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Graduation is one of the most memorable times in a person’s life. It does not matter whether the graduate is moving on to high school, college, graduate school or the real world. The sense of accomplishment is strong. The cocoon of furthering one’s education is safer than seeking employment today. Or, the college graduate might join the Peace Corps and help make the country a better place.
I have attended graduation parties in restaurants and homes. I prefer the latter environment because it’s cozier, and if there is a garden or backyard, guests can wander in and out.
If you or someone you know is planning a party, there are several options to make it a success. First, call the caterer, but don’t be surprised when you get the bill. Prices have soared in recent years because of higher food costs and labor. You could ask a caterer to drop off of a few dishes and prepare the rest of the fare yourself.
Close friends and family members would be more than happy to help you with preparing any number of dishes. If you know someone who loves to bake, ask them to make the cake along with cookies or petite fours. We all have friends who are vegetarian. Ask them to be creative and inspired with two or three dishes.
Commencement exercises take place in May and June. Keep the weather in mind when planning a party. Both months could be hot as Hades or rain could trickle down after hours of sunshine. Cool- and room-temperature foods are best.
Here are recipes for a graduation party buffet. All recipes are from “Ten: All the Foods We Love and 10 Perfect Recipes for Each” by Sheila Lukins. They can easily be doubled or tripled.
Anchoiade
Ingredients:
1-1/2 jars of anchovy fillets packed in olive oil (23 fillets), drained, reserving the oil
5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup of fresh Italian parsley leaves
2-1/2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
Rinse the anchovies well in cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop the anchovies and place them in a food processor along with the garlic, parsley, vinegar and mustard. Process until the mixture is just pureed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the motor running, drizzle the oil and 2 tablespoons of the reserved anchovy oil through the feed tube and process until smooth. Transfer to a small decorative bowl and serve. You can make this dip the day before and refrigerate covered, overnight. Just add a bit of water to thin it before serving.
Serve the anchoiade with assorted crudite.
Makes about two cups.
Seaside Seafood Salad
Ingredients:
12 ounces of cooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved crosswise
8 ounces of cooked fresh lump crab meat
8 ounces of cooked fresh lobster meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup of carrots, finely diced
1/4 cup of celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon of tiny capers, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon of seeded red or green jalapeno pepper, finely minced
2 tablespoons of fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Place the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together. Season with the salt and pepper.
Add the jalapeno and parsley. Carefully fold in the oil and lemon juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours.
Serves eight.
Saffron Orzo
Ingredients:
8 cups of chicken broth
Kosher salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon of crushed saffron threads
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups of orzo
2 teaspoons of fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Combine the broth, salt, saffron and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium-size pot and bring to a boil. Stir in the orzo, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the orzo is just tender, for about nine minutes.
Drain the orzo and return it to the pot. Add the remaining oil and the parsley and toss well. Season with the salt and pepper.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: You can serve this dish hot or at room temperature. SPR
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