First and foremost, you are about to host a sheva brachos, which means you will inevitably be organizing, arranging invites, and managing a to-do list the length of your arm. The friends and family gathering to share in the simcha are planning to enjoy themselves and want you to enjoy yourself as well. Remember that a sheva brachos, like any simcha, is not intended to drive you crazy. Rather, it presents an opportunity to build relationships, enjoy the moment, and allow your family and friends to share in a happy occasion. So no matter which centerpieces you select, which dishware you use, and whether or not you’ve found a dress for the event, enjoy it. Your friends and family love you and are just happy to be with you.
That said, an elegant yet simple menu makes it that much easier to honor the couple with a meal worthy of the occasion without losing your mind.
Two-toned Beet Soup
Serves 6
Red Beet Soup:
1 T. oil
1 c. sauteed onions, diced
4 tsp. minced garlic
4 c. peeled, cubed (1/2 inch) beets
2 c. chicken or meat broth (this adds a layer of flavor)
1 c. water
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
3 T. chopped fresh dill
Ginger Yellow Beet Soup:
1 T. oil
1/2 c. sauteed onions, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T. minced fresh ginger
3 c. cubed (1/2 inch) yellow beets
1 1/2 c. chicken broth (not meat broth, which will make it look too dark)
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
4 sprigs fresh dill, for garnish
For the red beet soup: In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions and garlic, stirring often, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add beets and continue stirring for 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beets are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in dill. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth (if using a regular blender, you might have to blend in batches).
For the yellow beet soup: In a separate large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring often, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in yellow beets; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beets are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth (if using a regular blender, you might have to blend in batches).
For each serving, simultaneously pour both soups into soup bowl from opposite edges – they will meet in the middle and voila! I find using two mugs works well. Garnish with fresh dill.
Bread Napkin Rings
Easiest thing to do: get a frozen bread dough and defrost it (I like Rhodes), or else use your own challah recipe.
Wrap a paper towel tube in aluminum foil and then spray with cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Take three small pieces of dough and roll them between your hands into strands. Braid the three strands together. Circle your braided dough around the paper roll. Join the ends of the braid at the “bottom” of the roll and press together. Repeat with another three strands, leaving 2 inches between each braid. Up to 3 rings should fit on each paper towel roll.
Spray a large baking pan with baking spray or line with parchment paper. Rest the paper towel tube about an inch above a baking pan (rest it on metal cookie cutters or on two small aluminum cookie sheets, one at each end of the baking pan). Raising the paper towel tube will allow the bottom to rise like the top.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the entire tube with the napkin rings on it from the baking sheet and cool. Slide the napkin rings off the roll when cool – and then you can use your challah as a napkin ring!
Or if this is too labor intensive, you can also just get rolls and use them as place-card holders (fill out the place card and then make a small slit in the top of each roll and nestle the place card in the slot).
Plated Salmon with Lettuce
Serves 12
12 4-ounce salmon portions (ask Shlomo’s to portion out your salmon with the skin, since the fish stays together more easily that way)
1 lemon, cut in half
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to broil. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the salmon portions on the sheet. Squeeze lemon juice over all the fillets. (Place your hand over the lemon while squeezing to prevent seeds from going on your salmon.) Take a pinch of salt and sprinkle over the fish from about 12 inches above it, covering the pieces of salmon in a uniform fashion. If you need another pinch of salt, do it again until all fillets are coated. I prefer not to use pepper unless I have white pepper, since black pepper leaves unattractive spots.
Broil for 8-10 minutes until done – they should have some nice browning spots on top.
To plate: put iceberg lettuce on the plate and then put the salmon on top of that and serve.
Chicken Capons
Serves 12
12 capons (dark shnitzel with skin but no bone)
1 5-ounce bag Osem Caesar croutons
2 c. canned or fresh chicken soup
1 egg
Marinade:
1/2 c. real maple syrup
1/4 c. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 frozen cubes garlic
3 T. balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Soak the croutons in the chicken soup and then mush up. Add 1 egg. Put 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture in the center of each capon. Roll the capon around the stuffing and place in a baking pan, seam-side down. Combine all marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then uncover and bake until nice and crisp.
Salad for 12
1 2-pound bag of romaine lettuce
1 c. craisins
1 c. sauteed portabella mushrooms
1 c. diced and sauteed deli meat
1 c. Caesar dressing
Put the lettuce in a big bowl. Layer the remaining ingredients on top.
Rice Pilaf for 12
5 c. wild rice
5 c. chicken broth
1 c. sauteed onions
2 T. oil
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Put all the ingredients into a pot big enough to hold the ingredients. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Put the pot on high heat. As soon as the water starts boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. At 20 minutes, you’ll have delicious rice!
Individual Chocolate Cakes
Serves 12
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
2 c. water
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 T. unsalted margarine
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the souffle cups with baking spray and line the bottoms with wax paper. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, then pour into a large bowl. Add the chocolate and margarine and stir until melted and slightly cooled. Stir in the vanilla.
Beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture at medium speed until combined. Add the dry ingredients all at once and beat at medium speed until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the souffle cups and bake for about 18 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a cake tester comes out clean.
Use a vanilla icing to ice the top. Melt about 4 ounces of chocolate in a ziplock bag. Snip a very small corner of the bag off and pipe the chassan and kallah’s initials on top of each iced soufflé cup.
Shirley Temple Drink
Serves 12
2 liters ginger ale
3/4 c. cherry syrup or grenadine
12 maraschino cherries
12 half-moon slices of lime (or lemon)
Mix the ginger ale and syrup in a pitcher (be warned, often times the ginger ale will bubble, so add slowly). In each glass put a maraschino cherry and a slice of lemon. Gorgeous, delicious, and festive!
You could be put this drink in champagne flutes which you can get A to Z.
Bracha Shor is the owner and executive chef of Sweet and Good Catering. She can be reached at bshor@sweetandgoodcatering.com. Questions and comments welcome.
