$30 Dinner Party is a Monthly Column that lays out a detailed 3-course meal (appetizer, entree and dessert) for a dinner party of four for under $30. With a detailed listing of ingredients (and their cost) and super easy recipes, along with budget wine pairings, you’ll never have to put off socializing due to budget restrictions again. Recession be damned!
What do you need in the world other than food and friends? One keeps you alive and one makes life worth living. Add a colorful splash – preferably in the form of bright green peas, fiery red paprika, and still-falling-snowflake white whipped cream – and you’ll be on top of the world.
The Pea and Mint Bruschetta is so easy it could be made while you are tipsy and dancing with a glass of candy cane eggnog in hand, and it adds enough bright green onto the table that your dinner party will act as a pop of color against the often dreary backdrop of a cold winter night. The Black Sea Stroganoff is so hearty it would keep even a surly sailor warm and fed for a month. Most importantly, the presentation of serving layered Winter Trifle in clear wine glasses will make guests gasp and clap at both your culinary and “decorative” ingenuity.
Pea and Mint Bruschetta – $8.50
1 loaf of bread (sliced) $3
1 package of frozen peas $2.50
1 small handful of almonds $1
1 sprig of fresh mint $2
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
You want the final product to look so green that people might think the peas are still alive. Freshness is hard to find in the winter, and unexpectedly enough frozen peas are an easy way to mimic it.
Boil the peas until bright green and barely warmed through. Drain and put into a food processor to the “chop” or “coarse” setting along with the almonds and half the sprig of fresh mint. Set aside a little bit of mint for later; you’ll use it to garnish this dish and the dessert. While blending drizzle the mixture with olive oil to keep it moist, and stop blending or processing it before it gets too smooth!
Spread the mixture over toasted slices of bread, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with mint leaf on each slice. If you have parmesan lying around, you can feel free to sprinkle it over the bruschetta (don’t worry- it won’t drown out the flavors of the other ingredients).
Have guests bring a crisp Austrian white wine to accent the greenery of the meal (most Gruner Veltliners run well under $20, and can be great even in the $9 range), and feel your mouths lifted and kissed with the wine’s aromas of lime zests, mountain streams, and soothing white pepper.
Black Sea Beef Stroganoff – $10
1 2lb package of ground beef $3
1 1lb package of broccoli $2
1 medium onion $.50
1 package crème fraiche $2.50
1 1lb package spaetzle… $2
(or egg noodles)
Paprika
Nutmeg
Dill
Garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Water
Make the spaetzle following the directions on the package; it’s basically egg noodle pasta from Bavaria that is far heartier than its Italian counterparts like spaghetti and linguini so don’t be intimidated by the spelling! While the spaetlze is cooking, start on the sauce.
Brown the beef using a drizzle of olive oil. Mince the onion and garlic, and add it to the beef. Sprinkle everything with more paprika than you’re used to adding to any dish you’ve ever made; you should be able to smell the paprika across the room! Sprinkle just enough nutmeg into the dish that you have to really sniff to smell it. Dust with just enough dill that the dish smells “alive,” and salt to taste. Next, add the broccoli and cook until heated through but still crunchy. Finally mix in the spaetzle or egg noodles and crème fraiche (sour cream can work, too, but many grocery stores, such as Trader Joe’s, carry crème fraiche). Stir over low heat until the noodles are warm and covered in the now creamy and spicy sauce.
Have guests bring an Italian Aglianico red wine to accent the warm of this dish with scents of smoky violets and baked cherries. The Aglianico grape grows in lower Italy, and it can make wines from $1,000 down to $10. At every range it keeps its flavor strong and urgent so encourage those buying the wine not to worry too much about the price.
Winter Trifle $11
1 pound cake (pre-made) $4
2 packages of mixed berries $5
8oz of heavy whipping cream $2
*Serve this layered dish in clear wine glasses for a festive finish to the evening.
Let the berries thaw in their package while you make the rest of the meal. You should also chill a deep mixing bowl in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes.
In the chilled bowl, use a handheld blender to whip the cream until it begins to develop stiff peaks. Watch the cream carefully–if you overbeat, it can be grainy, and may separate.
Slice a pound cake into ½ inch thick slices- they should be just small enough to lie flat inside the wine glasses still fully intact.
Now layer all three parts into the wine glasses. I prefer a tiny dollop of cream at the bottom, a slice of pound cake next. A small scoop of berries next, and another small dollop of cream on top finishes the dish off quite nicely.
If your friends are nice enough to offer to bring wine, tell them to bring a not so expensive Port. Drizzle around the inside edge of each glass and serve with tiny spoons. $15 to $20 can get enough very good Port to feed an entire party, and it adds a bit of raisin and anise flavor to the dish so that your parties’ goodnight kisses will be softly puckered, slightly sweetened, and a tiny bit tipsy!
Total cost of meal: $29.50
M. Cole Chilton makes videos about, teaches classes on, and makes a living from tasting and talking about wine. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, and drinks three cups of coffee a day. You can check out more of his musings at Porter’s Wine.
Related posts:
Nice post & nice blog. I love both.