Buffet Menu

This is the menu of dishes I made for my daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner. It's certainly appropriate for any special occasion. In planning the menu, I kept in mind various food restrictions: my daughter prefers vegetarian fare, her father is allergic to seafood, the soon-to-be husband's dad is on dialysis. For instance, Joe wanted a ham, but individuals on dialysis need to restrict their salt intake, so I also baked chicken breasts.

Everything here was prepared, to some degree, ahead of time, which is the key to a successful buffet. The biscuit and madeleine doughs were ready. Salads made, veggies chopped. Salmon terrines prepped the day before. And as you'll see, I didn't skimp on flavor -- we love fresh herbs and fragrant spices to take a dish over the top.

The entire menu can be prepared by a first time cook. The trick to having everything ready when guests arrive is making a timeline and to do list.

The Menu

Artichoke Heart Dip [note: I used parm and mozzarella]
Baked Chicken Breasts - no recipe
Baked Ham - no recipe
Cheddar Sage Buttermilk Biscuits w/ 3 mustards - recipe below
Crudite and Hummus
Marinated Olives
Monet Salad w/ Mustard Vinaigrette - recipe below
Pasta Salad - recipe below
Smoked Salmon Terrines - recipe below
Wild Mushroom Crostini
Zucchini Madeleines

Recipes

Cheddar Sage Buttermilk Biscuits w/ 3 mustards
Ingredients
2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 T. sugar
8 T unsalted butter
3 1/2 oz. shredded cheddar
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2/3 c. buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut butter into flour.
3. Add dry ingredients.
4. Blend in milk. Mix just until ingredients are combined, then roll dough on floured cutting board and cut into biscuits.
5. Butter/flour cookie sheet and place biscuits.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.
7. In three small bowls, dollop your favorite mustards so guests can pick their poison. I chose Dijon, stoneground, and honey mustards.

Monet Salad w/ Mustard Vinaigrette

I saw this idea in a cookbook once but haven't been able to find it since, so I can't credit the source. But the idea is simple enough. A Monet Salad is composed of mixed baby greens and edible flowers. I used rosemary, geranium, lavender and nasturtiums. The vinaigrette is equally simple. The proportions: 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar (I combine rice/balsamic), and 3 tablespoons of Dijon. Stoneground mustard is just as nice if you have that on hand. Put it in a pretty bottle and shake it up to emulsify the ingredients.

Pasta Salad

This is not really a recipe as much as a list of ingredients. As you see, this is a meal in itself. In addition to the pasta (I used farfalle this time, although any curly pasta, like rotini or campanelle, is suitable), I added: red onions (diced small), green onions, celery, carrots, salami (cubed), mozzarella (cubed), capers, peperoncini, red bell pepper, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh basil and parsley. To keep the noodles from getting soft, I tossed it with olive oil and vinegar right before serving, then seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Voila.

Smoked Salmon Terrines
The filling: I prepared the horseradish cream cheese filling from this Sunset recipe plus lemon zest.
The terrines: Next, I lined 3 mini-bread pans with plastic wrap, letting it drap over the sides so the terrine could be completely wrapped while it set. Then I lined the pan with thin slices of smoked salmon, draping it over the sides so I could fold it back to cover the filling.
     Since the terrines were so small, I simply spooned in the cream cheese filling to the top (rather than alternate layers of cream cheese and salmon), folded the salmon neatly over the top to encase the filling, wrapped the plastic wrap tightly around the package and popped the lot in the fridge.
     This needs to chill at least 4 hours. Such a pretty dish. Served with sliced baguettes. Note: use a VERY sharp knife to slice the terrine. This holds up nicely on a buffet table.

And for dessert? We picked up a fruit tart and a chocolate cake from a local bakery, and grapes and strawberries from the farmer's market. Keep it simple and enjoy the party.