Menu help....

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AeroGal619

Assistant Cook
Joined
Dec 4, 2006
Messages
6
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
I am hosting a dinner party in a few weeks and I'm a little lost on the menu. I have some ideas, but I'm not sure the dishes go well together. I have my eye on Penne a la Vodka, Mesclun Salad with a Lemon Vinaigrette and Crostini, Strawberry Almond Cheesecake, and Pinot Noir for wine. How does that sound? ANd I need a side dish, a vegetable of some sort, but I'm not sure what goes. HELP!!!

Thanks in advance!
 
It sounds really nice to me, AeroGal! To figure out a veggie it would be useful to know where you are or at least what's in season now in your part of the world. However, even without that information my first thought is that since you already have a green leafy veg, a root vegetables in some form might be nice. I'm visualising your plate as being pretty much beige and green so it would be lovely to have a touch of something rich and red or orange-y in color -- a squash or carrots or rutabega (or some sort of 'root veggie medly') or even beets, perhaps roasted. Aside from color and eye-appeal, those all tend to be sweet and mellow in flavor which might contrast nicely with the lemon-y salad ...

Asparagus might also be very nice?

Are you avoiding meat entirely, by the way? Adding in a bit of proscuitto or bacon can add a nice note to certain veggies.
 
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Since your menu mostly Italian themed, why don't you take it a step further and instead of serving a vegetable course, serve a meat or fish course after the pasta which would be the "Il Secondi" in Italian dining. Your "Il Antipasti" would your salad, the "Il Primo" course would be the pasta, and the "Il Secondo" course could be something like Grilled Pork Loin with a Balsamic Reduction and sauteed broccoli or rapini. The "Il Doce" course would of course be the Cheesecake.
 
I rarely serve a side dish or vegetable when pasta is the main course. Normally, the pasta would have the entire plate to itself.

Now, I would suggest lamb or veal as a fourth course. I'd serve the pasta first, the salad second (or last, depending on who was dining) and then a meat course.

I'd do herb crusted lamb chops with mint coulis, roasted fingerling potatoes, and mashed carrots/chestnuts.

Good luck with your dinner.
 
VeraBlue, the mashed carrots/chestnuts idea sounds wonderful. Can you elaborate? Fully mashed such that neither is recognizable, or left a bit chunky? Anything else added in? Basic proportions?
 
Ayrton said:
VeraBlue, the mashed carrots/chestnuts idea sounds wonderful. Can you elaborate? Fully mashed such that neither is recognizable, or left a bit chunky? Anything else added in? Basic proportions?

Good morning Ayrton!

First, I'll roast the carrots, having dressed them with a bit of olive oil, thyme, honey, S&P and a couple of cloves of garlic. I buy the chestnuts cooked and peeled. When the carrots are fork tender I put them through the processor, along with the chestnuts, the garlic cloves, some butter and some heavy cream. S&P again, to taste. I usually do 4 to 2, with twice as much carrots as chestnuts.

Hope you are well.
 
VeraBlue said:
Good morning Ayrton!

First, I'll roast the carrots, having dressed them with a bit of olive oil, thyme, honey, S&P and a couple of cloves of garlic. I buy the chestnuts cooked and peeled. When the carrots are fork tender I put them through the processor, along with the chestnuts, the garlic cloves, some butter and some heavy cream. S&P again, to taste. I usually do 4 to 2, with twice as much carrots as chestnuts.

Hope you are well.

That sounds really, really good. Thanks for the details. I think you just got included in my New Year's Eve menu!
 
I, personally, would not add a thing. Husband and I are in our fifties, and many of our friends are older. We're all discovering less is better. If I were to add anything it would be a small antipasto plate served on the coffee table in the living room with pre-dinner cocktails. My friends would be happy without another vegetable or meat dish for the meal itself.
 
Am truly humbled at the great advice given.

First thought was serve the salad first and forget about a side dish.

Then Ayrton mentioned the asparagus, and think that would make a nice starter. Cooked and served cold, with a bit of a vinagrette and maybe some grated cheese.

Would make the asparagus just a few spears, just a true appetizer.

Then follow with the pasta, then as a next course the salad, and then dessert.

Sounds like you want a vegetarian menu and that is great.

Just an idea. Have a great party.
 
Ayrton said:
That sounds really, really good. Thanks for the details. I think you just got included in my New Year's Eve menu!

Yay for me! I always wanted to go to Greece:-p
 
VeraBlue said:
Yay for me! I always wanted to go to Greece:-p
:LOL: Okay, fair enough. Your carrot-chestnut-melange on my menu, and an extra place setting for you. How's that?!

(For whatever reason, this reminds me of the story told in my older version of Joy [hope it's still in the newer editions!] of how they insisted to their cook that the piglet WAS to be served with an apple in the mouth ... and much to their surprise, when the cook brought out the huge platter with the roast piglet on it ... the apple was in HER mouth!)

Apple or no, I don't want YOU on my menu, VeraBlue :ohmy: but happy to see you in Greece!
 
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