The Culinary Architect: Throw a fabulous summer party

The Island Now

The other Saturday night I worked until 1:00 a.m. and woke up to find that I would be entertaining six people for dinner.  
What is a busy and exhausted caterer to do?  
I quickly put together an easy and delicious dinner party!
This time of year fresh Montauk Tuna is plentiful in markets and carrots are bountiful at farm stands. (As you know, I love Rottkamp Bros. Farm on Mcouns Lane in Brookville).
Add easy to make couscous with shitake mushrooms, a salad and fruit salad for dessert and one has an elegant party with a minimal amount of effort.
Entertaining at home is gracious and a warm way to welcome friends.  Set your table in your air-conditioned home with fine china and crisp linens and you have set the mood for a wonderful evening. Enjoy…
Menu
Serves 4
Farm Greens with
Vinaigrette Dressing*
Sesame Tuna
Spiralized Ginger Carrots
Couscous with Shitake
Mushrooms
Summer Fruit Salad*
*Recipe Not Given
Sesame Tuna
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tblsps black sesame seeds
Salt and freshly ground
pepper
2 tblsps olive oil, plus more
for brushing the fish
1 1/2 tblsps sesame oil
3 lbs. tuna steaks, cut in 2
long triangular loins
Fleur de sel
In a dry Dutch oven on medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until they are just beginning to turn light golden brown and fragrant.  Remove from heat and spread seeds on a disposable plate. (There is to clean up!)
 
Brush the tuna pieces on all sides with olive oil.  Season on all sides with salt and pepper and dip tuna pieces in the seeds, pressing to coat on all sides.  Set aside on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
When ready to cook, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and sesame oil on medium high in the Dutch oven. When oil is hot, add the fish to the pan.  Let cook without moving the fish for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the sesame crust begins to crisp and brown.  When the crust is golden brown, turn the fish and cook until the other side is golden brown and crisp, about another 2 minutes.  Once the second side is browned, brown the third side, then turn the fish pieces on edge with tongs, to brown the remaining sides.
Remove from heat and set aside.  Fish will be medium rare at this point.  If you prefer fish more well done, place the pan with the fish in a 375 degree oven for another 3 to 5 minutes.  (Personally, I love my tuna seared on the outside and raw on the inside.)
To serve, slice the loin and serve with carrots and couscous.
Spiralized Ginger Carrots
3 large carrots
2 tblsps sweet butter
2 tblsps grated fresh ginger
Salt and pepper, to taste
 Using a spiralizer or julliene slicer, slice the carrots.
 In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add ginger and saute 3 minutes.  Add carrots and saute until cooked through.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Couscous with Shitake Mushrooms
2 cups couscous
4 oz. dried Shitake
mushrooms, soaked in
water and then sliced
4 cups chicken or
vegetable stock
In a crock pot, add all of the ingredients.
Cook on high for 2 hours.
Fluff with a fork and serve.
Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 33-year old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties. 
For more photos and presentation follow Culinary Architect Catering on Facebook. Please email me photos of your meal at party@culinaryarchitect.com.
The Culinary Architect: Throw a fabulous summer party

By Alexandra Troy

Share this Article