This party's really cooking - Recipe

Sunset, June, 2000 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

For a highly entertaining evening, let your guests team up to chop, mix, grill, and poach

Are you just too busy to entertain? Can't spend an entire Saturday preparing dinner? Or does the whole prospect secretly terrify you? Then this party is for you. * Overworked but clever hosts are discovering how to make entertaining ridiculously easy and prodigiously fun: Let the guests cook, Slicing, dicing, baking and boiling--in good spirits--become the party mixer, with (usually) delicious results. Your job as the host is to plan the menu; organize the tasks; provide the recipes, ingredients, and tools; and supervise. Hand drinks to your guests, offer appetizers, and let them loose. Within an hour or two, there's a dinner that everyone will be personally proud of. * Standard summer fare--barbecued chicken, potato salad, and strawberry shortcake--will work, of course, but it's more entertaining to choose unexpected dishes. Each recipe in this menu expands guests' cooking repertoires but employs a simple technique. * For an easy-to-manage party, start with eight guest-cooks, divided into teams of two, each producing one or two dishes. Use our countdown on page 114 to bring dinner together on schedule. Teams that finish first can help others, set the table, pass out more drinks, or just snack and anticipate.

Iced Vegetables

PREP TIME: About 15 minutes

NOTES: This centerpiece appetizer is perfect for guests to nibble as they cook. Assemble up to 4 hours ahead; drape a damp towel over any leafy tops, and chill.

MAKES: 8 servings

Choose an assortment of vegetables that won't wilt, such as celery, fresh fennel, radishes, baby carrots, and red bell peppers (or a variety of colors). You'll need about 2 pounds total. For the most attractive presentation, keep vegetables as whole as possible, but rinse and trim or peel as needed: Separate celery and fennel into stalks (cut stalks lengthwise, if desired, to make them easier to eat); leave prettiest leaves on radishes and baby carrots; stem and seed peppers, then cut into strips. In a dear glass bowl or vase, immerse vegetables in ice water.

In a small, shallow bowl or rimmed plate, mix 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper.

To eat, pick vegetables out of water and drain briefly. Dip in balsamic vinegar mixture or scoop into roasted garlic hummus (recipe follows).

Per serving vegetables and vinegar mixture: 55 cal., 60% (33 cal.) from fat; 0.9 g protein; 3.7 g fat (0.5 g sat.); 5.5 g carbo (1.2 g fiber); 125 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Roasted Garlic Hummus

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 50 minutes

NOTES: If making up to 1 day ahead, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature to serve. Offer with crackers, seeded breadsticks (recipe follows), and iced vegetables (preceding).

MAKES: About 1 cup

1 head garlic (3 in. wide, 3 1/2 to 4 oz.)

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzos, drained

2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt and pepper

1. Cut garlic head in half crosswise. Rub cut surfaces with a little of the oil. Place garlic cut sides down in an 8- or 9-inch pie pan; cover tightly with foil.

2. Bake in a 400[degrees] oven until garlic is soft when pressed, about 40 minutes.

3. Pluck or squeeze garlic cloves from skin; discard skin. In a blender or food processor, pur[acute{e}]e garlic. Add remaining olive oil, the garbanzos, and lemon juice. Whirl until smooth, scraping container sides as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Scrape into a bowl.

Per tablespoon: 41 cal., 46% (19 cal.) from fat; 1.3 g protein; 2.1 g fat (0.2 g sat.); 4.5 g carbo (0.8 g fiber); 31 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Seeded Breadsticks

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 35 minutes

NOTES: Eat plain or dip into roasted garlic hummus (preceding).

MAKES: About 2 dozen

1 loaf (1 lb.) thawed frozen bread dough

2 teaspoons spice seeds, such as cumin, dill, fennel, poppy, or sesame (use 1 kind or several)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a 6- by 12-inch rectangle and sprinkle evenly with spice seeds and salt. Roll seeds lightly to press into dough, without changing shape of dough. Let stand until dough is slightly puffy, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Oil 2 or 3 baking sheets, each 12 by 15 inches.

3. With a floured knife, cut dough into 6- by 1/2-inch strips.

4. Pick up both ends of 1 strip, gently stretch until strip is about 15 inches long, and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat to stretch remaining bread-sticks and fill baking sheets, placing strips about 1/2 inch apart.

5. As each sheet is filled, bake in a 400[degrees] oven until breadsticks are browned and crisp, about 12 minutes (about 8 minutes in a convection oven). Transfer to racks to cool.

Per breadstick: 57 cal., 21% (12 cal.) from fat; 1.5 g protein; 1.3 g fat (0.3 g sat.); 9.5 g carbo (0.4 g fiber); 115 mg sodium; 0.9 mg chol.

Avocado Fans with Asian Mint Dressing

PREP TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: Choose avocados that are firm but give slightly when gently pressed. You may need to buy them a few days ahead and let them ripen at room temperature. Use a small, sharp knife to cut avocados neatly. Asian fish sauce and hot chili oil can be found in well-stocked supermarkets and in Asian grocery stores.