By Jessica Alfreds, owner Jessica Alfreds Homemade
Even though I cook for other people all day, when I get home at night I still love to cook for family and friends. I rely on simple dinner parties that I can throw together with minimal effort.
The menu below is what I like to cook in these early days of fall. Much of it can be prepared the night before. I would serve this meal with a California Sauvignon blanc (I buy domestic whenever I can), or an apple cider. I hope this menu inspires you to have your own dinner party…before the craziness of the holiday season sets in.
Hors d’oeuvre:
Wild shrimp, scallop, and Yellowfin tuna ceviche
First Course:
Spinach Salad with Chipotle Dressing
Second Course:
Grilled Pork Chops with apples, mashed potatoes, and asparagus 
Third Course: Dessert!
Seasonal fruit salad of kiwi, orange, pear, banana, and apple 
Topped with coconut or vanilla ice cream
RECIPES:
SEAFOOD CEVICHE:
Serves 6
- 2 pounds of cleaned, shelled wild shrimp, each cut in half
- 1 ½ pounds of wild sea scallops, quartered
- 1 ½ pounds of wild Yellowfin tuna, cut into bite-sized cubes
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 ½ cups fresh squeezed orange juice
- ¾ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, finely chopped
- Half a red onion, finely chopped
- 2 avocados, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all of the above ingredients, except the avocado and tomato, in a glass bowl. Toss well. Put in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (but you can make this the night before your dinner party).
Remove from the fridge just before serving. Taste for seasoning adjustments. Serve in martini or champagne glasses, or in small pretty bowls. At the last moment, top the glasses off with the tomatoes and avocado. Serve immediately.
SPINACH SALAD:
Serves 6
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 chipotles, canned in adobo
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 boxes of pre-washed organic baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Half of a red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons of black or white sesame seeds
- 1 cup of domestic goat cheese, crumbled
To make the dressing, combine in a food processor the honey, vinegar, and chipotles. With the machine running, slowly add the extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. The dressing can be made several days ahead, kept in the refrigerator. Stir well and bring to room temperature before using.
To make the salad, heat a small skillet and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the red onion until lightly brown and tender. You can make the sautéed onions the night before and keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.
Just before serving, toss the baby spinach with the onions, sesame seeds, and goat cheese. Lightly coat the salad with the chipotle dressing. Taste for seasoning adjustments. Serve immediately.
GRILLED PORK CHOPS:
Serves 6
- 3 Granny Smith apples
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 6 pork chops, about 7 ounces each
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 cups apple juice
- 2 tablespoons flour dissolved in 6 tablespoons cold water
- Parsley for garnish
Season the pork chops on both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper and a little olive oil.
Peel and thinly slice the apples. In a large skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Heat a cast iron grill pan, or a bbq, and grill the pork chops about 5 minutes per side.
Return the skillet with the onions and garlic to medium heat. Add the butter to the pan. When the butter melts, stir in the brown sugar and apples. Saute about 3 minutes, stirring.
Pour the apple juice into the skillet. Simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in the dissolved flour and whisk until well combined.
Pour the sauce and apples over the pork chops. Garnish with fresh parsley.
MASHED POTATOES:
Serves 6
- 6 Yukon gold potatoes
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peel 6 Yukon gold potatoes. Rinse the potatoes and put them in a saucepan, just barely covered with cold water. Set pan over a high flame to boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are completely tender.
Drain potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Add 8 tablespoons of butter and 1/3 cup milk. Season with salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher (do not put potatoes in a blender or processor). Keep warm over lowest possible heat until ready to serve.
ROASTED ASPARAGUS:
Serves 6
- 2 bunches asparagus, with one inch cut off the bottoms.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Zest of 2 lemons
Preheat oven to 400
Toss asparagus in a small roasting pan or glass “pyrex” dish with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast asparagus for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with the lemon zest.
More posts by Jessica on babybites blog:
For more dinner party menus visit Jessica’s website: www.jessicaalfreds.com.
