We like to entertain informally-often that means a barbecue with no dressing up, no fancy table setting-just friends getting together, relaxing and having fun, sharing good conversation and great food.
If you feel you must offer food the minute your guests arrive, buy some jars of fancy canned vegetables such as baby earns of corn, pickled okra, dilled green beans, marinated mushrooms, pickled cauliflower florets, and such.
This menu with its grill-easy main course is ideal for a slow-paced meal that could be served outdoors, or inside if you live where we do and its doesn't cool down to below 90 degrees until well after midnight. Most everything but the chicken can be done ahead so you can sit back and relax, knowing that everything is cooked to perfection and ready to serve. If the party's for six or less, I find it easier to plate the food in the kitchen, avoiding the family-style platters and bowls that can take a lot of time to pass. Make use of large trays to transport the glasses, napkins, flatware, pitchers of iced tea, and condiments to the table.
While the first course, a beautiful stack of farm fresh tomatoes and sliced mozzarella cheese sitting in a puddle of yellow pepper coulis is being served, the chicken can be getting its final cooking done with a glaze of wine, mustard, fresh herbs, and tangerine juice. Remove the chicken directly onto dinner plates, take these to the kitchen and finish filling the plates with the braised new potatoes and sautéed green beans. Let your guests know as you do this that their dinner plates are ready to be transported to the table. Or, if eating and grilling outside, reverse the order of the partial plating.
Dessert is made for lingering with cups of steaming coffee-a rich trifle showing off the best of the late summer fruits.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
