Whether you’re feeding the family, preparing for a date, or simply pampering yourself, good food is an essential ingredient. You don’t have to visit a 5-star restaurant in order find gourmet eats, either. Consider these simple gourmet recipes that you can prepare at home.
The Appetizer: Smoked Salmon Bites
What You’ll Need:
24 Buttery Crackers
16 oz. Cream Cheese
4 oz. Capers
1 Package Smoked Salmon
Fresh Dill for Garnish
How to Do It:
Blend capers into cream cheese. Spoon approximately 1 tbsp of cream cheese mixture onto each cracker. Top with a thin slice of salmon, cut to about 1 inch in diameter. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve immediately.
That wasn’t so hard, was it? Let’s move on to the next course.
Gourmet House Salad
To some, salad may just be a bowl of lettuce. But it doesn’t have to be! Try this delicious twist on the classic house salad. The presentation of this salad is lovely; it looks as good as it tastes.
What You’ll Need:
1 Head Iceberg Lettuce, Chopped; or, One Bag Salad Mix
1/4 lb Deli Ham
1 cup Colby Cheese
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Seasoned Fried Onions
Salt and Pepper to taste
Your favorite salad dressing
How to Do It:
Boil eggs for 15 minutes; cool and peel. Separate lettuce into 4-6 salad bowls. Top evenly with cheese, onions, salt and pepper. Chop ham into 1/4 inch chunks, and chop the boiled eggs as well. Place on top of the lettuce. Serve with your favorite salad dressings.
Tip: At the deli counter, have your grocer slice the ham 1/4 inch thick. This will save you time and effort when you prepare the ham. We also recommend ranch or bleu cheese dressing with this salad, as its tanginess complements the other flavors well.
The Main Course: Lemon Pepper Cod, White Rice, and Steamed Vegetables
This entree offers a kaleidoscope of flavors. Your guests’ minds and palates are sure to be blown. This recipe assumes you are serving 4 guests; feel free to duplicate or reduce amounts according to your need.
What You’ll Need:
4 Fillets of Fresh Cod Fillets
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1 large Crown of Broccoli
2 cups White Rice
4 cups Water
4 tbsp Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
How to Do It:
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine two cups rice and 4 cups water in a sauce pan. Bring to a rapid boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes.
Coat fillets in olive oil, then sprinkle with lemon pepper. Place fillets in a glass baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.
While your fish is cooking, chop broccoli and steam for 10 minutes over high heat. Before serving, toss with 2 tbsp butter and salt and pepper to taste.
Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in 2 tbsp butter and salt to taste. Serve fish and broccoli on a bed of rice.
Tip: This meal pairs well with a dry white wine.
Of course, if preparing a gourmet meal yourself still seems intimidating, why not try Foodini’s meal delivery service?
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