Wow, all I can think to say about Memphis today…
Weekly Dinner Party: Beach House Style
This week’s dinner party is a bit different than our standard affair. With the whole family in Pacific Grove at the beach, I took on making a spread of cold salads for dinner. There’s a lot of tradition here: we used to visit a gourmet deli called Tutti’s in Montecito and each pick out a salad to bring home for a big buffet.
Menu
- Black olive pesto pasta salad
- Tabouli salad
- Cold cheese and carved ham
- Classic potato salad
- Green salad with almonds and green beans
- Warm cheese herb rolls with butter and soft cheese
I made all three salads the Friday before we left for the beach. The potato salad is your standard potato, celery, onion affair.
The black olive pesto is a Tutti’s recipe I’ve been trying to recreate for years. This time, I made the pesto with chopped black olives, pumpkin seeds, red chili flakes, garlic, black pepper, olive oil and parmesan cheese. The chili flakes are a key ingredient to keep it from being bland.
Finally, a tabouli salad I made for the first time. That lemon dressing combined with fresh herbs is so delicious.
The final spread had a little something for everyone.
Perfect no-prep meal for 10 adults and 3 little ones after a long day at the beach.
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