Summer’s almost here and I am SO pumped about it. (In case you couldn’t tell from my Official Local’s Guide to Summer in NYC)
But in my humble opinion, the best part about summer is having people over and sharing a meal together. Preferably outside.
So tonight, I’ve put together an ALL STAR dinner part menu that will knock the socks off your guests.
And the best part is, that it’s super quick and easy. In fact, it’s fancy enough for a dinner party, but easy enough for a weeknight showstopping meal!
Plus, it’s gluten free and paleo! Not to mention — incredibly refreshing and delicious.
Allow me to introduce:
My Cucumber, Fennel and Dill Pilaf, with Lemon Broiled Chilean Sea Bass.
Let me just pause for a moment. Because this is important. If you’ve never had Chilean sea bass before…stop what you’re doing and go to your fish monger and get some. In full transparency, it is a bit more expensive than say, a salmon or a cod, BUT – HOLY COW – it is a culinary experience for your taste buds.
Imagine the most flakey, most buttery, and completely non-fishy white fish. And then multiply it by ten.
It is the fish dreams are made of.
And then – don’t sleep on this pilaf. Because it is bangin. It’s crisp and juicy fresh, paired with a nutty, chewy and crunchy grain: buckwheat! (Which, despite the name, IS gluten free!)
Here’s what you need: Serves 3-4
Fish Fillet Ingredients:
Wild, ocean-caught Chilean Sea Bass (1/2 lb per person)
1 tsp EVOO
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh dill
salt and pepper
Pilaf Ingredients:
1 cucumber, seeded and sliced thin on a mandolin
1 red pepper, diced small
1 fennel bulb, core removed, sliced thin of a mandolin
4 green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp-1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
salt
1 cup of buckwheat, cooked in vegetable stock
Dressing Ingredients:
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
3 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp EVOO
Tools:
Sauce pan with a tight fitting lid
Mandolin slicer (This is really important to get a really thin slice)
Good Chef’s knife (This is the one I use and love)
Large Bowl
Small bowl to mix dressing (I used a pyrex measuring cup)
Baking Sheet
Tin foil (I use non stick and it’s a game changer)
Whisk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. On a tinfoil-lined baking sheet, lay out your fish fillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the zest of a lemon, chopped fresh dill, and squeeze the juice of a lemon over it. I also topped it with thinly sliced lemons — it makes for a nice presentation. Bake for about 45 minutes, until flakey. This cooking time will vary depending one the thickness of your fish fillet.
Cook the buckwheat per package directions. (It only takes 5 MINUTES to cook!!)
Combine your veggies and fresh dill in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl (or pyrex measuring cup) combine the dressing ingredients with a whisk. Toss the veggies with the dressing. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Serve over cooked buckwheat, or serve as a salsa over the cooked fish — or both!! Super easy and SUPER YUM.
OH MY GOSH – this meal was melt-to-the-floor phenomenal. I mean, it is just ridiculous how succulent this fish is. It is SO moist and tender, flakey and sweet.
And the pilaf was SO refreshing. It was cooling and bright. The flavors and textures were outrageous. The cucumbers were fresh, the bell pepper was sweet, the onions gave it a nice bite, the fennel gave an anise-licorice flavor, while the dill and lemon were so fresh and bright and gave the pilaf a little *zing!* And then paired with the nutty buckwheat, it was “outta bounds!”
And finally, the TEXTURES! It was so much fun to eat. Crunchy, juicy, cool and crisp! If you’ve never had fresh fennel before – consider this your personal invitation. It’s AWESOME. Perfect with the chewy buckwheat and the sea bass that literally melted in your mouth.
Simply amazing.
Do yourself a favor. MAKE THIS MEAL. You will literally be peeling your guests off the floor because they will have fallen out of their chairs in sheer epicurean bliss.
Haha — maybe a little bit of an oversell, but hey — I am passionate about good food, and when I like something — I’m gonna let you know!!!! REAL DEAL RIGHT HERE!!
What’s your favorite dish to make for a summer dinner party?
“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5
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55 responses to “Summer Dinner Party Menu – Refreshing Cucumber Dill Salad & Lemon Broiled Sea Bass”
Caralyn, it sounds delicious. Never see sea bass in the seafood section of my supermarket in Alaska. They go for the Alaska fish. I want to try it! xo
Thank you so much!! I bet it’s super super fresh though!! Hugs and love xox
You are welcome! Yes, the fish is fresh. It is wonderful. Hugs and love. xoxo
🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼💛💛💛
Looks absolutely delicious! God bless!
Thank you so much Ryan!! Hope you’re having a great day! Hugs and love xox
Mmmmm yum! If it’s Bass, I’ll eat it up Caralyn! ❤️😎
Thank you so much John! It was super yummy! Hugs and love xox
OMGOSH! That looks delish! Where’s my invite? 🙂
Haha aw thank you so much! Check your mailbox tomorrow! 😉 hehe Hugs and love xox
LOL
💛
Wow! Looks amazing, Caralyn!
Thank you so much Laura Beth!! Hope you’re having a great week! Hugs and love xox
It’s been a good week so far, thanks! XOXO
Good! Hooray for pre-Friday tomorrow! Hahaha
Wow! It looks delicious 🙂
Thank you so much!! It was a special treat! Hugs and love xox
I have crazy love for Chilean sea bass! I first had it down in Chile when I was a missionary to Argentina. I have loved it ever since. Thanks for the great recipe.
Me too!! It’s so buttery and amazing. Oh wow I bet that was outrageous! Thanks for stopping by!! Hugs and love xox
P.S. Favorite dish for a summer party is cucumber salad. Fresh and yummy.
Right?! It’s so refreshing!!
This looks delicious! I love Sea bass
Thanks Lane! I do too!!! 🙂 it’s super yummy 🙂 xox
I love to cook, this is a great post Thank you for sending this. I am going to make it😀
Thanks so much Brad! I hope you love it as much as I did!! Hugs and love xox
Keep sending the recipes. brad@theultimatedecision.com I love what you write 😀
Will do!
I have a great recipe for Salmon Steaks in olive oil with a cream/white wine/garlic and fresh chopped dill mixture to put on the crispy salmon😀😀
Ooooh that sounds absolutely amzing with the dill!
It is amazing what a small amount of fresh chopped dill will do it makes the sauce
SO TRUE!!
Fish monger is a great word.
Isn’t it?! Monger monger monger 🙂 hehe
[…] https://beautybeyondbones.com/2019/06/05/summer-dinner-party-menu-refreshing-cucumber-dill-salad-lem… […]
Thanks Tonya for the link up! Hugs and love xox
Looks delicious!
Thank you so much! It was a real treat! Hugs and love xox
Recipes and stuff. Looks hard all the time. Loved this post though
Rana
http://www.poet99.com
Thanks Rana!! I promise they’re not difficult! 🙂 Hugs and love xox
This looks so good! Sea bass is my favorite type of fish. Thanks for sharing!
– Katie
Thanks so much Katie! Mine too! so buttery! 🙂 hugs xo
Looks great! Sea bass…yummmm.
Thanks so much Kenn!! Hugs and love xox
You’re so right! It is the fish dreams are made of! I put thin sliced jalapeños and a tad of butter and salt and squeeze grilled lemons on it. Yum!
It really is, Hollie! ooooh that sounds absolutely amazing with the grilled lemons! YUM!! hugs xox
Now this is right down my alley! I DO DREAM of non-fishy fish which is the only kind I like. The pictures and your description of this meal make me hungry, my only wish is that it was YOUR MEAL that I will now prepare. This one excited me a lot.
Haha thanks!! This one was TERRIFIC!!! aw you’re so sweet ! Hugs and love xox
This looks like I will HAVE to make it for Sunday dinner!
haha thanks Shell! yeah it was a real treat! hope you enjoy it! hugs xo
It looks delicious and being Crohn’s friendly helps!! Thank you!!
🙂 yes!! xoxo
Yummy & funny post! Ha! Loving your humor as per usual, reminds of myself lol 😉 😀 really liking this recipe though. Well we don’t really have a Summertime here cause it’s a tropical island and it’s different here. It’s always sunny until rainy season. You can say we cook summer meals all year round haha! Blessings!
hahah thanks girlie! gotcha. when is rainy season??
Most welcome hun! Lol …well it is officially now. Usually it starts in April but the dry season was really dry this year, so it started later in this month instead of April.