Posted on: November 16, 2005

Beyond the Same Old, Same Old

Moroccan tagines? In your dreams. When it comes to planning a wedding dinner, brides almost always opt for simple entrées of chicken, beef or salmon. That's why caterers constantly reinvent the classics - and you can, too.

By Bev Bennett
CTW Features

Between your lively culinary drive and your uncle's heartburn it can be a challenge to formulate a wedding menu that suits everyone's tastes.

It is any wonder that chicken, salmon and beef, simply prepared, so often are the main attraction when a reception dinner is served?

This triumvirate of middle-of-the-road entrées is safe on two counts. These dishes won't wow the foodies, but they're also not likely to offend any guests and they won't wreak havoc on your budget. Unfortunately, a bride with a more adventuresome palette may feel she must sacrifice her culinary adventurousness.

That doesn't have to be the case, say caterers. Ethnic seasonings, herbs and spices along with exotic side dishes and garnishes are this year's perfect accessories that take ho-hum entrées and transform them into chic dishes.

Think of the entrée as a blank canvas to be painted and decorated, says Rita Gutekanst, principal of Limelight, a Chicago catering company.

"There are pretty plate garnishes that add flourishes: tall Parmesan crisps; fried sage leaves; crispy onions; plantain chips; oven-dried taro root chips; crispy rice sticks," says Gutekanst.

This wedding season, Gutekanst will be delighting wedding parties with such fare as herb-grilled chicken paillard with roasted pepper and fennel relish, or roasted chicken roulade stuffed with Tuscan salsa verde served with oven-dried cherry tomatoes and a balsamic vinegar reduction.

Christie Katona is looking to seasonal produce for inspiration. "I use fruits and vegetables for beautiful color and flavor," says Katona, a caterer in Renton, Wash.

Her goal is to create a flavor explosion, which she gets by combining fruits, vegetables, chiles and herbs in sauces and side dishes. For example, mango-cilantro salsa on a chicken breast is one of the most popular entrées among Katona's clientele.

Ethnic influences are very important this year, says Katona, author of The Wedding Catering Cookbook (Bristol Publishing Co, 2005). "Asian, which is always big, is continuing to grow. Even Indian. We're getting more calls for well-seasoned Indian sauces, such as banana raita," she says.

Right now Katona is experimenting with a classic pork loin in a number of exciting ethnic variations. Her repertoire includes a South American-inspired pork with cumin, black beans, rice and a chimichurri sauce; pork with Asian hoisin sauce, white and black sesame seeds and pork smeared with mustard and brown sugar and sprinkled with "booze" for an American accent.

Not ready to dish a plain hunk of meat, Katona prepares ground lamb and bechamel sauce in the Greek answer to lasagna.

As exciting as it may seem to you, moving your guests' palates from the standard roast beef or chicken to the chiles, herbs and spices of most ethnic cuisines can be a stretch, and you may be apprehensive about your choice.

When Joanna Brewer married recently, she and her husband Jeremy chose a Mexican menu catered by a local restaurant.

"We were getting married in San Diego, which has wonderful Mexican food, so we knew we'd be getting great quality and we knew it would be reasonable," says Brewer, who lives in San Francisco.

She was concerned that some of the 100 people on the guest list wouldn't embrace her choices, but eventually concluded that she "couldn't please everyone." Her wedding menu included fajitas, salad, rice and beans, and a cupcake wedding cake. There was enough variety that "People could find something they like to eat," says Brewer. No one went hungry. The cost for 100 guests, including service: less than $2,000.

Brewer's advice to others hesitant about improvising on the classics: "Understand that you're trying to please people, but some won't be."

Fortunately, beef skirt steak, the basis for the fajita dish Brewer chose, is one of this year's most popular meat cuts. "Skirt steak is economical and I love the flavor," says Gutekanst.

The meat's versatility in Mexican, Southwestern and even Asian menus appeals to chefs. "We marinate skirt steak in tequila, then grill it and top it with a chipotle-onion topping," says Tony Conway, owner of A Legendary Event, a catering and event-planning company in Atlanta, Ga.

Although fish isn't as common as meat at weddings, couples have choices beyond the ubiquitous salmon and tuna. Tilapia has a mild taste that inspires Gutekanst. "It takes on whatever flavor you bring to it. I like a Mediterranean preparation with olives and herbs," she says.

You've probably heard the line about eating first with your eyes. A beautifully arranged plate is especially important when you want your guests to be thrilled by a familiar food.

A bouquet of fresh herbs or a stack of puffy white fried rice sticks is an enchanting accompaniment to a chicken breast glazed with Asian barbecue sauce.

You can also whet appetites with food service. Meat and poultry both look succulent and seductive presented on a cutting board rather than in a chafing dish for a buffet.

"Meat floating in sauce in a chafing dish is ugly," says Conway. Move the entrée to a cutting board and have a chef slice it to order. Your guests are treated to the drama of a culinary pro in action and avoid food that looks as if it's been treading in gravy.

Conway has a lot of demand for grill to order foods at weddings. There's nothing like aromatic grilling woods to season meat, fish or poultry. "Grill chicken to order and top it with sundried tomato sauce," says Conway as a suggestion for an easy, delicious and economical entrée.

When planning your menu, think of ways to marry your favorite ethnic cuisine to otherwise staid dishes. The recipe for lemon chicken with Mediterranean olive tapenade from Chicago caterer Rita Gutekanst may inspire you. Or, you may find ways to create a fabulous skirt steak dish as the one adapted from the Food Network personality and Chicago restaurateur, Rick Bayless.

How to Add Some Spice to Beef and Chicken

Beyond the Same Old:

Seared Skirt Steak with Chipotle and Garlic

Adapted from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, Scribner, 1996

3 to 6 (1/4 to 1/2-ounce) stemmed, dried chipotle chiles or canned chipotle chiles in adobo (see note)

1 large head garlic (with 15 cloves)

5 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed

Salt

Sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 (5-ounce) pieces of skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

2/3 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

If using dried chipotle chiles, toast first. Place the chiles on an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat, turning regularly and pressing flat with a spatula for 30 seconds. Remove the chiles to a bowl. Cover with hot water and set aside for 30 minutes to rehydrate, stirring frequently. Drain and discard water. If using canned chiles, rinse to remove sauce.

While chiles are soaking roast garlic. Separate head into individual cloves, but do not peel. Place garlic on the griddle over low heat, turning occasionally until soft, about 15 minutes. Garlic may blacken in spots. Cool and peel. Set aside.

Place tomatillos on a baking sheet 4 inches from broiler and broil until blackened on one side, about 3 minutes; turn and broil second side. Remove and cut into halves.

Combine the tomatillos and any accumulated juices, rehydrated chiles and 3 garlic cloves in food processor fitted with blade. Process to a fine-textured puree. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon sugar or to taste. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the steaks dry and season with salt to taste. Add 4 steaks to skillet in single layer. Sear until meat is well browned on outside and medium-rare in the center, about 4 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a rack set over a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and remaining steaks.

Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to brown, but isn't tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chile mixture to the skillet. Add the cumin, pepper and remaining garlic (left whole). Stir as the sauce reduces, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and simmer for 5 minutes.

To serve, thinly slice meat across the grain and arrange on 8 plates or on a large platter. Top with the sauce and garnish with cilantro. Serves 8.

Note: Chipotle chiles are extremely hot. Start with the smaller amount if you're not used to incendiary ingredients; you can even cut back to 2 chiles.

Lemon Chicken with Mediterranean Olive Tapenade

Recipe courtesy Rita Gutekanst

2/3 cup soy sauce

1 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

8 (6-ounce) boneless chicken breasts, trimmed

1 lemon, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Olive tapenade (follows)

In a bowl whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and lemon juice. Place chicken breasts in one layer in a non-metallic pan. Arrange lemon slices on top. Pour on the soy marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove breasts from pan and discard the marinade. Pre-heat grill and mark chicken 2 to 3 minutes each side. Remove chicken from the grill; place on a rack in a preheated 375-degree oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare tapenade. To serve, place 1 chicken breast on each plate and top with tapenade. Serves 8.

Olive Tapenade

3⁄4 cup kalamata olives, pitted

1⁄2 cup capers, drained

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1⁄2 teaspoon. fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a food processor fitted with a blade and pulse until thoroughly blended. The tapenade should be roughly chopped not a smooth puree.

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Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"

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