Fall: Blowout Cocktail Hour
By Michael Psilakis, Anthos
1. Greek Sashimi
“These spicy botan ebi prawn sushi rolls are made with ouzo-scented rice and bound in grape leaves.”
“Serve oysters with cucumber gelée and yogurt, and hamachi with preserved quince and caper relish.”
2. Shellfish Yiouvetsi
“Yiouvetsi is like paella with lobster, langoustines and prawns. Have someone serve it out of a big, sizzling, aromatic pot.”
3. 21-Vegetable Greek Salad
“A mélange of raw, shaved, cut, roasted, and blanched vegetables. The be-all end-all crudité setup.”
4. Carving Station
“Serve rack of lamb with Cretan thyme, honey, and a pistachio crust. The men will love it.”
5. Spit-Roasted Whole Pig (not pictured)
6. Flame Grill
“Flame-grill sardines with olive-caper-raisin pesto.”
“This roasted octopus souvlaki with cranberries and brussel sprouts tastes like Thanksgiving; the quail with pink- grapefruit glaze isn’t super-cerebral foodie-food either.”
7. Pasta Station
“Starches are necessary, but don’t do a big rice pilaf. Much more interesting is made-to-order large flat-noodle pasta with ragout-of-rabbit stew.”
8. Fowl Station
“This poached poularde with leek fondue and coriander blossom is a reinterpretation of a traditional Greek chicken soup that’s served with avgolemono.”
COST PER HEAD*: $165
(*Peter Callahan’s estimated cost for each menu includes food and staff only.)
Winter: Black-Tie Affair
By Alex Guarnaschelli, Butter
First Course
Arctic char with salmon roe and watermelon radish
“It’s the ultimate winter fish, fatty and rich. I love the saltiness the eggs impart, and how they play off the bite of the radish. The salmon roe is a modern alternative to caviar.”
Second Course
Scallops gratinéed in their shells with shallots and lemon cream
“Gorgeous, bubbling right in the shell, and great in winter. There’s a real creaminess to the scallops, but they’re suprisingly light.”
Third Course
Guinea hen with grilled Trevisano and apples
“The hens are small, so half of one would be the ideal portion. It’s not too far off from serving chicken or duck.”
COST PER HEAD: $225
Spring: Outdoor Soirée
By Akhtar Nawab, Elettaria
First Course
Tuna loin, fresh and pickled watermelon, hearts of palm, long pepper
“The tuna’s very nice this time of year. Long pepper is Malaysian, not very spicy, aromatic, and works well with watermelon.”
Second Course
Crabmeat resala, Parisian gnocchi, basil seeds, turmeric-and-onion soubise
“The Maryland crab is sweet and rich and the gnocchi are golden, potatoless pellets that can feed an army.”
Third Course
Sirloin of beef, morel mushrooms, braised Romano beans, fenugreek leaves
“It’s a fairly large piece of beef—not too fatty, very tender, and easy to cut.”
COST PER HEAD: $225
Summer: Dressed-Up Barbecue
By Josh Capon, Lure Fishbar
First Course
Chilled yellow-tomato gazpacho with crispy soft-shell crab and avocado mousse
“Garnish the soup with some watermelon or grapes, and perch the tempura-battered half-crab atop the avocado mousse.”
Second Course
Charred octopus salad with marinated heirloom tomatoes, arugula, and roasted red onion
“Serve the octopus Greek-style: braised, marinated in fresh herbs, then grilled.”
Third Course
Surf and Turf: grilled lobster tail with roasted-sweet-corn-and-citrus butter, and barbecued rack of lamb with crushed peas and mint
“Rack of lamb is one of the nicest pieces of meat you can buy, and the lobster tail is as classy as it gets.”
COST PER HEAD: $265
CALLAHAN SAYS:
“This runs the gamut of fish, fowl and hoof—plus, 21 vegetables at one station—so no one’s going home hungry. But a whole pig staring guests in the eye?”
CALLAHAN SAYS:
“You can pull this off in any kitchen, as long as you have lots of dancing between the first and second courses, or an army of kitchen staff.”
CALLAHAN SAYS:
“This is wedding bliss: It has familiar food with a touch of the esoteric to remind guests that this is no country club menu.”
CALLAHAN SAYS:
“Foodies will love grilled octopus, but will Uncle Barney? Swap it for fish, and this menu takes the blue ribbon.”
Photographs by Kang Kim