A wonderful dinner with dear friends on one of the last warm summer evenings on the terrace – delightful! The whole thing was originally intended as a gift for a friend and her partner, but in the end there were six of us instead of just three (when I cook a four-course dinner, I need more people to eat it). And that's exactly how you imagine an evening with friends: good food, excellent wine, music and, above all, flowing conversation and lots of laughter! Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
The right choice of dishes for multi-course dinners
Although I am fortunate enough to be able to cook in a very large open island kitchen with a bar, where I am not alone during preparation but can have all the guests gather around, I still prefer a menu that does not require me to spend a long time cooking à la minute. After all, you invite friends over to have fun together, not to spend ages in the kitchen!
That's why I only plan dishes for these kinds of dinners that I can prepare well in advance and that require minimal time to serve. In this case, that was:
- Starter: Bruschetta with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies and with/without prosciutto (for meat eaters and pescetarians)
- Main course: whole side of salmon with mustard and honey crust, served with a green bean and onion salad
- Dessert: Chocolate cake with wholemeal biscuit crumble and rum raisins
- Cheese: French matured Camembert with nuts, dried fruit and fig mustard
With this selection of dishes, I was able to prepare everything the day before or before the guests arrived, and I had no stress at all during dinner.
Bruschetta – perfect as a snack or starter
I really love the Italian version of the open sandwich – a simple little dish that shines thanks to the quality of its ingredients rather than the effort involved in preparing it. Bruschetta is always a hit, especially in summer, and everyone loves it!
I prepared them just before my guests arrived so that they were really fresh. There is always a risk that the bread will absorb moisture and become chewy. But since they are ready in no time at all if you have all the ingredients to hand, it's easy.
When it comes to bruschetta, the beauty lies in its versatility! Don't like anchovies? Then simply leave them out. Don't have any sun-dried tomatoes in the house? Use other pickled antipasti such as artichokes or courgettes instead! You can also use Italian salami instead of prosciutto, burrata instead of mozzarella, and so on! Creativity, taste and the contents of your fridge are the basis.
Bruschetta with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella and sardines
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the baguettes into very diagonal slices to create a large surface area (for the toppings).
- Brush the top with olive oil.
- Optional: Toast the slices in the oven until crispy. If the baguette is very fresh, this step is not necessary.
- Tear or cut the mozzarella into pieces. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces if desired or necessary.
- Top the bread slices with mozzarella, prosciutto, tomatoes and anchovies, then sprinkle with pine nuts and pepper.
