Foodbuzz 24×24: The Five Ingredient Dinner Party
Throwing a dinner party can be stressful, time consuming and expensive. That’s why for this month’s Foodbuzz 24 proposal I thought a Five-Ingredient Dinner Party was in order. Every dish at our party had five or less ingredients, from appetizer down to dessert!
It was easier to accomplish than you might think. The hard part was choosing recipes that would complement each other well, without compromising on ingredients. But the end result was super fun and the easiest dinner party I’ve ever thrown!
Our menu:
- Appetizer – Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Main course – Blackened Salmon
- Side Dish One – Creamy Baked Leeks with Garlic, Thyme and Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Side Dish Two – Baked Hasselback Potatoes
- Dessert – Nutella Mousse with fresh raspberries
I’m going to post the recipe for the biggest – and most surprising – hit of the night: the Creamy Baked Leeks! In the past I’ve shied away from cooking with leeks because I’d always heard they were difficult to clean, but I wanted to do something a bit different, so leeks it was. OH MY – so delicious!! If you’re looking for a vegetable dish that’s sure to impress, I highly suggest this one. Everyone was raving over it!
I’ll post other recipes each day this week, so please be sure to check back for the rest. They were all delicious! The spicy salmon was perfect with the creamy leeks and buttery potatoes – so good! I’ll admit it wasn’t a healthy dinner by any means, but sometimes you just have to go for big taste :-)
Enjoy!
Creamy Baked Leeks with Garlic, Thyme, and Parmigiano
- 8 medium leeks
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heat the oven to 350°F.
Cut the dark-green portion and all but about 1 inch of the light green off the top of the leeks. Peel away any tough or damaged outer leaves. Trim the ends by cutting the roots but leaving a bit of the base intact to hold the leek together. Cut each leek in half lengthwise. Gently wash each half under running water, fanning open the layers to rinse as thoroughly as possible. Pat the leeks dry and then arrange them cut side down in a greased baking dish. They should all fit snugly, but if they are crowded, turn a few on their sides. Sprinkle the thyme over the leeks and season with salt.
Heat the cream and garlic in a small saucepan over high heat. As soon as the cream comes to a rolling boil (watch carefully and don’t let it boil over), remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour the cream and garlic evenly over the leeks.
Cover the leeks with a piece of parchment cut to fit inside the pan (I used foil).
Bake the leeks until the thickest ends are tender all the way through when pierced with a paring knife and the cream is almost entirely reduced, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle the leeks with the Parmigiano and salt to taste. Bake just until the cheese melts, an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the leeks to a warm serving platter.
Wow–everything looks so beautiful and tasty! Great job. :)
Thanks, Heather! :-)
This looks like a delicious meal and simplicity is the best bet for a successful and stress-free party!