The following is an extended version of the article that appears in the September-October issue of R•Home.
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Once or twice a month, as often as his schedule allows, Ali Tabassian welcomes friends to his Richmond home for cocktails, a light supper, conversation and, occasionally, a musical performance. The most appealing feature of his house, says Tabassian, who bought it just two years ago, is that it’s surrounded by nature. “It has a modern look to it with a lot of nature around it, and even when you’re in the house itself with the big windows, you feel like the outside is inside.”
Perched on a ledge in a dense stand of trees with a nearby creek, the house was designed with simple lines and large plate-glass windows looking out at the trees. One of Tabassian’s favorite features is the large deck just off the kitchen that overlooks the creek. When he entertains, Tabassian says, his guests always end up on the deck or standing in the kitchen.
He generally limits his guest lists to several couples drawn from different groups of friends to encourage conversation and a free flow of ideas. “I like to mix things up and have people of different ideas and different backgrounds … which just livens up the conversation a little bit.”
When planning his menus, Tabassian says he likes to go as seasonal as possible. “I like cooking Thai and occasionally will try some Persian food, and who doesn’t like Italian?” On a recent Friday evening, his guests enjoyed Cucumber-ginger Fizz cocktails created by his girlfriend, Kim Smith, before digging into a light supper buffet featuring steak salad and cucumber-dill yogurt. Find the menu and select recipes below.
Light Supper Menu
- Summer steak salad
- Chicken tikka with dipping sauce
- Cucumber-dill yogurt
- Chicken salad in lettuce wraps
- Peach and tomato salad
- Spiced watermelon
- Hummus
- Vegetable and charcuterie board
- Strawberries, figs, grapes and nuts
- Sumac Spritzer mocktail
- Cucumber-ginger Fizz cocktail
Summer Steak Salad
For the steak
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
In a small bowl mix the spices, Worcestershire sauce and lime juice. Put the steak in a storage bag, pour in the mixture and mix thoroughly. Store the bag in the refrigerator for 4 hours or preferably overnight. When ready to cook, bring the steak to room temperature. Cook on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes on each side. Place on a cutting board and cut into thin slices and garnish with chopped cilantro. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
For the salad
6 cups mixed greens
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 thinly sliced red onion
1 ear sweet corn
1 large avocado
1/2 cup crumbled feta or Gorgonzola cheese
Generously oil and season the ear of corn and grill until browned. Cut the kernels off the cob and add them to the greens with the tomatoes and onions. Mix with cilantro-lime dressing (recipe below) and add the cheese.
For the cilantro-lime dressing
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt (optional)
Put the ingredients in a blender and adjust the salt and honey to taste.
Cucumber-dill Yogurt
This fresh, light dish can be served as a side dish or dip.
1/2 pint low-fat yogurt
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
In a bowl, mix the yogurt with an equal amount of water and add the cucumber, dill, salt and pepper, and the raisins or cranberries and stir until a uniform consistency. Refrigerate for an hour, top with walnuts and serve in small bowls.
Cucumber-ginger Fizz Cocktail
1 1/2 cups vodka
2 English cucumbers, 1 peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 whole
1 lime
750 ml (2 bottles) Topo Chico sparkling mineral water
1/2 to 1 cup ginger simple syrup (recipe below)
Add chopped cucumbers to vodka in a nonreactive container. Refrigerate 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a covered container and store up to 2 days in a covered container. Using a vegetable peeler, shave long, wide strips lengthwise of the remaining whole cucumber, discard seeds. Fill 8 tumblers with ice, add cucumber strips and 3 tablespoons infused vodka plus 1 to 2 tablespoons ginger simple syrup, squeeze lime wedge, top with Topo Chico sparkling mineral water and serve.
For the ginger simple syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Fresh ginger — a 10-inch-long piece, peeled and sliced into rounds
In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add sugar, lower heat and stir to dissolve. Add ginger, simmer and steep for about 30 minutes. Strain when cool. Discard ginger and store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 30 days.
