Table For Two - A picnic with Dish Catering

As your big day approaches and the weather warms up, refresh your palate - and recharge your romance - with a home-cooked feast for two. Minimal time in the kitchen pays off in big spring flavors, best enjoyed in the open air.

Let’s face it, planning a wedding is no picnic.

All the more reason then to plan a few pit stops along the way - opportunities for the two of you to relax, reconnect, and refuel. A home-cooked dinner by candlelight? Sounds great! But as we emerge from winter and the days grow milder, why not take it outside instead?



“Putting together a gourmet picnic doesn’t take a ton of effort,” says Kate Hays, owner of Dish Catering. With years of experience cooking up delicious outdoor weddings in Vermont, she should know. For this colorful spring meal, she offers a fresh take on a perennial favorite, salmon, wrapping it in flavorful bacon with a refreshing corn and pepper relish for contrast. Crisp sugar snap peas tossed in a simple vinaigrette are the very essence of the season, while roast fingerling potatoes with truffle oil and sea salt bring earthy flavor and a creamy texture to the plate.

Just add a plate of fresh fruit, a jar full of flowers, and a sheet to sit on and you have all the makings for a movie-ready romantic afternoon, with you as the star.

Boston native Kate Hays came to Vermont in 1986, making a name for herself as a chef at Burlington’s Daily Planet restaurant and with her first catering business, Global Bites. With Dish, her latest endeavor, Hays emphasizes local food, professional service, and elegant presentation. From Mediterranean flavors to finger-licking barbecue, Hays works to create a complete experience customized to each client. “When a bride and a groom can really convey who they are at their wedding,” she says, “that is magic.”

A Savory Spring Menu

Bacon-Wrapped Salmon with Corn Relish

3/4 pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into  2 portions

4 slices high-quality bacon

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup diced red pepper

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1/2 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt and black pepper to taste
 
Remove any pin bones from salmon. Lay 2 bacon slices side by side, overlapping slightly, and set a salmon piece on top. Wrap bacon around the salmon. Repeat with the remaining fillet. Transfer to a plate, cover, and refrigerate.  Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium-size, ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Add the thyme and lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.  Wipe out skillet and place over high heat. Add the salmon, overlapped bacon ends facing down. Cook until underside is well browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes longer. Turn the salmon over once again and place skillet in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until salmon is just opaque in the center. Transfer to plates and serve with the corn relish and roast fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas.
 
Roast Fingerling Potatoes with White Truffle Oil and Sea Salt

1 pound small fingerling potatoes, washed and scrubbed, skin on

2 tablespoons olive oil

1⁄2 tablespoon white truffle oil

High-quality sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a heavy metal baking dish in a 375° oven. Toss the potatoes and olive oil and add to hot pan. Roast, shaking the pan occasionally, until potatoes turn brown and are easily pierced by a knife, 20 - 25 minutes. Drizzle with the truffle oil and add sea salt and black pepper
 
Sugar Snap Peas with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

1 pound fresh sugar snap peas

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 inches of salted water to a boil. Add snap peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain into a colander and run under cold water; set aside. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and thyme leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the snap peas with the vinaigrette and serve.