In every part of the world, harvest time prompts a season of gatherings – of inviting each other into our homes to eat.
Having more people to feed at one time can be stressful; collaborating on the spread takes the pressure off the host, makes festivities more affordable and keeps things interesting – everyone has the opportunity to bring something they love, that suits any dietary needs they might have.
And if you stress over quantities, you’ll know there will be more than enough food if everyone brings something, regardless of how many people show up.
The authors of three new cookbooks have shared some of their favourite dishes that are easy to transport and ideal for sharing. (And if you’re taking on the cooking yourself, all of these can be prepped ahead, freeing you up to enjoy your family and friends.)
The chef: Chuck Hughes
The cookbook: Chuck’s Home Cooking features celebrity chef Chuck Hughes’s favourite go-to dishes he cooks for his own family, whether its an easy weeknight dinner or something more elaborate for special occasions.
The dish to bring to the table: Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp cocktail is a classic starter, and perfect with tortilla chips or crackers. “It can be made in a big batch and plated,” says Hughes, “or you can do it family-style to make it easily shareable. It’s something loose, fun and interactive and not too serious.”
Chef’s tips: Hughes suggests keeping the ingredients separate. “Even if it is dump and stir, you want it to be tasted separately,” he says. “You want that crunch from the celery. Mise en place it ahead to assemble and put it together at the party.”
Another stand-out dish: Hughes’s brown butter mashed potatoes sound next-level delicious. Mashed potatoes are perfect for making ahead, transporting and warming on the stovetop or in the microwave. Drizzling them with browned butter – “basically, butter caramel,” writes Hughes – before serving is the kind of extra that makes special events even more memorable.
Excerpted from Chuck’s Home Cooking by Chuck Hughes (Penguin)
The chef: Babette Frances Kourelos
The cookbook: Babette’s Bread is a beautiful, accessible and comprehensive guide to mastering the art of bread. The book is full of stories, techniques and 60 recipes inspired by Kourelos’s life and travels around the world.
The dish to bring to the table: Koulouria (Greek Sesame Bread Rings)
“Koulouria are beautiful and conveniently versatile to style,” says Kourelos. They can be stacked high on a wooden board or in a shallow basket, scattered on a large grazing board, or displayed on a stick or pasta drying rack.
“Their size and shape make them easy to grab, tear, dip, and share – that is, if you don’t devour a whole one by yourself!”
Chef’s tips: Koulouria can be reheated for five to seven minutes at 350 F before serving. “As a fun alternative, you could slice the koulouria into very thin discs (approximately 4-5 discs per koulouri) and dehydrate them on low to turn them into koulouria crackers,” says Kourelos, “perfect for dipping or scooping up delicious hummus, tzatziki, or dips of your choice. Dehydrate at 210 F for a few hours. To avoid the crackers from curling or warping, you can place a stainless steel or oven-safe cooling rack on the slices while they dehydrate.”
Another stand-out dish: Babette’s Bread is full of gorgeous loaves I’m inspired to bake, but will surely try the French fougasse, made with cold-fermented focaccia dough studded with garlic, olives, flaky salt and thyme.
Recipe by Babette Frances Kourelos excerpted from Babette’s Bread, copyright © 2024 by Babette Frances Kourelos. Reprinted with permission of TouchWood Editions.
The chef: Melissa Owen
The cookbook: Epiphany Bakes is a collection of 60 sweet recipes from the founder of Epiphany Cakes, a bakery in Nelson, B.C., that has been supplying restaurants and cafés across the Kootenays for almost 20 years.
The dish to bring to the table: Brownies with Pistachio Cream
“Pistachio cream, no matter how you use it, is a crowd-pleaser,” said Owen. “Its gorgeous pale green colour gives these brownies a wow-factor and its silky-smooth texture contrasts beautifully with the dense chocolate brownie. I also love that these brownies are gluten-free, making them an ideal treat to share with a group.”
Chef’s tips: Owen suggests making these brownies the day before you plan to share them, and chilling them so they are less delicate and will be easier to transport. If you happen to have pistachios handy, she says, you can add an additional layer of texture by sprinkling chopped pistachios on top before serving.
Another stand-out dish: Flipping through her beautiful book, a recipe for Eton Mess Cake immediately caught my eye. A delicious marriage of cake and the delicious British dessert of layered fruit, cream and meringues, this epic dessert would be perfect for any celebratory occasion – and could be customized with any tart seasonal fruit.
Recipe by Melissa Owen, excerpted from Epiphany Bakes, copyright © 2024 by Melissa Owen. Reprinted with permission of TouchWood Editions.
