Recently I had the opportunity but not the time to entertain. Sound familiar? I wanted to create a memorable dinner party but work obligations prevented me from spending the time that I usually do. I felt a need to prepare at least one of the courses, but I didn’t have time to get into complex center-of-the plate entrees and sauces. What to do?

I outsourced the a la carte entrees and sauces to none other than GourmetStation. This way I knew the main-dish quality would be outstanding plus I had a chance to offer multiple proteins from poultry to lamb to pork. Something I absolutely did not have the time to do. But I did have time to prepare a stunning salad that worked with all of my protein selections. I selected a recipe from Chef Todd English – you may be familiar with Chef English from the Iron Chef USA.

So if you find yourself in a bind and need to throw a smashing dinner party with minimal time and effort, remember GourmetStation a la carte entrees. To help you with your planning I’ve selected salad recipes from famous top chefs to marry with poultry, pork and lamb. Add a memorable theme, resounding wine, good conversation & you’ve achieved success; just like you always do!

PORK – I’ve selected a Romaine Salad with Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit & Roquefort in Pomegranate-Port Vinaigrette from Chef Ken & Karen Barker. You may have read about this culinary duo The New York Times, The Washington Post or Food & Wine. Here’s what the chefs had to say about their creation. “This somewhat incongruous combination of ingredients yields one of our most favorite salads: visually, the deep pink grapefruit, blue-veined cheese, and the jewels of pomegranate seeds on crisp lettuces are dramatic. The flavors integrate sweet, salty and tangy and come with a textural crunch.”

POULTRY – I’ve turned to Chef Sandy D’Amato for a salad to work with poultry entrees…Chickpea, Escarole and Eggplant Salad with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette. Now that’s a mouth full – literally and figuratively. Chef D’Amato was personally chosen by Julia Child to cook for her 80^th birthday. Because of the strength of the escarole, I recommend serving this salad as an appetizer in front of the poultry entrée rather than as an accompaniment. You’ll love the way the chickpeas, Japanese eggplants and garlic work with the smoked paprika vinaigrette.

LAMB – Finally for the lamb I’ve selected Salad Tulipe with Walnut Dressing from Chef Jacques Pepin, a true master of technique in the French culinary tradition. Here’s what the chef says about his creation. “This salad is a flavorful combination of field salad, pecans, pears, goat cheese and walnut-oil dressing. The field of corn salad (doucette or mache in French) is planted around the end of August and gets large enough to be ready for picking at the end of November. After the first frost, it becomes sweeter and tenderer. If these greens are not available, the salad can be made with a mesclun mixture, widely available in most supermarkets.”