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Associated PressThe rare or the seasoned host can find plenty of tips and recipes in two new cookbooks.
CONCORD, N.H. - Vegetarians confused about cooking for a crowd can breathe easy, for a new batch of books on meatless entertaining contains advice on everything from the impromptu to the elegant.
At first glance, I considered the concept a bit overwrought. I've entertained plenty, and while some events have gone more smoothly than others, rarely was it the meatlessness of the meal that proved the challenge.
Finding vegetarian recipes, even those that feed 40, isn't complicated. And entertaining isn't an art; it's a simple matter of opening your home to friends and family, eating, drinking and enjoying the moment. Perfect canapes are not key.
So it was with this bias that I cracked open Didi Emmons' Entertaining for a Veggie Planet (Houghton Mifflin, $18.95) and Jane Noraika's New Vegetarian Entertaining (Ryland, Peters & Small, $24.95).
Truth be told, Emmons' book is a bit precious. She suggests substituting a tea party for traditional Super Bowl festivities (I'm no football fan and even I can't visualize that) and reminisces about throwing a surprise birthday bash for her cat.
That said, her book has plenty to offer, whether or not you're cooking for a crowd. Its 250 recipes are imaginative and appealing, including spring rolls stuffed with mashed potatoes and a minestrone of carrots, rosemary and ginger.
The book also is peppered with advice useful even if your idea of entertaining is getting the entire family to sit down at the same table at the same time. Most recipes include hints on what can be made ahead of time, and how long it will keep.
Even some of the precious advice has legs. I can easily see my wife taking Emmons' suggestion to use a real-life (though not life-sized) snowman on a tray for a centerpiece.
At the other end of the spectrum is Noraika's book, which has little by way of entertaining advice. Instead, she focuses on solid recipes accompanied by luscious photography (always a help and all-too-frequently absent from vegetarian cookbooks).
Noraika's dishes lean toward rustic elegant, such as couscous tabbouleh, baby eggplant with raisins and feta and the very appealing spinach and blue cheese phyllo pastries, which are studded with pine nuts and dried apricots.
Noraika's book seems best for those who know how to entertain, but might be looking for new tastes. Emmons' seems better suited for those still unsure about playing host and are more likely to appreciate detailed advice and menus.
Sesame Sweet Potato Wedges
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4), cut lengthwise into thick wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Sea salt
Coarsely torn or chopped cilantro, for garnish
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 red serrano chili, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the potato wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the wedges with the olive and sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt. Roast for 35 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, use a food processor or blender to puree peanut butter, lime juice, chili, soy sauce, ketchup and 1/4 cup warm water. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a pan and heat over a low flame until warm.
Sprinkle the potato wedges with cilantro and serve with a bowl of dipping sauce.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Source: Jane Noraika's "New Vegetarian Entertaining."