Elegant Spring Dishes for Entertaining
Julia Knight's Spring Dishes for Entertaining Your Guests Elegantly
Spring is full of fresh fruits, delicious veggies, cool breezy evenings and beautiful blooms all around us. That being said, there are tons of great recipes that work well during the spring that simply lose their charm in the warmer months. Here are three spring dish recipes with helpful tips on Julia Knight serveware presentation that are sure to make your next dinner party or get together something truly special.
Fresh Fruit Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients:
- graham cracker crust
- 2 8oz packages of cream cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 clementines
- 1 kiwi
- ¼ cup blueberries
Directions:
If you prefer you can make your own crust out of shortbread cookies and butter, however, buying a store bought crust is simpler and faster. To start, you want to prepare your fruit. If you do not like the fruits that are listed, you can substitute fruits that are in season near you or that you prefer. Start by peeling and segmenting your clementines. You then want to peel and slice your kiwi. After that, you want to add your room temperature cream cheese to a mixing bowl and add in the ½ cup of sugar. Whip together until it is smooth and slightly aerated. Then add the heavy cream slowly and add the lemon juice as well. This will work to give your cream a sweet and tangy flavor that will complement your fruits.
You should then spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of your crust. The mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least four hours so that it can set up and support the fruit that you add. After you have allowed your mixture to set, just before serving add your fruit in any arrangement that you want to create a beautiful cream cheese fruit pie that is perfect for the hot summer months. Place the fresh fruit cheesecake pie on an elegant, spring platter such as the Julia Knight Classic 14” Cake Stand for a stunning “5 Minutes To Fabulous” presentation!
Gorgeous Julia Knight Cake & Pie Stands
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 lbs of asparagus
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ cup parsley
- grated zest of lemon
Directions:
Toss 2 pounds trimmed asparagus, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees F until lightly browned, 15 minutes. Mix 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, the grated zest of 1 lemon, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the asparagus.
Spring veggies abound and nothing better than delicious and nutritious asparagus for a successful spring soiree. You need only olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper to enhance fresh asparagus. Top the roasted spears with toasted pine nuts for an invigorating crunch. Chopped parsley and lemon zest are nice as well if you have them on hand. Once done, present it to your guests on a beautiful Julia Knight Florentine Gold/Sapphire 22.5" Handled Tray to wow your guests.
Arugula and Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 2 cups arugula leaves
- 1 generous pint fresh strawberries, washed, dried and split lengthwise
- Sprinkle poppy seeds
Directions:
In a large serving bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar and sugar. Whisk in the olive oil, canola oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste for seasoning. Toss the arugula leaves in the dressing, add the strawberries and poppy seeds and gently mix. Serve immediately.
This salad would look amazing presented in a Julia Knight Peony 15” Serving Bowl, with matching Peony Salad Serving Set.
These are all easy recipes that are great for the spring: they are fast, delicious, and can help get your started with entertaining after a long winter. They can all be placed on Julia Knight serveware so that you can entertain your guests with style!
For more ideas on how to entertaint elegantly, check out our complete line of luxury serveware, barware, and entertaining accessories at JuliaKnightCollection.com or contact us directly at 800-388-1878.
