Spring Entertaining, Made Simple
From planning ahead to feeding a crowd, everything you need for a relaxed, beautiful spring gathering.
There is nothing quite like a spring outdoor party. Everyone seems ready to soak up the fresh air and each other’s company after being cooped up all winter. I also love entertaining in the spring because it gives me the push I need to get everything outdoors in order - sooner rather than later. There’s nothing like having company coming to motivate a little household hustle, right?
This time, we’re celebrating the First Holy Communion of two of our youngest grandchildren, Charlie and Ford. They’ve been preparing for weeks, and we are all so excited for them. We’re hosting at my daughter’s house, and of course, I’m there to pitch in.
When planning a spring menu, balance is key. Here is what we are serving.
Whole Grilled Filet of Beef with my Red Chimichurri and my Traditional Horseradish Sauce
Grilled Salmon Salad, my grandkids’ favorite
Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Green Goddess Dipping Sauce…of course, we need potatoes with beef!
Eileen’s Strawberry Salad with a twist
Orzo Asparagus Pea Salad that screams spring
Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake, the easiest you’ll ever make to serve a crowd
First Communion Cupcake Cross, a little cheating here!
In this issue, I’m sharing my complete spring entertaining menu with so many dishes to help usher in this beautiful, abundant season. And the BEST thing of all…they’re even more delicious made ahead of time!!
Here is a sneak peek at two of this month’s recipes.
ORZO ASPARAGUS PEA SALAD
For spring entertaining, I always like to include a seasonal grain salad and several dishes that can be made ahead. This orzo asparagus pea salad checks both boxes beautifully. I love finishing it with crispy shallots for an extra bit of crunch. The best part? It tastes even better the next day, so you can prepare it the night before your gathering - just save the shallots to sprinkle on right before serving.
INGREDIENTS
16 oz dried orzo
2 cups peas (you can use frozen)
3 cups asparagus, chopped
5 cups arugula
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
8 oz feta cheese
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
VINAIGRETTE:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook the orzo according to package instructions. Drain and cool.
While the orzo cooks, fry the shallots in olive oil until crispy. Wipe out that pan, leaving just a bit of the oil behind, and lightly sauté the asparagus for about 3 minutes.
Combine the vinaigrette ingredients into a bowl or jar and shake or whisk until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss with about 3/4 of the dressing. Top with crispy shallots and add more dressing as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SHEETCAKE
I wanted something a little lighter to pair with the First Communion cupcakes. This Strawberry Shortcake is made on a sheet pan and truly is so easy, light, and refreshing for a Spring menu. You can swap the strawberries out for other berries, peaches or nectarines. Check out the recipe in Every Day with Babs
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups (385g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 stick (4 ounces/113g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM TOPPING
1½ pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare the shortcake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the butter and use your hands to toss it in the flour to coat. Use your fingers to mash each piece of butter into a flat piece, tossing it in flour as you go. Aim for pieces around the size of a nickel.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk and ½ cup of the cream. Stir gently until just combined, with a few dry spots remaining.
Use your hands to fold the dough over itself in the bowl a few times, until the dough is evenly moistened, but be careful not to overwork it.
The dough should just hold together and should not be crumbly. There should still be visible pieces of butter. This may require adding another tablespoon or two of cream.
Turn out the dough onto the sheet pan and sprinkle a bit of flour over the top. Use your hands or a rolling pin to press or roll the dough into a rough oval ½ inch thick. (If the dough seems at all warm or the butter is very soft, refrigerate for 10 minutes.)
Brush off any excess flour, then brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
Bake the shortcake until golden brown and crisp at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.
Prepare the strawberries: In a large bowl, stir together the strawberries, 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let macerate briefly, stirring the mixture occasionally until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, whip the cream: In a medium bowl, combine the cream, the remaining teaspoon granulated sugar, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Use an electric hand mixer or whisk to beat the mixture to medium peaks.
Transfer the shortcake to a serving platter (or leave on the sheet pan!). Top with swoops of whipped cream, then carefully spoon the strawberries and their juices over the cream. Slice with a serrated bread knife and serve immediately.
Subscribe below for all of my tips and tricks to throwing a spring gather including the rest of this month’s recipes and my monthly Substack, What’s on the Menu?
GRILLED WHOLE FILET OF BEEF
For this spring menu, the star of the show is filet of beef. It may seem like an extravagant choice, but it comes out to about $8 per person - quite reasonable for such an elegant meal. I especially love serving filet because it can be prepped and cooked in advance, then served at room temperature without missing a beat. You can roast it in the oven or grill it. This year, I took advantage of the Spring weather and chose the grill. It also makes the most divine leftovers, and it’s always a hit with guests of all ages.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (5-pound) whole beef tenderloin trimmed of silverskin and excess fat
8 large garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Fold the thinner end of the tenderloin under to approximate the thickness of the rest of the roast and tie with butcher’s twine to secure (or ask your butcher to do it.). Tie tenderloin in 1 1/2- to 2-inch intervals to help it keep its shape during cooking.
Mix together garlic, oil, rosemary, pepper and salt in a small bowl; rub over tenderloin to coat. Let sit to reach room temperature while you preheat the grill.
Place tenderloin on the hot grill and close the lid. Grill until well-seared, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side.
Move tenderloin to the cool side of the grill and turn off the burner directly underneath the tenderloin and turn the remaining one or two burners (depending on grill style) to medium. Cook until rosy pink and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest section registers 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), 45 to 60 minutes. Cook time will depend on tenderloin size and grill. Let the tenderloin rest 15 minutes before carving.
EILEEN’S STRAWBERRY SALAD
This spring salad is my daughter’s absolute favorite. She got the recipe from her mother-in-love. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and crunch. Since we were serving a crowd, I added both arugula and spinach to the romaine. There’s sometimes a little dressing left over, but never any salad - that’s for sure! This time, we layered the salad like a seven-layer salad, then tossed it together when we served. The salad actually works best just tossed together without the layering.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (3oz/85g) pkg dried ramen noodles, crushed
¼ cup sliced raw almonds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and dried
5 oz (140g) arugula or baby spinach
1 pint (12 oz) strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dressing:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). In a small bowl, mix the ramen noodles, almonds, sunflower seeds, and melted butter. Transfer to a baking dish and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, arugula, strawberries, and Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate.
Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add the oil, paprika, salt, and garlic, and mix well.
Just before serving, sprinkle the crunchy topping over the salad mixture and toss with just enough dressing to coat the greens. Make sure not to overdress the salad. Serve immediately. Reserve leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
