invitations come fast and furious and so do those guilty thoughts: Isn’t it my turn this year?
Maybe you’ve avoided throwing parties in the past because the whole effort seemed too hard or time-consuming. The Good Eating staff understands perfectly, which is why we wanted to offer you easy recipes for your next party. The recipes on the centerspread this week are ones that can be prepared ahead to minimize last-minute preparations, or they are simple enough that you won’t feel stressed and the guests will appreciate your ingenuity.
The choices run hot and cold, from bite-size sausage canapes to a fall-fruited sangria that’s a nice play on holiday punch. You’ll also find some spreads, nibbles, a sweet snack to help round out the offerings, as well as tips to help you get rolling.
This is the year to get back in the party game, pay off some of those social debts and have fun cooking as well. That’s the spirit!
–Kristin Eddy
Party tonight!
Smoked salmon mousse
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Chilling time: 8 hours
Yield: 96 canapes
Smoked salmon is by far the most economical of my three favorite party indulgences. (The others are caviar and foie gras.) Still, it is a decidedly generous (and expensive) gesture to present an entire side of salmon, especially if it is sliced to order. Another drawback at a standup gathering: The scads of garnishes people like to add to salmon slices (capers, onion, and chopped egg yolks and whites most obvious among them) soon end up scattered all over the serving tray, the table and the floor.
My solution to finding a less expensive, neater way to celebrate with salmon is to make a terrine or loaf. A terrine requires less salmon, little or no garnish and can be cut into small or large pieces depending on the number of guests.
Make the terrine a day ahead or on the morning of the party. I prefer not to treat the loaf as a spread, so before the guests arrive, I unmold it and cut the loaf into pieces to fit atop crisp crackers or toasted bread cut into triangles or squares. I serve them, garnished with chopped dill, on a tray or plate.
–William Rice
1 pound smoked salmon, whole or pre-sliced, cut into large pieces
1/3 cup bloody Mary mix
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vodka
1/4 teaspoon salt or more, depending on saltiness of the salmon
1/8 teaspoon or more to taste each: ground black pepper, ground red pepper
2 envelopes (1/4 ounce each) unflavored powdered gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
2 cups chilled whipping cream
Chopped dill or dill sprigs
1. Place salmon in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse until finely chopped. Add bloody Mary mix, lemon juice, vodka, salt and peppers. Process to a smooth puree. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
2. Combine gelatin and cold water in a custard cup. Let soak until gelatin is translucent, about 3 minutes. Heat in a microwave oven at 50 percent power until melted but not hot, about 40 seconds.
3. Meanwhile, pour cream into a bowl of an electric mixer; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Turn mixer to low speed; slowly add liquid gelatin. Stop machine; add salmon puree. Mix on lowest speed until thoroughly blended and evenly colored.
4. Transfer salmon mixture to oiled 8-by-4-inch loaf pan, filling the mold evenly and smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Cover pan with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 8 hours.
5. Unmold the terrine from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 6 pieces. Place on crackers; sprinkle with dill. Serve on a plate or platter.
Nutrition information per canape:
23 calories, 77% calories from fat, 2 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 105 mg sodium, 1.1 g protein, 0.2 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber
Cheese and rye cocktail sandwiches
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 minute
Yield: 22 sandwiches
For every couple of cool dips, spreads and hors d’oeuvre passed at a party, something warm and savory also needs to make the rounds.
In my family, dill- and feta-filled “cigars” made of phyllo, or a creamy, melted cheese dip studded with lump crabmeat, are definite favorites. Another sure bet with guests are bite-size sandwiches, which can be held between two fingers and nibbled at elegantly or dispatched in one swoop. A seasoned cheese sandwich makes everyone happy and I was going to leave it at that, until test kitchen director Donna Pierce suggested some additional welcome garnishes. Here, then, is a tiny sandwich–complete with lettuce!–that delighted all the Good Eating staff when we tasted it. The recipe is guaranteed to work magic at your party as well.
–Kristin Eddy
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 loaf (1 pound) party cocktail rye bread
1 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
Lettuce
2 baby whole dill pickles, minced
1. Heat broiler. Combine mayonnaise, mustard and paprika in a small mixing bowl. Spread mayonnaise mixture on one side of each bread slice. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
2. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Remove from oven. Top half of the bread slices with lettuce and pickles. Top with remaining slices; press down. Cut in half; serve warm.
Nutrition information per sandwich:
155 calories, 54% calories from fat, 9 g fat, 4.3 g saturated fat, 24 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium, 8 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 1.2 g fiber
Snappy sausage and cucumber rounds with mustard
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Yield: About 50 rounds
The array of sausages at the supermarket has grown dramatically in the last few years. I’ve been experimenting with many of the new flavors with great success.
My favorites include a smoked duck sausage with sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes and a chicken-apple sausage. For a quick party dish, for example, I stack cooked sausage slices on cucumber slices, and add some flavored mustard and pieces of roasted red pepper. It makes an attractive hors d’oeuvre with plenty of flavor.
The mustard, as well as the sausage, can be varied. I’ve used Creole mustard for a bite, or tarragon or dill mustards for an herbal flavor.
–Carol Mighton Haddix
6 ounces smoked duck, chicken, turkey or other cooked sausage links, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Creole or other flavored mustard
2 bottled, roasted red peppers, chopped or cut into thin strips
1. Heat broiler. Place sausage slices on a baking sheet; spread tops with mustard. Broil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes; set aside.
2. Spread cucumber slices on a cutting board. Top with a sausage slice, mustard side down. Drizzle a little more mustard on top of each slice. Top each with pieces of red pepper. Place on a serving platter.
Nutrition information per round:
13 calories, 66% calories from fat, 0.9 g fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 0.6 g protein, 0.6 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g fiber
Fruity cranberry sangria
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Yield: 14 servings
A standout punch can make guests forget you have neither the time nor energy (nor budget) to provide a fully stocked bar. This fruity sangria, which is easily doubled or tripled, is a breeze to make. You also can make it ahead of time: Mix the ingredients in a pitcher and don’t add the ice cubes or fruit slices until you pour it into the punch bowl come party time.
This recipe comes from an old community cookbook but has continued to be a welcome presence at my parties. I’ve added some cranberry juice to give it a seasonal spark.
As with most sangria recipes, don’t fret too much over the quality of the wine, brandy or liqueur, because so much is going on. There is one caveat: This punch has lots of punch–the Good Eating staff used the word “boozy”–so either serve it in small glasses, or larger ones filled with ice.
–Renee Enna
4 cups pinot noir or other dry red wine
1 cup club soda
1/2 cup each: orange juice, cranberry juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup orange liqueur
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup superfine sugar or to taste
Ice cubes
2 oranges, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
Combine wine, club soda, juices, liqueur and brandy in punch bowl. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add ice cubes. Add orange and lemon slices.
Nutrition information per serving:
95 calories, 0% calories from fat, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 mg sodium, 0.3 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 0.4 g fiber
Olive and sun-dried tomato spread
Preparation time:
15 minutes
Yield: 3 cups, about 12 servings
This intense spread requires a minimum of perishable ingredients and preparation time, yet it encourages repeat samplings wherever it appears. Maybe it’s the salt, maybe it’s the garlicky kick, or maybe walk-around party-goers appreciate its ability to stay put on a cracker or bread round: It’s unlikely to dribble onto your best party outfit regardless of how violently you gesture to the host that your glass needs refilling. It can be made the day ahead, but be sure to reserve a few parsley sprigs to dress up this dark reddish-brown concoction.
–Andy Badeker
Combine tomatoes, olives, parsley, garlic and pine nuts in bowl of food processor. Pulse to blend. Add enough reserved oil to achieve spreadable consistency. Season with pepper. Serve with crackers or bread rounds.
Nutrition information per serving:
70 calories, 71% calories from fat, 6 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 155 mg sodium, 2 g protein, 3.6 g carbohydrate, 0.9 g fiber
Won-ton chicken bites
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Yield: 36 pieces
I keep a package of inexpensive won ton wrappers (60 for less than $2) in my refrigerator for spur-of-the-moment entertaining. The wrappers, traditionally used to prepare steamed, fried and boiled Chinese dumplings, also bake into tiny, attractive pastry cups with a slightly nutlike flavor in just 8 minutes.
It’s fun to experiment with fillings for the cups. I’ve spooned in shrimp drizzled with cocktail sauce, roasted red pepper spread, crab dip and tuna pate. This Chinese chicken salad made with bottled sauces, a bag of shredded cabbage coleslaw and a roasted chicken from the deli has become a favorite for weekday evenings when I have just enough time to rush through the express lane before guests arrive. Before pressing the dough into pastry cups, I cut off a 1/2-inch strip to make the cups truly bite-size.
Seal unbaked leftover wrappers in plastic wrap to reuse during the holiday season. Or, bake more wrappers than you plan to use at one time. They’re surprisingly sturdy and travel well, unstuffed in a plastic bag. I’ve successfully stored them up to three days without noticing a loss in crispness and flavor.
–Donna Pierce
36 won-ton wrappers
1/2 of a 16-ounce bag coleslaw
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, finely chopped
5 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons roasted sesame oil
4 tablespoons Chinese plum sauce
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a 1/2-inch strip off one side of each won ton skin; pleat wrappers into oiled mini-muffin tins to make cups. Bake until golden, 8 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes.
2. Place cabbage, chicken, water chestnuts and green onions in a large bowl. Stir in sesame oil and plum sauce. Spoon into cooled won ton cups.
Nutrition information per piece:
40 calories, 15% calories from fat, 0.7 g fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 65 mg sodium, 2.2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 0.6 g fiber
Dessert bruschetta
Preparation time: 8 minutes
Cooking time: 1 minute
Yield: 12 servings
Most people think of bruschetta as a summertime appetizer. The Italians love to use up fresh tomatoes mixed with just a hint of basil and fresh garlic, and for parties, it’s always a hit. But for a unique, passed dessert, this sweet-and-salty bruschetta has been a hit at my home on several occasions, mainly because it uses high-quality ingredients in small proportions and everything can be bought in containers, then assembled at the last minute as you’re making coffee.
The only caveat is that this dish will require a trip to one or more specialty markets. Fresh ricotta can be found in the cheese section of several specialty stores and Italian markets; dulce de leche from Argentina is now available at Fox & Obel and Trotter’s to Go. High-quality sea salt is more readily available in specialty stores. The hazelnut-chocolate spread (Nutella) is available in many supermarkets and specialty stores. Call stores ahead of time to make sure they have the products in stock. Alternatives to the bread might include purchased biscotti cookies or poundcake squares.
–Steve Dolinsky
1 baguette or narrow French bread loaf, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup each: hazelnut-chocolate spread, fresh ricotta
1/4 cup dulce de leche
1 tablespoon fleur de sel or other sea salt
1. Heat broiler; place bread slices on baking sheet. Broil until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
2. Spread 2 teaspoons of the hazelnut spread onto each slice; top each with a small dollop of ricotta cheese. Drizzle a small amount of dulce de leche on top of the cheese. Top each with a pinch of sea salt.
Nutrition information per serving:
110 calories, 41% calories from fat, 5 g fat, 1.4 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 620 mg sodium, 2.4 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 0.8 g fiber
For more party help
If you need advice on throwing a dinner party, the publishing world is at your service. The most recent books on entertaining, all of which have recipes, include many great ideas. The tips on this page were found in the following new books:
“Desperation Entertaining,” by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross (Workman, $14.95)
“Joy of Cooking: All About Party Foods,” by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker (Scribner, $15.95)
“Pillsbury Appetizers” (Clarkson Potter, $25.95)
Ready-made party snacks
– Seasoned olives from supermarkets and delicatessens
– Bags of mixed rice crackers and snacks, found at Asian and specialty markets
– Packaged cheese straws and vegetable chips
– Meat and vegetarian pates or smoked fish
Cheese plate
– Choose at least three varieties, each of a different type: for instance, one fresh goat cheese; one soft-ripened cheese (such as Brie, Camembert, Pont l’Eveque); one blue-veined cheese (try Roquefort, Gorgonzola or Stilton); and one firm cheese (such as farmhouse Cheddar, Gruyere, Gouda, Manchego).
– Arrange the cheese on a large board or tray with or without fruit. Offer a variety of sliced breads, biscuits and crackers on the side.
Doing dips
– Prepare cold dips at least an hour ahead of time or even a day in advance to allow the flavors to blend. Hot dips can be assembled ahead, covered, kept refrigerated until ready to cook, and they can be reheated in the microwave.
– Serve cold or room temperature dips in small bowls, hollowed-out large round loaves of bread, or vegetable “containers” such as cabbage leaves, lettuce cups or bell peppers. Plan on about 1 cup of dip to serve 4 people.
Making beforehand
Many fillings can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Some recipes, such as meat- or cheese-filled pastries, herbed pita triangles and cooked vegetable won tons can be prepared and frozen ahead. Place appetizers on a tray in a single layer; freeze until firm, then transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Use within three months.
The alcohol equation
Plan on one to two drinks per guest per hour. A 750-milliliter bottle of wine holds four 6-ounce servings; a liquor bottle of the same size will yield seventeen 1 1/2-ounce drinks. A gallon of punch averages about 24 servings.
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HOLIDAY SEASON 2002
Upcoming stories: Nov. 20: Sage advice Nov. 24: A Canadian holiday Dec. 4: Cookie contest! Dec. 11: Best cookbooks for giving Dec. 18: Festive tamales Dec. 25: A gift of recipes
