It's that time of year. The air is getting brisker, and the dishes are getting heartier. And what better way to welcome in the autumn air than with an elegant dinner party?
In this edition of our Host Notes blog, we offer a simple guide to setting your fall table from start to finish:
First, the table setting:
Inspired by the leaves of the season, we pair a dip-dyed saffron napkin with a tree-like placemat. The autumn sprigs of the napkin ring add a dramatic touch.
Note the inclusion of both dinner & salad fork on the left, a spoon and fork for dessert up top, and a dinner knife and soup spoon on the right. Always place the knife with the blade facing the plate.
Next, once our guests are seated, we serve the soup course:
Here we make use of the gold Perlee collection from L'Objet in all its glory. The gold of the plate rim compliments the gold of our Lucca Fortessa flatware.
We recommend serving a warm soup like tomato bisque or a creamy butternut squash soup. The best wines to pair with fall soups are light and acidic red wines.
Next comes the main course:
Of course, by now we've whisked away the soup bowl and spoon, and the table is set for a fall dish. Fall Steak Kabobs with Apple Cider Marinade or a Vegan Butternut Squash Pot Pie are excellent options. (Recipes below.)
Next, the salad course:
White wine pairs best with this delightful crisp, colorful salad.
Last but never least, our just desserts:
We love autumn pies like this mixed berry custard treat. Serve with tea, espresso, or coffee.
And there you have it! A delicious and elegant dinner to celebrate fall.
Recipes:
Fall Steak Kabobs with Apple Cider Marinade
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lb. Sirloin Steak Tips cut into large 1 inch chunks
- 1 Large Sweet Potato peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 Large Sweet Onion chopped
- 1/2 Cup Apple Cider
- 2 TSP Soy Sauce
- 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 TBSP Minced Garlic
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Sweet Onion
- 1/4 TSP Salt
- 1/4 TSP Black Pepper
- 6 Bamboo Skewers soaked in water.
INSTRUCTIONS
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Place your sweet potato into a microwaveable bowl. Cover. Microwave for about 3-4 minutes on high - until potatoes are cooked but firm.
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In medium bowl, combine cider, soy sauce, cider vinegar, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Add steak tips. Marinade for at least 30 minutes (ideally 3-4 hours in the fridge).
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Skewer your steak, sweet potatoes and onion on your bamboo skewers.
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Grill on medium high for about 10-12 minutes, turning once during cooking.
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Serve warm.
Vegan Butternut Squash Pot Pie with Whole Wheat Biscuit Topping
INGREDIENTS
POT PIE FILLING:
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 2 leeks thick green top removed and chopped/rinsed
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 10 ounces mushrooms chopped (about 3 ½ cups)
- 3 cups diced butternut squash
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup plain almond milk
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
BISCUIT TOPPING:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 cup plain almond milk
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat your oven to 400 °F and spray 8 ramekins with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
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In a large sauce pan sauté the onion, garlic, leeks and carrots for about 3-4 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and butternut squash and cook 6 more minutes until the mushrooms have lost their water and shrunk and the butternut squash is starts to become tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour over the veggies, stir to coat everything, and let cook for about 1-2 minutes.
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Stir in the broth and milk and let the mixture simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. If it's too thin add in another tablespoon of flour.
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Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the frozen peas, thyme and parsley. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
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Spoon the mixture into your 8 prepared ramekins and set aside.
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Now prepare your biscuits.* In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
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Add in the vegan butter and use your hands to break up the butter until you get a crumbly mixture that has no butter pieces large than pea size.
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Pour in the milk, starting with ¾ cup, and stir. Add in more milk until you get a ball of dough that holds together, but isn't too moist.
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Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it 10 times. Pat it into down until it's about ¾ inch thick. Cut out 8 biscuits and place the biscuits on top of your veggie mixture in the ramekins.
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Place all the ramekins on a baking sheet to catch any overflow and bake for 15-17 minutes until the biscuit topping is cooked through and the veggie mixture is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!
Mixed Berry-Custard Pie
INGREDIENTS
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
- 12 graham cracker sheet
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 melted salted butter
CUSTARD PIE
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
MIXED BERRY COMPOTE
- 6 ounces blackberries
- 6 ounces raspberries
- 6 ounces blueberries
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 tablespoons Chambord optional
- Fresh mint sprigs optional
WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Finely crush graham crackers in a ziplock bag with rolling bag. Place crushed graham crackers in a bowl and stir in sugar and salt. Add melted butter and stir until everything is damp. Press into the bottom and side of pie plate and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool.
CUSTARD PIE
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Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a mix bowl, whisk sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, egg yolks and vanilla bean paste until everything is smooth and combined. Pour into the cooled pie crust.
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Bake until the pie sets on the side but is still wobbly in the center, about 40-50 minutes. The center will look wobbly, and the top will brown, which isn't the most attractive look, but don't fret. It will set in the refrigerator, and we're covering that brown with the berry topping.
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Let pie cool and then refrigerate for at least three hours.
MIXED BERRY COMPOTE
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In a medium saucepan, toss berries with lemon juice and sugar. Cook over medium heat until the berries break down to a jam-like consistency, occasionally stirring. Take off heat and stir in Chambord. Let cool.
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Pour berry compote over entire pie. You can serve immediately or put it back in the refrigerator if you'd like a more chilled topping. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh mint if desired.
WHIPPED CREAM
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If making your own whipped cream, beat the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until medium to stiff peaks form, and it's still fluffy.