An Easy Spring Dinner Party

+ another twist on my new favorite fish recipe!

Happy Monday! I hosted a dinner party for 7 people recently that turned out just right — easy to execute, seasonal, and totally stress-free (really). The menu was fresh and spring-y, and the timing worked like a charm — no last-minute scrambling, no guests arriving while I was still in an apron. If you’re new here, my approach to entertaining is to KEEP EASY. Just because I can cook complicated recipes, doesn’t mean I want to.

I tried to break this down for you in case you're thinking of entertaining soon. Below you’ll find the full menu, a timeline, links to some of the serving pieces I used, and for my paying subscribers, all the recipes so you can recreate this yourself. Whether you're hosting a graduation dinner, a birthday, or just feel like gathering friends on a warm night, I hope this inspires your next get-together.

MENU

Cocktails and Hors d’Oeuvres

Palomas with fresh grapefruit juice

Marinated goat cheese (I used Cheevo), Manchego, crackers (Effies and Rustic Bakery), Divina tangerine and chili olives

Wildgrain sourdough baguette

Crudites (fennel, carrots, cucumber) with pinzimonio (olive oil and aged balsamic + flaky salt)

whipped ricotta (recipe for paid subscribers) with Divina jarred roasted tomatoes and fresh basil

Dinner

Panko crusted fish with sautéed cherry tomatoes and basil (parmesan baked tofu for a vegetarian guest)

Crispiest roasted potatoes

Sautéed leeks, green beans and asparagus with deconstructed mint pesto

Little gem salad with edible flowers, microgreens, white balsamic vinaigrette

Dessert

Frozen Key Lime Pie (my friend John made this)

Berries

Whipped cream

TIMELINE

Day before

Set table

Do flowers

Chill water bottles (Hubs)

Set bar (Hubs)

Wash greens

Make deconstructed mint pesto

Make salad dressing

Wash berries (store in serving dish lined with paper towel)

Make bread crumbs

Prep crudites: carrot, cucumber, fennel

Make ricotta

Prep veggies for saute (slice leeks, blanch asparagus and green beans)

Select serving pieces

Day of (6:30 arrival time)

Pick up fish

Remove fish from packaging, rinse and pat dry. Place in one layer in a baking dish. Coat with Vegenaise. Cover and refrigerate.

Cut potatoes and submerge in water (I had this on my list but didn’t bother)

Whip cream and refrigerate in serving bowl

Slice tomatoes

Prep tofu

Precook potatoes, drain and shake

5:30 Remove cheeses and assemble boards

Preheat oven

Saute tomatoes, garlic and capers for fish

Pre-saute leeks

5:40 preheat toaster oven

5:50 pre-bake tofu 35 minutes toaster oven

6:00 preheat large oven

Light candle in powder room, music on

6:30 Potatoes in oven

6:30 Hors d’oeuvres out

Water on table, light candles (Hubs)

7:20 add asparagus and green beans to leeks and heat through; reheat tomatoes

Pop tofu back in toaster oven to reheat

7:25 coat fish with bread crumbs, place on top of tomatoes - lower oven temp to 425 pop in oven/remove potatoes - bake fish for 8 minutes

7:30 toss salad, add mint pesto to vegetables, transfer potatoes to serving bowl, serve fish

Decor

I changed up my regular tabletop and used a linen table “throw” which feels modern and unique.

I used these Hawkins NY Aurora glass sphere vases. They don’t take too many flowers and add color to the table. The green color I have is no longer made, but this amber color is lovely.

Candle Holders

Sarah Kersten Plates

Matte Gold Flatware

Linen napkins purchased in Estonia, but these are similar

Wine glasses and water glasses

Salt cellars these are not technically salt cellars, but little ceramic dishes

Serving pieces:

Fish in Crate and Barrel casserole dish with rattan cover. This is no longer made (bummer!) but Pottery Barn has something similar.

Salad bowl is no longer available but this one is similar with Joseph Brody servers

Potatoes in this bowl with these Joseph Brody walnut tongs

Vegetables in this Heath Ceramics bowl (comes with a lid, but I didn’t use it)

Pie served in this dish on this cake stand