Entertaining Light: Healthy Company Menus with Great Style Book

Martha Rose Shulman is famous for her supper clubs, where she entertains up to 25 paying guests at a time in her apartment in Paris. But, as she points out, if she has even one guest for dinner (and he's not trying to sell her something), she's entertaining. An enthusiastic advocate for healthy eating, Shulman describes her attitude towards entertaining as "light on the pocketbook as well as the arteries." With years of catering, teaching, and grand-scale entertaining behind her, Shulman is the perfect person to turn to when you have company coming. The key, as she explains in her introduction, is organization. Every recipe includes an Advanced Preparation note, in which she describes what part of it can be made ahead and when. And her instructions are so precise--down to the number of minutes to sauté the first ingredient before adding the second and how many minutes to do this before your guests arrive--that you'll always feel confident that you are prepared. The first section of the book is dedicated to hors d'oeuvres, and it begins with a list of "aperitifs," basically a terrific list of recommended wines for pouring while your guests are nibbling. To keep the party moving, Shulman suggests that all hors d'oeuvres should be able to be eaten with one hand. The almost 50 recipes that follow ensure that your guests will never need to put down their drinks. And with recipes such as Spicy Zucchini Purée on Red Pepper Pieces, Tuna or Salmon and Horseradish Tartare, and Crackers with Goat Cheese Spread and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, your guests won't know that they're watching their fat and calories. Shulman follows generally accepted healthful guidelines, but notes that this is not a diet cookbook. Rather, she keeps fat to a minimum--with the emphasis on flavor--avoids rich meats, and serves a lot of fish and fresh vegetables. Her menus are well-rounded and there's no chance that anyone will leave hungry. Some of her menus are more elaborate, such as An Elegant April Sit-Down Dinner, which starts with a Pinot d'Alsace, then Dried Porcini Soup with Tarragon Bruschette, followed by Asparagus and Herb Lasagne, Savory Baked Tomatoes, and Simple Salad of Arugula and Lamb's Lettuce. For dessert, there's Rhubarb, Honey, and Blood Orange Sorbet and a bottle of Tokay Pinot Gris d'Alsace. For those of us easily intimidated, she has wonderful, friendly menus such as A Simple Menu for Friends, which starts with a Piperade au Basilic (a Provençal dish of peppers, onions, eggs, garlic, and basil) and Christine's Baked New Potatoes, followed by a Tossed Green Salad (with a wide array of vinaigrettes to choose from), and then Apricot Tart for dessert. Whatever your occasion, Shulman has a menu for you that will leave both you and your guests smiling. --Leora Y. BloomRead More